Stealing from an old Lady

I feel like I just robbed a bank, or a yarn store, more appropriately. After a pretty terrible 2 days, the weekend outlook is brightening, thanks to a lady who loved to knit, craft, and create. Details of my crappy days are not important to this story; this is a story of unexpected gifts.

In the midst of a pathetic and undeserved pity party for myself, I thanked God for my friend who gave me extra napkins at lunch (because soup after a load of Novocaine is just a bad idea) and only laughed a little. Is the root of the word and main ingredients of Novocaine related to cocaine? Because I don't see why anyone would EVER do cocaine if they had been to the dentist. She also taught me how to "M1R" and "M1L" (insert knitter gang sign here ____) and then assured me that although "St st" did not, in fact, mean "Stuper Stitch" I could call it that if I wanted to.

At the end of the party, Rosa jumped on my face and poked me in the eye with her wet nose so I thanked her, too. "Get over it," she says. "Let's play. Meow." So, before I could sit down to type, we had to play Rosa's throw-the-toys-and-I'll-chase-them-but-won't-bring-them-back game, which might be more fun for her.

This morning I was gifted with a man who asked me to watch his computer while he went to the bathroom. The end. Just kidding. We chatted and I was able to share with him some experiences from Korea and the mission trips in Boracay and Bangalore. A photographer recently interviewed on NPR described photo opportunities falling into her lap as "gifts from God" and I felt the same way about this man. A special conversation in an ordinary setting and crappy week. Thanks.

I was starving for perspective this week, and as it turns out, I did not get it. However, I did get a box from a garage sale. Craigslist has never failed me, and the promise of "knitting and crocheting items" sounded like a good idea. A box of yarn stuffs, a ton of needles, and packet of 1985 knitting patterns later, my soul felt mended. The woman who's crafting empire I was taking over had died earlier this year. Her nephew was selling her life in increments of $1 and 75cents stickers. Proudly hauling my box out of the sale, I asked her name; "Avis," he said. "Hmm, ok, I'll think of her when I knit."

So thank you, Avis for your passion for creating pieces of love for your family. Thanks for keeping some of it for me, too.