It was bright and sunny when Saturday morning arrived. Between breakfast and lunch, however, we were treated to a downpour. It cleared back up and was fine after that which was good for trick or treaters. After lunch Cooki and Judi took off to visit the local yarn shops. Barbara and I debated going into town but decided against it. We knew they close off the main streets for the little kiddies costume parade and there is a lot of traffic congestion and parking issues involved with that.
You can see the general setup of the big room where we met and knit during the day in this picture. There were other gals along the wall on the right of the wood floor. Saturday night was the banquet and Show & Tell.
Barbara took this picture of me showing the vest I made for Reign. I’ll have to take a close-up so you see what it really looks like. It took awhile to make it around the room for Show & Tell since that was interspersed with the giving out of door prizes. And of all things, I actually won a door prize. That almost never happens! We were wondering why they didn’t give everyone a favor this year when we checked in but we were told this night that they spent the money buying some gift certificates for door prizes. I don’t think that made a lot of folks happy. Since I won one of those certificates, it worked for me. I got a $50 gift certificate to Great Yarns. That happens to be one of Barbara’s favorite yarn shops. They are also one of the vendors at our Madrona Retreat, so I can probably wait and shop with them at that time instead of making a drive to Seattle. If you click on the yarn store link above you can see some of their kid things. They are cute but they are not cheap. The $50 wouldn’t make a dent in most of what they sell as they have kits that are upwards of $300.
Barbara disappeared not long after we returned from the evening’s events. Judi also went to bed leaving me and Cooki to our own devices. Cooki was trying to bind off a fancy neck scarf she knit using a skein of Artyarn that cost $40. It was silk and mohair with beads and sequins. Judi also knit one and finished it before she went to bed. Cooki left about 11:45 saying she was going to her room to get a ginger ale. When she hadn’t reappeared by midnight I headed off to bed having adjusted the clock for the time change.
Sunday morning dawned crisp and clear. I was awakened at six by Barbara putzing around in the dark as she dressed. We didn’t close the curtains and there was a street light outside our window which provided some light. We had breakfast while watching three deer outside the cafeteria. On the way back to the barracks, I glanced up and spotted a deer walking down the path by Alexander’s Castle. “According to the legend, Reverend John Alexander built the castle for a prospective Scottish bride in a style reminiscent of his native country. In 1883, he acquired 10 acres of land near Point Wilson and constructed the building known as Alexander's Castle. Alexander intended the building to serve as a home for him and his bride. Traveling to Scotland to get his bride, Alexander found that his bride-to-be had married another. He returned to Port Townsend alone and used the building as a temporary residence. During the park's Army days, the castle was used for a number of purposes including serving as the first site of the Post Exchange and for many years housed the tailor shop. The structure, renovated in 2005, is now available for rental as a vacation home.” Shortly after spotting the deer I realized it was a two point buck (or four point if you’re from the east coast) and I saw a doe and then a second doe in front of him. They were headed right for us. Barbara was up to the corner by then and I had stopped a ways back to get out my cell phone camera since my digital camera was in our room. The buck chased the does right between the two of us! Barbara said that was the closest she has ever been to a deer.
Back at the barracks I spied two more deer on the parade grounds as we packed up our belongings. I don’t know if we were seeing the same deer several times or not. MY story is that I saw eight deer. When we were all packed up the Rainbow Girls appeared to take it all down to the van. We bid farewell to our fellow knitters and were on our way by ten o’clock. This was a first and only happened because Julianne wasn’t with us this year. Barbara was thrilled not to be the last one to leave the premises. We stopped by the office so I could report my missing earring. I discovered it was missing about nine o’clock the first night so I have no idea when or where it got knocked out of my ear. It was one of my “I love to Knit” ones. I’m hoping the gal I bought them from can replace it if it doesn’t turn up.
It was about noon when we came out of there so we headed for lunch before leaving town. Churchmouse recommended Café Nola which turned out to be “a European style cafe comprising innovative, eclectic cuisine in a bistro setting.” Since Barbara had fish and chips when we went out to dinner Thursday night, I thought she might actually try something different. However, nothing else on the menu interested her. I, on the other hand, narrowed my choices down to rack of lamb salad, Portobello ravioli or Dungeness crab melt on essential bread. No, I don’t know what “essential bread” is since I got the ravioli dish. Barbara was wowed by the fish and chips and I really liked my dish. I brought half of it home and had it for dinner tonight.
Before leaving Bainbridge Island I stopped into Esther’s Fabric Store, the oldest one in Washington State. This year is their 50th anniversary. I found a piece of strawberry fabric – the one I couldn’t find back when I wanted it for the potholder to match the strawberry design on the tea towel. I also bought a piece with ballet shoes on it for my collection aimed at making Reign a ballet something or other. Barbara, meantime, went into The Eagle Harbor Book Company. I was finished in the fabric store before Barbara was done in the book store so I joined her there. She was purchasing a book by Aaron Elkins, a mystery writer who has lived on the Olympic Peninsula here in Washington off and on for 26 years. In talking with the store clerk about authors who live in the area, we discovered that Elizabeth George has recently located here and had recently appeared for an event at the bookstore. She is the author of the Inspector Lynley series that I was watching awhile back.
And that sums up our 2009 Fort Worden Knitting Retreat. I have pretty well caught up from being gone. This morning I got my lesson done for tomorrow’s Bible Study. I glanced out the window at four this afternoon in time to see a coyote run through the yard. About 20 minutes later the dogs from next door were in the yard. I’m off to watch last night’s “Castle.” Apparently “House” wasn’t on last week as I didn’t get an alert for that show. I started knitting a pink fuzzy scarf for Reign today. It doesn’t exactly match the pink in the vest but…. Here is a picture of the vest.
You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of you? Away with such unworthy doubtings! Take your stand on the power and trustworthiness of your God, and see how quickly all difficulties will vanish before a steadfast determination to believe. Trust in the dark, trust in the light, trust at night, and trust in the morning; and you will find that the faith which may begin by mighty effort, will end sooner or later by becoming the easy and natural habit of the soul. - The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, by Hannah Whitall Smith
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Hi Diane. Was finally able to get out cyberwalking again and wanted to check on you and see what you were up to ... 
Hi Carol, I get a "lump in my chest" reading your thoughts that you share .. thanks for reminding us how life is a 
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