Note 1. Friday May 6th: – Somewhere in the air
I’m sitting in my seat on the plane. I’m starting to think that despite the absolutely crushing weight of concern about changing planes in Cincinnati (further note here: the Cincinnati airport was the first time the inevitable happened. I had 30 minutes to change planes to get to Kalamazoo and as I was whipping through the airport it struck me…I have no idea what state I’m in. It turns out that while Cincinnati itself is in Ohio, the Cincinnati Airport is over the border in North Kentucky. I queried a couple of people nearby and was absolutely charmed when an elderly gentleman told me that this state -the Cincinnati Airport…is the state of Confusion.) I may just learn to enjoy the plane rides. This is my setup.
I have a window seat, a cup of coffee, my knitting and Ken’s ipod shuffle, which is loaded with an audiobook of “The secret life of Bees”.
Note 2: To the enthusiastic dude beside me. I’m very sorry, but when I am knitting and drinking coffee and listening with my earphones in my ears and taking digital pictures of my tray table and giving you only monosyllabic grunts for answers, what about this makes you think that you should do your level best to engage me in conversation? Please, oh please, for the love of everything in the world, I beg of you… Shut. Up.
Note 3. I am completely in love with Rams, seen here at her charming and lovely best, suspending the sock above the landscape of Kalamazoo.
(Her sweater was brilliant. Handspun alpaca. I think she about fainted from the heat.)
Note 4. The sock…
Admiring the handblown glass chandelier in the lobby of the Kalamazoo Institutue of Arts, right before Rams and I beat it out of there at the speed of sound, successfully dodging the overcautious security guard who seemed to feel that we were exhibiting some odd behavior. (You would be surprised to discover that as a whole, security people seem to find the whole “showing the sock a good time” thing a fairly weak defense for climbing around various tourist attractions waving a bit of knitting in attractive locales.)
Note 5. I’m in the backroom at Athena book shop, sitting at a desk as I listen to all the knitters arrive in the other room. (It sounds like a lot. Mind you, depending on your frame of mind and nervous state…it doesn’t take many to *sound* like a lot.) Rams is bustling back and forth, poking her head in from moment to moment. Rams is not nervous. Rams actually enjoys speaking in public, and she is eager and relaxed. I cannot relate to her at all.
I’ve had such a good time in Kalamazoo that I am loathe to open that door when Rams introduces me, in case this is when it stops being wonderful.
Note 6. This is what I saw when I opened the door.
If you look closely at the second picture (and not at the first, in which I have managed to capture Rams looking as though she is seeing some sort of vision above her) you can see Susie blogging me while I am blogging her.
Note 7. Here’s her picture.
Reciprocal blogging. Who knew? b (Her May 7th entry has more pictures of the knitters.)
Note 8. Two dorky friends, who drove 7 hours to see me.
Note 9. I don’t think that’s normal. (But will be forever grateful.)
Note 10. I am in Massachusetts, having just about fried my brain at Maryland Sheep and wool. Updates to follow, just as soon as I can get a hold of myself and find out if my hotel in Amherst has wireless.
I’m in Saratoga Springs (NY) today at Saratoga Needle Arts from 4-6 and at the Fiber Art Center in Amherst on Teusday. Who’s coming?
You are doing wonderfull. I wish I could see you, and have a hearty laugh with knitting as the main ingredient.
I love that the sock has seen a Chihuly Sculpture! I hear you about those people who sit next to you on the plane…engaging in conversation is never necessary.
To my great disappointment I don’t think I’m going to get to meet you on the bookbookbook tour. Waaah.
But, I would love to have my book and the one I bought for the library, too, signed. Could I snail mail them to you?
Sounds like everything is going great. It kills me that you’re in Massachusetts and I won’t get to see you!
Keep up the awesome work – you are a leader among knitters and bloggers!
HeLLO!!! WHAT about Maryland SHEEP and WOOL?!?!?! I am a bitter blogger who didn’t get to go (even though I have relatives who live only a half-hour away) and I have been waiting all weekend for the wild tales of yarny, sheepy, spinny, knitty, WOOLY and HARLOT-y goodness! I don’t want to hear about the idiot on the plane with the verbal diarrhea!
P.S. When in the Sam Hill are you comin’ to T3XAS!?!
(Is the word forbidden on here? I forget!)
bye for now,
Angie (a little peeved)
You’re in my home territory today. Too bad I can’t rationalize visiting family at this time…At least I hope they show the sock (and you) a good time.
I’ll be at the Amherst event. Anyone wanna catch some dinner/coffee/drinks?
Hi! Thanks for the comment – I can’t wait to hear how you managed to embarass yourself at Sheep and Wool. Did you allow bloggers to sign your stomach with a Sharpie? Oh wait, no…that was me. I’ll be in Acton on Wednesday (may have Sharpie, may not…we gotta keep you on your toes!)
