I've been reading the postings in my knitting chat room and have been surprised to see how many experienced knitters had lost their mojo this winter. Mine has been missing for so long I wasn't sure I'd recognize it when and if it ever came back. Well, I'm happy to report that it has returned! After practically forcing myself to finish a multi-sweater set, I started to 'wing' a girl's size 6 shrug in white Bernat Softee Baby on a US 8 circular needle using my basic rag
lan-from-the-neck-down cardigan pattern. Finished it in 3 evenings having spent only one ripping it out. It's a v-neck with short sleeves, no buttons with a twisted rib band around the whole thing. I was so pleased with the results I started another. This time a size 4 in
yellow. Should finish it tomorrow. I don't know if my mojo returned because I didn't feel alone or just because the shop opens April 5th and I have made basically nothing this winter. I may be able to crank another one off the needles by then. That should momentarily fill the holes in my display.
Thursday after work Jeff and I went shopping for a new chair for Mom. I was thinking of a recliner and he was pushing for a power-lift. We found a couple we liked and went home to talk it over with her. She wasn't exactly against the idea but there wasn't much enthusiasm showing on her part. Yesterday after work we loaded her into the car and went to the furniture store. She complained all the way, most of the time we were in the store, all the way home and most
of the evening. We bought the power-lift recliner with zero-gravity design...suppose to be less painful for someone with Mom's arthritis . It has a 5 year warranty on the lift motor and wasn't too expensive...about $1000 and we'll get about a $150 rebate on the motor. She argued it was too expensive but I said we were using some of the money from the camp sale that I had earmarked 'Mad Money'. She thought I should be able to come up with something better to blow $1000 on besides a chair. (Well, I could spend that much on yarn if I really tried but where would I put it? At least the chair has a spot in the living room.) It was delivered this afternoon after she had worked herself up into a nervous state. Jeff told me to go knit and he spent a couple of hours going over how the chair worked and coaching her to use it. Every objection she had he would explain away except the color of it...mocha. Mom said it was too dark and she couldn't see it. (It hadn't changed colors on the trip to our house, it was that color in the store but it wasn't objectionable then.) Jeff suggest a slipcover and I suggested a beach towel. Now the chair has a bright yellow and blue floral beach towel covering the back and the seat making it very visible to Mom. She hasn't totally accepted it, and while she begrudgingly admits it's easier getting out of than the old chair, she won't admit that it's comfortable. Tomorrow morning should be interesting....
Jeff checked the garden today and said so far about a dozen garlic greens have come above the 6" of leaves he covered them with last fall. Hope the rest show up soon! He also announced that the new vents in the compost bin seem to be working. The pile has gone down about 6" since he put them in. We knew it was working by the heat escaping thru the 'periscope' but compressing 6" in a week is pretty good. The peas and beans are big enough to transplant and they'll be in by the end of the week with a plastic hooped greenhouse system over them.
Oh, and the sale of camp is final. Jeff and I met with the new owners today. I thought I'd be sad but we had many good years up there and it's just time to move on. I wished Frank & Carol as much enjoyment as we had and he promised to send photos of the renovations he does.
The next major change in my life will be retirement at the end of June. Can't wait! Maybe I'll be able to keep the house clean, finish all my OTN's, keep my stock up, the yard mowed and my pile to to-be-read books down. It should be fun trying!