Sunday, February 28, 2021

 

All well. C. came, fresh from her vaccination, and we got twice around the garden. It’s remarkable how much has happened, in 48 hours, this time of year – daffodils now in bloom, and crocuses (I hadn’t noticed them before), and the wild garlic coming along nicely. And little girls having a picnic with their dolls. The step count stands at 3381. I can begin to think of hitting 5000.

 

I’ve measured the Polliwog, clumsily. The circumference seems right for the smallest size (which is what I’m aiming at).

 

Life, Reading

 

Janet, I envy you your assisted living community. It isn’t really the same here. We have apartments designed for the elderly, with help on call. But (in most cases) no restaurant, no gym, no common activities. I would have liked to have something like the American system on my Possibles List when my husband died. My mother lived in one. My sister and her husband are in another.

 

Leaving one’s books behind would be distressing. Getting the place tidied up, instead of leaving that task for one’s heirs, would, on the other hand, be a great relief. Despite Kirsten’s justified criticisms of the Kindle, I find it a tremendous help in reducing clutter. It does happen – it did, just the other day – that I read something I want to pass on, and then I have to bite the bullet and order a physical copy. But meanwhile books are not piling up here beyond the capacity of shelves to hold them. As I’ve said, knitting books and cookery are still purchased in hard copy only – and that fact rather restricts my buying.


Wales won the rugby yesterday

 

8 comments:

  1. I buy books for the kindle, then if I really feel it would be a good knitting or cooking reference, I buy a hard copy. Although I have gotten used to cooking from the iPad kindle app. I envy you spring flowers, Jean. We had a bit more snow today.,

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  2. I took a longish while to buy a kindle, but it has been one of the few pieces of kit which I find worthwhile - I'm not a fan of mobile phones for example. But with a Kindle, you can hear of a book and be reading it within minutes. Mind you, I'm now reading a book published in 1960 about William Petre, Secretary to four Tudor monarchs. I had to order a hard copy of that.

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  3. Anonymous12:33 AM

    Toronto has been above freezing for most of the past week, and also sunnier, which has been very cheering. I feel we are very far from any flowers, but then I went to check my photos from 2020. Snowdrops 7 March, crocuses by 22 March, mini-iris by 27 March, large daffodils by 9 April. So perhaps I just need to be more patient (as usual).
    I used to buy a lot of cookbooks. Now I borrow them from the library and see if the author suits me. I am trying to only buy cookbooks with more than 20 items I would actually make regularly - not just special occasion items. In recent years that has meant Eastern Mediterranean (Middle Eastern/Turkish/Persian) plus South Asian.
    Have a good week!
    Lisa RR

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  4. Just leaving a comment as I feel like a lurker as I have read your blog for years but rarely interacted. I'm a native Texan who finds myself relocated to Dalkeith with my Scottish husband and 2 kids (one born last year in lockdown). I found your blog when I was missing Edinburgh while visas were applied for and I was forced back to the States to wait it out. I enjoy your unique perspective as an expat and fellow knitter. I just discovered that Tin Can Knits favourite dyer, Rainbow Heirloom, is based out of Edinburgh having thought it was a Canadian thing. That discovery hurt my wallet a bit as I ordered yarn for baby blankets with haste.
    Well done on the step count; Spring in the air will certainly help. I'm enjoying the longer days already. I'm jealous of your daffodils appearing already. All we have in my immediate area are snow drops and garlic.
    -Amy

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    Replies
    1. The Tin Can Knits partners are both from British Columbia but one now lives in Edinburgh while the other is still in Canada.

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    2. Anonymous6:09 AM

      Hi Amy,

      I have a very close friend living in Dalkeith and a daughter just west of Edinburgh. Missing them both very much during the travel restrictions. Also missing the occasional real-life chats with Jean. We have had the pleasure of meeting in Edinburgh and in London. I hope things improve soon and you can get the freedom to enjoy the wonders of Scotland.

      Jean, I hope we will meet again some time this year.
      JennyS

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  5. =Tamar12:39 PM

    Daffodils already? Gosh. We seem to be having a thaw - above freezing even at night for several days - but no flowers yet.

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  6. Anonymous4:22 PM

    The buds on the dwarf nectarine in my backyard have begun to blossom. The cherry tree will follow in two weeks or so; I will be living in a Japanese woodcut.
    -- Gretchen (aka stashdragon)

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