Sorry to interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging, but Nelda Davis is having a six hour spinning workshop this weekend on Saturday, February 17th. Specifically, she will be teaching five different methods of drafting.

I got an e-mail from Deb at “Twist” in New Hope, so I’m assuming the workshop is at the store. Any non-beginners should contact Deb immediately, if they can attend…I’d be there if I wasn’t going to be in Cancun. The phone number at the store is (215) 862-8075.

If anyone goes, please send my warmest thoughts to Nelda.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

It’s The Principle

The service standards in this country have become dreadfully bad, and I’m glad I have a friend who demands at least a minimal level.

Uncomfortable Lesson
A number of years ago, I was at a CVS (drug store chain) with Maribeth, a co-worker/friend of mine. The one cashier on duty was ringing up some items Maribeth had bought, and there were two people behind us in line. The cost of the purchase came to $2.73, and Maribeth gave the cashier a five dollar bill.

The cashier handed Maribeth two dollar bills and a quarter, and said, “We don’t have any pennies.”

Now, I know Maribeth, and I knew things were going to get ugly. Maribeth said, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to wait while you get some.”

The cashier was incredulous, and I was starting to leak sweat at the glares we were getting from the two customers behind us. I said, “Maribeth, forget it, I’ll give you the two cents.”

And then Maribeth did something I could have never done. She turned to me, and in front of the stupid cashier, and the two customers, taught us all a lesson. She said, “If she had said ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have any pennies, would you be willing to wait while I got some?’ I would have left without them. If she had give me $2.30, I would have left happy. If she had said, ‘Do you have three cents, I’m out of pennies?’ I would have happily left without the two cents.”

“But instead, she shorted me two cents, without leaving me any option. Do you think if I was two cents short, she would have sold me these things? I’ll wait for my correct change.”

At which point, the cashier locked her drawer, walked to the back of the store, got a roll of pennies from the manager (who never once left his/her perch behind a two-way mirror) and paid Maribeth her correct change.

As awkward as this situation was for me, I knew Maribeth was right, and I was glad to have gained from her wisdom.

Current Knitting
I sewed up the shoulders on the dark tweed pullover and started working on the first sleeve.

This is about 11 inches of about 18, before start on the should cap. I’m thinking that I will bring the other sleeve with me to Cancun to use as my vacation knitting.

I do very little knitting when I’m away on vacation, so I don’t expect to be finished by the time I get back.

Current Spinning
I finished plying the last of the multi-colored Merino.

The last hank (the one on the left) came out to be about 450 yards, at a slightly heavier grist than the last one, but still in the Sport weight range. I still have to wash the three skeins and hang them to set. I can only hope they stay as soft as they are now after washing, because I’m looking forward to knitting with this yarn.