My professional development conference of choice for many years was a national student affairs conference, usually in a major city where, if I was lucky (and feeling spendthrift), I would indulge in one nice meal in a restaurant on the trip. Mostly, I was trying not to spend too much of the college's money, feeling just very grateful to be able to attend. More recently, however, as I've begun to advise students about law school and medical school, I attend the conferences for those specialties and find myself in a different world. At the Pre-Law Advisor's conference, which this was, the meals are all "sponsored" by law schools. Breakfasts, coffee breaks, lunches, afternoon dessert breaks or receptions, and dinners -- every single one included as part of the conference and delicious. We even had a lobster feed on the first night! As a Maine native, I definitely had an advantage at the lobster feed and had to coach a few of my table-mates.
Anyway, it was a great four days, and not just because of the food (oh, and wine and beer at every reception and dinner). I did get a free hour on Thursday and cruised over to Windsor Button, which is the only yarn store in Boston proper that I'm aware of. I hoped to get to stores in Cambridge or Brookline, but the timing didn't allow. I ended up not buying anything, but that is because, when I ran in to pick up a set of needles at my LYS before leaving on the trip, I was talked into (it wasn't hard) a splurge skein of yarn: Blue Heron Yarns' Cotton/Rayon Seed in variegated blues which came with the Sea Turtle Vest pattern. It is very simple, knit from the top down, and uses a brooch or shawl pin as a closure. I can't wait to start it, but need to borrow a larger cone winder than I own to get it out of the skein. But, I also need that to wind my Fiber Frolic purchases, so am going to have to prevail on a kind friend very soon - before I find myself trying to wind it myself the old-fashioned way, on my hands!
I managed to find a bit of knitting time (and I wasn't the only knitter at the conference), especially on the bus to and from Maine to Boston. I'm still working on the Comfort DK yarn which led me to do a second baby sweater. The first called for 4 skeins, but only used about 2 3/4, so, with one more purchased, I'm getting a second sweater out of the yarn. I've cast on the first sleeve (which is picked up and knitted from the body down to the wrist) and could have this done very soon, so I'll wait to photograph it then. But, I will share a photo of some of our irises. They were just coming out when I left for Boston and I feared I would miss them completely. Two varieties (we have other colors, but they haven't bloomed yet) -- a variegated/stripey one and a dark purple:
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