Not Always What You Expect

Remember I mentioned a few posts back about our trip to Europe, BK (before kids)? Here's a picture of me (on the right) with my MIL and SIL in the alps, wearing hats the guys bought.

This is the trip where we optimistically bought the skis, and the tandem. This is also the trip where my luggage got lost between Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Now, normally my MIL and SIL and I were about the same size, so I could have borrowed clothes for a day or two until my luggage showed up - but, no, remember - I was six months pregnant. Me, the only one with "specialty clothes," gets the lost luggage. So, the 2nd day after being in the same clothes, we went to a German maternity store and bought some clothes. This was way back in the day when people actually wore "maternity clothes." Now, you can wear most anything as long as you can make it fit. Just what I wanted to spend my vacation money on.... German maternity clothes!

About a day after this picture was taken, I came down with about the worst cold I've ever had. Now, I'm in a German pharmacy, none of us really speaks any German, and I'm pointing to my belly and my stuffy head, trying to explain that I neeeeeed something, but I'm pregnant. Through hand gestures, I ended up with something, not sure what, but it worked. The day after we got home I ran to my OB and showed him the foreign medicine - "pleeeease tell me this was okay to take, I have no idea what it is, but I was desperate!" It turned out to be a European equivalent to something like Sudafed, and all was well. My first born wasn't going to be born with three eyes or anything.

Now, what I wanted to spend my vacation money on was crystal and dishes. My MIL and SIL and I had scoped it all out, and found out where the Villeroy and Boch factory was in Germany. We got directions from the hotel desk clerk and got the guys to drive us out to the country to the factory. We were so excited! We were gonna buy tons of dishes, dirt cheap because the exchange rate was good, and ship them home! Wooo Hooo! We get there, and it turns out to be the Villeroy and Boch factory that makes sinks, and toilets..... not a dish in sight! NOT what we expected. Who even knew V&B made toilets! I can tell you, the guys never let us live down our trip to the "toilet factory."

So, this Cotton Tots yarn I bought for my Sitcom Chic is not what I expected, either. I never thought I'd LOVE it. Really, I only bought it because I had a gift certificate to Michaels, and this was the best yarn I could find for the purpose, and I really didn't want to spend any money. But, I have to tell you, I LOVE this stuff!!! It is so thick and soft. This is going to be like wearing a sweatshirt, but just slightly more fashionable. Here's my progress so far:

This sweater is made from the bottom up, and I'm up to where you bind off for the sleeves. Now I've gotta make my sleeves and attach them, then work the yoke. I was hoping to have it done for a trip to Disneyland this Wednesday - but that's not looking likely. I can't knit that fast! I tried to farm a sleeve out to Kaity - but we figured I'd just end up with two different length sleeves.... so I'll be patient and do it myself.

The cream color is getting a little boring, though... I must say. I'm gonna be ready for some color changing on my next project. I've got me another harebrained idea - just the thing. More on that later!