Emerald Isle, NC

I'm sitting here, looking at the calming ocean waves as I write. There's something humbling about that mass of water.

Bill's out fishing today, deciding to go on a charter for about 6 hours. The weather is suppose to be wonderful so maybe he'll bring back some fish. (he brought a cooler just in case...) He's also been fishing right outside the house we're renting. It amazes me that people can just stand at the water's edge and fish for hours! (he probably thinks the same about my knitting)

Speaking of knitting. My hopes/plans were to sit on the beach, either knitting or reading all week. Well, good laid plans do fail. Before we left home I cast on for the Icarus Shawl. I got tons of knitting in on the car trip and it's looking great (few mistakes, but I can live with them, I challenge non-knitters to find them). However, I didn't take into consideration the 'wetness' of the air. I can only knit outside with the lace weight yarn for about 10-15 min. before it begins to pull from the moisture, making it hard to knit. Damn...I have to do any knitting inside. So...I haven't been outside as much as I thought. But our house is right on the ocean and has great views throughout.

We were driving yesterday, mostly so Bill could find this boat charter place. He pulled on a side street in this quaint town of Swansboro, NC. Low and behold...there was a yarn shop! Since I've got Bill trained quite well, he immediately found a parking spot. (actually, I got out of the car, then realized he was not in a space, and suggested he find a legal spot while I went in the store) It was a small but very nice shop called The Salty Sheep Yarn Shop. Everyone was sooo friendly. Yes, I made some purchases. I got some gorgeous cotton/alpaca blend in a medium blue twead. I first saw this pretty taupe (but I'm working on a cardigan almost the same color) then started grabbing the gray (of course thinking of OSU colors) but put it down convincing my self I need to 'broaden my horizons' and be more colorful. That's when I saw the blue. I bought all they had (6 skeins, 100 grams each), along with some other small purchases and the new Interweave Knits fall addition. Last night I searched ravelry and (think) I found the pullover sweater I want to make. Luck would have it that I actually have the pattern in a book at home! I should have had the nice store owner wind one skein for me so I could at least do a gauge swatch...I'm anxious to see how it knits. I just might have to have Bill hold a skein while I wind it by hand. (he won't care...he's done it before...once again...well trained)

I got my own ipod last week. Said husband has the 'big' one with all the bells/whistles, but he just doesn't seem to share well. I asked him if he thought I'd get it in time if I ordered one from Amazon. Well, he immediately said we should just go to Easton (shopping area) to the Apple store and get one. We got in the car and were in and out of the store in a record 8 minutes! I got the new generation nano in green. I'm actually learing how to download and use it! Marshall's on a mission to burn some things for me...don't want to know if it's 'legal' or 'pirated'...and I gave him some suggestions. Hopefully when we get home he'll have it ready for me.

I've totally become addicted to knitting podcasts. I've been listening to them on "Bill's" ipod, but just never seemed to get my hands on it enough. Now that I've got my own...hooray...I can put all that I want on it. As of now, my two favorites are still KnitPicks and Knitmore Girls but I'm sampling new ones every day. Oh...it's really going to be hard to go back to work next week.

Off to a walk on the beach before I continue knitting my shawl.