The Castoffs met at Linda’s house on a rainy day.  There went our lesson in Nordic walking!  Linda did, however, give us a quick lesson inside and showed us her cool poles with the little boot cushion on the business end of the sticks.

They aren't this shiny in real life. See! Shaped like a little hiking boot!

Vibram soles. Cool.

This walking style is definitely for exercise.  It moves your whole body.  I compared it to how I use my poles when I hike and I don’t put as much upper arm movement into it.  I’m afraid I’d throw myself off the trail. Could be dangerous on Dawson-Pitamaken.

Linda in action. This is about as attentive as the Castoffs get.

Speaking about throwing yourself off a trail – Marylane showed us her wounds of walking.  I’d like to make up a good story about how she was valiantly trying to save a puppy from a cliff when she tumbled off, but actually, she stumbled over a hump in the sidewalk in front of her financial advisor’s office.  Sorry, ML.  Looks very dramatic, though.

OUCH! And it wasn't even a bicycling injury!

Marylane is using a lot of her leftover yarn from various projects to knit a cool vest.  I can’t wait to see how all the yarn comes together.  I got a photo of the pattern and all the yarn.  I have stuff in my stash that would work for this!

Pattern for vest.

Lots of different yarns coming together as one.

Linda served us some wonderful snacks – two artichokes with dip, strawberries, pretzel thins with dip and beverages of our choice.  Most of us chose wine, of course.

Before the beautiful strawberries came to the table.

Somehow I had lived 60 years without eating fresh artichokes, so I was encouraged to try some.  It wasn’t the easiest treat to eat…

Scrape, scrape, scrape...

It was good though.  Thanks to Leslie for taking such a flattering photo.  I think this is what you call paybacks.

I have nearly finished the afghan for my sister-in-law’s grandson.  It’s RED, but that’s what Jonathan likes, so that’s what he’ll get.  I only have the rest of the skein to go before I send it on to Oregon.

Just right for a five-year-old boy.

The rest of us were knitting works-in-progress and doing well on all of them.  Leslie was doing some garter stitch riffs on her granddaughter’s kickbag.

Leslie always adds something unique to every pattern.

Deb is making progress on her lilac sleeveless vest.

This is going to be finished in a flash, Deb.

Michele’s sleeveless tank is very pretty – she already has finished one side and is working on the other.  Fast knitter! Or perhaps just more dedicated than some of us.

Front? or back? Either way - beautiful.

Carol’s bath towel hoodie is so soft.  I love the way this yarn feels and so will her new grand baby.

Carol's hoodie.

Mary’s other sock is getting longer.  I think she could actually finish a pair!  She insists that it doesn’t matter if they fit or not – she’s only going to frame them and look at them triumphantly.  A finished pair of socks!  Woohoo!

To be framed as a pair of a kind.

I didn’t get a photo of Julie knitting, but I did get one of her in action.  She was giving Mary an earful – not sure about what…but maybe I don’t want to know…

"*&@#$*$!"

Linda started a lacy scarf using a pattern that is remarkably like the one I’m knitting for the red afghan.  It’s funny how different yarns can make the same pattern unique.  I love this fern pattern and have used variations of it for everything from scarves to shawls to afghans.

Very versatile pattern.

As I sit here writing the blog, I see that the rain is falling.  The yard and flowers are drinking it up but I’d like to go ride my bike.  Oh, well, maybe tomorrow.  Instead I think I’ll knit.  Keep those needles blazing, Castoffs, and I’ll see you here at my house next time.  Happy April showers!

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