Back to our Regularly Scheduled Programming...

***Barnes and Noble says they have the book, in stock, shipping within 24 hours. Just pointing that out. I love Amazon and all, but they're saying scary things. B&N is saying nice things.***
This will be sort of like the post I wanted to put up yesterday, but nowhere near as poetic, since now I have to pack for Long Beach and try to find Girl a new car and visit the insurance people and the wrecker people and make sure there's enough food in the house for Girl and Mr. W. while I am gone and all that sort of thing. But bear with me, I am trying. There's no knitting in this post, unless you count the part where I knitted for an interview, but that's later.
First, I was recently given a gift of this amazing lotion bar made by Tracy Ragan in Ashfield. She has been making goat milk soap and lotion bars for about three years, and began marketing them at local craft fairs a year ago. The lotion bars are made of beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter along with an essential oil. You just hold the bar in your hands for just a bit to let the bar melt, and then rub your hands together. It does not leave my hands too oily; the oils melt into your skin. I am in love with it. Tracy can be reached at ashfieldsoap@hotmail.com. Worth it. Lovely stuff, and I can't wait to find her at a craft fair and get more!
Second, there's this guy (Sean) who works with my husband and he's got three of the most adorable girls you could ever hope to see, and a wife, Brandy, who makes this - SOAP!! SOAP! Right practically in my own backyard, Good Forest Soap Works! And what do I love more than nearly anything?? Good handmade soap! This particular bar is Dragon Green Tea and Pear. It is made with olive, coconut and palm oil, essential oils, and mango butter (mmmMMmm). Brandy can be reached at bgoodwin@ne.rr.com. She has other soaps in her line, including a very rich and yummy oatmeal. She needs a website. They both do. Websites are awesome.
Now, gruesome accident pictures? No, we'll save that for the end. Yesterday was a busy day for me - I started signing books and ended with an intact kid in a totaled car. Somewhere in the middle was an interview with The Recorder, our local paper, for a feature on sock knitting which will release in a couple of weeks. Kristen Nicholas was also interviewed. The article may even include a simple sock pattern. Very fun! And last week I was on Socks in the City podcast with Carrie which was fun. I like podcasts. I like podcasters! I just forget to put them on my MP3 player all the time! I had my picture taken for the paper which is always weird for me, not my favorite thing at ALL. But photographer Paul did an excellent job of catching me not looking too stupid, or making me laugh.
Then there was Girl. Did you ever have one of those moments where everything distilled down to the "what's really important" thing?? The moment when nothing else matters except what really matters? There I was, driving home from signing books, worrying about where books are. I am worrying about airplanes. I am worrying about which shirt will look best on television. And then...

all of a sudden...

nothing really mattered, except for one small thing. My daughter is alive.

Now, since I am all crying and stuff, we'll shift gears. It is not lost on me that Girl's airbag is pink. And the passenger's airbag is blue. And the passenger was a boy. Car is missing her driver's side front window. There is a piece of bumper in the back seat. Car is, well, not alive. Car is deader than a doornail. A replacement is being sought even as we speak. Maybe bigger. But still with the airbags. Love those airbags, man. Airbags and seatbelts. Seatbelts and airbags. Don't leave home without them.
Anyone remember Floyd from long ago?

Now we'll call him Floyd-Squash. He was over the mirror. He's all crimped, peering out over his knees which are jammed into his chest. Poor Floyd-Squash.
Parents, if you ever wonder what is in your kids car? This is how you find out. They total it and need a ride to retrieve their stuff. It's also a way to find out what's important to them. As in "Mom, where's my fishing pole?" It was in the trunk, intact. Not so much her bike helmet. Although the blue jeans and pile of shirts did well. And most of her CD's seem unharmed. But you know...I don't care. She's alive. Walking, talking, breathing, not injured (well, bruises and bumps and scratches) but ALIVE.
Now, I need to go pack and breathe and pack some more. City of Angels, here I come!