Not
a bad day. I got Xmas pressies wrapped for Alexander to take away with him
tomorrow. I did a big supermarket shop. Tomorrow I must get back to card-writing.
And I knit very happily on the stripey hat. It is perfect winter
solstice knitting, bright and cheerful and quick and fun -- perhaps I should
get in a couple more kits for future solstices. Every bit of it is fun:
1) the 21 mini-skeins are strung on a leather thong (I think would be
the word), in no particular order. So the first thing to do is to find the one
you want next. The efficient thing to do would be to un-string them and spread
them out on the table. I think it's much more fun not to. I find two at a time,
and then re-string the others.
2) then you get to wind the first of the skeins you
found. That's fun too.
3) then knit a stripe -- none are more than three rounds wide.
4) on to the second skein.
Then you get to start again. I've done 21 of the 55 rounds before the
crown shaping.
There is a slight complication, in that after a
while you find yourself called upon to re-employ a colour which has already
appeared. And this evening, as we were
peacefully watching television, I got to the first instance -- row 22 -- of that
requirement. And guess who was sleeping
on top of the left-overs? So that was the end of the evening’s knitting.
(There is a blanket over the sofa because she often thinks she would like to sharpen claws on it.)
Non-knit
That 's a good idea, commenters yesterday, to walk to retain the
strength I've got. Very faithful readers will remember how I used to do a mile
around Drummond Place gardens every morning (four circuits). That was five or
six years ago. Then we had a hard winter, the one in which my husband’s
sister died, and I never got started again.
I will try to re-institute something like that. Although, of course, it
probably won't be possible tomorrow… and I hear myself saying that often in the
future. But I'll try. The great thing about DP Gardens is that they're more or
less level. All other walks around here are fairly steep.
As a population health scientist, and a walker, just adding my encouragement to walking for both physical health, and spirits. Not always easy for the elderly outdoors here in Canada, where the risk of slipping on ice is a big consideration. Have just lost my walking buddy, who's away for work for the next 4 months (our icy months) - we'll see if I get in my daily hour now. A minimum of 1 minutes at a time is recommended, half an hour even better if you can, and glad that you have Drummond Place Gardens. Following your stripey hat progress with vicarious pleasure.
ReplyDeleteWalking in the gardens is not a bad idea. Since I injured my knee, I often walk around one of the big warehouse stores with a buggy. My pedometer said it was 2000+ steps, once around the store.
ReplyDeleteAlthough weakness is not an unusual symptom among older people, and walking may indeed improve it, it might be a good idea to have it checked out if you have not already done so, Jean. It might just be a matter of a particular vitamin supplement which your body can no longer readily absorb. I think I read somewhere that that can be a problem as we age. It might just be a result of these past several trying months and will resolve itself with time. But it can't hurt, can it? We care about you, Jean. Chloe
ReplyDeleteGood thought about the vitamins. I believe stress will cause the body to use up more vitamins, so perhaps a short term test of a supplement might indicate something. There used to be a combination called "stress vitamins" which I believe included B complex, C, and...maybe it was E?
DeleteSuch a softie - I would have moved the cat. Do you carry colors up, or do you have to weave in all the ends?
ReplyDeletePerdita is so grown up now! It makes it even easier to lay on top of everything! (And I would have tried to fool her into thinking my burrowing under her for the skeins was a different kind of petting. Even though it has a high claw/bite risk!)
ReplyDeleteOh, it's nice to see stretchy Perdita!
ReplyDeleteGood work on all fronts! The cap sounds great, and a side comment: vitamin D was a recommendation for me due to lack of outside time walking. You are inspirational.
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