Super Swag!

It's Monday again, and I am positively basking in the glow of some super swag. I finally got my first Secret Pal package on Saturday, and I am absolutely thrilled!

Included: a lovely card, a beautiful zippered pouch for my knitting notions, a scrumptious (and uber-practical) grocery bag, a great mix CD and some yummy Smooshy Sock yarn (I heart Dream in Color so much!). Thank you Secret Pal!!!

Two cool things I want to point out about this package. First, my Secret Pal made the pouch and grocery bag HERSELF! Second, the mix CD has allowed me to discover some awesome new artists. It was totally me, a really eclectic mix of music. Phil and I enjoyed it last night, while he was sewing away on his latest kite project (a Jordan 200 kite. "200" as in "200 square feet". It's going to be a monster).

(I love the strawberry pendant on the zipper of my knitting notions pouch!)

As if that wasn't cool enough, my mother was finally able to give me the books she had ordered for my birthday (we've both been busy), so I can finally update my wish list on Chapters! I got: Viking Patterns for Knitting (you'll like this one Kate, lots of cables and knots); The Knitting Answer Book (always handy to have, or so I hear); and Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn (a most excellent addition in view of my plan to purchase a wheel in the next few months). And a non-knitting but nevertheless much appreciated title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on Audio Book. I had downloaded this one for my trip to Japan, but something went wrong and I only got 2 out of 5 CDs, and I couldn't find it anymore when I got back. Grrrr.

So. Saturday I finally got it together enough to head out and see Robyn and meet Mackenzie (or, as I'll now officially be calling him, Mack the Knife). Of course, I didn't actually have it together enough to bring my camera with me (or to pick up a pattern I ordered from her about a month ago!), but at least I made it there in one piece. It was nice to see her and the fam, and to get to check out her garden in person!

Sunday was a yucky day, so we mostly spent it indoors, sprinkled with a few outings here and there so as not to go completely insane. Nothing fancy. I DID remember to bring my brand new shopping bag with me though! ;)

Knitting at casa de Dear is going well but progress is slow. I'm now on my second skein of Sea Silk for the Lace Ribbon Scarf (I'll try to put some pictures up next post), and I'm working on the leg of my second Firestarter sock. Since these are toe-ups, I should be done by the end of the week, for sure.

I kept forgetting to post my Secret Pal 12 Question of the Week last week, so here goes.

1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?

Travelling is a little different when you've got young kids with you, so much as I'd like to put down something exotic like Bora Bora, I'd have to say that my current favourite (and, um, only!) vacation destination is my Dad's place in Markdale, Ontario. It's a beautiful area, and it's near a really great beach I used to go to all the time as a kid (Sauble). The only trouble is it's freakin' FAR!!! Hopefully they'll find something they both love that's a little closer in the future.

2) Where is one place you'd like to go?

There are tons of places I'd love to go! But again, not so easy with the young kids. Right now I'd have to say Paris. Phil has to go there for business in September, and I'd love to accompany him!

OK, that's it for today. Happy Knitting Everyone!

Thanks for the heads-up on the spelling boo-boos, Jennifer. That's the trouble with writing these posts on my office computer : the language settings are in French, so I don't get spell-check here!