Friday, April 24, 2009

More than half-way across row 35! I might finish the centre patterning tomorrow! Tamar, are you sure the old cliché about paint drying isn’t more applicable than Hitchcock? As soon as the pattern is done, I get to move on a page in Sharon’s instructions – onto the final page, in fact. This is all too exciting for words (for me).

Lisa, I had always intended in a vague sort of way to sign and date the Princess. But I only charted the lettering very recently, when I realised I was getting to the point where the box would have to be inserted. So now, of course, I’ve got to finish in 2009. The lettering is behind me, but I think again that it will be a bit more legible with a couple more rows of garter stitch on top of it. Picture, therefore, tomorrow.

A 2009 finish really ought to be do-able. Last night, I joined in the last ball of the original purchase of ten. I really wish I had kept track of ball-joining. I think I have knit two whole ones, plus a bit, since I resumed the Princess in February. So one more, even if it turns out not to be quite enough, ought not to take too long. Famous last words.

It will be interesting to see whether any memory of how to knit the edging has been retained in my aging brain. It’s very difficult. It took me fully half of the original 85 repeats to master it. And that was nearly four years ago – I started in May, ’05. But on the other hand I did master it, and recited the edging pattern to myself while my cataracts were being done that summer, as I believe I’ve mentioned before. So some memory may remain. The pattern looks very strange and as difficult as if I'd never seen it before.

Miscellany

I am worried about how thin the New Yorker is this year. It’s always thin in Jan-Feb, after the plump Christmas issues, but this year it doesn’t seem to have picked up. April 20 was a bit better (Easter?) with a fascinating article about the golf course on South Uist. Only the New Yorker could induce me to read an article about golf. But April 27 is down to pamphlet-size again.

I got all set last night to order some clothes for Theo’s wedding from a catalogue recommended by an elderly, shapeless friend. Why not name it? – Grey and Osbourn. I went through the whole procedure – and it wouldn’t accept my credit card. They wanted a two-digit “issue number” whereas all I could offer, other than the credit card number itself, was a three-digit “security number”. I shop on-line all the time using that card. Only last week I bought a boot jack. There are steps I could take, such as ringing them up or sending a cheque in the post. But I think I will give up, crossly, and go look in John Lewis. I now know what I want – that’s something.

Vegetable-growing

B., I am afraid my double-digging days are well behind me. But our soil is very light, sandy, indeed, if it weren’t so much manured over the years. So carrots have a chance. I’ll let you know how they fare this year: I’m trying a new approach. I am absolutely bowled over by how much is growing in your garden in northern NJ already.

5 comments:

  1. =Tamar12:41 PM

    The paint drying part is where the cricket and bonsai comparisons come in. But it's still exciting.

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  2. I'm interested to hear what technique you used for joining the new yarn. A good one, it seems, if you can't tell where. I haven noticed the same thing about the NYer, and think perhaps ad revenue is down? I avoided the golf course article, but now I'll go back and check it out. I bought potatoes, beets and chard to plant last night. A bit early for much else here.

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  3. Jean, I thought of you when reading the golf course article in the recent New Yorker. I'm afraid I concur about the recent issues; there have been one or two in the past six weeks that I've "read" in 20 minutes, because nothing other than the cartoons has held my attention.

    I enjoy reading the Princess updates. Good luck with the shopping! I'm searching for an outfit for a July wedding in a hot climate, and finding that most dressy summer outfits are designed either for teenagers or for the mother of the bride. I'm neither.

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  4. There is nothing so satisfying and encouraging as getting close to the end of a huge complex project. It's a dangerous point for me because I end up speeding up and pushing myself to the point where my hands hurt. I just can't stand leaving just one more row to go before binding off!

    Then there will be the dressing part. Do you have a large enough space to do it in?

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  5. Maureen in Fargo4:24 PM

    I'm afraid the New Yorker isn't alone in shrinking, my husband has been saying the same thing about Time Magazine, which I never read (I'd rather be knitting and ignorant!). He says he won't renew, he gets all the news he wants on line now and many others do too, which is the problem. Our local newspaper is shrinking as well. I guess on line subscriptions are the way it's going, I have one to Yarn Forward now. It's fun but rather disconcerting to read that way but I'll get used to it.

    Hey Mary Lou, I saw you at Yarnover last week but every time I wanted to say hi you were busy with someone...so HI!

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