Knitterpated

While reading the bookbookbook over the past week or so, I have paused several times after reading the blurb on the back. The part that always gets me is "Do you ever....plan your vacation around yarn store locations?" It's not so much that this rings true for me as that this is so blatantly true that I am surprised that others might find it a bit, um, obsessive.

I used to hide this yarn store finding obsession with my husband. Or, at least, I tried. Being a reasonably intelligent man, it did not take him many trips out of town before he came to terms with the fact that yarn and fiber stores rated right up there with any (other) cultural or historical sites of interest. Possibly quite higher on my priority list, in fact. So he has willingly accompanied me to various festivals and shops, often with a book in hand, so that I can feed my addiction check things out.

Unfortunately, we don't travel much these days, and when we do visit friends and family, it seems that they always live in some strange geographical black hole that does not have a decent yarn store within fifty miles. So I was fairly excited when I realized that our annual spring trip to Maryland and D.C. meant that we would spend several days within walking distance of Stitch. I fantasized about an entire afternoon to myself, roaming around the store, petting all the yarns that my local LYS does not carry, followed up by an hour in a coffeeshop (again, by myself) where I could admire my purchases and devour the knitting books or magazines that I would certainly buy. (Never mind that we would also be within walking distance of the Mall, the Smithsonian, etc. Those would be for another day.) Unfortunately, plans change, our trip was revamped, and we are now not going to be in D.C. at all this year. Crap.

So. After some heavy sighs and some googling, I managed my disappointment by rerouting all that fiber-lust toward Webs' annual tent sale, which was scheduled for the second weekend in May. I checked my calendar, alerted my knitting group, and entertained daydreams of earth-shattering bargains on Koigu and Kureyon. A week later I checked the Webs site again, only to discover that the sale date had been changed (so as to not conflict with NH Sheep and Wool Festival). But--of course--the new date conflicted with an out-of-town wedding I need to attend. (I mean, what is wrong with these retail people? Don't they know that they must conform to my needs?)

But they can't get me. I am clever, and crafty, and persistent. I am now trying to figure out how we can find time to visit Countrywool when we go to that darn wedding. The odds are against me, but I'll persevere.

In the meantime, I have the dates for the MA Sheep And Wool Festival written on my calendar. In ink. And I have already arranged a babysitter so that I can see the harlot when she's in my neck of the woods in May.

And yes, we are still going to Maryland, but not near the wool festival. DH--great man that his is--actually offered to rearrange our travel schedule so that we could make try to make it to the festival, but our children are still young enough that bad weather or large crowds could present some challenges. Plus we would likely have to pay for a hotel stay, more meals outs, etc. So I decided to save my money for Rhinebeck instead. And perhaps, just perhaps, I will stumble upon some unexpected fiber spot while we are away next week. Stranger things have happened.

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Coming up soon: knit-a-long updates. How many shrugs will be finished by then?