It’s almost March

March, it’s a big month. For starters-it’s my birthday! But secondly, it’s the Iditarod

Which always reminds me of when I first moved to Alaska in 1986 or so. Because the Iditarod started right after I got there, which also means it must have been right around my birthday. I had never heard of this race before but I know it now. It’s a sure sign of spring. There are all sorts of Iditarod themed things-on Ravelry it’s the Iknitarod 2011. What can I say? My favorite song-“I did, I did, I did the Iditarod trail”

Besides that, this week I went to two yarn stores-

I finally went to Yarnology in Winona

It was snowing. Again.

After that, we went an d picked up Blaney at his apt-

That’s his balcony on the second floor.

And here’s the living room. I could put up more pictures but seriously, enough of the apartment.

Sunday I met up with my Ravelry friend Jill. We went over to Cannon Falls because it was half way between us. We had a little brunch and cruised over to What in Yarnation, where I March’s Trekking Yarn for next month’s KAL

Here we are. Jill was a little resistant to the picture but I made her anyway.

We also cruised over to the fabric store for a look-see. I didn’t need too much but did pick up a little something. I had a lot of fun.

So, speaking of next month’s KAL, here’s the finished product for February

Fingerless mitts on the snow.

I got a few more Vegas pictures from Debbie

 

Not sure what we are thinking about, but we hung on that reclining couch for quite a while. Sweeeet.

Lastly,I meant to post my orchid. It’s been blooming. Graampa’s bloomed too, but it isn’t quite as purple.

My orchid

Graaampa’s orchid.

Next to the Iditarod, it makes me feel like spring is almost here.

Vegas-Sister Style

Just got back from a long weekend in Vegas. Well, actually, Henderson, which is much better than staying in Vegas, if you ask me. I like going to Vegas, and walking on the strip, but Vegas is, well, Vegas-big, overdone, and kind of loud. Not to mention bordering on tacky at times. But you have to admit, it is impressive.

I left from MSP, on a nice sunny day-

There’s Minneapolis, through the haze. I went to Borealis first, to pick up some yarn for my Skacel KAL, but they didn’t have what I wanted. So I got to the airport kind of early, and passed the time texting Martha, to see where she was.

I remembered why I don’t fly in the middle of the day-there are a LOT of people flying then. It’s not like this-

which is how I prefer my airport experience.

When I got on the plane, I saw this on the engine, and I liked it

The Power of Flight. (cfm made the engines, and if you like, you can order apparel from them that says this very thing)

The plains are still flat and cold, and my window was really dirty. I was wondering if Sun Country had no pride in the cleanliness of their aircraft. (Oops I just remembered a really dirty window picture I posted last year or so-but I am not an airline and can be excused) I suppose washing the jet is not like taking  your plane through the car wash or something. Although…..

I suppose if you have to do a whole jet like this, well, no wonder the windows were dirty. I think it should be more like this.

OK, I seriously just googled washing a jet airplane for 20 minutes. It is no wonder this blog takes so long to put up.

Back to the story……

Martha and I flew in to Vegas about the same time on Thursday, and Debbie followed a couple of hours later.  We went to our Holiday Inn Express in Henderson, which we very much liked.

Front view

 

Our view out the back

That is Sunset Station-a big casino hotel in Henderson-and a super landmark for us.

Martha and I shared one room, and Debbie had the king with the couch, which we hung out on during our down time-which really wasn’t much at all.

Because we were busy people.

Friday, up and at ‘em! We went to the Hoover Dam.

Pretty wild place. You walk around on this very high bridge, while crossing from Nevada to Arizona, which Debbie and I did. (Martha did too, but she missed our group shot!)

It was pretty windy, as you can see from our blowy hair.

It gave me a bit of the vertigo to look down on the dam. And we never figured out how those cars get down there (you have to click to make the picture bigger to see the trucks down by the water)

After hanging on the bridge

we drove down to the dam

and we saw the giant spillway where the water spills-if the water ever gets back to where it should be

The Hoover Dam is one big thing.

Yikes.

We went to the gift shop and all around, and I saw this bronze guy, with wings. I forget what he is supposed to be, but I thought the guy feeling his toes was kind of funny.

The power lines are all leaning over the edge of the cliffs, which is a little disturbing when you look at them

Hmm.

Nextly, we went shopping. We had to drive through the strip a little to get the to yarn stores we were seeking.

Martha did a fab job whilst Debbie navigated on her phone and I navigated on the Garmin. (I seriously HAVE to get one-actually, it’s Dave who should have one. I swear, if the bus didn’t take him to work he’d likely forget the way-but I digress)

That pyramid is the Luxor, and a big honkin’ beam of light comes out the top which, according to local legend, can be seen from space. I would not doubt it.

