I asked my hubby if the chair would still hold a charge overnight while parked outside in the car in the cold. Okay, relative cold, low 40’s, it’s California, I know, people here don’t know from cold.

Answer was, he wasn’t sure.

In the parking lot this morning in Santa Clara, I thought, oh no. Every time I started up the scooter, the battery indicator flashed on red and stayed there–and yet, every time I stopped, it was full on the green. But I was too tired still from yesterday to do anything but just get on anyway and wish at it, Go chair go, and go, thank goodness, somehow, it did.

I again had the time of my life visiting friends old and new, with an extra bonus: Robert showed up! I introduced him to a few friends between signing books at Pam’s Pacific Meadows booth; I told Pam this story (skip down a few paragraphs to go past the knitting pattern details in the way.) He showed me pictures of the medicine blankets the kids in his class are weaving for others; he’s teaching the next generation to give of their creativity and to think about the needs of others with their work.

So many so kind people, and I got to where I found myself spelling joy backwards–and I am not dyslexic. What was my maiden name again? Oh, yeah.  I was exhausted.

I went to go get the charger for my chair, and–picture the thing stranded in the desert. Only, instead of gasping, Water! Water! it, like a little kid, gasped for Juice! Juice! The thing died. In front of a long line of people. One guy called out to me, as I sat there thinking NOW what do I do with a hundred pounds of dead metal!, “There’s a wall socket here!”

Oh good. I hadn’t seen it between everybody’s legs. Thank you! I plugged it in, plunked myself on the floor, waited a few minutes, and roared off with the crowd in the line cheering. Okay, I’ve had lots of wheelchairs-at-Stitches stories, but I have never had a chair have a clapping, rah-rah-go get’em cheering section before. Too funny. Thanks, y’all.

I will be signing again at Lisa Souza’s booth at 11 am.