Living With Yarn...

Coffee Table Mittens

I have a confession.   I used to have a weakness for books.  To be specific,  coffee table books.    I loved those glossy covered books with photographs  of  places I had never been.   Or buildings I had never seen.  I even had a real live coffee table to put them on.  Of course, all that  was before I gave birth and had to baby-proof  my house.    And, when I am 80 years old and they are all finally  out of the house, I will once again decorate with over priced, hardcover  books.

Anyway, its nice to have something  beautiful and amazing that you want to show off.   You  place it  on the center of the table so all your friends and neighbors can admire this special something.    What?  Not sure you have anything that special?    Oh,  well, I have just the thing...

Are you ready?

 

 It is a Scandinavian gauntlet mitten.   Doesn't the name  make you think art, history or beautiful icy landscapes?   Get where I'm going here?  Coffee table material.  

This is a new class Jeanne Hoffman is offering.  

Here, let me give you a guided tour of this fabulous mitten.   First, there is the 2-color twisted edge:

 

Now, I know there are alot of folks who read my blog who aren't actually knitters, but let's face it art is art.   And you don't have to be a knitter to appreciate a great mitten.   This 2-color twisted edge is just cool.  No doubt about it.

The pattern does have this nice gauntlet to keep your lower arm toasty warm.   What I really like is the ribbing.   It *hugs* your wrist. 

 

So you have this cool twisted edge, lovely gauntlet going up your arm a bit and perfectly positioned ribbing.   This is all good stuff, right?  But, wait, there is more:

 

Jeanne has a  simple 2 color design repeat going for the "body" of the mitten.  And then there is this terrific thumb pattern.    I know.  A work of art.  For your hands. 

The class is the Scandinavian Mitten Class.  We have only one session posted on the website so if you are interested in this life altering experience class, do not wait.   Sign up today!

Hello, old friend...

I was thinking today of  how quickly things can change.  Here I sit in our new shop surrounded by these pretty windows and sunlight.   Settling into the new location has been wonderful, but we do miss some things.   Having our lovely office and break room.  Oh, and the storage rooms a.k.a the place where I could just toss stuff.  And boy do  I know how to toss!

So, yes, all that is hard to leave,  but the hardest thing about the move was saying good bye  selling all of our yarn and then re-opening the new store.    Figuring out how to set up the store, what to bring in, etc.  And now with the summer over,  we say hello to our old friends:

 

Today, Plymouth Encore and Dream baby DK arrived.    Yahoo! Can't see much from the picture?  Oh, well, you will just have to stop by.  :)

Here we go- time to stock our shelves.

It's All About the Look~

I was on my way out the door this morning and I happen to glance at myself in the mirror.    I looked.  I stopped.  I smiled.   I have that certain something going on today.   My bangs are falling just right.   No dark circles under my eyes and my skin...it looks a little more, well,  youthful.  I have that look.  Yes.  Its September and I have  the back - to -school  glow.  

 Its a beautiful thing.   And history tells me the bounce in my step & the urge to sing broadway show tunes in the shower will last maybe 2 weeks or until that  first voice mail message from the assistant principal - whichever comes first.   I don't care how short lived it is - I'm in a happy place and I'll take it.

Looking good is great.  For me, its hit or miss.   But I am keenly aware of how looks dictate so much...

Its been a whole year now since David acquired his Harley.   What a difference a year makes.  He used to pull up to the shop all shiny and new.   Embarrassingly new.  You know the look ~ fold lines are still in the T-shirts, boots do not have a mark on them.   And he looked so...so dark and leathery.   

Well, 12 months later and David has grown into the look.   A few  scuff marks &  10,000 miles under his belt means even his leather chaps seem to stand out less & less.   Now, me?  Oh, please.  I am about the last person you would see on the back of a motorcycle.   First,  you spend all that  time in the morning getting your hair just right.  Then you  take a big, ol, heavy helmet and crush the livin' daylights out of  it.   Yeah - that's a good look for me.    

And when you ride a Harley, there is a whole required clothing thing going on.    Last spring, we went for a ride & it got  very chilly.   I knew I was going to freeze in my beat up  jean jacket.   Then Kathy, our teeny tiny  friend who was riding with us, mentioned an extra  leather jacket she had.   I shoved my flattened, tangled hair to one side and politely declined.    "Oh, thanks. "  I said.  "But I'll be fine."  

