I am the Golden Retriever Of Knitting Groups

If you have a knitting group, I should be in it. I am the one that gets there first, re-arranges tables and chairs, makes sure everyone knows each other, carries the conversation if it gets dull. Blah, blah, blah. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a complaint. I'm good at the social niceties, I really don't get much recreational knitting time, I don't mind giving assistance to knitters in need. I think though, that there is a fine line between being a good group member and being just plain stupid.

Take this morning (sorry Amy!). A class of mine finished up last Thursday morning and several of the students and I planned to meet this morning to just knit. One of the women is going through a stressful home re-model and really looked forward to the class as a way to escape for two hours a week. So, say no more. You want stress relief, you got it! Let's meet at 9:30. OK? OK! Sounds good to me! Across the street work for every one? Yep. Sure.

9:15 this morning, yours truly has dutifully arranged the chairs (is it just me or are all the chairs at 318 Cafe starting to fall apart?). No need for name tags because we all knew each other. Pull out my knitting - great I can work on my own project because I'm no longer "the teacher". 9:30 - tea is still hot, knitting is going great (did I mention this - more on that later), 9:45 - still alone, 9:50 - alone. 10:00 - alone. Feeling stupid. At this point I'm thinking back to college rules. We wait 5 minutes for a TA, 10 minutes for an Associate professor, 15 minutes for a full professor. But I don't seem to fit in to any of those categories. Stupid, stupid....Why am I here, I could be home doing laundry, plotting my course for the car pool today because there are no buses and all of us "bus people" have to have special instructions for how to pick up our children. I wonder if Becky could cut my hair early today......

OK, well, I'm still knitting. I had this time scheduled (SCHEDULED - meaning I arranged my day around it!! Does that spell LOSER to anyone else but me??). The gimormous blueberry muffin was good. I could do without the Tracy Chapman "Your House is Better Than My House" CD but I didn't want to use my iPod and miss anyone coming in. Good local gossip going on at the table behind me. Oh well. C'mon Sunrise Circle Jacket, let's go.......Wait.......familiar voice.......familiar shape.......damn the back lighting......

YES!!!!! It's Lisa, it's Lisa! She's here, she's here! I thought you'd never get here! I'm so glad you're here! Can you stay? Are you going to stay? Are you going to knit? Let me see your scarf. Oh you're doing so well! Look how good it looks! Look you guys, look how...never mind.

I think I slobbered on her. She gave me my biscuit. I sat and knit for another hour. I forgot everything. I won't remember the next time.

I AM the Golden Retriever of Knitting Groups.