Fiber Fun

Last month, when I went to the fiber festival in Oxford, I forgot to bring Suzette.  She has not let me live that down, so I made doubly sure to bring her with me today. 

And where were we going this chilly February morning?  To Vicksburg, to Fiber Fun In The 'Sip!  

We had a bit of a rough start, though.  To begin with, when I was programming the route into my GPS, it wouldn't let me get onto the Natchez Trace at Ridgeland.  Well, at least I couldn't figure out how to get it to do that.  What I had to do was to end the route when I got to Ridgeland, then start a new route, choosing the Trace from Ridgeland to Clinton.  

That way, I could avoid Jackson.  I'll avoid Jackson any way I can.

So, finally I made it to Vicksburg -- and truth be told, I knew how to get there.  I still like using my GPS so I'll know how much longer the trip is going to be.  But anyway, I finally made it there and the first thing I noticed is that she did not have enough tables and chairs set up in the Sit 'n Stitch area.

I saw one empty table, but there were a couple of coats draped over some of the chairs, so I walked around the vendor area a bit.  When I got back to the table, there was still no one there, so I sat down anyway.  Without thinking, I set my project bag in the chair next to me, and the entire chair collapsed, dumping my bag and spilling all of the water from my cup -- which for some reason I'd put into my bag.  

Everything in my bag was soaked, along with the chair and a good bit of the floor.  I got some paper towels from the bathroom and cleaned it up as best I could, then pulled out my hat to begin knitting while waiting to see if any of the gang would show up. 

That's when I discovered that my brand spanking new needle had snapped in half. 

It was at this point, I wanted to throw in the towel and just go home, but I didn't.   The only thing I can figure is that when the bag fell, my cup landed on the needle and broke it.   Luckily, I had packed two projects, so I just pulled the other one out.  

After a few moments, I got up and took another turn about the room, and when I got back, someone else was sitting in the chair I'd recently vacated.  I sat down in the chair next to her and said, "Do you mind if I crash your party?"  She said no, we introduced ourselves-- her name is Elaine --, and were soon joined by her friend Jo and I had some people to talk to until Amy got there.  

We knew Christi wasn't coming, because for some strange reason, she'd rather spend the day at her grandkids' birthday party than with us.  What's up with that?  I mean, really!  

I wasn't sure if Leann was planning on coming, though.  When I saw her in Oxford, she'd said she wanted to, but I guess she wasn't able to make it.  I sure hope she didn't drive all the way down from Memphis only to arrive after we'd left!  

So, after visiting a moment, Amy and I got up and visited the vendor booths, and she bought a couple of things, but I didn't buy anything.  I think it's because I'd just bought a bunch of yarn in Oxford, plus  putting all that yarn into the boxes yesterday made me realize how much I already had.  I just couldn't bring myself to spend any more money.   In the end, I only came home with the shopping bag they hand out at the door, 

and two mini sheep one booth was giving away for free. 

They had a 3-D printer going, and it was pretty nifty to watch.  When we got back to the table, Elaine and Jo were gone, and two more people were sitting at the table, so we joined them.  All too soon, Amy said she had to leave and run some errands, and I left soon after she did.  

Just about the time we left, Other Amy and Christi's friends Jane and Kate -- whom I'd met in Oxford -- arrived, so we said hi and bye and just like that, it was over for another year.   To be honest, I haven't missed a single one since they started doing FFITS back in 2018, but this might be my last time going.  

Every year, there are fewer and fewer vendors, and the classes...well, it seems like there are fewer of them as well.  And I'm not sure going in February will work out for me.  I'd much rather have it in September.  I don't know...I mean, it's not like I have a lot of festivals to compare it with, since Vicksburg and Oxford are the only ones I've ever been to.  I know she works hard at getting it all organized, but it just feels like something is missing. 

In other news, Houston, we have a problem.  Yes, Brennan did just give me a huge pack of stationery for Christmas, but when this came back in stock, I couldn't pass it up. 

I even bought a matching wax stamp. 

So, what's the problem?  What am I going to do with all that stationery?  All the pen pals I used to have have quit writing, except one from Australia.  I need more pen pals!  

