A French Knot For Every Five Times I Saw This Sign

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about our dreadful experience of traveling North from Alabama this spring. That post was about where I ended up from a stitching/TAST perspective. Just a reminder, TAST is Take a Stitch Tuesday, a weekly stitching challenge sponsored by Sharon Boggon of Pin Tangle. While we were on the road the stitch challenge was French Knots.

Thank goodness we didn’t drive the whole of I-65!

I find french knots tedious. I know how to do them. I think I’ve stitched a million in my lifetime. I prefer bullion knots. They are less tedious and more interesting to look at. Nothing was more tedious than driving on Interstate 65 this spring. We picked it up in just north of Mobile, Alabama, followed it through all of Tennessee, and up to Louisville, Kentucky. I have spent way too many nights stitching the tedious french knot into a sign all too (unfortunately) familiar to me. Now I-65 is out of my system. Well, mostly!

If you want to hear more about the trip, Jeff has done a wonderful job describing the trek. He keeps a blog called OddEssay. Normally he adds to the end of his entries. But this trip warranted its own separate click. I called it the trip from hell. He is nicer than me and called it “Murder Hill: The Trip No One Should Have To Travel”

If you are like me, you talk to the TV, to the dogs (and for the dogs), to the clock, and all kinds of things that don’t have conversational skills or abilities. I also make up silly songs to familiar tunes. When I sing the dogs think I’m happy and it’s time to play.

Lately, I talk to our truck, offering her compliments and encouragement during our very short and focused trips to the grocers, vet, and laundry. We are still waiting for our new engine to arrive. I decided our truck, affectionately called Betsy (after Davy Crocket’s rifle—ask Jeff, that’s on him!), but also known as “The Beast,” needed her own song. After all, I have songs for both of the dogs. I’ll post them if you ask!) Following is the song Jeff and I came up with in honor of Betsy. Make sure you’re alone, then sing it loud and sing it proud!

Betsy, The Beast
by Jeffrey T. Elmore in collaboration with Julie Castle and the Girls