About Last Night

Dear Stephanie,


Just wanted to say Thank You for last night. (And a big Bravo! to The Yarnery for a wonderful event. I love the bag.) I enjoyed the stories and the whole CHOKE thing, well, let's just say that will be my new thing to get the muggles off my back: "You're CHOKing me!" Of course, I might be forced to remember what CHOKE stands for. Cultural and Historical Oppression of Knitters Everywhere? (Why, oh why didn't I take notes?! Oh, right, I was knitting.) Anyway, that looks close enough. And I left pondering the importance of Accumulated Effect, a concept I had been taking for granted. Now I recognize its power.

I do want to apologize though for my behavior upon reaching the table. I am a shy girl, but I know that there is no need to go all fangirly when in the presence of one's idols. I know that "idols" and "heroes" are ordinary people, too, and as such, my equals. So, I can only explain my total inability to make eye contact and forgetting my book on the table to this: I was possessed by a frightened woodland animal.

Now, I realize that seems a bit out there, but hear me out. It was a long night. (Longer, I'm sure, for you.) I got there at 5:45pm, armed with coffee, water and a light snack. Stood in line for 15 minutes until the doors opened. Got my hand stamped and grabbed a seat. Knit for an hour. You came out and made with the funnies. Laughed and knitted on my Interlacements Toasty Toes sock for another hour and fifteen minutes.

Got up again and made my way to the line for the early signing. Stood in line for an hour and a half. Thank god for knitting! As someone next to me in line said, nicest line ever because we all had something to do. I wish someone had done a sock count, though. The line was good, and I made quite a bit of progress on my Fleece Artist Sea Wool Bordello sock.


(I should, perhaps, pause here to tell you that I have recently begun knitting again. We had been on a break.)

Now, I should say that the line was fun. I met a number of nice women from North Dakota. Good times.

Anyway, standing around for an hour and a half with no real food does not do the body good. Mary Lou tried to help by bringing around chocolate. Now, normally I'd call this behavior evil, but no sane person can call another evil when she gives you sock yarn just for pulling out the blue-wrapped chocolate.

So, the combination of the wool fumes (oh, I forgot to mention the mini-store), exhaustion for standing for an hour and it being 10pm by the time I got to you, worry about getting home to the cats

(I had said I should be home by 9pm) and existing at that moment on sugar . . . well, it left me vulnerable to outside forces.

So that should explain it. You did a very good job of trying to connect, but the frightened animal in my body just wanted to use that flight reflex. Sorry. I will endeavor to protect against such possessions in the future. Just as soon as I figure out how to.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you what I would have told you had I not been possessed by a frightened animal:

The whole whiplash syndrome you covered in the book, that was extremely helpful. I was in my second break from knitting after a frantic Christmas knitting season. I was wondering if I had lost the joy of knitting forever. But it was just Whiplash! I was so relieved. And I'm being careful about the rebound stash enhancement. This Zen Yarn Garden merino/bamboo/nylon in Sunny Orchid notwithstanding.

(Or those four or five other orders on the way.) But I digress. The Whiplash syndrome in Casts Off saved my relationship with knitting.

Thank you! Keep up the good work.


Sincerely,
Alexis

PS An addendum to that note I gave you last night. The one you put in your back pocket. I laughed so hard last night I snorted.