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It does happen then. All this talk about knit-walking, like it’s without consequence. Well, for the most part it is, however, I have tripped, and ‘descended clumsily’ into a fallen tree and scraped up my thumb bad enough. (That was about three weeks ago , and is just now healed nicely). And I have dropped my yarn and it has unraveled as I walk on unaware for a ways, sometimes a long ways, before I realize what has happened, then having to wind it back up while picking leaves and twigs and forest duff out of the yarn (very tweedy looking) ~~~ and this has happened countless times ! Oh, but this time, the most recent calamity, was that the other day (my birthday, I am certain) I misplaced a mit somewhere, maybe dropped along the way . . . and lost it !
So this one pair of pin-striped fingerless mits, was to be my last pair I was going to allow myself to knit, of my mit-mania (um…we’ll see about that), and I’m merrily binding off the second of the pair and starting to chirp the joys of spring as it’s time for finish work ! Weaving in ends, soak in suds & dry. . . then wrap very cheerfull like and send off ! WAIT. Um . . . but . . . where is the other mit? Did I lose it ??? Not even panicked, I search all my knit-walk satchels, then look about. Mild panic, search the satchels again… at least 3 times, as if once isn’t enough. I mean I stick my hand in and grope disbelievingly, repeatedly, and actually turn them inside out , as if I can’t feel a mit without doing so the first time. I’m laughing. Yet I’m starting to get impatient and swear at the same time, because I know exactly what happened, I probably dropped it ! Not laughing anymore, as I’m knowing full well there isn’t enough yarn to toss one together in the nick of time. Still , I obligingly search the likely places in the house it might be. . . again . . . and no mit. This was last night mind you, so I couldn’t go out looking for it !
Until this morning. This morning finally dawns, and after feeling the doom that I can’t make another, that it is forever lost, and how am I going to deal , since I used up the last of one of the pin-stripe colors . . oh sheesh . . . must I dorkily make a mismatched pair???? Well, I searched those knitting bags again, my hands groping around without my mind connected, they just shuffle papers, lifting piles of crap on my desk table, lift pillows, blankets… looking behind my sideboard, under the sideboard . . .my hands are hoping for a stupid miracle that I covered them up, or pushed them off the furniture. My hands are slaves to my disbelief and my reluctance to go out in 34F temperature to go ‘hiking’. But, at last, Emma and I did go out and retrace our last walk.
This was our Lucky Day…. only a little less than a mile and we found it !
There it was !!!
There it was in the dirt road !!!!!
There it was in the dirt road in the dark woods, damp, shaking, barely alive !!!!!
It was lying so alone, vulnerable, belly up, in the middle of the dirt road, right next to a little fir tree snag that had fallen in a recent storm. Ohhh…yyyeahh… I remember Emma’s leash getting tangled up when she jumped over it, and I remember having to put my knitting in the bag to help her get untangled. Then we went on, and I carried on with the pin-stripes.,.. probably yanked out the yarn a little too hard. If this little mit had a voice, I’m sure it would be thin and very high-pitched and calling out in sheer exhaustion ” Here I am, here I am…. oh you found me, where were you, why did you leave me??? I don’t think I could have survived another wild animal sniffing me over in the night . . .” So anyway, the story ends happily. We have ‘er back, and the pair is reunited !!! Washed, rinsed, and the color has come back into her cheeks. In fact, I bet you can’t tell which one was lost, can you?
Ahhhhhh . . . . . drying ! ! !
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((( Now these wee mits are somewhere in the air between here and Kelso.)))
:: giggles like a 10 year old ::
Jenjoyce Design 
What a happy ending! I’m so glad you found it. I’m the same today trying to find my watch. Can’t find the bloomin’ thing anywhere and I feel naked without it. How is your weather? It’s cold here in Inverness and we’re expecting snow. I see you have a log burner. Aren’t they great? Mine will be going on shortly too. That’s a novel way to use yours though – never thought of using a cake rack to dry knits.
Hope you are well.
Kelly.
Well hello Kelly! I bet Inverness is cold ! Here clear and warmed up to 40F, though we *were* expecting snow last weekend, it never fell. I’m having some spinners up today, we’ll cuddle by the wood stove and drink and make merry with our wheels 🙂 Yes, cake racks on the stove or in the oven …. speed-drying is my specialty, as I’m so impatient ! Thanks for stopping in ! Talk soon.
Love your speed drying tips. Oven…pilot light…of course.
Actually, Morrie, don’t have a pilot light in the oven, so I just really low temp of about 100F in the oven, like a hot day outside here in the summer !!!
This was awesome (not the losing of the mitt, but the writing – loved it).
34’F is PERFECT for hiking, I’d say. But I live in Ontario, Canada…and today it is about 17’F. Still, we are heading out for a walk. The sun is out and its warmth calls to me. I can’t stay inside. 🙂
Love the mitts – and stripes. Stripes are my favourite. And was it your birthday? I missed it…Happy Belated. xo
Thanks Debbie, and yes, we must soldier on with our walks, rain, shine or frigid cold ! Have you taken the knitting along yet? 😉
I have NOT taken the knitting along yet…but I shall – maybe today. We are heading out again momentarily. 🙂
I am about to go out for a knit walk… and it’s cold ! Didn’t get one in last two days.
I did it. I did it. I even have pictures to prove it. 🙂
So impressed with you, first time knit-walking !!! I will be visiting your blog of course, to greet your photos 🙂
If you ever want a change of career, try writing. I am giggling away at
“There it was in the dirt road in the dark woods, damp, shaking, barely alive !!!!!
It was lying so alone, vulnerable, belly up, in the middle of the dirt road.”
It made me laugh.
However, I am so glad it was found, poor wee mitt, and is now on it’s way to the frozen wastes of Kelso – where it has rained, rained, rained – and then snowed and is now (at 11pm ) -3 degrees with freezing fog. A pair of handknit (matching) mitts is a must. Makes winter almost worthwhile.
Thank you Jen, I am looking forward to my wee parcel arriving. (I hope that they’ll make it safely to the other side of the world).
Lizzi, I’m glad you were entertained by the post. I am apt now to be encouraged to at least write more ‘fiction’ in my knitterly posts. Watch out! 😉 Yes, I loved knitting those for you , and then when you sent Kate’s book, I was frantic to get them finished,… but don’t be mad, I included something else along with them in the parcel. Hopefully they won’t get too smashed up landing in Kelso 🙂 xx
At first, of course (after our recent encounters with her pilfering) I suspected Emma. Now if you can just teach her to retrieve your dropped knitting we can forgive her secret snitching of knitting and electronic miscellany. 😉
But Emma has actually retrieved things I’ve dropped, more than once she’s saved the day !
Just to say – ‘poor wee mitt’ and it’s twin arrived safely in Kelso this morning – wrapped around some wonderful homebaked shortbread. I have been wearing them all day and they have been out for a walk in the snow. And they came back safely. The shortbread has been sampled, too and declared to be superb. Thank you Jen, my birthday just goes on and on.
As it should ! I am *so* very happy you are happy. 🙂 Hey, our recent talk has got me ‘up to something ‘. Thank you ! xx
… I’m going to write a pattern for the mits ! You convinced me xx
Hurray!