An Outing is good every so often...

This is some sock yarn-- thicker than typical sock yarn- but, it will be great for socks for boots/etc.   Notice that the label even says:  MEGA BOOTS stretch!   Some of this is for a gift too.  I am going to teach a friend how to knit socks and I think a thicker yarn that 'slowly changes' colors will help keep her interest level and of course they'll knit faster than regular sock yarn will.  I did get 3skeins for myself-- *I got double skeins of most of the colors.  I forgot to get a second skein of the orange/red skein though.

Today, a friend and I went out to do some shopping.   She was a valuable asset as my 'Navigon' system holder and telling me when to turn/etc.   There are lots of new roundabouts on the Italian roads that aren't always on the Navigon maps.   

I used to be able to display my device on the windshield - but, a couple of summers ago-- when I was getting out of my car to meet my transportation,  in the middle of the night, to go to the airport-- I remembered to grab my Navigon device from the windshield (which would also keep my car from being broken into during the summer- if it wasn't on display on the windshield for all to see).... and I just grabbed the whole device including the attached 'arm thing' that had the suction cup to hold it in place on the windshield.   Problem was- when I went through the USA airport security.   Unbeknownst to me- they broke the device- my best guess is that when they took it to the back to 'make sure that I didn't have any drugs or bombs' hidden in the arm (the part that goes on the windshield) part- that they broke the device off and I didn't notice it until I got to the states and used it the next day.   They just dropped it in my carry-on bag.  

So, it isn't easy or safe to use it alone- so, it's best if I have someone in the driver's seat to help read the device for me.  *I've tried it alone and the device tends to fall into the floor when resting in the passenger seat- plus, I don't feel it is very safe to constantly be looking down into the passenger seat trying to view the screen.  

Same yarn from the end so you can see the color changes better.

I loved the colors on this selection.  Orange/purple and some red w/ a little blue thrown in.   No plans for this- I just liked it.

This is more my style 'color-wise'... various shades of tweedy blue colors. 

I had bought this on another shopping trip.  I can't remember if I shared a photo of it or not?   I like the brown with the blue and turquoise blue colors.

This is the green yarn that I had in my mind-- for the shawl that I had bought the yarn for a few weeks ago.   They didn't have this soft leafy green color when I bought the other yarns-- but, I was happy to see that they had this in stock today.

Here it is again- posing in front of the flowers that I bought myself for my birthday a couple of weeks ago.  Of course, when I bought them they were just 'bulbs' in the ground.   My living room smells so nice now.   By looking at the window; you can see that it is raining again.

Today, we went first to the showroom of an Italian purse designer.   They sell some models at a great, great discount- before they start selling the next season's new purse lines.   I haven't taken a photo of the purses yet.  I found this place last year and I went the first time (and only time) when my friend Lisa came to see me in June-- the first week that our school's were out for the summer.   We got to have a short visit before we both flew to our respective homes in the states.   I wanted to go back to this place while they still had some 'winter colors' in the leather purses.   I just wish that I had brought more money with me.  I'm trying to find/buy the special Italian things that I want to take with me when I do move.  You can't wait until the last minute to do the shopping before one moves from one country to another one.  There just isn't time to pack up for a move, continue working, and try to shop in spare moments.   Something has to give and it is usually the shopping.   I know that I didn't get a chance to buy hardly anything when I was suddenly given the chance to move from Germany to Italy a year ago.

Our second stop was the yarn store.   The third stop was the big Italian grocery store that is near my house.   Our last stop was to a new, to me, restaurant.   It wasn't raining while we were out shopping- but, it has rained heavy since about 1pm today.   The temperature has also dropped and my house even feels cold.  I have turned up the heat two times today and it still feels cold to me.    I think it's because we've been having warmer than usual weather for the past 2-3 weeks and we've gotten spoiled by the spring-like weather? 

I've been spending many weekends at home- cleaning house, finding things to get rid of, and working at school.   So, it was fun to 'get out and about'...  maybe, I'll start trying to do something every other weekend now that the weather is getting 'hopefully' warmer and my knee is getting better?

Tomorrow, I will be back at cleaning house and working at school- but, for the rest of the day?  I think that I'll actually take a break and do some knitting.   Sounds like an exciting Saturday night, huh?   

Rain, rain go away... come back again 'another day'...

We used to say that when I was a kid.    Here's the bridge near my house.   The water is usually about 30 feet lower than this level.   There are 3 different levels-- w/ banks made for the water to expand to.  It is at the last level:  OPEN FIELD!

This is the church across the street.   It's actually still raining now- it has rained for 4 days straight now.

While taking the photos- the sky suddenly got dark.

And, DARKER...

If I had been in Oklahoma and the sky turned this way.... especially 'suddenly'... it would be time to find a tornado shelter/cellar.

Here's an address for a video cam of one of the OLD bridges in downtown Vicenza.  Yesterday, the water was to the bottom ceiling of the underside of the bridge archway! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Z64-L0Cnk

Note to self:

Do NOT depart school at 5pm, on a rainy day/night, and expect to easily get on the 3 lane roundabout just as you leave the US Military property onto the Italian road.

Either leave earlier or stay even later so that 'everyone' has had a chance to get home and the roads aren't so bad.  

Traffic was backed up to a standstill on the road trying to merge (and behind me the road exiting the base had traffic backed up too) and on the actual roundabout the cars were all at a standstill too!  It's not easy to merge onto a large multi-lane roundabout... anyway... but, these were certainly not the best circumstances.

All I can say is:  It's a good thing that I had some leftover lasagna in the fridge and some of Saturday's bakery bread purchases in the freezer.   Easy dinner to just heat that stuff up in the microwave.

How's traffic where you live on rainy days/nights?