Humor will help.

My work is inspired by crisis, actually, and moving through big things with small courtesies and any available humor. Like in the NICU when we thought Thing 1 spiked a sudden fever, but in fact I had my hand on the temperature sensor! Discovering I am related to Lucille Ball inspires me to look for and share humor always.

After Thing 1 was born my doc suggested knitting to direct my unruly energy. The top university where I work was in its 4th year of wage freeze and we were slipping out of the middle class. Perfect! My business is located in a suburb of Pittsburgh. My workspace is a riot of color, with vintage ties and buttons, and yarn and beads, piled up on a loveseat in our living room where I try to parent and craft after grueling days in the library. We call it “the blob” and it grows and shrinks and changes shape and color without rhyme or reason – seemingly on its own. I shop cotton for economic and bodily health. It is a renewable plant resource grown in the US and people are rarely allergic. I try to buy US-grown or US-made fibers – single-handedly bringing this economy around, ha ha!

My ‘running mate’ helps with the shop, designing tees, some modeling, running to the post office, and picking up supplies. Thing 1 and Thing 2 also help. They model, photograph me modeling, wind yarn hanks into balls, and surround me with stuff and best of all HUMOR.

Quitting my day job and going home to Maine are on the horizon.