Surprises come in different types

Surprises come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, not to mention how you are surprised by them. Take these for example. Can you see it? I'm not talking about the fact that they are wood, which I adore, and the grooves in them that I doubly adore. Cable needles with grooves are my favorite types. But,...look closer...

Ya, the middle one...that's the kind of surprise that stinks. Like when you're in the middle of a couple of cable sleeves and SNAP! it goes that fast.

But then you get a phone call one day from your LYS and are told that because you've been using their reusable bags and entered their monthly drawing, you have been the winner for May's drawing! So...off you go and this is what they have waiting for you...

It's Lantern Moon's new Mindy Case in the Champagne color.

See how cute it is?

So then I showed them my not so pleasant surprise and was momentarily saddened that they didn't care the birch cable needles. However...

For the same price I paid for the birch needles, out popped the rosewood and ebony sets!

I had a hard time picking between the two to purchase...

So, I reasoned that with dark yarn I would HAVE to use the rosewood set while NEEDING the ebony set for lighter colors of yarn. See how pretty they are? Like knitting art, I think.

Grooves and all! Thank you Cindy and Alamitos Bay Yarn Company! I was happy with the bags-this is just icing on the cake. Color me, errr...knit me a happy camper!

The last kind of surprises are the touching and informative kind. Like my Friend Arlene I saw last week. She's constantly amazing me with what she comes up with next on her knitting machine! Here's a dishcloth she made and gave to me using short rows on her knitting machine! And here I thought a knitting machine would be the fast track to knitting up squares and rectangles in the form of baby blankets to whittle down my yarn stash! Thanks, Arlene! You are an amazing friend who never stops surprising me with your knitting machine tricks. I gotta get mine out of the box one of these days!

But, in the meantime, I'm packing and heading up to Michigan for a couple of weeks to stay with my parents before driving my daughter back to California. Another Mother-Daughter set of adventures will begin soon. I'm wondering if I'll FINALLY get to Mary Maxim in Port Huron this trip???????????

Here's hoping all your summer surprises will be the kind you're looking forward to!