I continue to improve, health-wise.
Christmas
See Kristie’s blog post of January 2 for an account of a happy Christmas party in which “major bonus points were awarded because not a single appliance complained or died during the festivities.” She had previously posted an hilarious series of accounts of the disasters of Christmas Past.
Our appliances held up, more or less, but the bath stopped emptying, and then the washing machine and the bathroom basin starting backing up into it.
We thought, at first, that the down pipe must be frozen. But by yesterday the thaw had lasted for a week and the bathtub was, if anything, worse. The prospect of calling in an expensive Man loomed near. I went all the way to the supermarket yesterday – not much use; they haven’t had any deliveries to speak of, and it’s like shopping in one’s own larder. But I bought something called Mr. Muscle, for clearing drains.
My husband was sceptical, and cross. That was for clearing kitchen drains, he said, blocked by congealed fat. I poured it in anyway – it’s a sort of heavy gel which sank through the standing water and down the drain.
By the time we had finished lunch, the bathtub was empty. I am hopeful. We left it untouched for the rest of the day. This morning, I have flushed it with hot water, as instructed. I mean to test it by running the washing machine. Even if it’s still blocked, that’ll give me one more load of clean clothes.
Knitting
I think I’ve finished the st st part of the first Round-the-Bend sleeve, and am ready to begin the garter stitch gusset. I’ve had another look at that passage in the DVD, and have learned a thing or two.
And I got out some possible sock yarns for Joe’s coming-of-age pair. Depressing, after a year of such yarnly virtue, to see how much of it there is. This isn't all, of course -- just the ones I thought possible for Joe. I think I will go for something pretty sober, perhaps the brown, lower left. It's called "Trekking XXL" for some reason.
See Kristie’s blog post of January 2 for an account of a happy Christmas party in which “major bonus points were awarded because not a single appliance complained or died during the festivities.” She had previously posted an hilarious series of accounts of the disasters of Christmas Past.
Our appliances held up, more or less, but the bath stopped emptying, and then the washing machine and the bathroom basin starting backing up into it.
We thought, at first, that the down pipe must be frozen. But by yesterday the thaw had lasted for a week and the bathtub was, if anything, worse. The prospect of calling in an expensive Man loomed near. I went all the way to the supermarket yesterday – not much use; they haven’t had any deliveries to speak of, and it’s like shopping in one’s own larder. But I bought something called Mr. Muscle, for clearing drains.
My husband was sceptical, and cross. That was for clearing kitchen drains, he said, blocked by congealed fat. I poured it in anyway – it’s a sort of heavy gel which sank through the standing water and down the drain.
By the time we had finished lunch, the bathtub was empty. I am hopeful. We left it untouched for the rest of the day. This morning, I have flushed it with hot water, as instructed. I mean to test it by running the washing machine. Even if it’s still blocked, that’ll give me one more load of clean clothes.
Knitting
I think I’ve finished the st st part of the first Round-the-Bend sleeve, and am ready to begin the garter stitch gusset. I’ve had another look at that passage in the DVD, and have learned a thing or two.
And I got out some possible sock yarns for Joe’s coming-of-age pair. Depressing, after a year of such yarnly virtue, to see how much of it there is. This isn't all, of course -- just the ones I thought possible for Joe. I think I will go for something pretty sober, perhaps the brown, lower left. It's called "Trekking XXL" for some reason.
Every year around this time I make a list of what I might knit in the year to come – not resolutions, by any means, or even ambitions – just a list of HALFPINTS from the back of my mind. Usually the list is too long for any year to encompass, but this time it’s embarrassingly short: finish Round-the-Bend, Joe’s socks, and something with a stitch pattern in purpose-bought yarn: travelling stitch or Celtic knots (for Starmore) or something from the Japanese stitch dictionary or even good old Aran.
I am hoping that the new EZ book when it appears will help settle the matter. The picture they are showing as the mock cover (second item down) is really rather tempting. I like that neck.
Sorry to hear about your holiday plumbing problems. It is hard to think of a worse time for such a thing than when you have a houseful of guests.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to give the Trekking a hearty endorsement. I have knit gift socks out of that yarn and it has held up very well. It can suffer the abuse of repeated trips through the washer and dryer which is a must for gift socks.
Thanks for mentioning my blog!
I like the phrase - like shopping in one's own larder. I am rather enjoying quite ordinary shopping here - seeing items I haven't even thought of for years - e.g. jello, Bisquick - and numerous others. Is that shopping in my larder of 40 years ago?
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