And finally, I moved my fire pit back out of the shed, and put my Adirondack chair and table out there by it.  

 Maybe tomorrow, I'll light me a fire, sit out there and write a letter to my Australian pen pal.  

Hey Google, Let’s Talk

Seriously, Google Maps, we need to have a conversation about your navigation skills.   

So, there I was heading South on I-55, happily heading home from hanging with Peggy.  There was traffic on the road, but not really any more than normal.  At least, it wasn't any worse than when I came home from my nephew's weeding last August.  Funny thing is, as soon as I crossed the border into Arkansas, most of the traffic seemed to disappear.  I don't know where it went, but hey, I'll take it. 

Heh, I even ran into the same road construction as I did seven months ago -- having to straddle the rumble strips just like I did back then.  And that same freaky stretch of road that made it sound like my car was about to fall apart, just like last time.  

Anyway, I was about 25 miles outside of Memphis, making good time when Google maps sent me the message that it had found a "faster route."  

"Faster route?"  I said.  "Yes please!"  

Only Google Maps didn't take into account the eclipse traffic.  Yep, I finally hit it.  I swan I think every single resident of Memphis and Northwestern Tennessee had travelled into Arkansas to watch the eclipse, and they all seemed to hit that same stretch of road at the same time as I did.  To make matters worse, parts of I-55 were shut down for construction, so we all -- and I do mean all -- had to cross the river on the I-40 bridge.  

An hour and a half, I sat there in a line of cars that was literally miles long, creeping along at a snail's pace, asking Google, "How is this faster?"  In retrospect, I think I would have been better off staying on the highway.  I mean, there still would have been traffic, but with fewer twists and turns.  And after all of that, I still had to drive through Memphis.  In the dark. 

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate driving through Memphis?  And I sure wish they'd ban those halogen headlights...

On the bright side, I got to see a full rainbow, which I haven't seen one in ages.  And on the brighter side, that one spot was really the only traffic I ran into the whole way.  I'd planned on stopping at the Mississippi welcome center and doing a Suzette update, but by the time I got through Memphis, all I wanted to do was get on home, so I drove the whole way without stopping.  Not even once.  

I didn't make it home until 9:00, and yes, I got up at 3:30 to go to work this morning, so I'm a bit wiped out. 

Eh, I suppose I can't really blame Google for not anticipating the eclipse traffic.  The trip up Sunday was a different story altogether.  I drove up Sunday and went to the zoo, but now let me preface my story by saying I know how to get to the zoo.  I've been there dozens of times.  The way I go is simple and straightforward, but this time, I wanted to see what Google Maps showed me.  Maybe it's easier and less trafficky.  

Nope.  

I don't even know where Google took me, but it was definitely the long way around.  I ended up going past the zoo following their directions and came in from the opposite side as I usually do...I mean, the far side of the zoo entrance.  I won't be doing that again.  

I had a very nice time at the zoo, but didn't really take a lot of photos.  I did get this one of the newborn giraffe for you. 

He is only a few days old.   I'll talk more about the zoo in a later post, because there was something very exciting there.  

After leaving the zoo, I headed to my motel, which sits right on Highway 51.  But instead of taking me straight up 51, Google sent me up Highway 14, then I had to take another road and come back a bit to get to the motel.  So yeah, I don't completely trust Google Maps so much. 

When I finally got to the motel, I had a brief moment of panic when the clerk checking me in couldn't find my reservation.  I opened the Hotel app and showed her the confirmation, and she was able to find the number she needed to check me in.  For some strange-odd reason, the app had booked the room under my user name, not my legal name, but in the end all was well. 

I got checked in and was on my way to my room, when I passed another woman I'd never ever seen before in my life.  And she started talking to me.  She told me about her husband, how she and her best friend track each other on their phones, their houses in Florida, where to get something good to eat...I finally got away from her, went up to my room, and by then I was so tired all I wanted to do was take a shower and lay down.  That's just what I did. 

Suzette, on the other hand, apparently had a pretty wild night of partying, because I found her passed out in the floor the next morning. 

