Slow Learner

I suppose what I’m living right now could be considered a failure to learn from my past, but I like to think of it as a terminal sort of optimism. Every time I book trips really close together, I look at the calendar, do the math and then think “Oh, it’ll be just fine.” It’s like I think that everything that was difficult about it every time before this is a problem that’s entirely gone away – or that I’ve suddenly become a completely different sort of person. Then my plane lands, and I start the process of a two day turnaround, and realize that I’m still me, and this is still a problem, and this is all a long way of saying I’m rushing to get out the door early in the morning for Madrona after returning  home late Sunday night, so here’s a short blog post, just to show you a finished thing.

bermuda5 2017-02-14

Pattern: Bermuda (but I faked it at the end and made it bigger so that I’d use up every inch of my yarn.)

bermuda4 2017-02-14

Yarn: The January Shipment of  the CaterpillarGreen yarn club. It was an extra large skein (170g) of shawl striping, MCN fingering.

bermuda3 2017-02-14

I finished it the last day we were in Scottsdale, and it looked so at home there that it was almost a shame to bring it home to the snow. (But I did.)

bermuda2 2017-02-14 bahamas 2017-02-14

Voila! Now, if you don’t mind, I have to go and continue semi-hysterically unpacking and re-packing a suitcase, while making a mental note that I’ll do this again next week. I expect it will go better then.

50 thoughts on “Slow Learner

  1. If it’s any consolation, I have similar delusions on quick turnarounds. Hope yours goes as smoothly as possible.

    Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your loved ones!

  2. For a second, just a second, I thought the baby blanket was done. This shawl is beautiful. I really need to start mine… Good luck with the turnaround.

  3. I have that skein and I might be “twinning” you with that pattern because . . . LOVE . . . and on Valentine’s Day, too.
    Happy un/packing. It will be worth it because . . . Madrona. Sigh. Enjoy!
    (and a treble clef is NOT a music note, just sayin’!)

  4. How about buying a second suitcase, when you have a quick turn around, pack for both trips at the same time and just hopefully grab the correct suitcase for each trip.

    • Yup–this really does work, ESPECIALLY if you make yourself a note of everything you absolutely must transfer from Bag #1 to Bag #2 before heading back out!!

      • Yes, but Stephanie has written several times that it’s not the clothes or toiletries that are the issue. It’s the knitting and the yarn that present the problem.

  5. That’s really, really pretty! Both the yarn and the design. Have a great time at Madrona. Maybe someday I’ll make it out there.

  6. Gorgeous, perfect yarn for this pattern! I’m going to Madrona too, see you there! (unfortunately not in time for your Thursday night extravaganza 🙁 )

  7. Oh, that “finished thing” is a sight for sore eyes in the middle of February! And a poolside shot, no less! Thank you for not posting it in a pile of snow! Yay for lovely colorful things in mid winter!
    It’s beautiful.

  8. It’s funny that you wrote this because when you posted a pic on Instagram the other day about flying home I thought to myself that maybe you weren’t coming to Madrona.

  9. Gorgeous! You mentioned that you have souvenir yarn… this could be a souvenir shawl that you can wear and remember the nice warm weather while the rest of us were digging out of snow storms 🙂

    Safe travels!

  10. I suppose being an eternal optimist is better than being an eternal pessimist, though perhaps the middle ground, a realist, is best.

    I was surprised to hear/read that you were going back home when you were already in western USA, and heading from there to the PNW for Madrona would have been a short jaunt. Perhaps a talk with your “travel agent” (you) is in order.

    By the way, all of the skiing and rock climbing/hiking you’ve been doing this winter should have your legs in great condition for the Rally this summer . . . if you keep up the conditioning.

  11. Just think about Elton John, The Grand Canyon, Scottsdale, Vegas, etc…. Oh the adventures you’ll always remember! The nasty turnaround – well you’ll remember that to, but not so specifically or intensely. Safe travels!

  12. Beautiful shawl (she says, wondering which of ‘the ladies’ will try to commandeer it first. It would be awesome with Sam’s eyes). Have a great time at Madrona, Steph.

  13. What a beautiful shawl …. absolutely seductive!!! I hope you have plenty of pleasantly cool summer evenings (after warm days of just the right temperature) when it will be the perfect choice.
    Good luck on the turnaround — I think I have just booked myself in for one of those this summer – UK-Germany-UK-South Africa-UK …. on the principle of not looking gift horses (or flights) in the mouth. I shall take my inspiration and strength from you ….

  14. If you got home Sunday night, and are leaving Monday morning – that is a NO day turnaround. Entirely delusional. Rather like thinking gauge will get better as you go along.

  15. That is absolutely lovely! The colors certainly do look like they belonged out west. I find myself falling in love with yarn like that and not knowing what to do with it. I don’t wear shawls, so I don’t make them. I end up either stashing the yarn or making something like socks… not nearly as worthy a pattern as your shawl. I will need to be a forward thinker from now on and let your choices inspire me! <3

    • I wear shawls constantly, but it I only knitted the single spine triangular ones, I would soon find something else to knit. They slide down my back and out my shirt up against my neck…ugh, strangled! Fortunately, I knitted a double spine one…stays on the shoulders, keeps me warm…..as do semicircular ones. Maybe another try?

  16. That shawl must’ve been a lot of fun to knit.

    Do you think the back-to-back travel memory lapse is anything like the childbirth memory lapse? I’m told you forget how difficult it is until the labor pains start again. If so, it’s not a failure to learn, it’s Nature protecting you.

    Travel safely.

  17. Wow – that is fabulous! Such a great yarn for that pattern. It will almost become “souvenir yarn” because it was knit in a warm place and looks like waves and it will remind you of all that warmth every time you pull it out to wear it.

  18. Here I thought you were just going to head up to WA from AZ and were somehow going to do laundry along the way and have clothes for WA weather and AZ weather. I was trying to figure out how you were going to be away from home so long. I’m sure that turn around is rough, but I feel better (not that that matters) that you were at least home for a touch of time. Can’t wait to see you at Madrona!!

  19. I’m generally in favor of optimism, myself.
    The shawl is beautiful! Love, love, love the colors!
    Hope Madronna is wonderful! (That’s a trip that’s on my bucket list, for sure.)

  20. Incredible shawl — it’s telling you that you have to go back to Scottsdale sometime soon. For those quick travel turnarounds – maybe two packed suitcases. Drop one off, pick one up. Sleep. Pour coffee. Stir.

  21. Another possibility — pack that second suitcase, including knitting; ship it to your second destination (LYS or resort, depending) and skip the to-and-from-Toronto flights. That could give you an in-between day to chill or play tourist. Much less stress, and the shipping and the fee for extra baggage on the flight home will be less than two flights. (PS: Be sure there’s a bra in that second suitcase!)

  22. That shawl looks right at home poolside. Now you’ll think of your sunny vacay everytime you wear your shawl.
    Excellent photography!

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