Happiness is a ball of yarn and new friends

We all do it. We join lists about our interests. So when I started back up with knitting I join the knitlist. We learn and share and lurk. We visit others blogs. We lurk. Then I came across a blog that led me to the KVVS. I joined not really having a clue about swaps. This one was all about have a virtual vacation. Hey, I'm not going anywhere this year. It was limited to 150 +1 people from all corners of the world. I will visit people, admire their knitting, enjoy their actual vacation pictures. They will talk about their family, joys and sorrows. Anne, Jessi and Sharon joined forces and made this happen. All the people I have listed as my Favorites I met on this vacation either by way of visiting or learning about them from their blogs. When I received my first message from my pal I learned that her daughter was moving to Washington DC. Our world got smaller. On July 8th, Chris had big water problems from the Oklahoma's rains. She was bailing out and trying to keep dry. Then July 18th she wrote "I've been at a church retreat....imagine 500 Presbyterian Women staying in a very sparse dormitory. Then imagine that they are all in their 60s, 70s, and 80s." She was the youngest by a good 10 years. No, I did not tell her I could not imagine it I couldn't even fathom it!

Here are pictures of all my gifts from my "vacation". Since I received this at work, thank you Chris for doing that, I left all the edible goodies at the office. Chocolate stuff! All good things to drink which I have never seen or heard of before. Isn't that what vacations are all about. At the top of 1st picture is a t-shirt from Eskimo Joe's celebrating their 32nd Anniversary. Check out all the yarn.

The yellow/pink did not have a tag but it is gorgeous. She even sent a button.

This maroon yarn is from Springfield MO, Molehouse Yarns, 300 yards of 99% Merino 1% nylon plus Chris provided me with patterns.

The items above are from her LYS. Yup, that sticker is going on the back window of my PT Cruiser. A little booklet I can carry with with with my needle inventory plus a tape measure. The book is one I have never seen before and has some baby patterns that I can make for a new baby coming in a few months.

Back of the t-shirt

There is a Knit Simple with one of the patterns plus others that she sent me. 4 skeins of LB Watercolors. I just love the green with all the little shots of color.

Then the July/August issue of Oklahoma Today, Centennial Collectors Series. There are ads galore of places I didn't know existed and a special section with fabulous black & white photos starting with Cherokee Strip Land Run in 1893, pictures from the 1938 Dust Storm, too many to mention. But I got a kick from the two above. I was born in 1949. I grew up watching b/w movies from the 30's, 40's & 50's. Look at how much older the Teenagers looked in '47. How stern & proper the All-American family was at church! Thank you Chris for such a great time.