David, however, insisted.  "Don't be silly, you will freeze.  Take the jacket."

"No, I'm good. " 

"Pam, here, take it." 

 And as I watched the petite size 2  outwear  move in closer, I wondered how much noise a leather jacket actually makes when it rips in two.   To my surprise, I was able to get it over my shoulders   and lower my arms without too much trouble.   Now, zippering the jacket was out of the question so I  decided I needed  a diversion.   Hmmm.   I know.   I'll be  enthusiastic about  hitting the open road.    Yeah - that will catch him off guard.   

So I jumped on the back of the bike.  "Okay, I'm ready.  Let's go!"

 "Wait, you need to zip up." 

"Oh, no, I'm good." 

"Pam, once we get moving, you are going to need to be zipped up tight." 

 And with the grace and finesse I have come to expect from my husband, he yanks hard on both sides of the coat.   It took about 15 seconds for him to do the math and then share his findings out loud, with the world.

 "Oh.  Geez. "

Yank.   Yank again. 

  "Nope.  That's never going to close.   Can't zip that.   Huh.  That's just not going to close... no matter what..."  

Thankfully, there are many ways to look good that do not involve motorcycle gear in the  I wore that size in high school category.   Take our new display for example, Susie's Reading Mitts.  These are done with just 2 balls of Cloud 9 yarn:

  

Joanie is still finishing the thumb, but I couldn't wait to share these.   They are so sweet. 

And  the best part?   One size fits all!

I'm Cheating a Bit Today...

Its the first day of school.  I wanted to write some terribly fun and lively blog about the whole back to school thing.  However, I am so excited to have everyone back in school I can barely see straight.   I am consumed with visions of the same clean & EMPTY kitchen sink  greeting me when I return home.  No more kids home all day terrorizing my frig and the rest.   Its just too good to be true...

But - since it is the first day of school.  I have to have some blog posting honoring the day.  So, I am reposting last year's "Yes, Virginia..." blog update from Sept 3rd.  Its cheating a bit but its so appropriate.  Enjoy~

"Dear Pam's Blog: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no school today. Summer is here to stay. Mama says, 'If you see it in Pam’s Blog then it's so.' Please tell me the truth; Is the new school year here?" VIRGINIA Virginia, Children are staying up late consumed by the  technology of a technological age.  They do not believe what they hear…unless it spews out from an Ipod.  They think that summer will last as long as they pretend.  All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, can pretend.   In this great universe of ours children and teenagers have difficulty grasping truths that do not arrive via text or  Twitter.  But pretend all they want, school does arrive.   It arrives and with it the truth is here for all to witness:  Facebook & YouTube will not teach you everything you need to know.  Yes, Virginia, there is a school year.  It exists as certainly  as learning and cafeteria food exist, and you know that they  abound and give to your life its highest beauty  and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no School.  There would be no back to school sales, no new lunchboxes, no school buses, no new friends, no new sneakers, no milk money, no car pools, no time for moms to visit yarn shops and no lunchables.   Mother’s lives would be a blur of water parks, boondoggle, puffy paint, overdue library books, and first aid kits.  The eternal light with which the first week of September fills the world would be extinguished. No school year!   You might as well not believe in My Space.   Friends might watch for the mailman in the hopes of delaying the inevitable arrival of bus passes  and schedules, but even if they managed to hide every back to school flyer and mailer, what would that prove? Nobody sees summer ending and yet it does.  The most real things in the world are those that neither  children nor men can see. Did you ever wonder if  Facebook is real?  Of course not.  Teenagers stay glued to its pages for hours on end. They surf and they believe, Virginia, inspite of what common sense and good taste would say.  No First  Day of  School!  Thank God!   It lives, and it lives  forever.   A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, it will continue to  arrive like clockwork making glad the hearts of mothers all over the world. (My apologies to all of those who hold the “Yes – Virginia letter” and the work of Francis Pharcellus Church sacred.   I just couldn't  resist.  )

