Sometimes a day of the grumpies can turn around. When yarn is involved, it's that much sweeter.
Friday night, I attempted to take Amy for her promised evening out, the early show of Hairspray. (This child loves music, dancing, show tunes and anything theatrical. It's quite funny, actually.) As we pulled up to the busy theatre, I had a fleeting thought that there may be trouble, but I dismissed it as Potter-mania.
Sold out. Insert expletive of choice here.
The poor thing cried, as she could see a life-sized cutout of Tracy Turnblad just inside the doors. "But Mommy, I reeeeeeally want to see Tracy dance! It's my dream!" (She's seen the trailer many, many times, if you're wondering where those very dramatic words may have come from.)
Having finally convinced her that Hairspray was "closed", we ventured to Ratatouille, which was just OK. For the disruption a late night brings, it wasn't really worth it.
Saturday morning, both kids were in rare form, their grumpitude barely exceeding my own. Enter Gran, aka, the hero of the day.
"Come on over. You can spend the night, and Hairspray's playing at the neighbourhood theatre. Dad's treat."
Never in my thirty-five years have I felt more rescued by my mother. We hopped in the car (did I mention it's just shy of a three-hour drive?) and got there in plenty of time for the early show. Thankfully, it was not busy at all. I say this not because of ticket availability issues, but because the Little Miss insisted on dancing in the aisle, for at least half of the movie!
Laurel stayed home with Granddad, where the two of them snuggled and kissed for two solid hours.
In the morning, I woke up with the realization that I wasn't in a rush to get home, as T was working until 6pm.
"Hey Mar, how long does it take to get to Black's Harbour?"
Those were the fateful words that led me on my first trip to the flagship location of Cricket Cove. Wonderful, delicious Cricket Cove.
It's the kind of store it would take hours to truly see everything. Yarn popping out of every corner. Exotics, locals, rare finds. Huge quantities of Fleece Artist and Handmaiden. Elsbeth Lavold, Suss, Jo Sharp, Rowan, Knitwits kits, Artyarns...
I finally got my hands on some Tofutsies, and am looking forward to finding out what the fuss is about. At first blush, the colours alone seem squee-worthy.
And in the sock yarn corner (busting with Trekking, Opal, Regia and more), I fed my sick addiction for Opal solids.
(Something about a pure, true pink just makes the girl in me happy.) I think this will be for knee socks for Amy, or maybe some colourwork socks from More SKS.
Some odd bits of Fleece Artist found me, for a project not yet bloggable.
Just when I thought I'd made my way out of the yarn zone (and had cashed out at just $60), there was another room. And another. In the room that serves as the local tourism office, there was a table piled ridiculously high with Handmaiden. Heaps of it. And I found this:
Sea Silk, in the most beautiful almost-solid periwinkle colour. I also bought a bag of dulse, which I haven't had in ages. Do you think hub would believe that the second credit card transaction from Cricket Cove was a $42 bag of dulse?
Lobster lunch and a pleasant drive back to reality capped off what had started as a pretty glum weekend.
Much more in the way of project updates to follow, but I'm getting wordy and it's time to go play outside!
I did a fieldwork placement in Saint John and I stayed with my uncle in Seeley's Cove, about 20 minutes from Cricket Cove. That place is DANGEROUS!!! Such nice nice yarns! My credit card got way too exercised there :)
Posted by: Maggie Stanley | July 23, 2007 at 09:54 PM
It sounds like everything turned out good for all! But you actually bought dulse??? Ewwww. I've tried it. Yuck. But the Seasilk....*squee*
Posted by: Carol | July 23, 2007 at 10:40 PM
I'm heading home at the end of this week - thanks for the heads up on the new sock yarn at Cricket Cove. It's a magical place, isn't it? It makes my grandmother giddy and my head just spins and spins and spins.
mmmmmmm... dulse. love it.
And hello? A 3 hour drive for a sleepover? You are the best mom EVER!
Posted by: Steph VW | July 23, 2007 at 11:20 PM
I love Dulse. And Tofutsies, also. In fact I have a skein of that very color right on my side table. But Dulse; it's been years. I think the last I had was when my mother visited Nova Scotia and said "I bet my daughter would like that...she's one of those earthy-crunchy people..." and brought me some. There used to be a little place called the Cheese Box that sold it. Sigh.
Posted by: melissaknits | July 24, 2007 at 08:25 AM
cricket cove has tofuties???? GAHHHH!!! I'll have to get in a grab some. Glad you enjoyed Cricket Cove, is magically delicious.... or wait is that lucky charms???? heheh Its great either way!
Posted by: Kelly | July 24, 2007 at 10:13 AM
I too succumbed to what I will refer to as "Foreign-Yarn-Shop-Itis" this past weekend, I am about to blog it actually. Nice find though...and now there is another yarn shop on the "list of yarn shops to buy from before I die". Sigh.
Posted by: Lesley | July 24, 2007 at 10:57 AM
You could always tell him that there is a world-wide dulse shortage and that it is considered a delicacy now...
Good haul.
Posted by: Terra | July 30, 2007 at 06:36 PM