Despite the initial sadness at having to miss out on QT with Carrie, AND despite it all ending (for me) in a LOVELY 36 hour bout of FOOD POISONING (or viral infection, you pick!), I still had a pretty KICK-ASS WEEKEND at Maryland Sheep & Wool!!!!!
The shopping was fab, but it was mostly the company that made it so awesome!! I got to shack up with a bunch of hotties now becoming known as The Homewood Suite Girls – Anne Marie, Jess, Maya, Jen, Heather, Betsy, Kate, Paula, Sarah, Sarah, and Amy!!! Seriously? For 12 girls in ONE giant suite, I’m mad impressed at HOW DRAMA FREE it all was!!! We all got along GREAT! GIVE IT UP FOR BIG-ASS KNIT BLOGGER SLUMBER PARTIES!!!!
It was also really great to hook up with a bunch of other ladies who stopped by our crazy-ass suite party — Cheryl, Lolly, Jenna, Holly (who I see every week, but I love just as much), Dani, Elspeth and Jodi.
While I didn’t get as much QT with everyone I wanted to (always happens that way. nothing you can do about it), I do think I managed to at least see and talk to everyone!!!
Saturday started with me, by myself at the festival (since I am the slacker I am, overslept and missed breakfast with the girls) — but luckily, as is becoming a sort of tradition in my little MDS$W world, I ran into Claudia and Silvia in the t-shirt line!!!! (actually I ran into Claudia at the bathroom and THEN the t-shirt line, but that messes with tradition, so I’m sticking to my original story. Besides, I LOOKED for them in the line on my WAY to the bathroom, I just didn’t SEE them for some reason.) Anyway, they were nice enough to let me cut, and so I got to hang with my fav knitblogging sisters and Cassie and Leigh. Unfortunately, I’m a dumb-ass, so no pictures were taken. 
What I DID get a picture of, however, was the INSANE blogger meetup!!!! I think this HAD to be the most successful YET!
HOLY BLOGGERS, BATMAN!
Cara’s Diamond Fantasy Shawl IN PERSON!?!?! SO FABULOUS!
Now, I could go on and on about what barns we went into and what yarns we fondled, but let’s skip ahead and just say we went. we saw. we shopped. oh! and I ate Lamb kebab that was soo. good. (important for later)
Saturday NIGHT, we threw a little shindig at the hotel. I would LOVE to post stories and details and pictures of said party, but that might be dangerous to some and pooosssibly a little TMI (too much info). I think the only thing that went down at the party that I CAN actually mention are the yummilicious* appletinis in pink martini glasses 
(Let’s just say that knit bloggers can throw one HELLA party. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination. Go wild! did someone say unit?)
This girl could not be photographed at the party for Very. Important. Reasons.
This photo of this girl made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants. For reals, yo.
Sunday morning, we all went out for tasty eats at the Bob Evans. Here is a pic of me trying to use my camera timer. It TOTALLY would have worked, if not for the waitress’ impeccable timing.
The end of breakfast was veryverysadtimes, as this is when most of us split up and a lot of us had to say goodbye Sunday wasn’t ALL sad though, because Sarah, Amy and I went BACK to the festival for MORE SHEEPY FUN! There, I finally got to taste a delicacy I have been waiting YEARS to try!
The Deep Fried Twinkie.
fasssscinating, isn’t it?
My life is now complete.
I also got to have some chat-time with Norma, met more new peeps like Sarah’s adorable sister Jenna, Pink Monkey Jenna’s boy Cobra, and the Lolly-mom, AND I ran into Eileen and Donna! In there somewhere, I MAY have bought more yarn even though I said I wouldn’t, and scarfed down more lamb-kebab. REALLY BAD lamb Kebab (important for later).
I started making friends with this sheepy…
…who Sarah then informed me not to get too attached to.
Apparently, he’s part of the CARCAS competition I don’t feel guilty at ALL about that Lamb Kebab. NOT. AT. ALL. (it’s ok though, I paid dearly for it, as you will read later.)
To close out the festival, we have another S$W tradition:
Rolling Down The Hill!
I swear to GOD, every time, I forget how FREAKIN’ FAN-TASTICLY FUN that is! I laughed the whole way down. BOTH. TIMES! Um, except, the SECOND time, there maaay have been a bit of a collision…
um, yeah.
It was a little sad that Sarah B. wasn’t there to carry on the tradition with us, but Jenna held it down for her
Of course, as I parted ways with Sarah and Jenna in the parking lot, there was one last LAST tradition to carry out…
soooo saaaaad.
We HAD to document our “wearesooooosadsuperfuntimesareover” faces…and THIS time, we got it on the FIRST take!
To wind down my superfntabulous weekend, I decided to indulge in a bubble bath with my tasty friend “Orangetini”!!!
mmmmm Bubbbbbles
I followed it up with a luxurious nappy nap and a delightfully delightful phone call from the boyfriend I cannot stop gushing about 
THAT, however, once over, led to a night of digestive horror I would rather not discuss in any sort of detail, except to say that the LIKELY karmic cause of my pain and suffering — Sunday’s Lamb Kebab — had to be the WORST piece of NASTINESS I have ever eaten! {{sigh}}) Ironic, isn’t it?
Still though, KICK-ASS WEEKEND, girlies!!! SEE YOU AT RHINEBECK!
* If I do say so myself, which is sorta biased, since I made them. But hey! I LIKED THEM!
** Stash pics to come later, as well as winners and prizes from last week’s contest!
*** My computer’s not being cooperative, so I’m having difficulty getting a gallery up, but FULL S$W pics coming SOON!
**