Sunday, October 04, 2015

I'm grateful for all of your messages, and sorry to have left you in the lurch yesterday. The main difficulty was an Unexplained Connectivity Problem first thing in the morning.

Things are going quite well. I am finding it difficult to keep nimble and keep thinking, but otherwise the burdens are not unmanageable. I need to make more lists and to keep them by the calendar. My husband is pleased with his new cat:


The carers so far are young and pretty and kind and helpful. I had expected grumpy, middle-aged, underpaid.

Alexander and Ketki were here on Friday for the homecoming itself. James and Cathy came up from London for the weekend – Cathy is still here. Everything is being done to spare me effort.

Knitting:

Not much, but I have finished the crunch bit of the fourth Dunfallandy square. It went very smoothly, with the help of the designer's tutorial (link on the Dunfallandy blanket Ravelry page).  I should have looked at it sooner. 

I have been all right from the beginning with the first horizontal cables, when cables already established make a sharp turn and set off on the horizontal. But I was making a bit of a mess of the next ones, which run parallel a couple of rows later. They spring into existence out of nothing.

The difficulty turned out to stem from the instruction to knit 2 and then insert a crochet hook into “the first of the two sts just worked” and pull the working yarn through. Repeat with the second stitch (which will be the one most recently worked, at the tip of the right-hand needle). Put the two new stitches on a cable needle, rotate it, and knit them.

Not entirely easy. My basic mistake was to insert the crochet hook through the loops on the right hand needle. She doesn't mean that. She means “the sts just worked”, exactly as she says – the ones which have just become the-row-below. If you remember that, and keep the crochet hook and the cable needle in front of the work, and rotate it counter-clockwise when the moment comes, everything goes remarkably smoothly and the result looks good.

I'm not going to re-knit the first three squares, although the idea crosses my mind. The forthcoming triangles aren't affected – they're finished when you've done the first horizontal cable.


Rugby didn't go very well for the northern hemisphere yesterday. Scotland at least are still in with a chance. England are out of the World Cup.

20 comments:

  1. Happy to read such an up-beat post. May they long continue in this vein. Wonderful photo of paterfamilias and cat.
    As far as those of us in the merry old land of Oz are concerned, Rugby World Cup is looking better each game. May that continue too!

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  2. Lovely to hear your news. Your husband will be accustomed to accepting help from carers now, so at least that is not a problem. And he and Perdita look like old friends. Well done, Jean!

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  3. I wondered, when you decided to go for a kitten, whether it was entirely wise. Seeing the photo, it now appears that she (bless her paws) is likely to be the key factor that makes the whole equation work out. It would take a much better photographer than you to fake the mutual comfort in that picture.

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  4. Huzzah! Glad things are going well. And that is one happy kitten (and a happy gentleman as well), so yay for that too!
    Here's hoping things continue to go well (and lists are awesome, a very useful organizing tool).

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  5. That picture of your husband and Perdita is perfect. Made me tear up a bit. I hope things continue as they have begun. So glad you have lots of help and hope that continues as well.

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  6. So happy to hear all is going well and your husband appears very taken with his wee friend.

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  7. Such a beautiful picture. It is wonderful to see your husband at home.
    Ron in Mexico

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  8. Anonymous1:48 PM

    Yes, lovely picture - let's hear it for "pet therapy". So glad to hear things are going well. You're right, lists will be key.
    - Beth in Ontario

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  9. Anonymous3:00 PM

    Oh, I was so happy to read your post and see that wonderful picture of your husband and Perdita. I share in all the sentiments of your previous commenters and am looking forward to reading more of the same. Additionally I just want to add that you may be "old" as you say in your About Me section but your mind is amazingly young and nimble to be able to grasp all those new techniques in the Dunfallandy cables. As an eternal beginner/intermediate knitter it takes my breath away, while teaching me something new in the process. Three cheers to you, your husband and Perdita!! Chloe

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  10. My Tortoise shell cat Katerina and I echo all the above comments. What a prize winning photo!

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  11. p.s. Root for Ireland today in the rugby match!

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  12. What encouraging news! It sounds like things are going even better than one might have hoped. It's heart warming to see the picture of your husband with Perdita. Thank you so much for the update. I'll be sending lots of wishes for continued smooth sailing. Oh, and I'm so happy you've been able to do a little knitting. That helps everything.

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  13. Jean, I'm so happy to read that homecoming day went so well. The picture of your husband and Perdita is heartwarming. May today also be a good day as your household finds its new routine.

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  14. Anonymous6:33 PM

    That picture of Perdita and the new man in her life is the very one I wanted to see. Thank you.

    Gail in NC

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  15. Terrific to see the photo of Perdita and your husband. So glad he is pleased! And very encouraged to hear that it's going well so far and that your carers are meeting with approval. Best wishes to you all for it all continuing well.

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  16. 'Purr'fect photo, one for the mantelpiece. So glad things are going well.

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  17. adding my joy and relief at your good news... so glad that the carers are proving to be helpful young persons---that will help you both in the days ahead... and how could your husband not fall for lovely Perdita... she will be in heaven now with two adults to pamper her and play with her!

    so happy for you that you have such good children and they are helping your husband settle in and help you!

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  18. Hi Jean, I am so glad to read this blog entry, and to see the picture with your husband and his new cat.

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  19. =Tamar11:45 PM

    Kittens overcome many barriers.
    Dunfallandy begins to fascinate me. I am eager to see a picture when you are ready to show it.

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