I am sorry it has taken so long to post this.  We got here Friday, May 19 and was hit by a woman who ran a red light that very day.  Nobody was hurt but I was pretty shook up emotionally.  On May 22, we picked Butch and Evie up for their first stay at the Coastal Condo.  We took them to the airport yesterday and here I am today; a week and a half since my last post.  Time flies when you want to do something. Now "the rest of the story."

On April 29, shortly after our return from our April trip to the Coastal Condo, I received a troubling email from Phyllis, the owner of Knit 'N Purl, my favorite LYS in Myrtle Beach.  It was called "One last message from Phyllis" and said after nine years Phyllis was going to retire.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  I had just visited Knit 'N Purl twice and was planning on many days of social knitting at the friendly, big table.  I already had a picture in my mind of going once a week in January and making Myrtle Beach knitting friends.  The email was lovely, very sweet but disconcerting.  Was I going to loose one more of my favorite LYS?  Remember last fall Yarn Quest in Traverse City closed because a woman drove through the shop and it couldn't be fixed before knitting season.  Then there was Yarn Paradise in Asheville, NC a few years ago.  I spend way too much time grieving over the closing of LYS!  

​I made Dick go into Myrtle Beach on Friday (before the accident) so I could figure out what's going on.

From the outside everything looked the same.  No "going out of business" sign, no "all yarn must go," no look of letting stock dwindle in preparation for closing.  Then I walked inside and . . .

There was Mollie.  "Are you closing?" I asked with much trepidation.  In a small voice she said, "No, we're not closing but what is going to happen hasn't been announced."  She eased my worried mind.  All of a sudden the future was a much happier, brighter place.  

Knit 'N Purl is safe for the time being and I am relieved.  This is an example of the creativity of Knit 'N Purl.  They pulled out all of single skeins from around the shop, put them in a display with a book on one skein projects and put them on sale.  Great idea! I probably should have bought the book but I think I have enough single skeins.  Well, I am very relieved and all of you people who might be coming to Myrtle Beach some day should be relieved, too.  

Now on to what I have accomplished while here.  I didn't knit as much as usual because I was just having too darn much fun with Butch and Evie, but I did get some knitting done.

This is called Luna.  It is a Ravelry pattern and it so edgy.  It is knit in Madelinetosh Electric Rainbow and will be a surprise gift.  I started it just before we left home and I finished it on Saturday.  I haven't found the perfect way to make it into a necklace, but I will.  I have started another using lace weight and copper crochet thread which I think will be spectacular.  One of the things I love about it is you're not married to it.  It is possible to decided you need a little gift and have it done in a few days.  

This is the wrap out of Twisted Fiber Art Juicy which I should finish on the way home.  Once it's steamed it will be a beauty.  

My Coastal Condo knitting basket is filled and will be waiting for our next trip which will probably be in September for Dick and me.  I may have a June trip with my friend Barb and a bridge, knitting and book club trip in early fall with some other ladies.  I love it here and can't wait to get back to my knitting retreat by the sea.

"Who can turn the world on with her smile? Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?"  

LINDA, LINDA, LINDA!  And she came home last week.  Well, not to her home in Stevenson, Washington but to her old home in Adrian, Michigan. It was so great to see her.  I miss her so much.  We were able to spend a couple of hours drinking wine, talking, laughing and getting our refill of each other.  We didn't get to knit but we will do that some day soon.  

My birthday was May 2, so we celebrated and here is what Linda knit for me.

Isn't it beautiful!  It is made from the fabulous Shibui fiber in Egg Plant and Celery (I think.)  Linda bought the yarn at the yarn extravaganza store Knit Purl in Portland, Oregon.  I have been in love with the place for years but never have visited.  Linda gets to go regularly.  I used the picture above because that was taken in Knit Purl with the beautiful Oleya who has been fulfilling my  knitting dreams from afar for years.  

It looks great on Lydia but better on me.  I wore it to Ann's By Design Friday and got compliment after compliment.  I just felt like Linda had her arms wrapped around me as I wore it.  The yarn is so soft and springy and yummy.  And Linda made it so it is perfect.  I remember talking to Linda and her saying she was knitting with purple and green which reminded her of me and which she had learned she loved together.  And here it is.

Spending time with Linda was like seeing the sunshine after weeks of rain.  It was perfect.  I bet you are wondering about the title "2,309 Miles."  I'll let Linda tell you.

"This pattern, '5,190 Miles,' was designed by Melanie Berg.  It is named because the designer is 5,190 miles from Portland.  She lives in Bonn, Germany and works closely with my favorite--Knit Purl.

The shell pattern evokes the urban landscape of roads, rivers and bridges.  Streaks of color dart through each half, just as one city tugs at your mind when you are in the other.  

So. . . this now is named 2,309 miles, the distance from my doorstep to your doorstep in Adrian.

Distance is no barrier to our friendship!"

I must admit I got a little teary as I included that.  Beautiful!  Even though we have been texting, talking and FaceTiming, you can't hug using any of these methods.  I'm sorry an emoji hug just doesn't cut it!  May you have a friend who is as dear to you as Linda is to me. 

​We will be leaving Thursday for 10 at the Coastal Condo.  I have some detective work to do while there which I will report back to you.

Now that I have your attention!  The English language is just so intriguing.  Silent "K's" to  just name one anomaly make the language extremely difficult for non-English speaking individuals to learn.  But that's really not why we're here.  Let's get back to Naked Knitting.  

You know I love animal fiber.  Whether it's merino, cashmere, angora, camel, bison, possum or qiviut, I love them all but one of my favorite fibers is alpaca.  

I see them every year at the Spring and Fall Fiber Expos near Ann Arbor.  They are so sweet.  I love to see an alpaca farm with all of the adorable animals of all sizes in the field.

They are just so fluffy and soft and, well, adorable.  I remember the first alpaca I ever knit with and my instant infatuation.  One year for Christmas my Dad gave me the first spinning from an alpaca farm in Addison, Michigan, the town where I grew up.  I loved it and searched and searched until I found the perfect pattern.  Unfortunately, the pattern was part of a kit, not to be sold separately.  Even I realized it would be silly to buy a very expensive kit just for the pattern, so I called the designer.  I explained my predicament and she graciously sold me the pattern.  I was on my way.  Sometimes when I knit, the fiber will kind of drain my hands of moisture.  They will feel scaley and dry.  The first things I noticed about this alpaca was how smooth and soft my hands felt.  The more I knit, the better they felt.  I loved it.  My Dad was so proud.  It was one of my best Christmas gifts ever.  Here's what it ended up to look like.

The pattern had three corners but I decided I liked the look of two.  Later I made the three corner variety.

Lydia looks great in alpaca.  I just love the way it drapes.  It is warm and cuddly and just about perfect.  I'm sure you remember this from the 2016 Fall Fiber Expo.

In between my first alpaca and this, I have knit plenty of beautiful things using this yummy fiber.  Each more beautiful than the last.  But none of this addresses Naked Knitting.  Here we go!

Look at those marvelously naked alpacas. Linda sent the pictures to me.  It's like she stumbled across an alpaca nudist camp.  Are you ready for this?

Look at that tiny little body.  Who would have ever guessed that the plump, furry alpaca was really a giant head with a tiny little body!

I keep wondering how that little neck holds up that big head!?!?!  If you were expecting some other kind of Naked Knitting, sorry to disappoint you.  I almost never do anything naked when something sharp is involved.  You just never know when you are going to drop a needle, if it will be point down and if it will stick.  Ouch!