So, Okay, Alrighty Then

I have really, really, really Big News.

Really. Big. News.

Are you ready?

Today I found my LYS --my Local Yarn Shop!
It's a great store in a neighboring town. The people are so incredibly friendly and helpful and Stef and Ana and I talked yarn and knitting to them for over an hour. We fondled yarn. We bought yarn. We talked patterns and society among knitters and we discussed our plans for WWKIP day. (World Wide Knit In Public Day. Tomorrow, Saturday, June 14th.)

I know, I know, you non-knitters cannot understand the import of such an event. But trust me, it pretty much rocked my world.

And I needed some world rocking because, um, well, it's been a week.

My parents were visiting this week and I somehow got way out of my groove. So on Thursday? I forgot to go to Jane's Flag Day presentation.

I FORGOT.

And she was... She had the teacher call to remind... I felt so... Imagine that little face...

Well.

My heart slid right out of my body and shattered on the floor. I kept thinking of her searching the crowd for me and being disappointed. (She told me later she frowned through the whole thing.)

Here, look at this bunny in my yard to distract you. Think calming thoughts.
Because when I got to Jane's school after beating myself pretty darn well for several hours? I found out that there was a SECOND Flag Day performance the next day. Look at the pretty, beaming Jane.
I don't know, though, the fact that I could FORGET to go to one of children's performances made me realize just how crazy I've let things get. So, later that night, on my parent's last evening with us, I had a sort of meltdown when I found out that my 19-year-old male cousin from Germany (who is very nice, don't get me wrong) was coming to visit FOR TWO WEEKS starting on June 20th.

And he's NOT EVEN A KNITTER.

So, it turns out that having a meltdown over IMPENDING houseguests in front of your CURRENT houseguests (hello, my parents and Stef) isn't really such a gracious thing to do. It doesn't really make your houseguests feel very welcome.

Ack.

Here, look at Stef teaching Jane to knit. (Dudes, she totally picked it up in record time. I could not have been prouder.)
But I didn't mean THEM, see. There are no more welcome houseguests than my parents and of course, Stef is just like having my sister visit. All of them are so amazingly helpful. My mother, despite my best efforts to have the house cleaned and to keep on top of that, still found time to still do at least 20 loads of laundry. Stef took the girls to their school carnival tonight, which I don't think I could have managed, given that my foot is really bothering me. (I've been on it too much lately.) Look at this picture of Ana coming through a tunnel with cotton candy. (Stef even took PICTURES for me!)

In fact, my guest were SO helpful that I finished the first of Ei's socks.
(The yarn is Claudia hand-paint in Plumlicious. The pattern is the Thuja sock from Knitty.)

So, honestly, I didn't mean them. I just panicked at the idea of entertaining this young man (who is honestly delightful and very beloved by my girls) for TWO WEEKS when I'm already so behind. (Which reminds me, if I promised to send you a book recently, it hasn't happened. I'm sorry and Monday will be catch-up day.) I'm not even unpacked yet from the move, I have tile to lay and plants to plant and we have this trip at the beginning of July that I need to plan and, and, and...

Plus, you know, I need a little alone time to stay mentally healthy. (Not just so I have time to blog, honest!) (Well, not JUST for that.) I'm not disciplined enough to be like my husband, who gets up early so that he has time for 30 minutes of exercise every weekday morning. (I mean, I get up at the same time but go directly to work making lunches and breakfasts, packing backpacks and unloading the dishwasher, etc. I need to get up 30 minutes earlier than THAT so that I have some time to invest in myself.)

I don't know. I had a little meltdown. (Coop was actually laughing at how horrified I was over the thought of my cousin coming.) See, I KNEW he was coming, but I didn't know he was planning on a TWO WEEK visit. Anyway, I wish I hadn't reacted --I feel like I was rude and ungracious and that's the exact opposite of what I was going for. I'm over it now and can actually look forward to my cousin's visit. I'm sure we'll all have a good time. I just don't know what I'm going to DO with him for two weeks.

This morning, my parents left on this kind of funky note, you know? Sort of questioning whether or not they were welcome? Which makes me feel so bad because we had such a good time while they were here.

Ack, where is the "Undo" button for life?

Here, look at some yarn. It'll make you feel better.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hey sweetie? I totally get how you're feeling cuz I've been there. But I'm worried cuz you totally sound like you're headed for a really, REALLY, big meltdown.

When I had my "meltdown" last year (thankfully I was sitting with my beloved doctor in her office with the door closed) I (or maybe we) decided to just take a step back. So.

What if you decided to just send out one of those books every 2 days. That's probably doable and I'm 1000% sure that anyone who is waiting for their GIFT - will love it just as much now as they would in September.

What if you planted some plants this year and some next year. Less work and I don't think you're planning on going anywhere, right? There's lots of time for planting.

What if you didn't plan every single minute with your cousin? Make some plans, cook a couple of nice meals, maybe even have some friends over to help "entertain" him and you could sit down and have a glass of wine and just have a look around and look at all you've accomplished.

