Oklahoma and Loops! ROCKS

I've been and gone again, sorry but I didn't take the computer with me as I wanted to travel light and shlepping the computer around for a quick three days trip wasn't a good idea....
This is the suitcase/yarn factory! packed

A whole yarn factory in a "box"

Here's what I did on the first flight, finished putting on the buttons that I received from Sheila Ernst

I cast off on the bottom of my "Nobodies Child" sweater, but needed a 9 16" circular needle to knit the sleeves so shelved that project until I got to the shop to purchase what I needed, no Becky I don't have that size in my stash!

I hadn't realized when I made my flight reservations that I would be flying on "9/11". Mike and I arrived at LAX and it was all about police, police with dogs and police with big guns. I hate guns. News crews where everywhere and while waiting to check my bag curb side a huge police helicopter landed in the roof of the parking structure across the road from where I was standing. It was all very frightening. I'm not a happy flyer and all the drama made it all the more nerve racking. I had a lay over in Dallas where I called my long lost friend Kim. She lives in Huston and was getting ready for THE Hurricane and while talking to her I watched all the news from Huston on the TV's in the airport, while she was telling me what it was like to be first hand on the spot reporter. I was alarmed that I was flying close to such an event and worried about her but got on yet another airplane, I arrived in Tulsa at the edge of Hurricane Ike, it was soooo humid and muggy, overcast like it would be on a spring day at home but hot like it has been in LA such an odd feeling.
I got a cute rental car, a Toyota Matrix, and then drove (with my GPS "Lee" he is from Australia) to meet Shelley and some of the staff of Loops! for dinner. Shelley brought her entire family!!! Sam and I talked about Geography, Cecile did impressions of some of the staff at Loops so that I would know them when I met them, very good, and Mallory was bright and charming. Brand was gracious as well and shared the joy's of an I-Phone with me

After dinner it was home to my host's Terries' studio. She has a whole house as her studio and lives somewhere else. This was an unexpected treat to have a whole (air conditioned) house for me to reside. Not only was it just a lovely space but it had great energy.






I was given a gift of hand made chocolate, and several tape measures with the Loops logo on them, and a T-Shirt!
After a great night's sleep, although I do have to confess some of it was done on the couch (which is down filled!!!) I was up and ready to go to Loops for two days of spinning/knitting fun.

This is the yarn I had shipped it's so lovely spread out look at all the work we've done this summer!

More yarn and my spinning

Gina on the left, Ellen on the right playing with her food, she put a piece of chocolate in a raspberry, soon Gina and I were following suit. Ellen was my "Trish Minder" on Friday and brought homemade soup for lunch and made proper tea AND kept water, wine and chocolate at my elbow...
Gina (and Gene) were my "Trish minders" on Saturday.... wow I loved being "Minded"

This lovely lady is Terrie my house hostess

Loops is an absolutely gorgeous shop. Here is my favorite the back storeroom!

A huge children's play room. I wanted to play too....

Two Gina's work at Loops as well as one Gene, it's a little confusing. This is "Ninja Gina" (she remembers everything and is better than the computer as she doesn't "crash") and Cecile

My box!

Gina with her beaded Stone cast on a "Shoulder Candy" a wrap done with the Neck Candy pattern on really big needles

Gene is on the left working on his special Kimono Cape during the class that Terrie is teaching

Meredith is holding a newly purchased skein of beaded Yak/Silk to knit the "Hand Candy" fingerless mittens. This skein is 3 ounces the Hand Candy's only took one ounce to make the pair, she is hoping to get at least two pairs from this skein

Ethan isn't a knitter and only wanted to see me spin. I made him try on the Fireworks hat that I made from a the Bulky hat pattern from Blue Sky Alpaca.... He was so cute and just the right age for Becky, he's single and likes meat, too bad he lives in Oklahoma.....

This terrible bruise is such lovely colors and sure to be lovely in the coming days. Shelley (owner of Loops) was in a tennis tournament and got beaned by a ball, sadly she lost as well......ummmm sort of Lavender Moonish don't you think? Ouch is what Shelley thought


After the fun was all over on Saturday evening Gene (still minding me) suggested we go for dinner. It was a remarkable place with huge art facts AND in the bathroom over the loud speaker gave Japanese lessons! The other bathroom goer and I couldn't stop laughing! Then Gene took me for a tour of Tulsa and surrounding areas. There are some gorgeously huge lovely homes, along with a fair amount of Frank Lloyd Wright (my favorite) and the like. I should have written down who designed this church but it was really neat, yes those are rain drops as Tropical Storm Ike hit Tulsa

This is where we got a drink. Gene got Diet Dr. Pepper with Vanilla! I got water. Note the upper right hand corner of this marquee. Fried Ice Cream....ummmmmm don't worry I didn't have any!

Gene is a night owl and suggested we drive to Bartlesville to see this FLW tower. It was about an hour away from Tulsa and the rain was almost Pacific Northwest. It was a little exciting to drive in but the little rental car did well. Gene and I told each other stories and got laughing so hard, well it was hard to stay dry

This is a terrible picture it was the best I could do in the rain and laughing so hard. So in the airport there is a little alcove with a display and information about the tower in Bartlesville here is a picture you can see it's magnificence in


Here is some copper FLW furniture

After saying good-bye to Gene very late (2:00 am Tulsa time) I rested quietly until the alarm went off and made my way back to the airport, returned the car and took this picture of the elevators, the other OSU,

Becky attended Oregon's OSU and they have the same school colors!

Back home, after flying first class on my Tulsa to Dallas flight, it was a small price and I was lucky enough to sit with another knitter Donna whom is a American Idol fan. She and I enjoyed the flight, knit and talked about books. Thanks Donna!
Gene lived on a farm growing up. He doesn't think this mystery plant is a cucumber either, Mike thinks it is a water melon, I still think it might be a pumpkin, Look how big it has gotten in just the few days I've been gone.


Another one has really started....

Here are roses that bloomed while I was away. It was still a little early so the flash made the leaves look like they have fungi

I'm knitting a "Shoulder Candy" which is two Neck Candies together. It is Calypso Cove in Merino/Angora/Cashmere in Sock weight (I think Alexandra or Julie spun this) It is so so heavenly I can't even tell you the pleasures of knitting it!

Mother made it through the weekend, but not well and landed back in the Emergency room and now is back in TCC care center. Dad is very sad as she refuses to eat or do physical therapy. I'm off to visit with her now but according to Dad she might not know me. I hate this......but so happy I escaped for a few days to the happy land of Oklahoma and Loops!