Turns out that I like Seattle too. Or I think I do, I was in and out of there so fast that it was hard to get the flavour of the place. (Good coffee though.) What I did like about Seattle was the people. All the people. 21 hours in Seattle and I didn’t meet a single person who wasn’t a fine example of human expression.
I spent a good chunk of time in the airport, since they had sent my bag on a separate tour. When I went to the desk to tell them that my bag wasn’t there, two remarkable things happened.
1. The guy had a “message” from my bag. Presumably, he had a message “about” my bag, but I loved the metal idea of a bag sending word. “Dear Steph…..”
2. He asked me, should the nametag have come off my bag, and they were to look inside to identify it…what did I have in my bag.
One word. “YARN”. He looked at me so quizzically that I added
“Lots of yarn.”
From there I was taken through Seattle by my friends Linda and Jay and her daughter Sarah. Sarah is a geography teacher and I highly recommend visiting new places with one. They answer all of your questions. Sarah also said “correct!” every time I got something right. Made me feel like I was doing really well.
Linda and Sarah are both knitters (and Jay is Knitter sympathetic) so our first stop was Village Yarn and Tea (a brilliant combination). Now who do I find while I’m perusing the angora?
Sam and Kim! Who kindly agreed to manage the sock and his/her (does the sock have a gender?) groupies for a minute or two.
From there on to 3rd Place Books. There was some sort of bridge closed because of some sort of planes, so I was late. While I was melting down in the car, Linda pointed out that making knitters wait isn’t as bad as making regular people wait. At least they have something to do. When I got there (late) here was one of those scary microphones, and the bookshop had kicked it up a notch by adding a STAGE and LIGHTS.
(The sock was seriously tripping out.) I was almost hysterical. I know that this might not occur to you, when you see these pictures, but I am taking them. All those people are looking at me. On a stage. With a microphone. Here I am, some sort of late, weird Canadian knitter trucking a sock around the US on some bizarre trip that I can’t figure out how I got on, and all of those people are looking at me. I have to say stuff about knitting that makes some sort of sense, and make sure that my fly isn’t open. The only thing that saves me from complete babbling idiocy is knowing that they are knitters, and probably knitters who would forgive me for having my fly open. (Although my open fly would likely be blogged from here to Calcutta. There’s a reassuring thought. )
Hanging out and signing books after, look who I found.
Ryan and TMK! (TMK actually has a face and a name, and both are lovely, but I’m not telling.) This realization stunned me so much that I couldn’t stop looking at her. It was like meeting superheros. It was like one of your favourite imagined people just materialized in front of you and was everything you dreamed and more. Ryan cried a few knitterly tears, but me and TMK are tough, so we just thought about it. The sock had a little private time with them. Go see.
I saw Lorette, Dorothy (man, she knows her way around a piece of lace) Sandy Blue (I may have welled up a little for that one. She was so sweet), our lady Perclexed of the comments, and so many more that I need to ask all of you to give a shout in the comments so we can visit you.
After it was all over, Cheryl, chief in charge of Harlot wrangling at 3rd Place Books, told me that it is traditional that visiting authors (it still cracks me up when someone calls me that to my face. I feel like I’m running a total scam) have to have their picture taken in the photobooth at the store. You go into the booth, you do what you want and they save the pictures. Okay then. I totally knew what to do.
I blogged it.
Isn’t she sweet? She didn’t bat an eye.
Mission accomplished, team Harlot threw themselves back into the car and through an incredible series of twists and turns (you have to turn left to turn right) Sarah got us to Weaving Works for their Anniversary party. (May they have many more. Damn fine store.)
There was more threatening mobs…..
Except they didn’t turn out to be threatening at all.
(I have to admit that it’s easier to do these things in yarn shops that bookstores. Yarnshops don’t have many microphones, and I find the wool very grounding. Besides. There was cake.)
I got to add another Cassie to my collection:
Now I have four! (This one hopelessly fondles wool in public too!)
Here we have Dena (Dena was the one who started the Llama, llama duck business.) Warning: that link has sound. Addictive, gripping, insanity inducing sound.
She brought a sock so she would look all innocent and not at all like somebody that sent you a link that left you humming inanity for days months on end.
