Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Socks at S.O.C.K.S

There are lots of good things about my self-designed program for improving my ability to interact with the rest of the human race, commonly known as The Summer Of Compensatory Knitting Socialization.  The S.O.C.K.S program affords poorly socialized knitters such as myself the opportunity to get out and knit amongst others of my kind while practicing the art of making eye contact and acceptable conversation.  This is a very healthy thing for an awkward, hermit-y lady such as myself.  And I like to think I've made great progress in my social behavior over the last two summers during which I've participated in this program.  I don't even think about picking my nose or telling everyone about my cat's every behavior (including litter box tendencies).  

Well...maybe I think about it.  But I don't do it.  Much.

There are other benefits as well.  I get to see what others are knitting, see all sorts of pretty new yarns and discuss new and innovative ways to correct boo-boos.  There was also cake.  Cake should probably not rank up there with the other, more important, aspects of S.O.C.K.S, I suppose.  But I really do like cake so it is a nice perk.

But today, I found an even better reason to attend my weekly session of socialization therapy.  Climate control.  The Yarn Sellar is air conditioned.  After a day spent in my second floor sweat box, with the living room temperature holding at a steady 'oh-my-god-this-is-crazy,' I found the hour long trip in the air conditioned car, followed by the two hours spent in the cool breezes of the yarn shop to be nothing short of a delight.  

And there was cake.  I may have already mentioned that...but it bears repeating.  This is the second week in a row we've had cake.  I like this trend.  

I do not bother installing the air conditioning here anymore.  I know that is a statement which utterly flummoxes people, especially given the amount of time I spend complaining about the heat.  But, I swear to you, there are several very good reasons why I do not hoist that three thousand pound behemoth into the window these days.  One of those reasons is that I do not particularly enjoy that clicking sound I hear in my back when I try to do it.  Others are logistical and relate to the structure of the building in which I live.  When the temperatures soar, I just remind myself that there are really only about ten days out of three hundred and sixty five that are really so hot that conditioned air is desired.  Besides, come winter, I rather like all that rising heat so thoughtfully provided by my downstairs neighbors who are living life right on a slab of carpeted concrete and who are cranking up the thermostat to compensate.  You would cry if you knew how low my heating bills are...

This was not exactly a comforting thought today, though.  I'd say it was 'cold comfort,' but there was nothing remotely cold about this day so I can't see how that would relate to the topic.  

One more day of humidity and we will be back to more pleasant temperatures for the second half of the week.  Meanwhile, I'll keep the fans a-humming and the Mountain Dew supply stocked.  I'm sure I'll survive and maybe even sweat out all sorts of nasty toxins while I'm at it.
Heck, maybe I'll even sweat off a pound or two...

Did I mention that there has been cake at Knit Night?

SA

11 comments:

Mel said...

Cake?! You're making me feel really bad that I had to work.

What's wrong with talking about litter box habits?

Anonymous said...

We'll all need to do a bit a sweating off of pounds if the cake keeps appearing at knit night. It was good cake, though, wasn't it?

sheep#100 said...

Ms Sheep, this is the FBI. We will need a full description of the cake involved, the name of the baker of said cake, and a list of all of those knitters who callously consumed the cake with no care towards sending a little cakey love south - where it is abominably hot and humid and where this knitter put the dinner on the grill so as to not turn on the oven.

Cake does not fair well on the grill :/

sheep#100 said...

fare

Anonymous said...

Sending you cool temps and low humidity. Perhaps you could return the favor with some cake?

Cursing Mama said...

Have you considered installing a temporary kiddie pool? I know I personally enjoy a cool, well shaded dip in the pool when it gets too warm outside. I think if you shift the little exercise bike there might be just enough room.

Yarnhog said...

We recently bought a "portable air conditioner", which is a free-standing room air-conditioner that vents through a tube in a panel you just set in the window. It's not nearly as obtrusive as it sounds and it works like a charm! And it's on wheels, so you could move it to another room (like the bedroom at night) if you wanted to.

sweetpea said...

The cake was the real reason, not the knitting. Right? ;)

knitseashore said...

Is that the real reason Prometheus has a shaved back -- to keep cool? The BFK is going to be wanting a short sassy haircut too!

Anonymous said...

Cake, ac and knitting! That sounds down right perfect.

Kath said...

Hmmm...I'm sure I'd be a much more social knitter if there was cake.