More This & That

I came across an interesting item about a group of Danish seniors who get together to knit and visit. The article was entitled: "Knitted by nanas: the octogenarians behind Denmark's fashion designers." They call themselves the Kaffesblabberas and their knitting is in high demand. There is a video of them knitting and an interview of one of the knitters. Denmark is high on my list as a travel destination and I know one of the first places I'll visit in Copenhagen. http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion/fashion-blog/2011/nov/15/denmark-knitting-fashion

I always find the Tales from the Trail newsletter from Rabbies tours to be good reading and their latest submission didn't disappoint. Have a look at a lovingly restored Model T Ford. What caught my attention was the upholstery which was covered in Harris tweed. http://www.rabbies.com/newsletters/12_11_content/model_T.html

As with many of you, I receive notice of the monthly offers from http://www.elann.com Even though I haven't yet ordered from them (although have been seriously tempted, but then remember my large 'stash'), the company enjoys an excellent reputation for value and service. I took the time to have a thorough look at their website and was amazed at how comprehensive it is, with a long list of archived yarns and many free patterns.

For anyone who is interested, the hole in my shin is noticeably smaller; from originally approximating three stacked Toonies, now to one single Loonie. (Canadians will know what this means.) It's been 17 weeks since my mishap and I've been faithfully going to the clinic several times a week--have now graduated to visits just every third day.

This & That

I receive a number of enewsletters, and one which arrived recently in my inbox was from Breanish Tweed, http://www.breanishtweed.co.uk/, the small mill in the countryside of the Hebridean island of Lewis. Their fabrics differ from the more typical Harris tweed fabrics, as they use a finer-weight wool and frequently mix it with silk and cashmere yarns. (I learned about the mill in the British magazine, Country Living, before one of our first tours to Lewis. The article was about the founder of the company, Ian Sutherland and the distinctive fabrics he created in the small weaving shed behind his home. Ian was very gracious and welcomed us for a visit.) The company was sold several years ago to a family of weavers in another part of Lewis. It's always a treat to visit them and their site, located with sweeping views of the hills and the sea.

Earlier this month, I also received the latest bulletin of the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Weavers & Dyers. This issue included a number of photos of our visit this past July. A treat to relive this memorable afternoon and the warm welcome extended by members of the guild.

Also, a mailing from Shetland tourism. Have a look at www.SHETLAND.org to learn more about in this special part of the world.

Now that I'm not as busy, I'm determined to learn to use the Ravelry site. Frequently at the Ottawa guild meetings, during the 'show and tell' portion, people will say that they found a pattern on Ravelry or had a design which was featured on Ravelry. The whole size and intricacy of the site has daunted me in the past, but will apply myself to learning how to use it. I feel more than a little stupid that it doesn't seem so bewildering to so many people.

I'm back!

I’m back!

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve last posted to my blog. I know it’s frustrating to keep checking again (and again) to see if it has been updated.

Last month I had a good phone chat with Dr. Carol Christiansen, textile curator of the Shetland Museum and got caught up with some of the doings which have taken place on Shetland since we were there in July.

Carol told me that someone had purchased an old Fair Isle cap on Ebay, an event which has been
causing a lot of interest. Have a look at the article which appeared in the
Shetland Times: http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/10/25/bought-on-ebay-for-7-39-fair-isle-cap-now-has-pride-of-place-in-museum

The Tall Ships race took place later in the summer. One of the highlights was an
auction of traditional Fair Isle hats—of course knitted: http://fair-isle.blogspot.com/2011/10/traditional-hand-knit-fair-isle.html

Two friends, coincidentally from different areas in Canada, told me about a website of a very
talented Scottish knitter, Kate Davies from Edinburgh. (Thanks to Maureen from
Wakefield, QB and Karen from Vancouver Island.) Have a look at Kate’s blog and
website. I don’t know how she manages to design and complete so much. http://textisles.com/. (I see there is even a photo of Oliver Henry of Jamieson & Smith on her site.)

Speaking of J.& S. (known in Shetland as the Wool Brokers): held a Wool Week
this past October. I wasn't able to attend that event, but just looking at their site made me eager to return to that special area for another visit: http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/epages/BT2741.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT2741/Categories/Shetland_Wool_Week

Lots more news to follow in another post. It won’t be as long between posts next
time!

