pjbknit

New Years at Callaway Gardens

I spent the weekend at Callaway Gardens with 24 of my siblings, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. The "old people" were in one villa, and the rowdy people in another. We had Christmas again. I gave out 18 jars of preserves, jam, jelly, etc.

On Friday night, everybody went to the Fantasy in Lights display. We heard there were 8 million light bulbs. No, my pictures did not come out.  On Saturday, the old people went to the Day Butterfly Center, Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel, the Sibley Horticultural Center and Mr. Cason's Vegetable Garden to see the Victory Garden and any gift shop along the way.

Those look like real antlers to me

Too bad my photo of my sister and sister-in-law straightening the bows did not turn out

It sounded as though there was a big waterfall behind the chapel, but it turned out to be a small one on big rocks.

Spring Break on Jekyll Island, with Knitting

We went to Jekyll Island, GA,  for Spring break. I had read about the ongoing revitalization project in the Florida Times-Union online. (I grew up reading the "Florida paper" in South GA and subscribe to the RSS feed.) Anyway, we did not know the Jekyll convention center and the shopping center were gone. We knew the Buccaneer, the hotel my family stayed in for decades, was torn down. So was the Ramada. We stayed in the Days Inn, the first hotel past the construction site. You had to go kinda through the middle of the island to get to things on the other side of the construction, such as the temporary location of the shopping center in trailers.  There is a new Dairy Queen and gas station on the causeway.

We planned to go to Savannah for a day trip, but I did not feel motivated to get up and make the 80-some mile  drive. We did not stay in Savannah because the hotel prices were high for St. Patrick's Day. DH said it was much quieter in Jekyll anyway, surrounded by the snowbirds. We always look for boat-tailed grackles, too, speaking of birds. Also sandpipers and seagulls.

We drove the length of the South Georgia Parkway, discussing the changes we could see in Albany Tifton, Waycross, etc. in five years or so. On Sunday,  we went to the Jekyll Island Art  Festival. We wandered around Goodyear Cottage looking at pottery, paintings, photography. One print I  got was of a bird reflected on the beach. I also got a set of notecards and a print of the marsh and palm trees (that I want to put in the new bathroom) by the same artist. 

We also went to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. I went through all the stations to get my form stamped and be a sea turtle for a day. We got to see several patients in their tanks. I also got a bracelet, a mug, a magnet, and stickers. All this shopping to help the sea turtles, right?

After that, we went to Brunswick and went to Books-A-Million and T. J. Maxx, where we went the week the stores opened, over 10 years ago. Wow! We ate at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, where they gave us enough fries for four people, I think. Then we went to Jekyll and walked on the beach. I am missing the seabreeze now when I go outside, and grackle screeches.

The next day we went to St. Simons Island, where the entrance was different, there were more traffic lights on Demere, and there was no traffic light where I told DH to turn left on Frederica Road. There is a new confusing roundabout, (pdf) instead. We went to the Stitchery, which was in a different location. We ate at Barbara Jean's, another place I have been going for years. After lunch we searched for Stepping Stones Quilts, which I knew was at the airport. It had not moved, but we drove around a lot. After we got home, I discovered the address was on my cell phone.

We had to walk through Neptune Park, which is where the public restrooms are, and down to the  St. Simons Lighthouse.  The pier was closed for repairs.

View of Jekyll from St. Simons. The tide was high, so there was no beach to walk on at SSI.

Then we went back to Jekyll and walked on the beach.  DH says he enjoyed walking for five miles and seeing two people, not crowds like Savannah or Destin. The weather was phenomenal, according to the TV  weather person in Jacksonville or Savannah. (Except for the last morning, when it was cloudy when DH planned to take photos of the sunrise, at 7:30.) Gee, WTOC has some of the same anchors and weatherman they had when I was at Georgia Southern long ago in the 80s.

I went back to St. Simons on Tuesday, and got a pedicure, then went to Brunswick to check Lowe's for paint, which I couldn't figure out, and ended up getting today at the Anniston store. I also had to go to the Publix supermarket store. I miss Publix, especially the bakery. I was hoping for Key Lime tarts, but had to settle for mini eclairs. DH drove everywhere, except for Tuesday, when I went to SSI and Brunswick.