Karma was there, and Carry (who got a picture of the cake) and Jessica, who experienced a string of bad luck that made me feel very, very at home. I have a thing for women who…much like me, regularly (and I quote Jessica here) lose their sh*t. (Those who know me are cracking up that I *’ed the “i” in sh*t, being as it’s one of my favourite words, but it’s a family blog.
My sh*t and I seldom seen in the same room together.
For now, I’m in Vancouver, and my hotel room has a bidet. I’ve never used one…so my plans are pretty much set.
Do you get a break from the whirleind tour in Vancouver? Looks as if you are there for a couple of days. I will loyally follow you to Weaving Works on Sunday when we finally get to Seattle.
I am packing too much yarn RIGHT NOW.
We miss ya already, Stephanie!!
Kim
Steph, it was wonderful to meet you. I’ve blogged about you. If you are curious, go to http://www.sereknitty.com. There are photos.
OI! A bidet?? well now.. don’t let the sock near it! I just can’t wait to hear that story (after the sandal incident and all)
Enjoy!
And don’t worry.. people will be there even though they are Canadian!! Perhaps some foreign visitors will show up!
My impression has always been that the sock is male.
Hmm. Between this and my last comment about the sock’s socialization, I am starting to wonder whether I spend too much time worrying about the inner life of your sock.
Steph – Harlot on Tour only goes to August 10th! Me and Jeanne, we be trying to figure out when yer close to us, but yer making it hard… 🙂
You would think that, since we live in a metro area (Minneapolis-St Paul, aka the Twin Cities of MN) that has 20+ yarn shops, the Harlot would be all over it, but… 🙂
Steph: It was absolutely great meeting you in person. I’ve been reading your blog for a long time. (Even though I’m a Non-Knitter, I *get* you knitter types. Ask Ryan. She’ll tell you.) You have great comedic timing. I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face yesterday when you were telling your “shoe” story (the whole shoe story). BTW, The Sock had a fabulous time wandering around the parking lot and playing in the convertible. And, come back sometime. We’ll try to make sure there are no blue planes in your way! TMK
I was there, too! I am always so pleased to see the human incarnation of people from the int0rnets. Great work yesterday at Weaving Works–I was MELTING. And claustrophobicizing, so many people!
Thank you for making my day. I have been having a lousy day home with 4 kids (okay, 4 kids and a hubby), absolutely losing my mind to the point I snet them all outside to play and… I am not sure, but they may not have all been clothed. (I will check in a minute.)
I sat down to “breathe” (read that: knit something- anything- and find something to laugh about before I duct tape them all to each other and leave) and I found you had updated your blog. So, I got to laugh out loud for the first time in several hours and have managed to find my equilibrium (if not the ability to spell) and will now go check and see that they all have pants on. Thank you. I owe you one.
I don’t think a sock can have a gender. It can’t even decide if it is a left or a right sock.
It was lovely to meet you and exciting to see that you are a real live person. I promised to be a lot more Low-key if our paths should ever cross again. 🙂
I knew it! I could feel the presence of the sock in my town . . . yea! The Harlot is here! I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. I certainly hope that the sock likes librarians! There will be at least two in your adoring crowd…
Male. Definitely male.
I was in my LYS today. Your book was there, sock yarn was near by…you were not and will not be soon…it was plain sad.
Glad you’re having another great trip.
Yay, after tonight you’ll have that minty-fresh feeling…….you know, the kind that only comes from a bidet. You met Ryan and TMK and Dena! I’m so bummed. I mean, I’m happy for YOU, but I’m bummed for me.
Ok, aside from there being another Cassie (which is seriously tripping me out), the cones in the background at Weaving Works are making me drool.
In the Tom Robbins book _Skinny Legs and All_ one of the characters is a sock. There is also a spoon, a can o’ beans, a shell, and a painted stick. Spoon and shell are female, can o’ beans is both/neither, and stick and sock are decidedly male. The sock is all crusty and crass (and can weld things). Very strange book. No knitting as far as I can remember, but I didn’t knit when I last read it so may have missed something. Not sure why I’m sharing this. All this talk about socks being male and female…and social. Very alarming (in a good way). Wish you’d come to Maine!
