long weekend knitting

As usual, I have a number of projects on the go - each one either fits into a niche of my life, or it's just something I want to do. The Victoria Day long weekend starts tonight, and that means cottage to me. I've spoken of the cottage many times before, and how it is a family gathering place - good and bad. I take many knitting projects with me, since there are different circumstances where I find myself knitting.

Large group of people, sitting around, talking about this and that, eating whatever snacks are about - perfect for mindless, stockinette sock knitting.

Family around, but I don't really want to join in the conversation - lace. With the pattern book open and nearby to refer to. I can still be a part of the conversation, but can also be left alone if I want.

Some family around, and I really want to be anti social - beads. Even though I could pretty easily fit this into the first category, since it really is just stockinette or garter stitch for the most part, there is a mystique about knitting on tiny little needles with sparkly beads. So when my brother in law gives me the "are you STILL knitting?" speech (because he can't believe I would waste my time doing this, coming from the man who thinks nothing of sitting in a boat for hours fishing... (yes my husband also fishes, but he respects my knitting)), I can pick up the beads, go off into a quiet corner and ignore the world (or at least my family). (I'm not sure I've used enough parentheses in that last paragraph. I admit, I have a thing for parentheses...)

Yes, the "are you still knitting?" comment still comes out. After almost 20 years of being involved with this family, through dating, and then marrying into it, I still get it. And yet, BIL will take the boat out after dinner, and fish for hours. Just sitting there. While my husband (his brother) is also a fisherman, hubby prefers the excitiement and interaction of fly fishing, which I believe to be an art. Have you seen the beauty that is a fly fisherman in action? (I may be a little biased here...) Nothing against rod and reel - my husband, son, FIL, BIL and assorted other family members all fish, and love it, and I respect that. But don't diss my hobby when yours can look just as boring from the outside.

And he wonders why his plain grey cotton socks are still taking me this long to knit... he won't wear colours. or wool. And yes, he is genetically related to my husband and their father who love all things socky and wooly and coloured.

Ah, in-laws. Can't live with them, can't kill them and get away with it...