Very BAD blogger that I am, I’ve neglected my blog for months. And now I come back here and find that I actually had started writing a post in October and never finished it (does anybody else do this?).

So, I belatedly present a post originally started on October 11, 2008 and finished today, 1/18/2009:

This Saturday — today — has been nothing special, but last Saturday is a different story.

Last Saturday Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the Yarn Harlot, was in Santa Rosa, California. Last Saturday I took a road trip with my mom and together we made the 2 and a half hour trip to Copperfield’s Books. It was a good day out, and of course I need to blog about it!

Last year — it was June 2007, to be exact — before I started blogging, there was a similar road trip with my mom, to see Stephanie. This one was to Petaluma, which is actually just down the road a bit from Santa Rosa and about 30 minutes closer to where we live. But that trip will live in infamy for a long time. That trip had a happy ending, but it very nearly ended in minor disaster and utter failure.

Petaluma, 2007

Last time we saw the Harlot we came running in half an hour late and couldn’t find anyplace to sit. But we enjoyed ourselves — even the part where we stood in line for half an hour or so for Stephanie to sign my book. I was too shy to ask to take a picture with her, and if I recall correctly, my mom did most of the talking.

This year we managed to get to the bookstore in plenty of time. I had reserved two seats for us and we had an awesome view. This time I came prepared with a California dish cloth I’d knitted. I was looking forward to giving it to Stephanie — but I had forgotten that she might take a photo of us for her blog.

I was wearing my favorite tee shirt (it says “Yarrrn”), and Stephanie smiled at me and said, “I like your shirt!” I wish I’d been quickwitted enough to repay the compliment, since she was wearing her Knitting Superhero tee. But as usual I was completely tongue tied and could only grin idiotically, thank her, and walk away trying not to giggle like a maniac.

Next time, I swear I’m going to manage to actually say something intelligent.