On Friday, Violet had a playground accident and broke her wrist. She’ll be in a splint at least until Friday when the orthopedist will take new x-rays and decide if she needs a cast and for how long. She’ll probably be missing most of her swim season so she’s disappointed, but taking it well. “At least it’s not my writing hand, Mom, because then I’d really go crazy”. She fantastic, tough, and brave. I’m lucky to be her mom.
Knitflixing: I’ve been watching The Great British Baking Show. My mother-in-law introduced the show to us this summer and some new episodes have been released. Violet and Abram also enjoy it so it’s something I can watch with them while I work on one project or another. Currently that’s a simple seed stitch scarf in some beautiful merino/cashmere yarn. So soft and squishy. I’m using the charcoal/onyx helix colorway and the variation in color is very, very subtle. I also have the yarn for a new pair of socks wound and ready to go so I’ll probably be alternating those two projects with an embroidery project.
Reading: I finished As Brave as You which was a book recommendation from Violet. I love sharing books and book recommendations with V. Granted, she seems to read fewer of my recommendations that I read of hers. She’s a voracious reader, but she’s also much pickier than I am. I just started Every Kind of Wanting and I’m reserving final judgment, but I’m enjoying it. I’m about seven books away from my reading goal from 2017, so I’ll need to decide if I want to read or finish Christmas presents. Every year this time I wish I could listen to books or read and craft at the same time (there are actually people who can do that!!!) but I can’t.
Thinking about: Urgent vs. important. Being intentional with my time, my physical and mental energy. What and who matter most to me. What I want things to look like a year from now, a month from now, a week from now. What will get me there. What needs to be jettisoned. Purpose and plan. And a lot of home remodeling decisions.
Listening to: Some favorite Spotify playlists lately include: Autumn Acoustic, The Unrequited Mixtape (the Lucinda Williams’ song on this is in my top 5 of all time), Have a Great Day (this last one makes cleaning my house so much more enjoyable).
So that’s us. How are things in your corner of the world?
I’m so glad you post these–I’m not even really sure why. Maybe I like thinking of this nice, thoughtful, crafty woman in Minnesota knitting and reading and baking and mothering? Like, the world hasn’t completely gone to hell if Kate is still keeping on keeping on.
I don’t knitflix, but I stitchflix. Experimenting with embellishing fabric, letting myself just play around with it as I practice new stitches. I like not having a particular end in mind. I cannot find a book that is grabbing me. I think it’s more about me than the books. Like you, I’ve discovered that I can’t really listen to a book and craft/stitch–but I can “watch” a TV show. What’s up with that? I can only do it if the task is mindless. I listened to a lot of audiobook while painting kitchen cabinets last summer.
I’ve been thinking about a lot of the same things you have. My life feels unmoored right now. I need to find some harbor. It’s nice to pull into the dock of your space here and get some respite from the winds.
I’m not really sure why either 😉 but I am glad you enjoy them and you’re welcome at my dock any time! I feel silly posting such mundane things sometimes, but I also see it as my less religious version of Ann Voskamp’s “One Thousand Gifts”. I’m glad that someone other than me finds them worthwhile.
I wonder why TV shows are different from audiobooks in our crafting endeavors? I also like the idea of working on something without any particular end in mind. I’m terrible at that. I feel like practice for the sake of practice would probably do me good!
Love reading V’s response to her broken wrist — may she heal quickly! (I also have a fantastic, tough and brave daughter (mostly, that is…), and I too, think I’m a really lucky mom 🙂 .)
That’s some gorgeous yarn you picked for your scarf, Kate! I finished my Stockholm scarf this weekend and it’s drying (from blocking). I cannot wait for it to be cold enough to wear it, because oh my word, I love how it turned out. I actually felt bereft, finishing it, as it was such a fun knit. Today I started the Ravenclaw ornament for my son; it was either that, or sit and stew about how the world has completely gone to hell (as per Rita’s comment).
I also cannot knit and listen to an audiobook. Or exercise and listen to an audiobook. Sigh. (But at least I now know I’m in good company.)
Lucky us to be the moms of such great daughters.
I do hope you’ll post a picture of your scarf on your blog soon! I bet it’s beautiful! I completely understand feeling bereft at finishing it. I actually have a project that’s 95% finished but I just can’t seem to bring myself to work on it because then I’ll be done and it has been so much fun to work on. I know it’s silly to procrastinate because then I’m not working on it anyway, but I just am not ready to finish it yet. (I’ll never be considered the most rational of humans.)
I also feel you on the world completely going to hell. I’ve been swinging on the pendulum of hope/despair for almost two years now. I think that’s part of why I write these posts. To remind myself that I’m fortunate to live a life that in its simple, mundane, everyday is pretty damn enjoyable.
This is the third broken wrist I’ve heard about in the last week. I’m sorry for your daughter, but admire her mature attitude about it. Good kid, that one.
I like your urgent vs important dichotomy. I need to examine my life and apply it to what I do. Much to do, but I want it to be important… in line with my values… and adding joy to my life. Guess I need to make it so, huh?
She really can be. And how crazy that you’ve heard of that many broken wrists in a week!! Makes me wonder if there isn’t some celestial energy pulling at things and making people clumsy. (I don’t even know if I believe in that, but still…)
I think the important vs urgent is especially hard this time of year. Everything is just so…noisy. It’s too easy to get sidetracked. I need to work on making it so, too.