Humour is tragedy plus time.
Mark Twain.
The Plan
3:00AM Wake up using patented Yarn Harlot triple alarm system (wake up call, cell phone alarm, clock radio) with the addition of a phone call from Joe who had stayed awake for this purpose. Skip shower and coffee to save time (I would live to regret that).
3:50 AM – Proceed with luggage to the lobby to stagger into a pre-arranged (and triple checked) taxi, proceed to Cleveland airport.
4:30 AM – Check in with United for a 6:00 AM flight to Chicago.
6:25 AM – (There’s a one hour time difference) Arrive Chicago, elegantly drift through Chicago airport with coffee in hand to make connecting flight to Detroit.
7:30 AM – Board flight to Detroit. Knit. Drink coffee.
9:40 AM Arrive in Detroit (there’s that time change again) and pick up luggage, slide into waiting car, be driven to Ann Arbor where I could nap until 12:30 to make up for getting up at 3:00.
1:00 – Proceed to Ann Arbor library in plenty of time for the knitters.
Well. You know what they say about the best laid plans. What actually happened?
3:00AM. I did wake up using patented Yarn Harlot triple alarm system (wake up call, cell phone alarm, clock radio) with the addition of a phone call from Joe who had stayed awake for this purpose. I did skip shower to save time, but changed my mind and hunted around the lobby of the hotel for coffee that was not there.
4:00 I proceeded, coffeeless, to the front door where the cab would be waiting for me. It was not. I did not instantly panic, because there is little difference between 4:05 and 4:00, and it is this writers observation that this little difference is seldom noted by cab drivers.
4:10. I went back to the lobby and enquired as to the location of my cab. (I had triple checked that the cab had been arranged the day before.) The desk staff checks the computer, notes that indeed…a cab SHOULD have been called, but has not been.
4:12. Remembering the cardinal rule of travellers in distress, that one should never shriek at the people who are in a position to help you, insist in firm but polite voice that a cab must arrive in the next six minutes or I will miss my flight. Smile.
4:15. Desk staff advise me that since we are in the suburbs, the cab will arrive in 20-30 minutes. They apologize. I excuse myself and go stand in the rain with my suitcase, hoping that the water falling on my head will defuse the urge to nix cardinal rule #1. It does not, so I stay outside.
4:48. The cab arrives. I fall into it and explain, in polite, but firm tones, that it is imperitive that I reach the airport before 5:15, or I will not be able to board the flight. The cab driver advises me that this is impossible. I advise him that I have faith in his abilities and resist the urge to scream “DRIVE TAXI MAN, JUST DRIVE!”
All the way to the airport I hope fervently that the flight has been delayed. This will later turn out to be a sparkling example of irony.
5:14 We arrive at the airport and I resist the urge to open mouth kiss the cabbie who clearly attending the James Bond school of driving.
5:15 I present myself at the check in counter where the nice young man tells me that if I had been even 30 seconds later, he wouldn’t have been able to put me on the plane. I don’t kiss him either.
5:30 I am on the plane.
6:25 Arrive at Chicago. Delay at the gate and wonder how gracefully I am actually going to be able to connect to my next flight.
6:50 Discover that the flight I need to connect to is in another terminal and that it is too early for the shuttle bus to be running. I run instead.
7:00 Board flight, sweaty, flushed and vaguely hostile with a stitch in my side and hair that looks like I style it with a cuisinart hand blender.
7:30 – 9:20 (Remember that time change) sit on the flight while an extraordinarily unfortunate wee lamb of an eight year old barfs prolifically and profoundly in the seat behind me All. The. Way. There.
9:20 The flight begins to descend into Detroit. As the plane sinks, my spirits rise. Almost there! The wheels come down, we sight the runway through the fog and ….
9:25, the plane veers back up into the sky and we don’t land.
9:30 The pilot expains that he doesn’t have the visibilty to land. I start to feel nauseous….though it’s hard to tell if this is the effect of the pilots announcement or the effect of the eight year old behind me. Perhaps both. He says we’re going to circle for 10 minutes, then try again, and that if we can’t land this time, we’ll have to go back to Chicago. The plane collectively holds it’s breath and tries to clear fog with the power of it’s mind.
9:40 We fail. The plane goes back up again and the planeload of people explode in a common outburst of frustration. Nobody wants to die in a fiery runway crash, but there is the general feeling that if WE were flying the plane, we could have done better. When the pilot announces that we are going back to Chicago, the eight year old becomes hysterical.
9:15 (Remember the time change) we are back in Chicago, and the airline announces that they are not going to try again, but instead are going to try and fit us onto other flights to Detroit. For the first time, I start to actively worry that I am about to really screw over a bunch of knitters.
9:20 I am third in line at the customer service desk to get another flight. I am proud of this, and also that I am in the 50% of the people waiting there who are not crying in public.
10:20 They tell me there’s another flight. They book it. I run. When I arrive at the gate they tell me I’m “standby” and that I’m not getting on. I wait hopefully, but I don’t get on. As I run full tilt back to the customer service desk I place the first of a series of semi-hysterical calls to Jayme-the-wonder-publicist, who is enjoying pancakes and a latte at her home. I hold this against her very firmly.
10:50 There is a flight boarding at 10:54. I run. I do not get on.
The second phone call is made to Jayme.
11:15 75% of the people in the line are crying. I, for the time being, am not. I explain (in not so mild tones) that they need to FIX THIS and FIND A PLANE because THE KNITTERS ARE WAITING FOR ME. This, inexplicably, does not go over well. The agent tells me that she can book me on a flight with another airline if I will “voluntarily separate” from my luggage, which they will still try to get to Detroit on another United Flight. I do three things.
1. Briefly define the word “voluntary” for them.
2. Do it.
3. Emotionally acknowledge that since I am in a different city for each of the next four days, that I my luggage will never catch up with me again and I am going to be wearing the same underpants and outfit for the duration of this tour. For the first time, I come to understand the deep significance of my decision to delay my bath that morning.
11something:00 (it was getting blurry) Arrive at the gate for the other flight and learn that it is delayed. Wait. Wait more. Call Jayme.
Call her again. Wait. Start thinking that I am in really, really big do-do.
11:30. They announce that the flight has been cancelled due to “mechanical problems”. Once again, decide that I am sort of glad that I have not died in a fiery crash, but deflate emotionally in the worst kind of way as I run – flat out, back across two terminals (Ihatethechicagoairport) to the customer service desk while calling Jayme and really, really begin to panic.
11:45. 95% of the people at the desk are crying. I am almost one of them. I feel sort of dizzy and there’s a terrible catch in my throat as I realize that I’m probably falling apart due to not having eaten or had any coffee yet. Emotionally acknowledge that if I take care of either of those things, I will loose my place in line and also, likely, the last chance I have of making it to Ann Arbor. I call Jayme, and she very sensibly suggests that maybe if I’m not going to be able to get out of Chicago in time for the event, that maybe I should stop trying, especially since I need to go back to Chicago the next day. Sadly (for Jayme) this suggestion was met with some rather loud resistance on my part.
12:20 Still in line, my cell phone rings. I think it is Jayme, and answer the phone while saying to the desk agent “No….I really have to go to Detroit right now…” It isn’t Jayme, but is Rachel H. who has driven to Ann Arbor for the event and is waiting for me…at the library wtih Our Lady Rams of the comments. Rachel asks me where I am and I reply (*&^%$!!!!ing CHICAGO. Rachel sounds the alarm to the library and the assembled knitters begin to send airplane vibes my way. The woman at the desk tells me there is another flight I can’t make.
12:25. My cell phone dies. My charger is in my voluntarily separate luggage.
12:26 I get a flight! I am booked (standby) on the 1:10 to Detroit and bolt for the gate. I arrive with a little time to call Jayme and Rachel and tell them that my plane will land at 3:30, but my cellphone is dead. I remember that I have a Vonage phone on the laptop and I use that, laptop held to my face as I sit at the gate looking like a maniac yelling into the screen that I am going to come and what about a car and how will I get to Ann Arbour and I can’t hear Jayme and it keeps cutting out and they are calling standby names and I can’t hear mine and I think I’m really going to loose it because theeventstartsat2andIamnotgoingtobethereuntil4
andthisissoterribleandIamgettingreallyupset…
and the man sitting next to me says.
“I’ll drive you.”
I blink at him. “What?”
“I’ll drive you.” he says again. “I live nearby, My car is at the airport, you can grab our luggage while I grab the car and I’ll get you there really fast. I’ll help you.” He looks at me seriously. “I can do this” he says.
Now, I’ve been shuttling back and forth from flight to flight and line to line with this guy for a while, but all I know about him is that his name is Brad. Taking the ride would solve a huge problem, but it also breaks about 76 safety rules. I try to figure out if I’m willing to risk getting in the car of a potential axe murderer so as to not disappoint knitters. I write a few headlines in my mind (Knitter found dead due to stupid mistake involving undercaffeination) “Brad” I say, “You’re very kind and generous, but I can’t get in your car. I don’t even know your last name.”
Brad whips out his passport and shows it to me.
“Tell Jayme my last name and address he says. Keep my I.D.”
I look at Brad. I look at his passport, and I suddenly decide that something has gone wrong with the world when one decent human being can’t help another human being who could really use because we have all gotten so paranoid that we can scarcely be a civilasation together, and I look Brad in the eye and I decide to trust him. I decide he’s a good guy. I shake hands with him, tell Jayme his name and address (because I am an optimist, not a moron) and Brad and I agree that when we land (if we land, Brad was on the flight that merely “grazed” Detroit earlier that morning…that I will get his suitcase, he will fetch his car and we will streak toward Ann Arbor.
I do get on the flight, and on the way there I finally have time to think about my situation. I have been up since 3am. I have not had any coffee or food. A couple of hundred knitters that I am responsible for sticking in the Ann Arbor library have either left, since I am going to be two hours late, or they are there….and angry. I don’t know what I could have done differently, but I feel horribly responsible and guilty. I knit and fuss all the way there. I don’t know what I’m going to say when I get there. Sorry? I anticipated three pissed off knitters waiting for me. I imagined buying them dinner so that I could redeem myself somehow. I couldn’t imagine that the knitters were waiting for this long, never mind nicely. Boy. Little did I know that this is what was happening while I was redefining my personal baseline for Hell.
3:40. The plane does land in Detroit (I was intending to jump if the plane got as close to the ground as it did in the morning) and I grab luggage while Brad runs for his car. We jump in, and Brad drives like a graduate of Nascar High all the way to the library, which he just happens to know the exact location of. (Dude. How much do I respect Brads skill set right then?) Brad parked in a “Staff only” spot (we’llsortthatoutlater) and I bolted..Nay…moved like LIGHTNING trailing my suitcase behind me (only vaguely aware that I was still unfed, still undercaffeinated, badly dressed, dirty and rather sweaty) into the back of the library where Tim (hereafter referred to as Saint Tim – for in all of this it is important to remember that the Ann Arbor Library made not a dime, and only took our knitterly weirdness because they love books and the book loving public) greeted me with “Hurry!” vs the more customary “Hello!” (I love him for that. It’s exactly where my priorities were.) I rushed to the room, ripping my speech notes, camera and sock out of my bag and throwing my coat over my shoulder (where the lovely Rachel H. caught it…) and careened into the room where I was sure that a few hostile but persistent knitters awaited.
Wrong again. I love knitters. I loved them more when I explained about my hero Brad,
and they gave him a standing ovation.
(Brad is the beet red one in the back.) I gave my speech, nobody threw rocks or DPNs and I met knitters. I am going to beg off of my usual link fest here, since this post will never, ever be up if I do. (Plus I’m running on three hours of sleep again today and I swear that linking is too hard for me. Tell your stories in the comments, I love hearing what this day was like from your end.)
Here’s Riin,
The Black Sheep knitters Guild
Part of the Albion knitters guild
Oh, it was grand. A thousand apologies to anyone who wasn’t able to wait, I’m so very sorry it took so long. (I am working on controlling air traffic with the power of my mind, but am proceeding slowly)
I am forever grateful that you guys hung in. I am also grateful to Saint Tim…finest librarian in the world and a friend to knitters everywhere:
and Greg the security guy, who stayed on his own time so that I could sign all the books even though the library was closed.
I am very grateful for his kindness.
In the end, it was the best of times and the worst of times (oh…wait. That’s another book.) and I learned several things. If you are ever at the end of an exceedingly long day and can’t imagine how you will go on, throw yourself into the arms of professional commenters Rams, Rachel H. and Presbytera. The food and beer they found for me at the end of the day tasted better than the muffin I ate after 28 hours of labour – and that is saying something. Never underestimate the ability of knitters to wait nicely. Never underestimate their ability to make friends and a party everywhere they go. Never forget to extend trust to your fellow humans. Remember to accept the kindness of strangers, we are perhaps too cynical and forget that we are all in this together. Don’t forget that knitters excel at building communities and taking care of each other.
Mostly…
Never book an event on April fools day. (The irony was not lost on me all freakin’ day.) and never, ever change planes at O’Hare International airport, if you can possibly avoid it.
Sounds like one hell of a day…but remember–those were knitters you were dealing with, and you are the Harlot. No problems. =)
So great to hear about your adventures. I’ve also enjoyed going to the links and hearing about your talks from the “other side.” Can’t wait until Petaluma!
Oh, girl, what a day! I must say, though, only you can moosh the universe around such that Brad the Sainted was at the right spot at the right time. You got his address – what size socks does he wear?
Oh my word…that is about the worst travel story I’ve ever heard. But you shouldn’t have been worried about knitters being angry at being made to wait. They were with their own and they had their knitting to keep them busy! Didn’t you mention something like that in the book? I’m glad you made it safe and sound and hope you get some rest.
Don’t worry, we Chicagoans know how you feel when it comes to O’Hare! We hate it too!! Hate that I missed you while you were here! I had my book ready and everything before some idiot hit my parked car and it had to go to the Jetta hospital, which made it quite difficult to get to the burbs. Heard you were great! Just take it one 3 a.m. wake up call at a time.
Don’t worry, we Chicagoans know how you feel when it comes to O’Hare! We hate it too!! Hate that I missed you while you were here! I had my book ready and everything before some idiot hit my parked car and it had to go to the Jetta hospital, which made it quite difficult to get to the burbs. Heard you were great! Just take it one 3 a.m. wake up call at a time.
Loved the story – Loved the beginning, the middle and the end – I was crying and laughing at the same time…..PS my brother celebrates his birthday every year on April Fool’s Day!!!
Ok. Now. I. Am. Crying.
Dear Stephanie, I was in Ann Arbor, in a crowd of knitters who patiently waited for your arrival. We were happy to wait. But, now that I have heard your story, I feel so bad for you. No food. No coffee. NO COFFEE. OMGosh that is horrible. To go through all you did, and you did it for us. And you were worried we would be angry?!? Not an angry thought in the bunch. We just sat, knitted, talked, and waited patiently for you. In fact, we were having fun….all while you were going through trauma with NO COFFEE!!!
All I can say is THANK YOU for going through that, and then being able to make us all laugh, and laugh and laugh. My cheeks HURT when all was said and done, from all that laughing!
You are an angel, and I hope the rest of your tour goes by much easier than A2 did.
Love, Connie
Right on sister
Wow, this is turning out to be a challenging tour for you!
But its good to be reminded of total strangers’ ability to do good, whether offering you a ride or waiting patiently and happily for your arrival.
Oh my gosh! What a wonderfully terrible day. That puts my last experience at that airport to shame. I was trying to fly out to Norway. So I get to Chicago and run to the connecting flight and we take off into the night. After flying for about an hour and a half the airplane was hot and stuffy, and we had to turn back because of air pressure problems. *cry* When we landed we had to wait hours for another plane, and although we were off the plane it was so early in the morning that _nothing_ in the airport was open. We had no coffee, and no food, and everyone was miserable. I flown in and out of O’Hare several times with no issue, but I guess when it’s bad it’s really really bad.
At least it all worked out okay in the end. Who knew that just like cats, Harlots always land on their feet?
the best thing about O’Hare? they have a shoe repair shop right in the middle of the airport full of ”We Can Do That’ kinda poeple…
the worst thing about O’Hare? pretty much everything else…
Brava, brave knitter, brava!
Looking forward to seeing you in Denver tomorrow.
Oh god, I can’t imagine. I’m so glad I don’t have to travel a lot, though some of my travels have been SO stressful. My mode of transportaiton of choice right now is Amtrak and you know how that can be.. late. Really late.
But mostly not TOO late out west.
And god, I hate O’Hare. Why is it so horrible? So awful!? So TERRIBLE! I hate having to change planes there because they are NEVER in the same terminal, it’s always all the way on the other side of the freakin’ airport and you’re rushing and hurrying and hoping you get there.
GAH
Yeah to Brad and Tim and all those wonderful muggles who love us anyway. I think someone may get a pair of hand knit socks. Now, you really didn’t think that knitters would be bored or angry waiting for someone or something. I myself LOVE taking my six yearold to all his activities! Why? I have my handy dandy portable obsession with me! I also have a spare project in the car at all times. Anyway, looking forward to your visit to Portland.
Okay, now I have to explain to my coworkers why I am laughing so hard I have tears streaming down my cheeks. It’s sympathy laughter, though, as I’ve been there, done that — although not to the degree you did.
In my case, it was circling over Heathrow while waiting for the fog to clear as a lovely flight attendant told me not to worry that since our plane couldn’t land the one I was to connect with couldn’t take off. She was wrong. And, since I was only 12 at the time, she then got to call my parents and explain. Note to travel industry personnel everywhere: Never begin a call to a parent with the words “Sir, this is the airline calling about your daughter.” It makes parents think you have misplaced the child or worse.
Hopefully your journey to the Twin Cities went better than the one to Ann Arbor.
I wonder if Brad is single?
If he is, I hope he took advantage of his hero-status and got a phone number or two!
Having once been stranded in O’Hare for about 24 hours, your story made all those memories come flooding back. I am SO thrilled that your story ended well, however, and dude. How cool is Brad? I’m up for beatifying the man. (Also, I am a terrible, terrible person because your woes make me laugh. I’m going to the hot place, but I will at least go with a smile on my face.)
We were all SO glad when you finally made it! I’m so sorry about the terrible events that preceeded your speaking, but I hope you come back to Ann Arbor again!
We were all SO glad when you finally made it! I’m so sorry about the terrible events that preceeded your speaking, but I hope you come back to Ann Arbor again!
Wow! I think this is so wonderfully written it could be a short story all its own. Everyone who has flown can relate and everyone who has waited can be uplifted and heartwarmed by the community of knitters who were there when you arrived.
You should submit it to the magazine of the airline you flew on…it would be one more way to represent
Lately it seems nearly ever time I am waiting somewhere and working on my WPI, I meet another knitter and have an instant connection. What a community we all are and you Stephanie are our Samuel Johnson
I hate to say it, but this is what’s it’s like just about every time I fly anywhere. No exaggeration – I’m famous for it. If anything can go wrong when I’m flying, it will. But I usually don’t have a roomful of people at the other end waiting for me to give a talk!
Glad to hear that you finally made it, and I hope you survive the rest of the tour in one piece. Get some sleep, girl!
Wow. Remind me to never fly into or out of Chicago!
Brad needs a pair of socks. He is a hero in the truest sense. Wow, what a trip. This, folks, is precisely why I do no fly.
I would never have guessed in a million years that I would feel lucky one day to get off “easy” with the cab fiasco on Canal Street.
But you still made me laugh. Can we all send Brad hats or something?
Man, too bad you and I are already married!! That Brad sounds like a keeper!!
I hope you’re resting now.
Brad is the absolutely best part of this story! What a lesson, what an intervention. You gave him the perfect opportunity to back out of being nice but he stuck in there and convinced you to trust him and why? Because he was nice. Wow.
The worst airport moment for me was when my son was traveling unaccompanied at age 8 and the second I entered the airport an hour before his plane was supposed to land, I heard my name paged over the loud speaker. I was told to go to the counter for his airline.
Totally freaked me out!
The person behind the counter just handed me a phone without saying anything…nice…and finally the voice on the other end said the only phrase that I wanted to hear
“Just to let you know, everythings OK…but the flight was delayed and what would you like us to get your son for dinner?”
After wiping my eyes, steadying my hands, and taking a sip from the hip flask, I was able to sputter “ummmm, a burrito.”
Yeah, way to scare the momma.
Keep on chugging!
Tina
Hmm…so if there’s only room in the carry-on bag for clean underwear OR extra wool, which do I take? It’s important to prepare for emergencies – but what’s more important?
Brad is a hero. We definitely need to find a way to send some wooly knitterly goodness his way!
I would never have guessed in a million years that I would feel lucky one day to get off “easy” with the cab fiasco on Canal Street.
But you still made me laugh. Can we all send Brad hats or something?
Wow… what a story! The first time I ever had to change planes by myself was in O’Hare… at the age of 10. I’ve avoided flying into/through/near O’Hare at all costs ever since! I’m so glad you had a few angels of mercy to look out over you and aid you! And just think, if this is the worst part of your nightmare travel schedule, then at least it’s done and over with, and all is well that ends well! Good luck in the rest of your journeys!
Oh my god – you were in the 7th ring of hell. But a nice American saved your bacon in the end, and you had the good sense to trust Brad! Can’t wait to see you tonight in St. Paul. I will probably faint dead away at the honor. Good luck with the rest of your travels!
CORRECTION: I didn’t meant to say that you (Stephanie) and I (Liz) are married to each other.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Welcome to the “I Hate O’Hare” club! I’ve learned to book flights with connections in Chicago so that there is a minimum 90 minute layover time. That way, when my flight is late arriving, I don’t have to kill anyone during a mad dash to another terminal to catch the plane for my next leg.
Sorry you had such a bad time of it, but happy that everyone had fun while waiting for you!
I had to put my coffee down or I would have spilled it down my shirt. I was laughing, but I know travel screw-ups aren’t really funny at the time. Especially when you’re desperate to get somewhere, and people are relying on you. In a situation like that, you have to realize that none of this is your fault, and everyone will understand. (hopefully.) That usually works for me, anyway. Going into my happy place and staying there is better than getting an ulcer.
