A few days away

Last weekend I hopped off to Castlegar for a few days. 

Of course you get a "knitting in the Vancouver airport" photo. I had this Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn for another project, but, flushed with the success of the previous sock yarn hat, I decided a hat with this would be the perfect travel knitting. The colours turned out quite differently than I had anticipated. You just can't tell from the outside of the ball. 

Unlike in Toronto, in Castlegar spring has pretty much arrived. Forsythia blooming all over the place, and the lilacs should be out in the coming week, I'd bet.

My brother came out as well, and his plane was delayed in Toronto by snow.

Moss outside my sister's back door.

And the river just down the street. I spent some time one morning wandering along the shore looking at the rocks. I only brought one home this time, a greenish one that I can imagine is jade. 

Even the sewer covers are cooler than those at home. 

My sister was taking part in a Scrabble tournament at the library one day, so I went along. She beat my total by a few points: 977 to 969, but neither of us was in the top three -- those guys had 1100+ points in three games! 

Someone's bag I coveted. The base is just denim, with the Scrabble fabric appliquéd on. I've looked for such fabric, but have never found any so good. 

My favourite rack of the day. I don't think I actually played either of those words, but I did use my X to great advantage, I recall. 

We did a very little bit of work on my mom's stuff in the storage unit. We carefully picked three boxes that contained easy stuff to deal with -- at least one box will just go to the thrift shop; one sister picked through and took care of another boxful; and there are a few things which we'll deal with "later." One day I'll go with more than a small back pack, and bring home things like this teapot. For now it is back in the locker until another day. (I tucked the little bowls in my bag this time.)

A brother-in-law, a sister and a brother, trying to make the camera take a picture. We managed to get all 5 siblings together, which is a bit of a rarity.

And we managed to get one decent picture of us all, even more of a rarity. Sister, me, brother, dad, sister, sister.

The hat got almost finished, but I was working on a circular needle and needed double-points to finish it, so I actually had no knitting on the plane ride home! 

A last walk in the woods before getting my plane home. We saw an eagle that morning. 

The trip over the mountains to Calgary was perfectly clear and I had a window seat. I have quite a few pictures like this! I zoomed in on this perfect U-shaped valley. 

I finally finished the hat. I think it'll go into the Christmas box.

I got home on Friday at 1 in the morning, and Stephen left at the crack of dawn on Sunday to go to England. Maybe it will be spring here when he gets back!