Saturday, December 30, 2006

Santa Sighting.

The Sheep did her grocery shopping yesterday. Not the every-other-day-get-what-I-forgot-and-I-seem-to-have-a-sudden-craving-for-PopTarts-which-must-be-satisfied shopping, but the real kind. The kind that you need to do after a week of vacation so that you can go back to work soon. Big time shopping.

I diligently made a list of all the things that I'd need for next week's return to grown-up living. It was a well-crafted piece of literature wrung from a combing of the cupboards, a stern conversation with self regarding the difference between, "want" and "need," and a review of the budget.

I then proceeded to exit the house and leave this masterpiece on the couch. People think I'm kidding when I say I do this regularly. I kid not...

Thus, I had to rely on the old memory cells for this trip. Which you think I'd be used to. But I'm not. I have to concentrate. I did pretty well until I turned the corner from frozen foods to warmer climates. Then, all was lost. For there, standing before me, big as life and twice as jolly, was Santa Claus.

Big round belly, long white beard...even a pair of tiny, wire-rimmed spectacles perched atop his nose. Now, let's be clear, here. I would have noticed him even if he wasn't so obviously St. Nick. Anyone who is wearing black cotton shorts in thirty seven degree temperatures (that's with an, "F" not a, "C") would have attracted my attention. This was not the best attempt at undercover shopping I've ever seen. Once you notice the shorts in December, you are bound to recognize Santa shortly thereafter. I opted not to point this out. It seemed rude.

Don't believe me? Well, how about this: Santa had a rash on the backs of his calves. That's right...a rash! Clearly Mrs. Claus forgot to put his silk-blend long-johns in the wash on December 23rd and Santa had to wear that scratchy wool suit all night on the 24th without a soft layer to protect his tender flesh from the harsh fabric. It had to be Santa!!!!

Further proof is required? Fine. When I needed to pass Santa to get down the aisle, he moved his cart and said, "excuse me." I ask you: when does this ever happen to me in the grocery store? We all know how it goes!!! No one moves for The Sheep! But Santa did! He got my letter, I tellya!

Yup. I saw Santa at the grocery store. It doesn't even bother me that it happened in the liquor aisle. What Santa does in his off hours is between him and Mrs. Claus. I gave him his space because I think that even celebrities deserve their privacy. But, I smiled at him. And he smiled back.

And we are fervently hoping that he was not just some biker dude trolling for chicks in the grocery store.

When not Santa Stalking at the local market, I've been busy with a few other projects. The WooLee Winder has three coats of finish on it and is looking pretty spiffy. It doesn't exactly match my wheel as that finish has cured to a darker tone. But, I'm liking the look of Mr. W.W. in his current state and can live with any difference in wood finish.






Shiny!!!!
And, as an added bonus, I get to breathe Tung Oil fumes for a couple of days! The colors, man...the colors!
Speaking of colors, the new little sockie is also coming along at a fairly good clip. So good is this clip that I have actual thumb pain from the hours put into this project. But, I can't help it...

I'm addicted!

This is a skein of Socks That Rock that came to me via Trek after I won her Bloglines Subscription contest. Trek picks very, very good prizes. I've never knit with this yarn before. I love this yarn. I love it very, very much. I may be changing my name to Sheep That Rock. I'm probably the last knitter in the free world to discover the joys of STR. This should definitely go on next year's X-mas wish list!

And I'm kinda wishing that I'd mentioned it to Santa yesterday.

SA

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess Santa deserves a trip down the liqour aisle after travelling the world delivering goodies to all the good (and the not so good) kiddies.

The sock is looking really good. Hmmm, I just had a thought - maybe when it's time to write to Santa next year and ask for the STR yarn, you could mention how you saw him in the liquor aisle. I'll bet he'd fill you stocking with STR!

sheep#100 said...

Ack, Julie's talking blackmail there!

And you sure do rock, Sheep!

Anonymous said...

You did a nice job with the finish on your new toy! And your new sock is looking great, too.

Annie said...

That STR is a gorgeous colour - am now very jealous and will be writing to Santa at the earliest opportunity

April said...

Does anyone else besides me think there might be a connection between breathing Tung Oil fumes and seeing Santa at the grocery store?

I'm just sayin'.

--Deb said...

Sure sounds like Santa to me! I saw him on the beach once--red bathing suit, long beard, and all . . . no reindeer, though....

Jeanne said...

I see you've been hitting the lacquer cabinet lately (same as me), eh? ;-) The woolee looks fabulous. So does the sock! See you next year...

Teri S. said...

You aren't the last person to discover the joys of STR. I am. It's on the list of yarns to acquire for knitting. Who knows? If the yarn store becomes a reality, STR might even be in its inventory!

Lorraine said...

That does it - I'll just have to break into the Christmas money I was saving for a spinning wheel to buy some STR. It must have some tung oil fumes infused in it or some other addictive substance, to have such an effect on people.

Anonymous said...

I loooove the STR! I made a pair of Jaywalker's out of some last year and they are wonderful. Holding up to washing well also.

Shorts in the winter in Maine? You're right, it's either Santa or that biker dude.

Anonymous said...

Mr. WW looks great!! I love that sock. I haven't knit with STR. Can you give us a quickie review? Is it like Koigu?
The Santa sighting is interesting. I imagine he needs a little something to keep him warm if he's out and about in shorts. That's why he's in the liquor aisle.
Karen
http://nothingbutknit.blog-city.com/

Anonymous said...

Ewww. Santa with a rash? Not the vision of Santa that I like. ;)

Have you started spinning with the WW yet?