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| Top Story of Tahoe Get-away |
Because I spin, I have a ton of fiber & homespun fibers. The fibers sat, waiting to be used and I've long thought, "I'll get to it when I retire'. Uh... been retired a good five years now and well, the time is nigh. To that end, a month or so a while back at a party I met a nice couple. The guy is a Brit artist, and his wife, is the founder of a group of knitters. The second I heard the name of the group, I knew I was destined to become a member. Yes, I am now one of the proud, the wooly: a Woolverine.
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| That's Leigh on the right who is the Woolverine founder |
This Woolverines meet every Sunday at the Broadway Coffee shop where they knit, crochet and chat. What better way to get one's knitting needles flying than a get-together other knitters. As happiness would have it, the Woolverines got the use of the beautiful Tahoe Lake chalet home belonging to a member's incredibly generous father. The Woolverines arrived at Le Chateau (that's what I call it) Friday afternoon and we had the use of it through Sunday. There were eleven of us all together so prior to arriving I fretted a bit over the horror of 'eleven women and only one or two bathrooms'. On arrival turns out there were FOUR bathrooms... loads of beds and bedrooms. Yes. You read right - four bathrooms. I was soooo HAPPY!
What fun! Friday we spent a lot of time knitting and almost as much time nibbling on the goodies we brought. Many members brought freshly baked cookies and I about went NUTS over the home baked goodies.
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| Such a good knitting/crocheting venue with loads of light |
On meals, split preparation of the weekend's meals among us, in pairs. So for example, I shared Saturday lunch with another lady and I'd chosen to serve a massive salad bar, which was a success. In fact every meal, such as Friday night's Taco party was a wild success. As with Hen Parties, no one went hungry.
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| Salad Bar |
Friday night we all gathered in the living room to watch a movie while we knitted. When we broke up for bedtime I, and another outdoorsy minded lady slept on cots on the upper deck, and I understand there was at least one more lady on the downstairs patio. Once snuggled under my sleeping bag, I spent most of the night watching the very-nearly-full moon sail by overhead and the view of the beautiful star filled sky over Lake Tahoe. Next morning, on Saturday it seemed nobody on premise got much sleep. We guessed we were all just too darned excited to sleep.
Saturday began with a terrific treat - Bobbie, an experienced, long-time yoga instructor agreed to give us all a workout.
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| The limber lady on the purple mat is yoga instructor Bobbie |
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| A little 'downward facing dog' |
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| The view from the upper patio |
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| Upward stretching... uh... Swans??? |
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| Some of us just thought we were too cool for words, doing yoga |
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| Our little class ended with meditation |
Bravo Bobbie! What a great lady she was to get all of us out there stretching and moving. A Saturday afternoon outing was planned at '
Jimmy Beans' over in Reno, where some of us were to tour the massive Jimmy Bean warehouse. J.B.s mostly handles mail order though it does have an in-house shop. Let me tell you, this group of knitters could not wait to lay eyes on all that fiber.
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| Inside the warehouse just before our tour |
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| Hecka big warehouse - one of oodles of aisles |
The tour showed off all the store's amazing yarns and little special deals they have for subscribers. It was all fun because of our cheery tour guide Lineah (line-ah) who came in on her day off. She confessed much of her salary goes to purchasing wools, as she, like all the other employees, male and female are knowledgeable, avid knitters.
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| Our delightful guide Lineah who came in on her day off to show us around |
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Woolverine Laura showing off a 'bento box' yarn
project that comes with chopstick knitting needles |
Everyone's favorite thing about Jimmy Beans is they are into 'themes'. Not only do they have loads of subscribable
themed project kits, and sets like the one Laura shows off above, but there are several
monthly theme yarns too. I'm telling you touring J.B's can seriously test a knitter's will power.
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| At tour's end it was time to shop Jimmy Bean's show room |
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| I made a nick in the showroom products too... but didn't break the bank too badly |
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| Post Jimmy Beans was designated 'Woolverine Happy Hour.. or two' |
Saturday night before watching a movie, it was show and tell time. All Jimmy Bean adventurers showed off the goodies they bought. I got 2 skeins natural, un-dyed
Wensleydale wool on which I intend to practice my dying tricks, and some adorable crocheted knitting place markers that look like sheep and chickens - too cute- and a couple of inexpensive little Jimmy Bean's notions bags as well .
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| Saturday night Show and Tell |
Sunday came all too soon. We all knit, crocheted, yakked & lingered until after lunch. At 2PM a mass exodus began.
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Ah! Last meal of the weekend as per normal for Hens,
was composed of the abundance of leftovers |
Vicky, Laura and I had driven up together and we concluded that while the drive to Incline Village, Nevada seemed a long haul, the drive back to my house seemed to take only nano-seconds. What fun we had. Laura, who had supplied loads of gelato for the weekend, had leftovers and gifted me with salted caramel and some other coconut sort of gelato - oh yum! A perfect yummy end, to a perfect yummy weekend.
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| View of Lake Tahoe taken from the 2nd floor patio |
