Some Good Stories.

Is there such a thing as too much yarn, too many projects waiting in the wings? I used to feel guilty about how much yarn I had stashed around the house. Then I met Susan, Margene, and some other real yarn stashers, and my guilt flew right out the window (along with my budget). I'm working on several projects at once right now, trying to focus on those until I can get them finished and off the needles. At the same time, I feel the temptation of so many new projects that my head is spinning. And I'm trying to get some sewing done as well--a couple of dresses for the little Dinosaur Princess Horsey, a cape-shirt for Walker (an old and easy specialty), and some other odds and ends. Hopefully by the end of next week I will have finished the Sally Melville gauntlets and turned the heels on a pair of basic ribbed socks. Oh wait, all that after finishing Heather's bag for the bag exchange. And all of it while feeding and trying to dress three other very stubborn, very young people. Hah! It's hilarious! It's killer comedy all the time at my house.

In other news, I'm partying with dear, dear Aki while he's in town from Hell's Kitchen, NYC. I spent two smokey hours at The Twilite Club after putting the children to bed last night, catching up with old friends and avoiding the plumes rising from cigarettes all around. I heard all sorts of great stories, for example: Kirsten's mother's plumber's wife was convinced Kirsten was having an affair with the plumber. She called K. five times one night and Kirsten was terrified at the time, but now it makes a great story. If you knew shy Kirsten personally, the story would be even funnier. We also heard about the Seer Stone that used to belong to a certain Joseph Smith, Jr. but which was later given to one James Allred (from whom my husband is a direct descendant), professional bodyguard to the Prophet. Apparently the stone was in the family for years and years, and the storyteller's mother used to look into the stone every year to see what she was going to get for Christmas. She saw a red bicycle every year, but she never got one. This woman is no longer a member of the Mormon church, and it is my opinion that the failed appearance of the bicycle is a critical factor. The family later sold the Seer Stone to a person who wishes to remain anonymous (although some identifying facts were shared) for a substantial sum of money (and provided eternal visitation rights remain with the family of James Allred). Based on the limited known identifying facts, I am certain that the person who bought the stone is an aquaintance and former neighbor of my parents, a man from our former ward, to be precise. I am positive of this, and I want to call him up and request an audience, but that scheme has certain problems. In any case, it makes for another great story. I'm going to the Gallery Stroll tonight and then to a party with Aki afterwards, and there's another party tomorrow night at somebody else's house. Aki is leaving Sunday afternoon, which, though I shall miss him fiercely, is probably a good thing, because I will need some rest.

By the way and apropos of nothing, I've been listening a lot to David Byrne's internet radio stream and it's double cool with knobs on. You must listen too. It's not Byrne's own music, it's what he's listening to himself. And what a musical education it is.

Finally, I wanted to say thanks to Michaele for making the previous post possible.