Back from Two Trips

Life is finally settling down a bit after two trips. The first was to Columbus OH for "The Bee", the national convention for my business. What a blast! I can't imagine any other company having as much fun as we do. It can be silly and fun, but it is also a terrific energizer for all of us who attend. My Bee Buddy was like a professional driver, getting us out there and back quickly and safely. She is a good conversationalist also, so the trip was very enjoyable. Connie also shared a little gadget with me that I LOVE! It is a Reliefband. (She bought hers at The Sharper Image. I have since discovered that they closed all their stores.) This device looks a bit like a watch but the purpose is to relieve motion sickness, to which I am prone. It worked for me! They are a little pricey, around $130, but can be used for a long time. It really helped with being able to knit in the car, which I have trouble doing unless it is pure garter or stocking stitch and I don't have to look at it at all. I also have problems doing something as simple as looking at a map or the GPS. The Reliefband made all these tasks quite easy.

After two days at home Bob and I left for Kansas City to visit Nils. Friday night Nils and Emily took us our for sushi, our first experience. We took our shoes off before entering the little room with benches. Nils and Emily ordered the sushi for all of us and then we shared two entrees. The food was delicious and felt very healthful.

Saturday morning Bob and I went to Nils' apartment since we had not seen this one before. He has a typical batchelor pad with weights in the bedroom, dishes in the sink, and a general untidiness (though not filthy.) Bella has settled down since we last saw her at Christmas. We rode our bicycles on one of the fantastic bike trails that Kansas City has to offer. The bike trail system is amazing. Sometimes you forget that you are riding through a metropolitan area as you pass by open fields, a nut tree planting, and woods. Suddenly the pastoral scene is changed into a corporate building view, not unpleasant at all since the architecture is quite interesting. We rode 11.5 miles in 95 deg weather. Bob and Nils could have gone further but the uphill climb that I knew awaited us on the homeward stretch was looming in my mind. The last mile or so was completely uphill, some of it quite steep. I was determined to NOT be a Mom Wimp so I just shifted to the lowest possible gear on my bike (1/1) and sloughed through. Needless to say, we needed showers after that.

In the afternoon we met Emily and her puppy Emmitt at her little 1920's bungalow in the city. Emmitt is a happy-go-lucky kind of puppy that is bringing out the best in Bella. Bella was orphaned at a young age and did not have the socialization that some dogs have so having a little brother has been great for her. We lounged about for a while, enjoying the wide porch while discussing the possible dinner venues. We finally settled on Gordon Biersch, a microbrewery in the Power and Light District. I had eaten at the Gordon Biersch in Columbs and love the Pecan Crusted Tilapia so I knew it would be a hit. As Nils drove us to that area I was struck by all the green space in Kansas City. It is a beautiful city with a lot of fantastic homes, both large and small. Dinner was delicious and we enjoyed the walk back to Nils' truck.

Connie was so gracious to loan me the Reliefband for the KC trip so I was able to knit most of the way home. Mostly I worked on the Gridded Kitchen Towel which is getting boring. I need to start on the sleeves of Something Red. That will go quickly. We don't have anything much planned for the weekend and it is supposed to be quite hot on Saturday...a good time for knitting inside the cool house!