My Kids 18...Oh my

My Daughter is turning 18 in one hour. Oh my. Gulp. She is now legally responsible for herself. Of course I will always be there. It's so hard to look at her now a beautiful women and not see my little girl. I have to remember though because indeed she is well on her way to becoming a woman. One with thoughts, and morals, and goals and fears.

Soon she will be moving out and going to university. I remember the first time she went to overnight camp. We took her to a parking lot to meet the bus. She got on and then the bus drove off. And with it went my heart. I was depressed for days.

Sometimes now when she is away from home, I forget and many times find myself waiting up for her.

I hope that she has a good life. That she chooses her paths wisely. That she shows kindness and compassion. I wish so many things for her as do all parents for their children. But for now.

I just want to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Dear Ravelry

Dear Ravelry

It’s not that I don’t appreciate you, but what have you done? It started simply with a quick view of your site that first time. And that pattern I found that made me run to my LYS to buy Yarn. But it wasn’t one pattern was it? No, because I found another and another and back to the LYS for more Yarn I went. Again and again.

But it got worse. I found your forums and groups. So, what in the heck was Portuguese Knitting. And so there I was on-line ordering DVD’s and Pins to learn this new thing that Ravelry was showing me. And what about those stranded friends that I have found. They began to talk about Alice Starmores book and lo and behold back to the LYS I went. And there it was right on the counter. It wasn’t there before? Was Ravelry and my LYS the same thing. One giant knitting empire? And of course I needed more stash and more stash. But that was okay because my Raverly friends would help to show me the way.

And way they did because what about Double Knitting? Wasn’t there a Lucy Neatby DVD on just that subject. I must call my LYS again. So on the phone I went placing my order. “How much is it”? I asked, although we both know the answer wouldn’t really matter.

Where will it all stop? My kids have left and my wife has divorced me. My dog shakes his head at me everytime I walk by on the way to my LYS. My Job has just become another way to fund my Ravelry habit. Do I give all my earthly possessions to Ravelry?

Looking around at my DVD’s, Knitting pins, Needles, Books, Stash and piles of projects both finished and half finshed I can’t help but wonder how it all happened?

Yours Sincerely

A Happy Knitter

The most dramatic blog yet!

Was just watching an episode of American Idol and working on a pair of socks. Each episode seems to contain someone saying at some point..."Stay tuned for the most dramatic episode yet". As a matter of fact almost every reality show out there says the same thing. And of course each week you tune in and it really isn't that dramatic. But that got me to thinking. What else could they say. I mean if we knew that the priors week show was the most dramatic and nothing new would be better, then we would never continue to watch. What's more this very statement that the most dramatic was yet to come gives us hope. Hope that the future holds something even better. And then I realized that this was really a metaphor for life.

What if we had nothing to look forward to? How hard would it be to wake up knowing that. But if we always think that the most dramatic or exciting thing was just about to happen. We would always look forward to the future with anticipation. We would be eager to wake each day so we could find out what that "MOST" thing was. Maybe thats why we are all so infatuated with reality shows. They give us in a most perverted way a sense of hope. A sense of something to look forward to. As a matter of fact thats probably why a show like Jerry |Springer is so popular. If I ever was going to consider suicide I would just watch an episode of Jerry. Afterall how bad could my life be when I see the people on the show.

So even though it's annoying every week to hear that the next week was going to be the most dramatic. It is also a way to live by?

Must be late at night!

LYS Infidelity

How much longer can I keep this up? Stuck in the middle. Who to choose?

I have two Local Yarn Stores in my neighborhood. A year ago when I started knitting I began to go to one of them. The staff and owners that I met were young, great to talk to, and really helped me to get going on my knitting. I was even asked to teach a class in Continental Knitting. I would look forward to needing yarn or needles so I could pay a visit. Life was good and simple then.

One day however, while taking one of my daughters friends home I noticed that there was another LOCAL YARN STORE. I felt a rush of excitement as I laid my eyes on it. What was in there? Who was in there. And best of all it had a parking lot. My Local Yarn Store didn't have a parking lot. You had to park on the street. That is if there was a spot. Sometimes you would have to drive around a few times. But not here? Just pull in and park! Oh the possibilities.

A few days later I found myself getting in the car to get some wool. I first went by my LYS but for some reason didn't get out of the car. Instead the car turned around and headed to that NEW LYS. I arrived and pulled right in, parking right in front of the store. Cool.....I walked in. I was greeted by one of the owners. Wait!..I know her. I looked around and this store was much bigger than my LYS. And so many different yarns and needles and books. Lots of books,

I dropped by a few more times and each time found myself talking with the owner. She had a great knowledge of knitting. Was honest, and experienced, and kind. I found myself soaking up any knowledge she cared to give and then rushed home to try it out. I even took a course and can honestly say that she changed and revolutionized my thoughts on knitting. Wow..

But what about my OLD LYS....how could I just abandon it. I was wracked with guilt. I went by the old LYS and bought a few token balls of yarn. I wanted to buy more. But at my new LYS if I bought yarn they would give me more advice...more ideas. But I really liked my old LYS and they were there for me in the beginning. I was even scheduled to teach a class. How could I show my face there given these circumstances.

I decided I couldn't let one LYS know about the other. I would just have to juggle them both never letting one know that I knew the other. I could do it. I was sure! But it wasn't that easy. I would finish a project and want to bring it in to show it off. But where did I buy the yarn. I couldn't , afterall, bring it in where I didn't buy it. That would give me away for sure.

Or what about when I had a question about a project? Who sold me the yarn on that project? I found myself creating an elaborate system to catalog my stash so I knew exactly where it came from.

I was doing okay keeping it up with both of them. It was stressful but I was pulling it off. But then one day it happened. I was grocery shopping one lazy day. Just walking up and down the aisles aimlessly thinking of my two LYS's when I heard someone say "HI". I looked over but even before I saw I knew from the sound of that voice who it was. It was my young and fresh LYS. "Hi" I said back. My initial smile dropped a second later when I realized that the hat and scarf I had on were not hers. "Maybe she wouldn't see it", I thought. But I could tell by the hurt in her eyes that she knew. At that moment she knew everything. I was caught! ...After an awkward silence we both managed to mumble a few uncomfortable words to each other and then said a quick good bye. The cat was out of the bag. I was busted.

I was a two timing LYS'er!