In the picture you posted of the crowd at The Weaving Works, I’m the one in the front row simul-blogging you. You can see the corresponding picture at my blog, Blue Dyed Hands. I’m halfway through the book, and it’s fabulous.
First socks are male. Second socks are female.
The first is useless without the second, and the second never has the glitches of the first.
Yay, you met my Perclexed! It’s almost as good as me getting to be there myself! 🙂
I learned to knit in Seattle… I loved it there. Sigh.
Hi Stephanie! In Vancouver already? I hope you are enjoying our gorgeous HOT weather. I called 32 Books today and there are about 30 or so people confirmed so far. You don’t know me, but I’ll be there. Sounds like it will be fun. I also just found out you’ll be at Urban Yarns (but I won’t be there)! I posted the info on the knitty.com forum tonight for any of the locals that didn’t know you’d be visiting Vancouver. Looking forward to hearing you and meeting both you and the sock!
Right before you signed my book yesterday (I was with Dorothy and Lynette) my daughter (Grace, the little girl who wouldn’t hold the sock) asked if you were my “yarn friend” who lived in my computer and made me laugh so hard that I almost wet my pants sometimes… I told her that you were… and that was why she didn’t want to hold the sock – she told me on the way home… she was fearful of wetting her pants…
ahhh – the mind of a 4 year old. You were delightful Stephanie – and it was truly a pleasure to have met you!
Missed the llama song the first time around…the boys didn’t miss it this time. Will be hearing it many, many times in the near future I’m sure 😛
Great to meet you Stephanie. Hope you enjoyed the brownies! If you come visit again (for your new bookbookbook perhaps?) I’ll make more. When I am not reading or knitting (sometimes both at the same time), I am baking.
If you’re ever in Tulsa, OK make sure to go to Sting!
It’s the best ever.
that was supposed to be a link, and it didn’t work, so here is the link: http://www.string-cafe.com/
oh thanks soooo much, now my mental picture involves the harlot, the sock and a bidet. *snort*
I’m usually left star-struck when I see bloggers in real life. It’s like running into a movie star.
Thanks for giving us 21 hours of your whirlwind tour. Since that wasn’t enough time for you or us, you must come back and stay llllooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrr. Enjoy the rest of your trek. We’ll be waiting. Patiently. Knitting. Waiting. Patiently. Knitting. Still waiting. Patiently. Knitting.
Thank you, thank you – for putting the llama, llama link up again, Stephanie. (And thank you Dena for starting it.) I have looked for it without success on those late, late evenings when I need something to take my mind off your itinerary … you still don’t have Nova Scotia on your “to visit” list.
I’m just saying – you should come to Nova Scotia – to prop up sales of the bookbookbook AND to meet the knitters here. There are still two copies sitting in Coles in New Minas, looking very forlorn surrounded by all those BIGGER books. (Originally there were five bookbookbooks in that store.)
BTW, if anybody wants to e-mail me to make arrangements to “free” those books from the store’s grasp, let me know.
Janey
It was so great to see you yesterday at Third Place Books in Seattle! Thank you so much for coming all the way out to the West Coast. Did you get a chance to go by the Troll under the bridge? Love your blog – I always find a smile there, and lots of inspiration (I’m having lace knitting issues these days. . . so I’m pretty much in awe of your alpaca dental floss shawl). See you next time!
What an intriguing twist your life has taken, Stephanie. I’m so enjoying reading your adventures as you tour. And how enlightened you are to take your sock along and provide all these educational experiences for him/her/it/whatever. Someday that sock will write a memoir, and I imagine you will figure prominently in it. (Everything I Am I Owe to My Harlot…or some such title.) Seriously…I admire the way you approach everything with humor and grace. Hope your luggage finally turned up.
I was at The Weaving Works and have to say that you are sooo very entertaining! It was fabulous until they THOUGHT WE WOULD DIE!! I thought it was only because we were all laughing so hard, but alas it was the heat!
Anyway, besides continuing to sing your praises I was hoping I would get to ask you 2 questions that were too late last night:
1. What do you think about the incredible phenomena of your travelling not only through the countries and not only through your blog, but also through the entire community of knitting blogs?