"Dear Pam's Blog: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no school today. Summer is here to stay. Mama says, 'If you see it in Pam’s Blog then it's so.' Please tell me the truth; Is the new school year here?" VIRGINIA Virginia, Children are staying up late consumed by the  technology of a technological age.  They do not believe what they hear…unless it spews out from an Ipod.  They think that summer will last as long as they pretend.  All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, can pretend.   In this great universe of ours children and teenagers have difficulty grasping truths that do not arrive via text or  Twitter.  But pretend all they want, school does arrive.   It arrives and with it the truth is here for all to witness:  Facebook & YouTube will not teach you everything you need to know.  Yes, Virginia, there is a school year.  It exists as certainly  as learning and cafeteria food exist, and you know that they  abound and give to your life its highest beauty  and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no School.  There would be no back to school sales, no new lunchboxes, no school buses, no new friends, no new sneakers, no milk money, no car pools, no time for moms to visit yarn shops and no lunchables.   Mother’s lives would be a blur of water parks, boondoggle, puffy paint, overdue library books, and first aid kits.  The eternal light with which the first week of September fills the world would be extinguished. No school year!   You might as well not believe in My Space.   Friends might watch for the mailman in the hopes of delaying the inevitable arrival of bus passes  and schedules, but even if they managed to hide every back to school flyer and mailer, what would that prove? Nobody sees summer ending and yet it does.  The most real things in the world are those that neither  children nor men can see. Did you ever wonder if  Facebook is real?  Of course not.  Teenagers stay glued to its pages for hours on end. They surf and they believe, Virginia, inspite of what common sense and good taste would say.  No First  Day of  School!  Thank God!   It lives, and it lives  forever.   A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, it will continue to  arrive like clockwork making glad the hearts of mothers all over the world. (My apologies to all of those who hold the “Yes – Virginia letter” and the work of Francis Pharcellus Church sacred.   I just couldn't  resist.  )

"Dear Pam's Blog: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no school today. Summer is here to stay. Mama says, 'If you see it in Pam’s Blog then it's so.' Please tell me the truth; Is the new school year here?" VIRGINIA Virginia, Children are staying up late consumed by the  technology of a technological age.  They do not believe what they hear…unless it spews out from an Ipod.  They think that summer will last as long as they pretend.  All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, can pretend.   In this great universe of ours children and teenagers have difficulty grasping truths that do not arrive via text or  Twitter.  But pretend all they want, school does arrive.   It arrives and with it the truth is here for all to witness:  Facebook & YouTube will not teach you everything you need to know.  Yes, Virginia, there is a school year.  It exists as certainly  as learning and cafeteria food exist, and you know that they  abound and give to your life its highest beauty  and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no School.  There would be no back to school sales, no new lunchboxes, no school buses, no new friends, no new sneakers, no milk money, no car pools, no time for moms to visit yarn shops and no lunchables.   Mother’s lives would be a blur of water parks, boondoggle, puffy paint, overdue library books, and first aid kits.  The eternal light with which the first week of September fills the world would be extinguished. No school year!   You might as well not believe in My Space.   Friends might watch for the mailman in the hopes of delaying the inevitable arrival of bus passes  and schedules, but even if they managed to hide every back to school flyer and mailer, what would that prove? Nobody sees summer ending and yet it does.  The most real things in the world are those that neither  children nor men can see. Did you ever wonder if  Facebook is real?  Of course not.  Teenagers stay glued to its pages for hours on end. They surf and they believe, Virginia, inspite of what common sense and good taste would say.  No First  Day of  School!  Thank God!   It lives, and it lives  forever.   A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, it will continue to  arrive like clockwork making glad the hearts of mothers all over the world. (My apologies to all of those who hold the “Yes – Virginia letter” and the work of Francis Pharcellus Church sacred.   I just couldn't  resist.  )

Shameless Plug #5 - The Boot Sock Class

I was working on the website the other day and I realized our Boot Sock Class  did not yet have a picture posted.   We do have a sample Boot Sock on display in the shop.  I just hadn't gotten around to posting a picture along with the class description.

So, I just added a picture to the class posting.   And because this is such a wonderful class, I wanted to post a few pictures here to give everyone a better understanding of this class.    I decided to do a bit of shameless plugging today to make up for my oversight.  Why all the fuss about a sock?  Well, that's just it.  The Boot Sock is not your average foot cover up.   Oh, no.  Its more...so much  more. 

