Stitching but no bitching

Sheesh, I haven't written since May 18. But as you can see from my last entry, very jam-packed week. Memorial Day weekend was no less busy as I was trying to put together my cousin Tina's baby shower while also preparing my gift. My urge to do something handcrafted has led me to vow to never say anything negative about the Arizona Republic newspaper--at least its marketing department.

A few days before I was to fly back for the shower, which was on May 27, I went to the Republic to show my emerging knitted baby blankie to my friend Alyson. As I was displaying it, this matronly woman walks through the office and comments on how beautiful my blanket looks. I bitch about how I need to buy a whole new ball of yarn just to finish up the corner. Out of the blue she says, "Tell you what. Go buy your yarn, finish up your blanket and give me the rest. I'll have a pair of booties and maybe even a matching hat in an hour." I thought she was kidding. But the next day, I realized I had all this extra fleece yarn. So, I went back to the Republic but I couldn't find her. Alyson hadn't met her before. All we know is that her name is Diane. We go through the staff directory and there are like seven Dianes. We consider calling one of them and bluntly asking if she knits booties. I finally just agree to leave the yarn with Alyson, who promises to track Diane down. I say goodbye and get into the elevator to go down to the lobby. It stops after one floor, the doors open and voila! There is Diane. She says to me, "Hi. Remember me?" Um...yeah, I've only spent the last 20 minutes looking for you. So, in short, I tell her Alyson has my yarn but I won't hold her to her offer. I get a call from Alyson the next morning, the day before I need to fly out of Phoenix, saying there is an adorable pair of booties and hat waiting for me on her desk. See the entire cutesy set below:






I even showed these to my boss. He was definitely amazed; I'm probably the first AP employee to go to a subscribing newspaper and come out with knitted products. Yes, I can't say anything bad about the Republic. The interval of time Diane, who works in marketing, took and the quality of the work is stunning. I would have been a knit-wit (pun intended) to not act on her offer.

OK, I'm not sure when I'll be here next. I am off to Brazil tomorrow. YIPEE!!