Back On The Road - Part 2

I was having problems positioning the pictures in this post, but will just put it up because Atlantis is now home - time has really flown!  The Space Shuttle had a flight path to land at the Cape that brought it up the middle of peninsular Florida and a lot of us got to hear the sonic boom it creates. Actually, this time it was a BOOM - BOOM! Cayenne was on the back porch and was quite disturbed by the noise. I quickly let her in the house and explained that Atlantis is just coming back home, but she was having none of it - slinking around with a slightly puffed tail!
Anyway . . . .

On Friday, May 14th I headed up to Cocoa Beach with my DF Sheri for the last launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. There are only two more shuttle launchs left, so we didn't want to miss out. We got up there with enough time to grab a sandwich from Subway's and settle in at her condo before 2:20 p.m. and the launch.  It was a gorgeous day and we heard on the TV that record crowds had come out to see the shuttle go off - 300,000. We were not disappointed.

As I think I mentioned, I can often see the shuttle go off from my house, 2-1/2 hours south of where we were, but up in Cocoa Beach you can HEAR the shuttle! Not something that happens in my backyard at home.

Following the excitement of the launch, we took to the living room couches and watched the SPEED channel until it was time to go out for an early dinner at one of the local seafood restaurants. DF Sheri returned with leftovers which got quickly stowed. Here's a picture of half of her kitchen with the great FLORIDA wallpaper which looks like those "vintage" tablecloths of the 40's or 50's. I just love it.

The next morning we were up and out and off to Historic Cocoa Village, about 15 minutes west of Cocoa Beach. Cocoa Village is along the Indian River with a nice Riverfront Park. It's several blocks long and wide with an old theater, restaurants/cafes, and shops - including Knit and Stitch! The goal - have a bit of breakfast and shop for YARN! When we got to the area, we found a few streets blocked off and discovered that there was a craft fair going on. We were lucky to slide into a newly vacated parking spot and then we headed for a bite to eat. I captured a picture of this mural on the side of the building of one of the nice, old restaurants in the Village area - The Black Tulip.

After a breakfast treat of a warmed egg, cheese and spinach pastry at the corner cafe, Ossorio's, I crossed the street and dove into Knit and Stitch Boutique at 15 Stone Street. Sheri hit the streets to peruse the booths of the craft fair. Knit and Stitch is a fairly small shop with both yarn (lots of it) and cross-stitch. The yarn is on one wall and in the back of the shop and the cross-stitch is along the other wall. In between are several displays and a very large, conference room, sized table with lots of high-backed leather chairs around it. Since the shop had just opened and not many people were there yet, I was able to maneuver along the wall of yarn behind the leather chairs and see the "selection". I found some Cascade 220 that I was looking for to make another Mara shawl for a present, some Cascade 220 Handpainted, and a few skeins of Ella Rae sock yarn in a nice dusty rose color. I also picked up a DellaQ knitting bag. Here's a picture of the wall of yarn and one shot toward the back of the shop, which turned out blurry, but has saved me from cutting out people's faces. The shop has a really nice selection of yarns, but unfortunately when customers are seated at the large table it pretty much prevents shopping THE WALL. Soon after I arrived, a class started at one end of this table and several other customers took to the chairs at the other end of the table. I was glad that I already had my pile that I was taking home with me!

On the way home, we stopped off at Indian River Community College in Ft. Pierce and went to a show at the Hallstrom Planetarium. Their programs are always fun and very educational. So it was a HEAVENLY two days - the shuttle off into space, out of this world seafood, heavenly, heavenly yarn, and time spent studying the stars!