Good Kharma

I love to watch the British--and original version of the--Antique Roadshow, and this week there were broadcasts from several locations which I'd visited last month. (I think they were actually filmed in 2009, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the programs.)

One was at St. Fagan's, the Museum of Welsh Heritage, a collection of homes, stores, and other buildings, spanning several centuries, and furnished with appropriate antiques of the respective eras. They were moved to the site from all over Wales and are attractively set in a large rural parkland. We didn't have enough time to do more than a short wander, but at least it gave everyone in the group the desire to return at a later date.

There were also two programs from the British Museum in London. I hadn't been there for many years and this was the first time I'd seen the glass roof addition. Very attractive. I get overwhelmed by large museums--just don't know where to start--but it's still an amazing place.

Later today I leave for Scotland. I'm very excited about this--it will be the 14th Scottish Skeins & Skerries Tour. Hard to believe that what started out as an idea in 1995, would still be going in 2011. As in the past, we have an interesting group of travellers--from many places in the U.S. and Canada, plus one person from Australia. For this year, I've added one more day on Shetland so that we'll be able to visit the islands of Unst and Yell.

May 2011 Trip to Wales by Shirley Scott

Wales – Heritage, History & Handicrafts

Joyce James Tours -May 13-23, 2011

Article by Shirley Scott (Shirl the Purl)

May 13- 23, 2011. It’s finally here! Those dates have beckoned to me from the pages of my calendar all winter long, adding a little ray of hope to the cheerless days. I’ve left my home in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and my dear little cat Frankie in the able hands of my friend Katrin to start on this adventure. Now I’m in Toronto, meeting up with Joyce and some of the gang to travel to Heathrow together. What fun! After an enthusiastic rendezvous at Pearson and the usual restless night over the Atlantic dawn comes pretty darn early to our group . We stumble from the plane and shoot off immediately on the fastest moving sidewalk I’ve ever clung to. We’re in the big city now, I think. No time for ambling along, lost in obscure Celtic thoughts.

I am so looking forward to this trip. Wales is on my bucket list. I’ve loved the Celtic world for as long as I can remember...

Read More... Download the rest of this article in PDF format.

http://www.joycejamestours.com/2011/Wales/2011-WalesTour-Shirley.pdf

Joyce James is conducting a second trip to Wales:
SEP.1-12, 2011

More Information at this link.

Shetland News

The tourism site of Visit Shetland has a monthly newsletter which I always find interesting. Among items, in the latest issue, there is news of a "puffin cam" to follow the nesting of the puffins which spend a brief time in the little niches on the face of Sumburgh Head. As I understand it, this is the only time that these colourful birds come ashore--that is to lay their eggs and to raise their young.
http://visit.shetland.org/may-2011newsletter

There is also information about the Shetland Angling Association, especially for those who are interested in doing some local fishing.

A previous posting of Visit Shetland had an article about the brochs. (Thanks Jean for sending this.)

Of course, for me, knitters are never forgotten and there is an article by Carol Christiansen, the textile curator at the Shetland Museum about Shetland lace.
http://visit.shetland.org/shetland-lace

It's finished!

I've finished the Piecework Blanket! (Feel that it's been such a project that it deserves to be capitalized.) I've taken a photo, but (again) have had trouble putting it on my blog, so will do that in future.


There are a total of 70 mitred squares, plus a knitted moss stitch border. This is the second blanket of this design which I've completed, and initially was drawn to it as I was hoping to cut down on 'stash', plus have a project which I could work on intermittently. (The only new yarn I incorporated was from a previous purchase, which I realized I wouldn't use for anything else.) It's amazing, as in spite of all the yarn which was used, I still have a basket of more to be knit. While I was knitting, it brought back memories of projects for which the yarns were initially purchased.


I subscribe to way too many magazines, but one which I welcome and immediately read from cover to cover is the British Country Living. In the May issue there is an article and beautiful photos about Snowdonia--hard to believe that we'll be there in a couple of weeks. on our Wales tour. www.joycejamestours.com

Also, I always enjoy the internet newsletter, Knitter's Review. The author, Clara Parkes never disappoints me with her analyses of new yarns, fibre farms and knitting events. In fact, if I lived closer, I would have gone to the event in Minnesota this weekend.

More news about Wales

Even though there is so much in the news about Wales, with the royal wedding approaching later this week, there is much more in the principality than the royal connection.

