Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Perdita is fasting before tomorrow's surgery. She is beginning to get cross about it. I am miserable.

I remain very anxious about the tax. My sister points out that if I had an accountant s/he would be responsible for filing. I think a better (and much cheaper) solution would be to get it done earlier in the tax year. Whatever, I'm stuck now.

Thinking about (not that but) knitting charts in the night, I came to the same conclusion as several of you (although formless, in my case, and less well expressed) that it was advances in computer technology and desk-top publishing in the 80's and 90's, rather than the rise of common sense, which brought graphs to published knitting patterns. Traditional knitters must have been using them all along.

Mary Lou! I have knit Mrs Laidlaw's Pattern, too, in a gansey for Ketki in a tough pink yarn from Frangipani. It serves as something approaching a suit of armour. She wears it sometimes to rugby matches.That was when the question arose with my sister-in-law of whether the herring girls wore colour -- an issue I referred to briefly some weeks ago. I went to the shelf just now to get the book and to try to remember whether or not I charted the pattern. And the book wasn't there, although several lesser works on related topics were.

I am sunk even deeper into gloom. That is an essential book.

I knit that sweater in Strathardle. Could the book still be there? I find with the current shawl, too, that I can remember where I was when knitting different parts of it, but not how difficulties were resolved.

Actual knitting of the shawl went well today, as I had nothing else to do but knit and worry. I have reached row 61 (of 83) in the border. I am thinking about inserting a break pattern – k2tog, yo, all the way around – between the border and the centre. Mrs Hunter of Unst doesn’t have one, but need that stop me?

My sister also sent me this link to the Pussyhat pattern. You probably all have it already – somehow or other, I knew about the march and the hat but had missed the beginning of the conversation so didn’t know the pattern. My sister says someone is knitting her one, although she is not going to march.

My wonderful children are trying to arrange a weekend away for me. For awhile there we thought I might join the Loch Fyne Mileses in early March for the Calcutta Cup weekend. We could watch the match together, and then if Scotland win -- don't worry; they won't -- I could measure Alexander on the spot for his Fair Isle vest. It was Greek Helen rather than I who spotted the flaw -- that's the weekend of the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. 


If I’m not here tomorrow, it will of course be because I am trying to comfort my cat.

12 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:52 PM

    All 3 of our children will be in DC, along with 6 of our grandchildren, all wearing pink hats .....I knit 5, my daughter knit 2, and my daughter in law sewed 5 out of pink fleece for her crew. I hope the sea of pink proves to be impressive to our new president. He needs to know how many women and men will be watching.....hoping for the best, but watching and ready to apply pressure if necessary. I'll be attending one of the sister marches, here in New Hampshire.

    Barbara M. In NH

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  2. rosesmama11:40 PM

    I just checked my Gladys Thompson, copyright 1969, and there are charts there for the traditional guernsey and aran patterns. It must have been so much more time consuming without a computer.

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  3. I am starting my ninth pussy hat: four in bright pink, heading mainly to the DC march; four in purple, one of three official colors (in honor of the Suffragists) of the Seneca Falls march, which I will attend on Saturday; and one "making lemonade" by knitting half of the ribbing in the last bit of the pink, and the remainder in the purple. This is the hat I will wear, myself (if I finish it in time).

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  4. Have you seen the Fair Isle vest pattern Kate released today? Something to consider knitting, even if Scotland doesn't win the Calcutta Cup!

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  5. Anonymous6:41 AM

    I am at my least effective in December and January so have rolled my tax work back to August/September. This seems much less stressful and allows plenty of time for any little hiccups.
    JennyS

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  6. Sending good wishes to Perdita and to you! I have knit (only) 2 Pussy hats to be worn at the March in Los Angeles. To me, they show that women are willing to be seen and heard --- and that we have a sense of humor.

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  7. I'm sure Perdita will be fine. In thinking about this I was remembering when I had one of my fur babies neutered. After I brought him home, he was a bit groggy. He came into the room where I was and sat down in front of me, then quickly stood up and looked behind himself as if to say, something's not right back there. Very surprised looking cat!

    I do miss every cat I've ever had when I stop to think of them. Don't you?

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  8. Anonymous11:45 AM

    When considering what a beloved pet wil be "missing" after being spayed or neutered. It is important to remember what the terrible consequences of overpopulation are for unwanted domestic animals. Ask any Animal Rescue Shelter. That breaks my heart even worse so we always have spayed or neutered our cats and dogs. Sparing our painful feelings is not an option. Chloe

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    1. Anonymous3:43 PM

      I agree whole-heartedly, Chloe.
      -- Gretchen (aka stashdragon)

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  9. I always worry before surgery on my pets too! The most recent spay(November a year ago-I was influenced by you getting Perdita) was extra sleepy the night after and next day but did not take it easy the next week like she was supposed to! She did get pain meds but even without they have fast recovery from the surgery. So good luck and no more irritated cat in heat times.

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  10. Oh, yesterday I went to get my Kim Hargreaves North to make a hat. I looked high and low and could not find it at all, so I am sympathetic that you cannot find your book. When looking I realized that I have way to many knitting pattern books and magazine, but not sure if I have the heart to get rid of any. However we are in the process of building a new house at a Delaware beach, which my husband wants to move into and live full time, so a destashing is probably in my future.

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  11. As to taxes, I used to do my own when I was self-employed. As time wore on, and laws and circumstances changed, tax time made me a nervous wreck. For several years now I have paid a professional $250 and it is money well spent for my peace of mind.

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