"Isn't that wonderful!"

We spent the day yesterday celebrating my Aunt's 81st birthday.  She's not so tickled to be turning 81 so when we took her out to lunch yesterday we told everyone she's turning 29.  Even at 81, she has more energy and spunk than me!

Prior to picking her up I asked her what she'd like for her birthday.  "You know what I'd really like, honey," she said. "I'd like if you could crochet me another hat.  A black hat."

OK, so I'm thinking that she has some sort of hat fetish as I've crocheted her three hats (and two matching scarves) in the past couple of years.  She must have been reading my mind because then she said, "I have a big head, honey, and need a bigger hat."

Ohhhhhhhhhh!  OK, so that explains it.  I tell her no problem, that I'll grant her birthday wish.  I packed up two black yarns from my stash, one brand being Vanna White's, and the other Caron's Simply Soft "Shadows."   When I went to pick her up she had an article cut out from the September 2005 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  The article was called, "Homespun gets chic" featuring Lily Chin.  "I was wondering, honey, do you know who she is?"

I smiled.  "Yes, Auntie, I do.  In fact, I spent this past Saturday with her," I answered, pulling out my digital camera to show her pictures from the Workshop.  She gave me a huge smile. 

"Ohhhhhhhh, you KNOW her!!!  Isn't that wonderful!  Then I know her through you then!"  Then she chuckled.  "Isn't that wonderful," she repeated, "you KNOW her."

At the restaurant, after finishing our lunch, I knew we'd be there for awhile chatting away, catching up, so I pulled out the yarn and let her pick which she'd like her new hat to be made of.  She chose Caron's Simply Soft "Shadows."  I made my slip knot and began the hat using half double crochet stitches.  Soon our waitress came over and started talking to us about her crochet passion.  My Aunt, being the sweetie that she is, told this woman all about me -- and that I KNOW Lily Chin.  "Isn't that wonderful," replied the waitress.  The waitress then asked if I could stop back in when the hat was completed as she'd really like to see it.  Auntie told her I live too far away, but that she would come back in to show her.  :)

After we returned to Aunties home, I continued crocheting her hat, allowing her to try it on every few rows.  "This," I said to her, "will be a truly customized hat made to your exact specifications.  If there is a problem, fear not as I can always rip out what doesn't feel right and then make the adjustments as needed."  It didn't take long to get the hat "just right" and complete the finishing touches.

When the hat was completely done she sat petting it, happily examining it.  "I can't believe you sat there making this for me in such a short amount of time.  Wait until the girls (her friends) see it!  They'll be so jealous!  Then I'll tell them you KNOW Lily Chin!  That'll really get their goat!"

She's so cute!  Happy 81st Birthday Auntie!  ~D.

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Here's a link to the pattern featured in the 2005 issue of Better Homew & Gardens by Lily Chin that Auntie had cut out for me to see: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jsp?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/GinghamTableRunner_070705.xml