A Whale of a Tale

It's been some sort of day, that's for sure. Luckily, it was a good sort of day, which makes me happy. Fall term starts on Monday, so it's nice that my last weekend of freedom had one really really good day.

For starters, I had a banner day at the artisan's market this morning. I sold a red beret-ish style hat that I knit ages ago out of the (then) discontinued Sisik by Dale of Norway (it was replaced by Harlequin, which makes me drool and tremble every time I touch it. In a good way). I did not write down the pattern for that hat, which I always kind of kicked myself for, but now it's gone for good (the person who bought it lives in California). That's ok, though, it really wasn't that hard to figure out.

I also sold a pair of earrings, and got a request to make a bracelet to match. I said fine, I need half the cost up front for custom orders, but she said she'd give it all to me because she lives out of town and is going to have her friend pick it up and mail it to her. I plan on making the bracelet tomorrow (mostly because I'm tired tonight and will probably mess it up if I tried).

Our booth was located this week next to a local photographer. He had several stunning pictures (including non-blurry pics of hummingbirds in flight), but on the display directly facing my chair was a lovely 8x10 picture of a humpback whale lifting it's pectoral flipper out of the water at 90 degrees. It was framed, had real glass, and was all told $40. I was sitting there, with my humpback whale weakness and $40+ cash sitting in my pocket from my banner day and it was calling to me.

My good sense prevailed, and I did not spend $4o on a framed photo of a humpback whale.

I paid $3 for the same picture as a 4x6 printed on a heavy duty mailing card. :-) Which I plan to frame and hang.


I spent my down time at the market reading my new favorite magazine, Psychology Today.

My booth-mate (Bohemian Knitter Chic) commented on my "light" reading. Compared to the books I've been reading to get ahead in the class I start Monday, this is light.

After I got home from the market I hopped on the bus (which was running 20 minutes late) and rode down to the Fall Festival, which is a huge, high brow annual artist market held in Central Park. It's free to the public, and they've got live music going all day and into the night. The third booth I came to was the first one where I started spending some of my banner day money. 3 years ago I went to my first Fall Festival, where I saw the most awesome garden decoration I'd ever seen. I've seen this person's work several times since then, but I haven't had any place to put a garden decoration. Until now.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

Whale on a Stick




















Right now WoaS is firmly planted in my magazine basket. I'll figure out a more permanent place tomorrow. There may even be a potted plant in my future.

I walked around for a while more (producing prodigious amounts of drool) and came upon a display of hilarious magnets. I called my mom and she had me read them and picked out three (one each for her and her two sisters).

I got two of the top one. If they'd had another I might have gotten it for me (I may go back tomorrow just to see) because that's how I feel ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!!!!!!

There were other cute quotes, like:

"Cat hair is a Condiment"

"I'm not 70, I'm $69.95 plus tax"

"Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone"

"Don't let your mind wander, it's too little to be left alone"

"Life is sexually transmitted"

"I'd cook dinner, but I can't find the can opener"


I pretty much thought they were all hilarious. I'd plaster the front of my fridge if I had money to waste on plastering my fridge with magnets.

I pretty much managed to make it out of the actual Festival without spending more money. However, there were Festival adjacent areas that tripped me up. I spent $4 on a bumper sticker and button duo. The bumper sticker says "Equal Rights Are Not Special Rights" and the button reads "Feminism is the radical notion that women are people."

I was almost to the bus stop when I passed the woman drawing characateurs. I was so close to just passing her by, but then I thought "what the heck, have fun, live a little!!!" I just had her do it in black and white. She asked where I would go if I could go anywhere in the world. I said London. I'd love to go back to London. I'd love to live for a few years in London.

Back on point, I'm pleased with my characateur. I'm planning on framing it and hanging it up.

I finally made it onto the bus (which was running so late it had caught up to itself) and now I'm exhausted. I think I'll have a shower, clean off my bed, put in a movie, and fall asleep while pretending to watch it.

Oh, I have made some progress on the Vintage Pink Cardigan. I've got all 2.5 inches of the ribbing done and about the same amount of stockignette. I have to knit on it in short bursts because knitting on it for too long makes my left hand ache from hodling the small needles.


That's all for now. Tune in next week for the continuing story of:

A Day in the Life!!!

(If you say the last sentence in the same manner of the original Muppet Show "Pigs in Space" you'll have an idea of where my mind is.)