2. What would your response be if you arrived home to see your husband amidst a languid affair with your ABSOLUTE MOST FAVOURITE WOOL, trying to learn how to knit socks?
If you ever get a chance to answer or think about these questions, I would love to know your responses. Thanks again for a great night! Best Wishes Always, (K-E)
Hey! It was great to see you in Seattle, or Lake Forest Park anyway. And while I’ve never seen them myself, I’ve been told the Blue Planes are really cool. Have fun back in Canada, eh?
Oh, my god. I’ve been waiting for MONTHS, and the day slipped my mind, and I missed it.
I’m going to go hide under the bed, now.
Stephanie – when will you be at Urban Yarns? I have to miss (boohoo) the North Van library event. (Instead, I’ll be meeting people from dh’s office while wearing my swimsuit. Jolly fun. Well parts of it will be, but meeting people with one’s saggy bottom hanging out & wondering whether that shaving cut shows, is a bit of a drag). So do tell – when is the Urban Yarns thing?
Llama Song – Bwahahah!! I’m just glad my kids were already in bed or I’d never hear the end of it.
This is so much fun, reading about your tour. Thanks for taking us all along for the ride.
Ack! Just the mention of llamas and ducks together in the same phrase is enough to set the mind going in repetitive circles! But lots of fun, anyways. Hope you’ve enjoyed the whirlwind West Coast tour, and someday you and your family (including various socks) can come spend more time out here!
It’s a girl!!!
(UNE chaussette)
Thank you MUCH for the link to the Llama Song. “Llama” or “Llamie” are the endearments my dear friend Kris and I have for eachother (long story, and no one thinks its hysterically funny but us!) This MUST become our new theme song!
I also missed the song before this, and now it’s stuck in my head…but I’m not upset. I’m kind of bouncing.
Your descriptions of these cities make me want to visit them. Michigan to Seattle to visit a yarn shop? Must find a better cover story…
Calcutta??? Was that a deliberate pun or a Freudian slip?
That’s a scary thought: the airline will identify your bag for you. Something tells me that you’ll end up with a blow-up doll, and some 62-year-old businessman will be walking around with a caseful of yarn…..
Wouldn’t I love to see the look on that airline person’s face if they open your luggage. Might be pleasant for them after having to look at people’s delicates all the time.
Sounds like you are having a great time. Can I be a sock groupie and travel with? No, huh? Worth a try 🙂
Seattle got the whole sandal story?! When are WE gonna get the whole sandal story? I even offered you a bribe! a fuzzy one no less! sigh…
Damn you, uh, I mean, thanks for the Llama llama duck link. It’s hysterical. Bores into your brain so you can’t hear anything else, but in a fun way. really.
Another Cassie!?! Do we need a webring?
Silly people, socks aren’t male or female, they’re trisexual.
Love the llama llama duck song – want another kicky tune? Try Badger Mushroom Snake.
Hope no one played tricks with you on the proper use of a bidet, my stepmother’s first encounter involved shampooing her waist long hair…
I love hearing of your adventures. This time, I sent the “llama link” to my daughter who has health/financial problems. She opened it at 12:26 a.m., and reported it was a hearty laugh she really needed. Thanks!
I sense a husband about to lose his mind (clicking on llama link again…)
What shawl are you wearing in the picture with Dena? I’ve been reading for several months now but this is my first comment. Don’t suppose you’ll come to Montana where there are way more sheep and goats than yarn stores…mdp
I’m so jealous you got to go to Village Yarn and Tea — I only discovered it *AFTER* I returned home from a (yarn) trip to Seattle. Sigh. What a combination, eh? There’s another on Bainbridge Island — Churchmouse Yarns and Teas — but you have to ferry it over there. Seattle’s great, eh?
Steph,it was lovely and fun to meet you at Third Place Books yeterday. Thanks for the giggles and I promise to NOT talk about nose hair if we ever meet again. If you ever get to Las Vegas, I’ll try to get the Thunderbirds to do a fly-by, they are the Deserts’ version of the Blue Angels. I have a lovely picture of you and your sock at soulknitting.blogspot.com.
