Well, I’m not going to post my “done” list for Saturday because, quite honestly, it was pathetic.
Simply stated…I ran out of steam. I worked so hard this week that I just couldn’t fathom the thought of working up a sweat again.
Instead, the Mr. and I had a leisurely day.
He asked me what I wanted to do, and I said that I thought a visit to the bookstore would be nice.
Now, the Mr. knows that I don’t go to the bookstore just to browse. I love books. I love reading, having recently gotten back into it after the hiatus that ensued because of my burnout from college reading.
So he asked me why, exactly, I wanted to go (i.e. what did I want to buy)?
That’s when I told him it was World Wide Knit in Public Day (WWKIP), and that the local Ravelry group was meeting there.
Aha! He knew it. His investigative nose was still in working order.
Now, let me first explain a couple of things.
First, the Mr. has been leery…errrr overly cautious…ever since I became internet-savy…way back when the kids were tots, and I met IRL with some gals who chatted online. We were all moms with young children, and we began meeting weekly for play dates. The internet was our life line in between those get-togethers.
I can’t blame the Mr. for worrying. You’ve heard the stories about women getting abducted and worst by meeting computer friends in the real world.
I’ve tried to respect his wishes and am cautious.
Second…I tend to be very shy when meeting new people. I mean, I’m so shy that most of the time I will avoid situations that put me in the company of large, unfamiliar groups. Hence, I don’t do work parties, etc.
So, with the above explanations, you can probably now better understand why I was hesitant to go to the bookstore.
When we entered, the place was a madhouse. Saturday had been chosen as one of the greyhound adoption days, so there was a collection of dogs and their foster parents just inside the doors.
The cafe is located at the front of the store, just to the right of where the dogs were set up. It was there that I spied my group of crafters.
I gave them a cursory glance and walked on by. I browsed the knitting books and went in the back to look at the knitting magazines.
Yeah, I know. I was killing time…trying to decide if I was going to stop by the group of ladies and say hello.
The Mr. settled himself in a comfortable spot and proceeded to thumb through a computer magazine. He was giving me my space…not rushing me in my self-imposed challenge.
I casually headed back to the front of the store and stopped just behind the last row of books.
Sucking in my breath, I eased my head around the corner and snuck in another peek at the group…trying not to be obvious about it.
What a chicken, eh? These are people, for heaven’s sake. And they were sporting my favorite tools…fiber stuff!
So, I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and headed over to their table.
“Are you the group from Ravelry?” I asked.
One of the gals looked up and asked, “Did you make your bag?”
My bag? Oh, my booga bag!
I told them I did, and that was all it took. I told them that I was AuburnChick, and they said, “Ohhhhh, you’re AuburnChickkkkkkk!!!”
Yeah, I could tell…I was gonna like this group.
I was immediately invited to sit down, so I did. I admired what they were working on, and when asked what I was currently working on, I pulled out my Leyburn Sock, which I had stuck in my purse just in case I got up the nerve to step outside my comfort zone.
They ooohhhhed and aaaahhhheeed as only fiber people can.
We talked for about 30 minutes when I spied the Mr. He was strolling through the place, allowing me to do my thing. But, I could tell he was ready to go.
It was a nice introduction to the group and reminded me that I need to be around people who share my love of yarn. In fact, I need to be around people to help me loosen up and relax. Plus, there’s no telling how God might use me.
We said our goodbyes, and I pretty much floated on air the rest of the day. The Mr. was proud of me. He knows how hard these things can be for me.
With such a great start to the day, I didn’t think it could get any better…until dinner.
The kids aren’t coming home until the next day, so we took advantage of our last quiet evening without them.
The Mr. looked at menus online while I took a nap, and he was ready when I awoke. He wanted seafood…something the kids turn their noses up when they are here. Living on the coast of Florida gives one the opportunity to eat fresh fish.
We finally agreed on a restaurant and headed out. Here’s what what we saw when we arrived…
This restaurant was recently rebuilt. You have to walk down a long pier to get to it.
I didn’t get a picture of the inside (not wanting to look like a tourist), but you can imagine the view with all of those tall windows facing the water. It’s truly heavenly.
We splurged on an appetizer…Oysters Rockefeller…
Oh my gosh…they were the biggest oysters we’ve ever seen! The Mr. and I decided that next time, we’re going to order two plates of them and call it a meal.
Meanwhile, we still had our entrees to contend with…
Shrimp and Grits for me…
The Mr. ate grouper…
I wound up taking half of mine home…what a delicious doggie bag!
And the view as we left the restaurant?
I’ve lived in Florida for 20 years, and it just never gets old!
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AuburnChick's Adventures 