Great Lakes, Batman!

Once again the Great Lakes Fiber Show was a homey, lovely, warm (okay, hot...) and welcoming place! My classese were filled with interesting women (folks in the midwest are much more fascinating than they think they are, which is part of their charm...) with a variety of knitting styles and lots of happy chatter. And, once again, I was the severe school marm who told them, "When I'm talking, I'm talking..." Aw, I'm no fun.

In my opinion, 3-4 hours of class is as mentally and physically challenging as almost a full day of knitting or designing, so the periods when I teach a full slate several days in a row are rough. I was so happy to see old friends and make new ones - and spend some happy time having dinner or drinks with folks. When I'm on the road for more than a week or so it's easy to get very lonely and a little muddled (like an emotional confusion) Spending time with friends, just connecting over a meal or a drink, when nothing is expected of me except good company and an ability to sit upright, is a blessing and a mind-clearer!

I worked on some pieces for various entities, and finished up the initial work on a hat for Pam Allen's next book, Lace Style. It's the first hat I've worked up in about a year, and I'd forgotton how much I enjoyed millinery! I still have to make a big ribbon/bow with Touch Me and finish trimming the edges of the brim, but the shape is good.

I left Wooster after my last class on Sunday and didn't realize until this morning that I'd left my steamer. For those who know me, this is almost like leaving a child behind... I'm only an hour away in Milan, but driving there and back will mean 2 hours of knitting time lost, so I'll put it off for a bit and then make the trek back down to meet up with Linda and find my steamer.

When I arrived in Milan I checked into the Motel 6 and was more than a little dismayed to find beer bottles on the back stairs (I was in the rear of the hotel so I went up the back way to my room) and a pretty loud group of guys in the pool. Rowdy, even. I enjoy rowdy - but I also had arranged to have my husband and kids come here - and I wouldn't feel entirely comfortable sending Hannah and Max to the pool, even if I were with them.

When I think Motel 6, I don't usually think drinkin' parties.

So I stayed one night, checked out, and drove a bit down the road to a Clarion Inn which takes pets (Gerry & the kids are bringing Atticus), has internet, cable and an indoor pool, and no beer bottles strewn about the common areas.

Gerry, Han & Max (& Atticus) will be leaving NJ this afternoon when Gerry gets home from work, then drive as far as they can and stop for the night in PA. Tomorrow they'll get here, we'll get them settled, then we'll head out for the Cedar Point evening (it's much cheaper after 5:00, which is when we very, very fair redheads can enjoy it even more!) The next day is up in the air - we may return to CP, or we may do something else. It's supposed to be intermittent thunder storms on Wed, so we may just go to a movie or visit one of the local indoor water parks (the kids would DIG that!) and then on to Mackinaw City. Drive on!