When visiting Italy last summer with my family, my brother and I were endlessly amused by the bidet. At one point, he decided that it would make an excellent footbath, since it was directly across from the toilet at leg’s length. I don’t know if I’ve laughed so hard in my life as when I walked into the bathroom to get a hair elastic and found my brother soaking his toes in a bumwasher. 🙂
I’m glad your West Coast tour is going well, even if Seattle only lasted for less than a day! 🙂
Steph,it was lovely and fun to meet you at Third Place Books yeterday. Thanks for the giggles and I promise to NOT talk about nose hair if we ever meet again. If you ever get to Las Vegas, I’ll try to get the Thunderbirds to do a fly-by, they are the Deserts’ version of the Blue Angels. I have a lovely picture of you and your sock at soulknitting.blogspot.com.
Welcome to Vancouver! I hope you have fun, I wish I could come and see you but I have to work. boohoo.. I’m not even allowed to knit here… I’m seriously deprived 🙁
Hello Stephanie! I was at the end of the line at Third Place, with Emma and Duranee who both brought you presents while I brought you NOTHING because I am lame. (Um, the one with the story in Knit Lit the Third.) (And the ones who followed you to Weaving Works.) It was so good to see you. You should know that Third Place Books has that stage and the lights because they have live music every weekend, and they just appropriate it for readings. Somehow that makes the thought a little less scary.
I’m glad you liked it here. I love it here, and I’ve lived all kinds of places. (England, Texas, Connecticut. . .) I understand Toronto has your heart, and for good reason, but if you ever need some mountains and lakes, we’ll be here waiting for you.
I want to see the sock in the bidet, and then maybe then we can find out for sure what gender the sock really is.
Clever sock theories all, but surely you’ve noticed it’s rainbow colored?
Stephanie,
Something tells me that if you start selling shirts with the words “Team Harlot” on the front, there will be a lot of us buying them. I’m wondering how many of them you may have sold while touring . . .
I was bummed not to have seen you in Berkeley, but it seems there is plenty of material here for an “On the Road” type book. Tripping and accidently swiping the MC in Artfibers, I’m gonna remember that one.
Thanks for the llama llama duck song. Finally, something to out do the Viking cats!
That song is perhaps the only thing in the world to outdo the Spongmonkeys: http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/
Yeah, maybe the Spongmonkeys are still ahead. Because I understand llamas, but am still puzzled by what a spongmonkey is.
And I would like a Team Harlot shirt to be produced so I can buy one. Please?
*sigh* I brought presents and didn’t even get a mention…oh well 🙂 You probably had everyone in the whole place bringing you presents!
There’s a great pic of you on my blog…with some random really sick looking woman next you…oh wait, that’s me.
Hope my cold meds didn’t make me too socially-unacceptable!
Libby
The whole entry was splendid, but thanks for adding in the bidet comment. Now I know I’m not the only freakishly odd person who examines new potty features when traveling. Yeah, I thought I knew how to use a potty and then I went to Japan…
i like seattle also.
it was a great place and if there is any place id rather live then delaware it would be seattle.
hope you are having fun on the west coast
hugs
WOW! I feel like I have arrived, being mentioned in your blog and having you pose with my lace. I will eventually get around to blogging about it when I come back down to earth. Thank you so much for a wonderful time. It felt so wonderful to be with so many women who “get it”!
I felt like such a nerd when I pondered going to see you at Third Place Books *AND* the Weaving Works, but then when I got there, a bunch of ladies said they’d done just that! So I almost felt silly for not going, and indulging in my group-knitter-ness. Oh well. At least I think I’ve found a knitting group that I can go to!
And yes, Seattle definitely liked you, so I’m glad you liked it (as best as you could tell, anyhow).
I have been wanting to make it up to Portland and Seattle one day. Your posts make me want to go up there now. Bookstores that require maps?! And now I know where some yarn stores are 😉
And the bidet comment was hialrious. They’re…..interesting, no?
Good to see you, dude, if only for 30 seconds. I read the entire book (huddled in the bathroom while my family slept) and it rocks.
Hope you make it out this way again soon.
Stephanie, you are making us (Canadians) proud the way you are travelling in the US. I read many blogs and the people who have been lucky enough to meet you are ecstatic about it. Everyone thinks you are the best thing since Addi Turbos. So quit putting yourself down (although it is funny to read) and enjoy all those people who love you. Three cheers for Canada.