There’s a man in that first audience picture who looks a little devilish! Is he Satan Claus??
For the record Carma drove 7 hours. I only live 2 hours away. But really, it was all worth it.
I’m hoping to see you on Wednesday in Acton 🙂 I hope all the traveling and stuff isn’t stressing you out too much and that you’re having fun!
I and Jenn (hippygoth) will be in Amherst as well tomorrow, see you there!
Can I say, I’m oh so jealous of everyone that is getting to see you. When, and if, you come to Chicago, I’ll drive however many hours I need to – either 1 or 3 depending on where we’re living at the time.
Barring sick children, flat tires, and other joys of recent days, I plan to be in Amherst. Yee-haw!
Shall I bring the Screech?
I had an absolute blast in K’zoo! It was so nice to finally meet you in person. Although I became completely tongue tied and stumbled to say anything, I really did enjoy meeting you. And Rams was great too-although I still do not know how she stayed so cool in that gorgeous sweater. Have fun on the rest of the tour!
And I am so happy to see myself in the blog-yea for the front row (thanks Rams-the bookstore is great)!
I’m going to see you on Wed, due to stupid med school scheduling. I’d much rather come to Amherst, since I grew up in Amherst, and it is a great, cute, superfun town. If you want the worlds best burrito, go to Bueno Y Sano, it is tucked away in a funny alley off Main St, sorta near Newbury Comics. Seriously, *best* burritos EVER. If you want any more area tips, let me know!
Sounds like you’re having a fabulous time and meeting lots of great knitters! Good luck at your next stop and I’m sorry you had to deal with the inevitable over-eager airplane neighbor. Don’t you just hate those guys? You need to develop your bitchy look so they avoid you (it can be done, trust me), but it may be more difficult for you with your kind nature. Have a great day.
I am going to come see you on Wednesday! Sounds like you are having quite a time traveling and meeting so many wonderful knitters! Look at all those people who admire you! Thanks for the updates!
That (lidless) coffee cup looks suspiciously close to the white lace. Turbulence…it happens.
(That airplane coffee was drinkable?!)
I enjoyed meeting you Sunday morning at your book signing. You are as wonderful, funny, and generous in person as I imagined from your blog. My children and hubby enjoyed the leftover sweets. Did you have any luck finding the peacock colorway at MDSW? Can’t wait to hear what goodies you finally came home with. Watch out for coffee overload.
Don’t knock the poor schlub on the plane. A friend of mine was having a terrible time running from doctor to doctor to figure out what was wrong with her eyes. She flew home at Christmas, and at the end of the flight the guy next to her apologised for interfering but said he was a doctor and she might want to ask her doctor about myesthenia gravis. Turns out he was probably right, and although no-one wants to be told they have a degenerative nerve disease, at least she finally has an answer!
That downer aside, I’m really glad the touring is going well.
Just reminding you through the fatigue what a wonderful generous gift of yourself you have given all of us poor tongue tied, stupefied, and stimulatory overloaded but admiring throngs. How you can stay “on” for weeks at time boggles the mind. I thought there would be a big banner in Maryland “YARN HARLOT HERE” and piles of books like for all the celebrity signings. Lines longer than those for food!! I even assured my seatmate on the bus from Philadelphia that there would be books so she could get hers signed too. Thank goodness for the booksellers in the exhibition hall or my poor seatmate would have been bitterly disappointed. Thanks for coming to the MSWF and having a stationary site so we didn’t have to accost strange curly haired women or post Yarn Harlot sightings. Daryl
Ooooh. Bueno y Sano. Amber Waves does fusiony noodle/stir fry type dishes and they’re pretty darn good as well. Also, La Veracruzana for good Mexican (they make their own salsas. so frickin’ good.)
This kills me. I lived in Amherst for a couple of years and I would *love* to come down for the Tuesday gig, but I can’t swing it with work. So I’m stuck thinking of all the great restaurants there and drooling uncontrollably.
I’ll be in Amherst tomorrow night! I told my husband I had to get there early for a good seat – he looked at me like I was crazy. Poor man just doesn’t understand knitting celebrities!
Good to see you Saturday even if only briefly. Were you too tired to buy anything?
I have to say that I really enjoyed your links today (Susie and 2DF)… their adoration of wool, knitters & yarn harlotry is on the mark.
BTW, what are you going to do with all the frequent flier miles you’re racking up? 🙂
All of the 7 hours were well worth it.
Erin and I are going to be talking about “I made thissss into thisss” for years (yeah, we’re like that).
Had I known you were connecting through Cincinnati I would have had my father come escort you through the airport (he lives a mere 5 minutes away… he’s done it for lots of people before) I was massively confused about the whole what state am I thing the first time I was there (yeah I don’t even drive that far to see him! :))
It was seriously great to meet you. And Rams. And Rita, and Janella and Susie…. 🙂
THANKS!
http://www.chihuly.com/ ! When you come out here to Seattle, maybe we should take you to the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, so the sock can cozy up to lots of Chihuly.