AND! I thought you already finished laying the tile.


AND! What the heck is flag day anyways?

You need to take just sit down for a bit or you're gonna get another houseguest (me) and I'll sit on you and you'll NEVER be able to get up.

I love you.
DK said…
I almost squealed out loud at the Starbucks when I read you'd found your LYS.

I know, dude, I know. When you find that "do over" button, will you show it to me, too?

Love you. And your girls. And Coop. Hang in there.
Sympathies! When I lived in London, there was no end of people inviting themselves over to sleep on my floor. That was fine until they wanted me to 'show them London' to which the answer was, "But I've bloody well seen it already!" Then, living in Austin, people would come over from London, people who could be anything but close friends, and would be car-less and wanting to be driven everywhere. It was a problem I never learned how to address very effectively.

Can you say something (to your cousin) like, "You're very welcome to visit now, but it would be so much better if you could come later, when we're more settled in?" Then you add the thought that, if this really is the only time he's got, you'll hope he'll understand if you can't accompany him on a lot of the things he'd like to do.
Ei said…
Barb my darling, I'm not going to give you advice (because I have none) but I wanted to tell you that I love you and tell you how much I adore that sock...and it isn't even on my foot! Sigh. Just the thought that you did that for ME makes me cry.

We're a little water-logged right now or I'd tell you to send your house guests my way. Oh wait, I have to work...if we can get to work...um...crap. Like I said, no advice. Kishes honey.
Anonymous said…
Just thought I'd take a moment to un-lurk and offer a tidbit re: your cousin's visit.

My husband and I just returned home to the West Coast from Chicago where, twice now, we've enjoyed visiting a friend (who has lived there for just over two years) and seeing the sights. She lives about an hour train ride outside the city so we hopped on the train each morning while she went off to work and then we returned each evening to buy her dinner out somewhere. Perhaps you could direct your cousin to the nearest train into the city which certainly could keep him occupied for several days, if not the whole two weeks. ;-)

I've just come off a two day meltdown so I know how you feel and I hope your sanity is within an easy reach!

Karen
Miri said…
I think, um, a nice glass of wine and a hot bubble bath and the knowledge that you are apparently Superwoman and even Superwoman needs a break.

Hope you are unraveled soon :)
Miri said…
////oh, crud, I meant to say, I hope the tangles are unraveled soon. What a mess I made of that.

Hugs!
Lynn said…
Ok, you live close to one of the best cities in the world. Do you live close to the train? He could take that into the City a couple days a week. Go to Times Square and get cheapo tix to see a show. Then there's the beach. Don't over stress yourself. I'm sure he'll want to explore a bit on his own.
Mrs.Q said…
I also squealed at the news of the LYS discovery. Definitely an essential element of settling in - congratulations!

Oh, how I wish life was like knitting, where you get all kinds of do-overs. If you figure out that secret, I'd love to know. I bet your parents will understand, ultimately, and it will be OK. After all, I'm sure you get at least some of your fabulousity from them.

I hope you find time for a glass of wine. Heck, have one for me, too. Sending you lots of happy thoughts.

And the sock is gorgeous!
knittergran said…
Yay! for finding your LYS! That's really, really important. I would live at mine, but they won't let me. Just think of being surrounded by all that beautiful yarn 24/7...
And don't worry about your cousin--you have NYC RIGHT THERE so put him on the train and he'll be able to learn the city so well that he will be able to be your guide to all the fun stuff there.
And to second mrs.Q, the sock is gorgeous!
LaDonna said…
I'm so glad Lynn said it first...I was going to suggest getting him a train schedule and maybe even a subway pass for Manhattan.

I know what you're going through because we had the same problem when we lived in Seattle. For the most part, we didn't mind taking family and friends on tours, but when they came in the middle of the school year or a particularly busy time at work, I just wanted to hand them my car keys and tell them to go, have fun.

I also just remembered...Miss Manners wrote about this very subject not long ago. Granted, it was for someone who lives "over seas", but the concept is the same. Not sure how much good her advice will do you, but at least you know you're not alone.

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5328453

Take care of yourself and don't stress too much. Hopefully, if your cousin is coming to visit, he's just wanting to spend time with you and not expect you to run a local tour guide company.

Hugs!
ckh said…
So, here's an idea...Put him to work. Work him silly for two days and he'll find ways to entertain himself out of your hair from that point on, I'm sure of it. He'll make time for meals, which isn't so bad, but if you make hanging around waiting for the tour bus as unattractive as possible, he'll find his own guide - if you know what I mean.

Actually, I had an unexpected houseguess recently and the anticipation was awful. The visit was actually pleasant and he went and did his own thing, but let me tell you the anticipation is harder than the visit. It will come and go in no time and you'll be fully committed to your first NY summer by then.

Good luck. You make me want to knit. Someday...
MadMad said…
Oh, yikes! I think you're completely entitled to that meltdown. Houseguests - even "good" ones (and we can discuss later if there really is such a thing) are hard. And two weeks? No one is that good.