April 11, 2005
My Head is Spinning!
25 years ago when I attended Oberlin College, I met a woman named Meg.
Meg and I socialized on and off at college and in New York, where we lived after college, until about 22 years ago and then life interfered and we had little contact from then on.
Fast forward to April 2003. I start the blog.
Through the blog, I make various and sundry wonderful blog friends, including the infamous Norma.
I tell my sister about the blog.
My sister tells my Cuzzin Sarah (Cuzzin Tom's sister) about the blog.
Cuzzin Sarah tells Cuzzin Tom.
Cuzzin Tom tells his mother, my Aunt Jo, who lives in Vermont.
Aunt Jo tells Meg, who also lives in Vermont.
Meg emails me.
A month later, Meg and her partner Tish, both of whom are attorneys, fly out to Seattle for a conference.
The Mysterious K and I have dinner with Meg and Tish.
We pick their brains about Vermont because TMK and I are falling in love with that state long distance, we don’t know why.
We casually mention that we know a court reporter who lives in Vermont named Norma.
Tish says, "Norma Miller?"
We start back in surprise...but then ruefully admit we don't know Norma’s last name and didn't know if “Norma” and “Norma Miller” were one and the same.
TMK and I rush home all atwitter at the possible coincidence, and I grub around in my knitting bag where I keep an envelope in which Norma sent me a card and which has her name and address on it. (Don't ask me why I keep it in my knitting bag. Mostly because I know I won't lose it in there since the bag is a bottomless pit from which nothing ever resurfaces and I know I'll have Norma's address handy in case I ever need to mail her something. By the way, you should ask TMK about my knitting bag. Last night, as part of the Hunting for Norma project, I unpacked the entire thing to reorganize it, and she said, in utter astonishment, “All that came from in there?!!” Think Mary Poppins' carpet bag.)
But back to the story: Sher 'nuff, big as day, the envelope says "Norma Miller."
And today I confirmed that “Norma” is “Norma” and that she does indeed know Tish, who is partner to Meg, with whom I went to college 25 years ago.
Everybody keeps telling us that this is No Big Deal because Vermont is so small everyone knows everyone but we still think this is Just Too Cool and a Little Weird and it Made Our Day.
On the knitting front, the bad news is that my camera has died so there may not be any photos for a while which bums me out greatly (but My Knightess in Shining Armor is tracking down the good folks who can help with the camera as we speak). The good news is I was able to squeeze out a few photos before it took its last breath in a melodramatic display of flashing red and green lights and an obscenely protruding lens.
Here is my new stash o’ Peruvian Collection Highland Wool from Elann. Is it yummy, is it yummy, or is it yummy? This photo does not do justice to the blue in the top row of yarns. It’s a unique bright and rich electric blue that will be loads of fun to knit with. As for the other yarns, apparently I was in a "pink" frame of mind the day I placed the order since the packet also contains light pink, dark pink, medium pink, fuschia, coral and dusty rose yarns. And I'm not even a pink person much!
And here, a couple of photos of my latest Dulaan project, the "All-Over Two-Colored Patterned Watch Cap" hat from “Hats On!” Cross my heart, in real life it looks more like a hat and less like a mutated, bloated mushroom. The colors are a dark purple and an orange-y saffron which are depicted better in the second photo and which are, unfortunately and strictly coincidentally, the colors of the University of Washington football team, as all my local knitting friends are all too happy to point out, but they still work well together. A gold star to anyone who can guess what yarn I'm using for this project, and, no, it's not the new Peruvian yarn.
This project did come to a screeching halt last night when I found something in the pattern I didn’t understand but the Wise Women at Ferals tonight will help me out, I’m sure.
I'll be singing "It's a Small World" for the rest of the day now. That story is just. Too. Cool.
The Highland Wool is bee-yoo-tee-full. I even like all of the pinks and I am so not a pink person. In fact, when I was little, it enraged my mother to no end that when she stuck me in anything pink (her only daughter) I would scream like a banshee until she removed the offensive article and replaced it with anything else. She gets even madder if I show up at her house in anything pink now. Hehe
Hope everyone has a great day!