I've come across a really interesting site called: Gathering the Jewels (Casglu'r Tlysau in Welsh!). http://gtj.org.uk/en/search/. It covers a wide gamut of topics and is stated as being the website for Welsh Cultural History. The introduction to the site indicates that there are over "30,000 images of objects, books, letters, aerial photographs and other items from museums, archives and libraries throughout Wales." Again, I've spent way too much time looking at different topics, mostly history and the textile arts.

A few of the sites which I've noted: images of hand-knitting items from the former Cambrian Mills, now known as the Museum of Dre-fach Felindre, the Welsh Wool Museum (where we will visit on both tours of Wales); a photograph dated 1885 of a ladies' club; and two photos of women knitting in the Welsh national dress, dated 1875. (Concerning the stove-pipe hats, I once read that a wealthy, titled woman decided that the Welsh needed a national dress and decreed that style of hat would be included!)

While I've been researching highlights for our itinerary, it's been very interesting to learn of all the small farms and wool producers. It's reached a point where I've had to omit several stops as there just isn't enough time. Such an interesting, beautiful area. Come join us on the tour in September.

Today is Earth Day

My family chides/teases me the way I'm so determined about recycling--I think they secretly feel I'm obsessed. Composting is not allowed in the apartment building where I currently live, so I take many bags of orange peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, etc. to a son's home, where composting is collected. (Especially necessary when I've bought a case of juice oranges.)

I don't think my kids feel that dementia is approaching as I've been recycling since the 1970s, when I used to take bottles and cans to a City of Ottawa works yard. I would wash all the cans, remove the labels and flatten them. The bottles had to be separated by three colours; clear, green and brown (I used to wish that more people in the city did that.)

I'm happy that there appears to be a heightened consciousness of looking after the environment and recycling, however, I think we still have a long way to go. Just hope it isn't too late.

The Welsh Drovers

During the first tour which included Wales and England--I cannot remember the exact year but think it was 1997--we had a speaker in Wales by the name of Idris Evans. (With a name like that, he would have to be Welsh!) Idris had been recommended by a contact at the Welsh Tourist Board and was reported to be an informative, interesting speaker. He certainly didn't disappoint us. The subject of his talk was the tradition of the Welsh drovers, something we all found very interesting.

I'd lost touch with Idris since 1997 and as you know, times have changed a lot since then, but thanks to a search on Google, I was able to locate him. (I also learned that in the interim, he had written a book called Hard Road to London.) For both our 2011 Welsh tours, it's been arranged for Idris to speak to us about the drovers, In addition, he'll tell us about the flannel mills which used to operate in Wales and the knitters of Bala. This will be another opportunity to learn more about Welsh traditions and a chance to ask questions.

As I've indicated before, the May tour to Wales sold out quickly but there is room on the September version. Have a look at the details on my website: http://www.joycejamestours.com/

Still working away on the final details of the piecework blanket--haven't had much time lately but its coming along. I'm looking forward to getting it finished.

Celtic music & knitting in Calgary

For anyone who is interested in Celtic music, I've received an announcement that ticket purchase is now open for the Hebridean Celtic Festival. You can learn more of the events at the following sites:

http://www.hebceltfest.com/booking
http://www.hebceltfest.com/news

As I've said before, members of our 2011 Scottish Skeins tour are fortunate to be in the Hebrides at that time this July, and some have already bought their event tickets.

A friend in Canmore (thanks Frances) sent me news of the very active knitting scene in Calgary. Here is an article from the Calgary Herald:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Knit+worthy/4598494/story.html

Welsh quilts

I received an email from Jen Jones in Wales this week.

Jen is the person who realized the treasures in antique Welsh quilts. When she first moved to Wales and became aware of the quilts, they were not valued and were used in inappropriate ways as in cattle byres, under mattresses for additional padding, etc. Since that time, the Welsh quilt and its traditions have received the attention they deserved. Jen's first shop is next to her home near the small village of Llanybydder--very diffcult to pronounce unless your Welsh! In 2009, Jen opened the Welsh Quilt Centre in the town of Lampeter. She has also written two books on the subject and has taken her collection for exhibitions farther afield than the U.K., there was one in the U.S. and another in Japan several years ago. When I was in the U.K. last year, I was very fortunate to be in London at the same time as a special exhition of quilts at the V. & A. Museum. That visit enabled me to learn more about the Welsh quilts.

