Tuesday, April 10, 2012


Safely back. We had a good time, ate well and laughed much. Pics soon -- the computer is being intolerably slow just now.

Alexander, assuming the role of Job’s Comforter, had tales to tell of ceilings coming down well after the day of the inundation. I had been worrying about that possibility somewhat. At least, had been aware that it is a possibility. Now I am worrying about it a lot. How long before we are more or less in the clear?

I drove home yesterday convinced we would find the house covered in plaster – we had deliberately left the dining room door open, for air. But the ceiling is still up there.

I finished the Zauberball socks for myself. I cannot remember ever before having, in knitting, the experience one sometimes has with a really good book, of being sorry that it is coming to an end. Counting the pages that remain, in the one case; seeing the coming colour bands and realising that you’re not going to reach them, in the other. A Zauberball is wound so that you can do that.

Both Hellie and Lizzie, Rachel’s daughters, say that they would welcome socks. And both have very small feet, like their mother! So I cast on the Opal Hundertwasser yarn for Lizzie.

We watched a rather interesting documentary about the history of plastic last night, being too tired to try follow anything more sequential. The time line was more or less that of our lives, starting somewhere in the early 20th century. And there I was, knitting my sock with yarn that is 25% polyamid. Whatever that means – but it certainly means that the yarn feels like wool and washes like cotton and won't need darning soon.

Next, of course, that snood.

I asked Lizzie and Hellie what they understood by the word (as Young People). They instantly answered that it was something like the object I am going to knit, an “infinity scarf”. So that’s all right.

I wound the first skein last night, before reverting to sock-knitting. I was tired (see above) and did the elementary arithmetic wrongly in my head and wound up with four little balls where I wanted three. Not a fatal error. The Shibui yarn is wonderful; it glows. I plan to continue in this way, winding a skein per evening and then picking up the sock. When all four skeins are done, it will be time to swatch some openwork stitches.

Ketki was pleased with her Van Gogh socks, and they look good. Alexander seems to think that he could wear a pair on the same lines, so I’ll knit the Bedroom at Arles for him. 

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:06 PM

    So glad to hear you had such a lovely holiday, and that the Zauberball socks turned out so well.

    And also glad to hear that God is still in His Heaven - or at least, your plaster is still in its ceiling!

    Great to have you back.

    Beverly in NJ

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  2. Welcome back, I'm always glad to 'see' you.

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  3. I am glad you had a nice Easter visit with your family. Did the boys like helping you with your Sky Scarf?

    I am also so happy you liked knitting with the Zauberball sock yarn! I hope as you knit the socks it brought back memories of good cider, delicious food, laughter, stories and friendship. :-)

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  4. Sally5:07 PM

    I enjoy reading your blog. I have been trying to figure out how old you are. I would say my age which is late 70's If you're younger please forgive me.Glad you're back.

    Sally from Nashville

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  5. Sarah JS6:08 PM

    Welcome back! And so glad you're back to a ceiling that is still in its place.

    I'm rather close to the end of my one pair of "simple socks" -- I'm thinking I should dig through the stash and pull out some early purchases of self-patterning yarn for the next "simple socks." As always, too much I want to knit and too little time.

    Thought I'd also mention the Grand Excitement at our house. Kid #1 has narrowed her college choices (now all the acceptance & dreaded rejection letters are in) to two -- one of which is Oberlin. My father (who is, lik you, an alum -- '52 I think) is flying cross country to meet us there in 10 days' time so he & Kid #1 can explore the campus together. (We only have to fly across a third of the country to get there.)

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