We are home briefly between road trips. Sarah did not think I would have time to post anything, but here I am with my suitcase packed (more or less) and my eyes still open (more or less), so I will tell a little story.

(It is essential for this story that the reader know – what the reader who has read my yarn rhapsodies already suspects – that my allegiance lies with quality yarn and that while I admit that inexpensive acrylics have their place, it is not, in my experience, on knitting needles. Call me a yarn snob if you must, but there it is)

Last weekend, George and I drove to Spokane to see our son, Geoff, in a college play. (Technically, George drove and I knit – but more on road-trip-knitting next time) I had hoped to visit Holy Threads, an amazing yarn shop in Spokane, before the play that evening – I even had a little list since Sarah called me en route on our van’s Blue Tooth and we discussed what colors we needed to fill out our “Dawn” colorway.

Pistachio, she said, and Cotton Candy and we can always use more Cream.

Well, by the time we got to the hotel, it was far into the afternoon and we could either dash off to the yarn shop or relax for half an hour or so before meeting Geoff for dinner. I felt it would not be fair for George, who had driven the whole way (and who does not knit and who has no interest in yarn), to be coerced into climbing back into the van so I could spend 20 minutes petting yarn. (I knew we would be returning to Spokane a week later and that I could get to Holy Threads then – so I could afford to be magnanimous).

So, I said, no, darling, let’s just relax and then enjoy our evening with our son.

The next day, we loaded up the van and then took Geoff to Fred Meyer for some groceries before starting the trip home. (I confess that, at this point, I was feeling a little wistful about Holy Threads, but they were closed on Sunday) Geoff needed some art supplies as well, so there we were in the craft aisle selecting pens and tablets – when I turned around to see George dramatically placing three skeins of Red Heart acrylic yarn in the cart – one pistachio, one cotton candy, one cream! And he had this big lovey smile on his face.

My eyes widened and my mouth fell open – and I didn’t know quite what to say. And then he laughed!

He laughed and I sputtered, But I would never…!
And he grinned and said, I know.
And I stared and said, But those were exactly the colors…
And he smirked and said, I know. And he put the skeins back on the shelf.

It was kind of like that moment in Jurassic Park when the velociraptor tilts its head and opens the kitchen door.