O’Hare… boy do I have stories from that airport. I’ve slept overnight in all kinds of uncomfortable situations and places there. Almost exclusively while flying on United, and due to problems completely in control of the airline, not weather. Sorry in advance if I offend anyone out there, but I have not had a pleasant flying experience on United in six years, to the point that I just paid an additional hundred dollars to fly on another airline next month, and with my budget that’s beyond huge. But at least I know I’ll get where I want to be within 12 hours of the scheduled time, instead of lying on the floor at O’Hare overnight. The last time was trying to fly west to meet my fiance’s parents for the first time. I was right there with you on the looks department: sweaty from running like a mad woman, crumpled from sleeping on the floor, unwashed, undercaffinated, and hungry! (they still loved me 😉 )
And good for you for trusting someone, I’ve been in that same situation, where your heart says Hey! Another person like me who’d help where they could, but your head’s doing the REE REE sound from Psycho. It’s always worked out for me.
Oh Brad, I want to knit him something. He sounds like such a nice guy.
I admire your patience. When I get hungry, I get so cranky. I couldn’t go that long without freaking out. (You know, because food was the main issue here..)
The Ann Arbors certainly sound worth all the trouble, though. 🙂
What a very lovely story. Good for you that you trusted that fellow and accepted his very nice offer. It isn’t such a bad old world, is it?
Oh wow, what a day you had. This is proving to be a challenging tour for you!
I wish you were coming to Indianapolis. I just picked up Cast Off today and I can’t wait to get reading
I almost forgot to say, was Brad an angel dropped from Heaven or what? He definitely deserves a knitted item. I vote for socks. Did you happen to notice how big his feet are? What an adorable man. I wonder if he’s married.
Oh dear Stephanie. I thought my favorite part of your story was going to be that a knitting circle was going on in the library while you waited (man and I bet they had a rockin good time).. until you introduced Brad. I agree.. he needs a pair of socks. And he even stayed on for the event. What a guy. I’m sure once you’ve slept and had some decent food and coffee this will all be a lovely story you share… “haha.. remember that time I went to Ann Arbor?” Rachel H and Rams rock hard..
Oh dear Stephanie. I thought my favorite part of your story was going to be that a knitting circle was going on in the library while you waited (man and I bet they had a rockin good time).. until you introduced Brad. I agree.. he needs a pair of socks. And he even stayed on for the event. What a guy. I’m sure once you’ve slept and had some decent food and coffee this will all be a lovely story you share… “haha.. remember that time I went to Ann Arbor?” Rachel H and Rams rock hard..
Blessed Lord !!! There are STILL some very nice people in this world and Brad and the library people prove it. I’m so glad everything turned out for you all. Just an idea for you when you travel and miss your coffee—Buy some of those chocolate covered coffee beans and keep them in your purse for QUICK cafeine pick ups for emergencies like this one. Knitters are by the very nature of their obsession very patient people and you and the knitters waiting proved that too. GOOD luck on the rest of the trip.
Honey, you need a spa day after that brutality. Keep breathing! Plus you’ve got the best kind of fan base and audience! We bring our knitting so we can wait as long it takes til the Harlot comes home!
Most important question went unanswered— DID THEY LET YOU KNIT ON THE STUPID PLANE, OR WHAT?????
prayers for your luggage to show and for you to recover… please come back to Michigan…next time will be better! & I want to be able to say “Hi!”
Hey, Girlfriend, we had a great time waiting for you! It’s not like we didn’t have anything to do! 😉 We are so glad you didn’t give up trying to reach us. And Brad is a HERO!
I don’t like the Chicago airport either. Several years ago the plane we were supposed to get on wasn’t working or something like that and we had the joy of spending the night in the airport. Also a few years ago i was trying to fly back home from Germany, when i was supposed to be boarding the plane i found out that the plane was just leaving the U.S. Also they like to lose luggage… I don’t ever want to visit Chicago just because of the airport.
Awww, the standing ovation for Brad made me teary. What a sweetie. I hope his wife/partner knits him something extra-good.
Hun, you had a true day from hell, but you of all people should know how patient knitters are, I mean it’s not like we didn’t have anything to do!
I only wish you could have been there for the several hours we all waited, it was really an amazing experience being in that room with all those knitters for all those hours happily knitting and chatting away knowing for certain you were going to have one heck of a story to tell once you finally did arrive. I’m kinda surprised no one took the initiative to teach Tim how to knit just to get him to stop turning on the microphone every 20-minutes. And that Brad is truly a saint for getting you there.
You’ll have to let us know what happened to your “separated” luggage. Did it end up catching up with you? Or have you still not gotten it back? You didn’t have any yarn in there, did you? OH! That must have been hard to let go!!
Brad to the rescue!!
All this with no food and no coffee? My god, I don’t know how you managed. I would have been a screaming bloody maniac. Well, I may not have been bloody, could have been someone else which would have been a whole other set of problems. I commend your self control.
Hugs to Brad the wonder cab and to Tim, the Library man.
Whew!
Hooray for Brad! That was just incredibly nice.
Also, adding another vote to the “I hate O’Hare!” camp. I’ve actually lost count of the number of bad (now kind of funny) experiences I’ve had at O’Hare.
Brad–Thanks for restoring my faith in humanity!
O’Hare–Been there, done that. Many times. My sympathies!
For Brad the Hero, I have one word: Dude!
For future travels I have one word for you: Chocolate covered espresso beans.
I’m laughing and crying (but not barfing, thank goodness). I hope that your luggage has caught up with you and that you get some sleep!
Glad you made it to Ann Arbor! I avoid flying through Chicago at all costs. Minneapolis and Detroit are both worlds better, as I’m sure you know by now. But if you had to be stuck, at least you were stuck with Brad. I’m glad that you trusted him to drive you. I would have, too.
Never mind open-mouth kissing the cabbie — I don’t know how Brad managed to get away without one! 😉 I have bad experiences every time I ever fly through O’Hare or Philadelphia — too bad so many flights connect through one or the other!
I forsee Brad having hand knitted socks in his future.
We’re all glad that you didn’t listen to Jayme the Wonder Publicist and stay in Chicago! Your talk was great. And you wouldn’t BELIEVE how much knitting we got done while we were waiting. No one was angry, we were all worried about you and how you were probably freaking out!
I woke up this morning with my stuffy head, slight headache & achy, achy joints & muscles and I thought, I may feel bad but poor Yarn Harlot, she has seemingly the most grueling schedule ever; it must be so awful for her. Little did I know. I have one word: Amtrak. It is so much more civil & pleasant to take a train – especially if you are not going that far (& Chicago to Detroit [or Minneapolis or St. Louis or even Memphis] is not that far) – actually it is usually no slower especially now with Homeland Security (am I the only one who still gets a little shiver down my back at that word because it sounds so Nazi-like?)
Man, all that running would have made me pee my pants, and I can totaly relate to the breaking a sweat thing.
Oh, dear. I can’t decide which would have been more horrifying for me: all that time without coffee, or the prodigiously vomiting eight year old? (I have a very big phobia about vomiting.) So glad you have more humor and intestinal fortitude than I. And praise be to Rams et al, who helped you find beer — you EARNED it!
Um, ok Detroiters, who among us wants to tell Stephanie how long it would have taken her to to drive from Cleveland to Ann Arbor? Us Michigan people will drive just about anywhere to avoid O’Harried Airport. Glad you made it.
ok, i actually got a little choked up reading this. human beings are alright, in my book.
Oh my gosh, you poor thing! And to see you yesterday, we never would have guessed all you’d been through the past few days! (I’m sure I would never have made such a speedy recovery, but rather would have built myself a little book-fort in some corner of Ann Arbor library where I could whimper for a few days in peace.
So lovely to meet you last night, and I hope the rest of your travels on this tour are FAR less eventful!
(Also? Hearing about Brad made me cry. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a cryer, but seriously – not that you didn’t have enough on your mind, but you didn’t perhaps get his measurements, did you? We could hook him up with a lifetime supply of handknitted wool socks in relatively short order, is all I’m saying. 😉 )
I was there in Ann Arbor – the LYS had a 20% off sale (2 blocks away from the library!) and the kids were entertaining us with “parades” – there were no angry thoughts towards you, just increased anticipation about when you were going to arrive. Good luck on the rest of your trip!
Chicago O’Hare airport is quite literally the only airport that has ever made me cry, and I’ve been in airports in three continents. I think YOU are fabulous for managing to not break down! And may Brad and Tim be praised!
I hope you get more sleep and beer. 🙂
Holy Moley! Brad certainly deserves praise and knitted thanks for going that extra mile (literally). If only there were more Brad’s in the world….
If you’re stuck for an anecdote for Book #5, this would be a good candidate!
Just a thought… could book tours be a little less whirlwind, perhaps? With a little catchup time built in, particularly when visiting different cities on consecutive days, and especially when a trip has to start in the middle of the night, a.k.a. sparrowfart?
I’m personally looking forward to the Toronto stop on your tour (when is that, again?), which would mean ground-based transporation… perhaps an appealing thought, right about now.
Ok, your post made me cry, but in a good way. I love to hear stories about good people out there who help for “no reason at all”…
Glad you were able to make it, hope you recover soon!
I love Brad!
This tale had me in tears (of laughter and joy when the day was saved) but I can see very clearly that any tears you may have shed would have been of a different nature.
How in the world did you not just burst into tears when you actually got to the library!! And thank you for the reminder to be kind to strangers. 🙂
Chicago is a fine city. O’hare airport is perhaps the airport from hell (and i say this when i live near and most frequently use LaGuardia airport, (purgatory!)
Its a million miles from one gate to the other, and a 2 minute delay results in mad dashes from 1 end to the other (LaG’s saving grace is, it is the size of postage stamp, and one can get from one terminal to another in a reasonable time)
Thank you to Brad-its nice to know that there are good people in the world (and they you had the grace to be put in their way!)
Chuckle. I feel like I need to stick up for my airport. I will probably get pelted with large rotten fruit for saying this, but in the 15 years I’ve lived in Chicago, I’ve only had two O’hare related issues and both were weather related. And mostly I fly with United. (Ducking just about now). That said, for flights to Detroit, I’d recommend Midway airport.
Anyway, three cheers for Brad — he sounds like a true Ann Arborite. Sometimes I really miss my home town.
Hope the rest of your airline adventures go better!
Oh lord–you didn’t tell us about the eight year old. That would have broken me. Yay for Tim and Greg getting their props! If I lived in Ann Arbor I would sign up for TWO library cards just to show my appreciation.
I was in Ann Arbor. It was well worth waiting two hours for – and the wait provided two hours of guilt-free knitting time. 🙂 Someone finished a sweater, and got a round of applause out of it. Plus, they staged a parade for us – there was a kids’ craft event going on upstairs, and they all came down to show all the knitters their silly April Fool’s Day hats.
Honestly, I’d be surprised if more than three people left.
That said: THANK YOU! for suffering through such a horrible travel experience to come speak to us. I think everyone would have understood if you’d cancelled, under the circumstances.
And somehow I knew there were going to be offers of knitted garments for Brad. If his address were to get posted, I think he’d be inundated with so many hats, scarves, and socks it would take him a week to dig out from under the pile. 🙂
Holy what a day. O’Hare certainly is not a place that would be fun to run around like that. I am so sorry, but so glad that you made it anyway.
And yeah for Brad and all the other grand people out there willing to help you!
Wow, that certainly was quite the adventure! I am glad you were not speared with any DPNs!
Yay Brad! I agree…socks. And I have to give him credit also for the whole “passport” thing. Gave me the weepies in the tummy.
Brad made me cry! What a lovely person
WOW! I’m exhausted just reading your post!!! Glad you survived and that the knitters got you some good beer!
What a very Amazing Race story!!! I’m glad that it ended well – airplane, car ride, knitters & library staff.
(Wow – there were zero comments when I started reading . . . )
Oh my goodness! My husband came home for lunch just as I pulled up your blog, and so got to hear all the airport stuff – he had to head back to the office before you actually arrived in Ann Arbor.
Poor man, he almost aspirated his sandwich two or three times while I read it he laughed so hard. I don’t remember which parts, except he really liked the “sparkling example of irony.” I got tears in my eyes just trying not to laugh long enough to keep reading for him.
That Brad guy is quite the hero, and understanding of your reluctance to just get into a car with him. Many others would have taken offense instead of offering you their passport as a security blanket.
Glad you didn’t go down in a fiery plane crash. Hope you’re getting some much needed and well-deserved sleep. Can’t wait for Anchorage!
Dear Brad: You’re a peach. Thanks for being such a standup guy, and for restoring a little bit of my faith in humanity.
Dear Stephanie – you were/are soooo worth waiting for! Thank you for not giving up on us. My daughters enjoyed themselves as well.
May the rest of the tour be easy!
🙂
Yeah, I travel a bunch for work, and “avoid O’Hare like the plague” is one of my cardinal travelling rules. It’s a vortex of evil.
I’ve not had a travel day like that one in a while, but man, they suck more than anything. Glad you survuved your’s!
I had also heard about the yarn sale two blocks away while the knitters waited. Yarn sale? A few extra hours to knit, chat, laugh? I wouldn’t even have considered leaving because you were late. Sorry to hear about your many travel woes, but the knitters’ end of it sounds like heaven! I’m glad it all worked out in the end.
And I’m sure not a few knitters are wondering if you got Brad’s phone number!
Ohhh the tings you do for us knitters.
And: Yay for Sir Brad
Only you, dear. Only you.
Here’s to hoping that was the hardest day you’ll ever have on tour. See you tomorrow!
I really feel like knitting something nice for Brad. Would it completely freak him out to get a box of hand-knitted garments from grateful knitters? I’m so glad it all worked out. It sounds like a downright harrowing day, but it ended well.
Wow! I’m glad you are safe and sound at least! Much love goes to Brad and everyone who helped you out!
GO BRAD! That’s smashing. I’m so glad you made it!
OK you have his name & address, shoe size?, Brad definitely deserves a set of hand made socks! & you know lots of people who can help there, did you warn him at all about what he was walking into? Did you find out if he was single? I’m sure there are single knitters out there who would appreciate a guy like that.
i laughed out loud but i understand your pain-oh the airlines! it is such a big business, can they NOT figure out a better way to run it???!!? can you even imagine if any other businees in the world was run the same way? disaster. but you should know by now that any knitters given an excuse where “all they can do is sit and knit” will gladly take it!!
I think I’m in love with Brad! (Don’t tell my husband.) Now I’m off to find a tissue.
I’m so sorry that you had to go through so much on your trip. My husband and I just had a similar experience last week on our trip to Israel. It’s no fun. I’m from Minnesota and our flight crew was MIA so we ended up missing our connecting flight to Tel Aviv. I was hoping to see you tonight in St. Paul, but the event was all filled up (got home Monday from Israel and found out that we needed to RSVP and it was too late) Shucks. Well, I need some sleep anyway.
At the risk of drawing your wrath (go ahead, I can take it), several times while reading your story I kept wondering why you didn’t just rent a car and drive. Isn’t it about 200 miles from Chicago to Ann Arbor? I know..it’s hard to focus when you get in those situations. Glad heros stepped up and everything turned out okay.
I feel your pain. I hate O’Hare. My three year old daughter and I were stuck there for 48 hours last month. Ugggg.
I used to have to go to Reno every January. One year it was too foggy there for us to even get on the plane in Burbank (about a sixty-mile drive from home), so we came back the next day and the airline decided to give it a try. We ended up circling over the Sierra and Great Basin for two hours before we finally landed. Ours was the first plane that had landed in three days; the airport was a madhouse, the rental car agencies were falling apart, and hotel housekeeping was having a collective nervous breakdown.
About two years later I went by myself and it was foggy yet again (Reno sits in a cup and has an inversion layer in the winter, so this isn’t actually surprising). I ended up landing four hours later than scheduled, since the airline had consolidated the afternoon flights into just one for those of us who wouldn’t give up and leave. I made it to my meeting after bribing the hotel shuttle driver to go by a department store so I could buy a clean blouse and some underwear, as my luggage was still in Los Angeles (no one else in the shuttle, thank heaven). Of course, my luggage showed at about midnight, purely because I didn’t need it desperately. A couple of other engineers at the conference who hadn’t gone shopping didn’t get their luggage until midnight the next day.
Had I been in your position I might have considered calling a rental car agency, getting a car, and driving to Ann Arbor. It’s about a half-day drive, I think, and a lot easier on the nerves than is dashing all over O’Hare with your hair on fire. However, I’m a Westerner and we have different ideas about what a reasonable drive might be.
Anyway, I’m glad you got there, pleased that it worked out so well, and cheered by how well relying on the kindness of strangers worked.
Brad is clearly (note plain gold band) married, not only because of the ring, but because he’s a nice guy. That said, I’m guessing Brad is about 5″11″-6’1″ based on the picture and judging by those hands, probably wears about a size 10 shoe … Anyone else agree?
His wife may wonder what gives after he relates that he rescued a harlot and took her to the library and then he starts getting socks …
Oh Stephanie, you are a trooper and we love you for it! Even when Jayme gave you the option of staying in Chicago you insisted on coming to Ann Arbor…and Trish (aka Bloomin Knitiot) and I were there waiting patiently (sorta) for you. I’m the one that gave you the mini raglan on a hanger….remember? The only hostility of the afternoon was directed at Tim the library guy when he told us we couldn’t eat food in the room! Yeah, right! It was SO worth the wait for us, and I hope you get to catch up on sleep very soon. It was great to meet you finally!
After reading all that…all I can say is wow. What a damn day. And just so you know, everyone hates the Chicago airport. It is the seventh pit of travel hell. After my own experience where I got singed, I now do everything in my power to avoid flying to O’hare. Unless I am visiting Chicago itself which is an awesome City.
Hi! Now I am sure I am not sending my son (age 16) on a flight from NYC to Cleveland so he can join the family at my sister’s wedding. Because guess what – if you want to go to Cleveland, unless you want to pay for nonstop, you have to go through O’Hare! No wonder the airlines are so broke – wasting all that fuel!
Brad is a saint and now dear to the heart of knitters everywhere.
Maybe when going anywhere in the influence zone of O’Hare Airport, one should just drive (it is 168 miles from Cleveland to Ann Arbor – who knew?).
I hope you and your luggage have voluntarily reunited and that you have recovered from your coffee deficit, as well as your alarm-disturbed nap (maybe that was a sign?).
Knit on in the face of all adversity!
I’m teary too! Hooray for Saint Brad, Saint Tim, and the security guy! I agree with all who say Brad deserves some handmade socks. I have yet to finish my first sock, but would GLADLY make a hat, scarf, mittens, set of washcloths whatever and I wasn’t even in Ann Arbor. It’s just so great to know that there are people like that out there (and to know that I’m blessed to have married one…my husband, God bless him, probably would’ve done the same thing…heck, he probably would’ve driven the barfing 8-year old to the library).
Hang in there Stephanie (and get some of those chocolate covered espresso beans…they’re awesome)! I’m still hoping you make it to Albuquerque…I can’t make it to Denver tomorrow, but I might try for Portland in June (I’ll be the one with the 96-year old grandmother in tow).
Hmm if that happened to me I probably would have started drinking airport beer about 10am. Good thing you didn’t! You kept your money and your wits and that made for a happy ending 🙂
I think we should all knit Brad socks. Or something.
Oh my goodness, that made me cry. Brad, oh Brad! Brad deserves socks from knitters all over the world.
Why didn’t you drive from Cleveland to Ann Arbor? It’s not very far. Just a bit longer than the distance between Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
Holy crap!You really have been to the wars, haven’t you? All that and you were still very gracious last night.
I have been asked to tell you by my partner (who, after being exposed to scads of yarn and knitters, still claims to feel nothing) that he is prepared to admit that “some yarn is pretty soft” and that knitters are “pretty nice people to stand in line with.” It is a start.
Holy crap!You really have been to the wars, haven’t you? All that and you were still very gracious last night.
I have been asked to tell you by my partner (who, after being exposed to scads of yarn and knitters, still claims to feel nothing) that he is prepared to admit that “some yarn is pretty soft” and that knitters are “pretty nice people to stand in line with.” It is a start.
I teared up for all those wonderful people that helped you out. That’s awesome! People are so damn good! And even with little sleep you posted a Twain quote. I think you made my day. (I think we should all knit socks for Tim, Brad, and Greg. Wouldn’t they just freak out?)
I am crushed. I thought I was the finest librarian. Hmmmph.
Brad deserves a big wooly medal, and you deserve a nap and a sandwich. Did you make a note of his address? Is he on the holiday sock list now?
You are such a trooper. We’re lucky to have you.
I too am tearing up! That’s quite an ordeal, even worse than the hell I suffered in the Chicago airport a few years back (and haven’t returned there since). I can’t wait to see you, deservedly well rested, in California.
Wow. I’m without words. I think that might have been one of the worst travel stories I’ve ever heard. Thank goodness for wonderful men like Brad, and all the other people who helped you out in spite of all the bad luck.
On the other hand, all these crazy stories could be future book fodder!
It probably says something about how little sleep I’ve been getting lately, but this post made me teary. Especially your thoughts about Brad, and how there are still decent human beings out there willing to help each other despite all of the fear and paranoia in the world today. (I, too, am an optimist, but not a moron – I hope).
May the rest of the tour be wonderful and stress-free.
What a fantastic guy Brad is! That’s just stunning. Did you get his sock size? I would definitely love to knit him up a pair of socks, just for being so kind to you.
Fabulous story! I had to swallow my laughter as I’m reading your blog at work. 😉
OMG! I’m in tears sitting here safely in my living room (while it doesn’t stop me from flying, fear of flight issues like these scare the bejezus outta me!). and I gave Brad a Standing Ovation too!!
yeah Brad!!!
Stephanie, you poor dear. O’Hare airport is the worst! I had an experience there of trying to make a connection on the other side of the terminal in 15 minutes with an infant in tow. Not fun, to say the least, and not a single person offered to help. Brad is awesome! I hope the remainder of your tour is much less eventful.
