handstories

a little knitting

    Blue has flown back to school, but it's only for three weeks this time.  We wrapped up the weekend with more rounds of Apples to Apples, playing our own version- which includes an imaginary player named Mr. Nobody, and trying using the most obnoxious cards possible ("my body" & "beets" are family favorites).  Do other families rewrite the rules for boardgames?  I multi-tasked by knitting socks.  The colorway is "peppermint bark" adding to the flavor of the season.  Time to think about holiday making . . .

for the love of socks, slippers & self

    Gosh, I love soft & squishy.  

    At the end of the last day of outdoor school (after a long day of rain, cold, and tired grumpy students who were unable to muster up even an inkling of cooperation . . .causing our poor group leader to cry), arriving back at the lodge, sitting down in the mud room, shoes yanked off, I slid my tired toes into slippers, and said out loud, "Oh, slippers, I've missed you!" (forgetting that there were other people in the room.)  They all had a good laugh, but I had a genuine moment of appreciation for comfort.

    More and more I realize that I dress for coziness.  As a kid I wished for school uniforms, a world where you didn't have to think, make choices, or be judged about clothing .  Of course, my dream uniform would have been jeans and t-shirts . . . still would.  But now, I'm aware of how what I wear can provide a protective layer, a feeling of being hugged and held, not just covered.

    The latest addition to my wardrobe of creature comforts is this pair of socks knit from the London yarn.  On a hard day I'll be glad for their bird's egg blue, cushy, perfectly fitting, memory of a lovely afternoon with Blandina full stitches to wade my tootsies and weary self in. 

odds & ends (London five, final, finally!)

    I do love a gargoyle. 

     Her name is "The Queen of Time" . . . swoon.  She resides at the front doors of Selfridge's department store.

    Graffiti in the Tower of London, by Hew Draper, 1561.  He had been in the tower for fourteen months, accused of sorcery.

    The contrast of the newest buildings in London with the old is quite something.

    Inside Liberty of London.

    The fabric floor at the top.  They very thoughtfully have chairs for those who are waiting for you to rest in, as you slowly circle the floor a few times, gazing and touching all of the beautiful designs.

    Fashion notes:  Brightly colored faux fur appears to be very much in vogue.

    Making my own fashion, as we traveled on the Underground every day, the "Tube".  Oh, ha, a new kind of Tube socks!

    Started on the airplane ride there, and finished on the last day.

    Oh, raisin croissants . . . you made me very happy!

    We ate out for our last dinner at this pub.

    Walking back "home" our last night.  The two lit windows on the top right were ours.  A very comfy homey apartment.  (With TWO bathrooms, a big treat for us!)

    The End, (honest).

a yarn of kindred spirits (London one)

    Last month, when I asked if any of you might have suggestions of places to visit while in London, there was a wonder.  A wondering if anyone in the London area might read this blog?  And if so, a wondering if they might want to meet?  

    And then (this is really truly true), I thought of Blandina in Italy.  She has stopped blogging, but I'm always so happy to see her name pop up in the comments.  I had a flicker of a thought, "I wonder if I ever go to Italy again, if I might meet her?"  

    And then (this is really truly true), she emailed.  (Thank you, Nancy, for connecting us)  She is currently living in London.  Would I like to meet?

    And then, there were a few emails (& some deep breathing for my inner introvert) and an exchange of photos . . . On the last day of our trip, the guys went off to a soccer football game, and I headed out to meet her at Loop Knitting Shop.

    After traipsing up and down Camden Passage a couple of times trying to find the shop, and finally asking a woman coming out of a door (who informed me it was two doors down), there it was, and there was the beautiful Blandina!  We had such a lovely afternoon-in the yarn shop, browsing through the passage, an art store, walking arm and arm under her umbrella, and finally sitting for tea and cake.  All the while talking and talking . . . of knitting, painting, art, London, Italy, children, parenting, . . . the few hours flew by.  My spirit was brightened by our connection.

    The next day, on the flight home, I cast on a sock with the yarn from Loop.  They will be a favorite souvenir of London and of the wonderful afternoon with a dear new friend.

in a fever

    Well, this week did not go as planned . . . 

    Growing more and more tired each day, until Thursday when I crawled into bed with fever, chills, and everything hurting from toes to finger tips.  After being in bed for fourteen hours, I spent yesterday on the couch dozing and knitting.  Finished the socks, dipped them into the tea, meaning to come back in a few minutes . . .

    An hour later, I woke up and remembered them.  Good thing I like brown.

solutions?

    It's been that kind of a week, and it's only Tuesday.  

    On Sunday I dropped a whole cup of tea onto my knitting, pile of embroidery floss, library books, etc…  There was an attempt at rinsing (not easy to do with the needles still in), but the stains remain.  I'm carrying on with the knitting, and then will follow my sister's suggestion of dunking both socks completely into tea.

  On the way to school this morning, there was a thought, "I just want to feel like I'm making a difference, that it matters if I show up or not."  I've been trying to notice the moments, rather than trying to tackle the big picture all of the time.  It seems much more manageable, and surely there can be moments of success, of really seeing, of being seen, of connection.

    Later, during reading group, two students were all over the place with their attention, had nothing to contribute, did NOT want to be there.  Afterwards, trying to get through to them . . . how to make them WANT to try?  "What do you need?"  

    "The rolling chairs."

    There are two of them in the room, they roll, they twirl, they don't seem conducive to focussing on reading, and have been off-limits as a choice.  Their eyes opened wide when I said, "O.K," they started to go, "BUT, people who sit in those chairs do not roll around or twirl during group.  People who sit in those chairs pay attention and share ideas and answers.  Those are the Thinking and Trying chairs.  Deal?"  They said yes.  

    We'll see . . . I hope they are magic chairs.

textures on a sock

    The ribbing on the leg.  (Knit two, purl two, round and round.)

    The heel flap.  (Right side:  Knit all stitches.)

    The Other side:  purl 1, slip one with yarn in back.

    Bottom of foot.  (Knit all stitches across bottom side.  Top side:  Knit two, purl two.  Round and round.)

    The ankle, where they all meet.

repairs

    I like it when the problem is clear.

    And the solution is doable.

    And the result is good enough.

the philosopher's socks

      Moon chose this yarn for his Christmas socks.  He loves the dark reds and rainbow spots, but more importantly, the colorway is called "The Philosopher's Stone",  a reference to the world of Harry Potter.

    We had our first conference at his new school yesterday.  It was so wonderful to have their first sentence be, "Thank you for bringing your child here!".  They described him as a "deep thinker".   We've always known that.  It has not always made things easy for him (or us).   It's hard to wrap deep thoughts around young emotions.  

    A couple of days ago, Moon came in the kitchen with a look.  "Can I call you back?"  I said to a friend.  Fifteen minutes later I reported to her that we had just discussed- racism, white guilt, homophobia, how babies are made, and made dinner!  

    This thinker of mine, he keeps me on my toes . . . I'll try to keep his warm.

curses

    What's wrong with this picture?

    Do you see it?  Look closely . . . two different stitch patterns.  How did I not notice this until last night?

    No one will notice, but I think it's going to bug me.  

    The boys and I have colds and sore throats, a back to school tradition, sigh. 

    I think I'll decide about these another day, and put them away on a time-out for bad behavior (notice I'm blaming the socks, not myself).