I know I've not been blogging ...

Unfortunately, this isn't exactly a sign of increased productivity in non-blogging responsibilities. Or at least the two things aren't related. In fact, I think blogging more often would help me be more productive, simply because it would help me be more structured. Kind of like praying more regularly. Something that ought to be done for its own sake, but happens to produce all sorts of other good effects.

Anyway.

Because it is autumn (YAY!), and because I recently discovered this pattern and knew it must be made in brown, I am ordering some Knit Picks yarn in the colorway Spice, which I have long, long hankered after. I also got distracted by Sherry, and might just order some of that too. Maybe. (Hey. It's my birthday. At least, it will be. Soon.)

And I did it: I frogged the nausea shawl. The yarn has been rewound into a tidy pink yarn-cake and awaits its new destiny as ... something else. I don't know. However, I do know that the darker yarn is soon to become a lacy cowl. Even now, sitting here in the kitchen with the windows cracked open, I get little shivers down my spine from the cool air. It is time for fall knitting.

Also in my list of knitting goals this fall/winter:

-Christmas gifts. So far, this equals two things; but that list might get longer.

-A sweater. I really want to make one!

-A shawl for my friend, Nicole.

-Mittens, because I also want to learn to make these.

-Socks. My second sock, of course; but I wouldn't mind being one of those knitters who's able to whip socks out in a few days as gifts.

-Christmas stockings for me and Keith?

-And a scarf, because I've never actually made one, ever. (Except for little scarves for my beanie babies when I was lots younger, but those don't count.)

It's Still Wednesday!! (aka a yarn along)

Although I cannot post about my current WIP just now, I realized that I never updated about the status of my Honeymoon Socks. Or sock.

Yes, I finished the first one, and yes, I am apparently suffering from Second Sock Syndrome.

You'll notice the cuff is not six inches long, because I do not have that sort of patience.

This is the first sock I have made for myself (second pair of socks ever), and I am pleased with it. However, I have some worry about the way handknit socks look on my wide toes. Maybe it is this particular kind of toe? Or maybe I am just being really vain about my feet?

As you can see, the ends still need to be woven in, but plenty of time for that.

In the meantime, I actually sat down and wrote today. This is very good. The story I was writing, not as good. It's just sort of meandering around inside a grocery store in a very disjointed manner. We'll see if we can fix that by the weekend.

Linking up with Ginny.

Coffee

Today I had coffee--just a little bit, enough to fill the bottom of a styrofoam cup--and it was so good.

I haven't been drinking coffee lately, for various reasons. Last time I went to the store to buy some I ended up with a bag of decaf (what?!), which is still sitting in my fridge, untouched for the past month or so.

But just that little bit this afternoon. Ah. So simple, so wonderful.

Tentative Returning

Wow. It's been more than a month since I've participated in a yarn along. I'm afraid that this is because I haven't really been knitting.

I think this is because of a combination of reasons. Quite possibly I just need a break after all that wedding knitting. I've also been very fatigued lately and have had trouble finding the motivation to start anything. And though I did cast on a shawl last month, the color--which I started out loving--started to really bother me, almost to the point of nausea.

Yes, I'm serious. The color of this yarn made me queasy. It's kind of dumb.

For the longest time this shawl has been buried in the basket, in accord with the "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" theory. Today I finally unburied it, and found that my mental image of it was worse than the reality. I haven't decided what it's fate will be yet. I love the pattern, and am thinking that I should probably choose a color I know I'll always love to make it. But the thought of frogging this does not make me happy.

I think, though, that I will soon be ready to knit again. In fact, I'm considering casting on a Pretty Thing in the next couple of days to see if I can't jump-start the process, and give my hands something to do.

Not that I haven't lots of things to do, mind you. The list is increasing exponentially as the semester progresses. But if I'm going to procrastinate, I'd like it to be fruitful and enjoyable.

Reading has also been slow around here--I started reading Stephen R. Lawhead's Patrick and got a little more than halfway through before I finally couldn't stand it anymore. The only thing I've been reading with consistency is The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Ligouri, which is beautiful. On the one hand, I can't believe I haven't started this book before, considering how long I've owned it. But on the other, I'm glad I'm reading it now.

without feeling courage

"Let us not believe that we can love without suffering, and without suffering a great deal. It is our human nature that suffers, our poor God-given human nature which, however, is so precious, that Jesus came on purpose to our earth to clothe Himself with it. Let us suffer without bitterness, that is, without feeling courage. Jesus suffered with sadness. Could we say that a soul was suffering if it did not experience sadness? And could we then claim that we are suffering generously, nobly ... Celine ... what an illusion that would be!"

--St Therese of Lisieux

I kept trying to think of ways to explain why this quote is so beautiful to me, what it means for me ... but anything I can say about Therese's words would just seem ridiculous in comparison.