Friday, November 21, 2008

Even less to say – I think November is getting into the blood stream. These last ten days are the worst.

The ribbing on Ketki’s sweater is going well, the striations most attractive. I was tempted, last summer, by an ad in the shop window in Kirkmichael for stripey kittens. I rang the number – they had all been taken. A cat would be something of a problem for us (a) because we couldn’t take it with us to London; and (b) because it would be hard to let it out of doors at all, here in Edinburgh. We have only the front door, which opens onto the street. We could take it back and forth to Strathardle and it could walk about outdoors there; cats need outdoors. Our old cat had to be taken all the way from Birmingham. She didn't care for the journey, but accepted it as something that happens to cats from time to time. She loved Strathardle.

Anyway, Ketki’s ribbing, although essentially purple, is striped like that lost stripey cat. Photograph soon. I may even reach the Calcutta Cup band today. My plan is to do the ribbing-to-body increases first, on the theory that the two-colour knitting will pull things in.

The only other news is that I heard from Guy Amedro, Gladys’ son, to say that a new edition of “Shetland Lace”, with new photographs, went on sale this month. I love that book, despite its chartlessness. It was my way in to Shetland lace knitting. I think I’ve knit more of her patterns than those of any other designer except Kaffe.

Invigorated by my new VKB, I toiled through the American "Vogue Knitting" list on eBay today. I ought to do it more often. I bought one of my collection there, tipped off by a blog reader. But it's a long, tedious list, full of offerings from vendors who think "vintage" means 1980, and I haven't the stamina to do it very often.

7 comments:

  1. You know you can exclude terms from an eBay search by putting a minus sign in front of them? If you search on
    vogue knitting -malcolm -best -go -probert -196* -197* -198* -199* -200*
    it won't remove everything but it'll get rid of some of the dross. Just cut and paste it from here.

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  2. Anonymous5:49 PM

    The only way we can have cats here in Fargo is to keep them indoors or on a leash, the leash law requires that of both cats and dogs here. We don't have any cats now but when we did they were quite content to stay indoors since they had no knowledge of the outside world. Believe me, they wouldn't want to go outside in the Winter here anyway! LOL It was 8 degrees F here this morning, a bit extreme for November!!

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  3. This will probably cause great debate - but just to let you know there are other options for a cat and maybe you don't have to go without one.

    Ours do not go outside, except on a leash and, frankly, they are VERY frightened to be outside - even just right outside the door and don't especially enjoy the leash - they'd rather roll on their backs and play with the leash. I believe it's true that if they are not let out when young, they do not know what they are missing. Our don't seem to mind - but love to sit in windows and watch.

    Apart from having a local ordinance which prohibited people from letting their cats roam, we also looked at the many health risks and also took note of the large number of dogs in our old neighborhood when deciding inside vs. outside.

    Here's an article that talks about the pros and cons. http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/indooroutdoor.htm

    We're very aware that we have to play with them enough so that they don't get bored.

    We have taken them on trips. They didn't mind it at all when they were little, then we made the mistake of not taking them and now they really complain while in the car for any length of time.

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  4. Anonymous7:14 PM

    And "antique" means anything I had as a child, or in some cases, in my twenties.

    I like cats but I don't have the lifestyle to own a pet. (Tried it once, had to find a home for the little sweetie.)

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  5. Our two cats are indoor cats and don't seem to mind. It's not fair to keep a solitary one indoors though, IMHO. Cats do need to socialise with other cats.

    And if you want a cat, try the Edinburgh Cat Protection League at Casselbank St at the bottom of Leith Walk. They have so many gorgeous cats there desperate for home it would make you weep. That's where I got Paws, and he's been such a success.

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  6. Anonymous2:15 AM

    If you get a rescue kitten, they will adapt to your lifestyle easily I think. Milo (my cat) adapted to the dog easily, and is a pretty happy kitty these days.

    While November sometimes seems gloomy and forever (and with all the bad financial news going around) I have some good news to share: I got a tenure-track job! (my appointment at Oberlin is one-year, and not renewable. Or em, it was renewable until Oberlin's endowment took a huge plunge in the market.) The job is a well-regarded liberal arts college in Texas (San Antonio) called Trinity University. So I have a job, and will be able to eat and pay off my student loans next year. :) Plenty to give thanks for this coming week.

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  7. I would agree that some cats need outdoors, but most do quite well without. For a fair number of my clients, that realization comes when they bring their cat to me with bite wounds and I inform them that the state requires that they quarantine the cat indoors for 45 days if properly vaccinated or 6 months if not.

    All it has taken for most of my cats is to chuck them out the door during a heavy downpour or snowfall. Do this a couple times and most cats are quite content not to venture out again. Mine will sit on the threshold and look out but show little desire to venture farther.

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