Isn’t the chandelier amazing? I had the chance to see multiples when I was in San Jose many many years ago and I’ve never forgotten them.
Ha, your tray table picture cracked me up — because it was almost exactly like mine, sans tray table (see link below). Knitting, coffee, iPod shuffle – I think it’s the perfect set-up. Except I was listening to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio series. Glad I’m not the only knitter taking mid-flight photos. 🙂
http://knitterpatter.blogspot.com/2005/04/tales-from-road.html
My head is swimming…can’t imagine what you feel like. We have a much bigger Chahuly here…come see it please!
I’ll be in Amherst tomorrow if all the babysitting works out, which I expect it to. Have fun in Amherst–good restaurant recommendations, but if you happen to have time to go to Noho for dinner before you leave, try Bela for a great, all vegetarian restaurant.
What, you mean the security guard thought that your behavior was odd? He quite obviously does not have any knitters in his life. Good for you for showing sock a good time-all socks should be as lucky.
That’s my hubby and me in the front row next to Rams. Yes, he’s been mistaken for Santa (it’s the red beret), and has a definite impish side — but not “Satan Claus.” He’s my #1 knitting fan and actually volunteered to attend with me(!). It was great fun meeting and talking to Stephanie — Baadeck Yarns is our favorite shop, too. Thanks for a great time, Stephanie & Rams!
All those bloggy pictures of your appearances (ooooh don’t you feel ever so important?? You make *appearances*!) are making me wonder…will you ever record one of those appearances? Hmmm? For those of us not able to do the YH ’05 tour?
Oh that would be so cool. For us.
Well, I’m beginning to feel more and more disappointed that i didn’t get to see you when you were in Ottawa. I was new to your blog at that point and since then have been following your travels with more interest than I thought I would. I must admit I’m a hobby knitter and can’t imagine ever knitting as much and as quickly as you guys do. Amazing. However, my husband has caught me smelling wool while I’m knitting and he gives me a very funny look. Now that i’ve written it, it does seem weird. Also, Rhonda, I think it’s amazing your husband went with you and sat in the front row. He must be brave.
Just dropped in to say that your book arrived from Amazon on Friday and I haven’t felt so at home in a book for ages. Thank you for making me feel more “normal” and brightening my day. I hope your tour may make it across the pond (if you can cope with any more flights).
Dear Ms. Harlot, I promise I will never come up to you and say, “Hey you, don’t you recognize me?” Especially since I think I never got around to giving you my name yesterday! Thanks much for the hospitality! I had a great time meeting you and your publicist and the other knitters who came to chat with you! Y’all are nice folks! (Now, back to nursing the major “textile overload” hangover from the Md. Wool Fest.)
ps: Did you happen to hear that wilting lily of a sheep in Barn 7-8? My friend and I were cracking up! Sounded like she was havin’ thuh vapuhs, and it wuz just too much effuht to bleat! “Meh, meh, meh!”
oh man, i know Amber (geekpixie!) already said it, but we’ll see you tomorrow! as for restaurant recommendations, Amber Waves has closed, but Fresh City Cafe is excellent for asian-y vegetarian noodle dishes. I second Bueno y Sano for giant vegetarian burritos, and will add Amherst Brewing Company for deep-fried, beer-battered pickles. Rao’s Coffee is roasted on premises, and is EXCELLENT.
I’m thrilled you’re in Saratoga Springs, which was the “cool” place to hang out when i was in high school, and then in Amherst, which is where i went to college, and has a similar feel to Saratoga, as far as i’m concered.
can’t wait to see you!!!
I got the biggest laugh today from your “North Kentucky” bit. As if there were a “South Kentucky” – heaven help us all!
I am about as bummed as I can be – I missed your blog entry announcing where you’d be at the festival and when we asked at the information booth they said you weren’t going to be there. I think I missed you by 15 minutes. And I was half way across the freaking country!! Granted, I didn’t come JUST to see you (sorry, it’s true), but it would have been ice cream on my pie. Another reason I’m disappointed is because I was quite sure you were going to surprise me with the Latvian mittens when we met… now I’ll never get them. *sigh* I still managed to have an amazing weekend, so there’s no permanent damage.
I’m in!!!
Stephanie, It’s as if the six o’clock news had announced that I was giving money away on my blog! I cannot believe the volume of people who have linked into my blog today from yours. I feel like a ‘supahstah’!
I’m not into idolizing anybody, but I come pretty close with you. You make it all look so easy…the speaking, the knitting, the humor, the angst, homelife, on-the-road life, marriage, parenthood, the works. Thanks for being so real.
