Swells. As in Sea Swells. As in “I don’t like ’em.” 🙁 More on that in a minute. But OH am I ever glad to be back. I missed you all!! And it was so fun to come back to so many orders. Glad to know that you didn’t forget about us while we were gone. We spent the whole New Years Day packing them all up, but that was ok. We had had a week off for lounging and were totally ready to get back to work. (I must say, it was nice to have “no mail” today, because instead of a few hours printing off all of your shipping labels late New Years night, we had Family Movie Night instead and I did all of the labels today.) I believe that we’re now all up to date and back on our quick shipping schedule. Big thanks to all of you for your patience in waiting on these orders while we were gone.
Back to the cruise – it was very nice. We left out of Tampa, cruised the Gulf of Mexico (through storm systems that caused tornadoes in Florida the next day – thus the Sea Swells of which I am so fond). In fact, we had to give up our first port of call because the sea was so rough that the port authorities determined it was unsafe for the ship to go up the channel. I tried seasickness pills, but they just made me want to sleep all the time. Instead, I relied on this wonderful gadget and I will tell you that it is worth its weight in gold. I have had it and used it for five years – through stormy seas and turbulent plane flights, and I will never be without it. It also allows me to read in the car on car trips, but of course I’d rather be knitting anyway. 🙂 If you or anyone in your family is prone to these travel problems, I highly recommend this gadget.
This is how my diet went, while on the cruise. sigh. We also discovered the most wonderful dessert called Warm Chocolate Melting Cake and it was one of the dessert options every single night. 
I won’t say how many times we all ordered it. But it was a lot. There were other enticing dessert options, but most nights they weren’t wonderful enough to entice us away from the chocolate cake. We made port stops in Cozumel, Belize, and Grand Cayman, and not a single yarn shop in sight. What is up with that? 
This restaurant sign in Cozumel cracked me up. I guess some things just don’t translate well.
It was interesting to note that they do their fresh fruit presentations just like I do at home. We usually have one of these available at dinner a couple of times a week. They may have copied the idea from me. This fresh fruit tended to cancel out all of the chocolate desserts, which was helpful. 
They also have a great way to entertain you with towels each night. I was tempted to buy the book and do this for our visiting guests, but I think that might be overkill at home. (That, or they’d think I was going “Martha” on them, and we can’t have that.)
I’m looking for nice girls for College Boy and Handsome Brother. Anyone interested? Neither of them have expressed any interest in having me find someone nice for them, but what is a mother/sister for, anyway? They’re both nice and tall (6’4″), both geniuses on the computer, both have a great sense of humor, and both think I’m wonderful. I’m sure they do. I’m always on the lookout for them. I actually have a couple of nice girls picked out for College Boy but he has assured me that he’s totally not into the “arranged marriage” theory. Darn.
Here is our favorite knitting spot on the ship. Julia and my mom and I could often be found there in the afternoons, knitting away. Julia was knitting socks out of Hydrangea by Yarn Pirate. My mom was working on socks out of Foxy Lady by Cherry Tree Hill. If we stayed there long enough, they came around and served tea and pastries at 3:30. (What a life.) I saw one gal knitting a sock on the ship – out of Cherry Tree Hill. Of course I went up and talked to her. On the last day, another gal saw me knitting and came over to talk. She had just taken her first sock class and was excited about it! Other than that, NO other knitters? 
Or maybe I just didn’t see them. But I was surprised. Here’s a question for you – if you are somewhere and see someone knitting, don’t you walk over and chat with them if you have a second and if it appears that you wouldn’t be interrupting them? I always greet fellow knitters and am happy to find them, and I love it when other knitters come up and chat with me, too. I wonder if there were some on the ship that just didn’t stop and say hi. What do you do?
I did get a pair of socks done (for my Sockret Pal, so I have to give them away), as well as one fingerless glove out of Lorna’s Laces Baltic Sea. I thought that colorway name was rather appropriate to be knitting on the open sea. I will share pictures on Friday. The socks were done out of one of our new yarn lines, arriving shortly.
Which brings this long post to the last couple of things. We have several fun new yarn lines arriving this month, as well as a big shipment to re-stock our Posh cashmere yarn. I will always announce these new arrivals on the blog, so keep an eye out. I know many of these yarns will go fast. I also wanted to give you a heads up on two fun things that I have planned for us in 2007 – with more details to follow in time. The first, is our Loopy Sock Club! 
