It seems I got home just in time! I’m glad my trip wasn’t extended or I’d STILL be in Chicago (which I loved) and not home ready to snuggle into bed with my little girlie and boy!
The trip was wonderful – exhausting, but absolutely wonderful! Okay – so I happened to arrive in the Windy City in the middle of a severe cold snap (temps were – 12∫ with wind chill on Wednesday as I drove to work…)
First, the Retreat
Deanna did an AMAZING job making every single participant at the Heartland Knitting Retreat feel special and welcomed! It was such a wonderful group of women – so many cool stories, so much great conversation – so much FOOD! I ate more, and better, than I have in quite a while (two meats at each meal – yup, we were in Wisconsin!) The extra little touches (door prizes, wool shop set up) really made it a wonderful time. I know that I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I can only hope that the participants had as much fun as I did!
My favorite time at the retreat was escaping with a small group of folks into the snowy outdoors for a very chilly but beautiful walk by the lake, a glimpse of a squirrel with no tail (… it felt good to be out on the range..) and then a return to the lodge, a warm place by the fire and a glass of wine while I knit a doggie sock.
Both classes went really well, and the Combination class ended with the old cabling without a cable needle (which is one of my favorite things to teach!)
Then back to real life – such as it is – on Sunday. Deanna was kind enough to have me stay with her at her home in Naperville and after shopping on Monday (day off!) Dee and I went to Knitche, a local yarn shop with so much charm, so much wonderful yarn and AMAZING scones and tea! There I met an in-house designer who was working on the most beautiful lace pieces and bought a new yarn shop directory. Woohoo!
Then Wool & Company
On Tuesday I taught at Wool & Co in Geneva – and got lost on the way! Blame it on all the flat land, I was disoriented…
What an AMAZING shop! Lesley and her husband are so warm and charming and welcoming, and I have seldom come across a class full of such excellent knitters! Even the woman who’d never knit before left with the Combination Knit and Purl firmly under her belt! The students were funny, lively, quick on the uptake and just beautiful! We even had a princess at the Wednesday classes (who knew?)
I loved my trip to Chicago – and I’ve just heard from the Windy City Guild that they’d like to have me in January 2007 (I really know when to go to Chicago, don’t I?) so I’ll be back out then!
And Home…
It’s snowing here today – the kids have a snowday and it promises to be a mini blizzard. Did I mention that tonight my husband and I are going into the city to see Sweeny Todd? I’ll let you know how THAT transpires!