Starting the New Year off right

Happy New Year! It has been a fun but quiet New Year weekend, for which I am very thankful! Gerry and I drove from Delray Beach to Central Florida on Thursday afternoon. A 3 1/2 hr trip took us over 6 hours. First we got stuck in a traffic jam. Traffic was at a standstill due to a fatal car accident several miles north of us. We were able to do a turn around, back track 10 miles and get on I 95, only to miss the exit that would have put us back onto the Turnpike, above the accident. We drove to Cocoa Beach (of I Dream of Genie fame) and took the Beeline Highway straight across to Orlando. There we stopped to eat at the Olive Garden, which I have to tell you, was delicious. Ok - I never order red sauce there, preferring my own to all else, but you can't beat the soup, salad, and bread, and I had a seafood dish that was really good. From there we drove to The Villages, a senior city where my in-laws have a house and we have the key. The best part of the trip was that I got to knit almost all the way (until it got dark). I had purchased Eros Glitz yarn the day before at a new knitting booth in the flea market, along with size 13 bamboo needles. I worked on the scarf and was halfway done by the time we reached Orlando. I finished the rest of it New Years Eve night after the NY ball came down. I had purchased the Eros because I have been knitting socks, socks and more socks and needed a change. Before I finished the scarf - which is so easy cast on 18 stitches and knit each row until you are done - I was on line and found a pattern that was similar but started with 36 stitches, knit 4 rows, knit 2 st together all the way across and continue with 18 sts till desired length. Then increase in each stitch until 36 st, K 4 rows and bind off loosely. That gives a litle ruffle at each end. Since I had already done half of the scrarf, I ended as in this pattern, then picked up 18 stitches at the beginning end (oxymoron?), increased in each st to 36 and K4 rows. Today I was dressed and about to leave the house when I got a brilliant idea....I used the scarf as a belt. It looks fabulous on my jeans.

While here in the Villages I went into a craft store where they have great yarns, but they were very pricey so I'll wait until I get home. I can always do pricey at the booth in the flea market or other private shops in the area. I am once again working on socks. This pair was to be for my son-in-law Michael, Alison's husband, but I found out that Alison is knitting him the same pair in the same color, so I'll give these to my son-in-law Phil and make Michael a green pair.

Before going on vacation I went on line and researched Stitch and Bitch groups. I found a similar group in Ft. Lauderdale. I wrote to and received a response from one of it's members, Catherine. I will try to make the meeting on Monday night, but we are first getting home from vacation then so I might have to wait until next Monday. However, Catherine is very nice, and upon hearing that I like to make socks, she told me about the book she wrote that is all about knitting socks. I checked out her site and it has pix of the socks featured in her book and her Sock Calendar. Now I REALLY am excited about meeting her, and can't wait to get the book. Here is the site: http://www.TheSockCalendar.com

We had a nice visit with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law (from my first marriage). We ate at TOOJAYS. For those of you who are not familiar with TOOJAYS, it's a gourmet deli. The food is SOOOO good, and I treated myself to whitefish salad, which I rarely have. I am always so full after eating that I never get dessert. Too bad, because they have a wonderful bakery there. Then we walked around the Town Center where there were booths set up with many different kinds of items for sale (no knitting booth so I didn't spend a dime).

Gerry and I are now alone and will have two days left here before going back to South Florida on Monday. That's probably more than enough relaxing for us! But I will definitely get much more knitting in - finish Phil's socks and work on Michael's.

Happy New Year to one and all!