The 6 o'clock News

Last Thursday evening some friends and I piled into the car and drove on down to Petaluma to see the one, the only, the Yarn Harlot herself! In the flesh. Here is where I will admit that I didn't know whether or not I would enjoy hearing her speak. I had heard that she was hilarious, smart, gracious and well worth seeing. So I had determined to go. Usually, though, I don't think things are funny that everyone else thinks are funny. I don't like Seinfeld for instance. See?! I'm telling you!

She was wonderful. Absolutely hilariously and wonderfully witty and funny. I loved her. I was laughing uproariously (the whole audience was!). My friends had to hold me down to keep me from buying all of her audio books right then and there, because her comic timing is just so perfect, so exquisite, that I knew I would rather hear her read her books than read them myself! This usually does not happen. I am smitten.

Here she is, still graciously signing books and talking to people at 10:30pm:

And showing off her chocolate covered espresso beans from Sylvia via Silvia (see?! I didn't eat them!):

Here's the crowd looking up at Stephanie earlier while she was speaking:

And looking toward the back of the room:

There were only two people there not interested:

Harry Potter is difficult to compete with, though!

Here is Susan in Knitterly. "Room spinning. Head light. So. Much. Yarn. Must touch roll in yarn. Must...."

I got to see Alison again and to see the advance copy of her gorgeous new book! She even let me hold it. And now I get to say I knew her when! :)

As you can see, she already has groupies who hold up lacy backgrounds for impromptu photo shoots. Lucky girl! Where can I get a couple? I need all the help I can get.

And I finally got to meet Silvia! Here she is holding the famous chocolate covered espresso beans before the hand-off to me:

And in the end, I just want to say this: if all celebrities were as talented, gracious and inclusive as Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the world would be a better place. Thank you, Stephanie, for everything you have given us. You are wonderful.

Okay now. I still need to dispel that nasty rumor that I am actually a female impersonator. It's just not true, people, however it looks on the Harlot's blog! Don't believe it! So for those of you (Joanne) who want to know what I really look like, here are two pics I just took in the mirror. This is it, the un-made-up, unvarnished, photographed in a t-shirt by a crappy photographer, boring old me. :) Not as good as the profile shot, Marina, which was shot by my husband, a professional photographer (you should see the rest of the pics from that shoot - wow! I wish I looked like that all the time!), and when I weighed 10 pounds less (I'm working on it!) but not as bad as the female impersonator shot. Still lookin' a little puffy, but, um, that happens once in awhile.


Be well! :)