It's Mothers' Day, y'all

Happy Mothers' Day to all! To everyone nurturing a child, young person, ill person, old person - this Day's for you!

I woke up hearing rain, and thought "Oh good, Lucy's getting the rain"...and realized my lilac has a name. The instruction sheet from the garden shop says to give her plenty of water; I'm going to call there, too, and see what's the very best care one can give a lilac bush. It is my intention to pamper, coddle and nurse Lucy the way I do Evangeline and Lilliane. Even if she doesn't purr. Lilacs are clearly the Creator's enhancement to Spring.

As I put on my morning tea the Husband said "I have instructions to take you out to select a rolling computer bag. That's your present from the girls." My cats are generous, particularly when it's their Da paying the money. Now, I have a computer bag for Daisy. Daisy is my laptop. Part of the trouble is that when Daisy is in her bag along with a few file folders, book or two, notecards, couple tablets, her power cord, little surge protector deal, mouse, lock cable - the whole affair weighs something around 30 lbs. The shoulder strap is wide and padded and comfortable but I'm 4'11" and there's sometimes a question about which of us taking whom where. You see a lot of folks with those neat little suitcase-on-rollers things, which would solve the problem.

Now - I feel obliged to make an admission here. The Husband and I really relish browsing. We actually make a point to visit grocery stores when we travel, just browsing along to see how prices compare to our usual store, or what stuff they might have that we don't. I was amazed to discover that Bosco, ("the chocolate-flavored driiiiiiiiink") is STILL available out east, where they quit selling it in the Midwest ages ago. What DULLARDS, I can hear you thinking. Not only do I admit it - we actively cultivate it. We truly beat our best average last week though: we spent an hour (60 solid minutes) browsing for ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils. We examined the heft, the colors, tried out the tips, checked out the erasers - you'd be amazed at the variation in casual writing implements. With this record to maintain, we set out to purchase a rolling computer bag.

By the way, the "sticks" referred to in the title of this blog refers, as you surely knew, to knitting. Lest ye think I've forgotten or forsworn, know this: every time I get in the car (unless I'm driving) I knit. I'm making a square for the Virginia Tech project, remember?

To make a long story short, it only took us six hours to select and purchase a bag. We went to five stores and literally sat down on the floor in each, unzipping and examining every pocket of every bag of every sort with wheels. I guess these bags are actually designed for business people who travel. They're made to hold business-type papers and files. They have cunning little pockets for cell phones (I don't have one), MP3 players (never touch the stuff), credit cards (only one, in the billfold thenk yew). And of course they have a section for a couple of clean shirts, tie, dopp kit - everything you need to appear at the meeting looking like an FBI suit with the latest technology. (I'd never be confused for a suit.) Our conversations went something like this:

Me: OK, this one has a good Daisy section, nice places for pens {see above}, a good place for files and knitting patterns.

Hub: These zippers are a little thin, I'm not sure how they'll hold up. What are the wheels made of?

Me: Oh, this is nice, a big section at the back for yarn, and a keen zipper pouch long enough for most of my needles. And there are a couple of mesh pockets for point protectors, measuring tape and related chazerai.

Hub: These are some decent heavy-duty zippers, and one of those straps with a clasp on the end for keys....

Me: Or scissors! You could keep scissors on that.

Hub: OK, so you want a good padded section for Daisy, a space for doodads, knick-knacks and gewgaws, storage containers for your needles, a file section for knitting books and plenty of room for yarn, right?

Me: Right.

Anyone business traveller listening in would have wondered what kind of nefarious activity I was planning for sure. He'd wonder what on earth kind of company I work for....we did notice that the store clerks would sidle up, say "Finding everything you need?" and scamper off without waiting for a reply.

End result? I got a pretty large Swiss Army Knife company bag. Along with a large spacious yarn-and-book section, a good Cool Office Supplies section, all kind o' neat exterior sections intended for things like airline tickets (I can store menus from free wi-fi places) &c. AND! Get this: It has a padded section for Daisy that lifts out, has its own shoulder strap and another zipper section for papers and stuff, in case I ONLY need Daisy and not the rest of the stuff. The bag is the grandma/writer/knitter/reader/office-supply-junkie's dream. And I almost finished the Virginia Tech square between stores! THANKS, Evangeline and Lilliane, Mommy loves your present!