To fully appreciate the true greatness and beauty of our Boot Sock, look at the other  so called boot  socks out there.   (For the sake of this conversation, we are using lower case "b", lower case "s"  denoting similar yet inferior foot garments)  Our Boot Sock exists in a world where  boot socks  are described by phrases such as  "unisex", "better than ordinary" & " one size fits all ".    Oh and let's not forget to mention  "odor  fighting."     Now I ask you...where is the beauty?    Where is the romance in a boot sock that conjures up visions of  hot, sweaty feet and poor air quality?

If you really think about it,  our feet are the one place where WE connect to earth.   It is with our feet that we are grounded in this world.   This is a big deal.  Its practically poetic and yet there are sock people out there who are taking this  planet~soul~life  connection and interrupting it with "blister free protection". 

If  you can get past the words, there are the pictures.  

 A word of warning here ~ the following pictures will be tough to take if you are a sock knitter. 

Proceed with caution and please remain seated at all times:

 

I know.   Its just going in a shoe, but c'mon...

Okay, are you still with me?   We'll just look at one more:

 

Yeah, I know.  People are supposed to  purchase this dark, depressing, boring acrylic monster and place it on their feet.   Actually rise in the morning and happily dress their feet with this...this boot sock (small "b", small "s").

 Had enough?  Okay, here is our Boot Sock:

 

Need a minute don't you?   Go ahead.   Take as long as you need.   Some people may even tear up a little.   Its okay.   I understand. 

Jeanne's class focuses on simple, crisp lines, quality construction and making a sock that fits regardless of  your foot-toe configuration.    Yes.   Not only is the Boot Sock a beautiful thing, the Boot Sock understands.    Short toes on a long foot?   Long toes on a short foot?   Relax.  Breath.  You, my friend,  are home.    There is no judging here.  Just a Boot Sock that fits.

Beyond the fit, well, there is the beauty:

 

Just look at those lines.  Observe the edging.

And then just when you think you've had enough, there is the shape.   Just the very presence of Cascade  Superwash Wool worked on #4 double pointed needles is enough to...well here take another look:

  

Had enough?  I know its pretty overwhelming.  

So, there it is.  The humble yet beautiful Boot Sock.   Its a class taught by Jeanne Hoffman.   Don't miss it.  There are many ways to dress your foot and touch the earth, but there is only one true Boot Sock.

Eye of the Hurricane

Last Sunday I woke up with some crazy flu that did me right in.  I lost 2 whole days and when I  finally got out of bed, I realized we were well into the month of August.  AUGUST. 

I know for alot of people August simply means last minute picnics and trips to the beach.  Some families might even be leaving for a nice relaxing week at the cottage.   Well, there is a whole population of moms who looked at the calendar this week and broke out into a cold sweat.  Not August.   Please no.   Pretty soon it will be mid-August. 

Mid-August is where the most sensitive & cosmically aware beings (a.k.a women everywhere) recognize  a break  in the  space time continuum.  It takes place every year at this time.   We can sense its arrival.   First its just a queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach.   Like the feeling you had last week  when you ran into the dollar store  for sunblock  and found Christmas wreaths hanging near the checkout counter.    Next, its the realization that you've  had as much quality time with the kids as you can stand.    For me, this stage hit in late July.  I realized if  I spent another minute trying to understand Liv's latest piercing, I would  most certainly lose sight of the fact that Izzy could be running around the neighborhood wearing her favorite shorts for the 3rd day in a row.   Yeah and honestly watching Genevieve sit  in her comfy chair changing the channels on the TV with her big toe  is  starting to lose  its charm.    The lazy hazy days of summer may conjure up thoughts of  porch swings & freshly squeezed lemonade for some folks.   Not me.    I am just figuring the odds of making it through these last few weeks without a visit from a uniformed public servant  looking for my son.

 These are the early signs of the breach in time & space as we know it.   This is the period where summer and fall converge in the worst possible scenario.   Pretty soon, the world is spinning around us and we are living in the eye of a hurricane.   We start to notice  more mail arriving ~ notices from school, schedules and flyers with back to school sales.   Yes, its here overloading our day timers, blackberries and our brains.  Last minute pool parties  & weekend camp outs fight for time alongside school shopping, finding the perfect pair of sneakers,  and making  too many trips to  Staples to find the  must be lime green,  2 pocket , no brads please  folder for 4th grade science. 

