Just get in the car

If there is one thing that Joe and I have worked out over the last year, it’s that we don’t know what’s going on, or what the future holds. We’ve been waiting forever for it to be “a good time” for us to take some trips, see a bit of the world, but it’s always been that the girls were too young, or it wasn’t a good time to leave work, or we didn’t have time or… a million reasons.  Since Joe’s Mum had her stroke, and my Mum died, we’ve slowly come to realize that saving this all up for when there’s a better time is probably dumb. (We’re also, a year and change into being Grandparents, working out that this idea we had that our family will need us less and we wouldn’t mind being away as time goes on was pretty laughable. That day’s simply not coming.) Therefore…

Hola!  We’re in Spain.  Less than 20 hours after coming home from the Columbia Gorge and Knot Another Fiber Festival, I got back on a plane and we travelled to Zurich, and then Barcelona, Spain.  (This is the biggest barrier to holidays, we’re both still self-employed full time. There just aren’t many days we aren’t working. We fit this in between two of my work trips. I bet that when I get home next week and have to leave the next day for Port Ludlow I am going to have a few regrets.) In knitting news, I brought three projects with me, and have already worked out where the local yarn shop is. (Just in case.)  I finished the baby blanket (and I’ll tell you all about it once it arrives at it’s final destination. Joe mailed it to the baby in question while I was out of town – so it should get there any minute now. The eagle is flying.) I’ve happily moved onto the next big white thing…

Samantha’s wedding shawl.  The pattern’s Timeless, and the yarn is Shibui Lunar, and the beads are silver lined crystals.

While I’m about as brave as a knitter comes, even I have to admit that beads and white laceweight aren’t the best travel knitting, so in my purse I’ve got a kit from Canon Hand Dyes to make the Graduated Stripes Cowl.  Round and round, perfect for a site seeing tourist on the town.

I’ve also got a sock, but I’ll tell you more about that later. Joe’s waiting patiently by the door (read tapping his foot at me) and today’s his 50th birthday, so off I go.  The two of us are bound for adventure.

150 thoughts on “Just get in the car

  1. I’m working on my first project with beads, threaded ‘way too many on my yarn. Over estimated on how many beads I will need,and under estimated how many skeins. But it’s almost done. Loved Spain. Go, girl, go.

  2. Your trip sounds wonderful! We had a big health scare in our family this year and it really brings your world into focus. Life can change in an instant. Our new mantra is “If not now, when?” Enjoy!

  3. WOW…you sure do travel a lot!! What an amazing way to celebrate Joe’s birthday. Hope you have a great time. When is the wedding? Do you have plenty of time to finish the gorgeous shael?
    None of us know what tomorrow may bring so we should be doing the things we want while we can. Enjoy your trip!!

  4. YAAAAAAY STEPHANIE! I am so thrilled that you’re off travelling together! Make wonderful memories, enjoy yourself thoroughly, and get some great knitting done!

    And I was going to add that I can’t wait to see the finished blanket and wedding shawl, but, no. I can totally wait. I’m happy to wait, especially when the reason is that you’re happily travelling with Joe. Enjoy, and let us know about some of your fun when you get back!

    Happy travels!

  5. I’m so happy to see you both happy and travelling! Have a great birthday, Joe, and Stephanie, I can’t wait to see that baby. And the blanket! 🙂 And Sam is getting married!!! Such a lot of happiness.

  6. Enjoy your travels!
    Happy birthday to Joe!
    Congratulations to Samantha!

    Ha, my Captcha image is the world pic. That’s got to be an omen.

  7. Is the local shop All You Knit is Love? It’s a fun little neighborhood. I hope you enjoy Cataluyna. Go and see Montserrat if you have the time.

    -a long time reader who just happens to live about 60km from Barcelona.

    • Two years ago while visiting Barcelona I shopped at All You Knit is Love (after visiting the Picasso museum). The owner’s husband was so welcoming and helpful!

  8. How fantastic you’re having a holiday, and in Spain! We visited Barcelona for my 50th, some time ago now, and had a lot of fun there (I particularly remember the Gaudi architecture, a fabulous bookshop, plus also good veggie places to eat). I never found a yarn shop, though!
    Also congratulations on Sam’s upcoming wedding – how exciting! And a very happy birthday to Joe.
    I am so glad you’re having fun — keep it up!!

  9. I am sure that you have figured out that the yarn shop is All You Knit Is Love – I was there in October 2011 – lovely shop – the owner is American and I didn’t get to meet her but I did meet her husband who is from Spain and also very nice.

    Glad that you and Joe (Happy 50th) are just doing it – going when the time presents itself – because if we don’t, we will never get to doing these trips. You have lots of energy and I am sure that you can sustain all the back to back travel – especially when it’s for a trip to spend down time with your spouse. I was in your Knit Smart Class on Saturday afternoon at Knot Another Fiber Festival – thanks for a great class. It was pure joy finally getting to take a class taught by you, The Yarn Harlot. You are my favorite blogger and probably the only blog that I never skim through and read the whole thing – because you always have something to say and is worth reading. Have a great vacation.