Posted by: Stalker Angie on April 11, 2005 11:19 AMWow, these odd interconnections just blow me away! (Can you tell I'm middle-aged and reverting to the lingo of my youth? Hunh.) Loved the story. Love the Peruvian colors, too. They're going to make a wonderful knitted thingie to be determined. And the hat! Ryan! You are such a great color pattern knitter!!! And to think I knew you when you quailed at the thought...
Posted by: Janine on April 11, 2005 11:44 AMThat's really neat! I think we should play a game of 6-degrees-of-Norma! I'll try to remember to confirm one of my degrees of separation from Norma when our guests visit around Memorial Day. He used to spend alot of time in the VT court system as an attorney. Hee hee hee! =)
Posted by: Rossana on April 11, 2005 11:49 AMI love stories like that. When I was an undergrad in Iowa City I went trick or treating and ended up knocking on the door of a woman who, as it turned out, used to live about a mile away from my family when we lived in England. Or the time I was walking through a trade show (small, niche show) and had some guy hail me from a booth--turns out he's one of my Swiss cousins; his grandma is related to my dad. Weirdness, sheer weirdness.
Posted by: Melanie on April 11, 2005 11:50 AMThe internet sure has shrunk our worlds, hasn't it? But more importantly, does Meg (or Tish) knit, and is she (are they) going to make a hat (or two) for the Dulaan project?
We have this goal, you know.....
Mary B
Janine, every time I spread the stitches on the right-hand needle apart, waaaaaaay apart, to avoid stranding too tightly, and every time I look down and see myself knitting with one color of yarn in one hand and another color of yarn in the other, I feel you sitting on my shoulder. And I have thought a time or two, "Yes, Janine would definitely approve of this project."
MaryB, sorry, neither Meg nor Tish are knitters so I can't lasso them into the project. But good try... ;-)
Posted by: Ryan on April 11, 2005 12:48 PMmy thought was: you had to go home for you knitting bag?? (see, I always carry mine with me.. so i guess it is not the bottomless hole yours is) was my p-card in there too?? makes me wonder.
and I think you are knitting with cascade, but I could be wrong.. looks like on of those baby sweaters you knit awhile ago.
Posted by: anj on April 11, 2005 12:53 PMNo, no, no, Anj! Your postcard and the card from Norma that was inside the envelope both have a place of honor on TMK's refrigerator! They're right next to each other, in fact. It's only Norma's poor envelope that has been relegated to the depths of my knitting bag. The IMPORTANT stuff is definitely out in the light of day.
As for how it could be that I didn't have my knitting bag with me, as a rule, unless I'm going specifically to a knitting event, a doctor's appointment or to work, I don't usually take my knitting with me. Also, my knitting bag is like one of those Russian dolls, with a smaller bag inside a bigger bag inside a bigger bag inside a yet bigger bag inside a monster bag. Since I'm only knitting a hat right now, I'm in "small bag mode," so even if I *had* taken my knitting with me, I would have had to return home to root around in the depths of the monster bag, where Norma's envelope resides. Phew!
Oh, and you win the gold star! It IS Cascade 220, my good ol' workhorse of a yarn that I seem to have been using non-stop lately.
Posted by: Ryan on April 11, 2005 01:19 PMo! I never thought it was a bad thing to be in the bottom of a knitting bag.. nosirree, bob. I just wondered why you didn't have the bag with you.. but now I see the beauty behind the russian knitting doll project and understand the whole-concept.
cascade 220 is the best darn yarn out there.. versital and lovely with plenty of color combos to chose from.
I like the idea of Norma and I sharing fridge space though.. makes me feel likea world traveller.
Posted by: anj on April 11, 2005 01:44 PM:) Old friends....who know new friends....yarny goodness from Elann....fun new two-color hat project...
I'm jealous for me and happy for you. :D L
Posted by: Lisa in Oregon on April 11, 2005 02:24 PMCan you bloody believe it? I'm dying to know who Rossana knows.... Chances are, unless he's from the extreme southern part of the state, I know him. You know, there aren't that many court reporters in this state, and I reside in that elite (haha, just KIDDING) class of the EXTREME few who worked in court for several years, as opposed to just depositions, so that makes me better known.
I just think this IS a great story, and who're the Negative Nellies who are saying it's no big deal??? It IS a big deal!!! Whee! My husband is still chuckling, I bet, and hoping he'll run into Patricia (I have a hard time thinking of her as a "Tish," but maybe that's just me....) in court soon.
