The Birthday Bash

Yeah, I know I'm a bit late with the post, but well....Stuff happens.
Hope you all had a great Turkey day. Mine was very quiet and relaxing. Just B and I hanging out at home and making a nice little meal for the two of us.
This post, this Most Excellent Post, is about my Birthday, and about my Birthday loot.
First off, I had an amazing time. It was just what B and I needed, some time away from all the hoopla and crapola that makes life so interesting at times.
We ended up going to the Washington Peninsula. Somewhere not too far away, but far away enough to be AWAY!
The first part of the journey was an adventure. What with torrential rain, bad wiper blades (which we had to make a detour and replace), and VERY. Windy. Roads. I thought I was going to die a few times that evening.
When we reached our destination we got the surprise of finding out we were staying in a Reservation...That's right an Indian Reservation (is that PC? Or should I say Native American Lands?). That was fine, what was interesting about it is that our B & B (cough cough) was a woman's (unfinished) house that she was letting rooms out of. Seriously! There were paintbrushes and a ladder sitting in the hallway, and the stairs were being stripped so you could not use them barefoot unless you wanted to chance a nasty splinter. Top that with a shared bathroom used by all in the house, and no Locks on the doors...There was not even a lock for the front door..And you have a "growing" experience.
On the night we arrived I was so exhausted and strung out from the horrid drive, and we were so late getting there, and then seeing our lodgings...I broke out the wine STAT and threw myself a little pity party. Happy 30th to me!
The next morning we decided to make the best of it and went to explore. There was an amazing museum..Sorry no pics were allowed..That was based on the history of the tribe. It was awe inspiring to see how these people lived/live, and how they have struggled to maintain there culture. The museum had a long house replica (which is used for ceremonies) and a complete gray whale skeleton. The whole experience was breathtaking.
Now I do not want to get on a soap box here, but I do have to say that the Native Americans sure got the shaft from our government. I thought I knew and understood before, but I had no idea.
The people we met here were so kind and polite and open. They had so much pride (I mean that in a good way) for who they are and where they came from.
I am sure I am botching all this up and sounding like some "stupid white yayhoo" but I wanted to at least try to show my respect and admiration. Being a self-admitted "stupid white yayhoo" I can say that even though I think I get it, I know I have absolutely no idea. =)

After the museum, we realized that we had done all there was to do in that area of the peninsula, and we were desiring better, more secure lodgings, so we decided to head down to Port Angeles and stay at a B&B there.

The Tudor Inn


This place was Much Better. It was AMAZING! If you ever come this way...Stay here. Betsy is a wonderful hostess who knows everything and everybody in this little town, and will treat you like royalty.

Our room was absolutely breathtaking. The mural you see wraps all the way around the room, and it is a replica of there coast line (Gosh Im horrible, I don't know the name!) The room had it's own fireplace and clawfoot tub (as well as a personal bathroom, and locks on the doors!)
Yes that's B...I hope he does not mind me posting him in his "draws"...Oh well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him! =)
This leg of the journey came complete with an amazing dinner at a wonderful restaurant that was underground (cool, kind of wine cellar"ish"), lot's of awesome book stores, and lots of spoiling of yours truly.
B really did spoil me rotten. Not only did he give me this trip, and the amazing bouquet of roses...But he also got me 2 very generous gift cards..One for Knitpicks ( woot! I love that place) and one for my favorite LYS, Cultured Purls.
That would have been more then enough, but he had only just began....
As all yarn-aholics know...A trip is not a successful trip unless you score some fiber schwag. Check it out.
We made a stop on Bainbridge Island to check out Churchmouse yarns and teas. This place is SWEET! Words cannot express my love of this store. Here I scored some Koigu,
some misty Alpaca, a HUGE hank of black lace weight merino wool..I'm talking like 1500 yards (for $17!), and some very lovely fingering weight yarn (Gems Pearl by Louet).






The lovely hank of green you are looking at is my favorite acquisition of the entire trip. While B and I were in Port Angeles, we happened on the Fiber Arts Gallery. This is a place that sells all handmade items..ahh the beauty and the inspiration the abounded in that shop! The owner sold a tad bid of yarn..Including her own hand dyed yarns. This is about 230 yards of hand dyed mohair and it is amazing! I love it, love it, love it! I am not sure what to do with it yet..I would really like to try a lace scarf with it..But not sure how it would work. I have seen other people do beautiful things with mohair and lace, but I just don't know if this is the right stuff to do it.

Had enough yet? Good, cuz I'm not done.

On the last day of the trip, we stopped in Port Townsend..My absolute all time favorite place in Washington. It's awesome! If you like history and gorgeous old places, you must check it out!
We strolled along the main drag. B was in heaven with the rockin' book stores they had. I'm not talking Barnes and Noble here people..I'm taking rare and/or used places that are wall to wall books. B found things he had been searching for for ages.
Me, I found Diva yarn's. It's a bit hard to find considering it's in a little "mall" of craft stores and theres no big sign pointing to it..But I sniffed it out.
Guess what they had? Spinning supplies. Yours truly has had an inch to learn how to spin, and look what B did..As if he had not done enough already!

I am so excited..I have a beginning drop spindle class tomorrow! I can't wait! My own try's have not been very successful so I hope having a teacher and a visual will help.
I am a spoiled, loved, and lucky girl. My man knows exactly what I crave.
Next post will probably be about spinning..But I have a FO or two to share with you, so stay tuned!

P.S. There is a skein of STR in the above yarn pic that I got at another store in Port Townsend..The Twisted Ewe. This place was a block off the main drag..but again I sniffed it out. =)