Actually I’ve been back for a week from our cruise. Life sort of got in the way of posting, not an unusual occurrence around here. I’ve decided to declare a blanket blog amnesty around here. I revved up the computer on our return, to find that you all left me about 900 posts to read on Bloglines. I finally gave up even trying to catch up today, and hit the “mark all read” button this morning. It didn’t help that we got home late Monday night and I had to be at work at 7 AM the next morning. Then I got sick with some deadly variant of a stomach virus that I believe was the “cruise ship” bug*. I ended up taking three days off last week, and only went back to work under some protest. I’m mostly recovered at present, and off work for the holiday week (hooray!), so time to dig out the knitting, take some pictures, and sort through the trip photos.
Our trip was wonderful, and we have hundreds of photos to prove it. We flew to Nice, France, where we spent a couple of days before boarding the cruise ship, where we lived for the next sixteen days. We wandered around Nice on our last day there, and came upon this shop.
If you can’t tell, that’s a yarn shop. And an Anny Blatt yarn shop, not just any ordinary yarn shop. Really, I didn’t plan that, though my husband remains suspicious. Of course we went in.
That would be a yarn purchase on the counter. I only bought a few little skeins of yarn, but only because luggage space was a bit tight. This will probably be a pretty scarf someday.
Later on, as we wandered the same street, we happened upon the Nice version of La Drogerie. Two yarn shops on one street! Did I mention that I love Nice? I didn’t buy anything there, though John managed to shoot this photo before a stern clerk came over and wagged her finger at him. Apparently they haven’t figured out the power of free advertising via knitting blogs, and don’t allow photos.
I do have several photos that proved that I got some knitting done on vacation, but I’m going to dole them out a little at a time. Otherwise the excitement might be too much for some of you. Here’s one.
That’s in the airport lounge, waiting for our flight. Note that Sweetpea got to go on the trip. Doesn’t she look happy holding my yarn ball for me? Sweetpea had a few adventures of her own on the trip that I’ll tell you about in a later post.
Jump ahead to our return home. I have finished all the major knitting on that orange Pippa sweater, and have it all sewn together. I am just a couple rows from finishing the neck band, but I’m planning on ripping that and reknitting it, as I don’t like the way it looks, but it won’t take long for that. I have buttons on the way via online ordering. Please don’t tell me that it would be far easier, and faster, to go to the local fabric/sewing store and buy buttons. That would ruin my satisfaction at finding the perfect set of buttons online (okay, three sets of buttons, I couldn’t decide). I’ll show them to you when they get here. Here’s a bad picture of the sweater. It’s way more coppery and less like a ripe tomato than this. This one needs daylight, I think, to get the color right. That means you’ll have to wait until May, since I live in western Washington.
Last but not least, I was the first one up this morning, and got a couple photos of my housemates.
Yes, that’s where Lucy usually sleeps, generally plastered up against me as close as she can get. And yes, she likes hiding under the covers.
Riley got in bed with the other two after I got up, and didn’t get out again until about 10 AM.
I’m off to rip that neckband out. Hopefully there will be a finished sweater soon, with or without buttons. There might even be a button election, if I can’t make a decision.
* This wasn’t our ship, we were on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator, but I swear this is the same bug that I had.
We had the same picture thing happen to us in London. My husband took a picture of me perusing the wall o’ Rowan at Liberty and got a stern warning from the saleslady. He even asked her why she wouldn’t want his wife to share with others where she found her fabulous yarn–no response. I guess they just don’t get it. When we were in York we got the absolute sweetest response when I asked if we could take pictures. Go figure!
I love that lucy and your husband are striking the same pose. i’m sorry I didn’t find the button dor shoppe when I was in nice, but it was butt freezing and I had stomach flu, so I didn’t do too much exloring
Glad you’re back and had a good time! How funny that you have posted pics of yarn from your trip!
Welcome back Lorette, I missed you! I love that you found yarn even on a cruise 🙂
Can’t wait to see that sweater finished, love the color!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Welcome back! That is one long cruise! I look forward to seeing more pictures.
Welcome home! Can’t wait to read and see more about the trip. I love the photos of your sleepy family, and the sweater looks like it will be one that will be worn often.
That is NOT a good end to a vacation, but it does sound like you had a good time!
I’ve granted myself amnesty on a couple of occasions too. Gotta keep blog sanity somehow. Welcome home, and hope the cruise bug is just a distant memory, while the great parts of your trip remain special.
Welcome back! We’ve missed you. So sorry you had to return to illness. You came back right in time for some pretty rotten weather too, although it pretty much rained the entire time you were gone!
Welcome back! With over 900 unread posts, I would have hit the “All Read” button too.
The pink yarn is lovely, and so is the sweater.
Get well sooon.
Aw, those last two pictures are priceless. The kitten likes to sleep under the covers, too. Can’t wait to see more of France!
Sorry to read about the cruise bug. But glad you are recovering! La Drougerie is just as crabby in Paris. Love the color of the yarn you bought though. 🙂 And thanks for all the kind thoughts regarding the latest educational drama. 🙂
Glad you are back!
Take care of yourself!
🙂
Welcome back. I loved to read about your trip and I
Welcome home! So glad to hear you had a nice trip, got knitting done, and found yarn! Pippa looks lovely. :0)
Welcome home 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all the details!
OH I love the ktity pictures, that fur in the toes is sooooo cute.
And what a sweet Riley.
French Yarn., ooo la la.
Glad to know you made it home safely.
Such yarn buying restraint! I swear, the number of bugs on cruise ships… It’s not tempting me to go on a cruise!
Have a good holiday!
Welcome back! Looks like you have a great time! All those yarn shops, woman, you have shown great restraint 😉 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Welcome back!! I am imprressed that you could resist the temptations of La Droguerie!!! And congrats on getting a photo–in Paris I was told repeatedly that “ce n’est pas possible” for taking a photo. I tried to explain that I wouldn’t take a photo of their sample sweaters, etc., but it still was not possible!! Your roommates look exhausted and sweet! So sorry you were ill–RATS!! What an end to a fabulous vacation.