Now, I have to give credit where credit is due, because after getting Suzette some hot coffee and sobering her up a bit, we hit the road and Google led me straight to Peggy's house with not a whit of a problem.  Indeed, the biggest problem I faced was that the fog was so very thick.  Seriously, as one point, I was just following the car in front of me, hoping that driver could see where he was going.  

It was so thick, when I crossed the Mississippi River at Caruthersville, I couldn't see the river, I couldn't see the bridge, I couldn't see anything.  All I could think was, "I sure hope there isn't a cargo ship under this bridge."  Thankfully, there wasn't, and Suzette and I made it safely to Missouri,

then on to Peggy's house. 

Which I will tell you more about in a later post.  Right now, all I'm going to do is sit and rest a bit.  

I'm plumb knackered.

Full Moons And Fiber Fun

I've been saying for years I was going to do it, but I never did....until now.  Yep, last night, I finally went out to the lake to watch the Harvest Moon rise.  It was a beautiful night for it, too.  Cool, low humidity, and not a cloud in the sky.

  

I watched until the mosquitoes found me -- because I'd forgotten my bug spray-- then came home and had the traditional hot chocolate and Harvest Moon cookies.  I went outside a few times to look at it again, but I didn't take any more photos.   

I do know this one thing, though.  My county definitely needs to repaint the stripes on the roads.  

This morning, Suzette and I got up early and set out on another adventure.

And it was definitely and adventure.  Since I've sort of figured out how to use my GPS on my phone, I didn't take my usual route to Vicksburg.  There is definitely an advantage to taking back roads, such as no traffic, and not having to drive through Jackson, because I'll do just about anything to avoid driving through Jackson.  The disadvantage is....no gas stations, which means no bathrooms.  

On a completely unrelated note, while I was driving those back roads, I saw another Mississippi Mound Trail site.  I almost stopped, but didn't.  I said I'd go back someday, but I'm not even sure where it was.  Down near Rolling Fork is all I know. 

Anyway, Suzette and I made it Vicksburg without incident -- or me wetting my pants -- and I got a surprise when I pulled into the parking lot at the convention center because the car I parked beside had Christi's personalized license plate on it!

"Cookie's here!" I shrieked to no one in particular, and quickly made my way inside, and there were hugs and squeals and much laughter.  Then Amy arrived and there were more hugs and squeals and laughter.  Then Leann came and there were even more hugs and squeals and laughter, and a good time was had by all. 

Suzy Q was there in spirit, and thought Christi's watermelon sock yarn was just the cutest thing ever. 

And we talked, and we knit, and we shopped, and all too soon it was time to leave and many bitter tears were shed at our parting.  But first, the obligatory photos. 

Christi, Leann, Me, and Amy:

And one with the blended family:  Christi, Emily, Amy, Leann, Me, and Amy.  

After an uneventful trip home during which I took the interstate back and during which I certainly did not watch the Texas game on my phone while driving, I made it home around 5:00 PM.  

So, I was good this year, and didn't really buy a whole lot of yarn.  I picked up a few more minis for my other sock yarn blanket.

And a couple of more minis, plus one full skein of sock yarn. 

I bought that one just for the name of the colorway:  As The Mist Creeps In.  

I got some more Purl Scout merit badges to add to my collection.

And finally, this skein of sock yarn. 

These were the gifts they included in the bags at the door, except the notebook.  She'd gotten a bunch of those to give to the people who'd taken classes, but had a bunch left over, so she walked around giving them away. 

 I said I'd just add it to my emotional support stack of unused notebooks. 

And that was that for Fiber Fun In The 'Sip 2023.  And that's it for me, for this weekend at least.  

I'm plumb worn out. 

Worn Out, But In A Good Way

I am absolutely knackered, but for once, it's from something good.  Yep, this was the weekend of my oldest nephew's wedding, and even though it was going to be a long, long, loooong drive, I was determined to go.  So I did. 

Suzette, as always, accompanied me.  

For those of you who may be new to the blog and don't know the story of Suzette, I had a dear, dear friend named Suzie, who left us in 2020.  Suzie had multiple health issues, which meant she couldn't do all the travelling she wanted to do.  She was in end stage kidney failure and had to stay tied to that dialysis clinic -- among other things.  I won't get into all her personal business here, but that's the long and the short of it. 

