Friday, October 14, 2016

Friday Mishmash

I had a DAY at the gift shop yesterday.  Let's just say that in the year and a half that I've worked there, this has been the first time that I've finished a shift feeling like I needed a drink.  And I don't drink!  But we had a customer who, in the course of about 90 minutes, was in and out and messing with all of the clothing and trying to pay with multiple credit cards which doesn't work with our system and in the end, as she was FINALLY leaving after having left multiple times to take clothing to the restroom to try on, and while wearing four pieces of clothing that she was buying, she said to me "I can return this stuff if it doesn't fit, right?"  I looked at her dead in the eye and said "well, since you already tried everything on I'm pretty sure it fits." 

I promise, we are always nice and friendly to everyone who comes into the shop, and we're also ultra aware that some people are not in the hospital for happy occasions like the birth of a baby, so we try to be accommodating and kind to everyone.  But this woman took the cake, and I'm pretty sure she took at least one other item that she didn't pay for.  WHO STEALS FROM A HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP???  Ugh, people.  Well, person.  But ugh.

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In better news about random people, the other day I went to the mall and parked across from a really pretty dark gray Mini Cooper.  Side note:  it's a Mini thing to try and park next to one if you come across one in the parking lot, so of course you know I do that whenever possible.  Anyway, I did my shopping and as I was leaving, I followed a woman out who was wearing a nicely coordinated gray outfit.  Sure enough, she walked right to the gray Mini - so of course I had to say hello and we chatted about our cars for a few minutes.  As I turned to open the door to my car, I saw my reflection in the window and realized that I was wearing all blue - and I wondered, do Mini owners unconsciously dress to match their cars?  Or, do we choose our car color because we love it, and already own a lot of that particular color of clothing?  A question for the ages, haha.

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Last weekend as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, I came across this:
Wait a minute - that's my blog post!

I have to say, it felt weird to know that total strangers were seeing that post and clicking on it to read my blog.  I mean, I know there are people who read my blog all the time who are strangers to me, but this felt different.  I don't do social media for my blog - no Instagram or Twitter, and I don't have a Facebook page for it, so I'm definitely not used to seeing my blog pimped out like that.  I haven't worked at growing my blog audience beyond people finding it on their own; my unease at this harmless Facebook mention pretty much solidified that decision...I might blog, but I'm not gonna mention it.

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I haven't shown you any of my knitting projects in a while; reason being that most of them are gifts and the gift occasion hasn't happened yet.  But here's a hat I made, just for fun:
Yarn is Miss Babs Yowza in Perfectly Wreckless colorway, pattern is KitKat Hat.  

I also started working on my cardigan again.  The weather cooled down so I picked it back up, and even though it's warmed up once more, I'm still inspired enough to sweat through working on it.  Plus I have a helper:
Kip.  I can't read the instructions when you sleep on them!!!
Look at this - it's a button band, complete with vertical buttonholes!  This is big progress, people.

As with most of my knitting projects, I do things more than once to get them right, and the many hundreds of stitches on the button band that I had to pick up and knit to get it started?  I did it twice.  I had gotten them all picked up, which took quite a few hours, when I realized that my spacing got better as I went along...so, I ripped it out and restarted the button band.  I'm glad I did, too - it looks more balanced.  I have the shawl collar to complete, and then one sleeve...and then?  I'll be wearing my handknit sweater!  Hopefully the weather will cooperate so I won't be sweating to death in it.  You never know in Texas...I might have to wait until January for a cold day!

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Jeff and I are running 6 miles on Saturday and then we'll be spectating a race on Sunday that most of our Renegades will be running in, which will be fun - I love getting to see my friends cross the finish line.  Have a great weekend!

19 comments:

  1. I like your kitcat hat. I agree who steals from a hospital gift shop that is just a new low. Too funny about mini-coop drivers dressing the same color as their car.
    Good luck on your 6 miles tomorrow!

