I readily admit it, I'm a nerd. One of the symptoms of being a nerd is a glee of digging through technical manuals. So when a friend of mine offered me an old knitting book she doesn't want anymore, I said "sure, I'd like that" when what I really meant was "WICKED COOL!" It's called The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt, published in 1988, and it covers everything from how to knit and purl to how to design your own pieces. It's 1 ¾ inches thick (yes I measured) and my heart is aflutter.
Every year in late August my niece invites my daughter for a birthday party lunch at the doll store, just the two girls, their moms, and grandmoms. And the dolls, of course. This has been a ritual since the girls were three. They are now nine, and this is the highlight of my daughter's summer. This year my daughter got a new doll dress before we went. It took me all summer to make.
I am a commuter; have been since high school. Buses, subways, and city streets are a part of my every day. So everything I need for the day has to hang on my shoulders or my back and maybe in the crook of my elbow. 'Not in your hands?' you ask. No, hands are for tickets, coffee and bagels, texting, and just plain holding on. If it doesn't hang on me by itself, I don't want it. Oh, and it has to fit comfortably on my lap or between my feet. If you rely on mass transit, you know what I mean. If you don't, next time you are in a city do some people watching and you'll see.
Being a South Paw (lefty) has it's good points and bad points. On the positive, we're one step closer to First Base. I can do many things with both hands because I had no choice but to learn. I've had LOTS of practice reversing directions, which has made me a better teacher because I've learned to break down actions to their individual motions. I get to tell my husband that I'm in my right mind and he isn't. It doesn't win arguments, but it makes me feel better. There's also these cool left-handed mugs that spill when you drink them with your right hand ....
I credit my mom with teaching me to knit, but she doesn't see it that way. You see, she's a righty and I'm a lefty, and I couldn't reverse what she was showing me. This was the 70's, mind you. No internet, no cable TV. So what does a smart mother do? She bought a book.