To give or receive?

Usually I enjoy the former more than the latter.  However, my participation in the Grad Swap on Ravelry is making me rethink my stance on this question, because Rebeccag sent me the most awesome package ever!  I now have: 

coil-less safety pin/stitch markers,

a tape measure that reminds me of Pinocchio (you pull his nose and it grows!  I just hope he doesn’t lie when it comes to measuring… J),

a copy of the totally cute It Itches (Franklin Habit is hilarious),

a skein of amazing merlot-colored Australian merino,

and a skein of Malabrigo sock.  

I have NEVER tried a Malabrigo yarn before, but now I’ve got my chance!  I’ve been scouring Ravelry for the right pattern all morning.  I love love LOVE this colorway, called Archangel.  It amuses me to no end that I receive a colorway named this during the Pope’s visit to Israel, which has effectively made getting in and out of Jerusalem – and specifically the Hebrew University – a total pain in the Arsch (vielen Dank, Ratzinger).  

I’ve coped admirably with the traffic, however, by making Jonathan drive and taking the time to work on several knitting projects in the car, like these socks which I finally finished up – the pattern is Cookie A’s Monkey from Knitty.

Oh yeah, Rebecca also sent me some amazing Belgian chocolates, but Jonathan and I ate them about 30 seconds after opening the package.  J Rebecca, תודה רבה!

 I also did some giving last week.  For a friend’s new baby boy, I knit my first Baby Surprise Jacket in Wisconsin stripes.  I wanted the jacket to have a sporty, rugby-like feel.  I totally got lucky with the stripe placement, though – when knitting the jacket for the first time, I was unsure how the shaping worked exactly so I just winged it.  I am most pleased with the turnout and plan to use this pattern again soon. 

I also made the new one a Bobbi Bear.  I was very happy with how he turned out.  Bobbi was difficult to give up, and before I gave him away I would sneak him out of the gift bag and hug him.  Wouldn’t you? 

Sláinte!

When we approached passport control in Dublin, the officer looked at my passport, then at me, and smiled.

“Well, you’re a Hughes, so we HAVE to let you in!”

The first few days were typically rainy.  This is the pedestrian zone on Grafton Street.  I trudged about the city in waterproof boots, a rain coat and with an umbrella.  And I still got wet. 

All that water is what keeps the island so green.  Here is the garden at the Dublin Castle… note the labyrinth-like design in the grass.

Dublin is full of churches – here is the protestant St. Patrick’s: 

And the catholic Christ Church.  The weather was gorgeous for our last few days, so we were outside as much as possible.  

That is, when we weren’t drinking.  The Jameson's Tour is fantastic - and if you go, be sure to volunteer for the tasting.  The Guinness “Experience” isn’t really a brewery tour, which is very disappointing, but the beer at the end in the bar with the view of the city is very nice.  We left happy.  

Almost as happy as when I left This is Knit! J  If you’re in Dublin, go check them out.  They’re really nice.   Here is my huge haul, plus some knitting magazines I picked up at a bookstore across the street from Trinity College:

I really loved it in Ireland.  The accents were so cute - it was all I could do not to ask people superflous questions just to hear them talk.  Some people were difficult to understand, however - a few bus drivers, nice as they were, were also pretty confusing.  And one woman and I were totally at a loss with each other - finally I looked at her and said, "you know, we speak the same language only in theory!"  She smiled politely, but I have no idea if she understood my joke.

The people were ridiculously nice.  People would approach me when I was staring at the very confusing bus schedule and help me, unprompted.  I'm not sure if I could get used to the lack of sun - but if I could, I'd love to live there one day.  

I wonder why my great-grandfather left... a question for the next family reunion, perhaps.