Barely one week to go...

...until you & Dad get in to San Francisco! I can't believe it is so soon. Aside from all of Dad's plans, is there anything that you want to do? (Besides visit yarn stores, I mean. I am sure a visit to Imagiknit will be in the cards, along with a stop at Samovar so that Dad can relax over tea)

I had also wondered whether you knew Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, given how small the Maritimes are. Everyone in Yarmouth who was close to her must be in shock. Here the pro-gun advocates are already on the soapbox claiming that looser gun restrictions would have prevented this from happening and that guns should be allowed in schools so that people can defend themselves. (?!) The logic is mind-boggling. It seems we are a long way away on this side of the border from actually confronting the violence in society effectively. Not to mention the family who tried to hide their son and do everything to pretend the problem wasn't there so as to avoid bringing shame to themselves in the Korean-American community, isolating them all in the process and leading to tragedy in the long run.

But I am glad to hear that the sun has finally come to Yarmouth - it must be great to feel the outside waking up again. Nathan and I spent some time this weekend visiting the 'wilds' of downtown San Francisco this weekend, snapping pictures in between the rain bursts. Here are some of my favorites - which seem all the more urban contrasted with your riding mower with the laundry in the background!




Our excuse for heading out was member's day at SFMoMA, where we checked out the photography collection, the SECA Award winners (we came away with our own packet of Victory Garden seeds) and the Brice Marden exhibit, very inspiring for his use of color and texture. We also picked up a very cute and inspiring book, Food Play, a perfect antidote for someone taking his job in the food industry too seriously! (Check out the 'surprise me' pages for some peeks at the fun) But we did wait to see the current big ticket show, Picasso and American Art, until you get here. Somehow that seemed like something that might be right up your alley.

I am also glad to hear that your marathon of shawls (and Doris' marathon of spinning) are coming to a close - it will feel good to have some other knitting in your hands. And I'm sure the little purses are a much needed quick-fix breather in the meantime. They look really cute and I know you'll breeze through them. I'm sure you'll have a great time in Brazil as well, it has always been on my to-visit list. My ideal would be to go for New Year's in Rio for the Festa de lemanja, joining all the revelers dressed in white diving into the ocean at the stroke of midnight under the fireworks. (I know someone who did this for the millennium and I've been jealous ever since). Some day...

For the meatime, though, I guess I'm just going to have to content myself with finally getting to visit Asia. After talking about it off and on since February, tickets are tentatively booked for me to fly out to Tokyo at the end of May to visit Dana, then head over to Hong Kong to spend time with Nathan's sister Racheal and help her set up her new apartment. I can't believe it's really going to happen. I'll get to see Dana (who sent me a fabulous birthday package with the cutest little bag, picture frame and matching cellphone and card holder set - love the cherries!) and finally meet her three babies (plus the two on the way). And then I'll get to spend time with Rachael on her turf and get her to show me all her favorite sites that up to now I've only been able to see in the photos of everyone else who's visited her so far. Hopefully we'll get the chance to do some hiking around the island too, in addition to visiting all the city shops and finding all the things to make her new apartment a cozy home. That is, if the monsoons don't wash us away...

Nathan and I are also heading out to Anne's wedding in June, but I'm going to stay longer with Sarah so that I can go to her shower (planned for the next weekend) and hopefully help her get ready for her baby to be. Plus that will give me some time to visit with Mamer too, which is overdue. All that plus your visit and Meredith, Susan and Ellen visiting in July will make it a busy three months, but it should all be great.

As for my knitting, I am making steady progress on both my Lady E (up to tier 24, only 12 to go!) and on my Eveleen, now almost 3 repeats in to the body. Somehow in the midst of all of this I managed to finish the first long side of the water bottle cover too. I know you don't understand this project but everyone here in SF who I've shown it to understood immediately! Must be the combination of damp foggy weather and a lack of indoor central heating that makes the idea of a hot water bottle warming up the bed all that more appealing. My secret crochet project is rippling along well too - the crochet is a nice break, and the colors are flowing nicely. Here's another peek for you - I just think it's really cute!

And I was thinking today that if your dye sink is a success, I just might have a custom order for you. The yarn that I got from Afghans for Afghans back in November still needs to be overdyed, and I'm worried about making a hash out of so much yardage. It's almost enough to make a sweater of if I can get it all to turn out! So maybe this is a project you'd like to try out for me? You can take a look when you get here...

And speaking of A4A, someday sometime there is the chance the group might get its 15 minutes (or more likely 120 seconds!) of fame. Last week a group of us were interviewed by the local ABC7 news crew for a Friday feature segment highlighting the organization. I have no idea when it will run, but there will be an internet link when it does. There should be photos from that day up on the A4A site soon too - I'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, have a great week - and travel safe! We'll see you here soon,

Megan