 

Vegas. Jeez.

We went to Gail’s knits

Then we went to Wooly Wonders. Martha bought some marathon Christmas sock yarn.

I think like this.

We then went on to The Fashion Show Mall. Holy Sweet Jesus. I had to shop, I just had to.

I didn’t see any Fashion shows though. I did see a Nordstrom-my kryptonite. I only bought a shirt and sweater. I was good. I wasn’t so good at Coldwater Creek, which was having a humongous sale and I went there twice-once to get hooked and think about it,  and then back on Saturday to buy the clothes. I have to say, I got some great deals, including a free pair of dress pants and 30 dollars off 100-and more. Sigh.

What I was really looking for was a purse and boots-I didn’t get either this day.

We had a little snack at the Nordstrom Cafe and continued to work up our appetite so we could stuff ourselves at the Bellagio buffet, where we met up with Cody.

Yummmmm and delicious. Go to the link. I wish I had pictures of all the food. It would feed a small 3rd world nation.

We walked back along the strip, through the Fashion Show mall, again, and back to the hotel to veg out, digest, and watch Fringe.

Saturday we walked to the giant quilt store-

Really, a nice big bright place. I finally got a Serger book, Martha went in half for my birthday. Debbie looked at the cutting machine and Martha ordered a pattern. Debbie got a Christmas napkin pattern too.

Oh, I almost forgot-I gave Debbie her mini-schlep birthday bag with presents for her birthday, and she gave me a present bag too with a jelly roll of Moda and a really cool notion, a needle puller. I just realized I don’t have any pictures. Dang.

We went over to see Cody’s apartment and his school after we got back from the Quilt store.

 

Sisters made Cody dress up in his dr. costume, and we all took pictures

And this one of us

And I got a nice shot of Betty

We had lunch, and then Debbie had to leave, because she was flying out Sunday to Washington DC. Martha and I dropped her off and I finished my shopping spree at Coldwater (which I mentioned before….). We also stopped at Wal Mart (I know, neither of us liked it, but we didn’t find the Target until Sunday) and got Cody a crock pot, and some bean fixins to make dinner for Sunday night.

We got back and walked out to get dinner. Friday and Saturday, according to Martha’s fancy pedometer, we walked 7 miles Friday, and 7 Saturday. I have to say, I believe it. I know I slept really well.

Sunday we were up early to walk to the Galleria (I was still looking for boots). We were too early for all the stores, so we stopped at Starbucks (they are EVERYWHERE!). Once the stores opened, we did some browsing and stopped by the bookstore to get Cody this book

Perfect for a busy student like him.

We got back, checked out and then went over to hang with Cody. We went here for lunch-

Yogurtland. Holy Cow. When are they coming to MN? You can fool yourself into thinking you are having a healthy yogurt snack. But really….how can you argue with delicious soft yogurty goodness? You cannot.

It deserved two pictures.

We shopped for my boots, which I didn’t find. I did find these though-

Actually, Cody bought them for me. He loves shoes. Not women’s shoes-He was gazing on some men's shoes he thinks he’ll buy, since he is expecting a gift certificate for being a member of DSW-and he got points buying my shoes. They are my dressy shoes, and now I don’t have to hem my two new pairs of dress pants-sweet!

I also got a little purse

-but I have to figure out how to carry all my other stuff around. I hate carrying all my cameras and crap when shopping, but I have to have them for the blog. I am working on a new system.

So for the rest of the afternoon we sat on Cody’s recliner couch watching season 3 of Psych. Cody went to study, but returned for delicious crock pot dinner. I took some pics of Cody’s view

Martha left at 6ish, to return the car, Cody went to study, came back, and delivered me to the airport at 9:15ish for my 11:55 flight, only to find that it was now 12:45 AND maybe not going at all. Thanks Mother Nature.

So I passed the time by taking pictures of my reflection-

Can you see me?

And taking pictures of the slot machines-in the airport.

I took a little nap for a while, and we finally left LAS about 1:45 or so. We got into MSP at 7:00, only a couple of hours late. I hit the road about 7:30 and got home, in the snow, around 10. It was a bit of slow going, and I had to stop at the car wash. (That dirty jet really got me thinking-besides the fact I had to stop on the way to Mpls and wipe the salt off the rearview mirror….)

So, all in all, a really fun trip, even better than I had imagined. I can’t wait to do it again.

Now, back to real life.