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Monday, April 17, 2006

Monday, Monday...

Lead Foot

This morning I was running late to work. As usual. I was going a little faster on the highway than I should have been…as usual. The unusual part of this story is the CHP car that was directly behind me, that I didn't see until it started making high pitched siren-y noises… Bad me!! I must have totally been under highway hypnosis not to have noticed. And so, today I was the unlucky recipient of the 3rd speeding ticket in my life. I did surprise myself this morning though, as I was relieved and happy (yes, happy - I'm a freak) when the cop said I could do my traffic school online. (The last traffic-school eligible ticket I got was in Marin county, and I had to attend the world's most boring "comedy" traffic school in person. Who is it that determines a traffic school class qualifies as "comical?" The only comical thing about that class was that the instructor looked like Santa Clause, admitted to a seasonal gig as such, and had spilled coffee down his white shirt on his way to class that morning.) And why is it that all of my friends think I drive like an old lady, and yet I keep getting these tickets for speeding?? (Okay, 3 in the last 6 years…it could be much worse.) And more importantly, why are the cops that pull me over never cute and young? Oh well, such is my fate. And I am also convinced that if Joie had been in the car with me, I wouldn't have gotten a ticket.

Happy Easter

I spent the weekend with my mother and step-family…and took many things to keep me busy while there. (Anything to avoid awkward and irritating conversation with my step-father.) I was armed with the Stitch 'N Bitch knitting guide, a pair of needles, multiple types of yarn, the crochet sock pattern I want to make, a novel, Interweave Crochet Magazine, the new Weight Watcher's magazine issue… When I got to Mom's I unzipped my overnight bag, and searched for my crochet hooks - I was itching to start the new socks with the Lorna's Laces Goldrush. My hooks were no where to be found! (The horror!!) So, I assumed I'd left the hook case sitting on the couch cushion, which was the last place I'd seen it before running out of my house. I knew I'd forget something. I always do…only it's usually my pajamas (most of my friends know that if I'm spending the night, they'll probably end up rummaging around for something for me to sleep in).
So, since I couldn't start on the socks, I settled down with Stitch 'N Bitch and started reading away. (Actually, I was waiting for my stepfather to take offense at the "bitch" in the title - he's the type that would -but, much to my surprise, he didn't say a word.) So far, the most frustrating part of knitting for me is casting on. I think the last time I was shown how to do it, I learned a different method than that initially given in the book (the double cast-on). The knit stitch itself came back to me with minimal difficulties, and binding off went okay too. Granted, I only did a little swatch of stuff. I definitely need to practice the casting on a lot more. And I didn't get up to purling yet. I had a lot (a LOT) of trouble with that the last time I attempted it. I'm trying not to pressure myself to do too much too fast. I know I need to get comfortable with the knit stitch again before trying to move on. So far so good.

And naturally, because I'm the brilliant girl that I am, as I was packing up last night to head back home, I found the hook case and all my hooks in the bag I'd put the sock yarn in…And WHY didn't I check that before, I ask? Sometimes I wonder...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sssshhhhh!
People aren't supposed to know about my anti-ticket super-power. It must always be used for good, I cannot let it fall into the wrong hands!!

Ok, maybe I am getting a little wacky.

When you were casting on, was it that you were trying to "knit on" or doing the European method? I learned European casting on, and it goes pretty quick. Traditional American (What my mom calls "knitting on") is a little harder, though that is how I knit. I don't knit European only cast on that way.

It's a matter of who taught me what.

Tami said...

I don't think I was getting my knit on. Oh, I mean, casting on the European way. Aunt Fran showed me a way a year or two ago that was much quicker and simpler for me...but I can't remember it now. (I can skip ahead in the book and see the other 2 ways to cast on, but by the time I found those methods, I'd already started the actual knitting on the swatch.)

Dagny said...

I used to know how to crochet but have since forgotten. I blame it on learning to knit.

I remember being pulled over by a very cute CHP officer once. He let me go with a warning. I should have asked for his number. One of my friends is married to a CHP officer. Maybe I should ask her to have him fix me up. I keep waiting to get pulled over in SF. My friend's brother is SFPD and she said that I can just tell the cops that I'm their cousin. Apparently family members only get a warning.