December 14, 2018
Dear Everyone:
A few months ago, while I was in one of my favorite
sewing-and-craft-stores, I picked up a couple of large skeins of
acrylic
yarn.
By “large”, I mean “A Pound of Love”.
That’s what the manufacturer calls it.
16 ounces of yarn is enough to make a small, as in child-size,
sweater; or several pairs of slippers.
Anyone who is currently cringing, thinking, “Not another pair of
slippers!” can relax. In
this case I got one “pound” of turquoise and one of lavender.
I had in mind making a pair of crocheted
dragons.
It was one of those projects that I could work on for a few hours in the
evening, or on Tuesdays at the
Martinez
Senior Center.
As there was no specific deadline, I could also put it aside for
more pressing things any time I felt the need.
Eventually, I finished both dragons, one in lavender with
turquoise accents, the other in turquoise with lavender accents (tummy,
lower snout and scales-down-the-back.)
For purposes of identification, I nicknamed them
“Rogers”
and “Hammerstein”.
When I presented them for donation at the Senior Center, everyone in the
Crafts group agreed that they were absolutely adorable, which was the
idea, of course. One woman,
“Angela”, asked me what the price should be for each one.
I told her $18, which is the going rate for “large toys”.
I thought she was going to attach little price tags to them.
Instead, she pulled a $20 bill out of her wallet and bought the
lavender one on the spot.
“Rogers” had gone to a good home, leaving “Hammerstein” to sit in the
“toys” bin until the next Bazaar.
The next Bazaar, as it happened, was the first weekend in November.
“Hammerstein” sat bravely on the table as people wandered by,
looking for that perfect handcrafted gift for somebody-or-other.
Eventually, as the Bazaar wound down, everything was packed away
inside the closet in the large multifunction room at the Senior Center.
Then the City of Martinez decided to hold a “Frosty
the Snowman” Festival the first weekend in December.
Somebody on the Committee blithely stated, “…and the Senior
Center will serve hot chocolate and the Crafts people can hold a
Bazaar…” without thinking to consult the people who run the Senior
Center. Particularly,
without notifying “Lenore”, the volunteer who manages the Crafts group.
On very short notice, a group of us “volunteered” to man the tables
holding many, many knitted, crocheted and embroidered items.
Once again, “Hammerstein” found himself sitting on the table
along with some other toy-like items, all hoping to be purchased for a
Good Cause.
I just happened to look up as a man in his mid-twenties came in, wearing
a purple T-shirt with white lettering signifying some establishment of
higher education. With him
were two young girls, about five and six.
They were wearing matching jackets in turquoise with hoods lined
in lavender.
It was meant to be.
Before you knew it, Daddy was holding “Hammerstein”, bumping the girls’
noses with the dragon’s snout.
Of course he shelled out $18 and the girls went away happily
squabbling over whose turn it was to hold “Hammerstein”.
I’m sure he has a new name by now.
And I still have plenty of turquoise and lavender yarn left to
make yet another pair of dragons some time in the Spring.
In the meantime, I have pretty much all of my
Holiday shopping completed and all of the shipping done.
Which means I can relax and enjoy the rest of the year.
All two weeks of it.
Love, as always,
Pete
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