In the "Strange But True" category...

My 14 year old daughter asked if she could take a day trip on Sunday with some older friends, one of whom already has her driver's license.  I know this friend as a bright, happy responsible young adult.  So I kept an open mind and asked her for the details.  My brain went to concerts, shopping malls and parties where pizza and soft drinks flowed freely.  It shied away from keg parties in hay fields.

I got my answer.  She wanted to go to Northhampton, Massachusetts, about an hour and a half away.

Now for those of you who don't live in New England or other small states, or who don't live near a state line the idea of crossing that magical boundary from one state to another - in this case from Connecticut to Massachusetts - can raise some emotional red flags.  Sure, the air in Massachusetts is pretty much the same as in Connecticut.  And the rules of society seem to be more or less the same.

But again, there's something about crossing that line that....well, crosses a line.

So of course I asked.  "Jill, what the heck is in Northhampton, Massachusetts?" The answer was surprising, shocking, mind-blowing, amazing....

"A yarn factory."

Rewind that, please.  A yarn factory?

Call it a Dad's dream, or a kid who thinks differently, or whatever.  My girl and her friends have such a big interest in knitting that they're actually making a choice to drive the 60 miles or so to an outlet center that sells...well, yarn. I have to admit though.

A combination of the distance and that whole state line thing still stuck with me for a moment.  Don't they sell yarn anywhere closer?

Then I thought back to some of the stunts I pulled at 14 and 15, including one that still gets thrown back at me to this day.

I looked at her.  Reading my mind, she produced the powder blue scarf she is currently working on.  My mind flipped back to the last get-together I picked her up from.  She and Heather were curled up on couches, happily knitting and talking away, Broadway showtunes in the background.

Either my kid is a parent's dream or this is the cleverest charade ever pulled by a teenager.

I gave my blessing.  My wife gave her blessing.

Sunday they made their pilgrimage to Northhampton.  Apparently a successful yarn procurment journey took place.

We see, hear and read about teenagers doing all kinds of things we'd rather they not do.  No doubt that's partially because we expect them to find trouble.  Maybe you've got a kid who falls into that category.

Well, here's one possible way out.... Get him or her some knitting needles and yarn.  Apparently knitting has become cool, at least in the Northeastern part of the United States. If you're a girl, you'll be in good company. It's not all beer blasts and boyfriends (by the way, Jill avoids the first, has one of thesecond). If you're a guy: the girls dig knitting.

And I bet there aren't a lot of males at the local "knit fest."

Seriously, there's a time to trust your kids. And more often than not, it starts with your own instincts...sometimes aided by a powder blue scarf.

Counting My Blessings,

Larry