2—Of the little I got accomplished, this about sums it up. I did do another repeat on my Hitofude—9 down, 7 or so more to go! This is my blanket with all the blue done and one and a bit of the next white done, and the second of my finer dishcloths. I got quite a bit done while talking to my mom on her birthday.
3—Stomach bug + possible giardia?
4—Java cat!
and I turned the heel on my second Time Traveler sock; now I can zoom down the foot and get these DONE! Double bonus; Stash Dash AND my floors are super cold!
Oh yeah, I had to pull out a few rows on my mystic spiral sock because I thought I was done with the short rows, and the more I looked at it, the more I was convinced that I was a row off. So, I went back, fixed it, and am now set to zoom on towards the heel. Picture next week hopefully!
I made kettle corn for the first time following here; using coconut oil is a nice touch, though my regular oil worked well too. I'm wondering now if using the raw Zambian sugar will make any difference...
That's basically it for this week! I'm hoping to get some solid relaxing/knitting time in this weekend; I'm pushing really hard to be all/mostly caught up on marking so I can actually chill. Boy do I need it!
Happy winter solstice!
I also pulled out of long-term hibernation my crazy blanket which I want to finish off for stash dash. I got a triangle and a half done while watching First Knight on Saturday, and hope to get the second one finished soon. I’m debating how to do the boarder; the idea of doing it in four parts and then sewing the corners seems rather untidy to me… I wonder if that was just to keep you from having to knit rows that never end?
Well, that’s me for this week—hopefully more knitting news after mid-term reports are done and in. Remind me why I chose a profession with +3 hours of homework every night?
Oh--another book swept me away this week, but in a different way. The Handmaid's Tale is something that has been on my list for awhile because a friend read it, and because people keep referencing it in regards to our new political leaders. On the one hand, this was absolutely written from a place of feminism and deep mistrust for Christianity, but the thing that scares me is that I can see the seeds of this in conservative Christian culture. I don't think for a moment that things will ever go that way, but to have been so often treated as less than an adult because I am a single woman... Very thought provoking.
I DID start the first Mystik Spiral Sock; I’m so excited for how this is going to turn out! I love how you increase in the toe; this is one of the best method’s I’ve seen yet. I don’t see myself ever becoming a sold out toe-upper, but it is nice to find better ways to do something. So far it’s really unexciting—not even up to full stitch count yet, but that was as far as I could get with my 30 minute ‘oxygen mask’ while listening to a Great Course this afternoon. I figured I deserved a break after my non-stop weekend!
So, even though there is hardly any knitting worth noting, I wanted to talk about a book that totally swept my off my feet and invaded my world for this last week. It absolutely rocked my world, and still has me thinking. What was it you ask? Me Before You.
I have had this on my ‘to read’ list for awhile, and for my birthday weekend I borrowed it and Son via my library’s digital collection. In my head this was going to be something on par with The Fault in Our Stars which I haven’t read, but I’ve seen the movie and know enough to know that I was too old when it came out to be swept away with it. Well, I was wrong. Utterly absorbed; could barely put it down.
First of all I must state that as a Christian I cannot endorse the choice Will made, but as he was a non-believer, I can understand why he made it. Even though I knew how the book was going to end, I kept hoping right up till the end that somehow the space-time continuum had changed and the ending was going to be different—he was going to accept the life he had waiting for him with Louisa. I loved watching them fall in love, and reading this book made me question very deeply what my attitudes towards disabled people were, and how I can treat them with better dignity and respect. I love how they both opened up each other’s worlds, and I love that Will looked out for her and protected her at the end.
An excellent book, a gripping story, and with ideas and questions I will need more time to work through, this was not only enjoyable as entertainment, but a good stretch to my thinking. I believe in the sanctity of human life; that our lives are not our own because we were created by the almighty God. To end our life says that He is incapable of moving in our situation, or that He made a mistake by allowing us to walk through that pain. I believe that there is always hope, and that God can redeem anything--anything to His glory…if we let Him. So I’ll keep thinking, keep looking for ways that I can speak hope into hurting people, and keep reading so I can broaden my mind and faith. Of all the things I fear, brain calcification is quickly becoming one of the top ones!
