So, is there anyplace on earth that says “wool” louder and with a more compelling accent than Scotland? And by the way, the Faroe Isles are not involved in this discussion at all. Just sayin’.

Think of all those open moors and just imagine the bleating of your own little flock. I’m betting though, that just like here, making a living from farming is just about impossible, so you’d need to find a second job to support yourself. If you were in Scotland, though, you could use an outfit like Gumtree to find jobs in Edinburgh, or other cities. Of course, it’s kinda wet and grey there a lot of the time, so you would need to use that wool to make yourself a water repellent something or other to wear to that Edinburgh job. I guess that sheep farming and working are a kind of symbiotic relationship in that climate, now aren’t they?

As for me and my wool, I’m holding myself to just looking at it. It’s too hot to even fondle it, let alone knit with it.

Read my lips. I want to go somewhere. I want to get away from here in a serious way. I want to go to Asia, I want to go to Europe, I want to go to Australia. Heck, at this point, I’d settle for McDonalds if I could just go by myself!

But, what if I really could go away on an adventure? I think it would be Europe, and I’d stay for…Oh, I don’t know. A while. Actually, I’d probably do the UK thing, with a twist. I’d fly out of NYC, but I’d stay a couple of nights in a New York Hotel, so I could do some of the things on my “some day in New York” list. Then, I’d fly into London and spend a few days there. And after that, I’d hit Scotland, Ireland (Hi Irie) and Wales (Hi Brenda).

Of course, I’d use a place like Easy to Book to handle my hotel reservations, because they make it easy. (Wow, that was profound, wasn’t it??) Check out this Dublin Hotel The fireplace alone gets my vote.

Except for weaving in about 3 ends! I finished them up on the way to Charlotte Sunday afternoon. And then I promptly cast on a pair of footies, but not from the Trekking. I’ll get the pattern up shortly to the Fan and Feather socks. I’m too muddle headed right now to try to do that. I need to sleep at least one whole night, since I’ve had three partials in a row, LOL.

I had a great time at Carowinds. Our youth pastor is an excellent trip planner, and works hard to make sure everyone has a good time, including the chaperones. I rode over with his wife (I’ve known her longer than I’ve known him) but I rode back in the bus/van and had fun chatting with the kids. He is so on-the-spot with them. Whenever, whereever they have a question, he’s willing to sit and explain things to them.

I really should do a short write-up on Carowinds for the folks at RealTravel. They don’t have anything listed for “Things to Do” in Charlotte! Seriously, how can they not know about Carowinds??

It occurs to me that sometimes when I talk about going here or there, or doing this or that, it might sound as if I resent my children, that they “cramp my style” or whatever. I just need to clarify that this is not the case. I know what nanny agencies are, and I know how to pick up the phone and dial one up. I choose to instead to be with my children and raise them myself. I very rarely ask anyone to watch my children, because I figure God sent hem to me for a reason, ykwim?

All that said- I’m going to Carowinds in 11 days. Diva is going, too, and I hope Country will get her act together and finish cleaning her room so she can go, too. DH will be home with the other children. I haven’t been to Carowinds in probably 20 years. I’m not pregnant, so I can ride anything, and I. am. so. excited.

For a knitter who rarely moves beyond the confines of her own hometown, I think about going someplace, anyplace quite often. I just like to go, go, go. I was just glancing at the New York weekend breaks on DialAFlight.com, and thinking, “how could a weekend possibly be long enough?” It would take me at least a week to do all the things I’d like to do in New York!

So, what would I do in New York? I’d
~see a Broadway Show
~climb the Statue of Liberty
~eat a hot dog on the street
~go to a concert at Carnegie Hall (I’d sing there if they’d let me, just to hear what I’d sound like in such a magnificent place)
~walk in Central Park
~shop on Fifth Avenue
~people watch in Times Square
~visit the Guggenheim
~go to the top of the Empire State Building
~if it were winter, I’d go skating at Rockefeller Center
~and of course, I’d have to finally meet Carla in real life

How in the world could I do all that in a weekend? At a minimum, I’d need a week, because I’d want to take my time and enjoy it; to linger over the sights and sounds and smells until they became mine. That takes time, you know. Just as it takes time to move the sticks over and over and make the string into a garment, it takes time to make a place part of yourself. And what’s the point of going otherwise? If it’s not worth leaving a part of yourself, and bringing part of it back with you, what’s the point in going at all?

flights to Johannesburg
flights to Canada

Today is the first day of summer! As you know I live near the beach, and I love company. Many people will be heading off on vacation, soon, and I’d love to meet some of my readers. So, I made you an enticing little card at Build A Sandcastle to tempt you into visiting me.

Do you like it? It was really easy to make, and I had a lot of fun doing it. First, I got to select my beach. I chose the one that looked the most like the beaches here, but we don’t have trees on our beaches. Then I built the castle, and added accessories. I couldn’t figure out how to scale the castle, so please excuse it’s size. I could have colored it, too, but decided to leave it sand colored, because….well, that’s what color our sand is, LOL! And then I saved it!

And it was also free! You know I love free, right? So, go build a castle, and let your kids build one, too. Then start packing, and come see me. Bring lightweight cotton, and we’ll knit on the beach. I’ll be waiting by the sand bucket.

Do you knit a lot in the car? I do. I always grab my knitting when we go see Grandmother, and get in about an hour’s worth of knitting during the trip. Do you know how bright the sun is when it glints of addi turbos? Real bright. Like, need Wiley X shades bright. Since I don’t wear my “real glasses” anymore, I’m going to get some sunglasses to go in my bag.

Ya’ll, I must complain! I have a small problem. I can’t talk!! My kids are loving it of course, but it’s a little frustrating to have to relay messages from one kid to the others. That’s the price the girls have to pay when they use the computer, since it’s still on my desk for now. Since they are right beside me, I poke them, growl out the instructions for the other kids, and they have to repeat what I say. It’s getting old, and has only been going for 24 hours. I’m thinking that if I was not actually needed at home, I’d be looking into Tuscany villas as a nice place to hang out while I wait for my voice to rejoin me.