I do feel like I should apologize for not responding to comments left in the last two weeks… everything is crazy around here. My husband has been away more than he’s been home this month and being a “single parent”- even for a span of 2 weeks- is a lot more work than one (still rather ill) Mouse can deal with at once. (*insert whining here*)

I know that its still rather early in the month but its nearly definite very possible that I won’t be attending SAFF this year (again) which would have made a really cool “Big 3-0″ birthday gift of a trip. Admittedly I’m sad that I might not get to meet the long list of Southern bloggers who are going to be there but I also realize that there is little chance we can afford the trip at this point.

If it doesn’t work out.. I’m pondering instead a trip to the mountains (hiking, photography & antique shopping) or a trip to Athens,GA for the day (shopping, food, yarn & a visit to my favorite tattoo artist for a consultation on a later tattoo) and a nice dinner.

I do have a finished object which went so quickly that it managed to slip under the radar of my side WIP progress bars. I found an openwork crocheted snood pattern online and pulled out a size e hook and some black crochet cotton (fingering weight) and went to town. I’m pretty happy with it but I may add another few rounds to make it hang more because I have a lot of hair. I also threaded some black elastic into the snood so that it would stay on my head without pins.. though I need to buy some thinner elastic or crochet an edge to hide the elastic from view. I’m sorry for the sucktacular photo but its hard to take pictures of your own head. I will get hubby to take some better photos this weekend when he returns home!

EDITED TO ADD: I think I fixed the photos folks! (as usual.. click to embiggen)

To say that I’m a bit worn out from yesterday is a grand understatement as I didn’t get home last night until OhGodItsSoLate o’clock. I was abducted by The Chicken Goddess yesterday at my local yarn shop (who are going to think we’re crazy for a LOOOONG time after this thanks to our in-shop antics) and taken for a joyride around the city. After realizing that her original idea of holding me for ransom wasn’t going to work she took me to an Indian sari shop and let me drool over the wall of bangle bracelets and pet expensive sari fabric. I may have bought a few bracelets there.. no one is saying for certain. There was a stop for some European milk chocolate bars that may have resulted in photographic proof that I ate a chocolate samwich for lunch… and there may have been visits to a few yarn shops in the Atlanta area.. though it all got a little fuzzy after a while and that wasn’t the KidSilk Haze and the fur from all the cats I petted talkin’. After arriving at our destination : The Yarn Harlot at Hilan Theater… we waited in line with an awesome bunch of knitter women before being seated in a room (in very uncomfortable metal chairs.. I’m pretty sure I left my lower back at the theater) with 700+ of our closest friends. There were flashing cameras and knitting everywhere.. I’m sure the bloggers were starting to scare the ‘normal knitters’ after a while.

After a raffle for some prizes The Harlot took the stage. This woman is hysterical! I honestly didn’t expect to be laughing so much – even though I’ve laughed out loud numerous times while reading her books. If she comes to your area I would highly recommend making the journey to see her. I did feel sorry that she sounded like she was either catching a cold or had a terrible sore throat.. but she was a brilliant speaker and I had a wonderful time.

Things started to run very late, and by the time dinner was over it was after 930 pm. Most of us actually got our food to go (which my husband was happy about when I presented him with a takeout box of curried chicken) so that we wouldn’t be late for the Harlot’s second book signing at Knitch. We arrived just in time and I was able to have my book signed and get this photo.. I got to hold the sock! I wish I looked happier (and believe me, I was happy.. ) but I was absolutely exhausted. I arrived home at 1245am at night thanks to Post Modern Artisan who I caught a ride with because she lives in my neck of the woods.

I am really grateful to all of the folks who went out of their way yesterday to make sure I was able to attend. I had a wonderful time and enjoyed meeting new folks & hanging with old friends. Thank you.