Monday, October 27, 2008

26,686

That's how many steps I took on my long walk on Saturday with Anna and her Walk for the Cure teammate Nancy. Thirteen and a half miles worth. Four hours (it was hot and dry). I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself. And my leg didn't hurt! (I know this doesn't sound like a big deal, but trust me -- it is.)

This was in the middle of a hectic day. The girls had soccer games in the morning, and as soon as I got home, we needed to head straight back out for one of my dear friend's annual Diwali party, which is great fun, and which involved me trying to get a sari on all by myself. I almost managed it, and required only minimal adjusting when I got there, and nothing fell down while I was in public (which I consider to be a feat worthy of recognition). I absolutely adore wearing a sari on this once-a-year occasion when I have an excuse to do so. Honestly, I so wish that I could wear one all the time; there's nothing like draping oneself in nine yards of fabric to feel all swishy and pretty. Alas that I was born in the wrong place. If I lived in India, I could probably get away with it, and if I were of Indian heritage living here I could probably get away with it, but being who I am living where I am, not so much.

Sunday was a more relaxing day. I spun another ounce of the Sanguin Gryphon roving; I am hoping to get it all spun and plied before my conference at the end of the month, so I can knit a scarf for myself out of it while I sit through talks. We'll see how realistic that is. I also got some serious knitting done on the baby blanket, and am through the skein of brown yarn, and onto the skein of blue. It doesn't look like much.
But it's progress. The little star in the middle turned out nicely.
We might be heading up north in a couple of weeks to visit, and I'm hoping to have it done by then, so I can give it to Rick's cousin in person. We'll see. It's a great project to knit while reading, which means, among other things, that I'm working my way rather quickly through Knitting America and will soon be on to No Idle Hands. (I should mention, by the way, that all y'all are some serious book-buying facilitators, not to mention research-doing supporters. I now know where to turn when it comes time to interview knitters, I think.) Knitting has finally made it so that I don't mind hardbacks so much, since they stay open while I knit (I mostly hate big books because I can't easily carry them around with me in the very small backpack I allow myself as a purse)(must protect the back).

Meanwhile, I started my day today with a lovely walk on one of my favorite local trails with both dogs (and Anna and her two dogs -- we were a herd!), who then spent the rest of the day sprawled around me at my desk while I worked on the presentation I need to give at that conference at the end of the month (eek!).
I was surrounded, as you can see.

Not a bad way to start the week. And now I'm off to start baking some butternut squash to go along with the sauteed sausages and peppers on pasta. Mmmm....

14 comments:

Anne said...

Mmm indeed!

Congratulations on all those steps... and I'll be interested to hear what you think of No Idle Hands.

My verification word is "perprove"; it sure sounds like it ought to mean something, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

Well done!! All your knitting friends are proud of you. I'm sure I speak for Ellen too when I say thanks for letting us be part of the effort by extension. (And the yarn has arrived! Many, many thanks for that too! I'll forward on to Ellen post haste.)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the walk! And the progress on the blanket. And the sari wearing. Sounds like a very satisfying weekend.

BTW, my youngest wore a sari to her high school prom. It was easily the most noted dress at the dance, in a good way.

Alwen said...

I was just wondering why I wasn't surrounded, and realized maybe I would be if I let the other dog in out of the chilly drizzle!

Baked squash with butter sounds good to me today.

Anonymous said...

I'm coming over for dinner!

Grand way to start the week. Congratulations! Steps and not losing your sari in public.

Old hardbacks are better than new for reading and knitting. (I think)

Saris are wonderful. The fabric! The fabric! I've only had occasion to wear one once. Had to be put into it by someone skilled.

Helen said...

You're going to finish your Pinwheel before I finish mine! 'Sno fair! Yes, please write a book which will entail research at your LYS: you'll enjoy the research and I'll enjoy the book.

And I second 'drouth', as in the sentence, 'I like Champagne, but it gives me a terible drouth the next day.'

Helen said...

Sorry, there should be two 'r's in 'terrible', sigh.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on all those steps! It's as if you'd walked a sweater's worth of stiches. :)

Sprawled around helping you. Clearly.

Anonymous said...

hmmm,,, your dinner read yummy!

EGunn said...

That's a lot of steps! I completely understand how great it is when a leg decides not to hurt, too. Congratulations on making it so far!

I've never worn a sari, but I've always wanted to. Other cultures really have some great clothes, don't they? Long and flowing things are always nice.

Willow said...

wow! I'm impressed! Congrats on all those steps.

I just started reading Weaver's Garden. The author has included some history of cultivated fiber, spinning, weaving and knitting, which I find interesting. I have not pulled Women's Work from the library since the summer. I guess I need to get just the right knitting project to accompany reading it.

Nana Sadie said...

May I have your sauteed sausages and peppers on pasta recipe? YMMMY!
;)
And oh, yes, if your leg doesn't hurt (or in my case, my foot) it's HUGE.

hmmmm....so, if you wore a sari all the time would you knit sweaters?
(((hugs)))

the boogeyman's wife said...

saris are beautiful, i wish white people could wear them and not look ridiculous too. congrats on the walk. and thank you for your last few posts, i've thought about being mindful a lot since then, although i didn't comment. the saying that i like is to live each day as though you were going to live forever and die tomorrow. that balance of looking ahead and living each moment to the fullest is so hard to achieve, to not go to one or the other extreme, and yet it has to be the only way to truly appreciate life.

Anonymous said...

We once went to the party of some Indian friends, and my husband and I could talk to each other in English or French. But all the other couples there could only converse with each other in English; they didn't share a native tongue with their own spouse. So many languages on the subcontinent!