Have a look at her site: http://www.jen-jones.com. In this larger venue, she is able to offer workshops, more extensive exhibitions, a small tea room and even details of a quilting project they have with a charity in Ethiopia.

In 2011 the exhibition of Welsh quilts is called "Oh That Summer Would Last Forever". We'll be meeting Jen during the May tour to Wales, and we'll repeat the visit during the second tour in September. As of today, there is still space on that second tour, but that trip is also small and is limited to 14 travellers.

See the details of the itinerary and let me know if you have any questions and would like to register: www.joycejamestours.com

Shetland News

I receive a monthly newsletter from Visit Shetland, the tourist information centre. I always enjoy reading the contents and seeing the photos; http://visitshetland.org/april-2011. In the current issue I learned that Jamieson & Smith is offering a Shetland Wool Week this year from 11 to 14 October. It is probably meant for those who live in the U.K., but wanted to mention it in case any North Americans will be in the area at that time. Yarns International (http://www.yarnsinternational/) has announced a new collection of Fair Isle patterns, called 'Shetland Fishing Villages'. The first design, Fethaland has been announced and until April 30, there is a 15% discount on the kit. Recently, I've been busy doing other things and haven't had much time to work on the Piecework Blanket. However, I've finally found a suitable flannelette for the backing--more involved than I expected--and have to finish the ends. It's getting there, if slowly!

Piecework blanket & more........

Progress report on the blanket: I'm getting there and have completed 70 mitred squares and have knit a moss stitch border on the two longer sides. I'm now picking up the stitches for the third side. The monthly meeting for the Ottawa knitting guild is this evening and I plan to sit and knit during the proceedings.

I also have a sweater for one of my sons which has been 98% completed for close to two years. It is of one of my favourite yarns--Sympathie by Filatura di Crosa--which was discontinued many years ago. Fortunately, I managed to get a supply which will keep me going for a long time. Even though I've knit the Alice Starmore pattern before, I am not happy with the neckline on this garment. A talented member of the guild (of who there are many) has agreed to have a look at the problem. I'm hoping she'll have some ideas and I won't have to unravel the complicated yoke portion. I'll try to post photos later in the week.

Ever since the first day of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, the ongoing nuclear emergencies and the turmoil in the Middle East, I've been reminded of the Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times"!

On a more peaceful note: have a look at my website: http://www.joycejamestours.com/ and think of tranquil days travelling in Wales.

Scotland

The problems with my website: www.joycejamestours.com have been corrected and all is well.

This evening I watched a documentary about Donald Trump and his efforts to take over a large part of the sea front in Aberdeenshire for a golf course, mega housing/recreational/tourist accommodation development. Initially there was significant opposition to the project from the local landowners and council, however that dwindled to the point where only two landowners held out. At first it was described as a David & Goliath battle, but in this case, Goliath won out. Very disappointing! Initially it reminded me of the movie which I saw many years ago, Local Hero, but alas, a different outcome.

One thing I learned and didn't know before was that Donald Trump's mother was from the Isle of Lewis. At least I saw some views of Stornoway and Luskentyre Beach.

Update on my website

I wanted to let everyone know that we've had some problems on my website and Garth (my website guy) is currently working on them. I expect the site will be up soon and the details will be accessible again. In the meantime, if you have any questions and/or would like to register for the second Wales tour, please phone me at: 613-695-0889 or call the office at 1-800-267-5552 and leave a message for me. As an alternative, if you prefer, you could send me an email.

Sorry for this temporary 'glitch'.

As I've mentioned before, I've been doing a lot more research about small farms and yarn sources in Wales. I was surprised by the number and have been making arrangements to visit as many as possible during our trips in May and September.

I Knit London

I regularly receive a newsletter from I Knit London (http://www.iknit.org.uk/). Before now, I hadn't taken the time to read through the various links in detail. However, fortunately today I did--it's a treasure trove of information, even if one doesn't live in London or the U.K.

In addition, I noticed that this coming Saturday, 19 March there will be a live phone in about knitting and pain management. Have a look at the I Knit site to get the details. The program is scheduled for BBC Radio Bristol between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., which would be early for us in the Eastern Daylight zone--between 05:00 a.m. and 06:00 a.m. However, one can download the program as a podcast or it will be recorded and will be available for the following seven days.

Somehow, quite sometime ago, I managed to inadvertently delete the list of blogs I used to follow. I'm going to start searching for those I really enjoy and will start a new list.

