Foiled Again!

Well, it seems as though I am off to a rocky start.  This week I was to attend a crocheting class at Joann Fabrics.  The night before, I received a phone call from the education coordinator who said they had to cancel as the teacher decided to go out of town at the last minute.  She said she would call back once she was able to set up a new date, but I haven't heard anything back yet. 

I was really looking forward to this class as I had high hopes crocheting would suit me better than knitting.  I love the idea of knitting though.  I imagined myself as one of those chic granola moms sitting on a park bench, needles click clacking away, a growing swatch of a future sweater between, while my children ran and played.  I thought about spending my lunch hour, (really, it's only 30 minutes), knitting away on some project and I would be known as crafty, or even Mini Martha. I could knit all my co-workers hats in their favorite colors for Christmas!  Maybe I could knit small toys that I could sell at the Farmer's Market!  (In my fantasy life, I have unlimited amounts of time and energy and the things I create actually come out as I intended.  Not so much in real life.) 


Alas, knitting is just not my thing, or at least the 2 hour introductory course at Joann's was not enough for me to truly get it. I can start with 12 stitches across the first row I have knitted, then have 10 the next row and 14 the row after. (All the rows are supposed to have the same number of stitches across.)  What was a little unnerving was the very precocious 8 year old boy that took the class with me and two other women.  He got it right away, and then with all the pride and ego of the young, proceeded to tell us how easy it was.  So easy!  Meanwhile the instructor was torn between the three of us who didn't get it, and she would take turns tearing out our feeble efforts and starting it over for us. Is it wrong to despise a child?  I live in Texas though where when a child lacks manners or is just plain annoying, we say things like, "Bless his heart! That sweet boy certainly is a spirited one!" 


I've attempted a few simple crochet stitches on my own from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crochet.  Unfortunately, I seem to be both a literal and visual learner.  One discipline is not enough for me.  I need to see in action what I have just read and the little black and white drawings in the book do not suffice.  Does this make me something more than an idiot?  I don't think I like the implication of that! 


Hopefully I will hear back soon from Joann's.  I am still a bit in love with the idea of homemade gifts for Christmas, but then I wonder what it will be like to see everyone at work with matching hats one cold day or worse, to never see anyone wearing their hats despite the cold weather.  


Next week, I will be attending an Indian spice class.  I am very excited about this one! When I first moved to Texas, I volunteered and later worked in the school lunchroom.  In our area, there is a high Indian population.  Some of the Indian students would bring these amazing little tins filled with all sorts of mysterious delicacies. I have really been wanting to learn how to prepare authentic Indian cuisine ever since.  Every place we have lived thus far has aided me in adding another type of cuisine or cooking method to my repertoire and I can't wait to add one more!

                                                           Always be learning!