Why Do the Wrong People Travel?

I love to travel, but I hate traveling. I hate the crowds of people pushing each other at the airport, having loud discussions as though no one else could hear them. I don't think that plastic bags should be used as luggage. And just because you can shove more stuff into your bag doesn't mean you should. Oh, and to the woman who cut in front of me in the customs line at Dublin Airport: wear less perfume. The effect of half a bottle at once is more likely to be vomit than delight.
I sound so bitter, and I'm not. I've just gotten back from a fantastic biennial visit to my cousin Stephen in England. That's a fancy word, isn't it, biennial? I last visited there in September 2004, and tried to do everything. Trying to see/do everything in one visit is a great way to tire yourself out and not really see anything well. This was a shorter trip, but almost entirely free form. If I'd been clever, I could have blogged as I went, but I was on vacation and therefore didn't. I didn't check my email either and was rewarded with a hell of a lot of spam when I opened my mailbox this morning.

Here's a brief look at what I did on my vacation:

Yes, my trip to Europe was a stash enhancing expedition. I bought so much yarn while I was over there, that it seemed a miracle when I managed to squeeze it all into my bags. A couple of Stephen's friends are knitters, and they recommended a wool shop called Loop in Islington. We're pretty spoiled here in the States, or perhaps just major cities in the States, because we have loads of yarn shops to choose from. That is not the case in Europe, apparently. Loop is a little shop, very similar to Purl Soho in New York. I was keen to find a shop that carried Colinette yarns, since they're hard to find in the UK, but only 50% the price that they are over here. Well, Loop had enough Giotto to make a big turtleneck sweater (which is called something else entirely in England, can't remember what), as well as gorgeous purple Point Five to make a gift scarf.

I also went to the yarn section at Liberty, which has heaps and heaps of Rowan yarn and books, but no shop assistant in sight. I ended up going to haberdashery to be helped, where I bought a meter of beautiful orange french velvet ribbon to weave into a hat and a couple of Liberty print hankies. Yes, it even said "hankie" on the tag. This turned out to be an excellent impulse purchase, as I later came down with the upper respiratory creeping crud. Those hankies really are handy! I bought some lovely RYC cashmere blend yarn to make Anna Bell's Jemima. I might add a bit of waist-shaping, I'm not sure.

There was also a shopping expedition in Paris, via the Eurostar. The chunnel is pretty amazing, and incredibly mundane as well. The train is only underwater for twenty minutes. It's like taking the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan. I'd hoped that they'd put a half-way mark in the Chunnel, as there is in the Lincoln Tunnel, but it isn't lit inside. Nothing to see there. There were a lot of beautiful Norman churches standing in the middle of fields on the way into Paris. I saw a lot of countryside that I would have missed had I flown to Paris. When I remarked upon the churches to Stephen, he pointed out the number of old churches in England. Europe is chockablock with old buildings, castles, and history. What do we have over here? Gas stations and shopping malls. Yawn.

I went to La Droguerie, an excellent yarn shop in the 1er, near L'Eglise St Eustache and Les Halles. I really hate that Metro station, and I'd sort of forgotten how long it takes to get from the platforms to street level. Worth the effort, though. I've read a lot of other American knitters online writing about how hard it is to get waited on at La Droguerie. Well, I had to wait a long time. After about twenty minutes of idly admiring their wares and getting hard, Gallic looks from the cashier, I began to think that I might join the ranks of Americans who couldn't buy anything there. Well, the reason the wait was so long is that they're short of hands (perhaps permanently so), and lavish a lot of attention on their customers. I bought the makings of a cotton wrap cardigan, with lace edging and silk ribbon belt, from an in-house pattern. The yarn is a sophisticated green that is new to La Droguerie this season. I know, I keep swearing off knitting with cotton. But it's just so lovely. I also bought a kit to make a mohair cardigan with mother of pearl buttons in a color described in French as supermarine. Seems as good a description as any in English.
And, to make a scarf, this wool and mohair combination, to be held together. They showed it in a really chic little collared cape, but I don't think I can carry that off in Chicago.
Did lots of other things as well, but I'm still pretty jet lagged. Due to the creeping crud, my ears aren't back to normal. They don't hurt or anything, but it feels like my head has been packed in a jar of cotton balls, like a bottle of aspirin. I probably need more mucacin (or however it's spelled) and a bit of relaxation. Will update again soon.