More reading.....

I'm always conscious that I should accomplish more in a day and an article which I saw on the internet, How I Learned To Save 3 Hours A Day, really caught my attention.

Two hints which I plan to follow are only to check email once per day and when I read a message, immediately decide how I'll handle it: i.e. deal with it, delegate or delete. I don't even want to admit to myself how many times a day I check my inbox--that will be a very hard habit to break.

Difficult times

I feel certain most people have reacted as I have, and were/are transfixed by images of the Japanese earthquake and following tsunami on TV and in the newspapers. Even though I've seen the photos over and over many times, I still watch them again--just can't imagine the enormity of such an event. Now there is an additional nuclear threat. I've been switching channels back and forth ever since the disaster occurred.

It all makes me realize that one doesn't appreciate when things are going (relatively) well and the daily vexing occurrences which come along seem, well, just petty. Makes one appreciate again how peaceful knitting is.

On a happier note: I read that during 2011, there will be a travelling exhibition of the Lewis Chessmen in different venues throughout Scotland. Fortunately, it will be at the museum in Stornoway while we are there. As I understand it, this is the first time that the known 93 pieces have been shown together. (82 pieces are held in the British Museum and 11 in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.) They are called the Lewis Chessmen as they were found on Lewis but their origins are Nordic. I don't know how to play chess--just found it too confusing and boring. In fact, when my grandson Sam was four years old, he tried to teach me to play and gave up in disgust--I just didn't get it! Saying that, I find the concept of the Lewis Chessmen very interesting.

News from Shetland

This week I received the most recent issue (Winter 2010) of the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Weavers & Dyers. It's always a joy to read--with news of their activities, photos of the winning entries in a Guild competition and even an advertisement for knitters who are willing to knit Fair Isle garments. One company, Thistle and Broom indicated they would pay "from 290.00 GBP per jumper and from 130.00 GBP per slipover/waistcoat per bespoke order of your original work". It didn't indicate who supplied the yarn. I wonder if they've received any/many takers. Apparently, the Shetland Wool Brokers are advertising for knitters too.

Yesterday, I had a disturbing email from a member of the Guild to tell me that Bess Jamieson had had a heart attack while visiting her sister in New Zealand. As many of you know, I met Bess when I went to Shetland on my own in 1995, to see if I could plan a group tour. (As I've frequently said, I should have gone right out and bought a lottery ticket, as I had good karma going for me!) Bess was a wonderful source of people to visit and opened many doors for me and our groups, which greatly enhanced our enjoyment of this wonderful area. (One example: before the first tour, Bess spoke to Jimmy Work to ask if he would let us visit him--apparently he doesn't let everyone! This resulted in memorable visits to his home and also many of his wonderful baskets finding new homes in North America.)

I don't know how serious Bess's situation is, but her sister is also a retired nurse, so know she will be getting the best of care. She is a wonderful friend and I have never been to Shetland that Bess didn't have a bouquet of flowers from her garden, waiting in my hotel room. Her talents are amazing--as a spinner, weaver and knitter--and her commitment to the Guild and to the textile arts on Shetland is endless.

Don't forget that that Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday, 13 March @ 2:00 a.m. (I'm not sure if all American states observe DST, but Saskatchewan is the only Canadian province which follows Standard Time throughout the year.)

An announcement!

Due to the overwhelming, immediate response when the first trip to Wales was announced, the tour quickly sold out, with a waiting list. Since I designed the initial itinerary, I've done a lot of additional reading and have discovered more small wool producers, craftshops, another interesting speaker--and much, much more! (These revisions will be included in the May tour.)

As a result, I've decided to offer one more opportunity to visit this beautiful principality. The second tour will take place during the first two weeks of September. Garth, my website guy is currently getting the details ready for the website, along with an updated registration form. The price and length of the tour will remain the same as the May version. I expect the information will be there in less than a week.

I've kept in mind to keep the tour small (maximum 14 people), with time to relax and to enjoy the experience. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to join us on this unique itinerary. You can either email or phone me at: 613-695-0889 or 1-800-267-5552.

I am still going to retire and the 2011 tours (regretfully) will be my last.

I'm still here.......

I knew I hadn't posted to my blog for awhile, but didn't realize it had been just over a month until I signed in today.

