So, on Tuesday evening I had a visitor on campus, which always makes for a very full and stressful day. After driving her to the airport at the end of the day, I headed home where I had about an hour break before we had to make dinner and then get Miss Butterfly off to district vocal festival. Now, I don’t know how it happened, but I failed completely to write down the vocal festival in my planner at the beginning of the year. Before I figured out there was a concert, Mr. Ink had asked if I’d be willing to go see a band that night. I said I would, after checking them out and making sure it was something I’d probably enjoy. He bought the tickets. And that night I came home to Miss Butterfly talking about vocal festival on the same night. Ooops? The vocal festival started at 7, the concert at 8. Thankfully there was an opening band. Because we weren’t sure that Miss Butterfly’s dad would attend, I arranged to go to the festival, then have Miss Butterfly go home with her friend’s family while we left straight after her performance.
Well, that evening, Miss Butterfly came home to tell me that her friend hadn’t even been in school, she’s sick. And so she wasn’t sure that she could go home with her friend. Friend’s mom called and said “I’ll pick her up anyhow, I won’t leave you hanging!” but it was a moment of trying to figure out our options. In the end, her father did show up for the festival and could take her home, making it so friend’s mom was off the hook.
During that one hour break, I’d balled up the yarn for the Marled Mystery shawl, and gotten started. And I am telling you I was dead chuffed with the project. It made me want to dance around the living room! I loved it. And, as with any obsession of mine, it was very painful to be torn away from it that evening. I dutifully put it away though, and went to the festival. Then we got to the concert midway through the opening band. And I hated them. And it was hot and I was tired and my feet hurt. It was crowded and there were people touching me. (Unintentionally, let me clarify.) And I was just NOT in the mood to be there. Mr. Ink asked me what was wrong and I told him I was just not in the mood to be there. And he said “Uh oh, I am destined to be stuck with a miserable date tonight!” And I told him he was right. And that he’d done nothing wrong. And then I said “Actually, I think this has to do with the perfect storm of a day being way too long and busy paired with a knitting project I am currently obsessed with and I am feeling unreasonably resentful about being out when I could be knitting. It doesn’t happen often these days, but I think that’s what’s going on.” Acknowledging that was half the battle. Once the band we were there to see came on I did enjoy them quite a lot, they were extremely talented musicians. However, after about 45 of even a good band and all I was hearing was noise. I think the long day and just plain feeling anxious due to stress had me hearing nothing but noise. I endured until their finale, but when they said they were back out to sing “a couple more songs” I told Mr. Ink I’d meet him outside. I’d just plain had enough.
So yesterday when I got home, I decided I would do my evening “my” way. I started with a nap, seeing as we’d been out late the night before. Then grabbed a photo of the start of my marled mystery shawl, and then proceeded to knit on it for the rest of the evening.
This was the piece of knitting that had me in the obsessive grumpy mood, unable to enjoy myself when out with Mr. Ink. Can you see why? I mean, it’s completely fascinating, and there are so many color combinations to try!
I finished this entire section last evening. And once I finished it, I realized I had not read the instructions. All those yarn ends are supposed to be on the left side! I am not sure if this mistake is structural or not, so I am leaving it for now and knitting the next bit of the shawl. I am aware that I might have to rip everything out and start over. I hope not. But it could happen. In any case, I am having a great time with this knit, and I’ll grab a photo of the next section this evening.
You know what the best part about this shawl is, right? Since I am stash busting, and since it requires that I hold two yarns together, this will basically count double in stash busting yardage.
Suzy Sells Sea Shells 
OMG, what a day!!!! I think you were a far better sport than I would have been – I *might* have waited in the car all evening, working on a sock or something. 🙂 Glad you got a quiet evening the next night, including a nap!!! As fro the shawl – it is wonderful! I love the colors, and I hope you don’t have to rip it out, but if you do, at least it is pretty yarn to knit again. I did look at that shawl and I might be tempted – I have to see what yarn I have in the right weight. I have been collecting a bag of ends since I finished my scrap afghan, I was thinking about a crazy adult surprise sweater with them, but maybe this instead? If the colors work, I will think about it.
So how was the concert, did Miss B enjoy it and feel she did well?
I thought about going back to the car to knit on my sock many many times that evening. In fact, I’d told myself I would if the main band was as bad as the opening band. Thankfully they were not. So of course we got home very late, and I had the added bonus of leg cramps about once an hour all night. The diet he’s got us on is apparently known for doing that, but I didn’t realize and didn’t take the appropriate precautions. Needless to say, Wednesday was a rough day indeed.
As for the shawl, I felt the same way, that if I have to, or decide to, rip it out and start over, I get to knit with that pretty yarn all over again, so no huge loss really.
Miss Butterfly did great! It was hard to hear, just because all the schools in the district were performing at once and the bleachers in the gym were full of screaming children. But, she did it with confidence and skill, and that’s pretty much success. She didn’t seem to even be bothered by nerves really.
Miss B sounds amazing. 🙂 Shame about the noisy audience, though.
What diet are you on? Leg cramps are so painful! I hate when I get them. Especially at night.
We are doing a very low carb diet. Mr. Ink has done it before and always has great success. I figured I’d play along. The first week was fairly miserable, but actually I feel better over all now than I did before I started, and it’s only week 2 for me. The one odd thing in particular is simply the sweet tooth I’ve developed. I’ve always craved savory carbs, with no sweet tooth to speak of. Now I dream of lemon bars. On the upside, diets always make me hungry and grumpy. This time I am not hungry or grumpy. I like that part of it quite a lot. Mr. Ink does poweraid drinks to combat leg cramps, but I basically hate all drinks besides water, so trying to get me to drink that stuff is really difficult.
I love sweets, but do ok on low carb diets for quite a while. I had great success last fall with whole 30 , which isn’t necessarily low carb, but rather many carb foods are not allowed. But i have lost my drive, so need to get remotivated. Good luck with your plan oand the leg cramps- eat leafy greens, that should help. Better than yucky drinks!
Oh dear. I feel the same way at a concert I didnt’ have much interest in going to with Fireman. I want to enjoy it with him, but end up just enduring it.
I have ample knit time now, but when I did not I felt like I was giving up MY time when I had to leave a project I loved for the night. How did the solo go?
Oh, I am so glad to hear I am not alone! There have been times I’ve gone and am convinced that the band JUST IS noise. I wasn’t even able to objectively say “That was good music, I just wasn’t in the mood.” Sometimes I can say “Those are skilled musicians, too bad they can’t use their powers for good.” In any case, it was a good band and I’d see them again. Just…maybe not on a night of district vocal festival. One thing at a time, right?
Miss Butterfly did great! It was hard to hear, just because all the schools in the district were performing at once and the bleachers in the gym were full of screaming children. But, she did it with confidence and skill, and that’s pretty much success. She didn’t seem to even be bothered by nerves really.