On Hold

If I were asked to describe my life right now this is the phrase I would choose.  That and maybe “out of my hands”.  Just minutes after publishing my last blog post I received an upsetting, but not entirely unexpected, phone call from my daughter, Jessica.  She and Neil had decided to separate and could she and Andrew move in with us for a while?  With some regret, Cameron and I said goodbye to our empty nest and set about preparing the house for its new occupants.  We moved my office upstairs and renovated the two first-floor bedrooms.  We retrieved the kids’ old crib from the shed at the cabin, moved breakable items out of reach, and put plug covers in the electrical sockets.  Bring on the toddler—we were ready! 

Well…as ready as you can be for life with a toddler.  Naturally, the changes go deeper than just decorating and childproofing—suffice it to say that a household with a young child (even a sweet and loveable one) is vastly different than one without. Used as I was to spending most days alone in a quiet house, it has taken me some time to adjust to the increase in noise, activity, and paraphernalia.  I’ve also begun looking after Andrew while Jessica is at work so that has left me with less time and energy to pursue my hobbies and interests.  Although I had big plans at the beginning of the year, I have put them on hold for now and am taking things one day at a time.

Even though I’ve put off my design project for now, I’ve still had time to knit other people’s patterns.  Since the beginning of the year I’ve knocked out several shawlettes and a hat,

  and, of course, there are always socks on the go.

One of my biggest accomplishments was to finish my journey along the Silk Road, with the completion of Mashad and Salor.  Yesterday, I pulled out all fourteen pairs and lined them up for a photo shoot. 

 

I had hardly grafted the last toe when Hunter released the e-version of her second book, The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet.  This time the designs are based on botanical prints and I’m looking forward to knitting my way through the various plants and flowers, beginning with Chrysanthemum frutescens. 

Meanwhile, there are numerous other patterns calling my name and I may have had a bit of a cast-on party this past weekend.

 

As for Cameron’s sweater…well, let’s just say it has suffered a bit of a setback.  Okay, really more of a major setback.  The Sweater That Shall Not Be Named will see some love again one of these days but for now it is on hold.  Indefinitely.