The Amazing (Relay) Race

When I was in high school, I was on the track team. (Don't laugh. OK, go ahead, laugh, I'll wait until you're done. And wait. And wait.) Mainly, I was a miler, but I also did the middle sections of the 4x110 relay, somewhere between the first sprinter and the last sprinter. So I know the value of good teamwork and choosing the right team member for the right slot.

Summer is long, no matter how you measure it. Daylight hours? We get so much daylight here we might as well be in Norway (except their Eurovision entries are so awful. Then again, who am I to talk? We usually manage to have at least 2 representatives in the contest, and neither of them are worth the time). Miles? Let's see, there will be NYC, Las Vegas, San Diego, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie, the Israel National Trail... Relative time? Summer with three teens off from school--it'll feel like at least 4 or 5 years. Things to do? I work full time from a home office (see above, relative time), have to start preparing for The Spouse's fall convention schedule, possibly move to Athens in mid-summer, get the Oldest Teen ready for college (probably Machon Lev, but we're still waiting to hear from the Technion), and possibly get the Middle Teen ready to go off to do her senior year in a development town, through B'nei Akiva (link in Hebrew only). And supervise the Youngest Teen and the ManBoy. Summer of KALs? There's this Amazing KAL, 6 Socks, 2 dishcloths a month, the sock Trek, and socks to count all summer long. If I'd been faster on the email, there would have also been the pomatomus along, but between last nigth and this morning it was closed to sign-ups. [sob]

All in all, at least a 4x220 race this summer.

And now, the moment none of you have been waiting for: the team members!

• Sprinter: Branching Out is a fast little scarf which is familiar with the track. Since it's for the Middle Teen, who's a shrew in the making when waiting for her knit goods, BO should get the team a nice lead before the altitude portion of the race.
  
  
  Dji Dji by Berroco, part of the Great Stash Haul of 2005


• Altitude aka travel knitting. This team member needs to be able to go the distance, be light on its feet, challenging enough to be the sole source of entertainment for 2-3 weeks, and yet simple enough to be worked on in small doses. Introducing--Pomatomus (and friends. 22 rows is a lot to count, even on only 72 stitches). We're counting on the P-leg to be slow and steady; it doesn't need to hot-foot it for speed, but it shuldn't be a heel and make us lose ground. Only time (and frequent flier miles) will tell is if can toe the line.
  
  
  Fortissima Colori Socka Color, color 9076, gifted to me by my SP6 spoiler


• The back stretch is where we may totally lose it. This is the distance part of the race, and we'll have to see if the 2x31 days we'll have for it will suffice. But I've always wanted to try the "lace shawl" from Knitter's Shawls and Scarves. I mean, I'm headed to Toronoto next fall and Boston next spring. I'll need a good big shawl to add to my defenses. And I have this honkin' big cone of wool in a color I can't see as a sweater. And I'd rather have to pay outrageous amounts for the army, when they haul me away, to move FOs than stash. So--stash diving! Shawls! Lace! It's all good. Or crazy-making. Or both. Because I am all about the crazy good.
  


• The bench warmer: Should any of these team members fall ill or forget to show up, the Mommes Lysedug doily will take over. (No link, because Yarnover is having some technical difficulties. Good thing I saved the pattern to my hard drive.)


• The anchor: This is the team member who's got the hardest job, and the one most likely to slack off.
  
  There she is, travelling again. Doesn't this woman ever stay home and knit?


• The coaches can be counted on to whip up the pace with frequent cries of "You're still working on that?" and "Isn't my scarf/sock ready yet?"
  
  
  These feet need socks. Knit, knitter, knit!

Team Moze. We're insane. You have a problem with that?