I have designed this to be a quarterly sock club because I think that everyone needs a pair of socks for each season. Therefore, you will be getting an exclusive seasonal colorway and pattern, four times in the next year. We are starting with the summer socks, and it will ship out to you in May so that you have time to finish it for summer wear. Each “season” will come to you ahead of time like that. I’m also excited to tell you that Lisa Parker (my very favorite sock pattern designer – you all have bought many of her Wildhorse Farm patterns) will be designing the patterns for our sock club. The exclusive yarns themselves will be done up by some of our wonderful indie dyers (as well as one by Claudia, of Claudia Handpainted – just for us). It’s going to be a great Sock Club and I hope you will join when we open it up in mid-March. Stay tuned to the blog. Just wanted to let you know that it’s in the works. Spots will be limited.
The other fun thing I have planned, is the Quarterly Loopy Challenge. Each quarter, I’ll put out a sock challenge for you just to keep you on your toes. We’ll have a section in the blog for photos of the completed projects, and there will be drawings and prizes! I’ll give you the first quarter’s challenge next week. Speaking of the photo section of the blog – Web Guy tells me mid-January for our Sock Gallery and Knitting Spot Gallery. Apparently there were more pressing web issues to be dealt with while he was home for break. So we’ll have to stay on top of him to make sure that gets done. He is back at school – as of yesterday – for J-Term. They take one class (several hours a day) for 3 weeks. It leaves plenty of time for college fun, and website work on the side. 🙂 Keep sending me your socks-in-trees/rocks/bushes, and your knitting spot photos.
Whew. What a long post. It’s rather apparent that I missed talking to you all! Leave me a comment and tell me all of the fun knitting things you completed while I was gone. (Or your favorite knitting gift that you received – I’d love to read about those, too!)
(Note: additional dessert photos shared for your entertainment, for your own dessert-making inspiration, to help you with all of your New Year’s diet resolutions, to show how overboard I went on the amazing desset photos, to show why I am not responsible for any possible weight gain that may have transpired during the week that I was gone.)
Sheri thechocolatedessertstotallymadeupforthelackofpeppermintmochasontheship
Oh, Sheri, what I wouldn’t have given to have been on the cruise kniting socks with you and eating all those desserts! However, I was at home enjoying the holidays with my family and it sure was fun! I made to die for peppermint fudge that kind of makes me feel better about missing out on all the cruise desserts. I have been knitting away on socks and baby girl items for our Chinese daughter. Can’t hurt to make the waiting time before our trip to China full of girlie knitting! I am hoping to get my knitting pals busy knitting baby hats for the China babies in the orphanages with their leftover stash yarn. Well..now you are up to speed on what you missed from me while you were gone! I am watching your blog for any new Zelda bags..would love bright fun colors….something that will be good for all seasons of sock knitting. Oh…count me in on the sock club…sounds fun! Glad you are back!
Oh, how fun! I went on a cruise over Thanksgiving a few years ago, and it was fabulous, the towel animals were so cute. Sorry to hear about your sea sickness, but glad to hear you had a good time anyway. All that food…yummy!
Can’t wait to hear more about the Sock Club, I’m hoping I can squeeze it into the budget this year. The challenge sounds cool too!
I finished ummmm…NOTHING over the holdays! I did start some new socks in Fleece Artist Merino, Blue Lagoon, that I’m loving.
Glad you are home and hope you got some relaxation in!
OOOOHHHHH! I can’t wait for the sock club. Glad you are back.
My favorite knitting gift – this is an easy one – my wonderful children gave me a gift certificate to the Loopy Ewe!!
The sock club sounds like lots of fun! Can’t wait.
Sounds like you have a really good Sock Club concept!
The King Arthur Flour people have a great mix for Chocolate Lava cakes… Their mix is so good, I haven’t even tried to find a “from scratch” recipe. Here is the link (I hope) http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?select=C76&byCategory=C105&id=3635
Oh, those desserts look heavenly! As for the sock club, I can’t wait!! I am so in (if finances allow. I’ll start saving now!).
Glad you’re back and had a nice vacation!! Can’t wait to hear about the sock club 🙂
There should more knitterly cruises. Something in the 5 day range and preferably two each year, one departing from the west coast, one from the east. Actually, it would be great to have a “knitters and family” cruise vacation where the knitterfolk knit and the non-knitterfolk do fun things with other related-to-a-knitterfolk. Saying “Knitting Cruise” seems to inspire fear in non-knitters…
And then the champagne waterfall and midnight buffet pictures could be classified into two albums – includes KIP and no KIP.
Welcome back Sheri! Did I read sock club? I LOVE sock clubs! Count me in!