While we are flipping through the newspaper looking for the best price on erasable pens,  our mind is really focused on how badly we need that pedicure.    Can I justify one more round of  super shiny ragin'  raspberry?  How much more sandal time am I really going to see?   Oh, look at that.  Office Max has the spiral binders the kids always need.  

Serious moms make an attempt to gain the upper hand over this time by planning and working our lists.     I started this week:   New glasses for Gigi.   Izzy wants to play Flute this year.   Max has outgrown everything / needs everything.   Remember  dentist appointments Monday.   Sports physicals and paperwork due the 18th.    Izzy will need a new backpack.  Oh and a lunch box.   Cha-Ching.  The sound of  Mid-August.  

This is also the point in the summer where we believe we will find peace and happiness if  we just  get it all done by  September 1st.   Hitting the September 1st deadline  requires commitment and resources.  Especially financial resources.  It is here that the hunter ~ gatherer kicks in and we become skilled shoppers  working the  newspaper ads and coupon circuit.

I   heard about  a website:  moneysavingmoms.com.   Time to rise to the occasion.  Time to  show mid-August what I'm really made of.   I'll sign up.  I'll become a money saving mom.   So, I registered, typed in details like my date of birth and I was in.   Time to  claim my coupons.   I logged in and the first thing that came up was an ad for the scooter store.  THE SCOOTER STORE.   Apparently something in my date of birth led these folks to believe I may need a motorized chair to get around.  They wanted to offer me a chance to save some $$$ on mine.    Are you kidding me?   

Then I started thinking...Sometimes it rains.  Sometimes it pours and sometimes you feel like you are living in the eye of the hurricane.   Here I am surrounded by a whirlwind of  last minute  summer stuff, school shopping, appointments, & teenagers behaving badly.  The most responsible of us just push on through logging miles to the outlet mall and grabbing that last pack of 99 cent loose leaf paper.   But then there are the dreamers.   For just a little while, what would it be like to turn off your cell, leave the house without your purse and just run?   If only for a few hours.   Better yet we could race off with the wind in our hair  allowing the world to fly by.  We  could just keep  moving without a care in the world.   Feeling lighter and free  going a brisk 4mph on our  Jazzy Select^® GT  scooter.    Grab your motorized chair and leave the hurricane behind... Sounds amazing, right?   Well,  I have a coupon you can use.  :)

So, Whatcha Knittin' ?

I finally got past dishcloths a week or so ago.   When my stress level soars, knitting dishcloths is just about the only thing that helps.  (Well, that and a large quantity  a glass of wine)  With the major moving stuff done, I have been back to knitting more substantial projects.

I mentioned the great beret we have on display done out of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted:

  

 

Cute, right?  Well, I really like knitting berets and they are supposed to be  the *hot* fashion thing this season.   I have discovered, however, there are some things to keep in mind if you are knitting berets~

First - trust your pattern.  I was working away and the thing just did not seem large enough.  So I added a bunch of rows.  The end result is big & slouchy which will work for some folks.  However, my thought is the pattern would have been just fine as written.   I have information on the pattern and the changes I made in the shop if you are interested.

My 2nd beret was very fun.   Its a chevron lace beret:

 

Knit this sweet hat out of   Cascade Cash Vero Aran.    Super soft and lovely.  The hat took just 2 balls.  We have started re-stocking this yarn and will continue to get in colors throughout the month.

The lesson I learned from the Chevron Lace beret?  Go ahead and trust  your pattern ...just not too much.   I knew as I was working on this hat  and about to begin decreasing that it simply was not large enough.   Another pattern repeat was definitely in order.   It looks great in the picture but when the girls actually put it on, the want more fabric, more of a "beret look" to it.   

I  blocked it which was new for me.  I don't usually block hats, but the pattern said to and I was in my trust the pattern mode.    The blocking worked wonders in terms of showing off the pattern,  but I stretched the pa*toot* out of the ribbing.   I used a plate to block it.   Great for the lace pattern section, but  the ribbing was iffy before blocking.    Iffy meaning when you are working on a beret, the ribbing has to do its job.  There may be some hats that are okay with so-so ribbing.  The ribbing is pretty, decorative and hugs the head a wee bit.    Regular hats accept this type of performance from its ribbing.

Well, berets seem to require a substantial rib...a ribbing that knows its job.   The ribbing needs to be snug, be stretchy and have the ability to hold onto the beret wearer's head.   It needs to be able to stand up to the pretty pattern that is hanging off  the head on all sides and looking very beret like. 

