Let go and flow
Happy new year everyone! Today was the first day back at
work for many of us, and many people will be feeling, no matter how much leave
we have had, that the break was all too brief.
Well, if there's something I have learned this past year,
it's that life is all too brief, and we have to make the most of every day!
2012 was by no means a perfect year, and it had its ups
and downs, but it was also a year of adventures and new experiences. I've
already written about Ibiza, and that was amazing, but looking back, one day in
particular stands out from last year.
It's
funny how one thing can lead to another in life. I was in Bristol in August,
for the annual Balloon Fiesta, and a friend invited me to dinner with another
friend of hers. We chose to get Chinese takeaway, and whilst waiting we picked up
a copy of "What's on in Bristol" and spotted an advert for a
knittathon to raise money for the Victorian Pier in Clevedon, a little seaside
town near Bristol.
I was intrigued by the event, and excited by the idea of
spending a day in the company of other knitters attempting to knit a single
continuous scarf to “yarn bomb” the pier. I decided as I am head of my knitting
group at work, I had to be part of it!
I mentioned it to my friend Sarah, who said it sounded
like fun, and she would drive us down to Clevedon for the day. Soon,
it turned out that 6 of us from Oxford were driving down to Clevedon Pier on
the Bank Holiday Sunday.
The day itself dawned as a perfect sunny day for driving
down from Oxford, to the seaside.
And because I had called ahead to let the organisers know
we were on our way, everyone recognised us as the "Oxford Contingent"
when we turned up!
That day really stands out in my memory, because of the
people we met; the discussions we had throughout the day, whilst knitting the
different colours together to form one long continuous scarf for the pier. We had been asked to decorate and bring a yarn bucket on the day. I had huge fun decorating my own - a clothes peg basket – with materials from my stash, using buttons, safety pins, stickers, measuring tape and even a row counter to customise it.
We met new people of all ages and from all walks of life
- from Bristol, Clevedon and as far afield as Manchester. From 8 to 83, including
a woman who is an engineer for Rolls Royce in Bristol, and a handful of men
who knitted – as well as 2 little boys aged 8! For that one day, everyone was
in it together, knitting all the colours together.
The pier was meant to close at 4, then 5, and finally at
6, as the day was drawing to a close, we finished. And
we were the last ones there.
It was such an exhilarating day, to discover what we were
capable of - who knew we could knit for 7 hours!
We never know where the river may lead us. Sometimes
we just need to listen to that little voice that says, "that sounds like
fun, let's do it!"
Here's to new adventures in 2013!
Purlgirl xx
* in memory of Susan Jeffers, who passed away October
27th, 2012. RIP Susan
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