The Rain, the Park and Other Things

Got up this morning to the sound of rain splattering against my window.  I had been so excited about my “destination walk” this morning – my favorite kind – and now it wasn’t going to happen.  I was going to meet my sister Lynn for breakfast at Mi Madre's on Manor Road, exactly five miles from my house.  We’ve tentatively rescheduled for tomorrow – no way am I going to let that perfect distance go to waste.  It stopped raining later in the morning, but it was too late for a make-up walk.  So after dinner, off Banks and I went.  On a whim, we went down to Stacy Park, wondering if it might be a suitable nighttime walking place -- it wasn't.  So we wound through the tony Travis Heights area, admiring the amazing architecture and enjoying the short, steep hills.  With still a half hour or so to go, we crossed over to St. Ed's and finished up there.

May I talk about knitting class? It was not as nightmarish as I'd been prepared for.  Just thinking about casting on set my nerves on edge, and when I couldn't get the hang of it right away, I came up with a brilliant plan.  For the rest of my life, before I started any knitting project, I could just have a more talented knitter cast on my first row of stitches, and I could take over from there!  Surely, in the history of knitting, someone has done this.

Then an amazing thing happened.  I got the hang of it!  And suddenly, I was knitting!  For row after row, I was not only working those needles, I was actually able to carry on a conversation. Just as quickly, though, things took a downward turn when our teacher introduced "purling." It's kind of like knitting, but....backwards.  And very confusing.  Everyone had trouble with it, even Marcy, who was kicking butt in there.  I left with my half-finished headband, feeling a little deflated

There was a long and encouraging message on my cell this morning -- Marcy exhorting me to focus on "knitting, knitting, knitting" and second-guessing our teacher for piling on this second skill during the first class.  Yes! I thought to myself. Get the first skill firmly implanted before introducing a second, more complex one.  The good news is, next week we're making hats, and no purling is required -- just straight knitting.

Later in the day Marcy and I processed the class.  We both loved the vibe in there -- a good mix of ages and different personalities, lots of laughter and lively conversation.  And maybe because of the setting -- a group of women practicing an old-fashioned home art -- there was a gentility in the room that is very rare these days.  I'm looking forward to going back.