Shopping in Pueblo

We ran away to Pueblo for the weekend. And of course I bought several things because I don't have enough of them. I suspect anyone who reads this understands.

I am going to start with the cookbooks. The Burrito Cookbook was found at a small store on Abriendo Avenue. It's not just a cookbook but explores other aspects of burritos, like where did they start. It even has some tongue in check advice. The other one is the 12th edition of the Congressional Club Cookbook which I picked up from the Tumbleweed Book Store which has used books. If you are interested in the latest edition, try http://www.thecongressionalclub.com/. The 13th edition is still available. I checked and there are no recipes from the Craigs in the 12th edition. Anyway this quite the hefty little tome with almost 1000 pages including indices.

Now for why I don't have enough cookbooks. Just recently we got enough shelving to locate all of the cookbooks in the same area with the cooking magazines. There are three bookshelves, one with two shelves (three if you count the top), one with six and one with five. I have to be honest, somewhere between ten and twenty cookbooks are in the bedroom and by my chair. I have not gone through them thoroughly. I still have not looked at the books I shelved last time due to moving. They are put away and I get distracted by what is not put away.


The other pictured items were found at Colorado Fiber Arts, a local Pueblo Yarn Store located 121 Broadway near Abriendo Avenue. Chatting with owner, I found out that it has only been open for a year. It is a really nice store and worth swinging of the freeway. Also, you can get a famous Pass Key sandwich nearby.

Anyone who know me knows that I actually have far fewer knitting books than cookbooks. 'Knitting Lace Triangles' looked like a nice primer on developing triangular lace shawls. I think I could combine it with the information in Myrna Stahmans book to make up a lace shawl worthy of being named after my Mom.

The yarn is 1215 yards of merino hand-painted a Colorado lady. I figure I can always squeeze another ball of lace weight into the closet. I almost brought home some other lace weight yarn but managed to resist. The three ounces of roving is off of Samson. I was told he was a real sweetie but has passed away recently. Fortunately, since he had really nice wool, there are lots of offspring.

I know the earring picture turned out blurry but the earring kept moving. Now, I have knitting earrings. I did not have any before just lots of other kinds of earrings. I have been tempt to try making tiny wood needles winding a small ball of sock yarn to make my own but I think these are a better solution. Of course, I might have to prove this sometime.

Knitting In General

I did pick up one neat tip from the latest guild meeting. For buttons, consider using shank buttons where the shank is big enough to fit over a crochet hook and your yarn. Then you can install them like a bead using the crochet hook on the appropriate stitch. There was a warning about checking the orientation of the button.

And now for a report on the current state of my projects.
- Philosopher's Wool Sweater - about 6 inches above the start of the armholes
- pair 4 of the 5280 socks - just a few rows of rib on the first sock. They are white and I am following a pattern.
- Green Shrug - at least 20 inches are done. So, maybe 40 inches to go.
- bulky red afghan - a little over half way through the 4 skeins.
- Oregon shawl - start the 11th of 13 repeats for the center block.

So, nothing is finished. The most likely to finish first is probably the socks followed closely by the afghan.

I did purchase another circular needle for the Oregon shawl. I could have used one of my needle sets when I have to pick up all around but I don't want to risk a disconnect with all of those yarnovers. I can handle a disconnect with just regular knit and purl but the ugliness that comes to mind when yarnovers are involved invokes shivers up and down my spine. So, the solution is a brand new 47 inch size 7 Addi Turbo. The lace Addi Turbo needles don't seem to come in that size or weren't available where I have been shopping, so I don't get to try them.

Traveling Yarn

This yarn went to Canada and came back as a Mobius scarf. Does this make it a Canadian product? It might but I will leave that to the experts. It was started in Canada, the only things done in the USA were blocking and clipping ends. The yarn is Galway worsted weight wool and the pattern is Scottish Wave Scarf out of 'A Treasury of Magical Knitting' by Cat Bordhi. This is the second one I have made.

Now for the Idaho yarn stores I browsed before returning home. My co-conspirator was my Mother. I wasn't the only one who damaged her checkbook.

The first one was 'The Needle Nook' in Moscow, Idaho. It was visited on the way to lunch with my Mother-in-law. Not all of the damage is pictured. And the damage was One Basket Weave Scarf kit which has 3 skeins of Softwist in a deep purple, 2 skeins of Tofutsies (only one made it home), One skein of 'Top of the Hill Alpacas (local from Viola, Idaho) and one Skein of Jitterbug. Just a note it is under new ownership and has moved since I was in college.

