Knit and Chat

The meetup with Chelle did happen, but I'm just now able to write about it. I could have kicked myself, but in my haste to get out the door on Sunday, I forgot the camera. This is because it took me forever to decide what to bring to knit - I have too many projects and all require some form of concentration. I ended up taking the Online butterfly sock yarn (self-patterning yarn that looks like butterfly wings) because I could just knit in the round.

I did drive myself, again, no problems. I really enjoyed the 45-minute drive to Boring. Sunday was very sunny and HOT. Chelle and Faye were waiting for us by the Visitor's Center and we walked around a little to hopefully get Ardella to relieve herself before setting off to Gresham. I met Faye, who is as great as Chelle says she is. She is little, and is very focused on Chelle and doesn't get distracted even though Ardella was trying her best to play. Faye was a very polite greeter. I gave Chelle some ginger cookies and Knit and Crochet things and Chelle gave me and Ardella a Goughnut and Black Lab key ring. I also got to see Faye's new toys. After Chelle put Faye on tie-down (dogs can't leave with handlers yet) we went to Gresham. With Chelle's helpful navigation, we got to Cafe Delirium, drank cold coffee drinks and talked and knit (at least a little knitting). It was really fun to meet in person, to talk about our dogs from handler and puppy raiser points of view, to vent about the layoffs, to talk yarn and Ravelry, and to hear about Chelle's experience on campus in greater depth.

It was also really nice to have Chelle handle Ardella a bit. Chelle verified many things that I see in her (a little high maintenance, but manageable if constantly alert).

Five o'clock arrived much too soon and I had to get Chelle back to campus. We were pretty much on time, thanks to Ardella's internal alarm that it was 4:30 and thus almost time for her to eat.

This visit was a high point of the puppy raising experience for me and I think the graduation will be a similar experience. I plan to bring a camera for graduation. I'll pack it in a bag the day before, just to be sure!

I lost Ardella's Halti but Chelle informs me it has been found. Big relief. I was prepared to go buy another one as Ardella is getting to be a bit of a garbage mouth outside again and thinks no Halti means play with the leash time.

Tonight I go to the second of 2 classes to learn how to do the Flower Basket shawl. It's fun, but one of those projects that requires A LOT of concentration. I'm going to figure out how to do life lines so I don't have to rip out too much if I make a mistake (inevitable, but I don't want to think about that). Put-put golf is this week's puppy club and there's an alpaca event called Shear Delights in Woodland this weekend. I may be taking Ardella to that, and I just may drive us there.