Ahhh! It was great to be home and at a Castoffs meeting again. Florida was fun but…chilly. I think I’ve been warmer since I’ve been home. Or maybe it’s just that I can go to my own closet and pull out warm sweaters.
We met at Michele’s house and from the moment I walked in, I felt at home. Michele was sooo excited about her newest project – a cell phone cover that looks like a kitty. She and Leslie challenged Carol and me ( the first arrivals) to find the latest without telling us what it was. Well, Carol and I looked around, clueless, and finally Carol picked the little kitty cover up by one ear and said, “It’s not THIS, is it?” Uh, yes, it was. We had to backtrack and gush a little to make Michele feel better. It is very cute.
What's new, pussycat?
Michele gave us great treats and tea and we showed our appreciation by eating non-stop.
The cell phone kitty is not above a little begging for food
Carol’s legwarmers that she finished are just left of the cheese platter. They turned out great.
Some of us knitted and some of us helped unravel a baby blanket that Carol started. She made a little boo-boo so we jumped into the breach to help out. We Castoffs are full of advice.
Cute blanket in a cotton ball-band pattern
Michele and Leslie stretched the blanket on the floor, took the circular needle out of the worked rows, and ripped out until they were past the mistake. Then we took turns carefully placing the stitches back on the needle.
Or...you could just start over
I dutifully helped out but after a while, I realized that my fingers were stuck in a claw-like position. Ah, growing older really sucks.
Okay, where's the Aleve?
We finally got it all done, ready for Carol to begin again. I’ll be curious to see if she decides to just bag it and start over again. That’s what I’d do, but then, I’m the one with the claw.
Julie came in her cardigan that she just finished and we insisted that she model it a la runway fashion. Julie obliged. I just love giving directions.
Work it, girl!
When she took off the cardigan, we noticed her nametag that she forgot to take off after work. Uh, Jules, we do remember who you are. But thanks for being considerate of our advanced age and mental lapses.
Julie who?
Leslie looked out the window and noticed Mary standing in Michele’s driveway looking toward the street. What could she be doing? Waiting for a bus? Bird-watching? Turning into a stalker? Turns out that she was wondering if she lost Kerrie, who was supposed to be right behind her. We had fun though, playing our little fantasy games. Middle age is all about fantasies, isn’t it?
Just waiting for the crosstown #7
After Kerrie and Mary came inside, we got to see Larissa’s hat before it gets sent to Italy, and we saw the polar bear scarf – yes, I did say polar bear scarf – not FOR a polar bear, but in the SHAPE of a polar bear. Just hope he gets eyes soon – he’s a little creepy as a shadow bear.
Larissa's hat - looks great!
Polar bear scarf. NOT the letter M
After the excitement of greeting each other, getting food, exclaiming over everyone’s knitting and giving advice, the Castoffs settled down to the real work of the day — knitting. We all are working on different projects: Leslie on bridesmaid ‘thick and thin’ scarf number 3; Deb on her daughter’s scarf; Michele on her pretty blue sweater; Julie on a very cool top-down vest; Mary on the polar bear scarf; Carol on the blankie; Kerrie on a dishcloth, and Marsha on her top-down boucle sweater. It grew quiet and peaceful, or as quiet and peaceful as it ever gets at a Castoffs meeting. It was so good to be home with my friends. Thanks everyone.
Kerrie's crocheted dishcloth
Bridesmaid #3 scarf
Deb looking very focused
Julie knitting a vest that I covet, and Leslie, we LIKE the colors!
Happy knitters
While we were gathered, Michele got a call from her son, Jason, to tell her that he broke his ankle playing soccer. And Mary’s daughter Larissa is very sick with a respiratory infection over in Italy. I know that all of us are concerned with these two children of Castoffs and we hope that they feel better and recover from their ailments. And if Mary has to go over to Italy to take care of Larissa, well…it’s a mother’s duty to suffer for her child, isn’t it? But we kinda hope she doesn’t go. It would make the rest of us wish our kids were sick in Italy, too. And we don’t want that – at least not the ‘sick’ part.
Next week we’ll be meeting at Carol’s house and I’ll try to email the correct directions (unlike last time when Michele and Leslie were wandering around the wrong part of town. Sorry.) so we will all be together again. We missed Francy and Marylane this week and hope to see them soon. Hope you’re having fun in Arizona, Marylane, and that it is warmer than Florida was!
Until next week, enjoy the sunshine and keep on knittin’!
