Where do I start?

In the midst of a rather bad few days last month, I did something that I have never, ever done before in my life... I got on Expedia and booked a flight to St. Louis to visit my dear friend Julie who moved away last September. If you've read my blog in the past, you'll know that I don't travel well... and that's putting it mildly. So to make travel plans of my own free will is absolutely unheard of. But I did it, and spent last weekend with Julie in her new home.

I spent much of my childhood in the midwest and east coast so I was immediately comfortable in her new envrionment. I fell in love with it actually. Her new town is charming and the sprawling green countryside was so pleasing to my senses.

Spending time with Julie and her family was such a treat. She has been a source of comfort and pillar of strength and encouragement to me through so many hard times, that (even though we talk at least weekly by cell phone) I can't even begin to express the joy of spending a few days at her side. And I'm nominating her DH for Husband of the Year since he put all his plans on hold so he could care for the family while Julie played with me.

And play we did! Friday we had the special treat of meeting up with 5 of the wonderful friends I made on a certain large knitting site I refuse to name. A couple live in the area, a couple were there for the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling which was going on the same weekend, and one traveled across the state for the meet-up.



The five of us in the above picture had never met before in person, but it was like we had known each other for years. We were immediately comfortable and I can't even find a picture in which we are not laughing.



We ate, shopped, knit, crocheted and laughed all day.

I think I came home with a much greater appreciation for travel.

(So Bonnie... are you ready for me? :)