It's a little tight (no, I didn't swatch), but I can
get it on my foot (with a minor struggle) and I
far prefer snug to slouchy when it comes to socks.
Next thing I know, I'm coming out of my second job interview in two days (more on that later), walking through the stifling heat near Dupont Circle, looking desperately for a coffee shop where I can get some iced tea and air conditioning while I wait for the informational interview I had scheduled, and I see some movement out of the corner of my eye. I glance over, and realize there's a police car parked on the side of the street, and the policeman inside it is gesturing for me to come over. I can't imagine what on earth he could want, but I figure he must be bored and wants to chat up my gorgeous young self (don't laugh, it really was the only thing I could think he might want). So I saunter over to the car, and he rolls down the window. The following conversation ensues:
Me: "Yes?"
Policeman: "I'm going to have to write you a citation."
Me: "What for? I don't understand."
PM: "You just crossed S Street, against the Don't Walk signal."
Me: "I'm sorry, Officer, I honestly didn't notice that I did that. I didn't see any cars coming, so I crossed."
PM: "Well, you did, so I'm going to have to write you a citation. Please spell your last name for me."
Me: [goody-two-shoes that I am, spelling my real name for him] "I can't believe this is happening!"
PM: [with a threatening glance] "What's that?"
Me: "I'm sorry, it's just that I've had a really tough day."
PM: "Here's your ticket. Payment instructions are on the back."
Me: [still incredulous] "Uh, thank you?"
You think I'm joking, don't you? In weather as hot as we're having, I'm sorry, but my creativity is just not that good. You can't make this up (incidentally, that phrase is the name of a hilarious blog). As proof, I offer you:
Official District of Columbia Notice of Infraction
Where it should have my driver's license number, he wrote "pedestrian," and filled in the blank for "other" under the category for Moving Violation. Now I know I'd better not loiter around that corner either, or I might get a Parking Violation, too. Two whole days have passed and I still cannot get over the ridiculousness of this episode. I mean, since when did DC turn into Mayberry?
On the train ride home yesterday, I had the good fortune of sitting next to a fellow knitter (who, alas, had not brought her knitting with her). We chatted almost all the way to NYC, and I managed to make really good progress on the Hanging Vines Stole that I'm knitting for this summer's Amazing Lace. The color's not so great in this shot, but I don't have the energy to look for my real camera:
Nine out of 34 pattern repeats completed.
Yay! I'm more than a quarter of the way there!
I'm quite proud of my first real attempt at lace. It's a gorgeous pattern, and as long as I don't try to work on it in places or situations when concentration is a challenge, I haven't had to rip out too many rows. Still feels good to know I have that lifeline in there, though.
And now, a quick list of reasons that I have not blogged in more than a month:
1. Job interviews, informational interviews, and lots of traveling to and from them. It never rains but it pours. After more than two months without a peep from anyone, I suddenly got three job interviews in two weeks, and scheduled a bunch of informational interviews around them. I am going to be superstitious and avoid going into detail until I actually get an offer (or two), but I would rate my mood on this front as "cautiously optimistic."
2. The FIFA World Cup. If you have never played soccer or lived in a soccer-loving country (i.e., anywhere outside the US), you might not understand. Imagine that you could only go to the yarn store once every four years, and in between you could only read about knitting online, but not buy anything. It's like that. I don't even care that the US has played like a bunch of crap-eating zombies (OK, so maybe I care a teensy bit), or that Chile didn't even qualify this year. I can still root for Brazil (since I speak Portuguese and have friends from there and can't help but love a team with a player who can dribble a ball with his head), or I can show the love to the underdogs and root for Ghana. Anyway, just ask Taz. I have entered every single match into my google calendar, and I have watched or recorded most of them. Even when I'm sitting alone in my living room at 11am, I cheer out loud and complain to the cats about the stupid referees.
3. The weather. Lately it has been too hot to do anything other than lie flat on my back on the coolest surface I can find, and dream of cool waterfalls and ice cream.
4. I am a bad person, or at least a bad, lazy blogger. At first I was going to wait until I uploaded the pictures from the Grand Canyon trip, but that is obviously going to take me a very very long time to get around to. Then I just kept putting it off. But I'm hoping you'll still love me anyway. *flashes winning smile and bats eyelashes* Right?