 My advice:  Work your ribbing on an even  smaller needle than the pattern calls for.    I am going to sneak elastic into the ribbing and hope no one notices.  (Shhh..mums the word)   I enjoyed the chevron pattern so much that I am going to test my add another pattern repeat / do the ribbing on smaller needles than the pattern calls  for  theory and make another.  

My next beret is a lace pattern done in DK weight yarn...Stick with me and by Fall we'll have the beret thing nailed down for sure!

Heavenly Day~

I am finishing up an adorable beret knit in the Lorna's Laces Shepherd worsted.   Hope to be able to post a picture later this week.    I say *hope* because the darn thing is as easy as it gets - just two rows forming this pretty pinwheel pattern.  Of course the trick is you must keep track of which row you are on.  After 4 times of starting and stopping, I have finally enlisted the help of a row counter. 

Anyway, on Saturday after we closed up the shop, I attended my nephew's wedding.   I realized as we  arrived at the reception that this was one of the few instances where I knew both the bride and the groom.   The bride once worked with me in my telecom years.    So, to see her there in this stunning wedding gown absolutely beaming was pretty special for me.  

Actually, the evening was wonderful but I was really taken by how happy the two of them were.  I watched them dance and I  remembered  that feeling of  absolute bliss.  For a moment in time -  nothing is more important than just being together.    And watching them dance made me happy.  It reminded me of how much we do have to be happy and thankful for. 

Its so easy  to let the day to day world get under our skin.   Allowing it to take away the  magic.  Let's face it, stuff happens.    You know, like garbage men and missing knitting patterns  :).    Or maybe more serious setbacks.   We all have them.   After Saturday night, I have given alot of thought to what matters.   To what we let matter.   Sure, life after wedding cake can still be amazing and fabulous.   Yet, we seem to dwell on the bad stuff.   As the years pass and life  happens, its easy to get discouraged and lose some of that bliss.     Then today,   I stumbled upon something.

I  was cleaning my car and I found this CD.  (Yes - my car is messy enough to actually lose items for months at a time.   There is an upside, however.   When you come across something that's been gone for months, its a bit like finding buried treasure)   Anyway, it was a Patty Griffin CD, "Children Running Through."

My wonderful friend and customer, Ruth, is one of the few people who know how much I love Patty Griffin's music.   A while back, she dropped by the store with Patty's latest CD .  She handed it to me and said, "The song Heavenly Day reminds me of you & your son."    And so it did. 

During the dark days of Max's illness, I would have done anything for the promise of better days.  I prayed and begged for relief.  There were  times when things just spiraled downward without any hint of  a recovery.   And then I began to just take each day as it came.   I found hope and took pleasure in the smallest  wins.   I gave up yesterday and tomorrow and lived in today.   I learned to simply make peace with  the life we had been given.  

Of course, I never dreamed at that point that life would turn around.   For Max.  For us.  For our family.    And each day, I  try to just  be thankful for where we are.       The CD that Ruthie gave me is a wonderful reminder to live in the present.   Challenges come and go, but  there are  moments of calm.  Moments where life isn't quite so hard and the beauty of  another  day is simply enough.       

So, Cheers to my nephew, Jim,  and his lovely bride, Crystal.   And for the rest of us - here's to remembering the magic.    Its all around us.   You can start with today.   A  beautiful summer day...  A heavenly day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVy4w6vq8y8

So How's Your Day Going?

I had one of those days today that really makes you wonder.  Completely ridiculous and at the same time hilarious in a sad  if- I- don't -laugh- I'll- cry kind of way.  Here see what you think:

I got up early to load shop pictures on the blog.   Izzy wanders into my office and tells me  she would like to go to the movie/field trip the area playground was having.  "Oh - okay.  What time does the bus leave? "

"9:15"

"Honey.  Its 8:25 and you aren't even dressed yet."

"Mom.  I want to go.  E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e  is going.   And you have to go there anyway.  You have to sign me up for swimming in this afternoon."

"Swimming?  Where's your bathing suit?"

"In my backpack with my towel from the pool party yesterday."

"Good.  Great.  Fabulous.  Where's your other suit?"

"In the laundry."

"Oh, even better. Okay, get dressed we need to leave for the playground like 10 minutes ago.

