So, you know, Rhinebeck

I know you're all tired of reading about wonderful Rhinebeck blah blah blah, so I'll try to keep this quick. But it's hard to explain how great it is to be among "our people" for a day. There are so many places in my life where I don't quite fit (and might not want to), so a day with fiber folks who "get it" is a huge gift.

I drove to Rhinebeck on Saturday with my fabulous friend Jean (who is an avid but blogless knitter--she doesn't even have a computer!) and with Kelly. Jean and Kelly had never met, and I was a little nervous about that. But my matchmaking skills must be great because the two of them hit it off right from the start, and we spent most of the two-hour trip laughing and being ridiculously silly. Of course, it helped that we are all mothers of young children who were a bit giddy at the thought of an entire day to ourselves. We now have plans to hit the New England fiber festivals together on a regular basis. (You've been warned.)

Me, Jean, and Kelly--with bags of fiber at our feet

Kelly got stopped about forty times during the day because of her gorgeous Pinwheel Sweater--it was pretty funny by the end of the day. I had a few folks approach me to ask about my Sunrise Circle Jacket, and it was great to actually "model" it for Kate Gilbert. The whole day was just a wonderful blur of bloggers, bingo, and petting every bag of fiber in sight.

The blogger meet-up was overwhelming, and I met lots of folks but had no real conversations. It was hilarious to watch everyone try to find the bloggers on their bingo cards--and even more hilarious to hear the directions that other bloggers gave: "Oh, you're looking for so-and-so? Well, look over there, right behind that Flyingdales--and then you see that red Clapotis? Well, she's the one near that, next to the Klaralund." We certainly have a language and culture all our own.

No pics of my purchases, although there were a few: some neutral wool rovings for needle felting, a batt from Grafton Fibers, a kit for a sheep marionnette, and two skeins of Koigu (which is not what I would usually buy at a festival--but I can't get it locally and I've never tried it, so I grabbed them when I saw them). I kept within my budget and did not succumb to the lovely yarns at Morehouse Merino, but oh, there will be some in my future.

At the end of the day, Jean decided to channel McGyver. We were leaving the fairgrounds and came across poor Teresa, whose keys were locked in the car. (She was quick to explain that it wasn't her car--and that she's never locked the keys in her own car--but listen, if she only knew how many times I've locked the keys in MY car, she would not be the least bit embarrassed.) She had a nice Rhinebeck staffer helping her, and a couple of carloads of bloggers offering moral support, but the metal "snake" that they were feeding through the car window could just not grab on to the tiny lock button. Jean whipped off her ponytail holder, cut it with Kelly's yarn cutter (which she wears as part of a lovely beaded necklace), peeled off the nylon coating, wrapped the rubber band around the end of the metal snake, and voila! Car door opened. There was much cheering.

McGyver, Teresa, and nice Rhinebeck guy

We got home at 10 p.m. and I was exhausted. But there was to be no resting (or knitting) the next day, as I had to host a mermaid-themed birthday party for a very special six-year-old.

All in all, a fabulous weekend.

And next year? I'm totally staying over.