Cancelling an event

should never be done lightly...but we did so yesterday. 

Non-knitters will probably not be familiar with KIP day - Knit-in-Public day. It is an international event, held on the second Saturday in June. 

Here in Downunder it is a rather awkward date because it coincides with the public holiday weekend known as the (now) King's Birthday. Many knitters who might join in are doing other things. It is that sort of weekend.

We had not done anything for the past three years because of Covid. There were some enthusiastic responses to the idea that we should so two of us from two different groups went ahead and arranged to meet at a venue which provides for all financial circumstances, was indoors but not likely to be crowded (because we still wanted to consider Covid issues for some), was in a location which could be reached by bus, train or car and so on. 

I told the knitting group which meets at the library and emailed all those who were not there but occasionally turn up. The other person runs a church craft group and also decided to send out invitations to a guild group. "They might be interested in coming along and seeing if they can snag some new members," she told me.

That was fine by me. The whole purpose of the day is to encourage people to knit or crochet.

The likely venue got back to me. They were happy for us to meet there. Saturday afternoons were not very busy but they stay open because they are also open in the evening.

And then there were several people who let me know they couldn't come after all. One was a bit anxious about knitting in a cafe like venue. Another simply sent a hasty message she could not make it. Two were feeling "under the weather" and were hoping their joint appearance at an earlier event was not the cause.  Another person had a family member ill and had gone to help with the children. Two people "might" come. In the end I could only be certain of myself and two others. 

I emailed the other person who was helping to organise the event. She proposed cancelling it. One of  the purposes of trying to get it together was to try and help our friend M.... M... is profoundly deaf. She is here from Canada and really struggling with loneliness right now. Only the thought she and her husband C... will be going back to Canada in early December is keeping her here. Yes, she has ways of communicating with family and friends back there, family and friends who use sign language and French but they are not here. 

I do my best. The few signs I know are in AUSLAN. My first language is English. I never learned French. All I know I have taught myself. It isn't enough to make communication with M... easy. She can communicate in Canadian sign language, French and English. It makes me feel small. But communication still isn't easy for her. Her written English, unless C... helps, sounds childish.  

The four of us who could go are people M... already knows and I am really the only one who can communicate without writing things down. For once C...'s work did not require him to be there on a Saturday and he was more than willing to come along and help. I called C... and told him what had happened. He told M... and also put a message up on a group I do not belong to. 

We needed to put that message up because the other person organising the afternoon had sent written invitations to people to come along - and not received a single response.  Were they planning on attending? Almost certainly not but it was still very rude.

C... called me back to tell me the message was up and asked if he could come and get some timber from the shed.

"Bring M... and have afternoon tea here?" I asked. 

"Good idea. She is very disappointed. It might help."

They arrived. M... tried not to look disappointed but I knew she was. She hugged me. She had her knitting. You can't sign and knit as well of course but that didn't matter. C... went off to the shed. I signed questions about tea and cake and what she was making - more finger puppets for the school in Canada.  We were laughing when C... came back in. 

We had afternoon tea and more laughter. M... went off smiling as I signed , "See you soon".  I hope I do too. They are off to Western Australia again tomorrow. There is someone there M... knows who can communicate far more easily than I can. I hope that person can find people willing to meet her because it is good to be with her.