Retreat People
There were 32 guys who attended the 2008 Men’s Spring Knitting Retreat, and I could write blog entry about each and every one of them…each of them were fascinating in their own way.
Danny and Van
One of the couples attending the event were Danny and Van. Danny Ouellette, I’ve known for a long time through various on-line knitting forums, and I was a big fan of one of his first published patterns, and I love his latest hat design. But despite knowing of him, I had never met him. Van, his partner, I got to know solely through the brief time I had with him at the retreat, and then I’ve learned more about him by reading his blog.
In my experience, they were both quiet and introspective, but also incredibly down-to-earth and easy to be around. Danny was incredibly sleep-deprived by the time he got to Easton Mountain, and before he got some rest, he was actually quite funny in an almost drunk sort of way.
One of the biggest pleasures of the retreat was seeing how even quiet, reserved guys made a significant contribution to the event.
Current Knitting
I made it up to round 36 on the current Ichida project, and I haven’t lost one bit of steam on my forward progress…in fact, I think I may have even accelerated my pace a bit.
I am going to push hard to finish this by the weekend and start something new.
Readers’ Comments/Questions
Many of the Canadian readers were aghast at the lack of interesting candy in this country…Alan (Raresteek) summed it up with, “I am horrified at this new knowledge concerning the candy drought in the U.S.of A. How about Coffee Crisps
We’ve just recently started getting Coffee Crisps in the states. I personally blame Cadbury and the White House Administration for this dreadful lack of good candies. Cadbury, because they send all the good stuff to Canada, and The WHA because I don’t like them.
I bet they don’t have wilbur buds and tasycakes in Canada!
I just Googled “Wilbur Buds” since I had never heard of them…how is it that I’ve never heard of them?
Tastycakes on the other hand, I am ALL too familiar with. Butterscotch Crimpet anyone?
oops…it’s Tastykake and krimpet (I guess I’m not all that familiar afterall).
My husband is MAD for tastykakes, it’s almost comic, the in-laws always bring them when they visit.
Joe, the lace is not going anywhere near an airplane, is it?
I tagged you
Yum. Tastykakes – the butterscotch krimpet is the only way to go.
Why does all the canadian candy sound like it’s from cartoons? Really? Crispy Crunch? Coffee Crisps? Those are kind of weird names… At least smarties describe the effects..
Michael, which effect is it that Tastykakes describe?
I had to google them. We have similar stuff up here by a company called Vachon.
Blame Hershey. We asked about this on the Cadbury tour in the factory in New Zealand, and in the US Hershey has the rights to use the Cadbury name, which is why the Cadbury stuff here is different and the good stuff has to get specially imported. Flip over a Cadbury candy bar in the normal grocery aisle and you’ll see the big H’s name on it.
That is beautiful!
The lace is so amazing!
I just had a swap partner from Ontario, and she sent me six or seven different Canadian candy bars. It was some kind of awesome. Coffee Crisp, After Eight Dark, two different Caramilk bars…
Coffee Crisps are awesome…although the States are totally ahead with their Milky Way chocolate bars!
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where was the retreat? that sounds so fun!
I tried getting a men’s knitting club going 15 years ago here in Australia. Unfortunately it is VERY underground here and most guys won’t admit to it.
Anything that MIGHT be seen as gay is frowned upon and I have had threats made against me for daring to knit in public. All I was doing was demonstrating a new knitting machine for a local dealer at a craft show!