Murphy's Law - DRT Style

My team's DRT box arrived yesterday.

I had been stalking the USPS site all day in anticipation. It didn't look as though it had moved from a local neighborhood sorting facility, but I knew better so I booked home as quickly as I could. I made mention to one of my coworkers about the package and how I was hoping to have it in the mail by the 7PM pick-up and she said that it was very ambitious of me. If I didn't get it in that pick-up I knew of a 8PM one not too far from me so it was very doable.

As I had suspected, when I got home there it was in my mailbox - the coveted DRT box. I ripped it open as I pulled it out. I didn't even bother to wait until I stepped foot in my place. (I was a little excited.) I immediately took out the dishrag cotton and started casting on. Didn't even pause to change out of my work clothes and into my street clothes. The next hour and a half was spent knitting as fast as I could. A bit of frogging took place because, well, I got caught up in how quickly I was going and I wasn't reading the yarn as I should have.

As soon as I was done I popped off my sofa, tagged the next knitter from my team, scrambled for a few things that I would need to send off the package, grabbed my keys and headed off for the 8PM pick-up.

That's when Murphy's Law kicked in.

Despite slower than I would have preferred drivers, a few red lights and mere fact that this USPS was not right down the street from me I got to the post office around 7:30/7:40ish. PLENTY of time to write a short note and pop that puppy in the mail drop. Yeah, not so much! As I went to close the box I noticed something was missing . . . like the dish rag I had just knit. WTF! (And that is the nice thought that crosses to mind.) I ran back to my car to find it was no where to be found.

At that point I decided to go back home and retrace my steps. Not finding it meant I'd have to knit another and I wanted to get that package in the mail that night. When I finally got back, it didn't take long to find. The next question I had to answer was - with 10 minutes left do I try to make it back? Sure! Why not! Traffic had been kind to me for the most part before; why wouldn't it be this time. HA! This time I was delayed by a train, many red lights and more drivers who believe in driving the speed limit. All said and done, I did not make the pick-up I had been hoping too. (Insert more expletives.) I can get a bit competitive at times and this was surely one of those times. I had been so dead-set on getting it out that same evening and would have if I hadn't dropped the dish rag.

Given that I was tired and starving (I hadn't eaten since lunch since I came home and started knitting) this all seemed 1000 times worse at the time. I didn't want to let my team down. Especially since I was the first one out of the gate. I wanted to set an kick-ass tone for the race. Instead, it felt like my ass was being kicked.

The box went out this morning and I notified my team as soon as I got to a computer. Everyone was excited to hear and post encouraging messages. It's nice to see everyone is so positive and supportive of one another.

I have to admit I'm a bit sad to be at the very beginning because there is no anticipation of how long it's going to take for you to get the box. However, I realize it's my job as team captain to be a cheerleader for the rest of the team. So, instead of stalking the USPS site to see when the box will arrive at my home, I'm now stalking the site to see when it will arrive at its next destination.

Go Dastardly Dishtaggers!

Until later . . .

The Dark Side Has Cookies!

What would Tuesday be without a blankie update . . .

The Official Sock Yarn Blankie Square Count for September 1, 2009:

Squares Needed: 736

Squares Knit and Stitched Together: 82

Squares Ready to be Added: 0

Remaining Squares Needed: LOTS! In real numbers 654

It's been a slow week for blankie. However, I have been working a lot on the second one which I don't talk about as often. I don't need to have it finished for another 3 years or so. It's up to something like 65 squares. Not bad considering I hardly work on it right now.

During the past couple of weeks, when others here about this project I've gotten some interesting responses. Usually others can't believe that I've decided to take on such a great under taking. Then when I tell them I'm making two. . . Normally I wouldn't attempted to make two of these time consuming blankets. The second one is for my mom so I do it with much pleasure. When I was first starting blankie, mom saw me working on it and commented on beautiful it was. Then she said she'd like one. Even telling me she'd pay me to make it. First things first - I would never charge my mother. . . Come on! It's my mom. After I explained the depth of the project and that it's a copy righted pattern so I couldn't charge her even if I wanted too she told me she would understand if I choose not to make her one. After mulling it over for a few hours I decided to make it for her next milestone birthday. Nothing could ever come close to the gift I got her for her last milestone birthday so I figured this would be the next best thing.

All my postings about mini-skein swaps and pictures has one of my Rav friends considering starting this marathon project as well. My words of encouragement . . "Come to the dark side . . . We've got cookies!"

Until later . . .