A while back, she'd lamented that she missed going to fiber festivals and such, so at the last Fiber Fun In The 'Sip -- in 2019, before the pandemic -- I'd fixed her up a little gift bag with fun stuff I'd bought there.  It had yarn, and stitch markers, kudzu soap, and this little alpaca, plus a few more things.  After Suzie passed away, the alpaca was the only thing I asked to have back.  I named her Suzette, and now she goes with me on all the trips Suzie was unable to take.  

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you've no doubt seen all the photos we take together, but here are a few for your enjoyment.  At the Arkansas welcome center, and at the Tennessee welcome center. 

I'll talk more about the wedding itself later, but for now, let me just say it was so good to see my sister and her family again.  It's been far too long, especially my nephew Nate, whom I haven't seen since he was 12.  He wasn't able to come to my mother's memorial in '21, because he couldn't get off work.  Anyway, he told me he was so excited when my sister told him I was coming, and all my nephews seemed happy to see me.  I sure wish they lived closer.  I wish all my family were closer. 

But that's another post for another day. 

Right now, let's talk about the trip up there.  That was exciting.  See, when I was plotting my trip on Maps, I thought I'd chosen the route that goes through Little Rock, but apparently, I didn't. Apparently, I chose the route that goes straight up through the middle of Arkansas...through the middle of nowhere.   

You know, Arkansas' nickname is The Natural State, and they aren't kidding.  It's full of hills and valleys and beautiful scenery, but it's an absolute bear to drive through.  Two lanes, the whole way, up and down, back and forth, and ... it was like driving on a roller coaster, and I'm not kidding about that.   I halfway expected to see a loop-de-loop in the road.   Beautiful scenery notwithstanding, I did not enjoy that drive at all. 

I was so glad when I finally got to Missouri, and I could tell the moment I got there, because the roads were suddenly four lane, straight, and flat.  I pulled into the Mammoth Springs welcome center just to give my little car a break -- not to mention my nerves.  I'd have loved to stay longer, but I felt pressed for time as it was, so after a bit of a walkabout, it was back into the car and onto the road once more. 

The driving was much easier in Missouri, but I have to tell you about this one section of the road.  It was two lanes, out in the country, nothing but farms and fields and forests as far as the eye could see, when suddenly way out in the middle of nowhere, there was a roundabout.  

Yes, you read that right.  A roundabout!  In the middle of nowhere Missouri.  

Don't ask.  I have no idea. 

That drive felt like it took forever, but I finally made it to the hotel, and vowed that on the way back More Interstate, Less Arkansas.

On the way back, that's exactly what I did.  I cut up to I-70 to St. Louis, then got onto I-55, which is a straight shot all the way back to Grenada.  It was 80 miles longer, but with good roads and higher speed limits, it took the exact same amount of time to get home as it did to get to Warrensburg, MO.  

And I spend every minute of it being thankful for President Dwight David Eisenhower, who gave us that interstate highway system so many of us take for granted these days. 

Me, I'll never do that again. 

Never. 

Ever.  

Especially when driving through Arkansas. 

Back To Work

 The first day back to work after a few days off is always hard, and today was no exception.  Getting up at 3:30 after sleeping in until nearly 6:00 was the worst, so I'm not too sure how coherent this post will be.  But I did want to share a few more photos from my trip to Texas.  

I had planned on going down sometime around Christmas, but I woke up Wednesday morning to a text from Cody saying he was going, and wanted to know if I could come.  Of course I'll come!  I'm always up for a trip back home. 

Since I already had vacation for Friday, all I had to do was make a quick call to the vet to make arrangements to board Jesse, and we were good to go.  Suzette, as always, accompanied us. 

For those of you who may be new to the blog and don't know the story of Suzette, I had a dear, dear friend named Suzie, who left us last year.  Suzie had multiple health issues, which meant she couldn't do all the travelling she wanted to do.  She was in end stage kidney failure and had to stay tied to that dialysis clinic -- among other things.  

