Lakers lose.

This week's Chickenheads session had it all - competition, international intrigue, performance art, and even audience participation. Gotta love Tuesday nights.

It was the third game of the NBA finals that night, between the Lakers and some other team. I only know this much information because Obamette is apparently very interested. She is the mother of two teenage boys and the wife of one husband, all of whom are sports nuts. What choice does she have but to care?

But God bless her, she still agreed to come to knitting night - as long as she could watch the game. So we set her up in the corner, oddly angled right in front of the big screen TV, while the rest of us knitted and gabbed. We would occasionally get a jolt from the corner of the room when she would release a loud "Yessss!" or "Where's the foul???!!!" (I was happy to find out as we were all leaving that the Lakers lost. Sorry Obamette, but I just hate Kobe.)

As entertaining as Obamette's spectatorship was, I was excited to hear all about Rugby's recent trip to Ireland. She had missed the last two weeks while traveling with her husband throughout the country and visiting with his family. It sounds like it was a terrific trip, complete with hurling - both the Irish sport and head-in-toilet varieties.

Then Big Sis attempted to explain the plot of David Lynch's "Eraserhead" to the group. Let's just say she had to stand up in the center of the room in order to more effectively portray the characters and their quirks. This was easily more bizarre and hysterical than the movie itself. In fact, it was the only conversation of the night that got Obamette to turn away from the game to see what the hell was going on. It was awesome.

Finally, CertainT surveyed the group to get ideas for what song she and her son should dance to at his October wedding. This was towards the end of the night after several beers, yummy meat calzones (thanks Bubbles!) and huge slices of an absurdly tasty ice cream cake I bought at Trader Joe's for only $8. Needless to say, the suggestions got more ridiculous by the second. I offered The Police's "Every Breath You Take" - but only if CertainT wants to scare the hell out of her newly acquired daughter-in-law.

I'm sorry to say that I can't for the life of me remember the other song suggestions that were so funny. So I'm asking my Chickenheads to comment here and share (CertainT - you can figure out how to do this!).

And any of you other honorary Chickenheads out there, feel free to throw in your two cents. It would be good to hear from you!

Bock, bock.

p.s. Oh yeah, we knitted too. Well, everyone except our disappointed Laker fan.

Musical Nuts and More

No Chickenheads group this week as most of them opted to go on a field trip to see the stage production of "Rent," which just came to town. Being the group grump, I opted out as I've seen it twice already and, frankly, have no desire to see it again. It's just feels a bit dated to me.

But for Miss Sunshine, Bubbles and Big Sis, there is no such thing as getting sick of a Broadway musical. You know how young girls shriek and get all breathless over Justin Timberlake or the Jonas brothers? That's how these grown women - ranging in age from 25 to 50 - get when they talk about "Raoul" or "Anthony" or whatever Broadway star they are obsessed with and know on a first name basis.

In a way, I envy their passion for something they so clearly love. But at the same time, I want to put earplugs in when they get on their conversation kicks about how great this song was, or when so-and-so did that number and they cried. It can go on for hours. But I usually put a stop to it after about 20 minutes with a cynical, "How much longer are you going to talk about this?" comment.

I think it's less the subject matter that bothers me (I like musical theater a lot actually) but more the high pitch squeals it seems to inspire in them. Ear piercing sometimes. I guess they get more like Baby Chicks than Chickenheads at that point.

So off they all went to "Rent" while Rugby and I opted out to do our own thing on a Tuesday night. I used the time to have dinner with my ex-fiance. Yeah, I know. Knitting probably would have been better for me. But still, he bought me sushi (as always) and he is kind of like family so it's good to catch up.

Next week is my last Chickenhead group for awhile, sadly. I am having some pretty major orthopedic surgery on March 23 and will be VERY out of commission for a few weeks/months. I feel blessed because the Chickenheads insist that they will come to me for our Tuesday night sessions until I'm back on my feet. I look forward to it already - even with the squealing.

In the meantime, I am stocking up on knitting projects to keep me busy during recovery. The biggest one is a beautiful blanket I am making just for myself. It will be one of those keep-for-a-lifetime blankets. It's actually from a shawl pattern that I saw knitted up at a yarn shop months ago and, after some poking around, found out that it is an older Vogue Knitting pattern.

I already ordered the pattern, which for some lame reason can only come by mail. Last weekend I went to my favorite yarn store in San Diego and found the perfect taupe-colored kid mohair, which is now on order and is going to cost me a pretty penny. Good thing I have $150 in gift certificates saved up for this very project. If ever there was a time to splurge on myself, the next three months is it.

Bock, bock.

ObamaKnit

This is my first post-knitting group report since starting this blog. The plan is to post an update every Tuesday night after I get home from 3 hours of bock, bock, bocking with my fellow Chickenheads. Of course, if I have too much wine, beer, dessert or all of the above, I may go straight to bed and the post will just have to wait.

First the spread: Big Sis brought an assortment of Subway sandwiches, CertainT had an equally appetizing assortment of Haagen Dasz ice cream bars, and I brought a 6-pack of Bass ale. (For the record I am much more comfortable buying alcohol or dessert. When it's my turn to bring dinner I agonize.)

Tonight was all about Obama as he delivered his first address to Congress. We are all lovers of our Commander-in-Chief and spent the majority of his talk oohing and aahhing over how hot he is. All I could focus on was that fire he has behind his eyes when he speaks. It just seems to say, "I want to grab you and kiss you right now, woman." I know, I know. His eyes are really saying, "I want to grab this country and get it out of this mess, people." But a girl's gotta dream, right?

Then it was on to the cacophony of group knitting.

