I am return-ed

We got back on Wednesday night and boy were we exausted. Its a longer drive than SOMEONE let on. 12 hours my ass.
The snow began getting less and less even as we crossed the border into NY on that rainy rainy Wednesday last week. By Worcester I think there was none. As we got into Maryland and DC there were FLOWERS!!!!! Daffodils by the many on roadsides and medians. Flowering trees of some sort! Needless to say I was thrilled.
Virginia Beach was a cozy 19 when we arrived and we rolled down the car windows to breathe in the salty tanged air. Saucer Magnolias, forsythias, Eastern redbuds, white flowered trees of some sort....all were blooming as well as something with bright red and/or pink flowers depending on the bush. Daffs, Tulips, pansies abounded. What a great way to have the first days of spring...with actual SPRING!!
Saturday we were on the beach in swim gear because it was a balmy 21 and thats warm enough for us to soak up some sun. No swimming was done because the water is still pretty chilly. The sun felt so good on our skins as we played in the sand and fly a kite. Then the wind shifted and the temperature dropped significantly so it was sweaters ot jackets for much of the rest of our stay. It still beats snow gear.
I only hit one yarn shop while away, we were SO busy!! Ewe Knit Kits and Yarn in Va Beach had a great selection of wools, acrylics, and cottons as well as blends and kits for projects. They were very friendly there, staff and customers. I bought a sock yarn I'd not seen before and it was nice and cushy and $6 something for a small skein (one sock per skein if adult sized). It was Plymouth Yarn's Happy feet and I quite like it. The colors are nice and the price is also nice. I got Universal Yarn's Ditto sock yarn too( $6 a skein). I saw the Darned Pretty needles. 5 inch DPNs ran about $30 bucks a set!!!! WTF!!!?? Thats a crazy assed price and needless to say I did NOT buy any.
The busy-ness we had : Virginia Aquarium, Zoo, Nauticus, Nasa science center, the beach, walking the trails the Back Bay wildlife/nature refuge park, watching big screen TV and drinking coffee in the mornings, shooting pool, playing foosball(I suck), drinking beer...... You get the idea. The boys loved their room because they had their own TV (with Cartoon Network and Nickolodeon),and a Nintenda 64...LOL. Ben is quite good at pool now compared to when we arrived.
I got a call Saturday Morning on my cell phone. My nephew Trent and his wife of two years Vicky had their first baby Friday night/saturday morning! Carl Cullen, 7 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces and with auburn/strawberry blonde hair. The pictures are adorable. I am almost finished the bootees. The first one is sewn up kinda crappy but the second is better. I am on the first little sock cuff (10 rows to go) and will finish the second by Monday and get them in the mail with his wee little Virginia shirts...LOL That bootee pattern is genius. Go buy one as soon as she has more on Etsy. i wanna make him a couple more pair in other yarns and sizes and also some wee little sockses. the Baby Surprise Jacket is just annoying me so it will get ripped and a regular sweater made...maybe a raglan cardigan or something.
I got the book Last Minute Knitted Gifts while away. Chapters never has it when I look so I snagged it when I was browsing at Barnes and Noble. What an excellent book for gift knitting ideas. I made hand warmers for my mom for Christmas
from a pattern in this book.
Speaking of books...I am missing my EZ Knitting Without Tears. Kadi gave it back on pub night and now I can't find it. Dang it.
I will post pics as soon as I can. we have several.