Wednesday, February 13, 2008

I woke at 4, turned on the radio, and the first word of the BBC World Service news bulletin was “Hillary”. I had time to think, for a split-second, she’s-done-another-New-Hampshire, before I heard the next three words: “on the ropes”.

I think there’s reason to hope, now, that March 4 will finish it off.

And look at our thermometer! I thought Theo’s $50 might languish alone, but when we got back from Glasgow last night I was met with the good news, and put in my matching funds for the day. I’m impressed with the software. When someone donates, Theo, as the registered thermometer-owner, gets a message from Obama headquarters with the donor’s email address. And when I did the matching, the red line shot encouragingly up more or less at once. I’ve visited many a commercial site which didn’t work as well.

Many thanks, from me as well as from Theo and Barack.

OK, knitting…

On the train journeys to and from Glasgow yesterday, I worked industriously on the second KF sock. I’m within a round or two of the heel flap. Today’s excitement is a routine hospital appointment for diabetes. I go along on those, and the Royal Infirmary provides plenty of knitting time. I should certainly get around the heel.

The ticket collector on the westward journey was a middle-aged woman who admired the sock and remembered learning to knit socks when she was at school. They don’t do that any more. She could never get the hang of finishing the toe, she said – I think she must have meant, Kitchener stitch – and used to run the yarn through the stitches and pull.


We had a nice lunch in a Thai restaurant with Alexander and Ketki. He was wearing his Calcutta Cup sweater. I don't think there will be any call for knitting another one this year.

In the evening I finished the front of the gansey – I’m sure you didn’t think Obama won so decisively yesterday on his own. The neck looks too big, but I can fill it up with ribbing. The initials are unusually legible in this picture. I hope to three-needle-bind-off the shoulders today and start down one of the sleeves. The right sleeve.



5 comments:

  1. I not only got a nice note from Barack Obama, but one from Theo as well!

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  2. I have a question that is in no way relate to the content of this post, but I ask because you seem to know Things™, Jean.

    I have to get from London to Glasgow in May, and I fancy a train. Is that possible? What sort of train should I be booking? (From Glasgow, I will be taking a bus, then a ferry, then a bus, then a ferry to get to the Isle of Iona.) I'm not from the UK so I don't know what service even runs such things, but you take a train to London every now and again so you seem to know!

    Thanks for the consideration!

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  3. When the Obama White House acknowledges your efforts at making the knitting world aware of fundraising (via your/Theo's thermometer, and the Get Barack Elected Gansey) they will surely offer you the post of Secretary of State.

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  4. it is indeed a great way to be a fundraiser and unventive as ez would put it.
    oh the sweater is coming along so nicely. is it little cables???

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  5. Theo's sweater looks wonderful. I'm a bit jealous that you knew the good news before I did. I told my husband yesterday that I thought Obama would get the nomination. We appear to be creeping closer to it.

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