A while back, she'd lamented that she missed going to fiber festivals and such, so at the last Fiber Fun In The 'Sip -- in 2019, before the pandemic -- I'd fixed her up a little gift bag with fun stuff I'd bought there.  It had yarn, and stitch markers, kudzu soap, and this little alpaca, plus a few more things.  After Suzie passed away, the alpaca was the only thing I asked to have back.  I named her Suzette, and now she goes with me on all the trips Suzie was unable to take.  

Anyway, the trip down was mostly uneventful, other than a brief traffic delay for a wreck.  I'm telling you, we certainly picked the right weekend to go, because cousins I hadn't seen in years were there.  This is Beverly's oldest grandson Steven, with all his kids.  

That's Hayden, Charlie, Decatur, Steven, Wendi, and Stormi -- who is a little camera shy. Wendi brought her baby Liam -- who was the hit of the weekend.  

Not only that, but Beverly's second grandson Richard came with his family.  

Here we have Stephanie, Richard Jr, and Lizzie (holding Addlyn -- who is Shelbi's), sitting on the floor.  Beverly and James in their recliners, with Astra (who is Anthony's daughter -- long story, and for a different day) standing beside Beverly, and Richard and his wife Sharleen in the back.  

I just realized I didn't get a picture of Diane, Steven's wife.  I have one of her back, but you don't want to see that, do you?  

I took these photos with my new Kindle, which actually has a pretty good camera.  The only drawback is that it doesn't have a flash, so it doesn't do so well in low light situations.  My phone camera is messing up, and won't flash unless I manually turn the flash on to take pictures.  That's one reason I kind of want a new phone.  The other is that I've had that one for nearly 5 years, and want a bigger one anyway.  

By the way, if you've ever seen the Matthew McConaughey movie The Free State Of Jones, Richard was an extra in it.  Just thought I'd throw that out there.  I've got a screen shot somewhere.  If I can find it again, I'll post it someday.  But not today, for it is now past my bedtime, and I must go. 

Laters. 

Suzette's Big Adventure -- A Photo Essay

 We're going to Texas for Christmas!  Heading South...

Stopping in Canton, MS for gas. 

Suzette isn't impressed with the obelisk. 

Suzette wants no part of driving through Jackson. 

Whew!  We're past Jackson.  

Bienvenue en Louisiane!  (Can you spot Suzette?)

Suzette took one look at the Mississippi River Bridge and fainted dead away!

Past Baton Rouge and headed West.  We're pretty much home free now. 

Good grief!  Another bridge?  How many more are there?  

Suzette said, "What happened here?  It looks like a bomb went off."  This is what a high end category 4 hurricane can do.  

One more bridge, and then...

We're home!!

Suzette posing in the cutout, since she wasn't sure you'd be able to see her in the other photo.  She is there, really. 

After a nice -- but all too short --  visit, it was time to come back.  We headed out bright and early Sunday morning.

Crossing the Sabine River bridge, leaving Texas.  My fondest hello, and my hardest goodbye...

Approaching the Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, Suzette said, "I will be brave this time...

I will be brave this time...

...nope, not brave!"  

About the time we got to Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs, Suzette had fully recovered from her faint.  However, after discovering what was lurking in the pond inside BPS,  she decided to stay in the car.  She was afraid the alligator snapper would get her.  (That's a penny on his back for scale.)

After a long, long haul, we were back in Mississippi. 

Suzette wanted no part of driving through Jackson in the Northbound lane, either, and said, "Wake me up when we're past it." 

Suzette thinks the obelisk looks much better from this direction. 

And finally, home again. 

Home again, jiggety jig.  

And that was the end of Suzette's first big adventure.  Hopefully there will be many more in the future. 

*For those of you new to the blog, I lost my dear, dear friend Suzie back in April.  Because her health had prohibited her from traveling, when I went to the Fiber Fun In The 'Sip last year, I'd fixed her up a care package.  In that care package was a little alpaca, complete with fur.  When Suzie's sibs started going through her things, I asked if I could have the alpaca back.  I named her Suzette, after my friend Suzie, and once the pandemic is over and I stop being a recluse (in the interest of full disclosure, I was a recluse even before the pandemic) we'll be going on all sorts of adventures.