Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Laura's Post

My cousin Laura got an iPhone and has miraculously found interest in my blog with the aid of this new technology. A tap on her phone's desktop vs putting my URL in her computer's favorites and visiting every now and then is apparently supremely easier! So after what, 6 years of blogging and increasing my readership by one, she's harassing me if she doesn't get a weekly update. "Do you know you haven't posted since 9/11?" Keen detection Ms. Marple, I'll get right on that. I love her to death, she's my best friend but I think it was easier to force her to visit periodically when I posted something significant.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I took a trip to Sarasota for a little R&R. Lovely trip ... beach, eat sleep...repeat. One of the highlights of the trip was a little jaunt to the local yarn shop...A Good Yarn. Nice location, great selection of yarn, amazing customer service and not once did anyone give me the "why is this guy in the store?" vibe. I've posted about them before but in their new location, I enjoyed it even more!


If you remember, when I lived in Bonita Springs, I would occasionally shop at one of the LYS in Naples if I needed a needle or something specific. There was an elderly woman whose daughter regularly dropped her off at the store like it was a senior center and every time I walked into the store she'd SCREAM, "there's a man in the store, there's a man in the store!" She'd clutch her purse and stare at me until I left. The owner shouted at her once, "We know him, stop screaming, he knits and better one than you do!" The other patrons would all look at me with that blank stare, "isn't that cute" and inquisitively wonder what was wrong with me or what happened to me that forced me to turn to knitting instead of meth like any other normal guy facing adversity in his life. I was self-conscious the first time and subsequently, always annoyed.

This trip was needless to say, refreshing! I was so genuinely welcomed as just another knitter and even invited to join them at the table! In knit-speak that means you're on the A list! With a skip in my step, a little stash enhancement was in order.

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Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock - loved the boldness of this and can't wait to see the color repeat!

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Mad Tosh Merino Light - this color is spectacular IRL, iPhone can't do it justice.

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because I couldn't decide between the red/grey vs. this green/gold!

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TriCoterie - not from the shop but Vicki's Destash. She's having dental work, I had to help, I'm a good friend. 

I also picked up a lovely, deep red sport weight, Scrumptious by Fyberspates. I know, you're thinking sport weight not sock weight? Yes, sport weight! Contrary to all appearances, I do still hand knit as well as CSM. That big holiday with the guy in the red suit is coming and apparently, I'm supposed to finish projects and give them to people I love on the guy in the red suit holiday.

Like that's gonna happen. Did we just meet? And that's knitting content!

2 comments:

willyg said...

What's that? You're knitting yourself a red suit in sport weight?

garret said...

I always get a "MAN IN MY SHOP" vibe, it's to the point where I won't even go to the local, the only one I can get to regularly, because it's so bad. The owner actually follows me around the shop because I think she thinks I'll steal something. (Granted, this is yarn, and I am, well, me.) It's impossible to properly chose a yarn if you can't do the fondle, feel, smell, act.

You'd better get cracking on the red suit. You do have only about ten weeks.