Spring!
Originally uploaded by littlekidd

Baack to Life, Baack to Reality.

My eyes were not happy to see my contact lenses this morning. “So soon?!” they cried. “Didn’t you release us from your suction-y grip a mere five hours ago?” It’s about 5am here in Portland. Zack just asked, in his most polite gentle voice, if he could please snuggle in with us. I was left with with about six inches of mattress real estate. So, I got up.

I’m still coming down from the Madrona high. I’m sure there are folks who have the time and resources to show up at fiber fests all over the country, kind of like Phish groupies with really nice sweaters. For them, maybe some of the magic of knitting en mass has worn off. Not for me, though. I loved every minute of lounging in the lobby of the hotel, watching people parade around in their knitted finery -- truly exquisite stuff.

I loved the late-nite knitting gatherings, and uncontrollable silliness that is the natural byproduct of camaraderie among folks who have escaped the daily routine of life, work and family to the luxury of just knitting. Or just spinning. Or just doing a little of both. Or neither. (But most of all not doing cooking or cleaning or laundry.)

I loved the giddiness of being in the midst of the famous fiber folks. Charming Ruth Sorenson and ALL those Kauni groupies. Graceful, elegant Nancy Bush gliding around leaving a trail of warm and fuzzy in her wake. And most of all Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, with her big-hearted philosophical vibe and stellar comic timing. I was fortunate enough to chat with her on a couple of occasions and even off-the-cuff she is so wise and open and true to herself she makes me want to work harder to shed my lemming-like ways and do a better job of following my heart as a mother and a person.

I loved my classes. Thanks to Pat Bruner I left Tacoma knowing in my heart how to make a sweater for anybody that will FIT, pattern be damned. I spent Saturday morning laughing with Stephanie and 14 other fun ladies from all over the country. We got talking about first concerts at one point. For one student, it was Elvis. For two others, The Beatles. Cool. Stephanie was full of her usual sage advice, including nifty tricks for “reading” one’s knitting, which is a personal soapbox of mine. I hope she will make good on her plan to teach a class next year on how to be a more efficient knitter.

I celebrated my birthday at Madrona this year, and my friends led the whole lobby in an impromptu midnight sing on behalf of my 43rd year. Within seconds, this really nice knitter just materialized with gorgeous cupcakes she just happened to have on-hand from her own birthday celebration a couple of days before. Man. Could it get any better? Thanks again for those!

And best of all, I didn’t get pink eye.