I am so glad that you made it safe and sound. I knew all the knitters would be there smiling when you arrived. I was one of the few who had to leave, *not* because I was mad or impatient or anything remotely like it, but because my ride had to go to work and my allergies were acting up. I got a couple hours knitting and chatting in, saw some very cute kids on parade and turned in my hat, so it was a good day all in all from my end. Hope the rest of the dates are much much easier on you and that next time you’re in Ann Arbor all is much smoother (you will come back won’t you? but maybe not by way of Chicago!)
Another great book quote comes to mind: “I have always relied on the kindness of strangers” (Tennessee Williams, I think.) It’s great to be reminded that really most of the people out there are decent, reliable, wonderful and trying hard to help each other out.
I really hope you reconnect with your luggage, or that someone finds you some undies. And I hope you were wearing that beautiful Bohus.
Stephanie, I’m so glad that despite your horrid misadventure, it all turned out well. My prediction is that your knitting/laptop bag will now be containing clean underpants and your phone charger. LOL
Yup…looks like Brad is married, but if his wife is a muggle, I bet this (the blog, all the praise for Brad, the love and coolness of it all) is the first step in her conversion! Send him some socks…send her some sticks!
What a day from hell!
YAY BRAD!!!!
Yay for Brad!
Note to self.. Always carry spare underwear in carryon…You never know 🙂
And never forget to pack a change of underwear in your carry-on! 😉 (You do plan on knitting Brad some socks, don’t you?)
OMG, I am laughing so hard the tears are running down my face and I am snorting and chortling and making all sorts of inappropriate noises for the office and my ribs hurt. Thank you, I think.
Dear God. Something similar happened to me on the way back from Japan. Except I WAS in the crying percentile.
Hope nothing more wretched happens so we can see you tonight in St. Paul!
What a great story. Yay Brad! 🙂
My husband used to transfer at O’Hare almost weekly for work. He was almost always delayed, missing connections, overnighting in his clothes at one of any number of gates, the whole bit. Now he goes through Cincinatti, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, D.C., anything else that will work….even if on paper the flight time is longer. I swear some strange psychology experiment is running at O’Hare to see how people react to stress.
Ohmy gawd Stephanie. What a day. What a harrowing day.
I have been talking to another knitting maniac here in Burlington, and we both want to work on sponsoring you to come to Burlington Vermont. Is this possible? Could you please email me with the particulars when you get home and get cozy, well fed, and sleep some? We are wanting to generate some good knitting karma here in Vermont, and we need to investigate what it would be to get you to come here and help our knitting juju be boosted…. by your beneficent presence. ie we ‘d LOVE to have you come to Vermont, and we are willing to plan it and make it come off and have you be the toast of the town, sock and all, and get all the knitters in the state to show up… or at least a goodly number…. are you up for it? Maybe in October? when the leaves are gorgeous! Love you, and rest up. Kathleen Bruce kbruce@together.net, please email me.
As others have said: You were sooo worth the wait! Hopefully this piss poor experience won’t deter you from coming to michigan again… us detroit knitters heart you!
Side note: DIY Network, April 17, 2pm , Knitty Gritty – KNITTING RULES!!!!!! (Making sure the DVR is programmed….)
Brad needs a pair of handknit socks for sure!
I am tired just reading about all that running and futile swearing. Also a little ill after getting a nasty picture of a barfing child for that long. Sounds are distressingly realistic after dealing with flu infested husband yesterday.
I think it might have been shorter and less traumatic if you had driven from Cleveland to Ann Arbor. Gah, O’Hare must be Irish for “nightmare that cancelled my flight and lost my luggage”.
What a terrible day of flying! Most of my bad luck has been flying through Minneapolis… I’m glad you made it to see the knitters though. Hope you and your luggage got reunited.
ok i had a really crap day, and i must say your day trumps mine by a kajillion. i just stopped feeling sorry for myself and picked back up my sock knitting, thanks for the fantastic storytelling, you brightened my evening.
That’s not a day – it’s a quest! And you (and Brad) get a gold star! Whenever I have a day like this I imagine all the demerit marks in heaven which are being balanced out and figure I have credit on account. Brava for the intrepid knitter-esse!
What a harrowing story! I laughed, I cried…and I agree, Brad deserves socks. Really, really beautiful socks.
Wow–what a snafu! Hope you are able to rest and get to the point where it is a funny story and not a “my eye twitches every time I think about it” memory. Yay for understanding, helpful muggles!
Stephanie…..YOU have the patience of a SAINT.
And Brad??? Well, Brad…..he just ROCKS HARD!!!
You have a strong will, and a STRONG and warm heart! Blessings upon Brad and other trustworthy people who come to one’s aid in time of need.
I promise it will go better when you get to California. (It couldn’t get any worse 🙂 ).
Of course they waited. Why did you ever doubt?
Saint Bradly was wearing a shirt from this restaurant;
Sushi.come (yes, the ‘e’ is in the name)
715 N. University
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 213-3044
I’ve been there, it’s pretty good and got a 5 star review on Google.
*jaw drop* That’s…just…wow. That’s absolutely insane. And shows how wonderful people can be. I’m choking up over here over your post and Tracey’s. Knitters are so cool.
So is Brad going to learn how to knit now? 🙂
omg. what a freaking day!! i cant even imagine seeing you yell into your laptop. poor thing. i’m sure all the knitter’s thanked brad good!! yay brad!!!
O’HARE?!? You were supposed to go through MO’HAIR!
MY STORY OF TRUSTING A MAN FROM THE PLANE:
When I was 22 (MANY years ago) I had a 5 hour layover in Little Rock, Arkansas. The gentleman sitting next to me and I had talked most of the flight. He told me he had at one time worked for the same company I was working for at that time. And, although I knew better, I took him up on his offer of dinner near the airport and a ride back to the airport in time for my flight. The man was probably 15 or 20 years older than me at the time. Everything worked out fine, although when the limo picked us up I was afraid he might be getting the wrong idea. In the back of my head I could hear my parents, my friends, and my conscious telling me this was not my wisest decision. We had a nice dinner and he took me back to the airport like the nice gentleman he was. I love southern men.
Hoo, damn! I *just* missed you at O’Hare. I was flying back from Baltimore and got to witness quite a few unfortunate souls have their travel plans yanked out from underneath them while I waited for my oft-delayed flight to finally arrive and leave. Sadly, my knitting was packed up in my checked luggage and couldn’t keep me company. Glad to see you eventually got to Ann Arbor in one piece!
I will join the committee to simply CLOSE O’Hare (sorry Chicago, the place is evil). I will spare the ugly details, but it just happened going to Stitches West.
The saving grace in the awful travel was Bea. A lovely older woman who sat next to me and whose lovely husband Sam drove me from the airport in San Jose to my hotel. Went through the same “trust” and “safety” issues you did – Steve thought I had lost my mind when I told him. But I felt the same way about society you did. Plus, once I met Sam I realized even with weapons, I could take them if need be.
Received a nice note from Bea 2 weeks after the show hoping it went well and that I got home without a hitch.
The reason they offered the ride? Someone did it for her in San Diego after a bad trip. I hope someday to repay the kindness – pay it forward if you will.
Hope the rest of your travels are uneventful. Knitters of Ann Arbor you rock!
Hoo, damn! I *just* missed you at O’Hare. I was flying back from Baltimore and got to witness quite a few unfortunate souls have their travel plans yanked out from underneath them while I waited for my oft-delayed flight to finally arrive and leave. Sadly, my knitting was packed up in my checked luggage and couldn’t keep me company. Glad to see you eventually got to Ann Arbor in one piece!
May the luggage find you soon. Let me guess, the carry-on has enough projects to last you a few more flights. Also, you can wash your underwear in the sink with shampoo, roll in a dry towel and stomp on it, then hang it up to dry. Blowing it with a hair dryer doesn’t really work so well.
Or you could ask a nice knitter to take you to Target/Walmart and get some emergency supplies. I think the airline which needs to play “luggage tag” might provide a stipend for this.
Oh you poor thing! At least you made it alive and in one piece. If your phone hadn’t have died, you wouldn’t have had to yell into your computer, and you may have never found Brad.
I hate O’hare as well. I always had to RUN from flight to flight when I was a kid changing planes on my way to my dad’s in Utah. One time the “escorts” nearly lost my Step-Brother. I was dying wondering if I should board without him if I had to.
Knitters can always wait nicely. It’s not a delay, it’s extra knitting time 😉
1. Brad, the standing ovation extends all the way to California (I’m standing. Way to go Brad!) Knitter’s hall of fame–heck, Humanity’s hall of fame to that guy.
2. Never do ANYTHING at O’Hare if you can help it. Chicago is a lovely city, but O’Hare . . . well, just don’t go there.
3. I’m sure it was worth the wait to see the Harlot with “hair that looks like [she] styles it with a cuisinart hand blender.” Really . . . that beats hand lotion. I thought I’d bust a gasket!
I think Mark Twain was the one who defined an adventure as something that, while it was happening, you wish it weren’t.
Congratulations on your fortitude and observations on life and knitters.
That’s it. You are officially my own personal Super Woman.
The only thing worse than your trip to A2, is the fact that I’m reading this on Wednesday (realizing today, several days after the fact)–that I could have seen you in person at the library–I was sitting at home KNITTING watching crappy movies on tv, knitting a baby afghan for a gift. Thank heavens the baby’s not due till June as the cats have laid on it so much now that it’s almost done–they’re going to end up getting it & I figure I’ll have to knit another one for the baby at work–where there’s no cat hair. And by the way, Tim, is a sweetie pie–used to serve a committe with him.
Good Lord. By the time I got to the part about Brad, I was crying!! Glad it worked out in the end….you are one dedicated lady, Miss Harlot!
What can I say – I am so grateful that you did not give up and persevered on to make it to Ann Arbor. It was the most pleasant afternoon I have had in much too long of a time. I met new friends, knit miles, and had the most amazing time all while you were in “Travel Hell”. You have no clue how much I appreciate it. If I had known – I would have driven to Chicago (I am close in Holland) and picked you up myself. Thank you from the bottom of my heart – it was an awesome day!
Hooray for Brad!!
I can’t believe how well you mantained your sanity throughout the whole process! I would have been one of the 50% crying the first time in line. Glad it all worked out as well as it did… and here’s to hoping that the rest of the tour will be just as eventful- just not at the airport!
Wow. I think it would’ve been faster to drive from Cleveland to Ann Arbor. But then you wouldn’t have met Brad. Can we, like, shower him with scarves and hats or something?
At least they took you back to O’Hare. My husband usually ends up in Grand Rapids.
And not to pour salt on your wounds, but you could have driven in under 3 hours… you know, slept until noon and all.
Loved the story and loved Brad.
Wow. Just, wow. I read on a friend’s cousin’s knitting blog that you were late, but wow. Brad is awesome. And at least none of it was your fault, right?
Better yet, is he single? Can we find him the perfect other half? (not me – I’m taken)
Harlot, we love you!
I. HATE. Chicago airport also. I broke my foot there, running to catch a plane (very long story as you can imagine).
See you in Portland!!
d
Stephanie, having travelled frequently through Detroit and Chicago, I can only empathize with you.
Not to ruin your day, but did you know you could have DRIVEN between Cleveland and Detroit in only 3 hours, slept late, kept your luggage unseparated and had your coffee, too?
Better luck with the rest of the tour!
What a great story! I hope you got his address and can send him a book or something. Not like he’d be all crazed about a knitting book but you know what I mean!
Never been fond of O’Hare myself. I took a flight on the day after Christmas one year (busiest day of the year). Flight was only slightly delayed, but after about 20 minutes the plane started falling out of the sky and we had to go back. Was there almost all night.
Poor Harlot. I hope the trip back was better.
i love you, stephanie. i thought i was the only person in the world who travelled like that.
kudos to you for deciding to trust brad. kudos to the knitters.
and thanks for the laugh.
knit on, woman, knit on!
ENERGIZER HARLOT: TAKES A FOGGIN’ AND KEEPS ON BLOGGIN’ ! ! Steph, we love you. We thank you. We’re so sorry you had such a crappy day, but ours was grand….because you were there. Enjoy your pens and (tee hee) orifice hook.
Oh my. You are one dedicated woman. I hope you get some sleep. Hang in there!
There’s no way that anyone could even begin to make that story up! Two comments:
1. It would happen to you!
2. All hail St. Brad, patron saint of the travel-weary knitter.
Glad to hear you survived it all.
I think someone already asked my question regarding Brad’s marital status. Too funny. Stephanie, could you estimate the size of his feet (my, that is a personal question, isn’t it…it might make his status as a sought after bachelor skyrocket…but I digress)?
My O’Hare horror story: Flight delayed for SEVEN (7) hours, and waiting with a 16 month old who was still taking the bottle. About an hour into the delay, toddler bit the end off the nipple of the bottle, which means that she can never have a bottle again (or a bink) due to the risk of choking. So she was broken from the bottle and the bink in O’Hare airport!
OH. MY. GOD. You should nominate Brad and Tim for humanitarian awards – either that or a Victoria Cross, or something….
Wow, is it a bit strange that I nearly cried reading this post? For joy, laughter, and stress. What an event. 🙂 Glad it all turned out alright.
Hooray for Brad, Tim, and Greg!!!
what a trip!
I think our library has that same painting of the orange flower.
Glad it turned out OK in the end and that Brad was not a psychobilly ace-murderer. I think a better piece of advice is never fly into O’Hare at all if you can help it. The only time I haven’t been subjected to a connecting flight there is when I have been going to Chicago. And the connections are always on the opposite ends of the place. My favorite connection was having to go through Chicago to get to Virginia from Texas. Make sense of that one!
Can’t help but wonder if Jayme couldn’t make the travel arrangements spare you the 3 a.m. wake ups and 4 a.m. taxis. Your travel schedule is strenuous enough without these stresses. For example, when you come out to Petaluma (for the day), please tell me you’re NOT flying into SFO and taking taxis both ways. Stay a little longer in the Bay Area! Bring the kids!
Oh my! What an adventure. I hope the rest of your trip is calmer than a yogi in meditation. And Brad and Tim should get Muggle of the Year awards!
Thanks again for going through all of that for us. You had the short end of that stick. You’ll be able to laugh heartily about it one day.
If any commenters want to read my account, it’s here: http://mauvaise-etoile.livejournal.com/249411.html
You write so amazingly that I feel like I’ve been going on a journey with you the last few weeks. Truthfully, in your post just now when Brad offered a ride, I burst into tears. Not many people can make me do that. I’m so glad that you made it where you needed to go and even though it was a terrible experience, you got to see a big crowd in the end. {{{hugs from a lurker who feels like she knows you!!!}}}
Stephanie — look away.
Here’s the mapquest from the Cleveland Airport to the middle Ann Arbor Library:
Total Est. Time: 2 hours, 38 minutes
Total Est. Distance: 158.00 miles
I couldn’t quite figure out how Chicago or really any airplane got into that picture? It seemed like such good planning to do PGH, CLE, A2…but without airplanes!
What an ordeal! So nice to know that people really do come through in a pinch, and of the niceness of strangers, and all that. The whole thing came together so nicely that I actually teared up while reading it. Go Brad & go knitters! I hope you get some much needed rest tonight!
Of course the Ann Arbor knitters were patient. They had something useful to do while they were waiting.
And Steph? Good Lord, I would have driven to O’Hare myself, picked you up, and driven you to Detroit if I’d known this would be such a hassle. 🙂
If you ever meet Mr. Beth, ask him about when he joined the Navy in 1992 and how they got him to his ship, which had left without him. Hey, maybe he could open for you if you are late getting to an event in Wisconsin.
Oh, I can’t wait to hear about the weather in St. Paul….
Two friends and I arrived at the Ann Arbor library at 1:30, sure we were too late for seats. We were, but the overflow room was quiet and cool and we knitted happily until it was confirmed the show wouldn’t start until 4. Then we decided to go to Busy Hands before instead of after as we’d planned. We spent a good deal of enjoyable time there (where everyone bought the same color of sock yarn, all for our respective guys) and then came back to the overflow room and knitted some more. It was a good talk, definitely worth the wait (especially since it was knitting and yarn-shop-visiting time really).
And I have a similar story about Chicago too, involving an overnight stay in Chicago and then a three-night stay in Baltimore (my destination) without luggage. Definitely avoid O’Hare if you can. And Atlanta.
Yeah, Ihatechicago too. I have run from concourse to concourse more times than I can remember. But I had that same day, only it was in LA. Arrived in LA to catch a plane in Hawaii. On time arrival, but no available gates. So we sat on the tarmac within walking distance of a door, but they wouldn’t let us off the plane. Finally released on the tarmac to run at least a mile. Woops, gotta go through security again. Made it to the plane, which was sitting there, but, sorry, you can’t get on. And then it started. Promises to get on an afternoon flight = WE PROMISE – But woops, the flight was full and sorry, you are not our passengers. Then another one had room, but it was so far away that we couldn’t get there on time. And on it went. And we had 2 small children with us. Spent the whole day in LAX (hell on earth). I didn’t cry until late afternoon. Finally we spent the night in a hotel in LA. That’s when we found out the kids had stuffed animals, but no toothbrushes. Of course, the luggage was in Hawaii while we were in LA. We lost 24 hours in Hawaii and no one did anything about it. Bad memory. Brad is a saint. Betsy
Wow Stephanie you have definitely put a new spin on April Fools Day. Yikes can’t imagine that any thing could be worse. And you persevered. And made it to Ann Arbor. We drove from Grand Rapids to see you. Now that I think about it, I can’t believe we just waited patiently for you. We really made it a party of pretty yarns and new friends. I bet no one even considered leaving. And you were wonderful and funny. Barely missed a beat. The mark of a true Goddess. Just lets me know what powerful healing the needles are. Hope you get to rest soon and your underwear and cell phone power cord caught up with you.
did you check brad for a cape? was there a big K on his chest (for Knit)? or maybe a Y.H.? he sounds kinda like a superhero…
waves of sympathy for your day from hell but it sounds like you came through in true yarn harlot style — entertaining the masses once again.
by the way, second to a yarn store, a library has to be just about the best place in the world to have a two hour wait.
Okay, I hate the crying at work thing. Wow! You sure bring out the very best in Muggles. Way to go Brad, Tim, and Greg!
Wishing you safe, (nearly) uneventful travels. We love the stories.
O’Hare is the only airport I will avoid at all costs; I had a very similar experience there, missed/canceled/delayed flights, standing in line (I WAS in tears) no coffee, food, luggage, up since some wee hour… ugh, can’t even think of it… And yet, some random guy behind me in line dragged me off and bought me lunch and coffee, out of pure human kindness…
So glad your day turned out alright.
Is Brad’s wife/sister/mother/friend a knitter?
seriously amazing. but I have to tell you, that the next time someone tries to fly you to ann arbor from cleveland through chicago, call me. I’ll have my mother drive down from suburban detroit and pick you up and take you to ann arbor. no joke. she’d love doing it and only someone not from the midwest would think flying from cleveland to metro airport via chicago sounds like a good idea.
What kind of waiting do you expect from a room full of people who have learned that waiting time is prime knitting time? 😉 I’m glad you got there in one piece, Stiffy.
I do not know if you took Brad’s email – or blog !! – but for all the knitters that were there, this guy should be thanked by all of us… Another muggle who would find out how powerful we are…. finding out we all thank him for his action.. Imagine his face – getting 300-400 emails in one shot – ouch !!!
(Looks up her reservation for Knit Camp in late April.) Yup, through O’Hare each way.
I’m screwed.
(Last time I flew through O’Hare, O.J. killed his ex-wife. The previous time, the space shuttle blew up. I do make an effort to avoid the place, I really do.)
Forget the ‘other Brad’ this one is the real deal!!
Oh dear I sure hope you catch up on sleep! And coffee.. in that order!
Any advice for my hubby who is travelling to Toronto this weekend for a job interview.. I am really really trying to veto the short sleeve shirt.. any back up on that? heheh
What a story! I predict that you will be telling that one for generations.
Ya know, Stephanie, I don’t usually cry when I read your posts, in fact the only tears I normally shed are tears of laughter. But this post in particular made me weep when you wrote about Brad saying “I’ll drive you”. I’ve been accused of being a Pollyanna, trusting too much in the kindness of strangers (sometimes I shouldn’t do that, but that’s another story), but you have shown everyone that something special can happen when you mostly need it, and something from a stranger, for pete’s sake.
P.S.–what a freakin’ day. Glad you got to the end of it. Blessings on Brad.
What an exciting tale! You literally had me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next and how it would all turn out. But I also felt bad that you had to experience that mess. Like you said, no one wants to end up in a fireball on the runway. But dag nab it and for goodness sakes, we put a man on the moon–can’t anyone land the plane in fog???
But I knew that regardless of what time you arrived at the library, the knitters would be waiting for you and no DPNs would be flying in your direction. Knitters (and Brad) are great.
Thanks Brad, you’ve earned your Karma points for the year!
Since Jayme has Brad’s address, if we all wanted to send him knitted love for renewing our faith in human nature (what a wonderful story!) what’s her address so she can forward it? I imagine Ann Arbor gets cold in January.
Forgot to say that you can read my account of April Knittin’ Fools day with the Harlot at http://bloominknitiot.blogspot.com
Thanks. I’ve been having the insurance week from hell here and reading your post inserted a small amount of perspective into it.
Um, when will this tragedy turn into humor for you?
Well. If I wasn’t convinced you were a strong amazing women after Friday, I am now. Next time, just miss the flight from Cleveland, and call me to get you. It’s less than 7 hours from Pittsburgh to Cleveland to Ann Arbor by car!!
Remember this day if you ever again wonder what knitters will do or think if you’re late.
A bunch of us are still waiting for you to come to Southern Montana. We’ll keep knitting until you do.
Oh my…that’s awful. It was great of you to show up after all that– unfortunately I was struck down by disease and had to miss you this time. 🙁
Utterly FUUUCKED, but for Brad. All hail Brad, conquerer of traffic, vainquisher of knitters.
What a tale… I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats. And Stephanie: NEVER underestimate the waiting power of knitters. You of all people should know, we pack sticks and string on us at all times for that very purpose in life. Plus, by arriving late, I’ll bet you are actually responsible for dozens of new friendships.
I am a librarian in a very large library system in Indiana and we do not have one male librarian that is as handsome as St. Tim – where did he come from?
Glad your safe!
