lifelong knitter

For the Girl Who LOVES Burnt Orange

Parisian Painting PerMITTS Picture

Happens Every Year

I have had my Holiday meltdown. I know I would feel a little better if I were allowed to do Yoga or be out in the sunshine (if there was any) but really it is just my Usual Meltdown. When I was three (or twelve, or BOTH,I don't remember exactly) this could be explained by Too Much SUGAR and Not Having Had a NAP....but really, it's always been about the same thing. The big gulping sobs are part of who I am. I am Overly Sensitive. I've tried to get over it, but there's just no Unstriping a Tiger. sigh. It is now the week before Christmas. I suddenly realize (as I do every year) that I will not single handedly be able to make everyone in the whole wide world Be Nice. Oh, and all the stuff I've been making for months is starting to look "crafty and homemade" next to the mass marketed glitzy merchandise....and that awful Grinchy voice is whispering in my ear..."WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO TO THE MALL, dear, AND BUY SOMETHING LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE?"
because I am not like everybody else. so there. (she said in a very smallish kind of voice...) and because even though I KNOW it is hopelessly optimistic, wishfull thinkingly unrealistic, I STILL want to wake up on Christmas Morning and find out that PEACE is possible. That Lions will play with lambs and swords will be turned into plowshares and every child will have a blanket and a warm bowl of something nourishing to eat. Visualize Whirled Peas, PLEASE.
I used to sob about this to my Daddy, who, while everybody else was exhorting me to grow UP already and get REAL, would encourage me to Never Compromise. Not for all the tea in China, he'd say...and I'd say Dad? Yes, Liebchen? You don't even DRINK tea. He'd throw back his head and laugh until the tears would slide out of the sides of his eyes and he'd say Good Point, Princess.
There. I feel better. Back to Knitting the Impossible Dream....

GOLD stars upon thars

I was a good girl and I got a gold star. YAY for me. Actually the news is much better than that. My vision is now (drumroll please) 20/25. How miraculous! The power of prayer and a gifted surgical team...I am so incredibly blessed.
Finished the first pair of gift mitts, so now onto the second boa scarf...maybe by tomorrow I can figure out how to take pictures again. sigh.
I have to wear these really weird lookin shades (my neighbor said I look like a German Snowboarder....not entirely sure that is a compliment...) because my eyes are still chemically dilated, so I still have to limit my time at the monitor....
I haven't been able to read any comments or surf any blogs...(sob)but do know that I am so so so thankful for all of the prayers that went out on my behalf.
Blessings this day as Always!

Dreaming

Yesterday I had a conversation about homelessness with someone whose heart is so pure and filled with love that the question was raised...."Do me a favor?" well of course, if I can..."well um, you know, those gorgeous red mitts?.......there's this homeless guy and his hands are so swollen and...." GO NO FARTHER...YES ,YES!
Last night I went into my stash and found the most beautiful colors of washable wool, and started my project. Here is my Intention: For every glorious gift I make for somebody who will love and appreciate it (but probably not NEED it on any survival level to keep warm....) I am going to make an equally glorious gift of mitts for someone who truly needs them. Practically speaking, I'll make them washable, but no icky acrylic stuff. THE GOOD STUFF from my stash that I can't resist buying a ball or skein of here or there over the years....which reminds me...check out Clara Parkes idea along similar lines from Knitter's Review!
Anywhoooooo, finished the first mitt last night, praying prayers of hope and warmth into every stitch...fell asleep and slept 12 hours straight through for the first time in more than 20 years...and my brain came up with this corrollary:
WHAT IF with each set of mitts, a small notebook and a writing implement found its way to someone? How powerful might the Morning Pages be for someone in a shelter or on the streets? COuld we perhaps as a community of Knitters and Writers find it within ourselves to donate copies of the artists way and notebooks and good pens to local shelters? Could some of us lead a workshop if anybody expressed an interest? Food for thought, Avengers...take it and run, wild and free...let me know what you think!
I'm off to the eye doctor for my check up....

