Randomly on a Wednesday

1. I don’t know what came over me. Despite being behind on so many things, when a chance to go to the cottage for 24 hours came up, all I could think about was swimming in Georgian Bay, knitting in the sunshine and eating peaches, and I got in the car and left.

2. It turns out that swimming to the big rock with your sister doesn’t get old, even if you do.

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3. My middle daughter, Megan, turned 24.  I have few words for this, since I’m really not sure it’s possible.

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(That’s her puppy, Penny. I have no dog. The cat will not tolerate such nonsense.)

4. I updated my gig page, with everywhere I’ll be in the next little bit. Have a look, if you’ve been trying to hang out. There’s some good stuff, and there’s still spots.

5. I finally finished Ken’s Rally Socks.  I didn’t tell you about that, because I was trying to be all stealth.  I began them on packing day for the Rally, and knit them all through our trip together.  Last year I made Jen some socks to thank her for being my co-lead, and this year it only seemed fair to continue the tradition, especially since Ken was good enough to step up and help me when I was really in a bind.

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He totally deserves them. I couldn’t have had better help.

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Last year I made Jen’s socks out of the colourway that Kim at IndigoDragonfly came up with as a fundraiser for the ride. This year I thought it would be nice to do that too.  (Hey, did you know that IndigoDragonfly sponsored our team shirts again? They’re awesome.) In any case, I wrote to Kim and asked her if there was a rally colourway, and she asked me to stand-by, and I did, and a very little while later, a package arrived at our door.  I opened it, and inside was several skeins of yarn, all in a colourway I didn’t recognize, and a letter.

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I asked Kim if she wouldn’t mind if I told you what the letter said.

Dear Stephanie,

You asked me to send you a special colourway to knit Ken socks with, if we had done one for the Rally.  Every year we change up how we’re going to raise a little money for your team, sometimes we choose a yarn base, sometimes we make a colourway. This year it was a yarn base.

But there is a special Rally colourway.

There is one pot of this yarn in existence. There will only ever be one pot of this yarn in existence. It is for your team. There are skeins for each of you, and a skein to knit Ken’s socks.

Let me tell you about this colourway and why it’s for your team-

Brown: for every time you’ve fallen and gotten up to keep riding.

Red: For every bump and bruise, every scrape and cut. And for your hearts, that keep you coming back year after year to do the crazy.

Pale grey: for every piece of gravel you’ve picked out of your knee, every rock you’ve hit with your tire, every pebble that’s slingshotted into your glasses. And yet, you keep going.

Black: for strong tires and a fast road.

Blue: for clear blue skies to ride with, and the wind at your back.

Ride well and strong, my friend.

Kim

6. The colourway name? “The Seven Deadly Schwinns.”

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I think Kim and Ron are just about the best ever. Businesses don’t have to act this way. To contribute actively to their communities, to support things they think are good. It’s optional, and I think it’s amazing that they do it year after year.  Thanks, guys.