If you ever pass me going from one place to another (please say hello), I’ll probably be carrying 17 bags because I have to bring All The Things (TM) when I’m going anywhere, just in case. Yes, I’m only walking to the village shop across the road to buy butter, but what if I get delayed on the way? Wouldn’t that be a perfect opportunity to mend the holes in my socks? And what if – as I queue to pay for the butter – I’m struck by an urge to read about Medieval Swedish cuisine? It could happen. Or practice botanical drawing. Or re-learn* to juggle. Or go for a run. Or eat an abundance of celery.
There’s something about the idea of being elsewhere that makes me assume that I’ll manifest the ability to do All The Things when I get there, even though I failed to do any of these things at home. This is a lifelong failing that my parents will confirm as they’re the unfortunate people who had to cram All The Things into our small car in order to go on holiday when I was a child, and All The Even Bigger And More Numerous Things into their small car to go to university when I was a fledgling adult. Sorry, parents.
Reader, going to work comprises an embarrassment of baggage, even though I know I’m there to work and not to juggle/sing/draw/knit/eat celery. (OK, a certain amount of celery-consumption is tolerated, and I do tend to sing to myself when alone in my office.) This fact remains every day and yet I still have to bring a carload of stuff, just in case senior management declares TODAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE WILL MOSTLY BE CROCHETING. Our (lovely) receptionist has been known to roll her eyes as I struggle through the door with an overabundance of luggage. She’s got a point.
But one thing that we can maybe agree on since you’re reading a yarny blog, is that it’s always a smart idea to have knitting or crochet about your person, just in case. And 103 times out of 100, I’d be right there with you on that, brandishing my needles/hook, however small the chance of using them. There’s almost always yarn in my work bags, even though I’ll probably have no opportunity to use it. But it’s comforting to know that if I get caught in a four-hour-long engine-off-goin’-nowhere tailback on the way to work, I’ll have yarny stuff to do. This actually happened several years ago, and I was possibly the smuggest person in that tailback. No regrets. Yes, that’s one solitary occasion in a several decades-long career, but IT HAPPENED.
Unfortunately, the other day was the 104th time out of 100. I was rushing, work is high-pressure right now, I assumed that there’d be little opportunity to wield hooks or needles any time before I limped home early-evening.
You’re guessing where this is going, right?
I set off extra-early down the dual carriageway towards work. How my colleagues would admire – once they eventually arrived – my punctuality! Driving conditions were severely foggy, but my plans were clear.
Oh wait, did I mention that conditions were foggy? That’s not great for travel, is it? There was an accident (don’t think anyone was injured, thank goodness, so I feel OK chattering about it here) and so we were all brought to a halt, engine-off (apart from that person right in front of me – HOW did they keep their foot on the brake pedal for so long?) and confused. I sat, and sat, for very nearly half an hour. Perfect guilt-free knitting time, right? An opportunity to add several inches to the latest yarny creation.
Nope. I didn’t have any yarn in the car. None. Absolutely zilch. Unless I unravelled the knitted skirt I was wearing and fashioned needles out of pencils, zero yarnery was gonna happen. (I’m not proud of how seriously I considered that option as a possibility.)
Reader, this was tough. Would it be rude to knock on the windows of neighbouring vehicles and ask their drivers whether they might have anything resembling yarn and needles/hooks that they could lend me? Yes, yes it would be rude. Also, I’m rubbish at asking for stuff. Also-also, the chap driving the huge artic lorry next to me noticed me looking at him (pondering the potential for yarn) and gave me a deeply unimpressed look. Even if he was a knitter, he was NOT planning to share. I can’t blame him; perhaps he’d only just taken delivery of the finest merino-qiviut blend. What sane knitter would want to relinquish such loveliness to a stranger?
So I sat in my yarn-devoid car and contemplated my life choices and resolved that NEVER again would I be caught without yarn and needles/hooks. A lesson was learned.
Reader, please learn from my foolishness. And just to briefly bother you with the subject of crochet, I’ve finished working all the samples for the crocheted version of the Four Seasons Cowl. Pattern incoming…
Meanwhile, I’ve been working extra hours and cooking lunches accordingly. Here’s a home-grown bundle of deliciousness that kept me going last week.
*It’s been years, and I’ve lost the knack.
Tineke says
What? What! You had no yarn with you, no emergency sock knitting? Girl, how did you survive? Coming from a country with the highest rate of traffic jams I never go unprepared. Neither by train. I can’t recommend truck drivers approacing for yarn. Not the knitting kinda sort. Goodness, what a frog spawn there, soooo much!How did you accomplish that? What did you feed them? Viagra? Wowzers. Mmmm, food looks good.
