yarn n. 1: a continuous often plied strand composed of natural or man made fibers 2: a narrative of adventures
Cleo after the Christmas gift opening: She is satisfied with the wrapping paper alone.
Cleo after New Year’s: She recovers from the previous night’s shenanigans by eating only carbs and taking her multi-vitamin with carrot-apple juice -
Final comment: Meow (or it’s all goooood).
Nothing like a post-Thanksgiving stomach virus to help you get over the Thanksgiving holiday. I’m still recovering because right after the tummy aches came a regular, miserable cold. I’ve been eating what I call the “white diet”: saltines, plain yogurt, bananas, and pasta supplemented with chicken soup, ginger ale and Gatorade. All very small portions, such as four pieces of ravioli, because I want to avoid the tummy rumbles. In between my napping and sniffling, I’ve been doing Christmas knitting.
These are short rows. Short rows makes me think of short ribs but sadly, I can’t eat those now. It’s strange not being hungry. I know I have to eat even though I am sick, so I eat bland food, but in my Robitussin-influenced dreams I am eating savory, delicious food. (I love how in my dreams my senses are still awake - it’s not just moving pictures in my head. I can feel something physical, like soft fabric, or actually taste a meal. I have a very active dream-life.) I’ve been thinking about what I will eat when my tummy finally feels normal. On the top of the list is a basic beef burger or something cheesey and tomatoey - lasagna maybe . . . mmmm, lasagna.
Oh, I was going to end this post with dreaming/sleeping and then this photo but I got distracted by food. Cleo is adorable when she naps.
Aaaarrrrggghhhhcccccczk! Can you tell how I’m feeling today? The cry of the frustrated fiber-less artist. The closest I’ve come to anything fiber related was letting Caroline (back from a two month stint at Peter’s Valley - she’s sooooo lucky!) go through my plastic bag collection (apparently she hit the mother-lode of plastic bags with me) for her latest cool project. The kitchen floor was strewn with plastic bags of various sizes and colors and one very happy kitty who quickly sat on a pile of bags to claim as her own. I should have taken a picture of Cleo, she looked so satisfied. As I pulled out my massive collection of plastic out of the cabinet, I was amazed to find this stowed away at the back –
What the ?!?!? I think this was a Christmas gift from many, many years ago. I had put it in the rear of the cabinet with the label facing away so I never ever noticed it the few times I may have had a reason to go fishing around in the back looking for God-knows-what. I got a good laugh after finding it but I don’t know what to do with it. I know - of course I could try and make it! But I’m afraid - does this stuff go bad? Something about it says “Warning: Disaster of immense proportions.” Right now I just keep moving it around from different spots in the kitchen, staring at it quizzically while Cleo sniffs and walks away bored.
As for the wrist, last week, for the first time, I was very discouraged about the status of my healing. I let myself go into a tizzy after running into another person who actually had the operation for carpal tunnel. She told me her wrist used to feel like it was on fire and since the operation she just sometimes gets stiff, but she is pain-free. When I told this to my PT she tried to calm me down - the MRI would have shown any abnormalities, it takes a long time for soft tissue to heal especially since I have to keep working, etc. Along with the funky taping, I’m wearing an Ace bandage around my forearm for more support and it does make a difference. I wear it for about three hours and then I take a break from being wrapped for another two hours or so. I’m supposed to ice it twice a day but I keep forgetting to do it so I need to improve that. I’d like to say I really am having more better days than not but sometimes it’s hard to tell. Wait, there is good news - my left wrist hardly ever is in pain!
Lest you think everything is all about bandages and ice packs at Delica’s Yarns, I was busy last weekend –
Spigga on their summer tour indulging in basil fried rice before going on at Sputnick. Thank God the Thai place delivers.
I finished spinning half of my Kool-Aid dyed, merino / tencel fiber. This finished skein was carded on a drum carder; the remaining batch of fiber I will handcard then spin. I did this to see if there will be a difference in the finished yarns. I will let you know what I find.
I also went to The Yarn Tree for their 20% off sale. I bought Koigu in a tropical ocean blue colorway. This is my take-along-on-vacation project. I will have a lot of time flying out to Hawaii and thus the perfect excuse to buy yarn for a new project. (Cleo decided to join this photo shoot on her own. I did not have the heart to shoo her away. She had just sniffed the yarn thoroughly and happened to look up at the same time I pressed the shutter.)