Max walks in. "Mom - I'm late for work can you stick my bike in the back of your car and drive me halfway." 

Heavy sigh.  "Wow.  Okay.  You  will have to take the big bin out of the car.  Its veryheavy- it has all the patterns and binders for the new shop.  Just stick it by the garage door."

Leave with Max.  Get back to the house.  Pile Izzy into the car with yesterday's wet bathing suit and a dry towel.  Thinking to myself - I should put the bin in the car now.   Ugh - too heavy no time. 

Jump in the car, get to the playground.  Sign up for the movie.  Sign up for swimming.   Hoping no one notices I haven't even showered yet.  Kiss Izzy.  Turn to leave. 

"Mom- all the kids have snack money."

"Oh crud.  Isabelle I didn't bring my purse & besides you don't need snacks."

"Well, I wouldn't  need a snack if I had eaten breakfast." 

No breakfast.  Oh dear.  That's right I was hunting down a dry towel to balance out the wet bathing suit.

"Um. Okay.  Stay here.  I will run to grandma's house.  She will have money and she is right around the corner."

Race off to my mom's.  Grab money.  Arrive back at 9:16 just as the bus is boarding.  Toss dollars at Izzy.  Drive back home.  See that big heavy bin near the garage.  Nope - not lifting that right now.  I need to shower.

Walk out of the house an hour later.  Load the car for the shop.  Turn to pick up the bin of patterns and it is EMPTY.    Nothing there but an over sized plastic bin.  I stood in complete and utter disbelief.  What in the world just happened.  I went in to the garage.  No patterns.  Walked back out.  Empty bin.  It took me about 10 seconds to process the scene and then I let out a cry of sheer panic. 

" Its garbage day!"  

The garbage men had my patterns.  All of them.  Along with some expensive fixtures and tons of binders.   Gone.

I grabbed my cell and called David.   I just needed to share my pain.  Girls - we like to share.  Guys - they like to fix:

"What do you mean all your patterns? That is a ton of money.   Did you go after them?"

"Go after them?  Like run after the garbage truck?"

"Yeah. "

"No, David.  I didn't."

"Well, call them.  They are probably all together in a pile in the truck. "

"You think I want them back?"

"Its money."

"Its a garbage truck.  Waste removal.  Refuse.  RUBBISH.  I'm not inclined to want patterns that have taken a spin around the block in a garbage truck."

"Well, you gotta call them.  I'll call them."  And with that I headed to the shop already late and quite frazzled.  I got to the shop and my cell phone rang.  It was David.

"Okay, I called.  I told them it is theft and we will have the garbage truck impounded if we have to.  They have your patterns and we want them back."

"No- we don't.  We really do not want them back."  I hung up and 10 minutes later he calls again.

"Okay, I am here with the police."

"The WHAT? And WHERE?"

"At the house - the scene of the crime.  Now they need to know exactly what time the theft occurred."

"Wait - you called the police about my missing knitting patterns."

"Yes- you need a police report.  Its theft.  Now how much would you say they were worth?  Oh - and the police want to know if you have witnesses."

"Witnesses.  No.  Sorry. No witnesses."

"Pam - the people who take swimming lessons down the hill - they might have seen something.  We can get a list of names."

"David- I called you to cry.  I called to have someone say it will be okay.   Honestly, I don't think we need to interrogate the entire pre-school swim class about the great knitting pattern caper." 

"Well, you're not giving me much to work with..."

Hours later, he finally did give up.  And I went on with my day trying to be all zen about the missing patterns, etc.  Its just stuff.  Izzy mentioned tonight that if David really wanted to prove it was the garbage men, he could dust the empty bin for prints.   I'd laugh but she said this just after telling me how she bought pretzel nuggets and cheese dip at the movies with the snack money.  (She says snack money and I am instantly reminded of my morning where I was covered in sweat racing to my mom's then hustling back to the playground in record time).   So she bought them and when she sat down to watch the movie,  the whole  pretzel cheese thing  flipped up and landed right on the floor.  Never even ate one of them.   

I hope you had a good day. :)

The Gang's All Here...

  We had our first big night on the 2nd floor.   The Wednesday nite ladies met and tried out our new seating area:

    

And right around the corner was Jeannine's summer sweater class:

  

It was a full house that's for sure.   It was great fun  to see everyone!