I enjoyed the convention. There were all sorts of great sessions to attend. I came home feeling less intimidated by Library Boards of Trustees because of one session. I have contact information for continuing education ideas, and ideas about training Technical Processing staff. There were far more speakers than I could listen to. My roommate came home pumped from hearing Robert Kennedy, Jr. speak. Together, she and I attended the premiere of the documentary The Hollywood Librarian. I was expecting something fluffy about how librarians are depicted in movies but the film maker (a librarian herself) juxtaposed celluloid librarians with real life librarians facing real life problems -- whether it's fighting to keep the doors open or reaching out to prisoners to encourage reading and literacy.
Julie Andrews gave a short, but on-target speech about libraries and reading. I was less impressed with Garrison Kiellor as the closing speaker, but maybe it was just too early in the morning. I do believe I dosed off during some of his talk.
I took my knitting with me. I knitted on the plane going and coming, and knitted in the airport and hotel lobby when I was waiting for things. I didn't have room to carry knitting to the sessions but there were some down-times when I wished I had it with me.
My roommate was a walker, so she hiked me all over DC until the blisters got too bad and I had to bow out of some of her projects.That's when I did most of my knitting in public. I knit when I found time to sit and give my feet a rest. The knitting attracted many interesting people who stopped to chat with me.
My seatmate going to DC on the second leg of my journey was traveling from Wisconsin to DC for a wedding. She said she crocheted, but always liked the look of knitting. Unfortunately, she didn't knit. She hadn't been able to get the hang of knitting when she tried it many years ago. Her frustration was how to pick up dropped stitches. I promised I'd add a message on my blog explaining how to do it. I will, too, but it will have to wait until I can get into the guest room for my camera. We have company using the room for the next three weeks. I promise to add a blog on that topic around the end of the month.
I suggested the lady visit her local library for a book or video on the knitting. There are lots of good instructional materials available today. A great online source is http://knittinghelp.com.
When I gave the Wisconsin lady this blog address, the woman sitting in front of me turned around, handing me a piece of paper. "Can I have the address, too?" Wild! I hope you all enjoy reading this.
I had a lot of waiting time on Tuesday when I returned to Kansas. First at the hotel I waited for my roommate to finish some of her projects so we could share a taxi to the airport. Then I had a seven hour wait until my plane left. At the hotel I met three young librarians from California. They were my daughter's age or a bit younger. It surprised me that one spotted my knitting and had to know what I was making. She knits and is part of a knitting group at their library. Again the blog address came out. She said she's going to share it with her group. Wow. More readers!!
I spent about five hours as the only person seated at the gate where the Kansas City plane would eventually depart. As I waited, I met a young man from Hamburg who missed his flight to Mexico City by 5 minutes. He was so frustrated. I don't blame him. The plane from Hamburg must have been delayed and that ruined a tight schedule. He could see the Mexico City plane, but they wouldn't let him on because his luggage hadn't gotten off the Hamburg plane and made it through customs.
Later in the afternoon, one of the workers, a Muslim man, came in, found an unobtrusive corner facing East, made his salaams and began his prayers. I was knitting in public, but he was praying in public. That warmed me. I quietly crossed myself and said a few prayers for travelers and understanding. Two of us, of different religions, but taking a moment to talk to God during the day. He's far more faithful than I am. I wouldn't have thought to pray if he hadn't lead me.
I met a girl from Serbia who was en route to Kansas to see her boyfriend. She was fun to talk to. We compared notes on many things, then together we befriended a Hungarian lady who was also going to Kansas. She had her 5 yr old son and 2 year old daughter with her. They had been visiting the grandparents in Hungary. The kids were restless and the (by then) three hour wait was hard on them. I ended up cutting some of my extra yarn and making story strings for the kids. Mom was able to teach the boy to do cat's cradle, but the girl didn't have the attention span for anything.
I tried to remember how to do some of the string stories I did as a children's librarian. Of course, the brain went blank. So I knitted instead. The little girl joined me and I showed her how the knit stitch was made and told her the ditty that Lala likes for the knit stitch: "Through the door, run around the back. Out the window, Off jumps Jack!" The girl liked that and had me show her several times. Planting knitting seeds early? Hm..
By the time I got on the plane, I felt I was honorary grandma for the entire airport.
I was working on Sandy's baby blanket as I waited in the airport. I got within 100 rows of having it finished by the time I got to Kansas City. (Yeah!). I really expected to have it finished sooner, but it just kept using yarn, and more yarn, and more yarn. I did finish it on Saturday June 30. Now I have to get Jaime's finished. Today is her due date! I hope the baby came. I have to wait until I get back to work on Monday to see if there is any news. (Sandy is due in 2 weeks. I've been telling them Sandy will come early and we'll get "library twins". )
Now I hear all this rain we've been having caused Iola to flood over the weekend. I called my boss to see if there was anything I needed to know. He wasn't worried about the library or Iola, he was just wondering if the roads I usually take will be passable. Well, the rain quit Saturday afternoon. Hopefully the creeks will be down on the back roads I take to work. Otherwise I'll have to come home and work from home. Glad I brought my library computer home with me.
Then again, if I'm here, that knitting project will be beckoning me. Jaime's baby kimono is nearly done. Just 1/4 of the right side to finish.
Maybe I'd better try really hard on getting to work. Working at home might be difficult.
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