  10. There’s a wonderful little yarn shop in the Bari Gotic area, called All You Knit is Love. Not that far from the Picasso Museum. Hope you can find it. And have a wonderful time. Barcelona is amazing.

  11. 1. Happy B-day Joe! (What, no birthday gansey?)
    2. Samantha’s WHAT??? (No, not “Tin roof, rusted”!)
    3. The shawl looks great so far, and almost fluffy enough to be angora!
    4. Enjoy the trip. You’ve earned it.

  12. Happy birthday, Joe! I hope that today is the first day of a wonderful year.

    Steph, you are a crazy person to take white laceweight and beads to knit on a trip. I have a vision of the beads cascading down the airplane floor turning it into a skating rink. Fun to imagine, actually, but a catastrophe in reality. Thanks for the chuckle.

    I’m glad you went. I’m going on my first solo long car trip next week, breaking it into manageable legs on the out but coming home in one long day. Of course at “my age” I can duck into a motel if I get too tired on the way home. Us grownups can do stuff like that. It is hard to leave the grandbabies for long though, isn’t it?

    Safe travels.

  13. Happy birthday, Joe! Hope that you have a wonderful time in your travels!

    And wow, the jet lag at Port Ludlow…hope that you have someone from Europe there as well so that you can commiserate.

  14. Spain; fantastico! Happy birthday to Joe; feliz cumpleanos and many more. I must have missed the news about Sam, but congratulations, as well. You’ve all earned a bit of good news in this challenging year.

    I do have to give you credit, though; tacking a white shawl (beautiful pattern) following a white blanky (that was destined to be lovely; can’t wait to see the results). Perhaps a palate cleansing pair of socks or three in rojo fiesta in between?

    Safe travels and congrats to all.

  15. Oh, that’s not possible, Stephanie. Your baby Sam cannot be old enough to get married!!! Sometime would you do a column about what your girls are doing now and what they did after leaving high school. (But since we are all aware there are goofy people out there, no locations, etc. I remember you had some of that kind of problem awhile back.)

  16. Well. God love ya, me duckies (as my dear Newfie friends would say!) It looks like it was a perfect decision. Can’t wait to hear more. 🙂

  17. Happy birthday, Joe! 50 is a piece of cake.
    Wait, Sam is getting married? I’m obviously not up to speed. When is the happy event?
    Enjoy your well deserved vacation.
    Be well.

  18. You know I stalk you on the blog? I also keep track of how frequently you post. I’ve got your schedule all down. So when I do not see a post … well … I go to Instagram! Of course I saw that you were off on an adventure! I am very happy to read that this time your travel is for your own fun and Joe’s! Super fun together and to celebrate Joe’s birthday?

    Have fun and of course, I will continue to stalk you, in a knitter’s way, from my arm chair with tea by my side and knitting in my hands. I wait to see what you are knitting and where in the world you go.

    Best regards to Joe on his birthday and happy trails.

  19. Yes, of course your family is just as entitled to your privacy as anyone else. That being said, can you really just show us Sam’s wedding shawl, without a bit of initial hoopla? Woo-ee, the excitement builds! Happy travels, and happy times ahead.

  20. How lovely. Happy bday, and happy travels. At dinner the other night, my husband and I came to the same conclusion – do it now, cause the “right” time will never come. I booked a break the next morning. Only flying as far as Banff, but that will be our Dec adventure. Thank you for sharing yours.
    (And I get to touch the airplane.)

  21. Good for you! Take these trips! Glad you blogged. I finally signed up for IG so I know you’re out there. And, whoa! Is Barcelona ever beautiful! I may have to find a way to go myself.

  22. I’ll have you know I almost dropped a stitch at the casual mention of Sam getting married!
    Give her a kiss ‘from The Blog’.

  23. Brava! Travel with loved ones is the best! Far from the drudgery of travel for work. I hope you have the best of times.

    Ms. Samantha’s wedding shawl will be spectacular.

    You are an inspiration to us, but don’t feel like you have to be.

  24. Have a wonderful trip!!!

    I am glad you are getting to travel for fun.

    And I am VERY excited that my mom and I were just able to sign up for a couple of your classes at Knit East at 8 am this morning when registration opened. Can’t wait!!!

  25. 1) Happy birthday, Joe!
    2) Samantha is getting married??!! Congratulations!
    3) I loved Barcelona. When I was stationed in Rota, we hit Barcelona up on a few weekends (and once on a trip back from Rome but that’s another story). While you’re in southern Spain, Jerez is an excellent place to get Sherry and Seville and Cadiz have the most amazing cathedrals… (tho I never got to see the Cadiz cathedral completed.)

  26. A trip to Europe before Port Ludlow is perfect timing – you won’t need to reset your body’s time clock in between. And besides, they’re is rarely a wrong time to travel, but never a perfect one, so don’t wait.