I keep seeing references to “THE Chicago airport” when really, it should be THAT Chicago airport. We have more than one, you know!
I’ve lived through my share of O’Hare-related debacles — including sitting in a plane, on the ground, for SEVEN HOURS in CALIFORNIA because O’Hare wouldn’t let us take off. Needless to say — we fly out of Midway whenever possible. It’s the kindler, gentler Chicago airport. 🙂
Yay for Brad! Seriously…what can we knit this guy?
Steph, I will have you know that there was never a grumble in that room. Not for the whole time that we waited. I told my husband that never would a group of people wait as patiently as a group of knitters. We were so thrilled that you made and would have understood and still loved you if you had not. If you have any memories of the signing, I’m the one with laryngitis and my name is not spelled like the alcohol. {{{HUGS}}}
dear stephanie,
Today I endured divorce mediation (during which I think I got quite screwed over but that’s another story), and a long meeting with my daughter’s psychiatrist to figure out a new medication and treatment plan – all this while driving around hell’s half acre – about 200 miles. Now I am in my pj’s with a glass of Merlot and your wonderfully funny Ann Arbor tale of travel woe. thank you for the only laughs I’ve had all day!
We in Chicago have a solution for O’Hare. It’s called Midway. Tell Jayme the wonder publicist. No one should have to go through O’Hare twice if they can help it.
Oh, what a nightmare! And yet such a neat story, because of the kindness of others. Wow Brad!!
Oh no! I know how you feel. My family reunion involved changing planes in Chicago and that &*%^ing airport lost our luggage. We got it back about 2 days befire we left, and some of the family couldn’t make it at all. Congratulations on your making it through the day!
LOL!
Just sent the address to a friend who thought her day was frustrating and confusing. She’ll feel better.
Hurray for Brad! And for you for a good choice!
Hurray to the Ann Arbor knitters. Sounds like it was a party.
My theory is… it’s like the peanut butter toast falling peanut butter side down in direct proportion to the newness and colour of the carpet… the universe knows when you want to make a flight on time, and put O’Hare in there just to remind us how small we are….
Wishing you sweet dreams, CS
So, is Brad a knitter now? Just checking to see just how powerful your mojo really is…
Glad to here that all worked out in the end – sounds like a nightmare!
Wow, does anyone have a good story about O’Hare? (well, except that one lady who left one of the comments above. She must live in an alternate universe.) I have some doozies but yours made me laugh so hard the Dog jumped on the desk to see if I was having a seizure. You have my thanks for the laugh, my condolences for the hardship and my admiration for stamina with grace.
The really, really ironic thing? Cleveland to Ann Arbor is an easy 3 hour drive.
Hope you got all of the bad stuff for a tour out in that one day!
It is great to know that there are good people in the world (his name is Brad).
And based on your day,,, I will never write a book and do a book tour…. I can’t believe they pay you enough to go thru what you just did.
Good luck on the rest of your book tour.
Any chance you are coming to Washington DC?
Notes to self:
1. No more 6:00 a.m. flights. Ever.
2. No more O’Hare connections without adequate layover time – maybe a week?
3. Insist on coffee service at all stops. At ALL stops. Preferably esspresso service. Cappucino in a pinch. Stops to include hotel rooms, lobbies, foyers, and elevators, also taxis, parking garages, ticket counters, boarding gates and airline restrooms.
Oh, you poor poor thing. My best wishes to you!
I travel for a living, myself (I’m an auditor, but no not that kind) — two weeks on the road, two weeks home, all the live long day. It’s almost as much fun as it sounds.
My father, who used to travel two weeks out of every six, once told me that he spent so much time stuck in O’Hare that he thought he might be eligible to register to vote there. I’m not sure if he was kidding.
Your 12:26 bit made me cry, Stephanie. What kind of world indeed? I’m glad you made the leap. Not like a moron, but with a helmet and everything. I’d do the same in an instant, just because we should be able to. And because maybe, just maybe trust is what this human family lacks and needs most.
Oh wow, what a day! I am sorry you went through all of that, but what a hell of a story you have to tell! And of course the knitters waited for you! 🙂 I hate O’Hare too. I had a harrowing experience there myself, but I cannot repeat it, lest it send me into convulsions. I hate that airport! I feel your pain.
Stephanie, I was one of many who chose to stay and enjoy the community of knitters. Pretty amazing group and you’re pretty amazing for managing to keep it all together during a more than stressful day also Brad is amazing for being so kind and compassionate.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect, I’m somewhat familiar with your books and your blog but hearing what you had to say about knitting and knitters in person has really made a difference in how I feel about my craft. It validated why I knit. I can’t tell you how much I needed to hear that what we do, and why we do it is so dear to our hearts for so many reasons and that muggles may never understand.
An example of my devotion to knitting and how it destresses my life. One afternoon my pale and sweaty husband came up to me and said “I’m having chest pains and pain in my left arm, I think you’d better take me to the hospital.” I grabbed my purse and my keys and as we were going out of the door I said “wait!” I ran in to the family room to grab my knitting bag with a lace scarf that I had been trying to finish for weeks. As it turns out he was fine (probably constipated or ate too many Doritos) But having my knitting there with me gave me a comfort zone.
Thank you Stephanie…can’t wait till we meet again, just not on another April first. You may want to cancel all future travel plans on that day.
I hear ya about O’Hare! When my fiance and I were coming back from Tennessee, the travel agent who booked our flight (long story, he was working at a travel agent’s office at the time, everyone who worked there was completely insane) had, in her infinite wisdom, booked us with a 45 min. layover in O’Hare. I took one look at that and told Sam we were gonna miss our connection unless we had at least an hour and a half. He didn’t believe me, until we almost missed our connection. We had to run across the entire freaking airport, and even then we only got on at the last second.
Our luggage, however, did not arrive until several days later. This distressed me greatly, as I’d stored all of the yarn I’d purchased in Tennessee in my luggage. I was freaking out, because THEY MIGHT LOSE MY YARN! Seriously, I didn’t care about any of my clothes, socks, underwear, toiletries, anything. I was terrified for the fate of my brand new yarn. (It was fine.)
Wonderful story-telling.
Travel hint for everyone: NEVER wait in line at the customer service desk. Do one of 2 things: call the airline’s 800 number from your cell phone — they have the most up-to-date info at their fingertips — or (this is better if you can make it work) run to the airline’s “club.” Those nice people have saved my bacon more than once and I’m NOT a member. My husband did insist on getting one of those AmEx cards you have to pay for, but which gives you privileges at those clubs. I thought that was a waste of money until I had them save me on a couple different trips. I think Jayme-the-wonder-publicist should get you one for the future!!!
I don’t remember you mentioning food at all.
You made me laugh, you made me cry and you reminded me why I always pay a few bucks extra for direct flights (whenever possible!). Thank you. And may your travels ahead be blessed.
As one of the many knitters who waited to see you Sunday, I cannot thank you enough for sticking it out. I’d do it again in a heartbeat (though I doubt you’d care to go through the experience again!) I, too, have been a victim of such airline blunders (on the return trip from my honeymoon, no less) and can empathize with the frustration you must’ve felt. Thanks again for the chance to meet you and I hope you come back to A2 again someday!
I have heard the rumors, but after hearing your O’Hare story I know it to be true now : You are a saint. I would have thrown the biggest tantrum in recorded history.
Bless you.
exactly how much time will it take until your story is funny? it still makes me sad 🙁
three cheers to all the nice people who made your day less tragic 🙂
I’m glad you made it there safety, and it’s good to know that there are Brads in the world
Aw sweetie the wait was not that bad. The best part was the cute parade of kids in their April Fool’s hats. I am the most impatient person in the world and even I didn’t mind the wait! Hope this doesn’t deter you from coming back on your next tour.
I was at the A2 library with my oldest daughter and the rest of the knitters, even saw a couple of folks from the A2 SNB and made some new friends. You were delightful, friendly, gracious and downright nice even after what you endured. I personally consider it a privilege to be able to hear what you had to say so thank you, thank you, thank you, dear Harlot for making Sunday past worth the wait.
I didn’t have time to read all the previous comments so I’m sure someone has expressed this sentiment–
Knitters don’t mind waiting! The only time I mind waiting is if I don’t have any knitting to keep me occupied…or I run out of yarn.
I got stuck in O’Hare (who hasn’t?)with a husband and 2 kids under 3 (one of them autistic–so he doesn’t really do well with traveling or not knowing what is going on–I guess that’s actually normal behavior for anyone now that I think about it).
My goodness, you poor thing. That was better than a movie! Glad you made it safe and sound and that Brad was an upstanding citizen with a heart of gold. Has your luggage caught up with you yet?
Does Brad have a blog? Because we should *ALL* head over there and give him big blog-smooches in his comments if he does. The gift he gave all the Library Knitters is immense, and wonderful in a way that 400 extra hits (with love-notes) on his web site could only begin to repay…
Um, Steph? If you were flying back into the same airport later, couldn’t you have just left your luggage there, rather than have it follow you one airport behind? I migh have misunderstood where (and when) you’d be where, though.
I hope you had enough coffee (and beer) to make up for it.
Stephanie — look away.
Here’s the mapquest from the Cleveland Airport to the middle Ann Arbor Library:
Total Est. Time: 2 hours, 38 minutes
Total Est. Distance: 158.00 miles
I couldn’t quite figure out how Chicago or really any airplane got into that picture? It seemed like such good planning to do PGH, CLE, A2…but without airplanes!
Okay, I admit I was on pins and needles (pun intended) waiting for this post. I was so afraid something awful happened in or because of Detroit! Just what we don’t need around here is more bad publicity!
But instead there was Brad (I’m assuming he is a Detroiter, or close to one) – how awesome!
I’m sorry I missed you in Ann Arbor. I seriously considered trying to make it, but my son’s 5th birthday was Monday and we were having the grandparents over on the 1st. I thought about trying to convince him that going to a library to listen to a lady talk about knitting would be a cool way to spend your birthday celebration…. but no, Spiderman cake and presents were more appealing.
And two hours to sit around with nothing to do but knit while waiting to hear someone talk about knitting? Sounds like a great time to me!
1. If bigamy were legal, I’d recommend taking Brad for hubby #2, because he was clearly a knitter in a past life. Or he has the hots for you ;).
2. Noticed from other blog-stalking that you were wearing the bohus. It looks fantastic. Every time I don something I’ve knitted, I experience a sense of wonder the such little stitches can cohere to something so amazing.
Next time I’m in some sort of airport hell, with no food or coffee, and my inclination is to rip off someones face and make them eat it — i will remember you and your determination and your patience, and your reward — Brad to the rescue! I was hoping to see you in Petaluma, but my boss decided to schedule a staff meeting in colorado on that day. I may never forgive him for that.
So, is he married, sounds like a great guy for my recently divorced neice.
You are safe and sound, that’s the most important thing, and that no matter where you go there is always someone who will take care of you.
Woman, you are rad! Hurrah for the Brads and Gregs of the world. And for awesome friends. You gave it your all, as you always do. That’s part of why we like ya, and why people will wait 2+ hours to see you.
After all that H#ll they still let you on the plane with sharp pointed objects? ;o )
I vote along with the others…you deserve a spa day & Brad deserves some nice knitted socks!
I, too, was in Ann Arbor, patiently awaiting your arrival. My mom was with me, and the strange thing was, we were both IN CLEVELAND the day before. We just kept saying “We should have just kidnapped the Harlot and drove her here with us — it’s only a 4-hour drive!”
Thank you so much for actually showing up after all that… You gave the best talk, and NO ONE would have guessed that you were caffeine-free!
Don’t fret–your talk was worth the wait! Most of us managed to find something that we couldn’t resist at Busy Hands–the groovy little yarn store only a few blocks from the library. And if you hadn’t been in travel hell, we probably would not have popped into the library’s used book sale, where my friend found an Alice Starmore book for $5. Between chatting with other knitters, yarn shopping, used book shopping, and hearing you speak, it was a great afternoon! (Thanks, Brad!)
I hope you have recovered, though. (Since it’s only about 3 hours of driving between Pittsburgh-Cleveland, Cleveland-Ann Arbor, or Ann Arbor-Chicago, next time I think you should find willing chauffeurs, get more sleep and skip the airports altogether.)
Seeing you Stephanie, was worth the 4 hour drive from Traverse City and the wait. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely with their projects. Two of the people that came with me went to the yarn store and had a great time. We just worried about how you were feeling. It was great seeing all the knitters and talking to them about their projects. I really enjoyed myself. Thanks for working so hard to get to us.
My dear muggle husband, a Chicago native, says:
“she should try Atlanta or Dallas
then she’ll think O’Hare’s not so bad after all”
Gods bless all the knitters and Mr. Brad sir and Jayme the Wonder Publicist, and all the wonderful peoples that make Harlot appearances possible. And somehow, perhaps because I’m perverse that way, I’m thankful for such adversities that make good blog fodder. But I, too, am glad you have not perished in a fiery ball of Harlot. Oh, the humanity!
WOW!! What an adventure. Brad should also be elevated to sainthood for saving the day. And your perseverence to get to Ann Arbor when you could have said no in the midst of everything that transpired should qualify you for knitterly sainthood.
I have only read about 1/3 of the comments, but I have to say, Jayme-the-wonder-publicist has (or had) Brad’s address. If anyone really wanted to thank him, a package via Jayme might be a way to go. Just sayin’…
Dear Stephanie, poor dear Stephanie, what a day. “What a long strange trip it’s been.” So true. And may blessings and woolly goodness fall on Brad for being a straight-up, good guy. A hero, indeed.
Of course, it’s easy to say “chocolate espresso beans”, if you haven’t just been through the travel day from h*ll; still, it does sound like a good idea. Remember when you always had to have snacks in your bag for the girls, when they were young? This time, it’s for you, and of a more adult nature.
I’m so glad it’s over and blog-fodder for the ages. Please God, you’ve paid your travel dues and all the rest will be smooth sailing. And the idea of Amtrak or a paid car-and-driver sound much better than what you suffered. Be good to yourself and get Jayme to put some thought into it.
I hope Brad sees all these comments and how many people he made happy! He’s a hero, plain and simple.
What a story. Count me among the bitter-experience (though not as bitter as yours!) O’Hare haters. And Midway lovers, to the extent that one can love an airport at all.
More important: I think we should establish a Knitters’ Heroes Hall of Fame! I can think of several candidates I’d like to nominate for it, but Brad obviously heads the list. Seems a bit narrow, perhaps, as obviously his menschliness is not limited to kindness-to-knitters. But knitters can show appreciation like nobody else, I’m thinkin’. Little did Brad know what a good thing he did for himself by doing a kindness for you and for all those hundreds of Ann Arbor knitters. Look at the power! People who weren’t even AT the event or anywhere near it are champing at the bit to knit for the man! and rishly he deserves it. At this rate he need never go barefoot, or buy socks, again.
Richly, too. Um.
What an insane day! Brad deserves the Knitting Medal of Honor! Kudos to Tim and Greg!
There are good people out there!
I’m so sorry that your day was so…difficult. The universe will right itself again soon (I sure hope so since I totaled my car on Saturday and limped around Ann Arbor as a result). I’m also sorry I didn’t get to shake your hand. As it was, I paid for making the most of a sunny, warm day and wandering around Ann Arbor by getting relegated to the fourth floor and watching you on TV. Still, you were well worth the wait and I TOTALLY appreciate the tenacity it took for you to get there. Hope you enjoy the beaded row counters I stuck into the bag from Kyle. Really, I would have given, okay, loaned for a short time, my first-born child to shake your hand, but said child and siblings were home in Lansing waiting for dinner and the line was SO FREAKIN’ long… The bohus was stunning even in telecast, you were hilarious (I would definitely not be funny if I had a day like yours), and you (and Brad) are soooo appreciated. Thanks for coming. Next time, call. I’ll come get you.
oh the memories of similar travel adventures…..
and after all that steph, i think you should bear one more offspring, a son and name him brad!!! 🙂
ps: you will be sending him some socks, right?
Dear Stephanie: A story to make you smile. My husband regularly IM’s with me while I’m in class. We have a very rambunctious Yorkshire Terrier named Pringles that occasionally needs a firm pat on the behind to quit barking. Tonight I got this message from my husband: “I had to spank Pringles with your cast off book. Sorry. I know thats knitting blasphemy.”
Just so you know, Steph, your dear face on your new book has just met a yorkie’s behind. I told my husband that you did not appreciate being dog disciplinary material, but that I’d have to share the story with you so you could smile at that.
Hope the airports treat you better soon! 🙂
Always keep in mind that Knitters (unlike Muggles) AlWAYS have something with them to knit thereby reducing any waiting time to a plesant opportunity to engage in their favorite pasttime. I do feel your pain. It sounds as if you had as much fun getting out of Chicago as I did trying to get from CT to LA for my brother’s wedding.
Your talk was marvelous, especially on no food or coffee. I had the best time waiting and made alot of friends. Thank you.
I hope your can turn this adventure into a story.
The train in another option, if it is running where and when you want.
Maybe a rock star tour bus next time?
Yup… Chicago absolutely sucks! I’m sorry you had such an awful time. Think of it this way…it makes a really funny story (I’m sure you don’t see the humor in it quite yet 😉 and you met Brad (what a guy!). I agree…a gift/package to Brad is a great idea 🙂
All right, you’ve put my 3 hours of waiting for a delayed flight on Monday in perspective. I had food, and coffee, and no running from gate to gate, and no event waiting on me.
Brad looks married–that’s got to be a wedding ring on his finger. Obviously someone else realized he was a nice guy and that nice guys make good husbands. So glad you ran into him at the right time.
I almost don’t want to say this, for fear of making Stephanie cry, but you do realize that Cleveland & A2 are only like 3-4 hours apart? I live smack in the middle of the two cities and visit both frequently. I have friends who, for work are regularly traveling between the two cities.
I’m SURE Jayme could have had a car service shuttle you for about the cost of the flight (bonus = you could have left at the reasonable hour of 8AM. And bathed).
IS it possible for about 100 of us to knit Brad socks and lord knows what else for a universal thank you? We don’t need his address, just where to send our stuff for him!! C:
You were so right to trust that particular Brad. In my travels I was lucky enough to find two “Brads” who said they would drive me to my destination in places I would have been stranded. Both good and decent family men. You could see it in their eyes. But it certainly never hurts to look at their passports! You obviously give out good vibes. Go Harlot.
Linda
You are one amazing woman!!!!!!
Argh. And I thought I was the most often screwed-over traveler. It is a (lovely) joke in our family to “never fly with Jenn.” I (like many of the commenters) have been stuck in O’Hare, only I was a hysterical one – trying to get home for Christmas. The notsolovely ladies at the counter did nothing for me, aside to tell me that I could go in a day or two. I called my daddy, he called the (United) 800 number, and lo and behold, I was put on an American flight, luggageless, and arrived veryveryvery late that night. Yay for daddies. Yay for Brad.
Hoping you can make it to Dallas/Fort Worth (which has a large, but much nicer airport) sometime soon!
“The food and beer they found for me at the end of the day tasted better than the muffin I ate after 28 hours of labour.” I can totally relate! I am sorry you had such a rough travel day, but two of my friends from http://www.getstitchy.com were there in Ann Arbor and loved meeting you. I cannot wait until you come to Northampton, MA and sign at WEBS. I will be there, sock in hand. 🙂
You didn’t mention it, so I’m guessing you gave Brad a big kiss. He totally deserved it, and I bet Joe wouldn’t mind one bit. Nor Brad’s wife (he seems to be wearing a wedding ring in the picture, and clearly she’s one lucky woman).
Plus, you gotta figure that knitters are (generally) patient and self-entertaining – we’ve always got some knitting with us!
(I’ve had my share of bad flight experiences myself. I totally feel your pain.)
I was tearing up at the end of your harrowing tale of woe … the kindness of strangers never fails to make me a bit weepy.
Of course, I was also laughing my socks off thinking of you using your Vonage computer phone to call for reinforcements. How did you hold it?
You poor thing. O’Hare is a personal hell for many people. One time when I was trying to get from Cleveland to Dubuque, IA so that I could drive 3 hours home there was a snow storm, and O’Hare fell apart. I sat on the plane for at least an hour and a half, all the while thinking, “after this flight I need to drive 3 hours home in the storm, and it won’t be before midnight before this plane lands.
But the kicker? Before my plane left, I needed a caffeine boost, so that I could drive those three hours. I found a Starbucks. When I got there, they told me they couldn’t make me the drink I wanted with extra caffeine.
Not my favorite place either. I am glad you had knitterly love.
Drat. If I’d have known you were delayed, I could have come down to see you after all. I would at least have been able to get in the line to say hi, anyway.
Of course the knitters waited happily. We love you (you totally earned it by being yourself)… and we have something we enjoy doing while we wait. Perfect.
The world is full of good people. How wonderful to read about it here. Let’s hear it for Brad, Tim and Greg, and all of the un-reported other good people we haven’t met yet.
I hope you slept well after that wild day and your nice meal. This day will be an even better story the further in the past it becomes…
I was holding my breath as I read the post. You don’t deserve coffee, you deserve a keg.
Steph, we couldn’t possibly have been angry at you. We were feeling sorry for you. A few people had to leave, but the rest of us would have stayed until the library kicked us out.
I’m amazed you went that long without eating and you weren’t falling over. My blood sugar gets low and I get light-headed and incoherent and kind of stupid the longer I go without food. I pack snacks in my backpack when I’m traveling.
I totally would’ve been one of the people crying. That was just such a sucky day. Especially when you’re sleep-deprived and hungry. But your hair looked great, and so did your sweater, and you didn’t look sleep-deprived, unlike me — people are always telling me I look really tired — so you’re doing something right!
Glad you could make it!
And people think your life is oh so glamorous! LOL
But I truly feel for you – I have done that O’Hare Dash too — why – oh – why can’t they have planes near each other if they are going to the same airport instead of on the absolute other end of that blasted concourse. And like you I did it more than once (I think it was 3 times before I finally got out)
But the knitters just knit and visited and they had food and more importantly COFFEE. I probably would have threatened to hurt someone if they didn’t bring me coffee or point me in the direction of coffee that I could get and still make the plane (even if it were bad coffee)
Oh. My. God. I laughed, I wept, I stressed. And you have given me such a fabulous example of how to explain irony to my students…
Hail Brad. What a great guy.
