Knitter in the sun

Another day, more punishing heat. It's been good for my complexion. I also have a more than respectable farmer's tan. So there's that.

Breakfast meant a visit to La Maison des Tartes, which is a patisserie, not a house of ill repute. I had a blackberry brioche and coffee and then ventured to the library for some blogging. Perhaps you're wondering why I bother keeping up the daily writing while I'm away from home and on vacation. The trip is rooted in the internet, so it makes sense to write about it. Plus, I'm in the habit of doing this every day. Occasionally I'll have days when the words pour like thick molasses, but using the ol' writing mechanism regularly keeps it functioning. Trust me, if I didn't want to write, I'd ditch it. I feel a little obligated to keep up the pace, but motivation never hurt anyone.

Summertime in the south means barbecue--at least it does to me--so the Ozark Mountain Smokehouse was the place to get a heaping helping of pulled pork and cole slaw for lunch. Then it was back to roaming the streets.

If I were being sensible, I would have checked out Nightbird Books after breakfast. It's practically right beside La Maison des Tartes. There isn't much to say about Nightbird. It's a small independent bookstore with a nice selection and cozy space. Hold on, there is one thing to say. Their distinguishing feature is the aviary in the middle of the store.

The combination of heat and hills had me in need of something cold. I was near the library, and Arsaga's, located in the library's entrance, possessed the item to hit the spot: a frozen lemonade. I sipped it while setting out for another familiar location during my brief stay in Fayetteville: Hand Held-A Knitting Gallery. My projects may be secret, but there's no secret that I want to get them finished. I tried to remember how to do single crochet, but the knowledge was wiped clean from my brain. I knitted secret project #2 for awhile but didn't feel like I was being very productive with it.

I felt somewhat guilty for loitering in the shop two days in a row and not buying anything. I don't have any projects in mind, so yarn was out of the question. Sorry to disappoint you or violate the unwritten knitter code, but my style has been to buy it when I know what I'll be using it for. I had my eye on a tape measure, which I ended up getting, but I also found just the thing for when items need to be pinned for seaming. Knit Klips are sturdy plastic clips that should stay in place and hold together a large amount of knitting better than some piddly little pins.

It was back to the library and then back to the library once more when I got down the hill and remembered that I'd left the bag with my newly purchased knitting supplies behind. I met up with Jenn briefly. She had a prior engagement for the evening but had arranged for a friend to keep me entertained in the meantime. He brought some sandwiches he purchased out of a sense of obligation for occupying a seat at Arby's while listening to what turned out to be a pitch for a pyramid scheme.

Eventually I turned my attention to secret project #2. The knitting is done. Weaving in ends and finishing work await. Jenn gave me another abbreviated course in single crochet. Hopefully I'll be able to recall it when I sit down to do it. If not, I hope Donna knows a thing or two about crochet.

For yes, my time in Fayetteville is essentially over. I depart this morning for Conway and the blistering heat of central Arkansas. Time does strange things on vacation. I've been here three and a half days, but it seems like it has been longer than that. I mean that in a good way. It's been a relaxing time.

Again, my thanks to Jenn, who was generous with her time and made me feel welcome in a city of strangers. Thanks as well to her boyfriend Lance, who permitted me to stay at his place and made some fine dinners. Looking at it from this side of things (and quite possibly from your perspective this whole time), it is pretty incredible that I've been visiting someone I didn't know except through online communications. She knows Donna, who I have met before, so surely that minimized any fear of potential risk. All the same, trying to explain it to her friends made it sound as preposterous as it might be. It's been nice to be able to talk face-to-face with a new friend, and I hope she agrees.

Conway, here I come.