I’ve been keeping too busy (and – as a result – in too much pain) to have time or energy for contemplation lately. That’s maybe a good thing (except for the pain).
I’ve gotten a new terry robe made for myself which is heaven on earth since my old one was dead long before I finally consigned it, in pieces, to the rag bag a couple of years ago. There is just nothing cosier than a long, heavy terrycloth robe and wrapping in it after getting out of a hot tub . . . ? I do not deserve the luxury! Have to get Ed’s made asap but mine was heavy enough to manoevre; his height will make his like sewing a building (or the one I made for my tall son some years back). Really good terrycloth is heavy!
In the course of making mine, the Janome developed bobbin or shuttle race issues that I haven’t solved yet. It may have to go in for a tune-up for which it may well be overdue aside from the part where I haven’t actually used it much. Meanwhile I have heard noithing further from the dealer in London holding my new serger for ransom or something. I called, intending to pick it up when I went by London Friday but he had ordered the wrong part and the new new part wasn’t in yet. I was therefore zig zagging seams in lieu of serging them to finish I completed the robe on the old (three machines back) Husquevarna but I’m running out of options here!
I’ve made enough lasagne to feed a small village and shared it out among a couple of ailing friends as well as having two meals of it ourselves and another pan tucked in the freezer for an “emergency”. I’m sure there are emergencies lasagne couldn’t fix but I can’t think of one it wouldn’t help.
The most recent plague in this land of De Nile would seem to have mostly run its course. The choronomids which I learned yesterday are also known as “sturgeon flies” are thinning out. I actually raked and hosed off the patio yesterday and filled the dogs’ wading pool. The pests were back in the late afternoon but I believe they are well along toward their next life stage as compost.
Had a pleasant surprize when I finally made it into the new local gallery last week. The collage I submitted to the opening show is sold! At least there’s a little red sticker on the wall card beside it. I had had no notice beyond the total value of works sold at the opening so it was a complete shock. I suppose they’ll notify (and pay) the individual artists if and when the buyers actually pony up with the cash. I am motivated to finish and submit a couple of other things I’ve been working on as there was a new call for submissions recently.
Friday was the longest day of the year – and it felt like it. I got talked into going along with Ed, towing a trailer with my truck, to look at, buy and bring home a new-to-him old tractor for a back-up (’cause you can’t have just one)! The weather was nice. The tractor lived in a place called Mossley, somewhere the other side of Nowhere (or maybe London) and it apparently wasn’t happy about leaving. My truck isn’t wired for the electric brakes on the larger trailer; the smaller one has “surge” brakes. It matters. The tractor was probably too heavy for the trailer and also probably loaded too far forward, increasing the weight on the hitch beyond what is desirable (read smart, safe, wise . . . take your pick!) Jockeying the trailer into position to load it got easier when Ed remembered to enable (or disable, whatever) the trailer’s brakes so it would turn the way a trailer’s supposed to. Mossley is hilly with winding dirt roads. A couple of miles out, Ed remembered he’d forgotten the manual and accessories for the beast. I really have to apologize to the people whose driveway I turned into to turn around and go back! My truck has four wheel drive but I still dug holes in their gravel trying to back that sucker out and avoid the ditches on either side of both road and driveway. Eventually I bailed and told Ed to do it, learning as I had suspected that he’s no better at it than I am but he might have been somewhat more motivated and we finally got back to the farm to pick up his stuff.
Next crisis was the screaming of the trailer brakes when they locked up. They released or wore out or whatever after awhile. Let me just say that the absolute high point of the drive home was when three deer bounded lazily across the road ahead of us from one field to another. Magic! Almost made up for the dead deer by the side of the 401 on the way out. Why I get talked into these excursions is beyond me!
Saturday I was at home and blissfully alone while Ed took his eldest grandson to a demolition derby in Paris, Ontario. (He’s six years old; it was a perfect – if belated – birthday outing and a chance for male bonding between generations. Malcolm needs an attitude adjustment and spending time with his grandfather way from his two younger siblings can’t hurt.) A good time would seem to have been had by all (especially me) with a ride in a “monster truck”, a chance to play with a remote control vehicle of some sort, a t shirt, a balloon and alarming quantities of junk food. They lasted for three races, too, including an atv obstacle race I might have liked. We had the thunderstorm of doom here in the afternoon but they experienced only a few sprinkles all day.
I have all but completed the shaping of the (first) sleeve cap on the little knitted dress that has threatened to become a new career. There is still another sleeve to go (my granddaughter having the normal human complement of arms), a myriad of ends to bury and the duplicate stitch pattern to apply. Did I mention that I’m an idiot? I searched that pattern high and low before beginning the project to find the directions for the wreath pattern on the front bodice. There was a chart but the bodice directions said to knit in the main colour. I swear I looked for mention of “duplicate stitch” in the finishing to no avail. So I did the logical thing given the part where I’m a complete idiot; I knit the damned thing in! Looked like hell! Ripped it out and got my long suffering daughter to pick up the teeny tiny stitches on the teeny tiny circular needle. (My new eyeglasses should be in by next week, thank goodness!) Back to the pattern the following night and there – mysteriously inserted into the printed pattern sheet from a magazine back issue while my back was turned – was the instruction to add the wreath pattern from the chart in duplicate stitch. I look eagerly forward to my first venture into “duplicate stitch” embroidery on knitting ( . . . and I am the Queen of Romania). I’ll keep you posted.
