Friday, October 02, 2015

You must never go down to the end of the town/ If you don't go down with me:


Well, I'm as ready as I'm going to be. My husband will be delivered home by ambulance sometime this morning. I'll go out in the kitchen any moment now and make Nigella's vegetable soup, which we often had for lunch in the past. Then people will begin to arrive.

Perhaps it will all go smooth as silk and I can spend my days knitting. We have also been thinking along your lines, Shandy, and I believe Greek Helen got back in touch with our chosen nursing home this week.

But we've got to give this a very good trial first. The one thing which has sustained my husband through all these long weeks, has been the hope of coming home. I can't take that away from him without an extremely good reason.

Helen (anon) – that's a good point about the Magnum Opus and the danger of my husband's deleting it all. His fingers are deadly when dealing with technology.

It's all up there in Dropbox. It's also on this computer in a non-Dropbox form. And there are earlier versions hither and yon, including a complete CD in Strathardle. And there is a whole row of physical files with the print-outs. In all this, the very latest changes could go astray, but I think for the last couple of years they've only been fairly minor verbal changes. Except, of course, for the discovery of “Woman at Prayer” in NYC last year.


What will he think of his peculiar cat?

Knitting

I didn't get quite as far as I hoped, yesterday. I'm a few rows short of the mid-section of the fourth Dunfallandy square. No further mistakes, that's something. I must try to peer at it to see whether I can distinguish all these M1L's and M1R's so conscientiously executed. There's a big difference between K2tog and SSK. I ought to be able to see something like the same difference here if it's really worth all this trouble to do them right.


I'll try to be back here tomorrow. That's the best I can say.

32 comments:

  1. Good luck! Hope to hear about it soon - do look after yourself Jean.

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  2. Your first line reminded me of the days when I used to enjoy reading those A. A. Milne verses to my children. I hope Perdita and your husband don't join forces in the JJRRWGD role!

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  3. Anonymous11:44 AM

    Good luck today, Jean! Many warm thougts are all aimed at Drummond Place with hopes of a successful and relatively stress-free homecoming.

    Beverly in NJ

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  4. Hoping everything goes well today - remember (as someone who recently watched her mother go through a similar time) - you can't take care of anyone else if you don't take care of yourself too!

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  5. Jean, good luck to all of you. I am sure the day will bring its difficulties -- this is a fairly major transition for all of you. Remember that you have a whole world of knitterly support wishing you well!

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  6. Thinking of you today. Good luck with this big transition.

    Perdita as watch cat? She is adorable. Twisting around to see what you are doing without abandoning her post.

    And what a nice big hall!

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  7. I wish you the very best of luck today

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  8. Echoing the thoughts of all - we are sending support. So glad you have some in the flesh, as well!

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  9. All good hopes and wishes to you, your husband and the family. Will be thinking of you often today.

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  10. Best wishes for today and take care of yourself. Me time isn't selfish, it's battery recharging time.

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  11. Anonymous1:48 PM

    Jean Instead of SSK try "k2tog through the back loop." Much less fiddly. I have heard this mentioned twice recently. The first time from some very accomplished knitting bloggers who did not see any difference visually (although that might depend on individual knitting style) and very recently I heard about an Alaskan Native American Cooperative who knit all their quiviut lace patterns that way. it might not work for the Dunfallandy (if it looks different) but maybe for some future project. Good luck on the Homecoming! Chloe

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  12. Thinking of you.

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  13. All the best to both of you.

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  14. I will be thinking of you today, Jean, and hoping all is going well. Even under the best of circumstances it can be difficult having someone who has been gone for quite some time return home. It sounds like you and your children have done everything possible to make this work. Please take care of yourself. We all worry about you!

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  15. skeindalous3:04 PM

    God bless! Keep us posted on your progress with home care and knitting.
    Am impressed with your quick results on the lovely Dunfallandy. You encourage me to try.

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  16. =Tamar3:17 PM

    Knitting is often a useful metaphor for life. Just keep at it and eventually it works out. By the way, in my experience M1L and M1R do make a sufficient difference in appearance to be worth the effort, but YMMV.

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  17. ChiGail3:22 PM

    Keeping you and your family in my thoughts today. Stay as strong as we know you to be.

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  18. I'm another of the many thinking of you today, and hoping that all goes as well as possible on this first day home for your husband.

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  19. Best of luck!!
    Oh, and to anyone wondering about decreases, may I suggest Fleegle's blog.
    I'm linking to the post I've had open for a couple days, on various purl decreases, but I swear by her no slip left leaning decrease (except in laceweight, where I generally end up with a k2togbl because I can't see the difference and it's easier and I never really got the hang of ssk).
    http://fleeglesblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/purl-decreases-demystified.html

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  20. Thinking of you, especially today, and all through this big transition!
    It will take some time to get used to things and to work all the bugs out. Take time to breathe (if not knit) and try to be patient with yourself especially while you all adjust.

    Blessings and prayers for you and your family. We will all be thinking of you all and holding the good thought for the days ahead

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  21. Knitsiam5:43 PM

    Sending warm wishes and prayers of support to you and yours for the days ahead. Despite any challenges that may arise, this is a momentous day for you and your husband - long awaited, I'm sure. Congratulations; take care.

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  22. Thinking of you all at Drummond Place.

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  23. Thinking of you, and fingers crossed for a smooth transition. Please remember to take care of yourself. Your husband is a very lucky man to have you.

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  24. Anonymous10:24 PM

    Hoping all goes well with the transition and that your husband enjoys meeting Perdita. Blessings on you all - Joe-in Wyoming

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  25. Nobody seems to have given consideration to what the peculiar cat will make of the husband. I do hope she approves.

    I also hope today has gone well for you all.

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  26. Anonymous1:20 PM

    Good wishes to you all Jean. I reckon on 6 weeks to establish a new routine so hang on in there and the peace and the calm will return for knitting, blogging and popping out on your own for a bit.

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  27. Anonymous1:22 PM

    Good wishes to you all Jean. I reckon on 6 weeks to establish a new routine so hang on in there and the peace and the calm will return for knitting, blogging and popping out on your own for a bit.

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  28. I'm sending all my good vibes your way, Jean! Hope you can feel the love.

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  29. Just sending more light and love. Your husband is damn lucky, btw. My grandmother had to put my grandfather in a home (former alcoholic, water on the brain caused confusion, surgeon drained water too fast= brain damage and more confusion). My mom had me (I was 6? Or so, 11 when he died) and a full time career (my dad was never really a big or useful part of my life, sadly) and it just couldn't happen.
    My grandmother lucked out, though. By the time she was basically house-ridden I was a teenager with a license and a car so I helped out (took her to appointments when I wasn't in school, that sort of thing). She was only out of her house for a week (in hospital) before the end.
    I don't tell that story to discourage or depress, but to let you know that you're pretty damn awesome to step up, especially when you're not quite 100%. Take care of him (and just as important, yourself!). Being a carer to someone you love is really hard, make sure to fit in some you time, k?
    All the hugs!

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  30. Anonymous5:28 PM

    Adding my thoughts, prayers and best wishes - thinking of you, your husband, Perdita and the whole cast of family and caregivers. Knitalot's 6-week timeframe for new regime seems reasonable.
    - Beth in Ontario

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  31. Here's me also thinking of you every few hours, hoping the transition is going smoothly. And adding my cautions to take care of yourself, too!

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