Posted by: Norma on April 11, 2005 02:59 PMMy dear, dear Blog Mistress. What is "neither Meg nor Tish are knitters so I can't lasso them into the project. But good try" supposed to mean?? We can lasso ANYONE into the Dulaan project, can't we MaryB? Can they cut? Can they tie their shoes? Then fleece blankets it is! Can they buy clearance warm weather clothing to ship over? Of course they can be involved! We're willing to draft anyone to get warm clothing over to Mon-frickin-golia. :o)
Posted by: Stalker Angie on April 11, 2005 03:32 PMMust. Not. Offer. Celebratory. Marmot. (Sorry.) That story is pretty darned cool though.
Posted by: Susie on April 11, 2005 05:03 PMI'm with Stalker Angie--if we can lasso (and do!) strangers on the street to make things for the Dulaan Project--surely we can get old friends to help in whatever way they can!
Mary B
Posted by: Mary B on April 11, 2005 05:50 PMSo, how is the highland wool? I've been drooling over all the pretty colors, but I have an intense fear of scratchy. Is it as soft as they say?
Posted by: Kristen on April 11, 2005 08:19 PMSix degrees of separation. No matter what we call it, coincidence, synchronicity, "small world", etc. it is just so cool. Keep hold of your wonderment - it's better to live that way, isn't it? Thanks for sharing the linkage - I love these kinds of stories.
Similar expereience: I went to a felting party and met Chris(wooly buns) and Kim(woolen rabbit) and it turns out they knew Susan who moved out to Utah and became friend with Margene. or something like that. We should all be so lucky as to meet someday.
Posted by: julia fc on April 12, 2005 07:44 AMmaybe this will bring a chuckle.
when I moved to philly I was with steph. we joined dignity and met many wonderful people. a couple named M & M lived about 2 blocks away and we would go hang with them occassionally. we then met their friends and of course started hanging with THEM.. fast forward past a divorce and into my new relationship. Sue's aunt (her favorite) is C and her partner are BEST friends with M&M. I used to hang out with them long before I met Sue. So when Sue told her aunt C that she was dating me I got instant approval from the whole family.. simply b'c I knew C. small, small world.
Posted by: anj on April 12, 2005 08:11 AMVermont is totally beautiful and you are not wrong to love it from afar. I went to summer camp there for years and fell in love with it then. When presented with an opportunity to live there after college, I did. I had a great job, but the town was small and after 2.5 years I felt too clautrophobic and moved out here. Point is, if you move out there, know exactly what you're getting in to. (Of course, places like Burlington are an entirely different story.)
Central Vermont... where you have to drive 30 minutes to see a movie, and 60 minutes to see a -film-.
Posted by: ellen-the-somewhat-shy on April 12, 2005 09:46 AMI have to echo what Ellen says. Growing up in The Islands, for example, was an awful lonely and isolated experience. A weekly trip an hour away to get to a supermarket, no extra-curricular activities, etc., and when I was a young adult I had the opportunity to buy the family home for an obscenely low amount. I had NO INTEREST and NO DESIRE to be anywhere near that place. Now, wouldn't I just give my eyeteeth for it? And it'd be a half a million or more to buy it, assuming it were even for sale. And small-townism, you know, in the worst sense of the word, abounds sometimes. And it's HARD to make a living. The best way to do Vermont seems to be, as in many other places, "Be Rich." Have it as a vacation property, then go elsewhere for real life and especially culture. On the other hand, my favorite bumper sticker says, "Welcome to Vermont. Now go home." Hee!!!
Posted by: Norma on April 12, 2005 10:11 AMOoh, your Peruvian Highland Collection looks lovely! I got a similiar bag a few weeks ago but mine contained 8 skeins of pink. Would you believe that I used to hate the color pink?
Posted by: jillz on April 12, 2005 07:46 PMHi! My best small-world story is of the first time I voted in Philadelphia. There were two polling places in the lobby of my apartment building (for two different wards), and I went to the wrong one first. They had one person with my (very uncommon) last name listed, but it absolutely wasn't me. It turned out to be a cousin I didn't know I had, who lived a few blocks away.
Also, general greetings from an Oberlin grad who's sort of from Burlington, VT.
Posted by: naomi on April 21, 2005 06:25 AM