Whirlwind Week...

Wow! So much happening, and when you include the fact that my stupid computer wouldn't recognize my camera till late yesterday, well, there's plenty to tell...

And what happens so that suddenly the computer no longer recognizes the camera? It's not like the camera got a haircut or put on a disguise... they've met many times before... I do not appreciate the temperamentalness (not a word, but I like it) of the thing...

but I digress...

we start with the Burlington RibFest from last weekend, which, according to the signs, is the biggest in Canada - it's held at our lakeside park, about three blocks from home, and apparently hosted over 145,000 people over three days - lots of ribs! I know I'm getting old, because I find it crowded, hot and loud (you know, I love Stevie Ray Vaughan as much as the next guy, but not blaring into my head through 18 speakers while being performed by a mediocre imitation). However, I do love the signs... they remind me of hot sauce labels, another favourite thing of mine...


Thanks to Ben for taking the pictures while I waited in a long, hot, crowded, noisy line for ribs and pulled pork... no diet food here...

We went from that to the first day of school, which I am still in denial about - I just can't believe it's already done, summer vacation is already over... 'fast' doesn't even begin to describe the past 2 months...

which takes us to yesterday, to the Kitchener Waterloo Knitters' Fair, which certainly helped to take the sting out of my back-to-school-blues (and I am not exaggerating, I find it most depressing - most other parents at school were smiling, and even dancing a little, as their children shuffled along in line - I came home and had a good cry, as is my annual tradition).

The Fair this year was the biggest yet, more vendors, several I hadn't heard of before (not that I'm so knowledgable or anything, but it's nice to find fresh meat), and the crowds? Well, my mom and I got there shortly after 10, and it was PACKED - hard to get close to anything, and it got worse over the 2 hours we were there. Amazing!

The basket guy from last year was there - remember him? - this year he was charging $18 rather than $15, and hardly anyone had one - moral of the story? Recognize a good thing when you have it, and don't get greedy...

I made a few select purchases, items which I've not seen anywhere else, which to me is the real point of the show. If I want to go to a LYS to buy something, I will - this show gives me access to the smaller independent merchants, who make things like this from Knitwerx, and this from Sheepstrings, which I think you have to get naked and roll around on to fully appreciate
and these, too, from The Black Lamb, where I also bought this pencil roving , with the owner's confident declaration that this would have me spinning successfully within two hours... I LOVED the owner of this place - didn't get her name, but it was 10:30 and she was apologizing to those of waiting in line that she hadn't thought to bring beer or tequila to make the wait easier...

couple of new patterns to assist with my destashing efforts, and finally, the piece de resistance, I picked up my Autumn Rose fair isle kit from Anne at She Ewe Knits
Since I had already paid for this, it does not count as a purchase made yesterday, so really, I was very restrained. And there was a lot of lovely stuff there. A lot. I fell in love with a Prism wrap at the Village Yarns booth - the colour, the yarn, the whole thing - until I overheard it being priced at $350.00 for the kit... I moved on. I slung a Namaste Everyday bag in burnt orange over my shoulder - it fit, looked fabulous, would hold a shitload of stuff, which is what I typically travel with - a shitload - but I couldn't bring myself to pay $80 for a bag - this one I am actually regretting...

there were kits, and buttons - oh, I did get three very cool buttons which I'll post later - but the big thing this year was shawl pins - wooden, pewter, precious stone - whatever you might have wanted was probably there... and there was more, so much more...

which brings us to today - rainy, cold, very fall-like (blech) - perfect for cleaning small animal cages and doing homework and playing video games (the boys), or knitting and listening to a new book and drinking coffee (me)...

happy Sunday!