Koala Bear-y, OPI

Palms on Jekyll


The Marshes of Glynn, and the Sidney Lanier bridge, from the observation deck at the Jekyll Island welcome center. I was more than six miles away from the bridge, on the Jekyll causeway.

I finished my second Ragtop Mitt, mainly while waiting for Farm Town on the Acer netbook. We had free, slow wi-fi in the hotel room. I didn't have the patience to blog. One mitt has the cuffs folded down, in convertible mode. Malabrigo Rios in Cumparsita, Ragtop pattern. After a failed attempt at a charted leaf toe-up sock pattern, I started the Roses for You socks, with the twin leaf lace pattern. I finished the toe before leaving on vacation. This is Sophie's Toes yarn in Autumn Leaves, I think. I did a couple of tiers on my entrelac throw, too.

Second Ragtop mitt

Finished mitt photos by DH

I got some more Malabrigo Rios at the Stitchery of St. Simons. Zarzamora

I also got Pagewood Farms Denali sock yarn in Woodsey.

I was in a purple mood, apparently. I got this Kroy FX sock yarn at Michael's.

Also, Belvedere says Happy St. Patrick's Day! I say I had to hold on to him, or he would knock off the headband and stomp on it, especially when I tried it on Punkin.

 

Vacation in Vegas

DH and I spend last week in Las Vegas. We stayed at the Flamingo where there is a lot of pink, including my toenails after a pedicure.  I finally got to go to Gail Knits, a yarn store I have not been to the other times we have been. We had a great view of the Bellagio and its fountains from our hotel room window.

 

  

This view is from the Strip in front of the Bellagio

  

 
The Conservatory in the Bellagio always has impressive displays

We ate Harrah's and the Rio's buffet, at Mon Ami Gabi in front of Paris, and Margaritaville. I had salmon three times. We also had breakfast at the Hash House A Go Go, which we had seen on Man v. Food. This is the Tractor Driver's breakfast with a banana and brown sugar flapjack. This is a platter, the thing is huge!
  

DH's friend rented a car, so they dropped me off at Gail Knits, while they went to  the Red Rock Casino nearby. I got stitch markers and cable needles and gadget bags with the Gail Knits logo on them. I also got some Crazy Zauberball sock yarn.
 

Race for the Cure

I drove 200 miles roundtrip to walk 5K. I drove to Birmingham, AL, at the crack of dawn to take part in the Komen North Central Alabama Race for the Cure. I raised $500. I would have to check to see how much was from me! When I went to leave at 5:30 am or so, Belvedere hopped in the car. I think he misses obedience class.

I believe I had my worst time ever for a 5K, somewhere around an hour, but there were thousands of people around me, and I was not in the timed race. I was not last. I have a sinus infection, and I feel really tired now. There was a sea of pink everywhere I looked. The fountain in Linn Park had pink water. Photos from my cell phone. Oh yeah, there was a light rain the whole race, and the sponsor tent area was a sea of mud. I bought a poncho and wore it the whole time.

 

 

 

Week in Las Vegas

I took the pink Acer Aspire One to Las Vegas. I had no trouble with the checkpoint friendly netbook bag-it opens out butterfly style so the netbook is in a compartment by itself with no metal or other obscuring things. Yes, I spent money on frivolous things on vacation. A Margaritaville t-shirt, tacky flip-flops and a pedicure. Not to mention Internet access. Two things here:

 

View from and of the room, a Go mini-suite at the Flamingo.

 

Grilled salmon with pineapple and mango salsa at Margaritaville.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

Spring Break in Vegas, Baby

DH and I spent a week in Las Vegas at the Flamingo. I still didn't make it to a LYS, oh well. I did remember to take some sky shots, one even on Saturday. Warning: photo heavy post. Speaking of Internet connections, we did not have one this morning. I have talked to Belkin three times, and our ISP once. I have messed with computers all dat. We now have a new network card, new Ethernet cable, and a new wireless router. Whew! I guess I still retain the title of Techno-geek that DH gave me, despite the fact it took three days to change the time on my previous Accord's clock.