I’m not surprised at Saint Tim. As a fellow librarian, I know that most of us belong to a special non-muggle category – whether we be knitters or not! 🙂
This is why I always drive unless it’s just not possible because of time constraints or oceans. Sorry you had such an ordeal, and don’t ever worry about your audience getting testy. We will always have our knitting with us. And if you ever come to the southern US, which I fervently hope you will, try flying into Nashville instead of Atlanta.
Does Brad have an equally wonderful, single brother?
Hi Stephanie,
This made me roar out loud (well, okay, I’m not sure it’s possible to roar silently, but you know what I mean.) You made it very funny but I know it was tortuous. I’ve just discovered you, and rediscovered knitting and had major foot reconstruction done so I’m ready to try something harder than a scarf. I know NOTHING, however. About ANYTHING. Can someone e-mail me where to go to try to learn the stitches? I want to try socks but it’s like reading some sort of code. barb@sothethingis.com
Bless you. And if you’re in Austin again, Steph, I’ll brew you so ICED coffee that’ll knock your (cotton/sweat drenched) socks off.
Barb
Oh, what a Series of Unfortunate Events (oh, wait, that’s another book still)
I REALLY hate to point out (but I will) that Ann Arbor is only a 2-hour drive from Cleveland. What a fiasco!
Aren’t knitters just the best people?
Well dang – that whole story just made me TIRED, so I can only imagine how it must’ve felt living through it! (And I think I would’ve trusted Brad, too – he just looks nice.) I hope you have now rested up and can …. almost …. laugh about this. It did make a good blog post. 🙂
Holy. cow.
How big of a sap am I? Your story made me cry with the joy of being a part of this community.
obviously you can’t knit and drive. so i guess you need a limo with a driver…
Wait. I just realized what I was really trying to say earlier. Jews have a special honorific for non-Jews who have performed mitzvahs for the sake of Jews, sometimes at inconvenience or even danger to themselves – originally it referred specifically to non-Jews who protected Jews from the Holocaust, but it has taken on broader interpretations since. The name is “Righteous Gentile” (also, not at all coincidentally, the title of a biography of Raoul Wallenberg). THAT is what Brad is: he’s a Righteous Muggle!
I’m usually a very calm and I’m very patience, but no food or caffeine??!! I take my hat off for you.
That must have been such a sucky and exhausting day. It’s great that there were some bright lights.
I’m glad you made it and everyone was happy and I hope your luggage gets to you! I was stuck in the mess at Heathrow back in August for two days with no luggage. (remember the no liquids on a plane thing?) I can relate to the hell of trying to deal with airlines. It took over a week to get my luggage and when I did get it the rain had soaked the bag through and then it must have sat for a while. I ended having to throw a few things out.
Brad and Tim and Greg should major kudos!
Ah yes, the O’Hare – I too have run like a madwoman back and forth through that stupid place trying, unsuccessfully, to catch a plane, any plane, that was headed anywhere near where I was trying to go. I do not like that airport and I feel your pain. I am glad it all turned out okay in the end.
Stephanie,
I apologise for the airport in my old hometown, and will bring you a beer brewed in my new hometown to take the edge off a little. There will also be chocolate.
See you tomorrow night in Denver!
Yeah, what they said!
GO BRAD!!!! 🙂
You were So. Worth. Waiting. For. And to know now that you spoke on no food or coffee! Dude, You Rock! And Brad deserves a medal. I loved your “Brad drives like a graduate of NASCAR High” description.
Even my mother, a new knitter, didn’t mind! She rather enjoyed checking out everyone’s project and showing off her dishcloth.
Thanks to the delay, I now know exactly how long it takes me to start a sock and get to the heel turn. 🙂 (11:45-4:45, so about 5 hours)
Thank you for your kindness staying to sign books for everyone. Next time, I’ll smuggle you in a beer! (Tim was only banning food, not drink…)
Steph:
I know you’re crazy about Joe and all, and you just recently got married, but you really need to divorce him and marry Brad.
Oops! Wedding ring on Brad’s left finger…
Lucky gal!
As a teenager, I once spent 9 hours in O’Hare airport in my slippers.
I had gone to visit my grandparents in New York (from San Diego). While there, my grandfather let me into the attic and told me I was free to pick out books to take home. I packed my suitcase so full of books, I couldn’t stuff my slippers inside. They were nice new sheepskin slippers my sister had just gotten me for Christmas. My shoes, on the other hand, were fairly old, so rather than leave any of the books, I threw away my shoes and wore my slippers. Then the connecting flight at Chicago was delayed for weather (in fact I think it was due to fog in Detroit), so there I was with a 90-pound suitcase of books and my slippers shuffling about the airport for 9 hours.
I’ve run thru Chicago Airport. Actually I ran on one of those moving sidewalks, when you run on them you think you’re going really fast. I also admit I hit people out of the way with my luggage, they thought I was a crazy woman. You win the prize for dedication.
I really hope that you bought a lottery ticket; believe it or not, it was your lucky day.
WE LOVE BRAD!!!I learned years ago to avoid O’Hare airport at all costs! I Hope that doesn’t mean you will pass up Michigan in the future. We had a wonderful day. One of the best things about knitters is that they are never board! We had a great time stitching, chatting, meeting new people, getting the low down on all the yarn shops in a 500 mile radius. We cleaned out the used book seller of every knitting book they had(even found an Alice Starmore for $8) drank all the coffee in the library’s coffee machine and came away thinking what a GREAT day we had.(Sorry it was so much better than yours). You were great!!! Thanks for enduring what you did to come see us!!(PSSST I also don’t think we should tell her how long it takes to drive from Cleavland to Ann Arbor or from Chicago for that matter). Next time you come this way I’ll give you my cell phone number and I’ll come get you myself.
I’m so glad that you did make it. I was one of the lucky ones there who got a seat. When they announced the flight was turned back to Chicago, no one left. When they announced it wouldn’t start until 4:00, no one left. When we found out there was yarn at 20% off, we took turns watching each others’ seat so we could leave and shop and come back. I had a wonderful afternoon meeting new people and enjoyed your speech so very, very much. (You forgot to mention the standing ovation for you upon your arrival!)
I can’t believe you patiently chatted with us all and signed books when you still hadn’t had any food or coffee. You were a pleasure to see again and an inspiration to us all. Next time you come, I’ll take a minivan full of knitters, food, coffee, and yarn to pick you up!
P.S. You absolutely glowed in the Bohus. No one noticed your hair.
Freakin Detroit Airport. Site of my hellish work travel story of all time.
All’s well…wait, that’s a play.
I love Brad. I hope you gave him the link to your blog so he can read all the nice comments!
It won’t help with coffee, but if the same thing happens in Denver, there’s a brewery just a few blocks away with over 12 microbrews (and food):)
The first arguement my dh and I had was over O’Hare. Back in ’79, he finished grad school and we were to move from Madison WI to Rochester NY. He did not want the baby and me to drive with him because the weather might get bad(expectiing a blizzard). He drove ahead nice and clear…I was stuck with the baby for 12 hours one spare diaper and one bottle. Some very nice people strong armed, er, convinced, the airlines to get me on the plane first. Midway is tons better. And Brad needs a lifetime of “real” socks! I hope you are feeling more rested, and I would love to see you sometime.
Thank you, Chieftainess Stephanie of the Yarn tribe, for giving me the gift of perspective. I am a college student with a looming (read t minus 10.5 hours) deadline, and time only to glance at my yarn mournfully. But I understand now that it could be worse. I could have no coffee. My heart goes out to you, and your valiant efforts to reach the knitters
Cass
Thanks for coming to Chicago–I really enjoyed getting to hear you talk last night! I’m sorry it was traveling hell–good luck with your luggage.
I love a happy ending. Thanks.
This is the best blog post EVER!!! I laughed and cried and remembered once again why YOU are the Harlot and the rest of us are not!
For future reference with regard to cellphones, I have been told that pressing *3370# will make the phone reboot with a small amount of battery power that it apparently holds in reserve for emergency situations or something? I’m not sure. I think it’s voodoo. But it might help in a future crisis.
The road to which circle of airport purgatory? I am in tears if I am up at 6am – stronger stuff courses through your veins.
Reading your flight story actually made me hurt. It made me want to cry, come find that pilot (and the 8 year old) and kick some butt. I’ve got to fly to a friend’s wedding this month and I’ve got to go through Chicago. Can I tell you that I’m really scared now? ;o)
As for Brad, he’s the greatest. We spend so much time trying to be so polite to each other, that we forget about being decent and helpful. It takes good people to take that extra step. I’m just hoping that his significant other thanked him properly when he got home.
Oh Stephanie!! What an ordeal. Next time to come to Chicago try your hardest to fly through Midway. Midway has less delays, fewer cancellations, and due to its small size is much easier to navigate on foot. I’m so sorry you had such an awful time. I don’t know how you do it. Get some rest girl
That is the funniest/saddest travel story I have hear in a long time! My times in Chicago have been a lot calmer and a lot more fun!
Three cheers for Brad! I totally want to knit him a hat. Just don’t tell my husband, mmkay? Because he’s been waiting for a hat for over a year. It’s like cheating by wool or something.
OMG. That sounds like the WORST possible thing to happen to someone traveling! (And I have a honeymoon in three weeks! GAH) However wretched it was, your account is hilarious! I’m glad you made it for the knitters and the universe thought it appropriate to finally send Brad your way.
Ugh, what can I say that hasn’t been said? Thank you, thank you, thank you for not giving up on us! And no FOOD? That would have been the kicker for me. And I would have been crying. And maybe poking people with knitting needles. I am also volunteering to pick up up next time you come to Michigan! Thanks again!
um, pick YOU up, not pick up up. oy.
Is it weird that the culmination of this post made me cry? That Brad guy….the world needs more of him. And more Tims. And more Gregs.
So glad you made it safely.
If there was ever a group of people waiting for an event, that when presented with an debacle requiring the speaker to be two hours late, could wait most patiently and happily, it is a group of knitters.
I myself was almost glad for the delay (though worried terribly for your safety) and happy to see you arrive whole and sock in hand. I met more knitters and had a great time with the delay.
Having met Mistress Rams, the Incredible Rachel H., and Beautiful Presbytera, I must say you were in incredible hands that evening.
Best wishes for fogless landings from here on out.
Holy freakin’ crapola! I have had some bad days at O’Hare, but this takes the cake. And the bread, cookies, cupcakes, croissants, pitas, and every other form of baked good I can think of.
Brad, wow. Does he have an inkling of the caliber of good deed he did? Whattaguy. And all the other saints in your Ann Arbor pantheon, too.
An amazing story, much more entertaining in the telling than the experiencing, I should imagine. (to put it so mildly as to be nominating myself for the title of goddess of understatement)
I feel like I should knit Brad some socks! With Fleece Artist! He deserves the best.
What a saga! The worst part is the postscript–all the comments about how CLOSE Ann Arbor is to Cleveland. What a heartbreaker! But three x three cheers for Brad and the plain human decency he let shine through in the midst of what was also a chaotic day for him. I hope you get lots and lots of sleep, and that you are happily united with your undies and Sir Washie shortly.
april is national poetry month. i tell you this because i love haiku and here’s one for you:
you rocked the ‘brary
better late than never, right?
harlot: my hero
you were amazing after the day you had. still so clever and gracious. and after all the time i sat and visited and met a friend i’ve only known in cyberspace (and made a few i’ll keep through the web!) and knitted and for all i’ve already read of you – – i could not relieve your tiredness and stress with any wit of my own. i fumbled all over and barely spoke when in front of you.
will keep up better here at the blog from now on and hope to see you again sometime, in a much less stressful environment. 🙂
I felt like I was right there with you the whole day, so much so that I teared up when I saw the pictures of the Very Full of Knitters Library pictures. Wow. Though I don’t know why you were so worried. They’re knitters. Whenever knitters have to wait for something, they whip out the needles and knit. Of course it was all right!
I love the story!! How frustrating. Been there myself…oh and I live right by O’Hare.
Hey, is Brad single?? 🙂
I’m so glad you made it, and safely. Somehow you need to come up with a way to network with knitters in the places you are going, to work out rides in catastrophies like this. So many people could and would have willingly helped you out! The heck with the planes! I can’t, however, share in a bad airplane story even tho every single other person I know can tell a similar tale of woe. My hub and I just flew to Paris and back, and the only trouble we had lasted for about 15 minutes when we found out that while we had reserved and paid for two seats, we actually only had one. Sitting on his lap really wouldn’t have worked for nine hours but they finally found us two seats together (and one was a window, thankfully, I don’t think I could do it otherwise) so I really can’t complain. But I will put my name on a list (maybe J-t-w-p could keep one?) to pick you up if you are ever coming to the Syracuse area again!
And that is why we love you!!! I am with the rest of the girls… Brad should never have to buy another pair of socks in his WHOLE FREAKIN’ LIFE!!! What a man, what fate, what a blessing.
Hope you found some clean undies along the way on the rest of your trip – if that is the worst you had to deal with, I am sure you handled it with panache.
Holly
Oh, I feel your pain. Try an international flight from O’Hare sometime, and you will understand. I cannot wait for the Oak Park entry, I was there (second row) and obsessed about the Bohus. You are lucky I didn’t drool on it when I came up for the book signing. It took some restraint.
I’d hang out and wait to see you too. See how much we love you? :>)
Sorry it was such a crappy day. Air travel sucks anymore.
Hey, Steph, I’d like to chime in with the others who suggested that Jayme-the-wonder-publicist allow you to publish her address so that she can collect socks for Brad . . . It just would be totally awesome for him to receive a lifetime supply of socks!
Marcy
wow. while this isn’t helping me finish some work but due to brad and i have renewed belief in my non-knitter-fellow-humans. thank you kindly for making me smile enough i have put down the 1.5mm dpn and not do things which i might regret in the morning. heck, I even have a happier attitude to finish this work with.
crud, i want coffee now. but i should save that for the morning and go to sleep shortly.
and while i’m VERY slow at knitting socks, i’d knit brad a pair.. or at least donate some yarn to the cause.. i knit s-l-o-w..
I’m so happy you made it and I am truly sorry for your trials and tribulations when passing through O’Hell. May the knitting gods smile on your in the rest of your travels. Plus, props to the awesome knitters of Ann Arbor – and love for your good samaritan. Everybody’s right: we need to designate someone to collect knitted gifts for him and mail them all to him in a large box o’ love. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. . .
I nearly cried along with you while I read this post, having been the victim of air traffic horrors in the past. But my faith in humanity? Totally restored after hearing about Brad. That dude has a lot of very, very good karma stored up right now!
I held my breath; I let it out. I held it again, then let it leak through the fingers across my mouth that was saying OMG, Oh-no, no, no. I held it until I finished the story, saying “oh crap” and got dizzy. Then I got a hot flash and started breathing. You’re not only a knitter but a really good mystery writer too.
Tomorrow, Denver. I hope getting here will be easier than getting to Ann Arbor.
You’ll need my little gift for you after all you’ve been through. See you there.
I think I’ve had this day before – I wish it on no one. It’s so inspiring to hear that the knitting community handles little setbacks like this with such friendliness.
And I am so glad you took Brad up on his offer. I, too, find it upsetting that we feel as if we can’t accept kindnesses from strangers because everyone is paranoid or terrified. There are plenty of kind, generous, trustworthy people out there and we should reach out to each other more often! You know, I used to associate the name, Brad, with some nasty personality traits based on the ones I knew. Never again! Thanks for helping me remember to give others the benefit of the doubt! You rock!
And O’Hare does suck. Sorry you had to go through this!
Oh wow! Just for next time to avoid O’Hare… Ann Arbor is only a few hours drive from Cleveland! Glad you felt so welcome in Ann Arbor (it’s a great town!).
You do realize, in a both sad and heartening kind of way, how much that day sounded like an investment banker’s travel day?
And, in defense of Chicago airports, we are the tornado epicenter (literally and figuratively) of US air traffic, so you got through the maelstrom and survived. Let’s not focus overmuch on the curious travel agent theory that had you flying east to north by way of west…
Seriously, when I am told I have to wait I only mind when I DON’T have knitting. Having to wait to see a knitting guru in a room full of knitters with endless project and wool types to see well….who would be angry? Sounds like a mini fibre fest. In a Library – what better place to be?
Glad you finally made it there. Safe and sound. And able to carry on so well after missing bath, coffee and food for so long!
I think days are exponentially longer based on the amount of running and emotion expended!
I repeat: Holy crap, Stephanie! I’m totally in awe; that’s right up there with a Die Hard movie. Hurray for Brad, Tim and Greg; I think they all deserve sainthood. (And definitely permanent handknit sockness for Brad.) Hope by now you’re topped up on food and caffeine, albeit also in the middle of a lovely sleep at the moment, and starting to get over it all.
Thanks much to all the bloggers who reported on A2 – great posts, people, ’twas wonderful fun checking all the links of anyone who even vaguely sounded like they’d been there. [g] (Rams! I finally saw a pic of the inimitable Rams! And RachelH! Coolness.) And Steph? Got my copy of the book, enjoying immensely – only your blog could’ve torn me away 😉 – and Storey did a *wonderful* job on the art and design. Breathtaking and hilarious! You and they have really outdone yourselves this time. If my cyber-sibs don’t end up scheduling our sismoot in LA around the time you’re in Portland ::keeping fingers crossed, but sismoots take priority::, I’ll definitely have 2 books for you to sign; my copy, and one I’ll get that day. My newbie-knitter sib Grace has *got* to have this one as her introduction to you!
Yeesh, posting again – but I hopped to Franklin’s blog (http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/ for those few who may not know it), and woohoo – he’s got a lovely post and wonderful pix up from your Chicago stop! What a twofer! You look *fantastic* in those traveling sock shots! ::going away quietly now. I think I’m a little hyper. I’m littering exclamation points.[g]::
Um, of course knitters have no problems waiting. We have our knitting! =)
I’m sorry you had such a crazy day and I hope you’re getting some rest now!
Oh, I hope we didn’t jinx your luggage by talking about how there would be no way to get it back until the tour is over. Next time somebody tries to tell you to get up at 3 am and spend 8 hours in transit to get from Cleveland to Ann Arbor, I might just drive you there myself. It’s a nice city and I should go there more often. Probably I need some bread from Zingermans. I can rationalize it…
You’re a survivor, that’s for sure. I got my copy of your new book. Love it 🙂 Thanks.
Brad, Tim and Greg made me cry – they are the best.
Oh my what a day!
I am happy it ends well. Houra for the nice strangers! and for the patient knitters! And for you, I hope that you will be fine.
Jayme should be reachable through Storey Publishing (storey.com). Their address could be used for sending knitted stuff for Brad, IF there is someone there who can collect and mail it.
St. Tim the Librarian and Greg the Security Guy would likely receive items sent to the library.
I’m guessing from photos that Brad would wear a large hat and Greg a medium. Tim is hard to tell from the photo. There’s always the scarf route, unless Steph thought to ask their shoe sizes. I think thought was well beyond her at that point. Maybe she could convince Jayme to follow up on that information.
OMG! We are supposed to be going to Aruba this summer and this story has scared the living hell out of me. I certainly hope this NEVER happens to you again! But hey, now you have a chapter for your next book!!!!!
We (my daughters and I) were three of the people who could not stay and wait. There was no seating left by 1:00 when we got there and I figured that another three hours of standing around (with no food – why didn’t I think to bring snacks?) would cause my 9-year-old to act much like the people you encountered in the service desk line. We were disappointed, but left our hat on the hat table and consoled ourselves with promises of “next time.”
I don’t know if this will serve as consolation, but my worst flight story involves a 46-hour tarmac-to-tarmac time, flying THE WRONG WAY halfway around the world (literally), a crash (not my plane), landing at the wrong airport in London, luggage that didn’t catch up for four days after I got there and… (this is the scary part)… when I finally got there, I was handed a baby. My first. The now-nine-year-old.
Next time, it would be quicker and easier to drive (from Cleveland to Ann Arbor, I mean – I’m not going for any more babies). Add us to the list of people who would be happy to give you a ride.
I also had to leave before you arrived – but Amby made sure my book was signed so all was not lost. Based on my latest mailing from Threadbear in Lansing I suspect another Michigan stop is in your future!
thank you for the early morning giggles. I love a good harlot story!
Dear Stephanie,
I read your post yesterday and was so disturbed I could not sleep. My first question was who makes your travel arrangements? I then would seriously like to offer myself to drive you the next time you are in Cleveland and need to get to Ann Arbor or anywhere near Detroit. It is a simple drive, my sister-in-law lives there and we go often. I have a nice cupholder for your coffee and even a maplight if you need it for your knitting. It would be a great pleasure.
I know that this (mis)adventure had a happy ending, illuminated the kindnesses of many people and will provide much humor in the years to come. However, it just seems so painful and easily avoided.
I am addicted to your blog. This would be the littlest thing I could do to thank you for all of the entertainment you provide.
Happy Travels!
Sincerely,
Cathy from Berkley Michigan
Wow. I’m a long time reader and I just gotta delurk just to commend you for not giving up and having such devotion to the knitters who were there to see you! I can only imagine your frazzled-ness (but got a view of how you must have felt through this) and I’m so sorry you didn’t get any food all day! I kept thinking “man, airports should have vendors like at baseball games for people in line for connectors!”
And yay for nice strangers!
We’re so glad you made it to Minneapolis intact after your ordeal….and none the worse for wear from what we could tell. 🙂 Our little group from Rochester, MN, (the ones who brought the Kahlua and Grand Marnier truffles) had a great time, enjoyed ourselves immensely, and said nice things about you all the way home. Really. We did. (oh, and I would probably have insisted that whomever was responsible for the barfy eight-year-old take that seat and surrender theirs to me had I been in your place–but I’m bitchy like that).
