A Gift to Myself

    It's not often I do something for myself.  I mean really do something for myself.  I'm not talking about buying a chocolate bar at the gas station and then sneaking bites of it here and there or splurging on a pair of $9.99 rain boots at Tractor Supply.  Those were necessary for daily function.  
    Yesterday was my birthday.  Getting older doesn't really bother me...except for those gray hairs I keep seeing pop up.  I figure if I weren't getting older I'd be dead so I might as well not let it bother me.  I decided to go all out and do something for myself.  I'm learning to knit.  This is actually the third time.  
    Long ago, when I was a little pip squeek Grandma Webb taught me.  I was young, impressionable, and it didn't make that much of an impression on me for long.  I do, however, remember a pair of metal knitting needles, a ball of yarn, and my own bag to put it in.  Then there was about six years ago when Mom was in a novelty yarn kick making scarves.  I really wanted to make one of those fun scarves.  While she was visiting we went to Hobby Lobby where I bought needles, yarn, and a book about the basics.  She showed me how to do it and I went to work on the project.  No matter what I did when I got to the end of the row it was never right.  I hated giving up again, but I did just that.  Packed everything up in a box and sent it to her with a thank you note.  Now I spin fiber into yarn.  I see all these beautiful creations people make from yarn and dream about doing that myself.  I think their inspirations are just what I needed to get down to business.  Besides, third time's the charm, right?
    Yesterday I met a couple of great women at Dino's coffee shop in Yellow Springs.  They meet there on Sunday mornngs for a knit-in.  I'm not sure if they actually knew I was going, but someone on Ravelry knew.  I blew in with my needles, yarn, and another book.  They were wonderful teachers...and the coffee and pastries were yummy.  Between the new friendships, food, drink, and knitting knowledge it was worth the hours trip.  
    Evening came and I went back to my knitting.  I had a brief memory lapse, but then remembered what to do after eating a Cadbury Cream Egg.  Before I knew it I was knitting and purling.  I even made some knit boxes and purl boxes.  Then I went into another memory lapse and couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong when I wanted to make lines again.  I was thinking a couple of rounds of Jose Cuervo might do the trick, but then decided on a piece of birthday cake instead and then my pillow for the night.    
    This morning I was back at it.  Thank goodness for Youtube!  I'm learning the long tail (continental) method of knitting.  The woman on the video straightened me out and I'm sinking back into knitting bliss.  I just know I'm going to get it this time!  My hope is by Sunday I'll be back at Dino's, asking those women how in the world I get my weirdly stitched jumbled up scarf thing off the needles so I can wear it with pride, making the ewes jealous that they don't have a scarf, too.  Of course, I'll be able to remedy that situation.  Happy knitting!  Smiling & Waving, Sharon