Visiting Claremont, New Hampshire

Early last December I stayed overnight in Claremont, NH.  It might not have been the ideal time of year.  The week before there had been over a foot of snow, but all that was left by the time I got there was one dirty snow drift in the motel parking lot.

Finding the motel was a trip.  The directions told me to keep on the highway through the center of town.  I did it correctly but thought I was lost.  I had to drive through the center, turn right and drive through the parking lot, then turn left. 

Following Routes 12 and 103 through Claremont, NH.  City Hall is on the left.

Feeling lost, I parked in front of the library and went inside for help, which I kindly received.  The streets in the center of town revolve a small parking lot.  There are five different turns you can make.  I had to make the third turn to reach the motel.

This used to be the Hotel Claremont. I've found it listed elsewhere as the "Historic Moody Building."  The cars are in the parking lot mentioned.

The motel was old and the room was small, but it was very clean and had everything that I wanted.  The one problem is that the HVAC unit was under a small window in the back wall.  The drapes on the window were too long and the air went right up under them.  I held down the bottom of the drapes by holding it down on the window sill with my shoes.  Then it got warm inside.

I woke up in the morning to a bright blue sky and crisp, clean air. 

I was within walking distance to downtown so I walked there to find a place to have breakfast.  I had no idea what place was best, so I picked the most interesting looking place, the Java Cup.  It didn’t seem likely that they would have breakfast food, but they did. The window had a white Christmas tree decorated with fairies.  Inside were walls hung with local artwork and tables decorated with displays for sale.   Breakfast was very good and so was the pastry that I bought to eat on my way home.  The people were very friendly.  They were the type of people who didn’t mind if you made a comment as they decorated the little café for the holidays.

The holiday tree displayed in one of the Java Cup's windows.

Inside the Java Cup

The Java Cup on Pleasant Street in Claremont, NH

On my way into town the previous day, I had seen a scrapbooking store:  Scrapaholics... Scrapbooking, Stamping and More.  I had a close encounter with scrapbooking last year.  Having difficulty finding what I wanted, I sometimes wondered if scrapbooking stores existed anywhere.  The owner did a very good job of choosing materials that I hadn’t seen elsewhere.  The salesclerk was very friendly and helpful.  I no longer want to do the project I had in mind, but I can’t help thinking there are other things in my life that deserve commemoration. 

Outside the scrapbooking store

The large holiday display.  This isn't all of it.  There were shelves with paper on the right.

Inside Scrapaholics... Scrapbooking, Stamping and More

Here are a two more photos of downtown Claremont.  It was a lovely morning and a nice place to walk around.  People were very friendly, which is not so common these days.  It looks like downtown Claremont's struggling to keep alive, like too many other places that I know.

I’ve discovered that I’m not that different from my friends in my ambivalence towards housework and organization, but it must be done.  When I’m at the point when I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished, I can think about what I want to commemorate.  Maybe a clean and organized apartment!  (Ha, ha, ha laughs the crafter and the historian.) 

At least I have an argument against learning to spin.  I find that spinners are always willing to convince other people they want to spin.  Currently I have no room for roving or a spinning wheel.  I have to do something about my yarn stash first.

Cat Scarf

This is a knitting chart I need help with.  I'm supposed to add multiple stitches at the end of each row every row.  I really don't see how it's going to work.

It's for this scarf pattern I bought on ebay:

The pattern was intended for a child so I had to lengthen the body.  I bought an extra ball of yarn over six years ago, but I'm not sure if I have enough.  I may have to shorten the body a bit.