We got home tonight. It was in the 60’s when we left Florida. When we arrived at Detroit, it was about freezing, snowing, and pretty nasty for driving. Fortunately (I think), it was colder in Lansing which meant the streets were a little better to navigate.

Knitting news: I finished two pair of sox (both slouchy, one hot purple alpaca and one turquoise/jacquard opal) and a pair of alpaca half-finger gloves while I was gone. We had so much down time traveling by plane and car, and a little time here and there visiting folks, that I had plenty of time to do some good work.

The sox were actually nearly ready to finish when we left (basically they needed toes and that was all) but I started and finished the gloves while there. I have already worn the cropped gloves for hours and hours, they are so right for my lifestyle. They were tedious to say the least, but I am glad I took the time to slog through all those yarn ends to work in, and all the extra planning. These are gorgeous and very warm!

After I finished the gloves, I then started a sock design for a book project. I am again having my horrendous “gauge of the hour” problems and can not get even a few inches of the cuff done in the same gauge. I am so frustrated with that, that I do not feel like knitting tonight. It makes me nuts when I have to knit and un-knit over and over and over again, trying to make knitting from one day or part of the day, match the current knitting. It seems to happen more when I do stranded fairisle-styled knitting, and I just love that sort of design.

It is probably good that I don’t feel like knitting or anything else, because I am sooooo tired! I’ll catch you folks tomorrow. As I get time this week, I will share some photos from the trip. That is, if I *have* any time this week, because I have some major projects to do now, as I return to my “normal” routine.

Sunday night we visited Brian’s parents near Ruskin, south of Tampa. We did not have much time, but we were able to take them to dinner at a buffet restaurant they enjoy. We also got a tour of their park and the area surrounding where they will be living for two months this winter. We tried to go see the manatee, but the viewing area had closed about 45 minutes before we arrived. This sunset was from the fishing dock area in their park. Some neighbors of theirs, also from Michigan (actually, Lansing), took the photo for us (we were in the picture but with the sun in the background you could not see us so I had to crop us all out).

We have spent most of two days with my Mother in Lakeland, Florida. It is a friendly town, and the sun has shone a lot which we appreciate a great deal.

Yesterday we hit the thrift shops. I can always find brighter-colored clothing here in Florida than I do at home in Michigan, so it is a fun outing to shop here. I found two sweaters, one wildly multicolored and one a sort of bright teal-blue. I also found a beautiful flowered rayon skirt in fuschia with accents of purple and blue. I also found two items that will be good for dance practice. It was a good shopping day, indeed!

Today Mom and I went to the ladies’ coffee that is held here in her park twice a week. I have attended these four times previously, so some of the faces are starting to become familiar. Last night, Brian and I played music for the crowd as they were preparing for Bingo, and many ladies made sure to tell me how much they enjoyed our singing. It is always nice to know that what makes me happy, also makes others smile.

After coffee, Mom, Fred, Brian and I went to Hollis Gardens, a beautiful and fairly new formal garden on a lake here. It is one of my favorite spots in Lakeland and I was glad to show it to Brian. He has only been to Lakeland once, if I remember right, and he had not seen the gardens yet. (I took a number of photos there, so I will plan to show those to you soon. In fact, I have taken so many photos here that I am not sure how to choose which to show you and which to keep to myself. It has been a visually interesting trip.)

In Lansing, we have a formal garden called Francis Park, which goes back to the 1920’s. It is where we got our formal portrait as The Fabulous Heftones.

We leave Lakeland after lunch today, homeward bound. We will be sleeping in our own bed tonight.