Judy in MN
Well…that was exciting! And then, i realized i have been really near you not once, but three times in the last week…i was in wisconsin and minnesota. so…today, i’m off to denver…can’t wait to see you!
rita n/
While I realize that the least worst part of your day was not having a cab in Cleveland, I do have a solution. Darling, the next time you are in Cleveland (you notice I said “next time” instead of “if you ever return to”) call me and I will make the arrangements for a cab for you. I have THE LIST of good solid drivers (all times of day or night). Hell, I’ll come drive you myself. Seriously, have Jayme the wonder publicist put me on the “who to call when you are next in Cleveland list.” This is what I do.
I read this post with great sympathy, having been down the “flight canceled due to mechanical problems” road (the airline put us up for the night – we flew out the next day). I also felt a little bad, like we as a group are putting you through a torturous ordeal with all this traveling because we want to see you. Brad was a sweetheart to have helped you out. Lastly, you really don’t have to worry about knitters waiting. Remember, we always have something to keep us occupied.
Wow.
Oh Steph, I wish I didn’t, but I UNDERSTAND, I really, really do.
Don’t believe me?
http://blog.myspace.com/venusmurphyband
Read it and know you’re not alone.
xoxo
Jenn in Winnipeg
Been there several times, done something(s) similar. Last episode was a return trip from Alaska where hubby needed to be back to start teaching evening summer school by 5 PM. We were supposed to be back at 6 AM. Airline told us they could get us back by 7 PM. Told them ONE of us had to be back by 2 PM – once they split us up, hubby was back by 9 AM, and after showering, napping and picking up the mail, picked up self and daughter at 1:30 PM. So how come they didn’t suggest that?
As for what the knitters would do if they had to wait? OK, some of them would have had to head back to or off to work, or to retrieve child(ren). The rest? – how could you doubt what they would do? Knitters with knitting in hand? Declare a guild meeting! – or the essential equivalent thereof.
Is it irony that you can drive from Cleveland to Ann Arbor in under 3 hours?
Hi What a dreadful story – awful. Well done for not loosing it totally! And how great to find someone to help….. Helen
So, uh, hey, did you get Brad’s phone number? He’s a cutie.
Hope you’re well – KG aired and the world didn’t end. I have yet to watch it. best,
How is it you can make us laugh and cry at the same time!
BRAD, dude — YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!
Stephanie- I was in Ann Arbor and you are worth the wait! I’m very thankful you made it. I too would be willing to knit St. Brad a pair of socks. It’s great to know people still help other people! I feel (a little) guilty. My day was great (a whole day away from the kids, with knitting involved) vs. your day in hell. You’re great. Please come back to Michigan. We love you here. I am part of the peaceful knitters (the blue bracelet). Our group has started a blog http://www.peacefulknitters.blogspot.com. Thanks again for a great time!
You absolutely make my day! Every day! I feel gypped if I check your blog and you haven’t got a new post. I laugh till my cheeks hurt and my husband looks at me like I am crazy. What can be so funny about a knitting blog? Little does he know! Can’t wait to get you new book!
Hope the rest of your tour goes smoothly and maybe some day you will put Nova Scotia on your tour!
Yeah, I’ve been through O’Hare, running like mad with two small children, bags, and car seats from terminal B underground to terminal C where my plane was due to take off in 30 minutes … no good memories there.
BTW, I was looking at the Knitty Gritty website and saw that your sock knitting episode will be aired this month – April 17th! Can’t wait to see the harlot I’ve only read about…
Why did they have you fly from Cleveland to Chicago to Detroit? You could have driven in 3-4 hours PLUS Ann Arbor is on the South side of Detroit, which makes it even closer. AND there’s an itty bitty commuter flight that someone (United??? Contintental??) has from Cleveland to Detroit. I’ve seen it when I’ve flown a different itty bitty commuter flight to Detroit.
At any rate, your story is precisely why I always pray for NO ADVENTURES when I travel, because this is precisely the kind of adventures I seem to be blessed with. I’m glad you made it there.
Hello! I am normally just a lurker, but after reading this blog entry, I have to comment to tell you that I had tears in my eyes. Not only for the ordeal that you had to deal with, but for the kindness of others, and the community that knitters always seem to form no matter where they are. I love reading your blog every day. Good luck with the rest of the tour and I hope that nothing like that happens again!
Maybe it is because I am attending a funeral later on today, but I broke into sobs when Brad entered the story. This gives me hope for all of us.
Chicago is a wonderful city and it has 2 airports and an Amtrak station. There are plenty of ways to get here and avoid O’Hare. You can get into the city from either airport via rapid transit and the train station is right downtown.
(I must say I wondered why you had to fly to Chicago to get to Detroit from Cleveland when Cleveland is east of Detroit and Detroit east of Chicago…)
We have lots of yarn shops and lots of knitters – and lots of stuff for muggles to amuse themselves with: great architecture, wonderful food, great art museums and art galleries, music, shopping, a lakefront right downtown.
Knitters, don’t dis Chicago simply because you’ve had a bad experience at O’Hare.
Not the first time you’re moved me/us to tears with knitterly humanitarian lore: Brad. Yay. Glad you arrived safely into the arms of friends.
Hi!
I was there in Ann Arbor. I was the really obvious Muslim chick who probably came off as a little weird. So sorry if I freaked ya out. That was also from lack of food and coffee. (Sugar was very low.) I also forgot to tell you that Jennifer and the Tsarina of Tsocks say hi! And I think I very awkwardly mumbled something to you about the fact that our husbands are the same size and don’t they take up a lot of wool!
Anywho, thanks for coming to Ann Arbor – next time drive – I also offer my driving skills and my really old but dependable Lincoln to the Yarn Harlot. I’ll be there in 10 minutes!
Good. Lord.
Note to Jayme-the-wonder-publicist. AA is about 6 hours from Chicago by car. It’s also about 4 hours from Cleveland to AA and that route doesn’t run thru Chicago.
Sometimes Air isn’t the best way to get there. Really.
Of course, then you wouldn’t have met Brad.
ill chime in as well. I, too, was one of the many knitters waiting for you in A2. Stephanie, you must be made of all heart, b/c that kind of toture could kill a weaker person.
not only did not a single person have any kind of resentment to your delay, but for the most part we were just worried about you! and the most worrisome part of that day for us (me+devoted knitter+n00b knitter) was whether or not it would be safe to go eat before you came instead of after, on the oft chance that the overflow room would fill up too! (btw, overflow room cheered for Brad as well)
thank you brad for showing everyone that there ARE nice people in Detroit!
and i aint too proud to say that i did get a bit weepy on the way home thinking about your great speech.
-Holly, one of the last people in line standing with the doppleganger
The wait in Ann Arbor was well, well worth it. Believe it or not, I don’t believe a single knitter left while you scrambled to arrive- we just sat around knitting, talking, laughing, and cooing over some very well behaved babies and muggle-husbands. After all, knitting teaches patience.
I’m pretty sure every knitter there had knitting to occupy themselves with…which seemed to concern some of the library staff. They kept peeking in and looking at us in a rather worried manner.
Still wish I’d managed to bring you a beer, though. You looked like you could’ve used it after the day you had.
Brad deserves a pair of socks, or a really cool hat, or something. Yay Brad!
Yeah for Brad and all the wonderful knitters, librarian and security man that waited at the library for you!
Socks for Brad…and for Greg, too!
Dear Steph. Never doubt that those of us who love you, would wait for you.
However long it takes.
If you EVER come to my part of the world…I’ll take you to dinner!
(That’s the Blue Ridge Mtns of VA!)
(((((hugs)))))
Ohmigod, I hope you make it to Denver OK. It is foggy and crappy this morning and if you think O’Hare is bad, my husband the professional traveller says O’Hare and LaGuardia both in the same day justsohecouldgetmeafreetickettoanywhere is worse. We’ll be waiting!
“He looks at me seriously. “I can do this” he says.”
I think I’m a wee bit in love with the Brad.
I don’t know if it is because I am a) over-caffeinated, b) frustrated because I spent an hour looking for my keys this morning, or c) hyper-emotional/hormonal, but I almost burst out crying when I saw that crowd of Ann Arbor knitters patiently and happily waiting for you. Knitters are truly amazing creatures!
Epic. Maybe your motto for this tour shoud be: (to paraphrase Buckaroo Bonzai) “Wherever you go, there you are. Unless you’re in O’Hare in which case you’re nowhere.”
As usual, you pulled it off with astounding grace and aplomb. (I’ve always wanted to use the word aplomb in a sentence.)
Go Brad! I am always happily amazed at the kindness and decency of strangers.
Seriously, can we send you socks to forward to Brad? The guy deserves it.
As one of those waiting outside before the library opened, I can say that all we had on our minds was fun, knitting and more fun. At no time did my group think about leaving. We DID think Tim, the librarian was pulling a REAL April Fool’s joke on us with his “good news/bad news” announcement! Poor Steph!
What we had was a blast! Thanks for going through all that to get there! Personally, I met a lot of nice people, knit a lot and smuggled food into the room (shh — don’t tell the library staff, who were under the impression that once the tush hit the seat there would be no movement from the room). Brad is our hero! See, there are men who understand knitters! (As well as more than one male knitter in the crowd).
On the travel arrangements: The knitters in A2 were ALL thinking that the wonder publicist is from NYC, and does not understand midwestern geography AT ALL. Everyone in the midwest knows that you AVOID OHare at all possible costs (even frequent flyer miles!). That said, cars are great for going short distances, I can think of probably 200 people who would have come to Cleveland to get you or, would have met someone in say Toledo, which is about half way. Next time, come to Lansing (which I thought you were going to do), and we’ll come and get you from the last stop prior! We have great yarn shops, quiet hotel spaces and great food!
Wow, that is quite a story! I felt badly enough for you way back at the barfing 8-year-old, but boy, it got worse! By the end, though, I was crying. It started when I saw that Brad had stayed to hear you speak, and picked up when I saw the lovely and patient knitters waiting for you.
A story about people being unexpectedly kind is always welcome, but for someone really struggling through a rough patch, it’s…well, I don’t have exactly the word I need, but it’s really good. Thanks, Brad, Ann Arbor knitters, and Yarn Harlot. I needed that.
Wow. What a day! What a great scene that’ll make, when they make the movie of your life…
holy shit, that story made me cry at work! (no, i am not getting my period)
word up, lovely michiganders!
You have made me laugh and cry. Thank you for sharing your adventure.
That’s why, even though we’re in Springfield, IL, and have to connect through Chicago or St Louis my boss will not let me book him through Chicago. Nothing is close and you end up running like a maniac from end to end. He just won’t do it.
Your wonder publicist needs to learn one word:
Greyhound
Even at low ebb you bring out the best in people. Brad appears to be cut from the same cloth. How lovely that your paths crossed and you were both able to trust each other.
You know the saying “everything happens for a reason”? (I know, I hate when people say that after you go through an ordeal.) Step back and look at the power of your “day from h—” – new friendships among the knitters, new lessons learned in the knitting circle, and thousands of people around the world reading about Brad and maybe softening a bit to allow themselves to experience the kindness of others and be kinder to others also. Steph you are so entertaining, but more importantly – really making a difference in this world! And Brad – I think he has attained celebrity status and will never buy socks/sweaters/scarves/hats again! Thank you, Yarn Harlot!!
For pete’s sake, Stephanie! I can’t believe you did any flying at all on these legs of your book tour. According to Mapquest – driving from Pittsburgh to Cleveland: 2 hours 15 min. Cleveland to Ann Arbor: 2 hours 46 min. Ann Arbor to Oak Brook: 4 horus 2 min. Oak Brook to St. Paul: 6 hours, 21 minutes. Think of all the time you could have R&R’d. Next time you plan to flit about the Midwest like this, CONTACT ME. I WILL DRIVE YOU.
I just wanted to say that it was really awesome getting to see you talk! You did a fantastic job after such a harrowing day! Thanks for not giving up on getting to Ann Arbor. My friend and I drove 2 h 30 mins to see you and it was worth it!!!
Thanks so much for your books and all that you do for knitters everywhere!
Now you know why we call it O’Scare. Next time, fly into Midway if you can. It’s ever so much easier.
Big ups to Brad for being a hero. I will knit him a cape immediately.
What a horrible day with a happy ending. Another irony of it all is that it would have been much faster to drive from Cleveland to Ann Arbor (as others have pointed out.) Due West on I-80 (now that’s some flat countryside, but with great clouds) and a right turn north on I-75 right by my home town (Perryburg, Ohio). I think there is even a better north going route. Three hours max. And it should be possible to fly from Cleveland to Detroit, but probably not on United. But it sounds like it ended well.
I got all teary reading this! (Too little sleep last night. And flashbacks to trying to get home for Christmas.) But Brad! Good person, kind person, capable person Brad! Shouldn’t be such a surprise.
I was so disappointed that I was going to miss you at the Ann Arbor Library, having to work through when you were going to be there. I should have gone anyway!
So happy that everything worked out in the end (THANK YOU Brad & Library Staff!). I hope to catch you the next time. 🙂
Well. That explains the women I saw knitting outside the library as I drove by at 3:30 on Sunday. I thought “is it over already?” It hadn’t even begun. Oy!
And lest you think I turned my back on your gracious trip to our fair city, it was actually the case that having been one of the last 4 people to get a seat in the room where you spoke last summer, I wanted to give up my seat to someone who might not have been able to see you before.
So knitters stick together in more ways than one.
Oh yes, Brad the Sainted should be showered with handmade socks or whatever people want to knit. He could look everything over and donate what he doesn’t want to keep to one of our charities. Could we send them to the LYS closest to him or a volunteer and he could pick them up there? Would that work?
That way we could maybe thank Brad and warm the world at the same time?
Mark, the Events Coordinator at the Tattered Cover (the huge privately-owned bookstore in Denver where Stephanie is scheduled to speak tonight) has spent his morning (so far) retrieving/returning phone calls from all of us offering clean clothes, etc. He schedules about 600 signings a year, and commented wryly that he’s NEVER had this kind of response – several hundred – and they’ve brought in everybody, including several presidents and (I think?) the Dalai Lama. He was laughing when he said he hoped the lady’s transit here was safe and fast, “so that he could get his life back.”
For everyone who suggested renting a car and driving, let’s remember that this superwoman was already several days into an exhilarating, exhausting tour, and regardless of how fabulous a driver she is, getting herself onto the road in strange territory would not have been a good idea, much less underfed, undercaffinated and underslept. However, in a similar situation once, I sweet-talked a harrassed airline employee into renting a shuttle bus to take me about half again as far.
It does make sense for people to contact JtWP in advance and offer alternate transportation should there ever be similar snarls. Also, is there someone in A2 who would collect/deliver the booty Brad so richly deserves?
Let’s keep the Harlot’s time available for more books and visits!
Had I just skipped to the end of the comments as soon as I finished reading about Saint Brad, I could have beaten Helena to the punch. But I didn’t.
So how about it? We could make a few socks for Saint Tim while we’re at it.
… and I teared up too– deeply moving and funny both.
This should be required reading for all those who find travelling– especially on tight schedules– glamorous. Can we flag it this way for Google purposes?
Wow what a fun day and you made a new friend! I’ve got to tell ya, Baltimore airport is just as bad as Chicago. Big hugs & good knitting vibes to you!!!
Holy freakin’ madness! I love this. I wish that I were closer to an actual book signing. I have to tell you though that I keep bumping into blogs where people are just astounded that you know who they are. LOL. I Love It! Now having said that, I would probably have the exact same response.
Dude – I totally have tears running down my cheeks and a swelling heart – there IS goodness in this world! God bless you Brad, Tim and security guy; you’ve given us a reason to keep believing.
Oh my word! I have had some airport drama in the past but NOTHING compared to that!
Isn’t that the wonderful thing about knitting though? Waiting isn’t waiting… it’s knitting time!
Good lord, lady, I would have been crying tears of frustration a LOT earlier.
You are an amazing woman!
What fortitude and focus – you are amazing. Brad’s goodness to you made me cry. Thank you Brad.
I had an idea for Jaymie the wonder publicist; I book people for travel a lot and even though airport hotels are sterile, somewhat isolated and not so fun, that is where people stay the night before their flights. Always. Take the cab late the night before, stagger into bed, sleep, stagger up and 5 min ride to the airport (hotels that close awlays have shuttles too). Ah well, I’m sure you-all know all this. Can’t wait to see you in Petaluma.
Oh honey – I’m so glad you made it through the day okay. Sounds like the knitters had a blast. I was half way through your post before it dawned on me Chicago Airport = O’Hare. OMG!!! Oh lordy!
Of course it happened in O’Hare! I got stranded ther when I was 13 and traveling alone for the first time & my connection got canceled. Yes, they let a 13 year old girl from NJ wander around O’Hare *ALONE* trying to get a new flight. I called my sister (who I was going to see) and told her what was going on. I don’t know who she called, but I’m sure she gave them heck & not 10 minutes later I was paged & they had someone take care of the rest of my flight for me.
O’Hare…man… that’s all you needed to say! Glad your ordeal is over. Oh, and is Brad single? =)
What an epic!
You shouldn’t have worried about the knitters of course they had something to do while they waited!
Brad is awesome!!! Good to see that chivalry is not dead in the Muggle Kingdom. (this goes to Tim and security guy as well!)
I hope you don’t have any other “interesting” plane situations on the rest of your tour.
Oh dear! That sounds terrible. I have had my share of bad experiences at the Chicago O’Hare airport – the worst involved getting on the plane, sitting at the gate, taxing to the runway, never taking off and 4 hours!!! later (after never leaving the ground mind you) returning the same gate we left from and being told that we would have to find another flight in the morning. But even that doesn’t compare with what you went through. I say we start a petition to wipe Chicago airports off the map as obviously they are the 7th circle of hell.
But I loved that it all turned out right in the end and isn’t it great that just when you’re at your lowest point and have lost all hope in humanity, phenomenally kind people start showing up and we’re reminded once again that there are good people in the world. Yay Brad! Yay Tim! Yay Greg! Yay all the knitters who patiently waited. You know knitters are probably the best group for this to happen to, because we always have some needles and yarn with us to keep busy while we wait. I’m sure they were all just seeing it as extra time to knit and hang out with fellow knitters.
Hope the rest of your tour is more relaxing and uneventful.
Poor Yarn Harlot!
Don’t want to make you feel bad, but here’s the reality. Cleveland has a tendency to jinx people. (See the curse of Rocky Colavito)
You did have 2 very good options, however.
1. Not leave Cleveland. This is now most of Clevelanders ‘decided’ to move here. It’s not really that bad.
2. Ask ANY of us at Joseph Beth in Beachwood, OH engagement to drive you. You’d have been amazed at the presidential motorcade to Ann Arbor.
It’s definately time for Yarn Harlot to organize her army.
You’ll need a flag.
You’ll need a fight song.
You’ll need security.
I offer my services.
They’ve been talking about you on WGN radio in Chicago this morning, but it wasn’t connected to the book signing. They were talking about unusual competitions and the Knitting Olympics was one of the examples. They raved about your blog and how funny you are. And they’re not even knitters! (Yet.)
It’s either the warm-fuzzy-woolly knitter-love or the pregnancy hormones, but I’m all teary here reading about your journey. So glad you made it safely and (relatively) intact. Keep the great stories coming!
YAAAAY for Brad, and OMG, Steph – what a TRIP – I’m so sorry you had to go through that, and I feel so sorry for the poor 8 yr old behind you!! Did SHE make it back to Chicago in one piece? Poor kid – Poor Harlot! Brad SO rocks…Plus, he’s Cute. 🙂 🙂 We should all send him Flowers or some such!!
After recently spending many, many frustrating hours in good ol’ O’Hare (and just booking another flight … what is WRONG with me??) I could feel every ounce of your frustration!! And I was only trying to get to a beach, not even knitters. Knitters are patient. Otherwise, we would just buy the stuff 🙂
Kallie
South Bend, IN
p.s. When are you coming here?
Wow – congrats that you survived. You just sealed the deal on my July trip to camp. Going through OHare would save me about $100 – but it’s not worth it.
Dear Harlot–Many have commented, and rightly, that your choosing to trust Brad teaches a great lesson. But for myself I will take to heart even more the lesson you offered at the outset of the long horrible day: Never yell at the people who are trying to help you fix a travel emergency, even if (or even though) they were the cause of the emergency in the first place. This is a lesson I understand perfectly well with my rational mind but often have trouble sticking to in real life. Somehow you managed–and under extreme provocation. Your example gives me strength for the future!
Amy
I am glad that I am not the only one to suggest just hopping in a car and driving from Cleveland to Ann Arbor. According to Mapquest it is less than 3 hours. You could have slept until 6 and still been there by noon with plenty of time for a shower AND coffee.
I hope the rest of your book tour is slightly less insane. 🙂
And update on the Cleveland hats: all have been delivered to new homes…the kids sizes to Laura’s Home (a residential center for women and children escaping abusive situations) and the adult sizes to the Bishop Cosgrove Center (a drop in shelter for the homeless). I spoke to the clothing coordinator at BCC and she said that they can use hats, mittens, and gloves for the colder months, but t-shirts, underwear, and SOCKS (as if we need an excuse to knit socks) are a year-round need. My address is on the Represent page and I’ll be happy to keep accepting donations, if you don’t know a place in your local area to donate to.
The world needs more Brads. Does he even know how famous he is right now?
Wow, what a crazy day! I’m glad you finally made it; how wonderful that you met Brad 🙂 I hope the rest of your tour goes much more smoothly!
Here’s the deal with the pilot being unable to land in the fog. If the runway he was supposed to land on did not have an ILS (Instrument Landing System), the pilot can not land in low visibility. An ILS is for an instrument only landing. But if the runway had an ILS system, the pilot has to be certified to land on the runway using the ILS. Don’t tell anyone but I knit at work when none of my coworkers are around. I work at an airport.
Oh honey, I live so close to the Detroit airport I should have lassoed that plane down for you! I hate that I missed the Library, but I knew I couldn’t go and risk infecting you and local knitters. *sigh*
Brad needs to recieve the good karma that comes from helping knitterly damsels in distress, absolutely. How can we set up a collection for him? I would be happy to collect and deliver, but perhaps he is single and an unattatched knitter would be a better choice? heh heh heh. We know where to find the fantastic Library fellahs, and they too shall feel the warmth and love of the knitterly kind.
Your determination is brilliant Steph. Perhaps that week of mind numbing work on the bedroom helped build up your mental stamina just in time?
