Thursday, October 6, 2011

Lost on the North Shore, maybe, or I see AFSCME everywhere?

So where am I again? If you have or have used a GPS you know the trials of its short cuts and other cuts on the map. Sometimes a right or left turn is actually going straight on a twisty or slightly wavy road, but despite the GPS quirks you end up in the vicinity and sometimes even need to go old school and finish up at a fish shop to get final directions. 


Yesterday began lovely enough, getting ready for a trip to Duluth with Tazsmonn for an AFSCME Union convention. I had a plan and was executing said plan when Tazsmonn got up and jumped into the shower just minutes before I was intending to. Ok, I can go with the flow, and readjust again and again. Tazsmonn could not work his suit case, which was packed like a five year old just threw in their favorite things and tried to sit on it.




When I went to close it for him I found the following little friend he packed as well, meet Tazsmonn's Thinker; yup still a cute little kid at times.




I finished packing and staging, finally showered and got Sadie and Abella to our friends house so they can have their sleep over at 
Rocco and Coppers. We got on the road to Duluth an hour late, and roughly about an hour or two later we were on a 35W construction detour on the Scenic highway. At first there were some gorgeous fall colors and rambling dips into valleys which came to a screaming halt as we got behind a semi, yeah, not so scenic any longer, inf fact PAINFUL. Miles and miles of twisting road, no passing zones and hard to see around turns when you could pass. Not going that way home! When we finally got into Duluth, it was time for a break, and after using the restroom and purchasing Pepsi at the gas station I got directions to the nearest liquor store (just four blocks back). I not only picked up a bottle of rum at the liquor store, but got old school directions to the hotel, where God love him, Tazsmonn could not work a  luggage cart, I got it and we got our things to the room and were off in search of food, on foot! Dinner was at a sports bar and grill in the skyway and included two margaritas for me. 
While Tazsmonn was at a meeting with his fellow union delegates, I knitted, watched TV, and had three more drinks.


I took full advantage of the room having two queen sized beds, I sprawled over the one I claimed and woke up sideways with my head hanging over the edge this morning. The bed is sooooo comfy and we are not sharing, I mean the other one is comfortable too right? Anyway, four pillows and a whole bed will be mine tonight!


My plan for this morning was set before I went to sleep last night. Get up, shower, dress find breakfast and hit the road while Tazsmonn is in meetings. Of course the best laid plans and all, I'm sure you know how it goes. I found The Greenery, where I had anticipated a breakfast sandwich, trouble was that they do not make the sandwiches on site so I could not get a simple egg and cheese. Options are fabulous! Just a few feet away I found Porters Restaurant, Where I built my own cheese omelet, which came with breakfast potatoes. I have to say it was a very good omelet and the breakfast potatoes were awesome, I highly recommend them to anyone who may be in the area and looking for breakfast options. I had my own little carafe of coffee and when I was getting ready to leave I was offered one to go, included! Kinda love Porters at this point.


I found my way to the ramp, got in my car, no ramp attendant so did not have to pay for parking and my GPS was leading me off to a Walgreen's.  The Walgreen's was a beautiful new store, fresh parking lot and still being stocked so it was not open; I was given old school directions to the open one up the block. Apparently the old one will close at midnight tonight when the new one is to open and all the remaining stock will be moved over.



Next on my list was a place I found called "The Knitting Professor". NOT a shop, it was a professors home, this person teaches mechanics (not the auto shop kind) and This professor loves to knit and blogs. The blog is Called the knitting professor. I can't seem to find it, but did find it earlier. Ok, on to the next destination. 

I was successfully guided to the yarn Harbor by my GPS, it is a great little shop, very friendly and helpful staff. 
 
I saw so many beautiful yarns, there are a couple of couches in the back that face each other and are separated by a coffee table, in front of that is a table with plenty of seating a a group of women were knitting and conversing at the table, solving life's problems originating in a classroom, as one of them was a teacher. 
My score here was and is a book called "nordic knits" 29 stylish small projects, two patterns one for Baltic socks and the other for Baltic booties. No yarn, trying to be good, but there is always tomorrow and this shop is about three miles away, not hard to get to and in walking distance.

From here my adventures took a little longer. I was on my way to a shop called "Playing With Yarn" it was along the Scenic Drive and as I found out aka old 61. I came across this gentleman fishing along the way.

This was a  lovely scenic drive, it did include a misunderstanding with my gps, but after a recalculation I was on my way. It was a lovely 15 to 20 minute drive and at my destination, according to the gps, I was not there, so I stopped at a fish shop, yes, they sell fish not bait and was given more old school directions. Having grown up on back roads I should have been able to figure out the signs, but it was a bit rusty and as I came up the the shop a sign at the side of the road announced Playing with yarn. Yup, a garage remake with rabbit hutches outside and a resident terrier inside. from the porch you enter a side door, go down a narrow hall into the shop which does have an upstairs which I did not visit, the steps were nice but narrow and I did not go up.



They have roving for spinning, Hardanger supplies and lots of yarn. I found a shawl kit to make an Orenberg lace shawl. 


No drinks yet today, maybe none will be had, but it sure did relax me last night. If I had my yarn winder I would start my shawl, so it is good these items are not available and I am forced to stay focused on the projects at hand, I have a second slipper sock to finish and a hat. I will certainly let you know if I return to Yarn Harbor and and if I add to the punches on my card from there. I forgot to mention, Yarn Harbor has punch cards. 


Its almost six, Tazsmonn should be back soon and I think there is a dinner in my future.


Happy Stitching trails
Stitchinghermit

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