Holy shit, I leave for Europe in less than two weeks and I haven't finished any of my knitting projects. I just keep working and working on, well, paid projects instead of knitting. Still, I think I'm in good shape as far as my vacation is concerned. My tickets for the concert at the Barbican have already arrived in the mail! No sign of my opera ticket, and I cannot remember if I asked them to hold it at will call. That's a little troubling.
My show is closed now and it's on to another show. Maybe that's what I'll keep calling it.... So, the old show closed on Sunday. It was just another show to me, but there were the usual teary goodbyes in the dressing room. It was a little strange to think that it would be the last time that we do the show, but I was ready for it to close. So, I've had a couple of days of only working one job, which is oddly luxurious. Then, yesterday, I started on Another Show. Or I was supposed to, but discovered that the sound designer had left two hours before my arrival (without calling). Oh, and the production is four days behind. And there's no board op. The pay is so paltry that I wouldn't think for a minute of taking it, and the producers want to make it more complex. Ugh. Why must all producers suffer from a case of short arms when it comes to the sound budget?
Today, I took the day off. The plan was to work on Another Show, but they're way behind. I could have put in a few hours at the straight gig, but instead I had my first day off since January 30th. Thank god. I didn't run a bunch of errands like I should have. I read a book. I knit. I took a nap. Life is good.

Day Seventeen. No Medal for Me

The Winter Games are over and my sweater isn't finished. Would I have finished it if I hadn't caught the flu and the money bug? I don't know. I need cash for my trip, so I am somewhat resistant to guilt in that direction. So far, I have knit on the yukata: both sleeves, the back, and the left front. I started the right front tonight, after a small family gathering. I will continue to work on the yukata, even though my fake deadline has passed. My real deadline looms: March 21st. I want to wrap up a couple of WIPs before I cross the pond.
I've been trying to figure out whether or not I will need a transformer for my cell phone charger while travelling. My ipod is dual voltage, because the people at Apple are smart, but it is unclear if Samsung is similarly hip. I tried their website, but it was pointless, as was calling their 800 #, which wasn't staffed on Sundays. Apparently, people don't use electronics on the lord's day! So, I called my cell phone company. They used some very circular logic in telling me that my charger is dual voltage (as in, I said I bought it while I was on vacation, which is true, and they said that it must work dual voltage then. I was in PA at the time!), then suggested that I buy a new phone for my trip. I work in telesales, so I understand the need to upsell, but holy shit! I know that my current phone works in Europe, which might not be the case with a different phone. Clearly, I can't believe what the phone co's reps say, as they are adept at blowing smoke up asses. Maybe I'll try Samsung again tomorrow. There's no real rush, but I bought a transformer--just in case--and was told that I can return it in 30 days if it turns out that I don't need it. I'd like to figure that out sooner rather than later.

Marathon time

I'm not going to get a gold medal in the KO this year. Maybe in two years, if one gets together for the summer games in 2008. I felt pretty confident about finishing the yukata last week. Then I got a fast flu. Lousy energy, diminished breathing, and increased sleep do not do good things for one's knitting time. Then I got the opportunity to work my hours at my hourly gig. As many as I want, not exceeding forty hours. Well, I'm still running the turkey show, so there's no chance of my exceeding forty hours. Even though I always try to knit a little on the train, I'm just not keeping up with my Olympic sweater. So far, I've knit the sleeves and the back. Not a small accomplishment, but I've still to knit the fronts, fairly wide sash, and collar. The sash and collar are in double moss stitch. That's not going to happen before Sunday unless every day between now and then magically has 36 hours. I'm still going to keep at it, because I don't want to have a dozen UFOs kicking around. The right front is about halfway done, so it is entirely possible that this project could take off after the show and marathon close. Oh, and I'd like to finish my top-down raglan before I go to Europe. And wouldn't it be great if I could finally finish that collar for my Phildar Cecilia cardigan? It all starts to weigh me down.