The Twisted Yarn says
I know, I failed big-time. It’s disgraceful. You’re wiser than me. But yeah, the frogspawn is getting a little crazy, several years after wondering whether we’d get any. Now we need toadspawn and newt eggs… Please…
JuneG says
Jerusalem artichoke soup?! At work? Do you have an office to yourself?
The Twisted Yarn says
Ha ha, point taken, but if you eat the stuff little and often then that particular problem goes away, thank goodness.
Heather says
Ahhhh No Yarn! We have a home North Queensland, (retirement purchase), have a few pieces of clothing in the wardrobe, Thus there is MORE ROOM IN THE SUITCASE for YARN, selection of colours, projects not done, projects in case I finish the projects in progress…….! Wellllll started and finished one little jacket for an amigurumi character (changed the yarn colours and pattern from the instructions, always a problem and should Learn That lesson!) and every day I STEP OVER the bags containing all the projects I Filled the suitcase with. To busy walking the beaches picking up plastic, looking for the perfect shells, poking about in the garden, taking photos of chrysalis of Cairns Birdwing Butterflies…..resting from effusive perspiring. Going back south soon……will be jamming All the projects back into the suitcase. At least yarn is light in weight. Lucky to have all that frog spawn there. I am mentally working through placing a frog pond in garden for Green Tree Frogs, hoping to have a breeding place for them. Oh did I mention Cane Toads? A nightly patrol in garden and down road looking for the monsters….. Nine Iron in hand, tool of choice recommended, found a set of golf clubs at the Tip recycling shop, $1 (50p) a club! Bargain, but not for the toads. Not sure I am looking forward to your new scarf pattern……. it might find its way into a good storage bag for a few plane flights! Take care with the work load.
The Twisted Yarn says
Heather, you’re wonderful, and I scarcely know where to begin in my response. What is it with the cane toads? Why are they so bad? But yeah, may there always be space in your luggage for yarn, may you build the perfect watery habitat for tree frogs, and may your yarn always behave itself.
Sharon says
Cane Toads are (writes she carefully trying to remember) an Imported Species from Elsewhere. They were imported to keep down pests in some crop (also Imported Species) being commercially grown in Aus and predated by the native wildlife (or it could have been strains of Accidentally Imported Alien Wildlife). Naturally enough the native wildlife had never had access to such deliciousnesses before.
Problem – Cane Toads did not like that particular species of native/AI wildlife, but did find a LOT of other species (native ones) delicious, the conditions in Northern Aus utterly delightful, and proceeded to breed like mad and EAT. Being toads, they have unpleasant tasting skin, so very little wants to try predating them. Hence going for a walk with a #9 Iron.
Denise says
And not only unpleasant tasting but poisonous.
They have been responsible for decimating some native species, including the Northern Quoll.
Fortunately, some of our natives have learned to flip them over and eat from the belly side, thereby missing the poison gland.
Gggrrrrrr for us interfering homo sapient.
Sharon says
Yay intelligent Native Species!
Denise says
And yes, bring on the nine iron.
Corinne says
Oh no! I feel your pain 😢
Your garden will be nicely slug free all summer!!
I saw a young man tonight, in a cafe, as we were leaving, sewing up his crocheted horse. I was sooo impressed and told him so. We had a little chat about what we’ve made lately, while hubby and daughter sauntered off rolling their eyes at me. I don’t care, we yarnies have to stick together!
The Twisted Yarn says
Oh gosh, absolutely we should stick together. I bet the young chap appreciated talking to you.
And yes, a gazillion froglets in the garden this summer = no slugs. Phew.
Sharon says
Oh poor you! I don’t drive, so taking knitting along, usually the next sock WIP cos Portable, is a must while sitting waiting for buses or trains. Though trying to knit on a crowded bus is less of a Good Idea, even on a circular needle.
Glad to see your onions are sprouting well, really looking forward to getting things into pots/trays of compost or into the ground – when the deluge stops!
The Twisted Yarn says
May your seedlings spring into abundance very very soon.
And you’re wise to have the portability of a sock about your person.
Debbie says
I so enjoy how you write, your patterns are pretty good too.
The Twisted Yarn says
Thank you and also thank you. I try my best, but I realize that I’m far from perfect.
