Rocket Science

Space Is For Knitting

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Location: Rural Midwest, United States

Saturday, April 05, 2003

Further evidence (if it was needed) that I shouldn't be allowed to have coffee except in a Sippy Cup: Thursday night I knocked my FULL cup of decaf off the nightstand and right into my OPEN knitting bag. An assessment of the damage? The worst casualty was the Little Vogue Poncho and it's dry-clean-only ribbon yarn (naturally). I assume it's ruined. The actual Jailbird Cardy doesn't seem to have been splattered, but of the three extra balls of yarn I'd brought for it, two were dunked. No discernible damage to the Dresser Scarf Socks or their yarn and none of the pattern pages got wet. Plus, of course, my green and white humongous Knitter's tote bag needs a good run through the washing machine. All told, it's not near as bad as it could have been. I think I have enough ribbon yarn to start over on the Little Vogue Poncho, although, since this is my third try at this thing, I wonder if it just wasn't meant to be. I have plenty of the yarn for the Jailbird Cardy. I'll de-skein what got stained and wash it. Maybe it will come out.

I went shopping at two stores in Springfield: a used bookstore and a used music store. At the used bookstore, they have a big table outside the front door with stacks of books on it and a sign, “Books $1. Pay Inside If Shop Is Open. If Shop Is Closed Put Money In Envelope And Put Through Mail Slot.” At the used music shop EVERYTHING, even the cheapest stuff, is in locked glass cases and you have to get the clerk to take things out to look at. All this says something about our society but I haven’t decided what yet.

The hotel where I stayed is the tallest building in Springfield. It is located in the center of the city, a round tower rising high above all the other buildings. Its jutting cylindrical-ness has left it with a hilariously unfortunate nickname that starts with “P” and ends with “of the Prairie.” The elevator is backed with windows and, as I was looking down at the Capital Building four blocks away, I realized that I had been in that hotel before! When I was a kid, probably junior high or early high school, I went to a youth function there and was very silly and obnoxious. I kept reminding myself of this on my second day when the whole place was overrun be the FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America -- Illinois Chapter), aka 20,000 teenage girls and 5,000 teenage boys.

Today, I got up early and beat it to the post office because I just KNEW my Elann package arrived when I was gone. It had! My new yarn is FABULOUS. I am SOOOOOOO ready to start the Corset Pullover.

Sammy Sosa hit his 500th homerun last night!