Bathtub Gin(a)

When someone mentions Atlantic City to the average New York State resident, neither yarn nor exercise are the first things that come to mind. Because Atlantic City, like Las Vegas, is all about gambling -- unless you are me.

I spent three nights in Las Vegas in the jacuzzi bathtub, rather than at the slots or the tables. I'm a homebody, so a good bath and a good book beat a "good hand" any day of the week. If that Las Vegas trip doesn't convince you that I'm a bit of a nutter, then my first trip to Stitches East in Atlantic City will be the nail in the coffin.

I awoke this morning with a desire to move; a desire to run. Now, this is bizarre for two reasons:

1) I have not exercised in roughly a eighteen months.
2) I am not a runner. I do not run. Unless, it's for a late-night subway, and that's only because waiting 40 minutes for another train is unthinkable at 3:00am. That's worth running for -- even in heels.

But this morning, I donned my workout togs, and at 7:30am, I took to the treadmill. Not only did I spent a full 30 minutes engaged in physical activity, but SEVEN of those were spent running. Granted, a 2-minute sprint and a 5-minute sprint are not exactly marathon material, but it's monumentual in my book.

I am glad to say that my first hour at Stitches East surpassed my buying experience in two days of the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival -- where I boasted over one hank of yarn and one jar of natural honey. Perhaps, I came better prepared. Perhaps, Stitches is more "accessable" to me that Sheep & Wool was. Or perhpas, it was the aid of our Stitches mascots...