Living large, blogging small

Although it would be handy sometimes to just be able to think a blog post to make it happen (hey, they can be Emailed and phoned, why not?) for now it's
probably good to keep the noise in my head off the 'net. It's been an intense month. There were more yarn stores: Knitorious, in St. Louis, where I had a better reception (they weren't in the throes of moving) this trip, and better luck (they had both Dream in Color and Colinette Jitterbug yarns in stock).
There was also a great store in Springfield that I visited again this trip, called Simply Fibers. Very friendly, they were experiencing a moment of small world: open for two hours, there were shoppers from Portland, California, Ohio, Canada, Florida and Zanzibar that had already dropped by (I made that last visitor up). Only moderate stash enhancement, I know I have a new installment of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club waiting for me at home. Speaking of socks, the sock in progress (Cookie A.'s ubiquitous Monkey, in STR Ruby Slippers) got to see the Mississippi and the Arch
when we were on the Blues Cruise. There was also a beautiful sunset and dancing (I watched, it's not tango)
There was plenty of good dancing, with three milongas associated with the workshop weekend put on by one of the St. Louis tango associations. Friday night was hosted by a local tanguera in her beautiful historic home in the Central West End
Saturday's elegant milonga at Focal Point and then a practica Sunday afternoon at the same venue. Lots of wonderful dances.
There was also cat wrangling:

Granddaughter wrangling:



Hanging with friend Lourdes in her fabulous tango loft:



Hanging with family, both here in St. Louis and in Springfield:




Birthday celebrating (yes, I cried, I laughed and I almost set my hair on fire, so it was a complete success)


There was also a wonderful day Rachel and I spent with friends Martha and Todd at the World Bird Sanctuary, just west of St. Louis. An extraordinary place, worth an extra day if you are in the area. More than just birds...hedgehogs!


There was also a nostalgic and whirlwind day spent down in West Plains, where I spent almost 15 years of a previous life...that visit to be covered in another post.

It's been quite a month. Coming to a close tomorrow. No wonder I feel a little like this:
(thank you, Todd, for catching this moment so perfectly)