a few things

There weren't any cookies baked over here this week. That doesn't mean baking didn't happen. Any recipe involving an apple seemed to be baked. I bought more apples for another pie for this weekend. Too bad one of the kids didn't want to be an apple for Halloween. That costume seems like it would be easier to make than a bush costume, (Charlie). We also have one ghost, (Andrew), and one still undecided, (Libby).
Tons of you probably already know this, however, I recently shared this with a friend that had never heard or thought of it... so I thought I would mention it here. If your button holes are too small for the piece of yarn and your tapestry needle, untwist yarn to single ply and use that along with a smaller needle to sew on your button. So simple.
Those mitts look really great long. (Knit until piece measures 10" before thumb shaping.) My sister finished hers on the plane on the way home from our trip. She's calling it the updated version. I like that. I also like using this yarn if making for a college kid or a person that may be hard on their things and want to throw in the wash with all of their other clothes (or lose them!). With this yarn they could do that. The price is sooooo right! One ball will make a pair, it really does knit up nicely.
Oh, that bag... is this bag (Supercalifragilistic). A total splurge, I know. One to use for years.
I have a few books waiting to find a home along with a super cute project. Next week.
Hmmmm. What else? I guess that's it.
Have a great weekend!

athens












Favorite Memories:
-Today is free.
-The Acropolis. The Parthenon. Standing on those grounds. It really is unbelievable.
-Catching the changing of the guards at the Parliament. (Of course I noticed the gigantic pom poms on their shoes. Sorry I didn't get a photo. You would have loved them!)
-Meeting Sifis. Sifis owns a gorgeous (perfectly kept! seriously! check out that order!) three generation yarn shop in the heart of Athens. I met Sifis a few years ago through his flickr group. I knew our trip into Athens required a trip to meet him in person. I can't even begin to express how wonderful this time was with this very warm, generous, huge hearted man. It's hard to explain how we all felt. It was like we had all known him our entire lives. He took us to a local greek restaurant, where we ate the most delicious food of our entire trip, shared stories of our lives, laughed and cried. All happy tears. It could not have been a more perfect ending to our trip. All because of knitting. Lives knit together.

Thanks for letting me share my trip. I feel very blessed for that time with my mother, sisters and new friends.
Happy Knitting!

santorini




Above shots en-route.







Favorite Memories:
-Turning the car around to go into a pottery shop. Just happened to be the shop of a 3rd generation potter. There just happened to be a woman in there who came to Santorini to train under Andreas Makaris. She just happened to be from the same town where we grew up. My sister just happened to babysit her sister's kids! I kid you not. Small world, eh?!
-The major buzz my sister and I got from our coffee.
-Watching the sunset in Oia.
-When we gave mom a "75 things we love about you" list. (We each came up with 25. You can bet one of mine was her love of fine yarn. We took turns reading five at a time. Tears galore.)
-Watching the sunlight sparkle off the water, the buildings and the faces.
Favorite Meal:
-Every dish at Ouzeql.

Athens tomorrow.

mykonos










Sharon and Harry. A lovely couple we met on the plane. They have a home in Mykonos which was located very close to where we stayed. Small world, eh?
Favorite Memories:
-Watching sunset from the rooftop.
-When we walked into Avra restaurant and the owner greeted us, "Where's Mama?!!!!"
-Swimming in the sea.
-Meeting and getting to know Sharron and Harry.
-When I lost my footing stepping out of the bus and ping ponged my way between two buses (they park so close to each other!) to the tail of the bus where my shoulder hit the tail light and broke it. My shoulder bleeding and bruised (okay, it wasn't really that bad) and all's Shelly could say was, "You broke the bus!" A very charming couple found Lisa and Mom and said "Your friend! (How did he know?!) She fell!" (It must have been hilarious to watch.)
-Seeing all those white buildings and the blue, blue sea.
-Always messing up the word "yiamas" by saying umpa or yaikzie. (Shelly, you did it, too!)
-Getting massages on the beach. Watching Lisa get hers. (Fun factor was high.)
-When after looking at a photo (that my mom carried from home of a picture of the place she stayed 22 years earlier) Sharron exclaimed, "It's right here! You're staying in the exact same place you did 22 years ago!"
Favorite Meals:
-Breakfast. Greek yogurt (10% fat! yumm!), walnuts, honey and fruit.
-Dinners at Avra and Maereio.

On to Santorini next.
Have a great day!

greece!

My mother decided to take her girls (there are only girls in our family, so no boys were excluded) to see one of the most beautiful sights she has ever seen. It was her 75th Birthday present to herself. The four of us hold a special bond, so this was a very special trip. A trip of a lifetime.
I took 850 photos. Seriously.
I'll be back over the next few days to share some of my favorites. Not too many, I promise.
Cheers! Yiamas!