Saturday, January 31, 2015

More good news from Athens – David has been tottering up and down the corridor, supported now by his wife, “a la Daddy in Drummond Place”.

Knitalot, my fear of general anaesthetic is specific, in that we have had two cases in the family of not-coming-round. One was my mother's mother, a fair time ago, in Dallas, in the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis, in fact. The other much more recently, Rachel's father-in-law, in London. Both survived their operations for some time – weeks. But no more consciousness.

My own experience is limited to a tooth extraction in Glasgow in the late '50's. I would flee screaming from a dentist who suggested such a thing nowadays – or at least, would ask many sharp questions.

So, I'm going on my walk this morning. C. suggests the sea shore, to avoid any danger of ice. Not a bad idea. And maybe we can come back here for a restorative bowl of soup, rather than finding a cafe to huddle in. C. knows the city well, and has come up with some good post-walk cafes. I'd be sorry to omit that bit, but it might be wiser.

James gave a talk on some aspect of China at Eton yesterday. He got to take his daughter Rachel along. It must have been an interesting glimpse, for both of them, behind a door permanently closed to most of us. I don't know whether they got to stay overnight.

Today is the income-tax-filing deadline. The radio said that a remarkable number of us – a million? – haven't done it yet.

Knitting

I phoned Loop. It was fun. She hadn't heard of “pocket squares” either, but found the page on Ravelry with a speed which was a great credit to the Loop computer. She made some suggestions which I haven't fully explored yet. But I still wonder if I couldn't muster the strength to get up to Lewis's (or across to McAree's – is that what they're called?) and experience some actual yarn.

Archie's sweater progressed, but not much. Never was there such an evening for repeated escapes of the fifth needle, every time I was interrupted and no matter how carefully I put it down.


And I haven't read any more of the New Yorker article about hoarding, being absorbed in the new issue and the article on salmonella.  

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:53 AM

    Oh Jean, I'm sorry to hear your fear of the GA is specific. My fear is based on cases which have been reported on in newspapers and watching an over-tired doctor performing mental maths, while holding her tired head, to calculate the required quantity. My mother wasn't allowed a GA for her knee replacement due to a specific risk so she remained awake throughout listening to the hammering and drilling - she never did get the second one done!

    I'm worried about the pocket squares - that once folded they may bulge when placed into the fine suit fabric. I was wondering about something like a gossamer in a combination of wool/silk/cashmere made up in a stitch which will give some rigidity to the fabric. They could almost be mini Unsts. The Gossamer Web (based in the USA) has some in dark blue/navy - a little would go a long way?

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  2. Oh! I love knitalot's suggestion of a mini-Unst for the pocket squares. When folded they would not be as obviously lacy, I would guess, if laciness is a concern to the groom or groomsmen. I wish I'd thought of knitting a pocket square for my husband when we were married in 2013! Maybe I will do one as an anniversary gift for this year, just for the fun of it.

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  3. Anonymous2:26 PM

    I just purchased a kit from Knit Purl for a simple scarf made out of Risoni silk...it is a thick and thin lace weight. Just work it in stockenette stitch and it amkes wonderful design on its own. Might work for the pocket squares. It comes in wonderful colors. I bought the purple. Leslie in NJ

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  4. i have been fortunate to only have one experience with surgery - for otosclerosis in my right ear. it was very scary for me as a musician ... the thought of being the one case that the operation would fail and i would lose my hearing in that ear...

    i did not want general anaesthia - somehow that had not been explained to me until the morning of the op. and i gave the anaesetheologist a really hard time. the surgeon had to come and tell me it had to be GA. i gave in but was rather upset about it. luckily it was fine. i did come awake during the very end of the op as the surgeon was finishing the implanting of the new piece in my ear canal.

    i realize an inner ear op is not abdominal surgery in terms of life threatening risks... however, losing ones consciousness at the hands of another human being albeit trained is still a scary prospect.

    and i read too many mysteries!

    Glad that David is recuperating!

    Am so woefully behind in my New Yorkers ... i thought getting the app on my ipad would help but the problem is not enough reading time, and too much too read.

    oh well. they will be there when i do have time.


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  5. I just finished knitting a top-down sweater where I used a very short (40 cm) cirular needle for the greater part of the sleeves. It went much quicker and without accidents than the last part with five double-pointed needles. I think for a boy´s sweater, you could use the circular for an even longer part.

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