After finishing a seemingly interminable scarf for my daughter,
it was fun to discover that I could knit this hat in a day or two.
My son picked it out of the book Hip Knit Hats.
For some reason he liked the “helmet” design. He also picked the colors.
Anyhow, it’s my first ever hat —
When I saw this slightly glowy yarn in the store, worked into a perfect cabled swatch for further enticement, this project was a foregone conclusion. It took a long time, but it turned out nicely and — best of all — my daughter loves it. Since she lives out west, I had to get a girl at work to model it. You might also note the ever-so-swanky digs us state employees work in.
Here are a few photos:
In 1977 I took a job at a local bookstore. The store was a beloved local landmark, the owners were related to more famous media personalities. The job, however, was awful. Hours that felt like days dragged on between the occasional live customer. The customers tended to ask if we “had that book, you know the one that’s been on TV?” The career employees/lifers at the store squabbled constantly about nothing. Four ancient “jazz” tapes played over and over.
Worst of all was the incredibly stupid rule that, no matter how dead the store, we were forbidden to ever ever READ the books.
One day a woman came by and applied to work there. She seemed nice, so I told her the “right” answers to the questions on the application and she got the job. So, then there were two of us who hated working there. After a few months I wandered down the street and got a job at a hippie health-food cafe. Another local landmark which, like the bookstore, has been gone for a few years. But, anyway, my friend from the bookstore also moved down the street, and we both worked at the restaurant.
We stayed in touch through several decades of my going to school, her going to school, my moving and then moving back, her moving to New York City, my getting married and raising a couple of kids, her involvements with men, theatre, costuming, and the academic life. But now — alas!! I don’t know where she is.
Consider this a virtual milkbox. Have you seen this woman?
Brina, where are you?? Whatcha up to, kiddo?
Posted in The Porch Swing
In 1977 I took a job at a local bookstore. The store was a beloved local landmark, the owners were related to more famous media personalities. The job, however, was awful. Hours that felt like days dragged on between the occasional live customer. The customers tended to ask if we “had that book, you know the one that’s been on TV?” The career employees/lifers at the store squabbled constantly about nothing. Four ancient “jazz” tapes played over and over.
Worst of all was the incredibly stupid rule that, no matter how dead the store, we were forbidden to ever ever READ the books.
One day a woman came by and applied to work there. She seemed nice, so I told her the “right” answers to the questions on the application and she got the job. So, then there were two of us who hated working there. After a few months I wandered down the street and got a job at a hippie health-food cafe. Another local landmark which, like the bookstore, has been gone for a few years. But, anyway, my friend from the bookstore also moved down the street, and we both worked at the restaurant.
We stayed in touch through several decades of my going to school, her going to school, my moving and then moving back, her moving to New York City, my getting married and raising a couple of kids, her involvements with men, theatre, costuming, and the academic life. But now — alas!! I don’t know where she is.
Consider this a virtual milkbox. Have you seen this woman?
Brina, where are you?? Whatcha up to, kiddo?
Posted in The Porch Swing
In a rare break with tradition, the author of this blog has decided to endorse Barack Obama for president in the 2008 race. Speaking to a reporter (myself), Ms. Hughes said:
Mr. Obama has vision, energy, and integrity. I have studied the candidates and conclude that he represents our best chance to turn the USS USA, before we slam into the melting iceberg.
More commentary will be forthcoming on this subject.
Many Happy Returns 