Blessings,
Susie
I actually *did* accost a strange woman at Maryland (not really strange, just unfamiliar), asking if she were you! Luckily, it turned out that she’s another blogger and knows you, so she didn’t go crazy and whop me with a Sheep & Wool tote bag in one of those ‘harlot, indeed!’ moments. I was hoping to meet you, but I got a little crowd-dizzy. I’ve gone to the Maryland festival for YEARS and I’ve never seen anything like the craziness that was going on there on Saturday! Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I’ve now bought 3 copies of your book – one each for me, and 2 to give to friends. (I’m not letting my copy get away.) And do give Maryland S&W another try next year! We went back Sunday morning, and it was practically peaceful…
You sound like you’re having the time of your life! See, all the readers love you and are willing to drive a great many hours to see you.
now, can we talk about your Midwest schedule? Specifically, when are you coming to Mpls/St.Paul MN?
I wish I had the gumption to photograph my knitting on the airplane and my sock just about everywhere. You crack me up. I wish I could see that security guard writing down in his log: “two ladies… photographing sock… apparently up to no good.” 🙂
WOW! Now you have to come to San Antonio and show the sock our Chihuly sculpture that has its home in the Central Library! There is also a Chihuly piece at the San Antonio Museum of Art (an old brewery, I think),part of the permanent collection. I do believe the sock would really like the trip and the weather is nice too–that means warm. Come visit now before it gets too hot. In SA we have three temperatures: hot, hotter and very hot (muy caliente!). Read the book as soon as our Yarn Barn could get copies! Yep…!
Oh my, the sock with a Chihuly chandelier…which looks exactly like the cedar apple rust we’ve got growing on our cedar tree (the chandelier, not the sock). I’ll remember to be careful if I ever try to show a sock a good time. It sounds like you had a wonderful time!
UGH! Another trip to Massachusetts and I can’t make it! 🙁 Daughters have school concert and Honor Society Induction Ceremony! I’ll be there in spirit and hope to catch up with you another time soon! Enjoy Massachusetts! Cathy
Honest and truly, if you can get over to Northampton tomorrow, you must go to Webs yarn store. Be sure to check out the warehouse through the door in the rear left of the store, back past the spinning wheels. A shocking amount of yarn awaits you at Webs.
Wow. That is one freakish handblown glass chandelier! At first glance I thought you’d put a clown wig on the sock. 😉
(No slight meant upon the artist, of course – that is one helluva feat of glassblowing. But you gotta admit, its shock value is high.)
I paused when I read “Secret Life of Bees”, are you telepathic or something? On my kitchen table, at the time,was a 3 pound box of bees. I was cooking and kept hearing a background humming noise. It took me a few minutes to realize what and where and that I was not losing my hearing to an unknown droning sound. The bees are now happily in their new home and I need to go scrub the table from bee….dust. Your life sounds emminently more exotic. Enjoy your tour and don’t let us wear you out!!
Stephanie: it was SO nice to meet you Saturday and thank you, thank you for signing the two books. One is on its way to Idaho as we speak. I waved at you later at Jen’s booth, but am sure you had no idea by then who anyone was! Sunday is much more civilized, by the way. Much luck with the rest of your tour….maybe they will sneak Rhinebeck into the schedule?
Hey…when are you coming to Denver? And… the Estes Park Wool Festival is in mid-June and shouldn’t be missed (*hint*).
Drat. I so wanted to meet you in person at Kalamazoo. Real bad. Only about 1.5 hrs away. I have friends I could have stayed with.
Of course, that means that I got assigned to dance (by my dance troupe) at the one place I love to dance more than anywhere else… the place I’ve begged to dance since October. Got assigned to dance at 6:30 on the exact same night you were in Kalamazoo at 7pm. Unfair! I did have a great time dancing, pics at http://colorjoy.com/weblog/archives/000908.html to substantiate my alibi.
I’ve been to the Kzoo Institute of Arts. I took an incredible 3-D feltmaking class from Joan Livingstone there… I really am bummed I missed you.
I hope you have the time of your life on the road and the comfort of family between trips. Balance, that’s a hard one!
Hugs, LynnH in Lansing Michigan
Oh, the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. It’s located in Hebron, Kentucky, however the airport code (CVG) actually refers to Covington, which is about 15 minutes north. Back when they were establishing postal codes, they thought Covington was going to be the big city. Ooops. Northern Kentuckians consider themselves to be something of a “Cincinnati annex”, however most Cincinnatians want nothing to do with Kentucky, except when they have to fly out of the airport. Neither group likes to cross the river.
Too bad I missed you, I would have waved a sock and my copy of your book at the gate, before security dragged me and my Pointy Objects of Doom away, kicking and screaming.
🙂
Thanks for visiting the 2005 Chihuly Kalamazoo Glass Exhibit. Hope you had a wonderful time!