Knitting at the cottage

What a great weekend! After a long (busy) day of work on Friday, we headed up to the cottage -- and we made it there by 11:30. We spent the weekend hanging out on the beach, eating too much, ingesting too much caffeine, and shooting off fireworks. In short, it was a blast. On Sunday, I sat down for a while and started teaching my 7-year-old nephew, Nathan, to knit (and just for the record, he asked -- I didn't force him). He did a great job. I wasn't prepared to teach him (I figured I'd start pushing in a year or so), so I only had a pair of long bamboo 8s in straight needles -- but he did a wonderful job starting out, and I promised to buy him his very own needles and yarn in his favorite color (blue) for next time.

On Monday, after the kids went home, it rained all day, so I got to sit on the porch, watch the storm, and knit. I finished my shrug from Interweave, and I finished a sock (I made a point of starting the second one, too, to ensure that I'll actually end up with two socks eventually). I was going to start a top from Loop-d-Loop, but I realized I needed my 15s, and the 15s were in my felt bag, so I picked up the bag -- and I almost finished that, too.

On Monday night, we decided to venture out. It seemed as though the rain had stopped, so we decided to go for a boat ride. Mom, being a mother (motto: Always be prepared.), took a giant umbrella along, just in case. I, being a knitter (motto: Always bring your knitting.), took my needles and some yarn for a dishcloth. So there we were, enjoying the peaceful lake, me just knitting away, when the rain started. Mom put up the giant golf umbrella (in red, blue, and yellow). Dad put on the bright red hard hat with his name on it (he keeps it in the boat for times when he goes swimming...which, to Dad, is really just standing out in the middle of the lake, up to his chin, looking around...so the hat is to make sure that no boats run him over), and Paul put up his hood, and the ride continued. Somewhere during the ride, someone took our picture, which most likely appeared in the local paper, with the caption "The dangers of cabin fever." But it really was a wonderful ride (despite the fact that I eventually had to give up on my knitting, since wet bamboo isn't all that great for working with).

I had such a wonderful time back at the cottage -- I'm glad we live close enough to be able to make the trip. I'm hoping to make it up for another few days later this month -- for a little recovery time for my friend Barbara, who's recovering from surgery.