ANOTHER SECRET PAL REVEALED

Sunday evening September 28 as I was going to my girlfriend Paula's for dinner I noticed a package in my mail box. It was from my secret pal. I certainly don't remember the door bell ringing. I couldn't wait to open it up BUT, alas, I was on my way to catch a bus so it was going to have to wait until after I got home and got my Avon order submitted.

Now over two weeks since I have started this post I am going to finally be able to finish it, My secret pal is Ruby from Quebec. Remember the lovely Flat Feet Sock Yarn and that most gorgeous Tilli Thomas Yarn? Well it is Ruby who sent it to me. At one point she apologised for signing her name in her email. I told her I hadn't noticed and so I wasn't going to go back and look at it to see who she was. When I found out who she was it dawned on me all her emails came from Ruby. BUT DUH!!! I thought Ruby was her secret name like Emerald, Diamond and such. LOL

What a lovely final and reveal package she sent me.

I got some of the treasured Wollmeise yarn in a most luscious shades of blues and purples. There is 574 yd on a 100 gm skein. I do have a red skein of it also now so I am doubly lucky to be the owner of this yarn. I didn't realise it was only available on Fridays online and you never know when it will be released. It must be a real coux to get it and I am so lucky to have received two skeins from two different swap buddies. This photo certainly doesn't do it justice.
I also received the most adorable cards. Each with a handmade mini knit item on it and one with a sheep on the card. It will be hard to use them and part with them which I will do except for the one with the sheep on it. That one I am keeping for myself. Ruby did you make these yourself. I purchased a book that had mini patterns in it so I could do just this myself and maybe one day I will.
Ruby also sent me the largest note pad I have ever seen. It comes with a pen and has cats on the cover and cat paw prints on the pages inside.
The inside of my new note pad.
The last item Ruby sent was a cat tape measure which I just love.
AND what did Solara thought of all these lovely gifts? See for yourself.

AVON BANQUET AND ALPACA FARM TOUR

What a great evening I had Thursday September 25 at my Avon banquet and a lovely Saturday afternoon September 27 touring four YES four alpaca farms.

There were about 25 of us from my district at the Avon banquet held at the Fort Gary Hotel in the 7th floor ballroom. What a gorgeous room with super high ceilings, large chandeliers and lots of gold on the walls. The tables were beautifully set and the servers all wore white gloves. It is nice getting to meet with some of the gals in my district that I don't see at meetings and other gals I know from Avon that aren't in my district. Of course, there are lots of awards and prizes. I was given my 10 year pin at the door which was pinned on my name tag. I was given a lovely box to put it in when it wasn't being worn. At one time that also was awarded during the dinner but this year we were individually called and just given a rose. Here is a photo of the pin and rose I received. Those carnations are also from Avon but from my meeting. It is amazing they are still alive three weeks after I got them.


Here are my table mates.

This is my Avon manager Sue.
This is my first Avon manager Brenda who appointed me over 10 years ago. When she saw me she was amazed at my of all things "hair" as it was all bright pink. I found out she had also just started as a manager for Avon just a while before she appointed me having been a sales rep herself. There were about three of us she appointed when she first started now in our 10th year at the banquet. Dinner was wonderful. It was served by waiters in white gloves. One of the items they served to use to the tune of 007 music was the new perfume Avon will have called Bond Girl. I guess it was the first time waiters ever served perfume on their trays. They also served us the new Retroactive skin cream also on trays. We got to see the ads for the Bond Girl perfume by the actress for Bond Girl 007, the face cream and the new men's cologne being advertised by Patrick Dempsey of Grey's Anatomy.

As the end of the evening drew near the center piece was raffled off and I was the lucky winner. Isn't it gorgeous? It will be in the winter Avon Home Expression flyer. It is a tea light holder. I was also given the mirror the tea light holder sits on BUT I don't know if that comes with the tea light holder.

Here is a close up.
I was surprised that many of the gals at the banquet didn't dres up. In fact, I saw a couple wearing jeans. I don't often get to dress up and look forward to it when I can. I wore a dress I got from Avon. I didn't see anyone else wearing it. Lots were wearing Avon clothing but none the same as mine.

Then Saturday I went on a tour of four alpaca farms. We met at 10AM at Mona's (Wolseley Wardrobe) and it was after 5PM when we returned. It was just wonderful and lovely day. There were about four or five cars of us gals. The alpacas are such lovely animals. I would love to have taken one home with me but I am not too sure how Solara would have taken to it much less the co-op I live in. There was an offer to take mini goats home but again that most likely wouldn't have gone over well with Solara and the co-op either. It sure would have been a "green" way to move the grass. I am just going to put all the photos I have and let you enjoy the farm tour also. Yes this first alpaca had spots.

We got to see how dense their fur is and we did get to pet them also.



















I am just amazed at their beautiful expressive eyes and they have such long long eye lashes.

This alpaca on the left with the hole in it's ear is 15 years old and from Peru.
You can see the hole in the ear better in this photo.



When one alpaca will come up to you then the others will follow but it seems if one is shy they all are shy until one becomes the brave one. We got to feed them grain. They have such soft mouths when they eat out of your hand.

Here is some of the goodies I purchased. One is going to my SP 12 in her 3rd package. This first one is 80g of an alpaca, wool and silk blend. It is 250 yds. It isn't as yellow as photographed but more off white and tan. This is mystery yarn which means it is what was on the drum carder when all was finished being carded. It is 108 g and 312 yds. AND OK I guess you can figure out this is definitly NOT the one going to my SP. I wonder how you figured it out??? I have the perfect shawl pattern picked out for it and it is NOT a chart!!!
This is 100% alpaca and it is pretty much the color shown. It is 200g and I figure there is between 450 yds to 550 yds in this skein.
I even purchased this which is 80% poleworth and 20% mohair. It was all of $4.00. There was a lovely bag of PINK but I just couldn't afford the $47.00 it cost. There was also a beautiful blue, purple and green blend but again I just couldn't afford it. Considering I am unable to use the drop spindle that Solara chewed off the end of and I don't yet have a spinning wheel.
I will bring these to knit nights for you all to see up close and personal.

AND when I home to see Solara sleeping on her mink bed.