Parting shot: This weekend I watched The Magnificent Seven with Ruthie; so much fun! Absolutely a typical western that was surprisingly racially diverse, and with lots of great lines. This one however, might be my favorite. In response to the question about what to do if he dies, Denzel Washington’s character replies,
New life goal: to be in a situation where I can legitly quote this to someone. Right up there with hoboing it in the Opryland Hotel…
Oh, I actually did finish half of something! The first Time Traveler sock is DONE, and the second one cast on.
I have 5 repeats done on my Hitofude—so pretty! I can’t wait for it to be done so I can wear it, but I’m also enjoying the knitting process.
I started a dishcloth to survive the birthday party show—loving the stripes and loving that it’s at a finer gauge.
As it was my birthday, there was knitting, there was a new favorite movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , enjoyed with Ruthie, and a few special drinks!
I made a magnitude accurate constellation on my laptop lid—nerdular nerdulance!
For my May music pick I indulged in the Hamilton soundtrack. If you had told me how much I would like it a few months ago I would have laughed, but I guess I’m a millennial and can’t help myself!
With a gift card I was gifted, I bought the matching biography that I’ve been wanting to read for quite a while, and a book of essays about knitting. I’ve also got a couple books on the go borrowed via Overdrive—I love that I can borrow books digitally from my local library!
Well, that’s about it for now. Stash Dash has started, and I’m trying to figure out what I can most likely get done, and enjoying the process of picking out a new project or two to start as I (hopefully!) finish things. We shall see how this goes… It is half-term at the end of this week, so there is a possibility of getting a bit more crafting done!
• My furlough. It was so good to be home for a few months, to rebuild relationships and form new ones. To get to visit my three best friends and reconnect with others. To get Godly council from a variety of people. I have many precious memories from those 5 months, and have been greatly blessed by them.
• I took my first solo road trip, and got to visit many places like Bath, Philadelphia, Colorado, and Northern Indiana for the first time. I love to travel, and this was certainly a good year for traveling!
• The same can be said for pretty much the last 15 years of my life, but I knit a lot of fun projects, read a lot of good books (Blackout, All Clear, Questioning Evangalism, 100 Cupboards, Six of Crows), saw some great movies (Hidden Figures, Rogue One, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), and heard a lot of good music (Hamilton, Audrey Assad) for the first time last year. Oh--and I bought a spinning wheel!
• I walked (with a pinch of jogging) To Write Love on Her Arm’s 5k in April. Through various circumstances I have become very aware of how many hurting people are out there who are unlikely to ever get help for various reasons; I want to be a voice of hope to those who are in a dark place, and to do what I can use my own hardships to make me more sensitive to others.
• While I was home, one of the things I did was to substitute teach at a Classical Christian School in my hometown. I so enjoyed seeing how another school runs, reconnecting with people I know, and to get to know some of the kids a little. The 8th graders were my favorites!
• Another of the best things about being home was the many, many churches I got to visit with my different friends and family members. It was refreshing to be in English services, and exciting to see living, growing bodies of Christ in many different flavors. I am so thankful for all those worship services and sermons.
Some of the hard things about being 30:
• This was my hardest birthday to face, and it was particularly difficult because I was still grieving a loss. Because of the circumstances of my life at present, I often feel downright old, and turning 30 felt a little bit like a death knell. I had always hoped that my life would look rather different by this point, and in some ways it felt like I had not achieved as much as I could have/aught to have.
• In all honesty, coming back to the school was pretty much the hardest thing I have ever done. There are a lot of factors in this situation, and I am so thankful that the Lord confirmed that it was His will for me to come back before I got on the plane, and He has shown me some other reasons why I needed to come back. So, while it was hard, God is faithful.
• Being away from my family is a constant ache, and last year was no exception. My family is not perfect (after all, I’m in it), but I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
To finish off, here are a few of my favorite pictures from the year of 30:
Sometimes I think my job/the people I work with purposely try to punish me for taking time off… The last two weeks since I arrived in country have been CRAZY, and I still feel like most of the world around me is about to catch on fire, but I seem to have stopped my clothes from catching on fire, I haven’t forgotten any major duty (yet), and I have mostly got 6 hours of sleep a night. So, it could be worse!
