Well boo! It’s a bit past 10 pm on Friday night which means tomorrow it's back to reality. Dagnabit. I’m sitting here typing this in the dark parlor. I cannot figure out how to turn the lights on. But hey, at least the internet works down here. Apparently the hamsters in charge of running on the wheel to make the connection on the fourth floor work exhausted themselves. I was just about to hurl my computer out the window and fully embrace ISLAND LIFE when I remembered we’ll be back on the mainland tomorrow. So I kept my computer and here I sit, in the dark, wondering why everyone went to bed so early.
Or are you all drinking in your rooms and no one invited the teetotaling blogger? Hmmm…. I wish I had time to ponder that and grow paranoid but you know, I don’t and I won’t. I’m just savoring the montage that is already filling my head (and my hard drive)—another SMASHING KNITTING & YOGA ADVENTURES!
I’d like to thank TEAM KYA: namely Lisa, who makes all this happen, and Melora for showing us we can bend into ridiculous poses, and Susan for exhibiting more patience than all saints combined as we bring her “just one more knitting question,” and last but certainly not least Mary Alice, for rubbing out all those kinks we get from knitting hunched over our lace projects. ALL Y’ALL ROCK!
But of course it wouldn’t be a retreat without the attendees, so THANKS ALL OF YOU WHO JOINED US this year from all across the country. Great seeing you repeat offenders and lovely meeting you newcomers. I hope every one of you will be back next year, and that you’ll bring a friend.
As for the daily report—well today I dragged my behind out of the sack pre-Tony Orlando and Dawn because I promised to lead any interested troops up to BURNT HEAD to see the sunrise. It was a frigid forty degrees when we headed out at 5:40 am, but a small group of us hustled on up and huddled our masses and watched the bruisy sky turn from plum to peach to WOW. The night before, I'd told a number of folks about how important this particular trek is for me every year, as it reminds me of my friend ISABEL, whom I met on the island, whom I knew not nearly long enough before she passed suddenly, and who changed my life forever with her big heart, long view, and love of the sunrise. (If you want to read more about my friendship with Isabel, you can click this link.)
After taking in the breathtaking sunrise, I made haste hoping to get back in bed and into a deep sleep but no such luck. As I’d tossed and turned much of the night, worried I would sleep through the alarm and not keep my sunrise promise, now again I tossed and turned. This time the syndrome was FMS—‘FRAID O’ MISSIN’ SOMETHING—and I just could not fall back to sleep for our last day on the island.
Though worn out and sleep-deprived, I valiantly worked my way through a mocha chocolate chip muffin and fifteen cups of coffee. Then I spirited myself back up the five hundred steps to my little writing garret to spend a bit of time just enjoying the heck out of that room with the tiny bed under the angled eave. How I'll miss it when we leave.
With HOLDEN’S HELP I slightly rearranged the schedule. That Holden, there is nothing he won’t do for us. Noting our scheduled outdoor lobster dinner was going to included frozen toes if we didn’t move it up, he convinced me to convince everyone else that forgoing pre-dinner yoga for wine and drawn butter slathered over crimson crustaceans was a very good idea. I received no protests.
First though, we took BALMY DAYS on a tour around the island, saw some seals out sunning on and playing near some rocks, and then spotted two more BALD EAGLES. (Note to self: must now make THREE HATS for all the bald eagles spotted on this trip. No, no, not SPOTTED BALD EACLES—Birdman can probably attest that those are mythical. Just SPOTTED as in SAW WITH MY BALD EYES. Oh no, did I say BALD EYES? Now do I have to make EYE HATS? I am NEVER GOING TO FINISH MY LACE PROJECT if this keeps up.)
After the boat tour, we carbed up for dinner by stuffing our faces with a sort of GREATEST HITS collection of snacks we’d had earlier in the week during tea time: OREO TRUFFLES and CZECH WEDDING COOKIES and BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKES. The list goes on. It was so comforting to have these health-filled calories to hold the space whilst we waited to be called to supper over at Sue and Holden’s place.
Their back yard is, essentially THE SUNSET. And so it was to another lovely sinking disc that we ate at picnic tables (I had the risotto – no lobster for me), and Eva and I busied ourselves doing photo interpretations of AMERICAN GOTHIC and CHRISTINA’S WORLD.
Then home again home again jiggity jig to watch the slide show. As threatened, Birdman popped by to bid us a warm here’s-your-hat-what’s-your-hurry adieu. Because no sooner do we shove off in the morning than his flock, aka TEAM TWITCHER, takes over our rooms in the MONHEGAN HOUSE. We sang Birdman a nice song. I’m sure he won’t soon forget us.
The talent show was nearly a wash, though we did have one brave PRETEND BAND get up and demonstrate with a little hip swiveling what their concept was all about. Yes, it was related to knitting. Of course it was. Maybe by this time next year they will have their first record out.
Before I wrap this post up and go sleep my last night on the island for 2014, and hope that Tilley doesn’t sneak into my room (I left the window cracked so I could listen to the ocean), a little bit of housekeeping: I will post another post sometime over the weekend or by the middle of next week. Like most of you, I have a bit of traveling in front of me before I arrive back on my own home planet. But trust me, there will be more words and images about this journey as soon as I work my way back to my trusty keyboard. Also Lisa will put the slideshow on YouTube—she’ll let you know when that’s up. And if you’ll give me a few days to get home and get settled down, I’d be glad to send you a bunch of my photos via Dropbox.
Safe travels y’all. I had so much fun knitting and stretching and hiking and eating cake with you. Hope to see you next year. Oh, and keep scrolling-- a few more pics below.
Spike
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