Thursday, March 27, 2008

I made an unexpected discovery about myself and knitting yesterday – I’ll save it for the end.

We’re moving on. My husband’s trouble is not flu but an abscess in his mouth. [Vindicating yet again that fine fellow, William of Occam, whose approach to life’s problems was, Don’t look for two explanations where one will do. My husband had mentioned toothache at the beginning, but wasn’t in the sort of agony I associate with abscesses so I sort of forgot about that in the face of his general debility.]

The dr prescribed so fierce a dose of antibiotics that it completely flattened him, insofar as he wasn’t completely flattened already. I reported developments to our dentist by telephone, and was astonished when the junior partner came to see us. He has smoothed out the antibiotic dose and recommended rinsing the mouth often with salty water. By evening blood sugars were down – they go haywire in times of illness – and I think the worst is probably over.

Meanwhile Julian phoned again and we talked about his father. It was about as good a death as one could ask for, except that one would have preferred it some other time, not just now, thanks. Duncan was my age. The funeral is on Tuesday (the anniversary of my mother’s death, as it happens) at a convenient time in the early afternoon. If my husband isn’t up to it, I can make a day trip. It will be at the little wooden Episcopal church where his first wife’s funeral was, and his second wedding.

As for knitting, I did virtually none yesterday, except for a round or two of jolly sock in the dr’s waiting room. What I discovered was, knitting is for me a social activity. Me, the least social of souls. I abandoned the Princess last November when my husband was briefly in hospital. I thought it was because stress didn’t allow that sort of concentration, but now I wonder whether I just didn’t feel like knitting because he wasn’t sitting there. When he was restored to me, I proceeded to Christmas knitting, thence to the gansey.

Sure enough, I did those initials wrong. Not only with the letters in the wrong order, but on the back of the sleeve. I think I’ve got it right this time.

I wondered a bit, over the weekend, why I bother to knit anything except socks. Thomas-the-Elder wants another pair; Rachel says her collection is going into holes [I’ll take darning equipment when we next go to London]; Ketki likes the look of the KF socks which will be hers. I tried to persuade Thomas to let me knit a pair like that for him, but no. They might do for a commodity dealer, but are a bit startling for a lawyer.

7 comments:

  1. socks are good though, and quick (for those not like me who don't have too many things going at once).

    Condolences on your day coming up -- they are hard to get through for everyone.

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  2. Anonymous10:30 AM

    Jean, the Noro Kureyon sock yarn is out now. Wonder if that would suit Thomas for a pair. Google it and see. Jayne

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  3. I have to have the tv going to knit most of the time. I do find I can knit at the computer waiting for pages to load and waiting for the children to finish their supper. When I am knitting, I have no idea what is going on the tv, but I have apparently trained myself to 'need' the noise.

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  4. There's a gansey-knitting workshop this coming Monday in Berwick (1st stop on some London-bound trains south from Edinburgh). I've only just been sent the details myself.

    Monday, 31st March 10am till 2pm

    Cost - £12

    Call Terri on 01289 303212

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  5. Anonymous7:14 PM

    Dear Jean... as I read your last post and admired your pictures, I realized that THAT was why I knit: sl I can see my family surrounding me, wearing my love in a concrete and visible way. That's also why I don't often knit anything for myself, which can be frustrating. Right now, I'm into the new grandmother stage (our oldest grandson will turn 3 this June, granddaughters just 2 years old and 2 months old, and another on the way) and their sweaters are quick, but the time frame is constricted by how quickly they grow. Things must be finished fast or go to the next grandchild! Only socks seem to get finished for me..... ah well, I must get to work on the new baby's blanket: he/she will need to be wrapped in love come July.

    Barbara M.

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  6. Tell Thomas that I'd more more likely to hire a lawyer with lary hand-knit socks than one with machine knit cashmere. Such a person would have a sense of humour, which is a vital necessity in any legal proceding.

    I'm glad to hear that the infection is resolving and BSLs calming down. Antibiotics can be a pretty rough cure! I'm guessing that yoghurt will be his next requirement, though.

    I like knitting to sport and idiotic tv. When I'm in a group the knitting suffers unless it's idiot stocking stitch.

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  7. Can I put in my bid for socks too? I had long ago given up hope. Mine are, like Rachel's, well past their best and worn rarely in the fear that the last threads will give way. A new pair is much needed.

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