Saturday sky. March 15. View from hotel room

Sunday sky with Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. I had French toast for dinner in Paris.

Another view from our room, with sunshine

Front of the Flamingo at dusk, from the pedestrian bridge to Caesar's Palace

Turn around after taking shot above, and this is what you see.

View from our room at dusk. The pink is Flamingo, the blue is Imperial Palace, and Harrah's, Venetian and a corner of the Wynn are visible. The backs and sides are almost as impressive as the fronts.

One of my artistic shots

We went to see Spamalot at the Wynn. We also got card memberships at the Wynn, and racked up enough points for 4 buffets. OMG. Grilled asparagus, salmon, red snapper, shrimp, raspberry iced tea, creme brulee, carrot cake, key lime pie, caramel eclairs....  DH did not have to explain Monty Python humor to me. We were very close to the stage. King Arthur (John O'Hurley) kept blocking my view.

Breakfast at Margaritaville. This is the view across the street from the third floor balcony. Yes, they have the drink menu at 7 a.m. DH was winning,  and had hit his first Royal Flush on video poker at the Flamingo, He had several hand pays, so he celebrated with Incommunicados (scroll to very end) and pancakes. I had French toast with berries and whipped cream.

We also had dinner at Margaritaville. I had crab and corn chowder, shrimp and crabmeat salad, a peach daiquiri, and a COKE. (What is it with the Pepsi and casinos?) DH had the Cheeseburger in Paradise and more Incommunicados. I had Key Lime pie for dessert. You-know-who had an Incommunicado. We did a lot of walking.
.

The Toe Jazz second sock admires the view. I left CPH in Birmingham. I took the entrelac scarf with bamboo needles on the plane, but only worked on the sock at the Flamingo.

I turned the heel, and finished the gussets. See that pedicure?

Travels from Mississippi

My colleague Laurie Charnigo and I went to Starkville for the Mississippi Library 2.0 Summit at Mississippi State University on June 15. It stormed and rained yesterday. We were there for a poster presentation on Facebook, an online social network. We were in sessions all day long yesterday. Today, we had a leisurely drive back. With only one detour through a new previously unseen part of Starkville, and one wrong turn in Columbus. We ate breakfast at the hotel, then went to the bookstore. It was in a neat depot buidling. We had to wait for it to open, so we walked around.

We got on the road after visiting the bookstore, and did not get very far. Columbus, MS is 22 miles or so. We made it to Yarns Downtown. It is a very nice store, with lots of Rowan, Crystal Palace, Artyarns, and many more yarns I have not seen and touched.. Look at all the baskets.

The chesse straws came from a cute gift shop named Occasions, where the cups came from. The yarn on the left is Strapaz Cotton Effekt for socks, and on the right is Taos from Crystal Palace. Laurie got me the sock yarn for my birthday.  We made it to Tuscaloosa, AL (Roll Tide!) for lunch 1.5 hours from Columbus. We ate at McAlister's Deli, nothing exciting. I did not press my luck by suggesting we go to the LYS in T'town.

Wandering in Mobile

The barely visible gold domes in my rainy shot are the spires of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, which is in a neat downtown, artsy area, Cathedral Square. I ate lunch at the Spot of Tea, across from the square. This is the square, looking toward the Cathedral. I also went to the Cathedral Square Gallery, and got some earrings and notecards. The sock has been to the conference several times.

This is the side view of the front.

Last night, we had dinner and a meeting at Wintzell's Oyster House.

This is what you see from the walkway to the Convention Center. Several librarians are ready to leave.

Wisteria Sock

Alabama's roads, between here and Birmingham, are resplendent with redbuds and dazzling with dogwoods. I could not come up with alliterative words for forsythia and cherry and wisteria, both purple and white. The dogwoods really stand out on wooded hillsides. Bear with me, the sock is here somewhere.

