Okay, this is getting weird. I’m at the cafe while my clothes spin dry, and there are three really nice sweaters in here. One white traditional Aran on a tall bespectacled guy wearing a baseball cap, one orange/black fair isle worn by a an older guy who types with his arms outstretched, and one gorgeous all-over Aran worn by a woman who looks like she writes poetry about rivers and is perhaps a nurse.
Me, I’m in a zip-up cardie I bought at Wal-Mart equivalent in New Zealand, machine made and acrylic. I love this thing. Why is it that I’ve made one zillion sweaters (or at least it feels like it) and I still don’t have The Perfect Sweater like this one?
Oooh. I had been sitting up in the window, but I moved because sitting in the sun made me too hot. I’m glad. I’m now farther away from the whistler, the guy who doesn’t know the new-age song he’s whistling to along with the overhead piped-in music, and he is attempting harmony anyway. It’s something I do unconsciously, too, so perhaps it bugs me more in other people.
Such a busy week! Work kicked my ass. This was my first week on the new shift: Up at 430am, out of the house by 5am, work 6am to 6pm. I now know why this particular job is less drama-fied than other dispatch agencies: There isn’t that much time to gossip or create drama. There isn’t that much time to do ANYTHING. I knit about six rows on a sleeve yesterday. One stitch, put it down for an incredibly busy hour. Three more stitches, put it down for another hour.
On Tuesday, it was so busy that I was a little scared. I mean, I was keeping up, but just barely. I was on one channel sending out medical calls to three cities, two channels had two working fires in two separate cities, and another channel had a haz-mat response on the freeway. All in my one ear. All freaking day, it was like that. And I’m making phone calls to utility companies and city agencies and answering 911s (although I wasn’t supposed to — it was just too busy not to). Let’s put it this way: We tried to watch an hour program (okay, it was the Bachelor Paris) that someone had taped off TV. We had twelve hours to do it in. We only got about twenty minutes watched that day, in minute-long bites between calls.
I looked around at the end of the afternoon and said, "Is this normal?" If they had said, "Yeah, this is what we do everyday," I’d have freaked OUT. Instead, they looked as drained as I did and said, no, it wasn’t always like this. Thank god.
Sure makes the time go, though.
Today’s my only full day off to do errands, so I’m running around, getting moving boxes and supplies (tape! Must remember tape! Always forget tape), and then I’m going home and I’m going to start to pack. Really. I promise.
So dude, the escrow thingie, she is all done?
I’m wearing a polar fleece hoodie sort of thing I bought in JJill a couple years ago–nothing handknit, all “fake” fibers . . . go figure, huh?
Remember to sleep and rest too eh!:0)
Your story about the people at the cafe reminds me of a cafe we went to just last weekend. There was a lady in it who had brought her *typewriter.* Do you have any idea how annoying that tap-tap-tap (pause) tap-tap-tap-tap (pause) tap-tap is? I’m sure she thought she looked all novelist-ish, what with her coffee and her typewriter and her papers full of notes, but she was actually just a PITA. (Oh, sorry; did I really much kvetch that much out loud?)
Why not use the walmart sweater as a template for something made of sheep stuff?
Not that you don’t have anything important to do now, or anything.
And congratulations on the cottage a deux.
Yeah, moving supplies. Since you’re not moving too far, can’t you be kind of half assed and move stuffy wrapped in your tshirts in the back seat of the car. Ya know—local moving…?
If you need boxes, try the local liquor store. I’m not kidding. I worked at a liquor store and we kept the empty wine and beer boxes in back. They’re good and sturdy, small enough for books and heavy stuff, many of them have handles cut out, and you can get wine boxes with the dividers still in them for glasses and bottles and such.
Yowsa! That’s a day. I have to say when I have days that are super busy I feel like, “Damn! I work hard, but in a good way.”
Good luck with your move.
Really sucks when work kicks yer arse and you have to go home and actually be productive! Don’t forget tape. And a big fat MARKER for writing on boxes (write more than “kitchen” or you’ll never find the toaster or silverware). Sending energy vibes your way!!!!! 🙂
I’m with Daisy-Winifred. Sleep and rest. And when you find the cowgirl sweater pattern, remember me.
Whoa. I read the beginning too quickly and thought for a sec that you’d thrown your handknit sweaters into the clothes dryer. But no. Sweaters on strangers in a cafe while your laundry dried elsewhere. Whew. Scared me for a minute there.
And paper towels? 😉
Belated congrats on the new home, too.
Psst… you need to get tape (in case you forget and yet somehow have access to email/comments).
I delurk for the strangest things.
I have hand-knit and crocheted just about all of my accessories, which makes it all the more embarassing when folks come up and ask if I knit my favorite sweater and I have to show them the A&F logo and explain that I caged it off one of my guy friends before he moved away.
When work kicks your arse – 3 words:
Cadbury Creme Eggs
They’re baaaaaa-aaaaack! …and I’ve already eaten three of them!
BLACK SHARPIE
{{Don’t forget}}
Hi, even knitters are allowed to wear things not knitted by “real knitters”/shop bought. It is kind of like eating fast food – feels bad but goooooooooooooood.
Love your blog, good luck on the house move.
Geesh! I have days like that too, but instead of response to emergencies via phone, it’s emergencies at my office door.
My other days range from totally to moderately lame (i.e. lots of paperwork done.). Days for which I am always grateful.
But it’s the crazy-ass days that make me feel like I’m doing the good stuff. The ordained. The dull days in between are just about catching the breath.
::Think about all that you did…It’s amazing.::
one day soon – lunch. i think we are as busy as each other, but let’s start thinking about it…. xoxo!