Evelyn (from Oshawa)
Hi Stephanie!
Ok I looked at one of the bloggers you linked in today’s entry….so what is with “bacon powder”?
Come to Texas one day!
Llama llama duck!? Woosh, my brain really needed that!!! Thanks! *giggles hysterically*
Here’s a link to the Kitty Cat Dance, another mind-numbing fun song that gets stuck in your head. http://www.funnyjunk.com/movies/51/Kitty+Cat+Dance/stream/medium
Patti of the marble here – I got so shy when I met you that I forgot to tell you about explaining to my knitting class (of 11-to 15-year-olds) that you could knit lots of different things – bamboo yarn, silk from bugs, rayon from trees, wire – then showing them some plastic bag knitting. They all went silent and cocked their little heads like confused dogs and gazed at me – one of them said in an utterly mystified voice, “Why would you want to knit with plastic bags?”
My son keeps telling people “Knit plastic bags into . . . bags.” He really did have a good time and thought you were very funny. As we were leaving he said, “That was a lot more fun than I thought it would be.”
Well, you finally visited some people I know! Isn’t this knitting universe funny. Three fourths of the knitters I know are three thousand miles away from me.
I’ve always wanted to use a bidet!
The llama song is quite funny. I was done listening to it though, when it caught my two-year-old’s interest…yes, endless Llama. Agghhh!!!!
Stephanie and All the Knitters and Yarnies ~~
Third Place loved hosting you! Don’t fear the microphones – that helps us hear you over the click-click of the needles. It was a sincere pleasure meeting you all; I tell everyone it was, as a group, the nicest people ever at an author event (“author” just like Jane Hamilton, Brian Francis, Michael Moore….yes, Stephanie IS in the club!) Come back soon! Cheryl of Third Place, Seattle
I’m always late with blog postings– life as a grad student doesn’t always allow enough blogging time– but I’ve finally posted a pic of Portland reciprocal blogging 🙂 Check it out, and also see what an awful project the Powell’s event inspired me to try…
So insanely jealous of You getting to meet Ms. Ryan and TMK. And so insanely jealous of Ms. Ryan getting to meet you. And so insanely jealous of TMK for knowing Ms. Ryan and getting to meet you. That does it, I’m getting divorced and living town to town stalking people for yarn money. Or something.
Have a great day!
Loved meeting you, loved experiencing your sense of humor and way of telling stories in person and not just through the blog! What a trooper you are, too – 2 events in one day. Sorry there wasn’t time to just take you out for a beer after…
Loved meeting you in Vancouver (pics on my site) – and absolutely love the book! Drove my family a little nuts the first night because I kept reading aloud from it.
I didn’t get a chance to meet you at Weaving Works, but I was there and you were awesome. I’m the one that asked you the question re the 50 million knitters and where you got that number. I also am the one who when you were asked why you couldn’t go back to Memphis said (and hopefully it didn’t come out snarky, cause I didn’t mean it snarky) “Did you leave a shoe there?”
Anyway, it was great to see you. You are as funny and fabulous in person as you are on your blog.
Stephanie, I spoke with you for about one minute and you remembered who I was and that I had a blog without me telling you? Wow. I’m now extra, EXTRA impressed with you! Your book reading/chat was so much fun and I still think that you could make a mint with a second career as a stand-up comedienne (if you had time). I hope our paths will cross again. 🙂
I was at Weaving Works and immensely enjoyed meeting you! I can’t imagine that you’d remember me after having met so MANY people on your whirlwind tour, but I was in the line just ahead of Rabbitch and got completely tongue-tied and couldn’t think of one intelligible thing to say. Not one. Not a single bloody one.
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog, and I must say that the stories you told in person were just as fabulous! Presented like a Pro. How do you do it?
I’m already looking forward to your next book!
–Peacock
Stephanie-
It was wonderful to meet you! I am glad you made it out to our neck of the woods! I am enjoying your book greatly!
My husband and I saw the llama llama duck thingy just before Christmas. We thought it was absolutely hilarious, and memorized the first few lines. I bought him two stuffed llamas and a duck for his stocking. I numbered the packages so he’d open them in order. He loved it!