My day was interesting. I spent two hours at work, then I went to the doctor's office and picked up several years worth of mammogram films, then I headed for UAB, formally known as the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the Kirklin Clinic, after ending up on the wrong side of B'ham at the Birmingham Public Library-where better to get info, right? I found out there is a big difference between 6th Ave South and 6th Ave North. I drove around the clinic parking deck for a few minutes, parked and walked into the building. I walked right through Kirklin Clinic and had to be directed back. I made it to MRI dept at 12:15, an hour before my appointment. I got the gusset decreases completed on the TOFUTsies sock. After my MRI, including an IV in my hand for contrast dye, I returned to the waiting room and worked on the sock again. I was struggling to get the last stitch over the circ needle's join, when another woman who had been in the waiting room when I arrived, said, "Circular needles...they are wonderful." I looked up, met her eye, and smiled. Anyway, I had an MRI, an ultrasound and a mammogram. The doctor had a good sense of humor and was entertaining, at least. I got there at 12:15, and got out at 3:15. I had no lunch-bless the volunteer Angel Squad for the cookies and water cooler in the waiting room. There was even a radio tuned to the local public radio station. I could have done without NPR's Tony Snow cancer news all day, though. Three breast cancer survivors in the waiting area. were discussing how wonderful UAB is. 

I hope I don't need any treatment, though. I think I am being checked out this thoroughly because both my sisters have had breast cancer. I took a few circuits around several levels of the parking deckupon leaving, then I then had an inadvertent tour of downtown B'ham and UAB, in several circles, before going back to the interstate the way I came in, by the BPL, my landmark. I bought brownies.when I stopped to get some groceries. I have to go back for a needle biospy-doesn't that sound awful?  I went to get gas, and couldn't remember which side the tank was on,. leading to circling several pumps. ARRGGH! I am tired.

I still managed to photograph my knee sock in progress for y'all. See the shaping for the calf? The yarn is a little heavier than fingering, so I am using a 3 needle.The colorway is Wisteria. I braved some large bees in that stuff, (I could feel a breeze when they flew by) and wet nasty pups ambushing the back of my legs for these photos.

Artwork and Socks

DH and I often visit art galleries when we travel. There are a lot in Savannah and we saw a lot of art that we liked. One of the places we went was Gallery 209 on River Street in Savannah. We both spotted pieces from potter Bryan Attaway. Then we had to think about them for a couple days before getting them.  DH said my pick was elegant, while his was "religious art." The One Commandment.  Anyway, here they are. Click for larger.

The last time we were in Savannah, I got a dichroic glass pendant from Davenport Designs on Bull Street. We went back to check the shop out again. While I was shopping, the owner was telling DH about her hectic day. She also told him about Paula Deen getting four parking tickets on the previous day, while sitting on the hood of her Mercedes chatting with passersby.  Paula calls Waynette the Dog Woman.  We still haven't eaten at the Lady & Sons. I found a necklace and earrings. I got compliments when wearing them. I did not even ask what they were-maybe glass. Click for larger.

Speaking of jewelery, I keep forgetting to mention that I won a contest on Aija's blog while I was away! I won a gift certificate to LingGlass on Etsy, which I have already spent on a red and silver dichoic glass pendant and a black cord necklace. I  made a pretty lame addition to the poem at Choka On It.  I still don't think I want to tackle her Space Invaders socks on Knitty.

Somehow, I managed to not get a lot of knitting done on my vacation. Seems as if I was either walking or eating.  I frogged my knee sock attempt another time, after working on it in Jekyll, and took a stab at another pattern. I think I finally have it. I just had to have increases for my large calves. I am taking meticulous notes so I can make another sock the same way.  I do like this yarn and I think the sock fits this time. This is Wisteria colorway.

I managed to finish the legs and heels of two second socks, the Pretty Petals (a Jeanie Townsend design from the Yahoo group) in Sundara's Lenten Rose colorway on the left and the TOFUtsies Tidal Wave sock. Click to enlarge.