The second one was 'Harmony Yarn Studio' in Couer'd Alene. We slipped out to pick up some jump rings and adjust the itinerary once we hopped into the pickup. Again, not all of the pocket book damage is shown. The purchases were Ranco Multi by Araucania, 4 skeins of Shibuiknits (the two pink skeins didn't make it home) and one skein of Merino Oro.

The last days in Canada

Day 7, we traveled down to Cranbrook to look at the Canadian rail museum. On the way, we looped for to Kimberely to see the Bavarian downtown area. It is about 3 blocks long and a block wide. Caught lunch at an Oriental Restaurant. Of course, we had hamburgers and a grilled cheese sandwich. The food was very well prepared. I suspect they do an excellent job on the Chinese dishes. There are valid reasons for the choices but you will have to enquire.

We continued on to Cranbrook. Mom decide to wait in the gift shop and the lobby area since climbing in and out train cars isn't compatible with her knees. So, Dad and I got tickets to 3 of the tours. While we were waiting, I slipped down the stairs and took a picture of the Cranbrook History quilt. I also took pictures of the fireplace in the lobby. Since, I don't feel like editing them right now, I might post them later. The tours are mainly of the cars used by Canadian Royal Pacific and one tour of a dining room out of a rail hotel.

The cars are in various states of restoration. The museum is working hard on restoring and acquiring the old cars. The cars vary in age from before 1900 to about 1960. There is beautiful wood work and stained glass in the cars. The guide had some interesting comments.

Day 8, A small fire had flared up near Invermere with the smoke hanging like a light fog through the valley. We took a short drive up to Panorama Village, a ski resort and stopped by Gerri's Gelatis for lunch. We used up our Canadian money since it doesn't work well in the US.

On Day 9, we head back to Idaho. A light rain was falling almost like the area was sorry to see us go. We were back in Idaho in time for lunch.

5280 Socks Breaking News

I finished two more pairs of socks for the 5280 Sock challenge. One pair was start before the vacation and the second pair was started on the trip. I have a set of needles I always use on planes and am happy to see put back away. The points aren't quite up to snuff for decreases.

Pair number 2 were knit out of Lions Brand magic stripe using the pattern off of the label and switching to a star toe. The needles used are size 5 Bryspun double points. Doing this, I really didn't have much yarn left over. My advice is to not go more than 6 inches for the leg on any size bigger than women's size 9.5. I think I could have gotten another inch on mine.

Pair number 3 were knit out of Fortissima Socka using the 'Hearts and Hugs Lace Sock' pattern by Slayton. My one modification was an extra heart repeat in honor of having bigger feet than the pattern called for. Again, another cuff down sock. One thing, I liked about the pattern was putting the gusset decreases two stitches from the end of the needle. I might do this in the future on other socks. I used my size 2 Pony Pearls for these. I have heard that the tips on Pony Pearls can be sharpened but these babies have been on more than five trips involving planes without being confiscated. I would hate to break the mojo on this.

I think they are getting tired of staying home for extend time periods. The last two trips, they have tried to hop in to a seat crack on the way back. Fortunately, light pink is pretty easy to spot on planes. Just have to wait for the seat belt light to be off.

Canada, eh?

Yes, more Canadian pictures. And it will continue for at least one more post. Continuing with the narrative, on Day 6, we headed off to Lake Louise. This involved another drive on the highway through Kootenay Park then in Banff park, we turned left. The views were different even though it was the same road. The weather does change things. The aspen were just thinking about turning and some undergrowth plant had turned a deep red from 2 days before.

We encountered some road construction once we headed north. September after Labor Day is a good time to visit. We got a parking spot in the lot by the short trail at about 11 am. According to the guide book, in the summer, this lot and the overflow lot are flow. We walked up the trail and I continued around the lake for a few minutes. There are all sorts of step outs for pictures. It is absolutely gorgeous.

We then went down to the village. Where we got an excellent lunch at a bakery. And no, I don't remember the name but is in the AAA book. The brownies are big enough for two or three people.

After lunch we continued North briefly, then west through Yoho park. One of the interesting stops is the spiral tunnels. These tunnels were built/blasted on a curve so the trains can wind their way up over the great divide and not have the hair raising descents of the original track. I didn't post a picture because the train isn't easy to spot. Turns out long trains can go over the top of themselves. How is that for fun?

We stopped at the natural bridge pull out which was carved by Kicking Horse River. This is some really pretty water. It is definitely rushing downstream.

Golden on the west side of the park has a number of places for a pit stop. Including one of my parents favorites, Dairy Queen.