2010

It is already February and I haven't blogged forever! Where does time go when you are having fun?

I just started learning to knit! There were a number of us who are friends who wanted knitting lessons either to improve skills or to start from scratch and learn the basics, so we started checking out the times and places to learn. Since I am only in the Portland area on a limited basis I was determined not to hold back my friends by restricting their choice of classes to fit my schedule. However, I did mention these were my friends, and they rallied to adjust their schedules to mine and we set the date for our first class...I didn't have to take classes here in Lincoln City all by myself.

We found a coffee shop near our condo in West Linn that also houses a small knitting shop. Coffee first, yarn second. The woman who runs the knitting part, hosts knit-ins where women come to share a cup of coffee and knit and she is there to help out if needed. Ruth gratiously agreed to take us on and teach a basic class on Tuesday mornings. On the day of our first class, I picked up my friend, Shirley in the next building down from our condo and we drove over to the coffee house. We both ordered coffee arriving early to do so and chat a little before the rest arrived. Ruth helped us select yarn and needles and we were ready to roll. Shirley and I would be the only true novices. Donna, Sandy and Joan arrived and we all settled in with coffee to start. Ruth had us cast on and showed Shirley and me how to actually knit. She suggested we not worry about mistakes but just knit away to get the feeling and ryhthm. Ruth also has the philosphy that little mistakes make the knitted item unique and handmade. I like this woman! I knit away and had plenty of holes, blips and ended with more stitches than I started with but I was getting the hang of it and it felt good.

Class was over but my group of friends decided we needed lunch. Not wanting to move, we just ordered sandwiches and soup right there at the coffee house and kept knitting. It was such a joy to sit there and talk with these great women. The knitting became the secondary purpose of our meeting. We had a new member to the circle of friends, Sandy. She has been going through personal triumphs and hardships yet had such a vivacious personality it was amazing. I hope she will continue to join us in other gatherings. She was amazed to hear that Donna had 3 women gatherings in one day! Most women struggle to share time with friends even weekly! She is another one of my amazing friends. Joan is full of spunk and the funniest woman I know...well there is Linda but that is another story. Joan writes funny stories for the Lake Oswego Review and I know I have been in a couple of them. She too has had a demanding 2009 but the fighter she is, Joan has conquered it all and now stands on top of the mountain of life enjoying what she sees. Shirley is another awesome friend who has had a rough 2009. Smiling and beautiful as always, Shirley was struggling with knitting. She finally shared with us that she may be putting up a block beacause her mother was a perfectionist who told Shirley she couldn't do anything right. We all disagreed with Shirley's mother and encouraged her to stick with it...and hopefully she will. As for me, I feel very lucky to have friends like these women and to be able to share time with them. They encourage me. They make me laugh...and cry. I feel so blessed to have had a great 2009 knowing what these women have been going through and still are experiencing. If I can be there for them just a little, I feel lucky. I hope everyone has friend just like them. Joyce will be joining us next week and she too is a charming and caring person who went through some milestones last year like turning a big one...no I won't mention which birthday exactly but we are also glad she is healthy again.

By the way, I went home Tuesday night and ripped out my knitting so I could practice starting again. Well...I practiced about 10 times because I couldn't do it again. Sometimes I would drop a stich and it would come all undone. Sometimes I couldn't remember how to get going. But, after all those tries, I am proud of myself for getting back to where I had finished in class all by myself and for figuring it out. I haven't checked with Shirley but I hope she is on a roll too.
It is just a happy knitting day.