My wool

This year Jeannie and I decided to take our wool to a different mill and have it spun directly into yarn.

I had the pure wool spun into a bulky yarn. The white comes from some Icelandic sheep. I bought two fleeces from a friend.

This grey is from by sheep. I know, i expected lighter too.  I decided to make a purse to match my new jacket. I started knitting 39 stitches for 8 rows. Then I made use of the circular needles and brought up the sides.

I bought a pastel fun yarn to blend with for about 12 rows.

My intention was to felt the purse. Felting shrinks the size of the purse.  Duchess helped me show the before size.

I washed it in soapy hot water with a cold rinse twice to felt it. Below you can see how the top and bottom pulled in a lot while the colorful section pulled in just a little bit.

Here is Duchess modeling the new purse. It might take 2 years to make the jacket but the purse is ready!

Here is a closeup of the felted purse. The knitting stitches blend together making it look like it was created with a heavy piece of felt.

Les follies again 10/10/2018

This is a better picture of my Frech Onion soup.  

They place bread chunks on the top and the cheese over that. It's so good!

Yes, my boss ordered snails again. Id like to see how they cook these.  Like I said there is more garlic butter and seasonings than meat in each shell. But it is delicious (I've been told when cooked right which this restaurant does.)

Basic meat and potatoes. If I remember correctly, this was a cooked tomato and not a red pepper. 

Yes, when the creme brulee is good, you order it again for dessert. 

And there is that feisty dalmatian. It is ready for Oktoberfest!

10/9/2018 and a new restaurant

This was a restaurant that only served small plates.  They also had a lot of bell peppers in the food and when we came in I wasn't feeling well.

Again, it was the bosses choice.

I was able to find a loaded salad to eat.

Chocolate and whipped topping settles every stomach, doesn't it?

Desserts are delicious no matter how you look at them. As you can tell, the only thing I was impressed with was the dessert.  

Ma & Pa's Diner

I stayed near the airport and woke up the morning of 10/7/2018 just outside of Richmond,  Virginia. The hotel was a great price but a bit sketchy. 

The diner next door served comfort food. It was an inexpensive meal with low prices. But don't eat here if you are on a diet.

I drove back to Annapolis that day. For supper I had sushi. That was a little healthier. 

Helen's, Richmond, Virginia 10/6/2018

I had one day off in the weekend any my hotel was booked, so I drove to Richmond,  Virginia. I had supper at Helen's. I was lucky to get in as there were nearly 100% full with reservations. 

Wow! It looked like original pressed ceiling tiles.

There looked like there was a back room.  I got there right at opening. Isn't this place totally eclectic?!?! I love it!

I had a simple steak salad. 

Here is a close up. It wasn't what I expected but it was good.

This gal caught my eye.  She was as eclectic as the restaurant. 

I had ordered a salad for supper, that meant that I could treat myself to dessert.   Unusual but amazingly good.

Gordon Biersch Brewery

October 5th, we decided to try out a bar and grill near the hotel in Annapolis, Maryland. Cheese curds in a garlic sauce was a nice appetizer. 

I had steak and garlic potatoes. 

They were advertising Octoberfest. So it shouldn't surprise that the person next to me was eating German Sausages. 

Have you been boo'd?

This is new. The Halloween version of Secret Santa. 

It is a cute idea.

Les Folies

10/3/2018 I was working at a client's on Kent Island and staying in Annapolis, Maryland.  One of my bosses favorite restaurants is Les Folies French restaurant. 

It is just a few blocks from the hotel.

French onion soup became a favorite of mine there.

My boss ordered snails for the group. I wasn't sure about it but how do you tell a boss no?

They were cooked in butter and garlic. There actually seemed to be more butter and garlic than meat in the shell. (I kept the shells.)

I had a steak and french fries.  I don't think that I ever ordered that again. 

Everyone had dessert soyes, I ordered a creme brulee.  It was a little too done in one small area but otherwise delicious!

The dalmatian mascot moved around every time that we were there.  

Coopers Hawk Winery & Restaurant

On October 1st after a 14 hour day we went out to a celebration supper Hurray! We were live. One of the appetizers was brussel srpouts.

I ordered steak and garlic potatoes with the house vegetable mix. I'm allergic to bell peppers. I had asked beforehand if there was bell peppers. I wish wait staff would  heck before saying it was pepper free.

They replaced the meal because it was served with red bell peppers. 

I talked them into giving me a free dessert for serving me bell peppers. I guess they made it up with this caramel cream brulee. 

Two coworkers shared this banana cream pie. That looked delicious too.

I was tempted to try it! Good thing I was full.