Your vacation sounds wonderful – thank you for sharing the great pictures! Also, thank you for the tip on the motion sickness bracelet – I’ll definitely have to get one of those before my next trip! The sock club sounds great – I can’t wait!!
I am so glad that you and the family are home safely, and that the cruise was wonderful, expect for the bad weather on day 1. I can’t tell you how I missed the blog and no Friday receipe.
Finally, the Sock Club – will be avidly awaiting March and the sign up.
So did you show us the deserts to wet our palates and hope that we would jump on board and sucumb to the temptation.
I Knitted socks, socks, socks, and also 3 scarves for The Red Scarf Project (if you have a spare ball of red yarn knit and scarf and send it here http://www.orphan.org/red_scarf_project.xhtml).
Finishing socks for my dad’s birthday and starting my Log Cabin blanket using Mission Falls (this will be a year long project).
I received yarn from my husband, a gift certificate to my LYS from beloved son, Green Mountain Spinnery Book, Stitch and Bitch calendar. All in all it was a good Christmas season.
glad to have you home
Welcome back, Sheri! Glad to hear you had such a nice time. Desserts and knitting … my idea of a vacation.
I’m glad you’re back and can NOT wait to see the new yarns. My mil gave me $300 to spend on myself for Christmas. I had to promise not to pay any bills or spend it on the boys. My plan is to buy yarn and other knitterly things with the money and to reward the people who have given me great customer service by buying from them. I already treated myself to some lovely J. Knits yarn (have you seen it?) and a couple of other things as well as a ball winder.
Now I just need to wait for the yumminess to arrive in your store.
Ooooh … a sock club!! Sounds exciting!
Those chocolate dessert photos were just plain mean!! I gained 5 pounds just was reading your blog!!! Seriously, isn’t cruise food unbelievable???
Don’t give away college boy too quickly…. I think there is still hope 😉
I think I may need to join the sock club…..
Welcome back Sheri! I loved reading about your trip and am happy to hear that you had a nice time. I can’t wait for the Loopy Sock Club…..sounds great.
Sock club? Did I hear sock club?
Those towel animals are great–when my high school’s band/orchestra went to the Bahamas there were definitely pictures of the towel sculptures. But nothing quite so like your pictures of food. Ohhhh, my…
Arranged marriage, teehee. I come from a culture that kinda has that (I was born here, though)–there was a fortune teller that would tell who you would marry, I think…
About the knitting in public: I’m shy, so I don’t usually approach people if I see them. I’ve only ever seen one girl doing it, though, and she was having quite a hard time with it; I didn’t think having me come up and show her my experience would be exactly inspiring, just annoying. However, I don’t mind at all when people approach me about it. It’s always people that don’t knit themselves–where are all the knitters in St. Louis hiding, eh?!
(P.S. I just started a blog! I wouldn’t visit quite yet, there’s not much to see.)
I need another sock club like a hole in the head! I am so glad that you are back-I love reading the loopy blog!
Happy New Year!
oooh, those desserts look amazing. remind me never to go on a cruise 🙂
i just wanted to add that i met my wonderful hubby on a blind date arranged by his mom. anyone who knows us knows that we are a perfect match. she really knew what she was doing. we are deleriously happy and in love after 8 years of being together. so tell that college boy of yours not to count it out…yet. he’s pretty young still 😉
Count me in on the Sock Club. What a great idea! And so glad you had a good time on the cruise, but glad you are back. Missed the blog!
Sue
Sheri, I’m new to your blog, but I missed you terribly while you were gone. Glad you had such a wonderful time on your cruise. My husband and I took a 30th wedding anniversary cruise to Alaska last summer and loved it! I absolutely can’t wait for the sock club. So glad you’re back.
Janet in Houston
Hi Sheri…..
Sounds like a great time was had by ALL……we went on our 1st cruise 2yrs ago…and I can’t wait to go again………the desserts are to DIE FOR…..
College boy and brother look oh so handsome…….mine is home till the 20th ….
Sock Club…oh me, oh my…I can’t wait to join…
I’m thinkin of a Loopy Sea Cruise……can the ship from the East catch up with the ship from the the West at a Port O’Knitting……..
I ALWAYS approach knitters wherever I AM……..I am not shy…….can’t wait to see all the new yummy sock yarn for 2007…
Welcome back….you were missed….
I finished 2 scarves and started a new sock with Lorna’s Laces Black Watch last nite…
Diane
Hi! Happy New Year!
Wow–how I missed your blog!!!!!!
Glad you are home from the cruise and have so many wonderful memories to cherish.
I have one thing to report:
I DID A HEEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)!
