Join Me in Snarkville

If I was a better blogger, my camera would have come out of the case at somepoint this weekend.  But alas, I was having too much fun to notice that I failed to take a single photo.

I spent my Saturday in the company of a billion of knitters, spinners, and weavers at a little thing called Stitches West.  Now, I’ve got to say, I spent one day at the market and it is huge and busy, and blurring and crazy — how my buddies do it over the course of nearly 4 days, I’m clueless.

Late Friday evening, I drove down to the kind hospilatity of Jasmin (the tiny, Persian Dictator of the Minions of the Pointy Sticks) and got to hang, giggle, and get a nap before Saturday.  I want to claim that she keeps her house too cold for me to sleep, but I fear it may have a bit of excitement.  However, her mother made coffee (which poured nicely in my veins) and I was mostly normal again.  Jasmin’s husband, Andrew, was also kind enough to make me eggs and toast for breakfast — which totally made up for him following me through the aisles at the market, waiting for my head to explode.

I want to say that I bought amazing things — which I did.  I’m very much in love with my bracelet (glass beads at a knitting show?  shut it, it is fabulous and isn’t yarn stash, thus totally ok), which Prince looked at shook his head loudly.  I have lots of people to chat with when I’m thinking of buying yarn again, but mostly, I tucked information away for the future.

But, I did come home with yarn.  I came home with a Fleece Artist kit for a sweater from my buddies at Beehive Wool Shop.  We visit them in Victoria, BC on Sea Socks and I may have hugged them many times.  They are two lovely, lovely ladies and worth a trip in — most assuredly since I learned that they have the largest selection of Fleece Artist and Hand Maiden in British Columbia and perhaps Canada.

However, there are some highlights that everyone should enjoy:

1. Lesson learned — don’t pack your knitting tools in a different bag from your knitting.  You will forget — even if it is a bag you wish to show off to your friends.  Then you will panic and have to borrow a cable needle (which you will wear in your sweater for the rest of day.
2. Lesson Learned — know who you are walking up behind and telling (forcefully) to “Move Your Ass” so that you don’t say that to a complete stranger.  Fortunately, this was NOT my Faux Paus, but it was so something I’d do — that I felt my brain fuse a bit with Cynthia when she shared the story.
3. I was cornered by a small doggie who had forgotten that I was an invited and welcome guest when I stepped out of my room (please note that I’ve declared a room in Jasmin’s home to be MINE ALL MINE) on my way to get coffee.  I may have turned around (while she was barking at me) and closed the door and considered just going back to bed (or escaping out the window, because dangit the dog was between me and my coffee).  I know Elphie didn’t realize that she was less than warm, but her brother made up for it, by licking my shoes or toes when ever he was close.
4. Andrew really did follow me around to watch my head explode, but alas I think I disappointed him.  I think I may have become a bit jaded.  I loved seeing everyone’s stuff and there’s an energy in the room.  The reality is that I walked away with the feeling that there was much that was once in a lifetime items here.  Perhaps I’m not done feeling the weight of my stas, even though I’m on sweater number 2 of the year (and sweaters really help reduce stash quickly).  Or perhaps, it is that I was just in a place of mental noting people I wanted to see again once I was ready to buy again.  I don’t know what exactly it was, but very little really “blew my skirt up.”
5. But don’t misunderstand, hanging with the Minions was awesome.  If you ever get an invite to hang with them, take it.  And I should warn you, about half the group is on Sea Socks — and I think the ship will never be the same again.
6. Finally, late Saturday evening, I was missing my boys too much.  I was supposed to stay the night again and leave early Sunday morning, but as late as it was, I just wanted to curl up with my family.  So, Jasmin was gracious (and hopefully not insulted) as I packed up and left.  I drove home refreshed from a good day and knowing I’d be surprising my boys at home in the morning.  As I pulled into the garage, I worried that Prince would think I was an intruder.  However, he had no idea I was there, until I turned the light on in the bathroom — let’s just not think of him as burglar protection, k?
7. Duke was thrilled I was home.  In the morning, once awake, Prince reminded me I’d promised bagels or doughnuts — which I ignored.
8. I washed the dog, did laundry and proceeded to have a normal day.  Right up until I decided it was a great idea to start my taxes at 9pm last night.  My head is spinning, I don’t think I’ve done it right, and I need to review some more items.

So, to summarize, I believe this is proof I’ve grown up and matured.  I controlled myself in what can really only be described as a shopping orgy. I hung out and laughed with friends (even setting up some playdates with other mommies/aunties), somehow without stealing yarn; being totally obnoxious (I hope); or telling anyone to ’step off’.  And I topped off the weekend with a bit of family and my taxes.  Yup, I’m a grown up now.