I have been doing some knitting in the midst of all the fire-fighting. I’ve made some good progress on my Time Traveler sock; Vanilla is the New Black might be my favorite vanilla sock pattern ever! I want to try Smooth Operator; maybe for the next self stripping socks?
I have also picked up something I cast on at the end of Stash Dash last year; the Magrathea scarf/shawlette in the lime green yarn that I can’t remember why I bought it. It’s a nice simple pattern, and I’m enjoying it. I’m also hoping to be able to finish it for this year’s Stash Dash. It has already saved my sanity during a frustrating movie night, so I look forward to having it as my almost mindless knitting.
Also, as a special treat for not catching on fire last week, I cast on the Hitofude sweater that I have been itching to make since I first queued it back in 2014. I’m using Knitpicks Lindy Chain yarn; a little splitty and stiff right now, but I’m hoping that the linen will soften out with wear. I am enjoying the pattern, and I LOVE how clever the construction is. Am I already planning one in wool? Maybe…
Other than those few projects, I have pretty much been consumed by work and trying to not let my real life get totally thrown to the wayside. I hope to do some spinning either during the term or in the August holiday; I want to finish off my Indian Corn project so I can knit a squishy cowl with it! As always I have a Great Course on the go, and I am currently really enjoying The Crooked Kingdom as my bedtime reading. A friend lent me the complete set of Eureka!, and I’m enjoying watching through those as I mark. So, life is (almost) under control…for now!
I finished my Firefly socks--so lovely!
I also finished two pairs of socks for Mercy, neither or which I have a FO picture for becuase I as rushing to get them to her. First, a pair of Squircles,
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and another pair of Vanilla is the New Black
I finished a hat for a friend,
and I have now finished the body and half a sleeve on my lovely Stripes Gone Crazy.
I bought a spinning wheel,
and spun my first big batch of yarn!
In the midst of all this I visited the Mud Hut for the first time and painted a tile--a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
So now, I have just about half a day more at home before heading up to Canada to visit one more best friend, and then it's the mad rush to get ready for returning to school. Boy is the time flying by...
I got to see Cadillac Ranch from the road, and I used cruise control for the first time ever. It was great to meet some of their friends and to visit the Garden of the Gods.
I got to carry an axolotl in a bucket on my lap, and I unloaded a moving van in the snow. I visited a delightful yarn shop, Woolly Works Knit Shop, and bought a beautiful gradient kit from Frabjous Fibers. And, yes, they pretty much had my money as soon as I saw the name!
I had my first designer cupcake, the salted caramel one,
and I got to wake up to snow outside my window...though admittedly it had been there last night!
I knit a whole color sequence on my Firefly socks while watching Silence, and am ready to start the fingers on the second glove.
I meet the adorable kitten, Scout,
and was introduced to The IT Crowd. Busy? Yes. A lot of work? Yes. Worth it? Heck yes!
I have made good progress on my Firefly socks. They weren’t a good movie knitting candidate for the last few days as I worked the heel turn, but now I’m ready to start the foot, so they will be good ‘mindless’ knitting again. In fact, they are going to be my travel sock for this trip.
What was good movie knitting this week was the sockhead hat I’m working on. I managed to not only finish the K2P2 ribbing in the theater, but I also managed to fix an issue with it in the dark. Yes I know, the knitting gods are now going to smit me, but I was pretty pleased with my efforts! Here it is, as modled by my mom’s lovely foam head-
I also started a sweater this weekend! When I was looking for a sweater to use the lovely Bolivian alpaca on, I came across Stripes Gone Crazy and knew I had to make it. While the Bolivian yarn was too find for me to be happy with the results, I may have *cough* ordered some sportweight from Knitpicks. So, here is the first balls worth of knitting! Will this finally be the elusive sweater that fits me?
Over the weekend I also managed to get the first glove finished. Now I just have some ends to weave in on the finger joins, but I figured I had better cast the next one on before I lost all my motivation. I love this pattern, and am seriously thinking about being crazy and making myself some fingered gloves!
Parting shot: The family’s cats as they are frequently known: Fluffy butt-
Favorite aka Orange Kitty, and Mal-mal
While I’m glad there are some felines to love around her, I miss Java!
