This 'n' That

• I saw a mention of a great t-shirt today: "If yarn were meth, I'd have no teeth"
• When we were on the cruise, I had a manicure (and later a massage) and let the spa people talk me into buying this stuff. It's horrendously expensive--I think I paid $55 on board, and I see it's $52 (plus shipping, I'm sure) on the website, just for one little bottle. And the smell isn't all that spectacular, unless you adore menthol/camphor. But it takes just a pea-sized bit to massage into your neck and shoulders, and then you get a really lovely, intense menthol tingle for over an hour. It's wonderful.
• Hubby scored us a Wii console a few weeks ago. I'm usually not much into video games, but this thing is fun. Of course, Thing 1 is totally addicted, and I don't feel too awful about it because at least she moves around a lot while she plays. It's a good thing on a gloomy, rainy weekend like this one. Tennis is one of her faves, and she jumps high in the air and swings her arms so much I have to make her take long breaks, otherwise she ends up sore the next day. This weekend she borrowed a Hannah Montana game from someone, which is driving me insane. You have to copy all sorts of dance moves, and then you get to go shopping in various countries. Of course she loves it, and I've caught Hubby playing a couple times, too. But you us poor bystanders have to listen to the same intensely annoying Hannah Montana songs over and over and over again.

Stitches West

Sorry for the lack of postings lately. As usual, too much is going on. But yesterday I managed to get to Santa Clara, where I spent the day at Stitches West. Because, you know, I have such a severe yarn shortage. Ahem.

Anyway, here are my favorite things I brought home:

On the left is some Silkie Socks that Rock. Love the colorway. At the top is my find that excited me the most: Kureyon sock yarn! I didn't know such a thing existed. The vendors told me it came out about 6 weeks ago. In the middle is some Malabrigo laceweight baby merino. Soft soft soft. Did I ever mention that I have reason to believe the owners of Malabrigo are distant relatives of mine? I should get a family discount! And the bottom item is glow in the dark yarn. It's pretty scratchy, so I'd only use it as an accent, but it glows a very bright green. And I do love GID stuff.

I was sorely tempted by some yak yarn from Bijou Basin Ranch. The guy there was pointing out pictures of various yaks, telling me their names, and talking about whether they like getting brushed or not. They're pretty animals, and the yarn is really nice. Knatolee, I think you need some yaks. But since we've just racked up nearly $3000 in vet bills for Ruthie (who's doing quite well now) I tried to exercise restraint.

Thing 1 didn't get to go this year because she had school. But Hubby's aunt is visiting, and she's a knitter, so we went together. It was great fun!

I wanna start knitting right this second, but Thing 2 has a birthday party today.

Finally, a new (almost) FO

It seems like forever since I finished a knitted project. This one's done, other than blocking. The yarn is Handmaiden's Sea Silk. I've been wanting to try that stuff for some time, and it really is wonderful. This generous-sized scarf took just one skein. I love the colorway, too. Click on the pic for an up close view, and to tsk tsk at all the debris that blew into the pool during a windstorm the other day. And the weeds that need pulling.

I mentioned the other day that Ruthie was sick. She ended up with pancreatitis. Luckily, the kennel staff caught it early, and she seems to be slowly recovering. At least she's home, which makes everyone happy. The trick now is to get her to eat, and hope her liver functions improve. She had acupuncture and a massage on Thursday, and that helped. But here she is enjoying the best medicine of all: cuddling with Thing 2.

Tuesday Miscellany

Instead of more cruise pictures today, I have several miscellaneous items to share.

Remember that tea I was searching for? Emily in France sent me a different brand in the same delicious flavor, and now Jette has unearthed the original brand. She sent me 3 boxes (along with some other nice goodies, including a lavender sachet from her garden). So I'm set on peche-cassis tea for a little while. Yay! It smells so delicious!

Right before our cruise I took a glass fusing mini workshop with some friends. I received the finished pieces yesterday. I just have to attach some findings to the earrings:

The large blue thing is a suncatcher with a thin pocket for a single flower stem. The red star thing is also a suncatcher. The rectangle with the bumpy dichroic glass is a pendant; the glass matches a pair of earrings I bought a few years ago.

Glass fusing was really, really fun. I intend to learn more soon.

And today is Thing 2's 5th birthday. Here she is modeling some of the princess gear she received. She is definitely princess material.

Back and Blogging

We are tanned and relaxed and now we are returned to sunny California. Other than a health crisis for Ruthie while we were gone (she seems to be recovering now), it was a wonderful vacation. I can definitely recommend Disney cruises. The cabin was very nice, the crew were great, and the entertainment was top-notch. Also, Disney's private island in the Bahamas is beautiful. Nothing beats falling asleep in a gently rocking boat, with the smell of sunscreen and the blissfully silent sounds of conked-out children.

I experienced a moment of perfect bliss one afternoon. We were docked in St. Thomas, and had spent the morning ashore but returned to the ship for the afternoon. The Things were in the kids' clubs, Hubby was off doing something or other, and I was on the top deck with a book and an iced tea. The weather was perfect, warm and a little breezy, and I was watching the sailboats in the harbor. I didn't have to be anywhere or do anything for hours. Perfect.

I may post several pix over the next few days, but here are some of my favorites.

Thing 2 enjoys a chocolate Mickey ice cream bar.
Rainbow at St. Thomas.
Our ship and the Flying Dutchman at Castaway Cay.
Island girl.
Thing 1 and Hubby watching us sail away.