I picked up my sticks!

Friday of last week, I took my sis-in-law by the hand, upped sticks and went to Ireland to visit my sister and to partake in the "Pick up your needles" workshop in Tinahely.

We really wanted to have left home a few days earlier, but sis-in-law was called to do jury service the week before and the week after the weekend of the workshop, so we had to limit ourselves to just two days. :(

Saturday morning we set out to go to Tinahely. The clouds were so low that we could barely see the gorgeous mountains surrounding the tiny village. In fact, the weather was just perfect for spending the day indoors and surrounded by wool! (He he - any excuse...)

The Courthouse Arts Centre in Tinahely is a wonderful place, which acts as a cinema, an art gallery, is home to many local meetings, live performances and so much more. The village is tiny, but it is so full of life, much of which happens in and around the Courthouse.

The crafting day was nothing short of a massive success, in fact so much so that a date for a follow up workshop has already been announced! The venue remains the same and the date is set for the 21st of March 2009.

The Courthouse was buzzing right from the start and soon the spinners were spinning, the felters were felting, the knitters were knitting and the crocheters were crocheting and laughing their heads off. The crocheting class was on the balcony above the rest of the classes and rumour has it that the people downstairs were rather curious to find out what on earth was going on upstairs that made us all laugh so much.

Well, it all looks rather peaceful if you ask me... O:) (that's an angelic looking smiley...). The day went far too quickly and it got rather late before we made it home to a gorgeous meal and a nice glass of red wine.

Sunday we had a birthday to celebrate. My darling sis-in-law was 60 years old, except she's not old at all, she really is 60-years young. :) The birthday cake was ehmmm... toast, but the candles were there all the same.

We had to leave late Sunday afternoon, and had time for a wee outing. We set off to Avoca, where we had decided to pay the Avoca Handweavers a visit. I just LOVE that place. Their materials are simply scrumptious, but they do know how to charge as well... Anyhow, it is all handmade and worth every penny!

The shop is very airy and has no end of beautiful goods, from handwoven blankets and coats to silky dresses, handsome printed materials and gorgeous kitchen and housewares. One year I would love to go to their yarnsale - then again, maybe I shouldn't...

Ireland is a great place for knitters, as everywhere you go, you are surrounded by WOOL! All of a sudden it was time to turn our backs on the beautiful County Wicklow and make our way to Dublin Airport for our flight to Gatwick.

Well, we didn't really get very far at all, as all of a sudden the Captain piped up and told us that all the London airport were closed because of SNOW! Now, we don't often get snow in London, and certainly not to an extent that would close airports en masse, but none the less, the airport closures were a fact and we landed in Birmingham, which is approx 100 miles north west of London, and were put on coaches to Gatwick. Upon arrival in Gatwick we were told that the trains, busses, coaches and taxis were suspended due to the wild weather conditions! We waited at the airport for a couple of hours and eventually two trains were sent, one going south and one going north.

We managed to catch the train to East Croydon, where once again we were stuck! Despite the ridiculous hour I decided to wake up a friend who lives close by the train station. The poor sod was woken up around 04.45 hrs and didn't even mind - well, at least he said that he didn't and seeing as he plied us with coffee and brandy he really can't have minded too much.

My beloved managed to pick us up and dropped sis-in-law home. The road outside her house was like a ski slope with rather wide tracks!

Eventually we made it home to our own house - only around 18 hours after I left County Wicklow to fly home. Normally the journey would be around five hours in total! We hadn't even slept a wink the night between Sunday and Monday and I was eternally grateful that my train and all the busses were cancelled all day, which made it impossible for me to go to work!

I slept for a few hours during the afternoon and woke up to an even thicker layer of snow, some of which is still on the ground this evening. Gosh, how I love snow - and what an end to a great weekend!