One Of Those Days

 I had a hard time mustering up any enthusiasm for today.  I thought I might go downstairs to sew up another pair of Pants no. 1 but I didn't.  The sun came out around noon so I took a stroll around the block but that failed to energize me.

Speaking of energy this Sparrow certainly had energy for taking a bath.  I love watching them bathe.  There are usually three or four of them in there at once and they're all just as energetic as this one.  In fact, there was another one in there with him and just as I depressed the shutter button it flew off.  Naturally.

This afternoon I balanced the checkbooks (such a thrill) and then I watched a few episodes of The Great British Baking Show season 10 while knitting September Preemie Hat #1.  I realized that I forgot a round of purls but too late to back up and correct the mistake.  I think the hat looks okay as is, don't you?

11 September--Barbara Malcolm, Better Than Mom's. 

Iris took one of the needles out of Fay’s hand and pulled out a long bit of the yarn.  She showed Fay how to make a slip knot and snugged it up, but not too tight, on the needle.  She grasped both strands of yarn and split them with the thumb and forefinger of her left hand.  “This is how you cast on,” she said, doing a complicated looking dance with the needle over, around, and through the two yarn strands ending up with a stitch neatly sliding onto the needle next to the slip knot loop.  

“I do not think I can ever…” she said. 

“Oh, for pity’s sake, just try.”  Iris shoved the needle and yarn at her.  She guided Fay’s fingers around the yarn, then she stood behind Fay’s chair and helped her learn the complicated dance of casting on.  “Do not pull the stitches too tight or you will not be able to get your needle in to make a stitch.” 

Once she understood what she was doing and why, with a few rounds of ripping out (“Knitters call it frogging, get it?  Rip it, ribbit?”) Fay got the hang of casting on pretty well.  

“Why do you not pull it out and start over one more time?  Cast on twenty-five stitches and I will get you started knitting.” 

The afternoon passed in a flash for Fay.  After a few rows and a dropped stitch or two, she got the hang of it and had a good six inches of nearly even knitting by the time she looked up and realized that Taffy was getting the dining room ready for the supper crowd.  “Holy cow, where did the afternoon go?” 

Iris snorted.  “See?  And you thought you would not like knitting.” 

Fay turned to look her in the eye.  “I am still not convinced that I like this.  I am only doing it to humor you—and I admit I have been curious about knitting for a while.  I will practice and see how it goes.”  She gathered the needles and yarn, but before she put them in her capacious purse, said, “Are you two sure you want to let me borrow your needles and yarn?  I can go down to the mall and get my own.” 

Patti piped up.  “Nonsense.  You have a start now.  You do not want to frog that just to give Dotty back her cheap needles and Iris her leftover yarn.  We will be back next week to see how you did and teach you the next step.” 

Fay looked at the scrap of knitting in her lap.  “Is there anything you can make with just the knit stitch?”

 “Oh, honey, lots,” Dorothy said.  “It is called garter stitch and is probably the most used stitch.  If you stop in a craft store you will find rows of books with beginner knitting patterns.”  She shoved her rose-pink sweater into her bag.  “Come on, girls, let’s go.  They need to get ready for the next wave of hungry people and Fay has to go home and knit.  See you in a week.”

 The three old ladies gathered up their knitting and patterns, finally paid their lunch tab, and left, waving and laughing their way out the door. 

Taffy watched them leave.  “Who are those old bags?” 

Fay straightened up and glared at her.  “Do not call them old bags; they are my knitting friends.” 

“Knitting?  I did not know you could knit.” 

Fay’s posture sagged.  “Well, actually, they just started teaching me today, but I think I am going to like it.”  She looked at the sage green softness in her hand.  “I think I will walk over to the craft store in the mall before I go home.  Bye.” 

“Be careful in that store,” Taffy said. 

“Why?” 

“I scrapbook with my mom.  We always spend more than we mean to over there.  I think they put some sort of chemical in the air that makes you spend your money.” 

Fay looked shocked but when she saw the grin on Taffy’s face she smiled too.  “I will remember.  Thank you for the warning.”

Today's toss was Mom's jewelry box.  I sorted through to make sure that there wasn't anything in there that I wanted to keep.  I'd already done that once but did it again to make sure.  I've still got a drawer full of boxes of her jewelry to go through but that's for another day.  Then I found some out of date foods downstairs that got dumped and the jars recycled.

Tomorrow I get to go see DS and family in the afternoon.  It's supposed to be raining off and on tomorrow so it'll probably be an inside-with-masks visit unless the weather gods take pity on us so we can visit outside.  I'll keep my fingers crossed.

--Barbara