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    1. That KitKat hat was really easy to make and so fun to see the ears appear. I like it a lot!

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  2. UGH indeed on that shoplifting shopper. Wrong on so many levels and having worked retail a long time, I'd say her behavior was classic shoplifter behavior. They work at trying to keep you dazed and confused.

    I'm LOVING the colors in your cardigan! I can't wait to see the finished product.

    I think it's quite a compliment that your blog was mentioned by that race, although I completely understand your unease. When I started blogging I really didn't want anyone who knew me to find my blog, but of course someone eventually did. I still don't mention it or link to it though. Just not my thing.

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    1. I think, because of the nature of where the gift shop is located, we didn't consider the idea that this woman was a thief until too late. It was a rough day.

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  3. That is cool that they featured your blog post.

    The race director of a race came over to me once and said that he read my blog.

    Love that cardigan. I am not as ambitious as you. I hate to practice and or rip things out.

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    1. I hate to knit a swatch, which is why sometimes, things don't end up fitting. But swatching is sooooooo boring!

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  4. Haha I love the Mini Cooper color coordination thing! I am gunna keep my eye out and see if I can find matching car and clothes today!! ☺ Something fun for me to do!

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    1. LOL - you'll have to let me know if my theory holds!

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  5. Boy that shoplifter would have fried me. Especially that last question--you were beyond polite!!

    I totally relate to your unease at the blog advert--I feel the same way. Which, in one way I think is weird, because my blog's out there for anyone in the world to read. But when I meet someone who says "I follow your blog" I'm always embarrassed.

    And you know I'm totally excited that you are working on your cardigan again! And the button band--you know I'm not a ripper-outer--but I agree that that is one place where having it look evenly spaced is worthy of getting it right! Can hardly wait to see the whole thing!

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    1. Yeah, that woman really was a piece of work.

      Good to know I'm not the only one who's weirded out by knowing that people read my blog. It's hard to explain.

      So on the button band, I made the holes according to the directions on the pattern, but then realized that they aren't big enough for one set of buttons that I have for the sweater (I have two, because the first set might not be big enough, proportion-wise). So I may be ripping it out again - we'll see. But it will be perfect(ish) when it's finally finished! :)

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  6. Love the hat! And LOL at dressing like your cars.

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  7. That hat is so cute!

    That shopper, ugh. We had a retail shop for a while and those people are a time and energy suck to try to keep an eye on them, especially when other people are in the store and need your attention.

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  8. I have to laugh at where my blog link gets pimped out - like "top 20 diet blogs!" when I haven't lost any weight, or "top 10 diabetes blogs!" when I don't talk about my disease all that often.

    Have fun with your six miles tomorrow - I am working my way up to five miles on the treadmill :D

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  9. Yay, your blog is famous! How cool that they put that out there for other runners to read! I'm sure your race recap helped someone else make the decision if that is a race they want to run next year!

    Ughh to that lady in the gift shop. I know people do, but I just don't understand why people go to a hospital gift shop to buy clothes!

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  10. We had people shoplift from our garage sale (how sad is that) so I think people will steal from anywhere....

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  11. HOW FLIPPING EXCITING ABOUT THE STATESMAN!!!

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  12. Late to the party :)

    You were very patient with that lady, I don't think I would have been that nice for so long.

    If you are coordinating your clothes with the color of your car: do you want to talk about it LOL.
    Would mean I have to wear white everyday. But I do get it, because I make sure my underwear matches my outfit of the day while no one sees it. But I know it, what if I get in the hospital unexpectedly :)

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  13. I hope you get a cold day so you can wear that sweater BEFORE January! :) I love how helpful Kip is, ha.

    Blah, that lady in the giftshop. I hope she was actually there visiting someone, and not just trying to scam a hospital giftshop! :(

    I would feel odd about my blog being mentioned that way, too. Which is funny, since everything we write is public, but like you said, we don't advertise it!

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