Bubbles has completely gone of the knitting deep end and today brought her first skein of HANDSPUN yarn. Yes, she has a spinning wheel at home. Oh wait, it gets nuttier.

Then Miss Sunshine broke out her latest project - a pair of socks to be knit using the HAND-DYED yarn Bubbles gave her for her birthday. And she is almost bursting her bubble with excitement over going to a knitting convention in Santa Clara this weekend. She even convinced her long-suffering boyfriend to go with her. It's hard to say no to Bubble's enthusiasm.

The rest of us? We are hardly as advanced.

Obamette, despite being excited about her true love's successful speech tonight, was attempting to knit on circulars for the first time ever. She got a lot of help from CertainT who actually can't knit since she broke her hand over the weekend slipping on wet pavement by a hotel pool! When she informed the significantly younger Miss Sunshine that she fell down and that's why she has a cast, MS replied, "What? Did you just tip over?" This inspired much giggling from the kitchen.

Big Sis and I are all too similar in our knitting style - chug along until you hit some sort of snag. Then panic and beg for help as if your work will explode in your hands if someone doesn't fix it for you immediately. It's much funnier when you aren't the one panicking and, lucky for me, it was Big Sis panicking tonight with the sock monkey hat she eventually had to unravel - all the while chanting, "Remember, I like to knit. It's OK to unravel. I like to knit. It's OK to unravel." Easier said than done.

And I am in the midst of learning not one, but two new techniques -cabling and double pointed needles! Miss Sunshine showed me a great pattern for fingerless gloves and so far so good. Here's a picture of my progress.


And, yes, we did discuss blow jobs. After all, we are the Chickenheads aren't we? But the topic was really more centered around my recent discovery of what that term actually means and that I had, in fact, been inadvertently calling my knitting friends (and myself) c*cks*ckers. Woops.

Bock, bock.

Chickenheads Knit: Cast of Characters

Hi there and welcome to Chickenheads Knit.

Some background: I am part of a knitting group that has met every Tuesday night since March 2008. This blog is an attempt to capture the essence of how this random grouping of seven women - two in their 20s, two in their 30s, and three in their 50s - somehow managed to turn into family.

*For info on the cute knitted chicken in the picture, scroll to the bottom for a link.

My name is DatingTrooper, and I am also the author of Dating is Warfare. If you read that blog, you probably have already read a bit about the Chickenheads - that's what I call our knitting group. Actually, that's what my boyfriend Wine Guy calls us because when we all get in the same room we end up sounding like a bunch of squawking chickens (bock, bock, BOCK). His famous quote, "I don't understand how you can all understand each other when everyone's talking at the same time." Yeah, he pretty much nailed it.

To tell you the truth, I usually get a headache about three hours into knitting night. Which is also exactly when it's time to go home -- so it's perfect. But those first three hours are what I suspect it feels like to sit in a room full of your sisters - if you actually had a good childhood and generally like each other. You chat, you tease, you are totally crude and inappropriate, and you laugh with and at each other. But no matter what happens, deep down you know you can trust each other and are rooting for each other every knit and every purl. So, for me anyway, it really does feel like family - or what I'd like to think it is anyway.

I've warned my fellow Chickenheads that I am starting this blog and they all say, "Go for it." Let's just hope they aren't like real sisters that get all pissed off and bitchy when they read something they don't like:-). Let the games begin.

Cast of Characters (more at original Chickenheads post)

DT (me) - 36, living with Wine Guy, unmarried but wants to be - yesterday. Started knitting on the first night of knitting group, March 2008.

BigSis - 50, single divorced mom with two teenage kids, just started dating for first time in many years and is acting like a giddy teenager. Started knitting about one week before I did.

Obamette (originally named Spunky in my first Chickenhead post but, now that I know her, I must change it) - 50ish, longtime friend of Big Sis, disgustingly happily married with two teenage boys. Started knitting again at knitting group, but quickly remembered what her grandmother taught her as a little girl.

Miss Sunshine - 20s, Big Sis's niece, has had the same semi-mysterious boyfriend since high school. Been knitting for a few years and is certifiably insane about it (and musicals).

Rugby - 30s, Miss Sunshine's coworker, recently married and endlessly knitting baby blankets for her friends - and I think it's getting old for her. Been knitting for years and is quietly expert about it.

Bubbles (formerly called Crafty, but now that I know her I have to call her this instead) - 20s, Miss Sunshine's friend from high school, happily lives at home with her parents and younger sisters, has had an "older" boyfriend (he's 30) for years, but he lives in LA and she is not so patiently waiting for him to get on with it. The most expert knitter of the group, she recently purchased her own spinning wheel and is taking a long-anticipated "vacation" next month to attend a knitting convention in San Jose. She fixes just about every knitting mistake I make and I worship her for it.

CertainT - 50s, longtime friend of Big Sis, married with three grown sons. She hosts knitting night every week and every time her husband comes home, he walks across the room, leans down, and gives her a kiss hello. Every. Single. Damn. Sweet. Time. She's been knitting since the group started, and quite possibly before.

So that's us. I know it sounds terribly "chick lit" cliche. And sometimes it feels it. But I'd like to think that we talk about our bathroom habits and other disgusting things enough to disqualify us. My plan is to give brief summaries of what we covered in each week's group (or at least the most entertaining stuff). I'll try to leave it as poop-free as possible. But as my Chickenheads know, if I'm around, be prepared for the worst.

Bock, bock.

*** For those of you correctly admiring the chicken in the photo above, I apologzie for not giving it the proper credit - I wish it was my work! The truth is, I forgot where I found the picture so long ago. Alas, I found it again and it is the adorable work of Beth who writes about it in her blog Loxosceles, here. Perhaps I will tackle it soon as a group mascot.