it was time to get past security and situate at our gate.  I realized the error of my backpack packing when it was time to grab out the laptop, velcroed in the biggest pouch with the kitting, and the camera.  First of all velcro and wool don’t mesh and I struggled with this the whole time. When things are crammed in there is not much place for it not to stick and when you are trying to cram things back in (to MoVe Out of thU Way) sometimes things wander right back to the place they were stuck.  I will take a cover for the velcro next time.

I had thought to carry 2 projects with me… one small mindless project that I neatly contained in a very small pouch.  Needles and all.  And I will be knitting in France  the French inspired Huguenot Pull.  I was working on the sleeve portion, and there were 3 compact balls of fingering weight yarn. Two black to finish the main and a purple for the accent. (No, I didn’t need the entire one for accent, but it got packed.)  

 then you have to tear apart everything else into mostly each of its own try.  Since my hands are filing my passport, boarding ticket, luggage voucher, and who knows what else.  I already feel like I am behind.  I am trying to shove things back into my front pouch that I need to take off too, get everything out of my pockets that I have now touched each at least 5 times trying to keep track of my phone, and put 4 trays up on the conveyor belt.  Meanwhile the Force has everything whipped into his concise trays towing the line down the belt.  Oh Mercy this man,,, and he just looks at me like .  .  .  

I finally get my squirrels hatched from my bag that is supposed to fit under my seat – ya right – I am so thankful that they didn’t weigh or measure it, and it finally settles down into 4 trays, with the main bag gaping open if they need to take a look at the rest of the contents.  And I watched as the rubber ribbons to the x-ray machine slide over the balls of yarn perched at the mouth of the bag

all of my trays come out in an order not conducive to reassembly, and all three balls have hopped out and have run-a-muck and even after I thought I had everything shoved back in a very sweet lady said “Ma’am is this your yarn?”  Oh, yes, yes it is… note to self All yarn needs a pouch even if it is whole and seems ok by itself. If for no other reason than to be safe from the velcro.

Aside from this little chase of the yarns I was very glad this project made it on the trip.  

To France we go, and much to my shock I got to knit for quite a while on the plane.  I got about 4” of the sleeves done.  Wow!!

For the first piece of our adventure we stayed with the sweetest lady from the church we were there to help.  Our host was not fluent in English, which thrilled me to no end, because it gave me a bit more French practice, which is what I was hoping for.  It turns out she is a crocheter and made several pieces in her home.  It was a joy to bring out my knitting in the evenings and sit in the quiet mulling over the next sentence I would speak in French.  I learned so much from her, while keeping my fingers busy.