What TIME is it?

Ok ok, if you answered Howdy Doody Time without batting an eyelash, then I know I'm not in some strange time warp (again). SIGH. I have no idea what day or time it is. I've been listening to my body, letting it sleep when it is tired and eat when it is hungry. Gosh, I remember now...twenty one years ago beefore I had kids....or a computer...I used to do this every weekend. I coould get used to it again!
Tomorrow I go to the eye doctor for my post surgical check up, which I plan to pass with flying colors. I mean really, I've been good for, let's see now, TWO WHOLE DAYS. Sheesh. Enough lying around already, let's get this show on the ROAD!
I finished the first boa scarf and it feels gorgeous. Visitors have said it is scrumptious...so I'm believin' them. I amso blessed...the house is filled with fruit baskets and flowers and visitors and packages of all shapes and sizes (my very favorite features a crayon drawing wrapped around a gift with duct tape rolled into little cylinders...oh wow oh wow oh wow!)
Yumminess from the Threadbear boys arrived, AND a mystery guest on my voicemail made me grin from ear to ear. I've replayed it three times just to be sure I'm not dreaming....I can almost hear those west coast waves in the background!
Peace out all!

Winter Wonderland

The trees are covered with ice and icicles are glittering from the gutters and downspouts....there is a fire in the fireplace and I am happily knitting scarves...eyes closed and once I establish a rythm it is glorious to feel the fiber flowing through my fingers over bamboo needles. Daughter is making gingerbread, carols playing on the stereo...reminds me of my much younger days, under layers of blankets listening for sleigh bells drawn by a certain reindeer. I always heard them Christmas Eve...I DID too...cuz of course danger girl's daddy stood outside my window with a ring of jingle bells and made sure the magic of sugarplums filled my dreams....sigh.
Sweet dreams to all and to all a good night.....
I'm planning to fall asleep to my favorite lyrics:
"Later on, we'll conspire...
as we dream, by the fire...
To face unafraid
the plans that we've made
walkin' in a Winter Wonderland!"

Feeling fine

Feeling my way around the keyboard here...it is amazing what muscle memory can accomplish! I'm feeling FINE. I opted to come home WITHOUT the usual pain meds, just some super strength aleve as needed. I had the very minimum anethesesia...so I actually got to "watch" the operation. Totally kewl. I was stitched up and patched over for the first night but in the morning, the surgeon took off the dressing, pronounced it beautiful and sent me home with instructions not to lift anything or increase the ocular prssure in any way unecessarily. I'm assuming the stitches will dissolve over time. I start vision rehab the 18th with my regular opthamologist....my eye is swollen a little and the eye itself looks like steak tartare, but it feels SO much better than all the pressure and pain and migraine before the surgery that I am joyously counting my many abundant blessings....Knitting happily by the fireplace, listening to classical guitar...I fell asleep twice today in the recliner. BLISS. Girlchild came home a few minutes ago from sleeping over with friends and working at the library.
All is well.

phone post

Quick note by phone
Surgery was more complicated than
anticipated
but I was the perfect patient
according to surgeon.
Thanks for the PRAYERS
and LOVE,
long road ahead
but I'm through the first stage....
LOVE and BLessings to all
and to all a good night!

Eye, eye

At this time tomorrow I will be in surgery. I am ready, in as many ways as is possible. I am especially ready to pick up my staff and begin the walk down the road to recovery and toward the LIGHT. My plan is to post a quick "I made it through with flying colors" from my cell phone keypad sometime late tomorrow and then do the *type by feel* method from Friday onward. I will be resting. Really, I will. (Those of you who know me well are already saying, uh-hunh and shaking your heads....) I need something to look forward to (visual reference INTENDED) and so I shall be PLANNING to post daily as usual...perhaps in gibberish, or some abbreviated form, but the writing must go on!
Blessings to you, this day as always!
Namaste.