I have been busy knitting and have finished the mitred squares for another piecework blanket. This time it's a larger version: 80 squares. I've picked up the stitches on one side for the border, but am not not happy with the colour I've chosen and will probably unravel it. Even though one reason for working on this project was to use up my stash, I've hardly left a dent in the supply! I have piled the yarn which I wanted to use in a basket and it looks as though I could knit several more blankets. I've yet to secure the ends, complete the border and then I plan to line it with flannelette.

I've also been doing a lot of reading and earlier this week was very happy to see the latest copy of the Slip Knot, the journal of the Knitting & Crochet Guild of the U.K. in my mailbox. It was full of a number of interesting articles and contact information. Even though it's not inexpensive to have a subscription sent to North America, I think it is a worthwhile publication to support--perhaps local knitting guilds could consider this. More about this issue in future blogs.
Their website is at: www.knitting-and-crochet-guild.org.uk.

I've just heard that the V&A Museum in London is marking the 100 years of Harris Tweed production. (Thanks Barb S.!) This event is part of a number of celebrations recognizing this iconic fabric.

A note of levity

I have been doing a lot of reading in preparation for the trip to Wales. There were knitters from Bala (in mid Wales) who knit socks with one hand, while using a knitting belt (similar to what is used on Shetland). I'm told they did this while walking and even in the pubs--trust the canny Welsh.

While trying to learn more about them, I 'Googled' the name and in addition to the knitters of Bala came across a site about the knitted balaclava, which is associated with the Crimean War. Just to show that life isn't always grim, here is a site which I found: http://www.agoodyarn.net/PT_Helmet.htm. I offered to knit matching balaclavas for a relative of mine who is a dog owner/lover. My offer was turned down!

I'm knitting another piecework blanket. It doesn't seem to matter how much I knit, my stash doesn't seem to get any smaller.

Take care of yourselves

I've been suffering from a case of tendonitis. When the first symptoms started, I had no idea what it could be and thought that if I took some ibruprofen, coupled with a large dose of denial, that it would just go away. However.......after two weeks of pain, learned it was tendonitis and realized that it was caused by poor posture at the computer and while I was on the phone. I was reminded of the quote attributed to Eubie Blake when he said: "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."

On the weekend, I was speaking with beloved Shetlander, Bess Jamieson who is a retired nursing matron. Bess gave me some hints on treatment and ended with telling me to put on a Shetland shawl for warmth. Good advice!

News from Shetland

Yesterday I received the most recent issue of the newsletter of the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers. As I've mentioned before, I always enjoy reading about their activities and getting caught up with what friends in the guild have been doing since the last issue.

One of the first things I noticed was a photo of the cover of the book, KNITS from the North Sea--lace in the Shetland tradition. What I found amusing was the comment by two members, Hazel and Zena, that they enjoyed browsing through the book, but were "vexed" by a mistake in the cover photograph. Trust a Shetlander to spot a lace error from a photo!

There was also a detailed article of the knitting conference held last September. It was called "In the Loop 2". I would have loved to have attended. The speakers and topics were numerous and dealt in depth with a large range of knitting topics. Carol Christiansen, of the Shetland Museum, was one of the two organizers. Something I learned was that the Shetland Museum has approximately 1200 textile items and close to two thirds are associated with knitting. (Those who are coming on the 2011 Scottish Skeins & Skerries Tour will have the opportunity to meet Carol and to see many items in their collection. ) "In the Loop 3" is scheduled for Southampton in 2012.

San Francisco

To My Friends & Fellow Travellers: My best wishes for a healthy, happy 2011 and hopefully memorable travels.

I spent the better part of a week over Christmas in San Francisco with one of my sons. We had a wonderful time and both of us were reluctant to leave and would return anytime. We just had time to visit a small number of the wonderful sights and activities available. The city is exceptionally well served by public transportation, and the locals were friendly and always helpful in giving us directions when we needed it. We didn't take a taxi the whole time we were there and did a lot of walking--a good thing for me! The variety of restaurants was incredible, ranging from 'cheap and cheerful' to expensive, but always delicious food.

We stayed at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf which was especially convenient for the ferries, street cars, restaurants and many attractions. I also learned that the Sheraton stands behind their 'Best Rate Guarantee', as I found a cheaper rate on Expedia before our arrival. Sheraton met that price and then gave us a further 10% discount.

Scottish tour update: As long as each person who says she/he is coming, sends in a deposit, we just have three places available.