Rhymes With Fuchsia

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Breakaway

I may have mentioned before that in alternate weeks three, count 'em, three local knitting groups meet on Wednesdays, starting in the morning at Starbucks and finishing up in the evening at Javaroom. I usually make it to all three, certainly to at least two, but yesterday I hurried home après-Starbucks to attempt a modicum of housecleaning before gathering myself up to head over to Lynne's for a yarn crawl/Harlot-stalking in Northampton. Yes, a knitting adventure was conflicting with my knitting group. My friend Lauren thinks I need a 12-step program, and wants to know if she can join and if members can bring their knitting to meetings.

Lynne drove, because she is terrific that way, and Jena rode shotgun, and Jen and I sat in the back and knitted and chatted and next thing we knew we were cruising by Webs and into beautiful downtown Northampton and parking and walking and... stopping, because a yarn store had, with complete disregard for its own safety, flung itself in our path. Northampton Wools may not be as big as Webs, but it's quite lovely, and we spent a happy half hour there trying not to get inextricably entangled in the cashmere and generally succeeding, but finding a few other things we needed to have.

Stash enhancement is thirsty work, so we looked around for a bar worthy of us.


Not quite Spotted Dick, but not half bad. We knitted, drank and were merry


and before long it was time to head over to the Calvin Theater, where Stephanie would be speaking.


Strangely enough, we were not the only people with this plan. But we lined up and pretty soon they let us in and gave us bags containing yarn (cashmerino!) to make squares for Warm Up America. I tell you, these Webs people know how to throw an event.

Eventually Stephanie appeared, and was her usual hilarious self. After her talk I was able to ask her something I had long wondered: we've all read of and celebrated the exploits of the noble Sir Washie, but we hear very little of his stalwart companion, the dryer, who remains not only unsung but unnamed. Just as every Don Quixote needs a Sancho Panza, every Sherlock a Watson, for every Sir Washie, it seems, there is a humble dryer toiling in obscurity. Stephanie did allow that she owns a dryer, and did mention that the dryer, a gas model, can dry her jeans in the same amount of time that Sir Washie can wash them. Why does this considerable accomplishment go unheralded? We may never know.

The most brilliant moment of the Q&A, however, was reserved for Jena, who was stimulated by Stephanie's rendition of the Trials of Blue Moon — and, let me not be shy here, by her recollections of my Sock Power contest — to suggest that, whenever we go to the ATM, we show the security camera a sock-in-progress. As she correctly points out, we have them with us anyway, right? for those annoying stop lights, and virtually all ATMs have security cameras, so just take your sock(s) with you and hold them up as you're getting your money.

Now, I think my astonish-the-Muggles scheme was a pretty good idea, but this one is purely inspired. I may limit myself to $10 withdrawals from now on, just so I can sock-flash several different ATMs a day.

Afterward we headed back to Webs to get our books signed. Although we stood in line for over an hour, it was not as arduous as it might have been, since 1) the Webs staff, bless them, ferried trays of water all the way to the depths of the warehouse and the back of the line; 2) we took turns leaving the line to shop; 3) of course we had our knitting. Eventually we made it to the front, where Stephanie, ever gracious, not only signed our books but voluntarily got into the same picture with us.


Even though we are a bit blurry, you can clearly see that I am holding the sock.

We did a bit more quick shopping, and I ran into Cate and Marcy and Cece; then we headed back to the pub for dinner, and then home. I am way out of practice for late nights, and 6:30 came much too early this morning, but it was a blast.

11 Comments:

  • Sweet! It was a delight to read your description. I'm glad you got loose for the afternoon.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:01 PM  

  • That sound like a most fun afternoon/evening!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:53 AM  

  • Sounds like SO much fun! I wish I lived closer so we could get together! Glad you have a good group (several!) of knit pals. LOVE your flash your sock idea! Spotted Dick? Hmmmm...I once knew a Portuguese guy from the Azores who was so very freckled we all wondered if he was spotted EVERYwhere!

    By Blogger knitnzu, at 9:11 AM  

  • It was a blast and I cannot wait until do it again. Playing with knitting friends is so much more fun than most anything else. I've already flashed my sockie at the atm security camera in the lobby of where I work. Yes, I got a few strange looks, but isn't all about freaking out the muggles?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:51 AM  

  • Flash the socks at the ATM camera? OOo, what a wondermous idea!

    And you got to hold The Sock! Wow!! And you're still willing to talk to us ordinary folks. double wow. You are soooo cool! (Glad you had a fabulous time. You deserved it!!)

    By Blogger roxie, at 10:06 AM  

  • It's always great to hang with friends and enjoy an entertaining evening. I love the ATM idea;-)

    By Blogger margene, at 10:50 AM  

  • Oh, you lucky gal, you! You got to hold The Sock! :-)

    And I LOVE the ATM idea. There's something very Alice's Restaurant about it. It's a movement! Wait till it comes around again on the guitar and we'll all sing it, with four part harmony and feeling.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:59 PM  

  • Sounds like you had a great time, I'm glad you went!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:03 PM  

  • *sigh* I wish I could have gone. It sounded like much fun.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:01 PM  

  • We did have fun, didn't we? I agree with Lynne, playing hookie with knitters is about as good as it gets. So, who's planning our next road trip? :)

    By Blogger YawnOver, at 12:24 AM  

  • I was so glad to have you follow up to my Sir Washie question with the dryer query - I agree that he is another machine needing acknowledgement :)

    It was a great evening - I'd do it again that's for sure.

    By Blogger Leslie, at 3:06 PM  

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