Home for the Weekend

My Dad is the dude on the right and Simon's dad is the dude on the left.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and Father's Day.  I surprised my Dad and Grandfather by coming home with out them knowing.  It was a great surprise and I loved seeing my family.  I am still in the Finger Lakes and will be making it back to Philly Tuesday night.  It's been great to be home for a few days.  The weather is awesome and my whole family is at home for the first time in a long time.  

Morning coffee and knitting.

I have gotten a bunch of knitting done, and started some more.  Taking the bus gives me plenty of time to knit.  I have even started a Wingspan and I understand why everyone is knitting this deceptively simple shawl.  It has been decided that I will knit a few for Christmas along with a few other items.

On the gift knitting front I have been a lot more productive than I thought possible.  I have completed two gifts and hope to be starting a third before I hop on the Mega Bus tomorrow to ride home to Philly.  This starting ahead stuff is really the way to go.  

It's a bit odd, but I have been super productive here at my parents house.  Technically I am on a mini vacation, but the work that I have finished while up here has astounded me.  First off like I said above I have finished two gifts, plus I designed a new free pattern to be posted on this blog in a few weeks, and if things go as planed today I will be starting a design that I have planed for the fall. 

The change of scenery I think has been the biggest factor, (that and the 4.5 hours on a bus).  It also helps that the weather here isn't as hot and humid as the city and knitting, even in the height of the afternoon, is still enjoyable.  The best knitting spot is out on my parents deck where you can watch the birds around the pond while you knit.  This mini trip up to see my family is just what I needed to start my summer.  

Another perk of sitting on the deck, watching the ponds eco-system in action, snapping turtles.  This lady came up from the pond to see what was going on yesterday. 

Hurry Up, Hurry Up

Simon and I are leaving on Saturday to head down to the Outer Banks for a week. We are super stoked and can't wait to spend the week surfing and climbing light houses. This means however that I need to complete some sewing projects. I mean start some sewing projects and then complete them before Saturday. Then I have to pack.

I love and hate packing. I pride myself on not over packing, but because of this it is a two day process. So not only do I have to finish my sewing projects I need to start packing tomorrow as well. There is however a certain excitement to packing for vacation.

Gettysburg

Simon and I are back at home for awhile at least in another two and a half weeks we are going back to my parents place for Christmas, but until the we are home for most of the month. We returned home Friday night from a few days in Gettysburg. We hadn't gone on a honeymoon yet so we counted this as a mini one. We had a ton of fun in the town and a great time on our battlefield tour. Below are some pics of our trip.

Hanging with Abe.

We stayed at the Gas Light Inn in town and it was awesome! Its a great B&B we felt right at home and the owners are awesome and Oliver the little terrier is maybe the cutest thing ever. I would highly suggest this place to anyone looking to go to Gettysburg.

Here is our battlefield tour guide Garry explaining the "fish hook" to our tour group. The battlefield tour guides go through a long process to become a guide. They have to sit for a test that consists of multiple choice, true false, and even an essay. If they pass that then they have to give a tour to a guide and a park ranger they get two tries to pass the tour section and if they do they become a official battlefield tour guide.

We loved our guide he was great and seemed to know every detail of the three day battle.

This is the monument to Patrick O'Rorke. A Colonel in the army who grew up in Rochester NY and graduated top of his class at West Point in 1861. (Custer graduated in the same class at the very bottom and also fought at Gettysburg.). O'Rorke commanded the 140th from Rochester. He died in battle on little round top on the second day of battle
This is the oldest building in Gettysburg, the Dobbin house built in 1775 it is now a restaurant and tavern. Simon and I had dinner in the tavern down in the old basement the first night there.

Off On an Adventure

I am off on an adventure with Simon!

Today's Plans

Simon and have been hanging around Yates county and today we are going even farther north, up to Rochester to visit my grandpa king and grandma heather. We are also picking up my brother from RIT and taking him with us. We are hoping for dinner somewhere yummy and out of our price range. (We are the only grand kids in the area, which works in our favor a lot og the time.) Not that we are spoiled...ok we're spoiled a little bit, but isn't that what grand parents are suppose to do.

I need to look up yarn stores and see if there are any close to where we are going, Simon will not approve, but hopfully I can find him a bike store, or something he would like to do while I look at yummy yarns.

I must be off to get ready for the day!

Upstate

Simon and I are Upstate this week, and by upstate I mean in New york...the state, not the city. Visiting the parents and hang out in my home town.

Footloose is over! Thank goodness, i love working in the theatre, but there are some people and situations that just make it unpleasent.

It's late and I'm sleepy from the long drive. Night for now, more for tomorrow.