The Fall Retreat was, without a doubt, absolutely wonderful. Well organized, tons of fun (at least from the teacher perspective, the students looked like they were having a great time) and full of the quirky stuff that makes things memorable. I’ll remember these two, Lorie and Tracy (Auntie and Niece)

both tatooed with a line on their foot that tells them to start decreasing for the toe.

I don’t think anyone will forget the team-building guy who ran in from the other conference when he heard us singing Happy Birthday to Nancy Bush – and forced us (heaven knows how. Likely some Canadian inability to refuse to co-operate- you know that joke? How do you get 50 drunk Canadians out of your pool? You say “Would you please get out of the pool?”) to put our arms rapidly left and right while yelling NANCY! (arms right) NANCY! (arms left) NANCY NANCY NANCY! (arms quickly right, left, right.) At the time we all (especially Nancy) thought the guy was a bit of a wiener… but 48 hours later when ever person was being celebrated with it every time we thought well of them…

(Here you see the group of knitters at dinner – engaged brightly in “AMY — AMY — AMY AMY AMY!” ) We all had to admit that out team had been built, and that this guy who had run in out of nowhere for 2 minutes had totally changed the weekend. Bizarre – and I can see it sticking too. When the retreat was over, and we all had a little time before flights – Amy and Sandra (owners of Make One) decided we (them and the teachers) should all take a quick trip to Banff. We set out in a couple of cars and hit the road. Amy missed an exit, and we were on the wrong road for a bit, and when she got us back headed in the right direction, the whole car broke out with AMY, AMY, AMY AMY AMY. (I almost did it to a flight attendant who got me a drink on the plane last night. Addictive.)

Speaking of the trip up to Banff – Wow. What a great place.

I think it spoils you for mountains for your whole life. I think once you see the Canadian Rockies, you just spend the rest of your time in North America saying “You think that’s a mountain? That’s not a mountain. The Rockies are THE mountains.”

Cookie A touched the top.

Even Nancy was impressed, and she comes from Salt Lake, where they have some mountains that can compete.

Cookie and Amy saw an excellent opportunity for a sock shot…

and so did I.

Right to left (the way knitters do it) that’s Jocelyn (chauffeur extraordinaire) Cookie, Nancy Bush, Amy (knitty) Me, Amy and Sandra (Make One) all having an excellent time at 5100 ft. (Except for the lack of air. My only complaint about the place is that they have a dreadful lack of oxygen.) Mission accomplished, sock pictures taken all round…

Nancy, Cookie and I got into Jocelyn’s car, and were whisked to the airport. (Hey Cookie? Did you make your flight?)

To ice the cake, I finished the latest pair of socks on the plane.

STR lightweight, colour Basan. 2.25mm needles, (these are way too big for me, which is excellent, because they aren’t for me) basic sock recipe in my book, worked over 64 stitches.

It was wonderful – and I miss the mountains and the knitters.

(PS. My students were all ridiculously smart. I’ve said that to a whole bunch of people since I taught them, and I thought I should say it where they could hear me. Very, very, very clever crew.)