And I bought spinning swag. A handy-dandy resource book, a new spindle from Kundert Spindles, and I splurged on the fiber - four ounces of cashmere / tussah silk - oooheeeh baby!! Soft does not adequately describe the feeling of this fiber. It is just gorgeous. I probably won’t get my hands on this stuff until after my trip - something to look forward to.
While I was in Williamsburg, I popped into a boutique and am now lusting after a black lace & cream colored skirt and top. All of a sudden I want to buy this to wear to the wedding instead of my other dresses. Why do I do this to myself? I must stay in control. I did get out my suitcase and I am starting to make piles of things - toiletries, travel books & paperwork, clothing, and pairs of shoes lined up next to it. Multiple dresses are hanging on the closet door hook. I keep thinking of one more thng to add to my list of things to pack. I did one load of laundy today, and I am waiting till Friday to do one last-minute load of laundry. I have a new haircut. What else needs to be done? After all this running around / preparation / packing, it will be a relief to get on the plane.
And you thought I only dyed my handspun yarns with the natural dyes! I found some stray targhee top at the bottom of my sewing basket. I think it’s from my first class I took at The Yarn Tree, which was weaving. I decided to dye them, even though Caroline said they might felt a little. I think they did - no matter - they will be fun for experimentation.
Drumroll please . . . the dyed and finished skeins of Delica’s handspun yarns - tada!
Left to right:
You can see my spinning learning curve. I think I got a little better with each yarn. I’m very very pleased with how the colors came out. Now the next question - what should I make out of them?
Just when I was ready to start the gusset on my sock, Cleo, the little rascal, abscombed with one of my bamboo needles. I do not understand how she could have got a hold of it. Everything was in a plastic bag, pretty much intact except for that one missing needle. I think she secretly has opposable thumbs. That was how she able to carefully extract the one bamboo needle and use it as her play thing.
I looked all over the apartment when I remembered that everything she bats around on the floor always ends up under the fridge. Luckily she had not pushed the knitting needle too far under the fridge. I was able to reach it with my spatula and very carefully slide it out. Cleo helped out by crouching next to me and watching the whole thing very carefully. I could see the wheels turning in her head, “Mrraow, the possibilities of the spatula . . . ”
Bamboo needle rescued, I started the gusset but now I am not sure what to do next. The pattern instructions I am following have been pretty clear for the most part, but I am a little nervous about the next step. I know I am decreasing but I do not think I am doing them in the right place. I will have to consult with the Sock Maven tomorrow . . .
Caption: I’m innocent I tell ya! (Not my feet at the top but funny enough, they are the Sock Maven’s feet!)
People have this idea that New Yorkers are rude or unfriendly citizens. While we New Yorkers might not say good morning as we pass each other on the sidewalk (How can I say to good morning to over a million people?), we will help each other out in a crisis. My story is one more tale to belie the New Yorker stereotype.
My yarn begins with the Monday morning subway commute to work. There are many situations that can happen on the subway. One of them is the “sick passenger,” and approximately at nine a.m., that was me. Luckily, my good samaritan was on the A train with me. I had fainted because of sudden, acute abdominal pain, and this man, a complete stranger, helped me out of the subway and took me to the emergency room. He distracted me with humor and he stayed until one of my friends came to the hospital. My friend stayed with me the whole time I was in the emergency room. A second friend arrived later and both of them made sure I got home safely.
I am better now and have been recuperating at home. This event was so stressful I have not knit or spun any yarn. I would look at my unfinished sock or the baby project and just not feel up to it. Cleo is keeping me company on the couch, watching reruns of sitcoms. All my friends, family and my worried boyfriend have been calling and checking up on me. I am thankful to have such caring people around me. Thank you D and J - I had never been in the emergency room before and I was glad I did not go through it alone. Thank you Alex for bringing me chicken soup and cookies.
This whole thing has made me think about how life can take you by suprise. Everyday we get up and we do our mindless routines — like the morning commute — certainly not expecting to become sick while riding on the subway.The most I had hoped for that Monday morning was an empty seat so I could knit a couple rounds on my sock . As my good samaritan put it, “I was sitting there for a reason and you were standing in front of me for a reason.” When the time comes for me to return the favor to a person who needs help, I hope I can rise to the ocassion and be just as kind and selfless as my good samartian –thank you thank you thank you!
