I just realized I've been doing this blog for a whole year already. Since I started, I retired from teaching, travelled to Missouri, Cuba and the Rio Grande Valley, and knit a whole bunch of stuff. Scooter has graduated from elementary school, excelled in high school and come 4th in Canada in The Great Canadian Geography Challenge. Skip got his mother into a nursing home, sold her house and got it cleaned out. We sure did a lot of stuff!
We're looking forward to the summer. In June, the three of us are going to an LPGA event sponsored by Wegmans (a grocery chain) outside of Rochester, NY. In July, Skip and I are going to a lawn mower racing event in central Michigan. It sounds kooky but it's tremendous fun. Basically people race their riding lawnmowers around a track delineated by bales of hay. There are different classes ranging from mowers that go 8mph to mowers with super-charged engines that can go as fast as 60mph (100kph). No lawns are harmed or mowed during the process as the blade is disabled for safety reasons. We've been to several of these events. In fact, one year we missed a friend's wedding because we had already planned our trip to a USLMRA (US Lawn Mower Racing Association) event in Michigan combined with a cross-stitch festival in Toledo. We never did tell our friend specifically why we missed the wedding.
I'm still trying to decide what yarn I'll use for the GAAA (Great American Aran Afghan). I found some Lion Brand Wool Ease online last night for $2.00 per 100g skein so I'm seriously considering ordering it. I'm going making a day trip to the US in a couple of weeks and will see what I can find at Joann Fabrics and Crafts and Mary Maxim. Cost is an issue as I'll need to buy 20 - 100g balls or 40 - 50g balls. And it needs to be washable and not be 100% acrylic. I tried some Patons Decor and did not like the feel or look of it. Patons Canadiana has been recommended but it's 100% acrylic. A lot of superwash wools fluff and pill like crazy. So an inexpensive, good quality and good-feeling blend is essential.
Yesterday at the library I found a book on yarn dyeing and ideas for projects called "Dyeing to Knit" by Elaine Eskesen. The library also gets Creative Knitting magazine and has back issues that may be borrowed, so I grabbed a couple of them. I also stumbled upon a podcast (#41) from Knitpicks where Kelley Petkun recommends several audio books not only for their content (mostly fiction) but also for the person reading them. It's a great way to 'read' a book while knitting as well as a nice way to pass the time in the car on a long trip. I brought home Sophie Kinsella's "Can You Keep A Secret" and Janet Evanovich's "Plum Lovin". I will also listen to them on my walks around the neighbourhood.
I started this blog primarily to chronicle my activities and details of knitting projects and trips for my own reference - kinda like an online journal. It's also a good way for me to let people know what I've been up to when they ask, "What have you been doing, now that you are retired?". I just give them my blog URL and they can read for themselves. Thanks to those of you who are regular readers. I enjoy your comments and continue to welcome your feedback.
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