So, I’m panicking packing. I’ve given up trying to organize these people (you can tell your plan is really going nowhere when you are reduced to referring to your beloved family as “these people”) and I’m now concentrating on the basics. Food. Shelter. Supervision.

So far today I’ve put Amanda on a bus to NYC. (Recipe for disaster School trip), taken Meg to the orthodontist, done 4 loads of laundry, tried to pack my new pants (convincing myself I can hem them in a hotel room), bought groceries, and taken a trip to the sewing store to buy a zipper for the now finished Garter Vine Cardi.

It’s blocked, but remains to be sewn up, I’m going to deal with that tonight at the S&B at Lettuce Knit. I don’t mind the sewing up, but I have to tell you that zippers give me the willies. They are always fraught with disaster and intrigue. (And yet…I put them on a lot of sweaters. I can’t explain it either.) This morning I put on my best optimistic nature and went to go buy one of the cursed things. The trouble started straight off. I’m standing there trying to choose one, and notice almost immediately that there is no zipper, not in any brand, size, weight or type, that matches this sweater. I sighed. I held sundry and assorted demon minions zippers to the sweater. I checked the rack a hundred times. I sighed again…then picked two that might work and went to the cash.

“Those don’t match very well” the lady at the cash says.

“I know” I sighed (again.) “I just can’t seem to find anything better. I think the black might work, but I’m going to get the other one too and make a decision later.”

“You know” she says …(If you’re not sitting down you might want to. What comes next in this story is so perplexing that trying to process it may cause some dizziness and befuddlement.)

“You should knit sweaters that are regular colours.”

I stared at her for a minute or two. Probably about 30 seconds longer than I should have, because I noticed that she was sort of making a face at me. It was that face that people give you when they are trying to figure out if you’re confused, stupid or having a stroke. (I was wondering myself.)

“Regular colours? You mean, like…the colours that are regular for zippers?”

“No.” She says emphatically, frowning disapprovingly as she holds the two zippers up against the sweater.

“So, like…not heathered colours…more solid?”

“No.” Even more emphatic here…clearly I am on the wrong path. “Just more regular colours.”

I feigned understanding then, paid for the zippers ($3.69 total. Gotta love the sewing shop) and staggered out into the snow with my irregularly coloured sweater. I’m still not sure what she meant, but I don’t think it bodes well for the zipper, and I still can’t decide which is my best option. Irregular green and pale irregular green…

or Irregular green and black.

I’m leaning toward the black, but that could just be because I feel the looming weight of impending zipper doom upon me.

For now I’m off to finish packing. With this sweater done, I’m looking for some travel knitting to take with me this week. No ideas yet…but a lot of yarn has made it into the suitcase. Also in the suitcase, for those of you who I’ll see this week, are the TSF pins.

Bring cash, buy ’em for your friends, take up lists. A minimum of $2 gets you one, but all proceeds, every tiny penny, goes to MSF.

(We’re still going to plan a way for you to get them if you won’t see me…but this is a start.)

I’ll see some of you in Skaneateles tomorrow. I’ll be the nervous looking over-caffeinated Canadian wearing a zipperless sweater and un-hemmed pants. No guarantees about the condition of my hair either. Could be worth seeing. Who’s in?