Next tour around, maybe we could arrange more sane and Harlot friendly means of getting you around? Poor wonder publicist LOL.
Stephanie, had you decided to stay in Cleveland because you liked them better than us, we might have been peeved.
As it was, how could we possibly have blamed you?
We all knew that none of it was your fault.
As I said in my blog post — we were fine. We had plenty of people to talk to, we had our knitting, some people even brought enough cookies to share….. We could go out for a bite to eat, or to Busy Hands (lys with sale), or….
We weren’t stuck crammed in a plane (or running madly back and forth, hither and yon, across a huge airport).
We were fine. 🙂
We knew you were going through hell (though I admit I failed to imagine the puking kid….), and we felt bad about that, but we did not feel bad for ourselves.
In this case, it wasn’t O’Hare that was the primary difficulty, imh, it was the whole concept of flying to get from Cleveland to Ann Arbor. Three hours by car. No plane. Surely no planeS! Car.
I was in O’Hare at the same time as you! Wish we’d run into each other.
Look on the bright side: at least you didn’t lose your luggage. Besides that, that was probably the worst airline situation (third after dying a fiery death or watching yourself almost dying a fiery death on the complementary live news).
Another blog post I laughed & cried through. I’m so proud to be a knitter!
OK… this made me come out of “Lurkdom”… That’s one hell of an experience and you are a real trooper. I don’t think I’ve ever reacted to story so emotionally… I’m laughing & crying and crying and laughing. I look forward to seeing you at WEBS!!!
That sounds like an absolutely crazy day. Glad you made it through with your sanity more or less intact 😉
Oh lord, Stephanie! If it could go wrong it did, until you found Brad. Maybe the whole purpose of the ordeal was so that you could teach us knitters that there are nice non-knitters still out there? And don’t worry about knitters waiting for you — I’m sure you contributed to a number of them being that much closer to finishing their current obsession, ah project.
And yes, this is why I loathe flying these days. Everything is an ‘act of god’ for which no one is responsible!
When you came out on stage, and saw all those knitters smiling up at you, hoping your day would turn out right, worrying, not that they would miss seeing you but that you would have a Terrible Day, that’s when I would have cried. (I got a little misty myself!)
Oh no! This is all my fault!
A little back story: I am the embodiment of late. I was born late, a week after my due date (and after hours at that), all of my children were born well after thier due dates, I was late to my own wedding, and, to cut it short, my friends and family intentionally give me arrival times 30-60 minutes early so that I’ll only be 10-15 minutes late…
SO — when I am early it throws off the cosmic balance and makes someone else (and sometimes the whole world) very, terribly late.
I was early all day Sunday. Early to rise, early to church, early supper, early bath and early to bed. I even finished some homework early.
My deepest apologies. I vow to be late for the rest of the tour.
I can so relate–I had a similar experience and ended up driving from Minneapolis to Sioux Falls with a complete stranger who then trusted me with the rental car. Random acts of kindness are not dead. It takes a great spirit to take this story and make it into something where I started laguhing and had to explain it to my chemistry class who was working on their homework. They couldn’t believe there would be that many knitters in one place. I am working to convert the muggles. They see me knit everyday before class. Hope Minneapolis treats you well!
I read your post from beginning to end a few times,It’s that good. Brad rocks,and so do you.
Glad you made it.
I can so relate–I had a similar experience and ended up driving from Minneapolis to Sioux Falls with a complete stranger who then trusted me with the rental car. Random acts of kindness are not dead. It takes a great spirit to take this story and make it into something where I started laguhing and had to explain it to my chemistry class who was working on their homework. They couldn’t believe there would be that many knitters in one place. I am working to convert the muggles. They see me knit everyday before class. Hope Minneapolis treats you well!
I met my DH on a New York Air (big apple!) flight from Newark to Boston…21 years ago! I let him drive me home from the airport (his sisters have since berated me soundly for this!) because he had been at a mutual friend’s wedding, that I didn’t attend, but if I had, I’d have met him there…and THEN it would have been ok. So I did. My kids (2 girls, 2 boys) always “win” the “how did your parents meet” story contests!
YEAH Brad…maybe you should start a second pair of traveling socks for him!
What an entertaining post- thanks so much for going through it all, so that you could write it.
Now why would you think knitters would be impatient waiters? They all have knitting with them. Knitting makes all waits better. Really you did them a favor. Most knitters are always trying to find time to sit and knit uninterupted- and if they had to wait for you to show up, they had to sit and knit!
Wish I could see you talk sometime!
I’m sure someone has pointed this out already, but:
The Plan: 4:30 AM – Check in // 9:40 AM Arrive in Detroit (that, to me, equals 5.5 hours of airport time.)
… was flawed from the beginning. my mapquest-fu tells me that Cleveland to Ann Arbor is 2 hours and 46 minutes of driving. (This does not surprise me as I have friends in Detroit who I feised – no that’s not a typo unless you speak Gaelic – with in Cleveland and they drove.)
do you need a travel agent? I’m not certified or whatever, but I’m good at figuring out these sorts of things. 😉
it was great to see you in St Paul yesterday.
(btw, the realization that it appears you wear a Claddagh ring has given you bonus points in my book. and nice job on KARE11 yesterday too – I’m glad the reporter didn’t (seem) to ask you any dumb ‘knitting trend’ questions.)
Thank God you made it there!
When Knitters rule the universe – air traffic will finally be on time!
Your story about Brad has provided the uplift I needed on an especially atrocious day at work!
🙂
Cleveland to Ann Arbor – 170 miles. Less than a 3 hour drive. That’s less than it takes to get to and from the airports. Your publisher needs to look at a map before booking your flights.
Let me get this straight. You flew from Cleveland to Chicago to Detroit, drove to Ann Arbor. Uh, did the person booking your travel plans look at a map? Flying might be quick, but not when it’s dependant on other people. I hope Brad takes up knitting 🙂
On your tour page you asked for suggestions for the Canadian book launch…if you ask me United Airlines should offer to cater the whole party as an appology for the ordeal they put you through! As one of the Ann Arbor faithful who waited and knit and worried for all the frustration you went through to get here…I’d like to say Thank You. You Rock! PattyM …the one wearing the Weasley Sweater with a ‘P’…thanks for taking time for a photo too!
Remember that Simpsons episode where Mr.Burns has a 1000 monkeys typing on a 1000 typewriters? One monkey comes up with; “It was the best of times, it was the BLURST of times…” I think maybe that’s the quote you’re looking for! You should be sainted for your dedication!
Girl you rock! May I suggest the following book if you don’t already know it “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! I’m soooo excited…..your book just arrived by mail and I can’t wait to read it………I love that it is a nice small size to fit into my knitting bag. I love reading your blog every day. And, I DO read it every day. Thanks for being you and always keeping us informed. I wish I lived someplace near on of your engagements…..but here I am with my new book and my needles and my stash on the prairie of South Central South Dakota….with MANY muggles………In knitting friendship, Sandy
So sorry about the United fiasco! I am a knitter and also a pilot and I totally sympathize with you about ORD. Even we pilots hate it. Because of weather in Chicago 2 days ago, I very nearly was late getting home today, and I intend to try and come to your book signing tonight in Denver. I would’ve been sad if ORD had caused that. If you’re ever on my plane, I’ll try to get the Captain to give you first class 🙂
Why in the world do they not run the shuttle during all the hours that the airport is open? I lived in Chicago for a while and I still am amazed at the craptacular nature of the airport…
This blog made me cry myself, like that 95% of airplane customers who were shunted around all day. They were tears of joy, though, at the kindness of Brad, at your devotion to your fans, and at your fans’ devotion to you. I knew that they would never have abandoned you or thrown DPNs! Hooray for everyone who has a passion, or like dear Brad, supports anyone else’s passion – no matter how impossible the odds seem at the time.
This kind of breaks my heart a little, these sad truths about airline travel and people crying from sheer, utter frustration in airport terminals, compiled with these sad truths about fear trumping kindness all too often. And then you trusting the nice stranger who showed you his passport and was smart enough to know how to demonstrate that you would be safe with him, and then finding all those knitters happily waiting and knitting at the library (Did you really think they’d be angry? Who hasn’t been Inconvenienced by Air Travel at least once?). Yeah, it all kind of breaks my heart.
Reading your harrowing air “travel” story makes me lament the fact that the US doesn’t have extensive and affordable rail travel. It’s madness! I HATE FLYING almost as much as I HATE DRIVING. It’s far more civilized to let someone else do the navigation which gives you more time for knitting, right? Then, I read about how lovely (and cute) Brad is and I agree with everyone that he needs some hand-knitted love. But, I hate to be the PC police, but Brad *might* have a ring on his finger to signal his devotion to a same-sex partner. Okay, I have an agenda.. which involves winning over Brad with Fleece Artist or Blue Moon Fiber Arts socks, but that’s another obsession right after my Yarn Harlot obsession. May the Goddess keep you safe and punctual for the remaining stops on your tour. I can’t wait to see you in Petaluma. We’ve got a whole posse making the journey up there. *SALUT*
You have so much more intestinal fortitude then I do, Steph. I so would have been wailing right along with the 50%, to say nothing of the 75 or 95%. How you ever held it together is a testament of how strong you are, despite your frequent attempts to convince us otherwise. It ain’t working, lady. We’re wise to you!
Well done, Brad, and thank you for coming through for the Harlot. The kindness of strangers is a strange and wonderful force.
Looks like I’m not the only commenter feeling tearful gratitude toward Brad, as well as Tim and Greg. I wonder if they realize how appreciated they are right now, or if they are walking around like it’s just another day and there aren’t hundreds of knitters begging for the chance to clothe them and their families in handknits for life. . . .
You’re so dedicated! I was close to tearing up when reading how Brad saved the day. Your humor and dedication on days like these means a lot to your fans.
Just having re read this post out loud to DH we are both sitting here amazed that you did so well in all this turmoil lack of sleep ,food and coffee. On top of that you are a Master of words and took precious time to post. just had to send this and THANK YOU .
New definition of comedy “tragedy that happens to someone else.”
Moving on, is it possible for me to marry/kiss senseless all three of the guys? Seriously. For them to be so freaking wonderful… they in the least deserve hand-knitted socks made from silk on size US000 needles for the rest of their lives. Seriously. I’d start with that. Then whatever else they want.
I’d like to point out that we don’t get massive fog out here in San Diego… ^_^
Wow! That made me cry and I wasn’t even there! I hate O’Hare too.
You are a real gem and an example of perseverance to humans (muggles and knitters alike) everywhere!
Addendum to my previous comment:
If you ever have to fly to Chicago, I have one word for you MIDWAY . . . especially if you are flying from Cleveland.
Driving is good. It is what many of us midwesterners do, regularly and often. The theory, especially in this era of terrorism alertness and airport security, that by the time you get to the airport, get through security, check in and wait for your plane, and, finally, board the plane, you would have already been at your destination.
As I mentioned before, this is what I do. And I do not book my bosses on flights to Pittsburgh or Columbus or Detroit. They drive. And one of them drives to Pittsburgh monthly.
And, while I realize that you would have been too exhausted to drive, you could have snoozed while someone else drove. There would have been volunteers. In fact, Jayme, the wonder publicist, would have had to done a drawing for who would get the privilege of driving you (it could have been a fundraiser!).
On a happier note, you could have been flying and/or driving this weekend when we are anticipating snow/wind/snow/snow. Mother Nature has such a sense of humor.
And one more thing . . . .
Looking at your schedule, you could have slept until 7:30 and showered, eaten a lovely breakfast, zipped into my favorite LYS in Avon, Ohio, and we would have had time to stop for lunch once we got to Ann Arbor.
Dear Stephanie,
I am so very glad you made the effort to make it to Ann Arbor. I was thrilled to hear you speak. And if we had realized you had not eaten in ages, we would have given you some of the chocolate biscuits that the bookselling people were handing out for free!
I was delighted to meet you. Although it was funny, I had a different idea of what your voice would sound like because I’ve read all of your books and your blog, but I’ve never heard you speak in real life. I have to say it was lovely.
Thanks again for the great birthday!
Abby (in the foreground, wearing the orange, holding the cream afghan in the first pic of knitters)
I’m sorry you had such a bad time in Chicago. Blame Mayor Daley. I’m sure it’s all his fault. Everything is.
Hey all you Yarnys!!!! what about the tech guys from AADL? we were here from noon until 6pm, we set up all the video and sound and we made a swell DVD for everyones re-viewing pleasure.. we…and…and …..and…..were cool to!
Tom and Al
Yeah for Tom and Al, too. You guys probably though you’d be done way before 6. It can be hard to be the behind the scenes crew when everyone else gets recognition.
What’s the geographical area of Ann Arbor’s Interlibrary Loan System for DVDs?
I am convinced that O’Hare is something like one of the circles of Hell. I can’t express my loathing for that airport.
You’ve validated my hatred of them (airports, that is), my panic attacks upon entering them, and still, my faith in the inherent goodness in strangers.
Go Brad!!!
Welcome to the Midwest! Poor you. Perhaps Brad’s wife is also a knitter? Did your get foot sizes for his entire family?? We knit socks, you know and give generously….
And the library volunteer and the security guard. Knitters need to recognize nice, knitting-sensitive muggles. Perhaps hats donated in therei names…..
You’ve now had your brush with random acts of kindness. Sadly for single knitters in Ann Arbor, Brad is making some wonderful lady (hopefully a knitter) a happy wife. Your single knitters everywhere want to know if he has a brother (who IS actually single and “knitter sensitive”)…
Makes me proud to be from the Midwest and bitter that neither my father nor my brother would habe been that nice.
The things that a knitting author must do to advance her cause.
Did Tom and Al (aka the Tech Guys) at AADL say that they have a DVD of the occasion? Hmmmmm. Could this be posted on the YH site? Perhaps sold for donations to TSF? Or something else?
yay for tom and al!
you tech guys rock!
thanks for putting in all your time and effort for stephanie’s talk.
will your swell DVD be available outside the library? i live in the lansing area.
you are most definitely cool, too!
~priscilla
on behalf of yarnys everywhere
So you almost kissed the cab driver for getting you to the airport? So about Brad… so…. ahhh…gee,…I just can’t ask what I want to ask.:)
Glad everything turned out OK and the passport wasn’t a fake. Maybe a Gansey for Brad, huh?
I had one layover at O’Hare and that was enough for me, I never want to go back. So glad that things (finally) worked out.
Also, got the new book today and I. Loved. It. Harlotty goodness.
Knitters can wait for long period of times because we knit while we wait. I was there waiting and it was worth it! While waiting we
descended on “Busy Hands” knit shop like locusts-best day they ever had. Some guy at the Hash Bash(this was Ann Arbor after all) asked why he was seeing thousands of pink bags carried by women. We told him- he understood. Only in Ann Arbor on Hash Bash Day.
Your wonder-publicist is great at the publicist part, but. Dude. You need a wonder-transporter.
We could all do this in a manner similar to a dog rescue relay, but without actually putting you in a plastic kennel. Unless you want us to.
When your wonder-publicist finally figures out that LOTS AND LOTS of people in the South knit and buy your books, you could take the train to Atlanta (I promise you can Amtrak from Canada to Atlanta faster than you can fly from Cleveland to Michigan) and then do your thing in Atlanta and then get back on the train to New Orleans, where you can do a LYS crawl AND a book stop and have about eleventy-two volunteer drivers and personal bartenders and waitrons to pour good beer and great coffee and fantastic food into you, and then the volunteer driver relay could start. I could drive you to Baton Rouge (Amtrak doesn’t run between NOLA and BR, don’t ask me why) for your LYS stop here, and I absolutely promise to drive like Daisy Duke and Thelma and Louise all rolled into one.
And then somebody else could drive you up to Natchez, Mississippi for a yarn crawl, then on to Jackson, then Memphis, then various people could ferry you across Louisiana to Litle Rock (Zoe could do that) and then Dallas (where Leef will take over), then on to Austin and down to Houston (where Ray Whiting will take over), and so on.
You HAVE to come to New Orleans. How can you not come to a city that has a knitting group called the Half-Fast Knitters? I promise to spin you beaded yarn, make gumbo, and give you the insider tour.
You are scaring me. I have to fly into and out of Chicago with 35 8th graders on our way to DC for spring break….there are snow flurries predicided. All I can say is I am bringing underware in my carry on!!!
Thanks for the heads-up
Anne
P.S. Please light a candle for me this Sunday.
Yup, I’ve got contacts in Austin. Val and Cynthia can take over there and keep it weird. (They also know from beer and gave you some last time, though Cynthia’s also sound on single malt whisky.)
This reminds me of a quote from Ani Difranco after she spent time at the Chicago airport she called it the place where “people can check-out anytime they want, but they can never leave”.
You know, the Missoula, Montana International Airport is very lovely. It’s small, cozy, and NEVER EVER foggy. You can see it when you stop by on your book tour!!
Brad deserves a gansey.
I agree that Brad deserves a gansey! He is obviously a really, really nice person. I would be willing to bet that if you could post his snail mail address, he would never again need to purchase sweaters or socks!
Re the Chicago airport: I am certain it is indeed the portal to Hell!
After hearing your travel story, I have to give you mine:
Rachael and I (Manchester College students from central Indiana) drove over four hours through the most horrible traffic I have ever seen and we stayed safe.
Mapquest took us through the heart of Chicago, with a brief period of confusion in Chinatown, and we stayed safe.
We found Oak Brook, against all odds, found Borders, found a restaurant, ate, and took our seats in the second row, and we stayed safe.
We gazed at the Bohus, held our books with reverence, and had our pictures taken with our socks and yours.
We got better directions (from knitters–trust us to know better than a blasted computer), found our way to the toll road using the directions of several gas station attendents with fluid understandings of the English language, and we stayed safe.
We found cash for the toll booths, we stayed awake, and we made it back to school, and we stayed safe.
I got in my car, bidding Rachael goodbye, drove home, checked your blog, and went to sleep. All safe.
Then, I went to school the next day to find that Rachael’s three-second drive to her parking space was enough to cause her to run into a sign in her poor car, which now has car-cleavage.
Next time, I told her, we are investing in a bush plane.
Always fly into Midway Airport instead of O’Hare–half the battle won already. The United hub at O’Hare is a friggin nightmare.
Better flying on April 1 than in December/January-snow and ice around Chicago- not a fun flying experience.
People love you even if you are sweaty, uncaffinated and starving. Nobody is there to smell your drawers:)
We just need to make sure there is emergency coffee and snacks available at all of your future venues. I made that request when I did grand rounds a few months ago. I will perform for anyone at 8 am if it involves a latte and fine chocolate.
Anxious to see you in the flesh in Petaluma.
It was great to see you again on Sunday. Has anyone mentioned the CHOCOLATE that the good folks from Borders supplied? That was a nice touch. We had a big knitting party — with a used book sale next door, yarn shop 2 blocks away and restaurants nearby, plus the kids’ parade, we were well entertained and happy to wait. But we wish you didn’t have to endure all those hardships to make the gig, and are mighty grateful you arrived safely. Next tour, stick a “rest day” after every 2 stops. Hope you’re able to make it to Baddeck/”Baadeck” this summer.
I am so sorry you had such a tough time getting to Ann Arbor! I had a really crummy day today as well, but you made me laugh out loud – THANK YOU!!!!!!
I, too, am in love with Brad I think. Sometimes you just gotta trust a fella. One night my car broke down at 2am on the scary, abandoned side of town and a guy in a tricked out BMW pulled up and offered to push my car to safety with his car and then he gave me a ride home. Still alive, still haven’t told my mother.
And to think I felt bad about that air raid siren! As you do with other things, ask The Blog what they think the next time you get your detailed travel itinerary. A Harlot Relay is a grand idea too. Airlines are just the worst but a road trip-I can hear Willie Nelson now.
Tom and Al- all we had to read was that you were the tech guys and of course, we all just *knew* you were cool. Who else had their day turned on end to support the effort? We best be getting our knit on and get the socks moving Ann Arbor way!
are you aware that it’s only a THREE HOUR DRIVE (at most) from Cleveland to Detroit? just sayin’…
So very glad I got to see you at Ann Arbor. So very sorry I passed on to you the craptacular travel karma that was my Saturday getting to Detroit from NJ in 10 hours (NJ – Philadelphia – Boston – Chicago (which aside from the 25 minute security check where they wanted to take my small scissors and checked every last bit of metal in my carry on including my skull stitchmarkers actually let me leave) – Toledo, and then a car drive to Detroit, where my luggage had arrived 3 hours before me).
Bugger that I forgot to bring you TimTams (Aussie bikkie crack) or even show you my very first sock knit right there at the Ann Arbor Library. Bigger bugger that I got shy at the signing, which translated to incoherant but loud Strine!
Once again, the superwoman-that-you-are overcomes evil and triumphs for us knitters. Well done with Brad and Tim!
=:8
I’m way at the bottom of your comments, but wow, Steph, I started reading snippits of this to my husband and he said the appropriate oohs and ahs and when I got to the part about Brad I busted out into tears. God Bless Brad. And those wonderful knitters who waited! And you for hanging in there! You rock!
Ack! Dez forgot the yarn crawl in Lafayette! You can’t go NOLA-BR-Natchez! I volunteer to make the pickup in BR… LOL. After all, Lafayette really is NOLA West!
Don’t listen to the folks about the driving. When you are at an airport – YOU NEVER THINK IT WILL TAKE AS LONG AS IT DOES. You are ever hopeful that things will work out and miraculously you will make it to you event in time. Plus – You got up at 3am remember? You shouldn’t be walking, much less driving. By the time you realize it would have been faster to drive – it is way to late to try it and you are too fried to consider it and we are all thankful because we wouldn’t have such great stories to read if you did.
with as much as you travel you are very lucky this doesn’t happen a lot more regularly.
Sorry Scarlett — NOLA-BR-Lafayette, THEN hook back northeast to Natchez (fab LYS), then up to Jackson, to Mephis, and over to Dallas and back dow….we’ll figure it out!
I told several people in Denver I’d post a group picture in the comments section without realizing I can’t actually do that here (I’m brilliant). Suffice it to say, they can find it on my blog (link below), which is totally not knitting-related.
