Hello from sunny Florida!  My Castoffs met without me, but today in the post I received photos from the meeting at Marylane’s house.  Very interesting photos.  Most of them were fairly normal and it was great to seen my pals in their natural habitat – eating, drinking wine and knitting.  A couple of photos were obviously taken under the heady influence of trickery (or wine).  This is what I think happened:

Wonderful food and drink are the mainstay of our Castoffs meeting.  Here is what looks like the delicious pesto and cream cheese that our friend Lisa makes alongside crackers and red Zin.  Yum.  Sorry I missed the goodies.

Good eats!

I’m glad to see that Kerrie joined the Castoffs and it looks like her crocheted scarf is done!  Looks great Kerrie.  She and Mary were very seriously working on their projects.

Ooh, so serious. Give Mary another glass of wine

Beautiful scarf, Kerrie!

It was fun to see how far Mary has come with her hat for Larissa.  I love this yarn!  The colors and blends are absolutely fabulous.  Bring it to the meeting when I get home, Mary!

Larissa is going to LOVE this, Mary!

Just look at this face, y’all.  (Forgive my accent.  Being in the south again brings it out in me.  And so does the gin & tonic that I’m using to spur on my imagination).   Is this a grandmother’s face, or what?  Francy’s first baby gift for her first grandchild is sooooo cute.  One of many, I think.

Gramma Francy, you are going to be a wonderful role model

I am assuming that this is a photo of the sweater that Francy is knitting her daughter, Betsy.  I remember that the sweater that Michele is knitting is blue.  Hope I’m right, but even if I’m not, this is a beautiful cable pattern!  I love it.

Great cable pattern

Ok, I’m thinking that this is bhurka #2 for the bridesmaid brigade.  I am so disappointed that Leslie didn’t model it like the first one, giving a peace sign.  C’mon, Leslie, I want to see you chin!  Nice glass of wine, though.

Bhurka #2?

Ok, I’m afraid that this is where the meeting got ugly.  By the look on Deb’s face, our sweet Michele is beginning to snap.  Perhaps Deb isn’t casting off appropriately.  Perhaps she never did a gauge swatch.  Or perhaps it was just a bad day in French class.  Whatever the trouble, the next few photos show a disturbing initiation rite that only the most secret knitters indulge in for their meetings.  Gulp.  Deb, RUN!

Dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum. Wait for it...

Just before the bloodletting

Yes, some knitting cults demand blood from their members.  Break one rule of knitting and, beware, blood will be spilt.  We do use tasteful and colorful catchment bowls for the liquid that drives the needles, however, as shown in the photo.  I know it sounds vulgar and somewhat harsh, but knitting is a serious pastime and NOT FOR SISSIES!!  So be prepared to shed precious bodily fluids for your craft, knitters.  Blood, sweat, tears.  (weren’t they a rock band in the 60’s?)  Anyway, if you survive the initiation, you will receive a lovely silver momento for your pains.

At the end of the rite, a lovely momento

I am sorry that I missed the heartwrenching moment of little Deb’s passage into knitting womanhood, but I was doing important things in Florida like this:

Going to the Circus! Meeting a clown!

Yes, I went to the circus.  A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.  We went to a one-ring circus and saw the Flying Wallendas!!  But no knitting, sorry.  I hope my transgression won’t call for the bloodletting plate…please.  There are two knitting shops in Venice that I’m going to check out later in the week.  I’ll be suffering from yarn withdrawal by then.

I understand that another of our members missed the meeting…JULIE, WAKE UP!!  Perhaps Julie should face the music next week, eh?  I loved seeing the meeting vicariously, so let me have more, more, more for this week.  In the meantime, keep those needles flying…or else.

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