a much needed break

This week and last have been somewhat hellish due to an untoward event ten days ago. All is well now, but it was very stressful while we got it all sorted. I was scheduled to go away for a retreat this past weekend, and things were so upside-down that I was, once again, convinced that there was no way I could leave. Sound familiar? My LSH, once again, convinced me that I was not single-handedly holding the whole world together, and gently shoved me out the door.

Thank goodness.

The retreat was, just like last time, completely and totally wonderful. (The only fly in the ointment was that my mother couldn't come this time; I went with my friend and fellow shepherd Robin.) The retreat organizers leave no detail unattended. It started when we received these beautiful backpacks:

Inside was a notebook, post it notes, pencil, pen, fiber to spin on a CD spindle, and even retreat-themed M&Ms in fall colors! Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of them before they were eaten.

I mixed it up this time with three different instructors, so I could work on three different skill sets. The first, on Friday afternoon, was more Estonian knitting. I had enjoyed this so much last time, and I wear the resulting headband all the time when I run in the winter. This project didn't disappoint, but I found it much easier since I had already tried some of the techniques.

Sorry about the poor pictures but I grabbed the first camera that came to hand (HA!). Let's try this again, without my hand awkwardly stretched out. The color combo is purple and gold, not something that I would have normally chosen but what was available when I was grabbing class materials in the five minutes before I had to leave on Friday morning. We all agreed, the effect is beautiful!

I will be making several of these as Christmas gifts. They were deceptively easy and fast, and no, that is not entrelac in the wrist. Super cool, right?

Next up: Saturday's activities and results!