{There's Nothing Like Home}

I just realized in writing that title that it has a double meaning for me.  First, there's nothing like going home to visit family.  No matter how long I've been away or how detached I feel way out here in Virginia, I can always just slip back in to the family as if all of us eating dinner around the table happens regularly.  Mr. Pie fit in effortlessly as well and that made my heart sing.  And then second, there's nothing like getting back to your house, sleeping in your own bed, and getting back to your routine again.  Reality came crashing in on me today when it was time to pay bills and refill the refrigerator with groceries, but still.  It's good to be home again, too.

I'm still processing all the experiences from my week away and feeling a little overwhelmed emotionally.  I know partially because it's my first day back and the long day of travel yesterday plus the jet lag has me sorta discombobulated.  It's easier instead to talk about the great stuff I brought home. :)

First, the fibery goodness.  I managed to find the local yarn store in my home town called Chilliwack Wool and Craft Shop. ( As a side note, is there anywhere else in the world where all yarn is generically referred to as "wool"?)  It was there, on my first full day in town, where I really splurged on some beautiful yarn just for me.  Some Malabrigo Chunky in an AMAZING colourway called Stonechat with deep burgundy, greens and oranges.  I'm thinking a cowl for myself is in order.

I was kind of bummed that the local store didn't actually have any locally made or dyed yarns, though, which is why I ended up with the Malabrigo.   But, Mum came through big time when this popped up for my late birthday gift:

This is a positively lovely skein from a local dyer in Victoria, B.C. called Gaia's Colours (note the U!).  It's a beautiful colourway that has a bit of pink, a bit of rose, a bit of orange.  So yummy!  It's 70% Superwash merino, 20% bamboo and 10% Nylon.  PERFECT for a pair of socks for ME!  It's MY birthday yarn, right?  While mom and I were discussing which sock pattern she would like her replacement socks knit from she made sure a couple of times that I wouldn't be using this good yarn.  This is just for me.  I LOVE my Mum. Fo Sho.

I was so excited about the yarn I almost missed this other little treat in the bag!  Some local stitch markers! Love!  I checked out her blog at Beadcomber.ca too and she's quite an accomplished artist with polymer clay. WAY cool. :)

We didn't just bring home fibery things.  Mr. Pie and I also picked out some great coffee mugs from a First Nations gallery on Granville Island to commemorate this summer's visit. They are a very traditional design from the tribes in the Lower Mainland of BC done in only red white and black.

Even though I have no familial ties to the First Nations people, I do have regional ties so I grew up seeing representations of the Fraser Valley tribes all around me.  Since I can't find that kind of art anywhere else, it just reminds me of home.  I love it.

And finally, I brought home some of my maternal grandmother's antique linens that my Aunt had stored in her basement.  She was gracious enough to lug the box over the ferry for the three of us kids to go through and divvy out.  After my brother checked out with only a few high ball glasses, my sister and I were left to split the rest of the crystal and the linens.  The crystal I chose is waiting in my sister's garage for me to move back since I don't trust the airport luggage handlers, but these linens weren't breakable so they got to come home with me.

Two vintage aprons.  They need a little tlc with some hand stitching, or maybe a double hemming, but the patterns are just so darling.  How could I turn these down?

Awesome, right?  I also snagged up a few lacey pieces and some stitch work.

I'm not sure what I'll do with these last guys.  Maybe a pillow? Or work them in to a quilt?  We'll see where inspiration hits. :)

I have so many posts planned about the trip.  We ate so much good food and had so many good visits with family, I'm not sure I'll manage to get it all down.  I'm just a tad exhausted today after traveling all day yesterday.  (left mom's house at 4am and arrived home at 10pm.  Yeah, ALL day. lol)  Pretty soon I need to start buying my textbooks for fall and for my last summer class.  Start back at the gym and eating right again.  I'm not sure I'm really for real life yet. :)