  27. Happy Birthday Joe, thank you for sharing your wonderful wife with us on your special day. I hope Spain is lovely and please let us know what yarns are like over there!

  28. So happy you are enjoying his adventure together. And you already know wool makes a great souvenir…. Happy Birthday, Joe.

  29. So happy for you that you’re in Barcelona – one of my favorite places. Old Town! Gaudy! Dali! If you still have some time I recommend signing up for a “Runner Bean” walking tour in Old Town – payment is by donation and the history lesson is fabulous.
    Keep on enjoying!

  30. Don’t know if anyone already mentioned it and if your are still in Barcelona – but try to check out Lalanalu! It’s the most beautiful little yarn shop with some amazing locally died yarns in stock and the 2 ladies running it are the nicest. very creative place. I try to find a lys on every trip and this one has been my favorite find so far!

  31. I’m so happy to hear that you are traveling for pleasure. It’s so healing. I think that when you are in your fifties is the perfect time. I have come to the same conclusion, and have a couple of cruises planned next year. They both leave from Barcelona. I can’t wait! I will have to look for the yarn shop you mentioned while I’m there. The shawl you’re making looks exquisite.

  32. thrilled to read that you and Joe are making the time to travel and enjoy each other and the world. Great birthday memories – Barcelona!
    Congratulations to Sam getting married – time flies!

    ~ and yes, never put off until tomorrow – tomorrow never comes x

  33. So much great news!!!
    -Happy Birthday, Joe.
    -HUGE congrats to Sam and Mike (I hope I got his name right…more background needed, please Steph)
    -So glad you’re holidaying. Spain sounds awesome in many accounts that I have heard.
    Have a really awesome time.

  34. Excellent news all around. Enjoy every minute of your travels, and Happy Birthday, Joe!

    Ha! I have to touch the foot. Safe travels!

  35. Happy Birthday, Joe! November 1 is also my mom’s birthday — well, one of her birthdays. It’s the one on her birth certificate, but she was born at home, and the doctor showed up later, and Grandma said the date he put on the birth certificate was wrong – Mom was really born on November 2. So we celebrate on November 2, but Mom calls November 1 her “government birthday,” because she has to remember to use it on official documents!

  36. Enjoy your travels! that is one thing to never put off if you can help it, there are just too many wonderful places to see.

    Happy Birthday Joe!

  37. Good for you! Safe Travels!! and Happy 50th to Joe!! (and having to click on the sunglasses seems really appropriate. ;-))

  38. Happy Birthday to Joe! Great decision to go adventuring now, today. Have a wonderful time.

    I loved Barcelona (was there B.K. – before knitting). Next time I’ll find that yarn shop all here are talking about!

  39. Vegetarian Restaurants in Madrid:
    Vega, Calle de Luna 9 — very good
    Restaurante Yerbabuena, Calle de Bordadores 3
    –very nice people

  40. I’m in a wheelchair now, and thee are a bunch of places I wish I’d visited whole still mobile. Paris, Athens, Japan. We never know what will happen.
    Julie in San Diego

  41. My mom waited to retire until my youngest nieces (twins) were 6 and in school all day. She figured that would free her from emergency calls to babysit.

    Hah! Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha HA ha!

    She spent the first 9 years of her retirement chauffeuring kids to and from school, doctors and dentists and orthodontists. Watching sick kids who were dropped off with Grandma because they couldn’t go to school … and then spending the next 2 or 3 days recovering herself from whatever was wrong with them. And picking them up after school, bringing them to her house, helping them with homework, feeding them dinner, then running them to and from CCD (religious education) because she “was the one who thought they needed to go thru the Catholic stuff.” one night a week until they’d all made their confirmation.

    She was finally freed from 3rd parent duty when enough of them got drivers’ licenses that they could take the youngest siblings to and from most of these activities. Living in a city rather than car-dependent suburbs will help you there, but still — it truly does take a village, or at least several grandparents, aunts without children and friends, to raise a child!

    You are SO RIGHT to do this for yourselves now. The thing I’ve learned is that there is almost never a good time, so might as well just plunge on. I hope you are having/had (please choose appropriate verb tense) a wonderful time.

  42. SAM!!!!! is getting married? Little Sam of 10 at the beginning of your blogging adventure? Congratulations! My son is 10 – I’m getting woozy thinking about how F A S T time goes. Enjoy Spain!

  43. I had fun watching bits of your travels on IG. I’m so glad you took the time to go! One of my standard replies to the “goals” question has always been “to travel.” And a few years ago, I realized that I’d better get going!! Thanks in part to a sister and a couple of kids who travel and/or live all over, I’ve now been to Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, Brazil, and Spain, in addition to many parts of the U.S. and Canada. And ready for more…

  44. Good heavens I’ve been away from the blog FOREVER! I hate it when life gets in the way of the things I want to do. Must get on Instagram to help keep up. Safe travels!

  45. Last night I dreamt you had a new post up. The post was titled Gander. I thought to myself, “Goodness! This should be interesting.” Then I woke up. Hahah!

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