for want of a bit o' string

I had a hectic day ahead of me yesterday when I boogied out of here for a client's office. All days when I'm working extra are hectic, but I always take my knitting anyway, just in case I get a few minutes' breather and can take a few stitches while reading the news headlines or something. Often I'm surprised to find myself with more than a few knitful minutes here and there. But this day seemed a little more hectic and I hurried out the door without my knitting, knowing there was just no way it was happening today. See, this was the third day of covering an extra full-time job (on top of my regular work) this week and I was especially looking forward to the overtime pay I'd receive as a result of busting my hump. As I approached the office, I noticed that the stop lights were out. Then, as I entered the office, everything was dark except for the dim emergency lights in the hallways and a few employees with flashlights, coming to meet me at the door and making follow-up arrangements with patients whose exams were interrupted by the power outage. Apparently a car accident in the area wiped out a pole and transformer.

And me without my knitting!

Had I come prepared with sticks and string, as usual, I could have happily plopped myself down by a window and knit merrily away for overtime pay. But this was one of maybe three days a year when I left home without a project and it was likely to be a good long while before they got the accident cleared away and the power up again.

I couldn't just sit there. I couldn't pretend to be interested in the magazines. I'm not much for small talk...especially when my hands aren't busy. So what to do? Sit quietly with my hands in my lap, thinking of all the things I could be doing, while collecting overtime pay and waiting for the electricity or go DO those things and catch up with the work later? I'm sure you can guess which I chose. An hour later, I was at the ice skating rink with my munchkins and my knitting, and a definite plan to designate a set of needles and yarn to keep in the car at all times as emergency knitting supplies. :-)

Scott made some new buttons, pulled fresh from the kiln yesterday. Among them are the few stragglers I need to put the finishing touches on my Garden Patch cardigan. Yeah! I've just about reached the end of my interest in knitting little summer hat/sock/mitten projects and am itching to start a more substantial project. Among the current candidates are Jenna's Stars from Philosopher's Wool for Leah, the Son of Aran pullover from Blackwater Abbey for Scott, or the Kauni Ssssweater from Astrid's Dutch Obsessions for me.