Knitters on Mars?

The European Space Agency (ESA) seeks volunteers for a simulated trip to Mars. Volunteers will spend 17 months in an isolation tank on Earth, with little contact with the outside world. One of the main criteria for applicants is that they have the ability to stay sane while cooped up in a small space for such an extended period.

The ESA would be well served investigating the knitting community for potential applicants – who else relishes a long subway ride for that extra time to turn a heel? Sees a power outage as an opportunity to light some candles and finish the second sleeve? And what knitter wouldn’t relish the opportunity to shop for a stash that would last the trip?

Back to Reality

We’re back, and holycrapParisisbeautifulIwanttomovetheretomorrow. We had a lovely time in France, both in Paris



Excuse the hair, I'm soaking wet. Look at the tower!

And in the Dordogne valley



The trip was perfect – we kept busy, we relaxed, and most of all we walked. We walked all over Paris






And every part was as beautiful as the one before. Really, 90% of the city was startlingly lovely. I don't know what they do with their bad architects, export them to us perhaps?

Then we took the train to Bordeaux and drove east to the Dordogne Valley to see some pretty old and pretty amazing chateaux.



We ate ourselves silly.

I didn’t really knit at all.

The other big news around here is that I start back to work tomorrow at the restaurant and I’ll be starting a new position on the hot line. Pasta! I’m excited but also pretty nervous – in this restaurant, pasta is the toughest spot on the line and really physical work. I hope I don’t make a fool of myself!