It's fun to stay at the YMCA TNNA...

Yeah, that's cheesy, I know. But it's also true. I had a lot of fun going to TNNA - and in San Diego on top of it.


View from our hotel room.

First of all, winter in San Diego is like no winter I have experienced so far. The people on the radio tell you that it is "another cold day" when the temperature goes below 10°C and that's just too funny.

There were a lot of famous knitters at TNNA and I got to meet a couple. With some I shook hands, some I talked to without being introduced, all in all I kept thinking that I should have brought half of my knitting library and asked to have my books autographed. Of course I am way too timid to do something like that and would feel awkward to no end, that's why I don't have any pictures either. Which, in retrospect, was stupid, because all of them were nice and I am sure wouldn't have minded.

Talking about autographs, when Miss D. asked me for mine on a letter-sized printed photograph of myself at Mary's Christmas party I'd had two glasses of wine already and also, what's the chance I end up in Omaha and meet the people? Heck, sure, hand it over and tell me what to write. What she did. "To my dear friends Julie and Joe, best wishes Mona". Had I known what I know now I would have turned and run.

On Saturday at TNNA I was introduced to the owners of Personal Threads who are friends with my boss. I smiled, shook hands and talked to Julie and Joe, when Véronik (she's a walking talking encyclopedia, this one!) said: "Personal Threads, oh, do you by any chance know Deawn?" Me, of course, me no making connection. They didn't either - at first. Then, after a short explanation, yeah, of course they know her. Now it comes. Véronik says "oh, then you have picture of Mona". I looked a bit closer at their tags and for sure, it says "Omaha, NE" on it. Aaaargh. How mortifying.

That's how I met my "dear friends" I thought I'd never meet. Thanks, Miss D. We had a lot of fun at dinner that night.

We also were joined by the lovely Amy from Patternworks and fabulous Pam Allen. Yes, I sat at a dinner table with Pam Allen and we shared a dessert. (Okay, so I ate most of it, but she had some of that delicious flourless chocolate cake, too...that was ordered NOT by me, I might add, but by my dear friend Joe and served by Jacob. How I remember the name of the waiter? Wouldn't you want to know...)

Now that I have really screwed up the time-line, let's talk a little bit more about food. That seems to be all there is next to working on the trade show floor. Breakfast at "Cafe 222" on Friday morning was great.


I recommend the waffles. Pumpkin waffles with sirup to be precise.


They also had a cool chandelier.


Lunch at "Dick's last resort" is a worthy experience.


Tip: Do NOT ask for a napkin. They throw them at you. I don't know why they do that, but the whole restaurant (except for a taped off section?) looked like that.


The waitress calls you "love muffin" (I swear it's true!) and people get to draw with chalk on the floor. Their Cesar's salad is good, too.


Back at the Convention Center they all seem to know each other.



You cannot really say you know someone after shaking hands with them, but you can say you've met them. I met Amy Singer and Jillian Moreno. Amy gave me a "knitty" sticker - I am such a sucker for little things like that.


I shook hands with Rick Mondragon. I am now able to recognize Norah Gaughan should I ever see her on the street (I didn't meet her, though.) I spoke to Sally Melville about one of our yarns. Lizbeth Upitis walked around knitting. I talked to her, too.

Then the yarn shop owners. Like Ellen from Needles and Pins in London, ON. Her name stuck because she's Canadian and I have her card. They are all such a nice bunch, and it is such a satisfying feeling when they like our products.

People wore handknits like there is no tomorrow. They were much braver than me. The climate in San Diego is not made for wool sweaters or anything providing too much warmth. Shawls, Clapotises, scarves, shrugs, skirts...you name it, there it was.

After this long a post I don't want to bore you with the story how taking the Air train at the San Francisco Airport makes you pass security for a second time or how our luggage got lost on the way from Toronto to Montreal or how the taxi driver handed out a religious mini flyer with the receipt you wanted. Why, compared to the TNNA this is really just a bit of a yawn.