Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Do Not Disturb














This week, I've all but hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign on my back door after getting home from work in the evening.  Last Saturday, I snagged this copy of Downton Abbey, Series 1, The Original UK Edition at Target.  And I've been watching it EVERY evening this week.  I've been catching up since I somehow missed Series 1 when it first came on.  Well, actually I did see bits and pieces but didn't watch it through since it usually went off at 11pm and I had to be up early the next morning for work.

Anyway, I've been coming home and quickly doing my chores, and then settling down on the sofa in my jammies, a cup of Earl Grey, decaf, and my knitting.  It has been nice to be able to rewind (is that a word for DVDs?) and rewatch bits if I miss a phrase or gesture.

Someone at work who has never seen the show was asking me about it.  Where to start? This is Britist drama!  There's the superb writing, the cast, the costuming, the scenery.  And then there's all the little gestures and looks.  And then, of course, there's all the history. 

My cousin, Virginia, and I are planning a Downton Abbey Day where we'll watch Series 1 and Series 2.  I think we need to have tea and scones too. 

And finally, a big Thank You! to my local PBS station, APT, for showing Downton Abbey.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Knit On!

Knit on. Those words have been playing in my mind in an almost continuous loop for the past 2 ½ weeks. My Mother has been in the hospital so things at my house have been somewhat out of sorts, as you can imagine. But I’ve been knitting although not as often as I would like and I certainly haven’t been able to do much that required a lot of thought since by the end of the day, I’ve been tired.

I knit the entire right side and finished the MDK Baby Kimono while sitting in the ER with my Mother. Several people asked what I was knitting and when I told them a baby sweater, they had a rather confused look on their face. But I really can’t blame them since the knitting dangling from my needles didn’t look anything like a sweater. So I’d stop knitting and fold it over to show them. Then, they were amazed at how something so misshapen could turn into a cute little sweater. It has been washed and is waiting for seaming.














I made two cute little baby hats which I call Lunch Hour Hats since they were knit while sitting with my Mother during my lunch hour so my Dad could go have lunch. Her cardiologist, after observing me knitting and talking without looking at my work, told me I was “really good at that”.














I picked up my Mitered Square Blanket again and so far, I have completed 7.5 squares. Its perfect hospital knitting since it is portable and easy to put down as long as long as I’m using a row counter. It requires just enough thought to keep things interesting and deciding on colors is entertaining. Sometimes, though, I forget to carry my yarn up the side but I’ve decided not to worry about that.












Sadly, Liberty has been languishing in my knitting bag since, for me anyway, it requires concentration. But I have managed to knit a few rows here and there.

The good news is that the doctors have gotten Mother all fixed up and she’s home now.  She says that after 2 1/2 weeks in the hospital, it sure is good to sit in her own chair and to sleep in her own bed.