Jari
P.S. Some College Boys are just plain stubborn. 😉
I hope the sock club will be with washable wools. Am I the only crazy that wants to machine wash my hand knit socks?
Welcome home Sheri. Your photos are such fun for those of us who live vicariously! Have you heard of the knitting cruises they do now? I only rather recently found out about them but they do exist. Anyway your trip looks fabulous. Food photos are the best! I am envious of your daughter sitting there knitting too. I would never have moved from that spot except for that melting chocolate cake. (I’m checking out the recipe from Jane btw.)
Count me in for the Loopy Sockers – definitely. I’m with Connie that I too prefer superwash wools for socks. I actually USE the stuff I make and love being able to throw them in the washer. However I’m up for most anything.
Your children… all 3 of them…. seem just lovely. The boys are certainly handsome all decked out on the ship. Ahh, to be 20 years younger!
No serious knitting was accomplished by me during the holidays. I was run to death getting ready for a holiday party (a hit btw) and so I have to go back to work now to be able to knit it seems. Now THAT’S a reason to welcome the new year don’t you think? 2007 knitting holds promise as I learn to double knit and make the mobious bowl I’ve been salivating over. AND socks for me finally. :>)
Great blog Sheri!
Yeah!!!! SOCK CLUB!!!!
Love the idea of 4x per year, as I am slowly going bankrupt with all my sock clubs.
My husband wants to know when the octopus we adopted will arrive, as that’s the only way all the socks I knit will be worn. (Funny fellow)
Welcome back, lovely lady, you wer missed. Glad to hear that a good time was had by all.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! One filled with health, happines and an over abundance of love.
Welcome back, Sheri! I can’t wait for more info on the Loopy Sock Club. Sounds like a great plan.
I finished up the scarf for our neighbor for Christmas. I did not finish my sister’s mittens. I am almost finished. I ran into a problem with the top. But, I continued with the 2nd mitten anyway. I love the 2nd mitten. I didn’t like the way the 1st mitten turned out, so I ripped out about 1/3 of it, and now I have to finish it back up.
And, I started a scarf in a wavy pattern for myself.
Melissa
socks…chocolate…socks…chocolate…
I dunno if I would have come home. Unless I ran out of yarn, that is.
So happy that you had a great trip.
Sherri, it is nice to hear that you had a great time. I will have to try your little gadget for motion sickness on the carnival rides this summer. There are only two things that make me motion sick – carnival rides and motorized boats.
And while the chocolate desserts look great, I am the oddball who would eat the fruit instead. But I wonder if you could train the kids to bring you tea while you are knitting……
And you know that I will be in line for the sock club. I am a glutton for sock clubs. Any chance of getting a toe up pattern in the mix? I still prefer toe-up.
Great trip! Thanks to you I actually got MY Yarn Pirate sock yarn ON Christmas Day! (Since I had a duh moment and forgot about mail on Saturday!) I started knitting Jaywalkers with the Loopy….Hydrangea is next! Great pics! Glad you had fun!
Welcome Back, Sheri! Glad you had a good time. I don’t think I want to go on a cruise. There’s just something about not being able to see land that I really don’t care for. 🙂
Oh, I just discovered another Starbucks jewel . . . white chocolate raspberry mochas. They are awesome, in my opinion, better than peppermint mochas.
Melissa
Welcome back, Sheri! You may have fruit displays like that at your home a few times a week, but we have dessert displays like that at our home every day.!
Oh, my word! Did it just kill you to have all of those choices?
hi sheri. so glad to see you had a great vacation on your cruise. loved all the photos and mom and dad are so cute there too. not to mention those young tall men! can’t imagine why they don’t want your match making help. ( ; looking forward to all your new ideas here. missed your blog while you were gone too. hope the new year is your best ever.
connie, you aren’t the only one wanting to/or washing your handknit socks in the machine. i put mine in a small laundry bag and wash away. i’ll admit they aren’t my more expensive yarns but i haven’t gotten those made up for myself yet! they will probably find themselves in the machine too.
Thank you for posting pictures of all the wonderful cruise desserts. Ahhh, chocolate!
My boyfriend and I are going on another Disney cruise in a year or so, and I’m looking forward to all the food and cute booze drinks.
One of the best gifts I received for Christmas wasn’t knitted — it was a crocheted throw that my good knitting buddy made for me. She keeps saying she’s a much better crocheter than a knitter, but I don’t agree with that. I think she’s really good at both.
Also, I made three shawls for her. Two of those shawls were made with sock yarn.
(Oyee, my secret is out. I make shawls out of sock yarn. Shhh…)