It's all in the numbers

Or maybe in the box. We packed up all the ornaments this weekend, removed the tree, and we are almost back to normal. The only thing we haven't packed up is the Christmas manger. Each piece has to fit in its own molded slot in the styrofoam, and then slide into a box about the size of a small refrigerator. I'm betting we'll have it put away by Easter.

Meanwhile, I'm living in the middle of an 8th-grade word problem. One of the St.Rose knitters designed a blanket to be given to one of the few remaining staff members at St. Rose. She's seen the writing on the wall and is moving back to Rochester at the end of the month (27 days from today). So, how many knitters does it take to complete 240 3.5-inch squares, in 12 different colors, with 48 of the squares done in 2 colors, in about 20 days?

So far, we have about 200 little balls of yarn, 5 yards each, in packages by color, a chart to keep track of who has what, a dozen phone calls, and lots of e-mails. On Thursday night we meet, at which time I'm hoping every knitter or would-be knitter--Can you remind me how to cast on?--shows up with their size 10 needles.