Well done tonight, by the way! Much fun was had and not only were you fantastic, but I met scads of new knitters. My evening was quite full of yay. Kudos!
By the way, if there were only a way to tell the parents of that poor 8-year-old: if you have nonrefundable, nontransferable tickets, and you call the airline and apologetically tell them you are barfing and that they really don’t want you barfing on their plane, they do transfer your tickets without a charge. Been there done that.
Gosh and I thought I had problems with the railway system here. You poor thing. Just shows you how fab knitters are. I’m sure none of them were angry – concerned about you, perhaps, but not angry. Hope you feel a bit more revived now.
Way to go Brad!!!! What a wonderful guy…………:)
You have restored my faith in humankind (it gets a little shaky sometimes). I ADORE your blog – it’s obvious why it and your books are so successful. You also appear to have the patience of Job. Did you really stay so polite??!
You are a better woman than me.
ohhh man I was soooo close to being late for work yesterday because I might have been sat at home reading this post *smiles sheepishly* but it was sooooooooo worth it!!! Talk about night in shinning armour!!! What would you have done without him???
I came to Ann Arbor on Sunday from the Fort Wayne Indiana area. Actually, we left Friday evening and had a “retreat weekend” which built up to your presentation! Lora (http://rebelliouspastorswife.blogspot.com) and I stayed at her parents lake-house in Brooklyn MI. We had been on the road 1/2 an hour on Friday when my car broke down and we had to go back home and get a different car. We spent most of Saturday driving around (ahem…not exactly “lost, but not exactly “found” either) but did find a couple of yarn stores. And we knitted. Sunday morning was spent at IKEA, then we raced to the Library and got there a few minutes after 2…..
You know, as knitters, we certainly didn’t mind a delay. We had knitting! And there was a yarn store having a sale! Pshaw.
Except that we had an almost-three-hour drive to get home….and it was also Opening Day of the MLB season, and my Cardinal game started at 8:00….but it was SO worth waiting and I’m glad you made it through the day! Thanks!
You are amazing, girl….in soooo many ways. Thanks again for the laughs…and the tears….You make us all a little better.
Wow. Superheroes everywhere – not least of all you, Stephanie. So many people would have just given up, gone back to the hotel, found a room and some scotch and pulled the covers over their head. Not you! You were determined not to let the Harlot Knitter Groupies down, and they were equally determined to do the same for you. I loudly second Dee from Berkeley’s suggestion – Jayme has Brad’s address, time for an extravagant gift to be sent off. And I love Lisa Grossman’s new title for him – definitely a Righteous Muggle! That was some mitzvah.
One of the best travel stories EVER!
However, I do have a nit to pick… Mark Twain was not Canadian, so quoting him REQUIRES you to spell it “humor”…
You are humourous, he is humorous, and I laugh at you both.
Um. Did you say 28 hours?
Hurray Brad! For proving yet again that midwesterners are sincerely the most decent, generous, kind, and friendly people on the planet. How I miss you all, silly accent and all. So, what are we going to knit for Brad!?
And you can still write coherently after all that?
*Offers you a stiff drink and some chocolate*. Good grief. Just reading this made me exhausted!
Oh Steph, although I haven’t yet met you in person knitters are usually a patient group and after reading your vivid horrors of the day I knew they would all understand. Look at how the universe synched it all up for you. I actually was trying not to cry after the standing ovation for Brad…dude is a great guy! I hope you are all rested up. Remember to start packing your own caffeine from now on, then all you should need is hot water!
Awesome! And Brad is cute, too!
Holy Random Acts of Kindness Batman! You musta made one helluvan impression on Brad. And here I thought it was all fun and parties being a knitting rockstar. Didn’t they know who you are?! I’m sure Jayme-TWP could have arranged a chartered flight for you, no?
Ah. Kelly … methinks Brad needeth a hand-knit suit of shining armour.
Just wanted to let you know that I am madly, deeply in love with you. Not to worry…I’m old, happily married (36 years), straight as 14″ size 6’s and I don’t stalk except when it comes to knitting blogs. I have shamelessly copied your use of the term “muggles” to describe non-knitters, and I let my current sock-in-progress read over my shoulder so now it demands to be taken with me everywhere, and even has begun to sneak off to do un-socky things when I’m not looking! Thank you for letting me be a vicarious part of your life.
Shh! The yarn harlot is sleeping.
WOW!, I just watched Rox’s youtube of the singing of your anthem. How brilliant! I cried.
Happy (con)trails.
We in the airline industry have a saying…”Time to spare, Go by air,
More time yet, Go by Jet”. I’m afraid this won’t be the last time this happens.
I’m going to invent the Segway suitcase. You ride your carry on suitcase in the airport from gate to gate!
Next time drive to Ann Arbor – It is only 2 1/2 hrs from Cleveland. Had any of us known that you were making the trip an 8 hr one by flying I know I would have volunteered to drive you there. And everyone who lives in Cleveland knows – it is near impossible to find a cab.
A good razzing over spelling is a loving way to let someone know that you’re listening, you’ve retained the details, and you care. So, to razz a razzer, and stick up for our Harlot, and for the record… some US citizens have been known from time to time to spell the following as the following: humour. Particularly old people such as the likes of Twain 🙂 Unless someone has access to the archives wherein reside the manuscripts, I am not sure (yet) that we can definitively claim a cultural spelling error at this juncture. (Yes, I googled it, but I don’t trust the received spellings — editors will be editors for the sake of our collective [read:culturally specific] reading comfort.) Note to young children in the US: attempts to use this spelling or argument at school sometimes leads to unfortunate endings.
PS: Stephanie, have you seen the great pictures of your silky hair blowing in the Chicago breeze like Mata Hari’s dancing veils over on Franklin’s blog?
PPS: Wishing you many more safe (and smoother) journeys.
Next time, for heaven’s sake, I will drive you. I should have volunteered Saturday night!
The Ann Arbor Library is awesome. I did an event with them for their big book week with Jillian Moreno last year and everyone who works there is beyond fabulous.
Glad you made it there in one piece and hope you can forgive us all for previous night’s sleep deprivation!
Wow, Stephanie, you are committed! Loved hearing you at the Tattered Cover last night (in Denver).
Brad definitely deserves kudos… but maybe Saint Tim & Security Guard Greg also need some knitted goods?
I keep picturing a bewildered Brad receiving hundreds of socks in the mail. *chuckles* He certainly deserves it and I hope you can arrange for us to send him something (and maybe the others, too).
Does Wonder-Brad’s wife knit I wonder? I think he needs a pair of handknit socks or something. In the world of Knit, he is an embassador!! what a great guy. Super glad he was not an axe murderer!
We in the airline industry have a saying…”Time to spare, Go by air,
More time yet, Go by Jet”. I’m afraid this won’t be the last time this happens.
I’m going to invent the Segway suitcase. You ride your carry on suitcase in the airport from gate to gate!
I feel fortunate to have never missed a flight that was actually improtant to someone other than myself! My deepest sympathy! I HAVE made midnight runs from Kalamazoo to Chicago to rescue stranded travelers….If anyone from The Albion knitters get’s this far in their reading…call the crazy Counselor that knits at the high school (they’ll know, trust me)! I’ve got a group of kids looking for knitters to love them.
Wow, Stephanie! Given all this, I’m surprised you were even upright when you were in St. Paul!! I hope all the beer and chocolate helped some.
Holy moly! What a day! I was crying with frustration for you having had a similar airport experience where I was supposed to be somewhere for a job. We were grounded by hurricane warnings and I similarly nearly drove to my job four hours away in a hurricane with a stranger. My office came to the rescue and found someone local, thank goodness. Who knows if my person would have been as nice as Brad?
Seeing all the knitters and having chocolate and beer after must have been a great reward after a day like that. Hope the rest of your tour is peaceful!
Stephanie,
It was so great to meet you in Denver. You know you made my day when you said that you remembered my comment (about being the second coolest person there). To think that you might have actually remembered me was GREAT! Too bad we all couldn’t have hung out some more, I think a couple of beers and a bunch of knitters would have been a blast! Oh well, maybe next time…K?
Thanks Again!
Marly
http://www.knitthing.blogspot.com
I loved your story! LOL!
I’m sorry that you had to endure a day from hell!
Happy Knitting!
Totally OT. Have you seen the season finale of BSG? Ds and I completely freaked out dd screaming at the “next season preview”………..mean, evil torturers…..
Sympathy, sympathy. Hope you’ve gotten some rest!
Hurray for Brad! He deserves something knitted. How sad that we don’t trust people anymore. But he has shed light on trust. I do hope you get some much needed rest and enjoy the rest of your tour.
Brad Rocks!!
OK, so why did Brad park in the employee space? I’m sensing another part of the story here… 🙂
I don’t know what I have to say that 528 other commenters haven’t said. Let me just tell you that your story was so enthralling that I hung on every word and found myself leaning forward, urging you to make the planes, even though I knew that you’d already made them or not made them. Whew! You know, you may not be a knitter who writes. I’m beginning to think you’re a writer who knits.
Vibing for good airport karma,
Lill
Good heavens – never mind a book – – -maybe a movie!! Hope you get home in one piece!! Three cheers for knitters – Stephanie – and Brad!!
Thank you for that story. It was nice to hear about the kindness of strangers! I hope that the rest of the tour isn’t as.. um.. foggy?
I live in Ann Arbor, but I didn’t make it to your book signing. I did, however, talk to Greg the security guide today at the library. He was impressed at both the crowd and the patience/well-behaved-ness of said crowd.
First, cudos to Joe who stayed awake until 3 a.m. to give you your backup wakeup call.
Many years ago we were in a small hotel in Paris, where the concierge did not “do” wakeup calls–“This is not a 3 star hotel!!” But we needed to leave early to catch the train to Calais, to catch the hovercraft to England etc. So we took turns staying up–2 hours at a time–except my husband stayed up during my “watch” in case I fell asleep. That’s LOVE!!
We saw the fog cover on Sunday morning when we came out of the tunnel in Detroit (from Windsor) and couldn’t see the top of the Renaissance Centre. Did not know it would have an impact on our day, or rather, on yours. Got to A2 early (having left lots of time to get lost, find parking etc.) and even then the room was already half full of eager knitters. We took turns protecting our good seats, and shopping at Busy Hands, Borders, and meeting other knitters,admiring knitted objects and knitting on our own projects. What a great joy we felt when you cantered into the room!! And your talk was spirited and profound. Cudos to the library staff and Brad for their part in ensuring we had a great time. And then you charmingly and graciously talked to everyone while signing books, taking pictures, etc. I was “gobsmacked” when you remembered my name from the comments. I wonder what a hugely formidable force you must be when you’re firing on all pistons, with sufficient sleep and caffeine? Congratulations on another great book!!
Marlyce in Windsor, Ontario
Holy heck what a day you had! Yay for Brad, Steve and Greg.
The best thing about knitting is that you always have something to do : )
I am freaking out! I was in the Chicago airport at the same time as THE Harlot and I didn’t even know!! Girl, if I’d run into you, I’d have sprung for whatever Starbucks you wanted…what a day! It just goes to show that the wool ALWAYS needs a spot in the carry-on luggage, after all…we can LIVE without toothpaste.
If only you’d been headed to Oklahoma City…we flew standby out of DC to Chicago then on to OKC like a dream! Our luggage even arrived with us here at home! (It’s really bad when you are actually SHOCKED that an airline trip turned out well, isn’t it?) Anywho…wish I’d have seen you!
Okay…just looking at the picture, Brad was a very good guy…it sounds like a demon-fart of a day, darling, and I am wishing you good sleep, lots of food, and of course, a shower WITH a mug of coffee. But since I got to this blog so damned late, I’m sure you’ve already had all of the above, so I’m wishing that you never have to do what you just did w/the planes when you’ve got two to four children in tow…been there, done that, and the gray hair will never go away.
That is one heck of a day. Airports are necessary, but can be the spawn of the devil nonetheless. Glad you survived, though. Additionally, I’d like to congratulate you on the alarm system. I use something similar. Nothing wrong with many an item chirping at you ungodly early in the morning.
I’m pretty sure I walked right by you on my way up the stairs and out of the Ann Arbor library. I would have stayed for your talk, but I had a topology meeting at 5. I had a lot of fun waiting, though! I spent some time knitting and talking to other knitters, got a copy of your book (which I have read and love), browsed the library, bought some gorgeous yarn at Busy Hands (that I’m knitting with right now, actually) and had a great afternoon overall, even though I missed the talk itself. I hope everything runs smoothly next time you come, so you can have as much fun as everyone else did!
More cheers for Tom and Al who are so totally cool that they ACTUALLY READ THE BLOG!
Oh, please dear one, let me repay his kindness by knitting him a pair of socks. He is our hero! And one that we shall not forget.
You may contact me via my email.
I hope you did warn Brad about the slew of knitting items people would be begging to knit him? What a guy. He shall be in wool socks for life with this good deed.
OK, I laughed (not AT you, I promise), I cried, my faith in human nature was restored, my lack of faith in airlines was reinforced… Can I just say, I love you. 🙂 I’m sorry you had such a bad day, but thank you so much for sharing it with us…
Years ago Garrison Keilor did a song on Prairie Home Companion for a show in Chicago to the tune of Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme. The line I remember is “…Have you flown from O’Hare. Everyone I know has been delayed there.”
This is the first time I have visited your blog. I found out about you in my Stich N’ Bitch daily calender….I loved this story, and I am about to read more of your other adventures in the blog. I actually cried when I read (and saw) the huge crowd of knitters waiting for you at the Library! Yay for knitters! Thank goodness for the kindness of (many) strangers.
I just was so tempeted to say “Yep, wait till you get a beer buzz(referring to the “Rocky Mtn. High” shout out I gave you in Denver). Did you get it? The Rocky Mtn. High Buzz? heh, heh, heh…hope you did!
If you didn’t already have 3, I’d tell you you should write a book! That is one of the best-worst stories I have heard. And that Brad – did you keep his address? He looks like quite the catch!
Nice article about you (and your stop in St. Paul) in the Minneapolis StarTrib today:
http://www.startribune.com/389/story/1104777.html
Not sure I consider you “Erma Bombeck of the knitting world” – I’d probably liken you to a rock star who writes, but I can’t think of a witty one, much less one that writes books. You’re in a class by yourself. Enjoyed your speech. Come back any time!
If Jayme-the-wonder-publicist ever schedules you anywhere in my southwestern corner of Northern VA, I will have a thermos of coffee waiting for you…no matter how long it takes you to arrive!
As for depending on cabs…tell us (well in advance) where you are staying and where you need to go…I’m sure we could co-ordinate a (bucket – er) “Harlot Brigade”!
swtrknttr’s right about that article she links in her comment – nice one, and thanks for the link swtrknttr. Note, it’s written by a *male* muggle, at that. 😉 Definitely go read it, folks, you’ll enjoy it. And maybe a sign of a start of Represent trickle-down effect? [g] We can always hope… Good interview, Steph!
(Note: On my first post – geesh, stalk much, Monica? – I mentioned your O’Hare adventure sounded like a Die Hard movie. I’d been totally unaware there was a new one coming out. Then I saw the DH 4 trailer on YouTube Friday. I think you need to have a talk with Bruce Willis. Maybe a stern one. I can’t help but feel there’s some sort of weird 6 degrees connection. [g])
Cheers for Tom and Al, who not only read the blog,
they read the comments! Was that one DVD for the library, or one DVD for each person who had a reserved seat? Will it be available? (Wouldn’t it be something if the only DVD generally available is the one after the trip from hell?) And I agree with the rest: insist on time between events, check maps, and ask if there’s anyone local willing to drive you to the next one *even if you already have a plane ticket*.
Oh, Stephanie, I’m so sorry to hear about your O’Hare adventures! That’s one of the reasons I’m grateful O’Hare is almost always my embarkation point or final destination – otherwise it is an awful airport. Next time you’re stuck at O’Hare, I’ll drive you to Ann Arbor. Seriously. Or you could have driven from Cleveland to Ann Arbor. Anyway, so great to see you the other night in the Chicago area. I hope the rest of your travels aren’t travails!
You were totally worth the wait, and we had a blast! Thank you so much!
My recap with pictures: http://bethestage.livejournal.com/1268240.html
You were totally worth the wait, and we had a blast! Thank you so much!
My recap with pictures: http://bethestage.livejournal.com/1268240.html
You were totally worth the wait, and we had a blast! Thank you so much!
My recap with pictures: http://bethestage.livejournal.com/1268240.html
Uh yeah… SO didn’t mean to post the same reply three times. LOL Stupid server.
I’ve lived in Ann Arbor for 13 years (but didn’t make the library event). I’m glad my adopted home city (which I love so and will never leave) rose to the occasion and gave you such a grand welcome. And, as I’m sure you figured out, Ann Arbor is overrun with coffee houses. Good coffee houses. And brew pubs!
Happy Easter yarn harlot! I hope your day is peaceful, stationary, and includes knitting. And coffee… all the coffee you could want!
Well, I’m finally getting back online…to THANK YOU for last week, especially letting those of us with kids ahead in line. I didn’t plan on having my kids with me but I was SUPER grateful that I was still able to get a book signed when it worked out that they had to be with me.
Thanks again (and I really did think it was an April Fools’ joke when they first announced it) 😉
–Denise of the red-hatted baby Ben, whom you can see me holding up in the second of your crowd photos. Hee!
Well, I’m finally getting back online…to THANK YOU for last week, especially letting those of us with kids ahead in line. I didn’t plan on having my kids with me but I was SUPER grateful that I was still able to get a book signed when it worked out that they had to be with me.
Thanks again (and I really did think it was an April Fools’ joke when they first announced it) 😉
–Denise of the red-hatted baby Ben, whom you can see me holding up in the second of your crowd photos. Hee!
Well, I’m finally getting back online…to THANK YOU for last week, especially letting those of us with kids ahead in line. I didn’t plan on having my kids with me but I was SUPER grateful that I was still able to get a book signed when it worked out that they had to be with me.
Thanks again (and I really did think it was an April Fools’ joke when they first announced it) 😉
–Denise of the red-hatted baby Ben, whom you can see me holding up in the second of your crowd photos. Hee!
Oh what a disaster of a day! I’m so sorry. You could have easily driven (walked?) to Ann Arbor in wayyyyy less time than your adventure took, with access to coffee and much more sleep. I missed your visit, as I was away from wintry Michigan for spring break and my children would not let me cancel my trip to Disney World to see you. I’m glad your faith in human kindness was rewarded so well! Go Brad!
Oh, O’Hare is EVIL. EVIL, EVIL, EVIL. I have never had a good experience there – before I lived in Chicago I got stranded there overnight, and now that I live here I have never had an on-time flight in or out of the damn place. O’Hare is the Devil’s Airport.
However, YAY for Brad! He totally deserves some sort of award for bringing you to the knitters.
After my own recent nightmare at O’Hare flying United I have decided never to fly united again and avoid flying out of O’Hare if possible. My last two flights with this airline I have spent 12 hours in the ariport each time. On the latest, after my flight was cancelled, I had to get PROOF my dad was dead and I was going to his funeral in order to get priority standby. that did reduce me to tears. Living in chicago now i have just found out one very important thing. When the weather gets funky and O’Hare cancels 400 flights, Midway airport south of the city flies as scheduled with no cancellations.
The next time I have a beer I’m going to toast the Brads of the world.
When you voluntarily separated from you luggage, tell me you had your Bohus on.
I got a tad dizzy at the thought of it being at the whim of airport baggage handlers.
I just re-discovered knitting, and discovered the Yarnharlot, a few weeks before you visited my town of Ann Arbor. I was so excited for you to come! The whole time I was sitting there, waiting for you to come, I kept thinking how fortunate I was that I just had to sit there in relative comfort while you went through the hell of being shuffled back and forth between different parts of the country. While you were in a constant state of frustration, I sat and knitted, chatted with total strangers, walked a few blocks to Busy Hands yarn store and had the courage to buy my first sweater pattern (!) and, of course the yarn to make the sweater. The woman who came with me I had met just that day while waiting for you. I never would have met her or shopped with her if you had been on time! I think we all felt alot of sympathy for what was happening to you, and we were just happy to see you arrive!
Oh my GOSH! I just happened to check into your blog today, Stephanie, and remembered that I missed your tour in Ann Arbor (sweetly known to some of us from the 60’s as A2 – “A Squared”)! I almost made the family come home from our trip to see you!
I am LAUGHING so hard (certainly not at you…your writing!), with tears streaming and wanting to cuddle/caffeinate/let-you-shower-yourself right now…with a good cooked meal after a nap. I’ve been there in a situation like yours and even with some little ones. But not one of them whined, as Momma (who was internally crying) and kids had something with them (always) to pass the time.
NEVER think that knitters, or any other Karma-ed person, would be angsty about your event occurring a few time frames late. They would have plenty to do to calmly spend the hours (knit…read…). If they are one of the unfortunates to not have attained such internal peace, then may their future knittings be smite with holes and irregular gauge!
Ok….enough of that….I am patiently awaiting another time or place to see you talk in person (as this is the second Ann Arbor event of yours I have missed!)
(you got the stamina of a bull, girl!)
I have done that run from terminal to terminal in Chicago more than once and I totally sympathize. Go Brad! I had a little catch in my throat when I read that you accepted a ride from him.
After I read your saga, I immediately thought of Max in “Where the Wild Things Are” who, after all his adventures, arrived home to find his dinner still warm. You arrived in Ann Arbor to find the knitters still there.
Unfortunately, I had to leave before you made it to Ann Arbor. I’m a theatre student in Kalamazoo, so time is always of the essence.
After sulking for a decent stretch of time, I pacified myself by telling everyone in earshot that they ought to keep recordings of your speeches in the comedy concert section of the video store. Really. Who could dispute the place of knitting when compared to all the less worthy subjects that are represented?
Good site. Thanks!!!
Cool site. Thank you!
Cool site. Thank you!
Very good site. Thank you!!!
Very good site. Thank you!
I nearly wet myself when you said that you almost open mouth kissed the cabbie who had clearly been attending the James Bond School of Driving. Really…I haven’t laughed out loud like that in a long time.
Very good site. Thanks!
Very good site. Thanks!