Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Two steps forward, two steps back? At least I got some new yarn...

After being sick with mono
and not walking more than 15 or so minutes one way,
I walked yesterday afternoon to my
local yarn store.
It was so WONDERFUL to get out.
I learned the technique,
'M1 ~ make one'
while I was there,
learned of this website and got a new needle to keep
working on the baby blanket.


I got some new grey yarn
for the elephant I wish to make and
practiced the M1/make one technique.

So I bought my first fancy yarn.
I am hoping it can be enough for two elephants, as it is
160 yards/skein but the pattern did call for
175 yards so not holding my breath...
but still wishing all the same.
*
I learned enough to start the pattern...
I am trying to get the baby blanket done first...
Have new ideas for the centre duck/s
and can't wait to try it!

I have begun the second row of yellow;
once that is done, I just have the sides to knit.

I really am captured by this pattern...

In not so distant news,
last weekend Mr. Husband and I suddenly
had a very leaky faucet;
water slowly wetting the kitchen tiles,
soaking our rugs.
A pool of water visible when we opened the
cabinets under the sink.
At first the landlord was not sure about
when it could be fixed;
he valiantly got us an 8 AM Saturday morning plummer
who diagnosed the problem... the landlord for
good reasons did not have the plummer fix the
problem in the end
but suddenly we realized, after the plummer left
that he did not re-hook up the hose right and
we suddenly did not have just a leaky sink but
an unusable one.
So the landlord
thank the Good Lord
came after vespers Saturday night and installed a
a completely new faucet.
It works so well, much better than the original.
But boy,
was it unexpectedly stressful to suddenly be
without a kitchen sink!
Never thought about how much it is used
for food prep, filling the water pitcher,
washing dishes, etc.
 
I have been trying to make some changes
in my daily living to have a more disciplined use
of the computer..
Really appreciated Juliana's post on this.
It echoed so much of what I have been
thinking about and experiencing.
Two things I am trying to do is set times for when
I will do computer time
and trying to do some regular noontime prayers
other than for lunch, etc.
It's really a challenge for many of us who find ourselves,
for various reasons,
feeling isolated and at times lonely,
to not want to be by the computer a lot...
*
I could really,
by the way,
use your prayers.
Between some huge insomnia I've been having
{insomnia last night was for hours,
knit a whole skein of blue on the baby blanket!}
and the ongoing mono flares,
I am more and more wishing just
to be better
and be able to take walks to places
like yarn shops, grocery stores etc.
And have these walks be a normal part of my
my everyday ~ instead of a huge wonderful
after many months of not taking walks ~ existence.
I have a phone consult with my doctor tomorrow
that I am hoping can move me along in this direction.
Can you remember me in your prayers? 
I find the hardest part of this illness is that
it came in month 5 of marriage when I was just
starting to feel settled and get to know people.
I've been often so unwell that I can't go out
and so I am at home pretty much day-in-and-day-out
and well, ahem, it gets a tad lonely at times,
esp. as Mr. Husband cannot work at home all the time.
The only person I know outside of Mr. Husband
in my small little NJ town is the yarn shop owner
who is nice but it is not a 'friend-to-friend' relationship,
if that makes sense.
*
I know that I am really blessed to have such a good
husband, great church families and a nice place to live,
and lots of fun knitting and using yarn
but I really would like to get better so
I can at least get out and take more walks...
It's funny what one takes for granted until it is taken away!
*
Yet, I thank the Lord for His mercy
for the Mother of God and
all the Saints...

8 comments:

Corrabelle said...

Oh Elizabeth, Hugs! I know firsthand how hard it can be to settle into a community and form those lasting, deeper, more-than-acquaintance type friendships.

It's taken me a long time to really make it happen, I had a hard time feeling like I could put down any roots because I wasn't sure how long i'd be living where I am.
With a history of moving around and not having any real roots, it feels like a huge commitment, and in a way, not forming friendships was just me protecting myself from future loss.
I started a knitting group, initially in my own home (fun!) and advertised it. There are quite a few of us now and we've moved to the back of a local shop for our knitting nights. (One of the girls in the group offered her store space.)
It's been a fantastic way to meet others, and we've all grown pretty close to eachother.
I know it's hard to think about doing something like that though too when you've been unwell.
I've had mono and i feel for you. It knocks you flat on your back.

I'll keep you in my prayers <3

(p.s. I love your elephant wool, I've knit with that a few times now and really like it! And both those patterns are so sweet!)

steph said...

elephants!!!!! love it!!!! :) (We're heading to Kenya in the morning!!! Hoping to see one....will have to knit a souvenir ellie when I get home!)

GretchenJoanna said...

You are definitely in my prayers. So glad you got to go to the yarn shop!

Anonymous said...

Ha! You're such a new knitter and you are already doing 'knitter math'. 160 yds of wool for a pattern calling for 175 yd and hoping to make 2 :) You might want to have a look around on Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#craft=). You can specify what you are looking for and how much wool you have and find the perfect pattern.

I hope you are feeling better soon. I've had mono before AND I've been 'new' before too. When I moved up here Colin was the only one I knew too. And I know what you mean about the 'nice' but not 'friendly' yarn lady. I have one of those at the LYS too :)

Rosemary said...

I will pray for you! I know what you mean about taking things for granted ... although I am not struggling with illness right now, I sprained my knee yesterday, which meant giving up all of my plans for today to keep it elevated and my weight off it as much as possible (and chasing a toddler around the apartment with a limp!). And I also know the feelings of isolation and loneliness ... I hope that your doctor can help you move forward.

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

Dear one, my prayers for you all.

I too would be absolutely lost without my kitchen water supply; we are so lucky to have water on tap, unlike so many parts of the world!

I am glad you have been able to go out and walk for a while... it is hard when illness confines you to home and you can get very isolated. It is great that you are knitting, praying and keeping busy :-)

Michelle M. said...

Praying for you, friend! The elephant sounds adorable :) I can't wait to see photos.

elizabeth said...

thanks all!
Corrabelle - thanks... what a great thing you have going!
Paula - thanks for your comment - yep, doing knitters math for sure; who would not! thanks for suggestion...
Oct. Rose - thank you! so nice to meet you! I hope you feel better soon!
Elizabeth - you are such a blessing to me! thank you! I know, we are so blessed to have things like working kitchen sinks!