Today was a very Spring-like day. It was fifty degrees out, in February, in Chicago! I wore my new floral skirt from H&M. It was purchased during a paycheck high, while thinking about my trip to Europe. Like many techies, I wear jeans nearly every day. I do not want to wear jeans every day, especially not while I am traveling. When I saw this skirt, I pictured it with my wedgewood blue boucle cardigan, looking Continental. I wore said outfit today, which generated a lot of comments at work (works? both places). It falls below the knee on me and has a navy lace edging. It's even lined, which is rare at the super cheap, fast fashion giant H&M. I should wear skirts more often. And pants that aren't jeans. Not together.
I also think this skirt would look terrific with the Something Red sweater that Wendy's showing on Knit and Tonic. It would really pop those little red flowers in the print. Just what I need, eh, another project? I told one of my friends that I'd knit a pair of fingerless gloves for his wife's birthday. I've never met his wife, so they're not a present from me. I gave him a pair as an opening present a couple of weeks ago and I guess he wears them all the time. He was telling me on the phone that she tries to steal them from him and she shouted in the background that she has a birthday coming up. Damn, non-knitters can be ballsy! I told him that he and I could work something out, that I have a few projects for me that come first. But I'm going to be on those long transatlantic flights, the chunnel train, etc, which will be excellent small project time. This will also require a trip to one of my favorite LYSes, but with a non-knitter. Could be highly amusing or irritating. We'll see. We'll see after the show closes.

Around the Clear Com

All of my theatre friends already know of the interesting discussions that occur on the Clear Com. Things that would probably be far less riveting if not conveyed through a low voltage party system. Tonight, at work, I told the musical director about my decision to plow ahead with the Knitting Olympics, despite my flu. I was pretty self-pitying yesterday and got absolutely no knitting done, for all my sniffling and coughing. Today, however, I managed to squeeze in a couple of hours of knitting and finished sleeve #2 (yay!) and started the back piece. I explained to Margaret that I'd heard a piece on NPR about one of the male figure skaters competing despite an attack of the stomach flu. I figure if he can skate through the flu, I can knit through it! Margaret, who was already very supportive of the KO, was very tickled by my being inspired by this athletic tale. To cheer me on, she and the band played a little Copland and the Olympic theme during their tuning. I was tickled pink! I don't know if I will be able to finish the Olympic sweater on time, but I am glad that I haven't quit!
Speaking of the flu.... This morning, I was blissed out in a cold/flu druggy daze when I heard a clatter from the kitchen. I'd left a glass of orange juice sitting on the counter and my darling cat had gone up there to investigate. There was juice and broken glass everywhere! Winston stood on the counter in that classic Halloween cat pose, realizing that he was caught. I had to get him out of the kitchen before I could attack the mess, gingerly picking up slivers of glass while indelicately breathing through my mouth. I suspect Winston was trying to drink the orange juice (why do cats think they can drink oj?), when he knocked the glass off the counter. He's such a little nut sometimes, but I wasn't laughing about it this morning!
My speaking voice has been affected by all this. This time, instead of doing its usually younger Brady brother thing, it's more like Kathleen Turner. Finally, a sultry sick voice! I'll have to be careful while doing my Telefund work not to sound too much like a phone sex operator!

Day Six

I don't think a KO gold medal is in my future. Today, I was looking at sleeve #2 and realized that I would have to come home and knit for four hours in order to keep up with things. Great, except today I got slammed with a sinus infection and just want to take a long steamy shower and collapse. Do you know what really freaks out sound engineers (besides feedback)? Sinus infections, because they make your ears hurt and affect your hearing. Sucky, to say the least. I'd like to keep going with my project, but I don't know that it will be finished by (or on) February 26th. Clearly, I've been pushing myself too hard lately, what with holding down two jobs and trying not to be a hermit.
A couple of my friends came to see my show last night. We went out for drinks afterwards. I'm glad that I went out, even though I probably shouldn't have (my poor immune system! My neglected knitting!) Maybe I should have had that Black and Tan with an Airborne chaser, haha!
Oh, my head hurts. I'm going to bed.