Hi all my dear virtual friends... I really am still out here. This holiday season isn't especially busier, but I haven't seemed to find much time to blog. I did just spend the afternoon with DD at her house, working on a secret, non-knitting gift project that we almost completed. There hasn't been much holiday knitting besides the small gifties I posted about last week. Unfortunately, I spent time getting ready for that class, and nobody signed up. I did end up free to spend last Saturday afternoon taking a drive with DH and thrift-store shopping a bit. I also teach another six lovely students how to make mitred squares last Friday... more converts, I hope.
I have a few small knitted items on my working list, that may be holiday gifts, or may be items post-holiday to see me through the cold and dark winter, therefore I can't blab too much about them on the blog, at least not until after Christmas. For myself, I want a brimmed knitted cap and plan to use the pattern in Stitch and Bitch Nation, and I think another pair of mitts are in order to keep me warm while driving my Jeep (I do have a good heater, but also have a cold steering wheel).
There has been a certain amount of lethargy to my knitting of late.... stuck on the same long project of making a shawl out of diamonds, making small samples for teaching, and having a few projects lingering on the needles because they are too large to take out places with me. It dawned on me while driving an hour to yet another meeting yesterday afternoon that I really HAVE to get a small and relatively mindless project going immediately, as I have a training to attend later in the week, and it will just drive me nuts not to have something to knit on.
I also have to confess that this holiday season, while filled with joy and laughter thanks to the children in my life (including and especially sweet grandbaby Odessa), is also shadowed by several recent losses in my circle of friends... including two acquaintances who just lost their fathers in the past few weeks, and two dear friends facing this festive season bereft of their spouses. I am trying to keep a balance in my life, honoring the sorrow and leaving lots of room for the joy. It is a tiring job, and I will check in periodically to let you know how it's going. I am finding that forcing myself to get enough exercise is key to brightening my spirits, and that making time for fiber is also a source of great joy. So are all my dear friends... thank you all for the gift you have been in the past year... and a happy holiday season!