Glenda Purvis says
You’re more dedicated to the yarn haulage than I am! And because I live in an area prone to blizzards, trees knocked down due to high winds and general traffic clogging conditions, I really need to change my habits.
The Twisted Yarn says
Yikes, your environs sound kinda alarming. May you at least stay safe, with yarn within reach.
Mary says
It’s always a treat to read your blog. And talking of treats is their a recipe for the ” home-grown bundle of deliciousness that kept you going last week” ? Many thanks as I’ve had a request from my better half to ask if you could share the recipe with us.
The Twisted Yarn says
Thank you, you’re very kind. As for the recipe, it was a bit of a cobbled-together thing. But here’s my best attempt at a recap. Chop and fry onion, then add chopped garlic. Add chopped ginger, ground coriander, chilli, and cook/stir briefly. Add chopped Jerusalem artichoke. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add chopped celeriac. Stir. Add a large tin of coconut milk, plenty of stock, lots of lime juice. Cook for a while. Add dried noodles and fresh parsley. Cook until done.
Viviane says
I have the exact same culture of moss on my car windows, I am suddenly planning to put a “protecting biodiversity” sticker on my car, right alongside the “nuclear no thanks” one
The Twisted Yarn says
Oh YES! I may need to copy your initiative.
Jayne Jarrett says
This struck a chord with me , if a lift ever breaks down I’ll be the calm one sat on the floor with my crochet and knitting.
The Twisted Yarn says
Yup. Can relate. Sitting right next to you with my yarn,
Anne Whitley says
How frustrating! Leave an emergency first aid supply in your glove box. I feel your pain and am heading out to do just that now just in case!
The Twisted Yarn says
Thank you. You’re wise, and I should follow your example.
Maria says
I remember a dental appointment I had aged 14 or 15 when an emergency patient with a painful abscess came in and the dentist asked me if I’d mind allowing him to be seen first. I was quite happy as I thought it would give me a nice half hour or so reading ‘I Capture the Castle’, until I looked in my bag and found that I’d forgotten to pack it. There was nothing to read in the waiting room except for two five-year old copies of ‘The Angling Times’, and the wait was a lot longer than half an hour. Since then I’ve always made sure that I have either a book or some knitting (or often both) with me wherever I go. The knitting is more useful for car or bus journeys as I get travel sick if I read in a moving road vehicle, and it also has the advantage of inspiring conversations with nice people.
The Twisted Yarn says
Oh my goodness, I FELT the horror of that realization. May you never again suffer such a fait.
Kathy says
I am proud to say I once knitted almost an entire sleeve in my car, stuck in a massive traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge. I arrived at my destination 5 hours late, but I did have a sleeve to show for it. Because I spend a lot of time with knitters, I know two people who keep a sock project in their cars, and only knit on the socks only when in the car (not driving).
The Twisted Yarn says
Yup, you and your friends are wise.
Suzie says
Exactly me! (and I’d love the recipe for that beany dish if you ever have time to spare!)
Hugs 🤗 Phil.
The Twisted Yarn says
It’s here! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gigantes-plaki
Sam Lawrence says
I have emergency knitting in our motorhome but last year a works van I was driving broke down on M27, I managed to limp into service station where luckily there was a WH Smiths so I managed to buy a magazine with a knitting kit on it! 4 hours was a long wait for the RAC but I got loads knitted!
Julie Bailey says
Oh I so understand. I am presently at sea on a ver long cruise and am about to leave my cabin for an hour with 2 diff socks, my kindle , my phone and my headphones. And my glasses. And my water…
Teresa in Michigan says
Of course you have to carry every little thing to work. Better to have and not need than to be without. I’m nearly 67 and I carry a backpack instead of a purse. If I’m headed out for an appointment the yarny project goes in the pack along with everything I could possibly need for nearly any eventuality except maybe a shipwreck. Since I live near 50 lakes and none a ship size, a shipwreck is unlikely.
I’m glad you finished the cowls. That had to be tedious at times. My brain likes to think of all the projects I want to try but my to-make list has priority. Our weather is beyond crazy. Shirt-sleeve weather in February and March when there are supposed to be winter coats and boots. Greeny things growing 6 weeks early. Now grreeny things have been frozen and look bedraggled. Being greeny things they will move forward even if they’re a little brown on the edges. Today I am planting dormant fruit trees. And more grapes. Anything other than trees will have to wait at least 6 weeks because Mother Nature can be cruel.
Please take care of yourself while work is crazy and the Twinnage are teening and poor Stoic Spouse is being his supportive self.