Convergence: Matilda and Angeltiger on the Town

So, my adorable, darling Angeltiger had occasion to visit the Windy City yesterday. Normally, this would produce in me only joy. In this instance, it produced mostly joy with just a soupcon of "Oh, crap. My house is a crack den." Before her arrival, I am happy to say, most of the crack den tendencies of the Painful Acres were of the past; furthermore, we were (I think) 100% stealth-cat-vomit free.

When she arrived, she was absolutely Teh H0tn355 +eleventy against male characters in her new pirate boots, her kickin' pencil skirt, and a side-button sweater that I have often coveted. I, in contrast, was in one of my shirts that blurs the line between adjunct slave and cafeteria lady.

Having balanced Angeltiger's fluids (urine out, Diet Coke ["It tastes like a mixture of Regular Coke and Tab. {pause} It is not heinous.] in), we needed A Plan. Delicious and spicy food was a must. A trip to Lush was requested on an "if possible" basis. Yarn whoring was inevitable.

Angeltiger had arrived at exactly that time of day when Gil the Wonderhound goes into a little routine I like to call Crack Pony. This involves indicating that he will explode all over me, my stash, and everything I hold dear if he does not get a walk RIGHT THE HELL NOW!

I changed into my fair isle sweater dress (complete with furry hood for those occasions when one needs to hide among the jawas of the tundra), tights, and boots that are cute, but no match for the piratey goodness. We put the harness on the dog (upside down, as it happened, but only for the first block or so. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!) and we headed to my lucious, dog-friendly LYS, My Sisters Knits.

Gil, completely without regard for our hot, hot boots, zigzagged merrily in front of us and kept the pace of our walk brisk. At the shop, he, Goldie, and Cody did their time-honored rituals. Cody and Goldie then began showing off for him, mock-wrestling (Cody has a very convincing growl, but he ruined the effect by kissing his best girl). And, of course, Gil completely subjugated the owner and got a cookie. Other than occasionally letting me know that he was ready to gooooooo, he was a very good boy.

Oh, and I had to admit that I did not, in fact, make the fair isle dress. Hoist on my own fashionable petard.

The shop is pretty small (Carol would like to expand, but we are DEFINITELY NOT taking out a contract on the beauty shop owner next door, nossir, not us), but she's always made the most of the space. However, I was not prepared for the embarassment of riches yesterday. She's reorganized and made even more space. For example this pretty space, which used to house needles now has floor-to-ceiling cubbies full of yarn. Lots more stock, beautiful color options, all Noro 50% off. SQUEEE!

I picked up some Kochoran in the 41 colorway. Angeltiger fawned appropriately over my yarn choice and asked what I had planned for it. When I named the hourglass from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. She blinked twice said, "I WANT THAT, but I keep forgetting about it!" and dove headfirst back into the Noro.

She emerged with enough for a totally hot ballet wrap (but we then forgot to buy the magazine with the pattern in it DOH!) and a bit short on another colorway for her own superhot hourglass. Carol offered to check at home to see if she had two more skeins in the second colorway. No joy as of last night, but she's also going to check in the box she sent to Washington State for an impending Yarn Thing. If it's not there, we're totally NOT going after the woman who'd walked out of the store earlier with three skeins of it. Nossir, not us.