1/18/2007

So Rock Star Week is over and I'm back to cutting crusts off of toast and cleaning the cat box and generally catching up where I left off.

Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably came to my local, Knitting in La Jolla, for tea on Tuesday, but, frankly, my rich fantasies on the subject were much more exciting than the actual event. Not because they were not fabulous, but, as it turns out, I had to go downtown and show Marilyn Murphy, president of Interweave (and TNNA), my underwear. "Hi, wonderful to meet you... let me slip into something a little more comfortable... like this see-through Lily Chin mini-skirt? Sure, okay." Really it did not seem so strange at the time, the folks from Interweave were absolutely lovely and Kim Werker did tell us about her meeting with the bra lady, so, you know, not only my undergarments were discussed.

So then I jumped back into the station wagon and raced uptown to pick up my children at school, grabbed them and had a short and persuasive talk about the honor of meeting such a legend and that it was far better a way to spend the afternoon than watching back episodes of "Zack and Cody" and, well, yes, okay, I had ice cream money burning a hole in my pocket and they could try to run down the up escalator as much as they wanted because I would turn a blind eye. That bit of parenting done, I turned my attentions to the honored guests. Who, had, of course, been hanging out already for a couple of hours and were mostly ready to sit there and knit (they are both wrappers, I will note!) Likewise, I, who had already had a frenetic and unusual day, was more or less willing to do the same rather than force someone into conversation. Brandon said I had lovely hair. That was about as exciting as it got. I did get invited to dinner, but felt that I was already worming out of so many parental obligations this week that I shouldn't... not to mention my 6:30 AM call for hair and make-up the next morning. I hear it was a good dinner...

Next day, hair and make-up before dawn, then off to Balboa Park to shoot some photographs for Interweave Crochet. I had made complex plans for childcare, but, as it turns out, things went so smoothly I was done by 10:30. Here I am being jeujed (zhoozhed?) at a convenient fountain between takes. We shot again the next day near my house at the beach. And also ended up taking some of the photographs at my house. So, in all likelihood, you'll see not only me, but also my house and my cat in the magazine. As those of you in Southern California know, we've been having cold weather, and Thursday was probably the worst day weatherwise we've had. It was grey all day and chilly and windy. Not a beach day. Still, everyone involved was great at what they did and it was a pleasure to be a part of it. I still find myself longing for someone to choose the appropriate earrings or fix my collar or offer me lipgloss as needed.

Here's Kim Werker, editor of Interweave Crochet, holding the magic reflector dish... and likely pining for a hot beverage.

Then it was Friday, Amy Singer day. I fetched her at the airport, took her to experience the joy of the fish burrito at Wahoo's, and then off to Knitting in La Jolla to meet some folks.

Here she is with her books, and also, if you look, her hard-to-find Susan Todd bag, and her new yarn that will become a Spanish Dancer. You'd think that Amy would have all the stuff she could ever want, but I tell you she knows how to rack up a tab at a yarn shop! Sandi Luck actually showed up at the yarn shop, so it was all one big lovely vortex of coincidence.

Here's Amy with the wonderful Kate Perry.

And Suzanne Pineau, proprietor of Knitting in La Jolla, teaching Amy a provisional cast on. Isn't that cool?

We finished there and went down for the start of TNNA's convention. The weekend was busy and full. Full of hijinks too.

Here's Cecily Keim, Stefanie Japel and Robin Chachula.

Tara Jon Manning, Amy Singer and Clara Parkes.

A crop of Interweave authors outside the Interweave party.

Lily Chin, Natalie Zee from Craft magazine, and Shannon Okey.

And Amy and Tara inhabiting the bodies of Mary Kay high priestesses. "My next car is a pink cadillac."

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