Organization Can Pay Off!

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am not the most organized person strolling this planet. In fact, I am probably pretty close to ending up on a daytime talk show of some sort where I will be shamed in front of a studio audience as pictures of the squalor in which I exist are flashed across the monitors. When questioned as to how I could let my life spiral so far out of control, I will have little to offer in the way of explanation. Some things just happen...

I have nothing against organization. I don't hate organization. I think organization is a pretty good thing. Unless, of course, you are not sleeping at night because you are not 100% sure that your sock drawer is arranged by color from lightest to darkest. Then, I suppose a commitment to organization might be considered a bad thing. Otherwise, though, I'm pretty much in agreement with the idea of having a system of sorts. I'm just not so good with the follow-through...

Over the past year, I have collected quite a few rather lovely skeins of sock yarn. I have purchased some of it, but most have come to me through a variety of blog contests and the kindness of readers who thought I might appreciate a little stash enhancement. Contrary to my general scattered nature, I actually have managed to corral it pretty handily through the use of several shoe organizers that hang over various closet doors. This represents a supreme effort on my part and one that I am justifiably proud of. I'm usually pretty good at recalling from whence it came, too. I like to link to the giver when I finish knitting something with the yarn and proudly post a picture on the old blog.

But, the other day, as I was knitting away on the ribbed socks it occurred to me that I didn't remember exactly who had sent it. I'm pretty sure I know...just not completely sure. There's a lot of sock yarn in those shoe organizers. And I'm starting to lose track. This is not good.

So, I did what any generally disorganized person might do and spent an hour or so trying to find my label maker. I'm sure that there were more efficient ways to go about labeling the sock yarn in order that I might instantly recall its origins. But, I sort of had it in my head that this was a job for the label maker. I find it's best not to question these things too much. It is often better to just dig through the cluttered drawers and closets to find the thing that I purchased to make my life more organized. If I ponder too deeply how I managed to lose the label maker that was supposed to render things more easily found, then I run the risk of ending up in some sort of weird, unending mind loop.

The label maker was located, the sock yarns were tagged with the name of the giver and I even managed to slap a few labels on some fiber that came my way recently. This meant opening a few bags and rearranging some things. But it was all in the name of organization.

One of those bags contained the winnings from a recent blog contest that CJ was running. Now, please understand, there were a lot of good things in the mail that day. There was a great deal of squealing, giggling, hugging of fibers and taking of pictures. One can easily imagine that I might be a little overwhelmed by all the colors and textures... But, how on earth did I manage to miss this?????

Stitch markers!!! Lots of stitch markers!!!! Lots of pretty stitch markers!!!!!

There they were, tucked in the bottom of the bag, big as life and twice as twinkly!!! I suppose that this can only serve to prove the striking beauty of the yarns and fiber that were in that prize package. But how one earth does one overlook such beautiful stitch markers? It was a lovely surprise, though. Sort of like getting another package... Thanks, CJ! And thanks, Organization! Long Live The Label Maker!!!

All that excitement was pretty much more than a body can take today, though. The heat and humidity have returned with a vengeance. After our recent cold snap, it is all the more unbearable. The temperature in the living room soared once again to 94 degrees and the sticky air is just not conducive to much of the fiber fun. I spent a little time carding the Shetland lamb fleece that Cathy sent me a while back, but the heat soon made that just impossible. I am in the home stretch of the second Bripple sock, yet find the mere thought of any further knitting today just intolerable. The yarn simply doesn't want to move and, frankly, neither do I. The best bet for the afternoon was to take a cool bath and a long nap. Hopefully, things will chill down enough tonight that I can maybe do a bit more with the Bripples.

If not, then I'll make a label for them that reads, "Too Hot To Knit." Which I should probably do quickly since I'm already not exactly sure where I set the label maker after I used it last...

SA