Farewell to Cedar Key Read Online Free PDF Page A

matter of fact, we were trying to come up with an idea for another class. We already have a mother and daughter group that comes to knit on Saturday mornings, but we were hoping to develop something new. If you have any ideas, please jump in with your suggestions.”
    â€œHow about men?” I blurted out.
    â€œMen?” she questioned, a bewildered expression on her face.
    â€œYeah, a men’s knitting class. I belong to a few knitting groups online, and from everything I’m reading, men are becoming more and more involved in knitting. They’re also wonderful designers of patterns.”
    â€œOh, yes,” Dora responded. “I’m well aware of that. We carry a few books in the shop written by male designers. But . . . I’m just not sure there would be much of a call for men to join a knitting class here on the island.”
    â€œYou mean the macho thing?”
    â€œWell . . . possibly.”
    â€œThat’s just it,” I said, not even sure where I was going with this. “Maybe they just don’t realize yet how enjoyable it could be if they didn’t allow gender to get in the way.”
    â€œHmm, you could be right,” Dora said as I followed her back to the shop, but I heard the doubt in her tone. “Let’s have that coffee while I mull this over.”
    She had just passed me a mug when we turned to see Chloe walk in.
    Dora rushed over to give her a gentle hug. “How’re you feeling? Join us for some coffee?”
    â€œThat would be great. Thanks. Josie, I heard you’re going to help Dora while I’m . . . incapacitated. I really appreciate it.”
    She held up her right arm encased in a cast from elbow to fingertips.
    â€œMy pleasure. Are you doing okay?”
    Chloe reached for the mug of coffee with her left hand and laughed. “Yeah. Actually, not too much pain. More a discomfort and a pain in the neck. And I am definitely a right-handed person. I could barely get the toothpaste cap off this morning. It’s amazing how much we take our hand dominance for granted.”
    â€œI can imagine,” I told her.
    â€œSo what’s going on here? I know I can’t do anything as far as work, but I thought maybe I could help get Josie settled in.”
    â€œYes, that would be great,” Dora said. “Especially if we get busy. Well, Josie and I were just having an interesting discussion. I told her that we’d like to come up with an idea for more classes and she suggested a men’s knitting group.”
    â€œOh, that’s a brilliant idea. Now why didn’t I think of that?”
    â€œReally?” Dora questioned. “You think it might work? That we’d even have enough men on the island who would take an interest?”
    Chloe headed to the sofa and sat down. “Well, I’m not sure. But we’ll never know unless we put the word out there, will we?”
    I leaned against the counter and took a sip of coffee. “Dora seems to think that the men might reject the idea because knitting is normally associated with females.”
    â€œBut that’s not really true. When I was a student and working toward my textile degree in college, we studied the history of knitting. Look at James Norbury.”
    â€œWho?” Dora and I said at the same time.
    Chloe laughed. “He was British and he was a pioneer in the world of knitting following World War Two. Quite accomplished in his field. Do a Google search and you’ll find out more about him.”
    â€œI had no idea,” Dora said. “But that doesn’t mean we’d be able to lure any men in this area to knitting classes.”
    â€œI like the idea,” Chloe said, looking over at me. “And I hate to put this in your lap, but . . .” She raised her casted arm. “I think you’d be great doing a male knitting class, Josie. Obviously, it would have to be a beginner’s class, teaching the basics of knit