Sunday, January 22, 2012


We chickened out. The trip was a success, really – the house is fine, water, electricity. No tiles seem to have come off the roof, no trees are down in the garden. I think January’s storm was worse in Edinburgh than there. It was extremely cold, but we stood up to it. However, on Thursday afternoon it snowed, and again that evening, after an intermission. We got scared and came home.

Our house is down by the burn, some metres below the level of the road to the village. The driveway curves up through the paddock, then runs straight across the edge of a neighbour’s field, and finally, after the last gate, reaches the road in a short, sharp upward burst. So, too much snow, we’re stuck.

In fact, there wasn’t more than two inches of snow and we got out without difficulty. I have been left feeling embarrassed, to be defeated by a wee bit of weather, and also shaken by good old timor-mortis-conturbat-me. One declines so gently, and one continues to go about shopping and cooking and ironing and occasionally pushing the vacuum cleaner around, and scarcely feels the gradual diminution.

But there, we were up against it. Our last big struggle with snow was four years ago – I know because it was the day after the Iowa caucus where Obama beat Clinton, and all through the struggle I promised myself I would think about that happy outcome when we were finally on the road to Blairgowrie. That time, we got all the way to the last gate by ourselves – it took all morning. Then some angels came along that scarcely-used road, thinly disguised as winter sports enthusiasts, and pushed us up the last little bit.

My husband certainly couldn’t do now what he did that day, and I doubt if I could. Never mind: here we are, safe and warm in Edinburgh.

Knitting

The sky on Thursday morning was “Look! The morn, in russet mantle clad/ walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill”. I didn’t have any russet with me, and had to settle for some of the other colours in the sky. But on Friday morning I saw this:



which couldn’t be overlooked. So I took the pictures and knit the day’s stripe when I had been reunited with my stash.

I am nearly finished, all but a couple of yards, with the first skein of the madelinetosh sock yarn which is turning in to the Japanese shirt. That lets me calculate how I’m doing, and I don’t think I have enough. The initial calculations were based on st st. I’m knitting garter stitch, which is hungrier. So I’ll order some more. I’ll enjoy that.

Back here, I’ve started the “moor” socks, and should finish the ribbing tonight. They are more colourful than “anthracite” and I’m not absolutely sure they will be acceptable. I’ll go down the leg a bit and let the yarn settle into its act before I ask my husband to pronounce. If he says no, I’ll have to rip – no one else among my sock-recipients has so much circumference in the leg.

11 comments:

  1. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour, at any age. My point about taking taxis - or using an ironing service - is that a moderate outlay on support would take the burden off you a little. I am frugal by nature, but paying to have the sheets of our very large bed laundered impoved our weekends immeasurably.

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  2. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour, at any age. My point about taking taxis - or using an ironing service - is that a moderate outlay on support would take the burden off you a little. I am frugal by nature, but paying to have the sheets of our very large bed laundered impoved our weekends immeasurably.

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  3. Anonymous10:34 AM

    Better safe than sorry,Jean. I for one am happy with your return...I miss your musings when you are away and in your centre of the universe.
    Marcella in Holland

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  4. Anonymous1:03 PM

    Glad you had a break and also glad you got out in time and returned safely. Is there no way you could take a train and then taxi? Gee, that sky is absolutely beautiful and what a wonderful photograph with the leafless trees in the foreground.
    Ron in Mexico

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  5. When my father developed macular degeneration he had to start taking taxis, and was delighted at the convenience. You need to take care not to deplete your energy reserves as much as your financial reserves. Lovely photos.

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  6. skeindalous4:28 PM

    Was glad to see a photo of our sky scarf. The photo of the sky, itself, today is lovely. Could you do something with spit-splicing in new colors to have a gradual shift to a wholly new shade?

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  7. =Tamar9:07 PM

    Better safe than sorry. For similar reasons I pay someone to mow my yard and check the weather when considering non-essential travel.

    That pink in the sky photo is impressively brilliant. The sky here is rarely so dramatic.

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  8. That sky...! Oh! Rapturous!

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  9. With age comes wisdom so I congratulate you on your decision to return to Edinburgh. Your sky photos are magnificent.

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  10. Gorgeous skies!
    There is absolutely no shame in avoiding the weather if you can! After last year (being snowed in for almost a week with ever-dwindling supplies of food and firewood)I am considerably more cautious about the risk of Big Weather. Important to keep enough wool in the stash too! ;)

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  11. Glad you're home! My now-husband and I had a memorable fight in Edinburgh 26+ years ago involving the decision to take a taxi. It was raining, we had luggage, our B&B was at least a mile from the train station -- for me, it was a "duh" to take a taxi. Not so M. After I hailed it, he refused to get in it and walked, through the rain, carrying the luggage (which he also refused to relinquish). He still thinks he made the right decision. And I still married him.

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