I Have Been to the Promised Land

...And it was glorious.

On Friday morning, we were on the road by about 8:30. I drove the first four rainy hours north to the border, where we stopped for lunch and duty-free. Then we switched, and I got to ride for a while. I started swatching for my orange sweater and discovered that I couldn't get gauge. I needed 18. I had 22. As I contemplated my dilemma, I finished up a dishcloth and helped navigate.

By about 3, we had arrived.



At first, I was a little surprised by the size of the place. I expected it to be bigger. But, then again, the Classic Elite store in Massachusetts wasn't very big, but I always managed to find great deals there, so I didn't complain. Once inside, I started off to the right, where there were aisles full of yarn. Patons, Bernat, Lily, and more. The prices were discounted from their regular retail price, but I didn't find the deals to be as spectacular as I'd hoped. I did, however, find some fun orange yarn that actually had the right gauge for my sweater. It's Satin in Sunset. Sure, it's acrylic. I know...I know... But it was really soft, and I loved the color. So I threw a few balls in my basket (which my dear husband -- whom I owe huge -- was carrying for me).

I was still just barely mildly impressed -- until I got to the other side of the store. The side where they have the clearance yarn. And that, my friends, is where I went crazy. I got a full bag of Melody in a discontinued bluish color for CDN$12. I got a whole bag of discontinued Fresco in blue for CDN$4. I got discontinued Cotton-Tots and a whole cone of orange cotton. And then there was the Seconds Bin -- stuff without bands. It was all CDN$.35 per ounce. I got more Satin in fun colors as well as some Sugar 'n' Cream. Seriously, I was so overwhelmed that I thought my head would explode. There were so many things that I wanted. I could have spent a fortune and filled up my entire basement with seconds and bags full of Shetland Chunky and discontinued colors of Grace. I could have dug through the bins of seconds -- and the boxes that were stacked on the floor. Poor Paul just carried the basket as it got heavier and heavier and heavier.

It was all just so wonderful for words.

I just did some quick math and figured out that my grand total would have been about $164, had I paid regular price for the two giant bags that I walked out with. But I ended up paying about US$50 for all of this:



(Notice that the Sunset Sweater is already under way in the picture -- that was on Saturday. I'm now ready to divide for the sleeves.)

I've heard lots of talk about a semi-annual tent sale at this store -- one that's supposedly absolutely spectacular. And I've already started planning. Apparently it's in August -- the second week, I believe -- and it's a circus. Who's with me?

When we got out of the store, this is what it looked like:



SNOW! It was 72 back home that day! But we made it through the snow and the outrageous rush hour traffic, and I spent the entire weekend with a strange feeling of euphoria that was unlike anything I'd ever experienced.

The main purpose for our trip was a party on Saturday night for my SIL and her fiance. But we spent the few short hours we were there hanging out with friends and family (and Paul got his payback -- we went shopping for hockey sticks on Saturday morning). It was a short weekend, but it was a lot of fun. I got yarn, and I got to hang out with The Coolest Brother-in-law in the World...



...so it was all good.

Now I've got a lot of knitting to do -- and lots of work to catch up on.

BTW -- Remember our friends in Toronto whose baby was due last week? Still nothing -- so we didn't get to see the new little one. That'll have to wait until next time. I did, however, leave the sweater behind for my MIL to sew on the buttons once the baby arrives. I also got to give the blanket to the other parents-to-be. I was thrilled to find out that the mom is planning to decorate the nursery in yellow and mauve (they're pretty convinced it's a girl, though they haven't found out yet...). And the blanket is yellow and white. Good guess, huh?