Banished!

I like to knit.  I have knitted since I was a young girl.  I finished my first real project, though, when I completed an afghan, which I still have. I was in high school. The afghan was small squares sewn together. It is very warm, but mostly it stays in a trunk.  I am not sure why. I should use it.

I have knitted a lot of other things over the years: mittens, ponchos, scarves, funnels, sweaters, afghans, baby blankets, baby ensembles, mittens, boots, hats, dog sweaters, bathroom ensembles and I am not sure what else.

When I worked at Catholic Family Service in Lubbock, so many years ago, the director and I were talking about my habit of either taking copious notes at staff meetings, or doodling. I told her it helped me to concentrate if my hands were busy, and at home, watching TV or listening to music, I often knitted. She invited me to bring my knitting to staff meetings, if it would help, understanding that the brain could still concentrate, and even concentrate better, if the hands were busy.

That stared me taking my knitting to conferences, seminars and workshops.  I know it disconcerts some speakers. One speaker even made a comment about it during the presentation. I usually try to tell speakers I am not trying to be disrespectful, but it helps me to focus. They seem to understand. I still do that.

There was a time in my life when I stopped knitting:  knitting hurt my shoulders and cramped my hands.  I missed knitting.  I got some "hand aid" gloves http://www.amazon.com/Thergonomic-Hand-Aids-Support-Gloves-Extra/dp/B000B836NO more than 20 years ago, and started knitting again. (I still have these gloves, and wear them when I am doing marathon knitting.) I also realized that I had to drop and relax my shoulders when I knitted. I was in business again.

Now I have three cats.  The oldest cat, Sake, never was interested in my knitting, really.  She might grab at the yarn, but was easily dissuaded that it was not a toy.  The middle cat, Haiku, likes the moving yarn, but can be directed away from the yarn.

The youngest cat, Taki, is barely educable, and knitting is not one of the things I have been able to educate her about. I miss knitting. I have several projects started, and only work on them when I can be comfortably outside, or at a workshop, park event, or away from the house.  I have tried putting the youngest cat in time out, but the lesson lasts for a week or so, and then we are back to struggling about whose yarn is this.  I hate to keep putting her in time out.

Some time ago, I decided I could close myself in the computer room, while I was watching TV or listening to music, and knit. I never implemented the plan until tonight.  I did not close the door to the computer room all the way. Eventually Taki and Haiku made their way into the room. Haiku wanted to play with the yarn, but was dissuaded easily.  Taki was not.  I told her several times a loud and ferocious "No."  She did not seem to understand.  I told her I would banish her from the computer room if she interfered with the knitting. Of course, I did not expect her to understand. Every time she came at the yarn, I re-directed. This occurred over 40 minutes or so.  By the end of this time, she did not still "get it" but she was less insistent on attacking and playing with the yarn.

The Thanksgiving weekend is a great time for me to work on knitting projects:  I like to watch the Macy's Parade, the Lady Raiders play a basketball tournament of two or three games that I can listen to on the radio, and who knows what else is going to happen. 

I am going to use my new knitting strategy:  Banishment from the computer room, unless the kitty can behave.