Getting Closer...and a birthday wish

...to the holidays and all. But first: Happy Birthday, Meg! (My baby sister...who turned none-of-your-business this year. Wish I could see you today.)

We went for a drive yesterday and ended up at the North Shore (Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly Farms, etc., in MA). A lovely day and a gorgeous area.

The first thing we hit was a church craft fair/Christmas sale. We passed on the crafts, but found some wonderful things at the White Elephant sale...including tins for holding cookies, a nice glass jar for candies, a needlepoint pillow and more. Cost? A whopping $2.00!

The book sale yielded some goodies, too; DH found a birding guide, we got a few vintage boys adventure books, and I found another narrow basket--I use them to hold produce on the cellarway. I've paid as much as $10.00 for one. This one set me back twenty-five cents. And...DH spotted a vintage Swansdown Cake Flour promotional booklet from 1939. It's in sad condition, but still readable. The endorser is Kate Smith (the Kate Smith who sang Irving Berlin's "God Bless America"). Great recipes! I'm going to use the Almond Butter Cream frosting for DH's birthday cake in a week or so.

We pressed on, to a LYS, as I needed yarn for a gift project. We stopped at the shop we've been to previously and walked in on a signing and trunk show for Ann Weaver.

Yes, we bought the book! DH has already requested the cabled scarf/wrap, etc. pattern (can't remember the name of it now); about 200 yards of worsted cables, with button and buttonholes to take it from one incarnation to another.

She was fun to talk to, and we stayed a while. She was also very gracious about a scarf and hat I designed and made last year (I wore them yesterday), but never wrote up. It's not on the blog, though I might have mentioned it in passing.

She's even offered to be a test knitter. So if you're reading this, Ann, I really do intend to find the pattern notes and send them on; failing that, I'll read the end results and send that. I'm not sure exactly when, but I will do it!

I am doing some knitting--and finished some more--but can't mention any of it until after the holidays.

On a final knitterly note, my KnitPicks package just came. I used the gift certificate my sister sent me more than a year ago and used it toward a couple of blocking board squares and some sock yarn. It was on the doorstep when we came home last night!