yeeee-ha!

I'm sitting in the Calgary airport [yyc, dontcha know?] waiting for my plane to board. Got my wee Palm set up with the keyboard, a bottle of water half drunk already and the Timmy's fumes are wafting all about. The smell of Canada.

My first trip to Calgary will *not* be my last. I love Canada's wild west. The mountains stayed hidden until Saturday morning. Cheeky buggers. Calgary was home of this weird snowy frost that filled the sky with creamy light at all hours of the day and night, obscured the mountains and made every tree a perfect postcard picture. I saw jack rabbit tracks [and HUGE bunny poops], but no rabbits. I saw no moose. I saw no bison, save the one in the lodge. But the mountains...ah, sigh.

More importantly, I got to visit Amy & Sandra's store, which was a real treat. I love these women, and their store is as well stocked [hee hee] and warm as they are. They carry all the coolest stuff including Morehouse, Curious Creek, spinning fiber from Treenway [I cleaned them out of silk hankies. It's a sickness.] and Amy Butler fabric. The couches are comfy, the staff are wonderful and talented and dammit, I wish I lived closer.

Massive highlight of the trip: meeting Mandy,finally! This girl hugged me so hard, we nearly fell over. I <3 her and she knows it.

We loaded up the bus for the retreat on Friday afternoon and made it up to Emerald Lake Lodge by 8ish. We got to meet all the great people who'd signed up for the retreat, have a sparkling beverage and a nosh and compare knitting stories.

The lodge? I expected Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo to be singing around every corner. Stone fireplaces crackling, bent willow furniture and lots of soaring ceilings. Perfection. We had a fireplace in our room and a little balcony. Yes, I know.

Saturday was the big teaching day. Jillian was fantastic [!], inspired, on point and funny as hell. Nipple dots filled the air, strings were around every waist and short row theory was explained to all. Jillian, you are my hero.

We ate, we learned, we laughed.

Without question, the 2nd highlight of the weekend was the bison cozy episode. Sandra suggested someone knit cozies for the bison on the wall, and Trish jumped on it. Pompoms by Dana were the perfect finishing touch. Sandra took two pool cue rest thingies and slipped a pink cozy on each horn. Then we all stood around and howled. All hail the bison!

Saturday night, we [almost] all put on our pajamas and reconvened under the bison to watch Home Alone, knit and laugh some more.

So that's our weekend. Full photostory on Flickr, with commentary. Big hugs to our new friends from the weekend -- you'll meet them in the winter issue of Knitty. We designed a pattern together.

If you ever have the chance to join the Make One crew on a retreat, I would absolutely encourage you to go! Amy & Sandra do everything first class, and ensured the comfort of everyone there. Not only did the students learn stuff, but we all had a really special weekend that no one will soon forget. Thank you, Sandra & Amy!

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