Asheville to Miami, the good stuff rolls on... We had a really good show in Asheville, met great people and found a heartening level of interest in having teh Boyo offer workshops in Boulder combining a vacation in Paradise (west) with learning how to build an Arts & Crafts style lamp. So we shall see what the year brings. It would be a whole new enterprise for teh Boyo. I'm getting tired of typing that so He Who Rules The Couch (but not the cats) shall henceforth be called Dennis. His name, eh?
We roll on toward Miami with one unfortunate blip on the radar, a shitty, expensive, and right-by-the-freeway hotel outside of St. Augustine, Florida. Avoid that. mmK? Got the day off to a really crabby start.
Cool nights and warm days have followed us down the panhandle right into Miami and are continuing right now. It's been some time since Miami has had such a true winter and long, cool spring.
On our way down I had contacted a continuing education hours provider I had used before for keeping up my massage license. They were offering a 12 hour course very cheaply to meet new in-person class requirements imposed by the Florida licensing authorities. How perfect, eh? I need to renew both Florida and Utah licenses this year and if I'm in Miami only a few weeks (please goddess) this would be excellent.
Well, between calling before Asheville and calling now, the class has filled. No seats. Sigh. I ask Allan to put me on a wait list in case someone cancels. Allan (co-owner of the company) pauses and then says there usually are no cancellations (too much demand) but perhaps I'll be lucky. You see it coming, yes? Three days later he calls and lets me know an opening has come up, the seat is mine. It gets better. There are NO cheap hotel rooms in Naples, FL at the height of the season. Think over $100 for an el Cheapo. I resign myself to a 2 hour drive each way each of the 2 days of the seminar. As I'm about to drive off after the first day, my table partner, Gretchen, invites me to share a room with her and her sister and won't take any money for it. folks, stuff like this hasn't ever happened for me in south Florida. Until now. Did I mention the tight budget I'm on? heh.
So the seminar is wonderful, Gretchen and Kris and I have a wonderful time walking all over downtown Naples, the beach at sunset, the historic district, and find Bad Ass coffee shop. The only coffee shop in Historic Naples that will allow Dushka, their siberian Husky to come inside. Great coffee, too, if ever you're in Naples. Wave buh-bye to Caroline driving off into the sunset with two new friends, a new buddy to do massage trades with, and all the CEUs she needs for the next 2 years under her belt. Btw, Naples, Florida has turned into quite the little happening town. Really beautiful for walking and great cafes and restaurants. The sunset over the west-facing beaches is spectacular. I'll definitely go back.
Then there is Girly Shoes Lynne...whoops, story for tomorrow. Now, finally, the Scarf of Doom. Done.
Finished somewhere along I-40 in Oklahoma. Now blocked and ready to be mailed to AmyO.
Note the presence of my able assistant, Zeeland...that's Ms. Neesy's kitteh.
Specs: Veronik Avery's Lace Ribbon Scarf from Knitty
Yarn: Vintage Filatura Di Crosa Zarina, 2 skeins color 5001
Measurements: Approx. 10 in. x 52 in.
The Doom may continue because I actually like the way this turned out. And of course I've finally seared the pattern into my frontal lobe. This may come in handy because I promised Alyssa, Baby Bella's mom (see previous post), a double-wide lace ribbon scarf made into a shawl in her favorite deep emerald green. I'm not sure I'll live long enough to finish it, though. Did I mention I am not a big fan of teh lace knitting? Love the results, hate how slow I am to produce them.
And I'd really rather be knitting a Whisper Cardigan. I've found just the yarn. It's vintage stash Rowan Silkstones, 220 yds. of silk and wool loveliness, like Silke-Tweed only finer. And it's waaay more than 25 years old. I reckon.
How about a new competition KAL: My-stash-is-older-than-your-kids-Along? heheh.