What a Revoltin' Development This Is

Sometimes the realization I’m getting older strikes me in odd ways.  Work has gotten too busy for me—work that should have been here months ago is just arriving (and needs “immediate attention”), schedules have changed, and I have the chance to work on new projects that will guarantee steady income for a couple of years if I can only get to them now.  I groan and think, “Oh, no. Here we go again. Seven-day weeks.”  And what pops to mind is “What a revoltin’ development this is”.  Now you probably don’t think this is fantastically funny because you never heard of it, but it was the catch phrase of a TV character called “Chester A. Riley” in an early TV sitcom called The Life of Riley—a bumbling fool who always got into trouble midway through the show (the parallels between ol’ Chester’s predicaments and mine haven’t escaped me).  I didn’t even realize I remembered it, and when I checked to see how long ago it aired, I felt even worse because I felt old as well as tired and worn out.  Please be assured that I do not remember the radio show.  My recollection extends only as far back as 1953, when I’m sure I watched it on a TV that was the size of a dorm refrigerator with a screen as big as a cereal box.

What strikes me as even odder is that I am usually oblivious to pop culture.  I wasn’t really sure who Lindsay Lohan was until it was almost impossible to turn on the TV or look in a newspaper (even the NY Times) without seeing her face.  I have no idea who won on American Idol.  This is not a matter of some old person not having her thumb on the pulse of modern culture—I was as clueless as this when I was much younger as well.  I might be the only person in the U.S. who never watched Bonanza, Dallas, or Star Trek.  So I have a hunch that my mind might be playing tricks on me.

All that is keeping me going is the reality that Stitches East and Rhinebeck are just weeks away.  I bought my train ticket to Baltimore on Sunday and checked my hotel reservation.  I’m vacillating between bringing one big suitcase that is mostly empty when I leave, or one small suitcase with clothes and another big empty one for the yarn I’ll cart home. (Any thoughts on which is better?) I’ve also started contemplating what I’ll knit on the train—I might finally get to some socks or Ed’s much-needed hat.  Just to be on the safe side, I’d better bring both.  I mean if the train is delayed, and we have extra time, I could run out of things to knit.  Rhinebeck is less novel because the drive is a short one from where I live and I've been there many times before, but I started making my list of booths to check.  The thought of the beautiful drive on a crisp fall day when the leaves are turning--and all that yarn--is the stuff of some fabulous daydreams.

Also keeping me sane is Liv.  Although I didn’t knit as much as usual over the weekend, I did get to an interesting bit (which, of course, I didn’t do correctly the first time).  Liv’s front has ribs that extend from the middle of the body along the V neck.  To finish the neck, the pattern requires that you knit the three stitches on each side (plus a new cast-on stitch) until you get to the center back. 

Then you attach it to the back neck edge.  This is really very neat, and aside from casting on that extra fourth stitch on the wrong side of the strip and having to frog, I’m pleased with this and can’t wait to assemble the fronts.  If I get that far tonight and my nighttime photos are clear, I’ll post the steps.

 

Comments

[Robin]

That is neat about how Liv is constructed - reminds me of applied i-cord.

I just posted about a weird (but good) experience, also feeling pretty old! I have no idea who won on American Idol either! I may be one of the few people who haven't watched Survivor.

[Sourire11]

I think one big suitcase would be easier to handle... although I guess it depends on how big the suitcase is!

[tiennie]

Love the construction! Bring 1 big suitcase, maybe?

[Judy G.]

How about packing the small one with clothes inside the big one, and then you'd only have to deal with 2 on the return trip?

I have never seen an episode of survivor, and as far as American (or Canadian) Idol goes, there is not enough room in my t.v. for the show and the egos. Don't watch, don't care.

Have a good weekend!