We’re off to Europe in the Northern Hemisphere Winter for a short visit. Sensible Joan has been prompting us to sort out coats and winter boots – of the sort we don’t really need here – while it is still winter.

Don was looking at coats over the weekend, but I assumed my fabulous puffy very warm winter coat would serve me well and that I didn’t need another. But then I thought to try it on …

A new coat for me then too (curse those extra kilograms).

I found a super-fabulous coat today in Uniqlo which looks excellent. Unfortunately the in-seam pockets are so teeny tiny that my phone could barely fit inside. So now I am debating whether to buy it and make the pockets larger.

It seems sensible, but it also seems like the exactly the kind of project that I could become paralysed by and leave incomplete for several years.

I don’t even want to think about attempting to track down winter boots.

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The trouble with enjoying a knitting project is the “just one more row” (which quickly becomes just 10+ more rows) that inevitably happens.

And so it was that I woke up on Saturday with a horrendously sore left neck and shoulder blade which were undoubtedly related to a couple of long knitting sessions on Friday.

Well, it’s either from knitting or stress from recent quite infuriating SML shenanigans.

Whatever the cause, laying on the floor with a tennis ball under the shoulder is an excellent (though painful) pain-reliever.

Must knit fewer rows.

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My second shawl is all blocked (survived the kitties) and I’m really very pleased with it!

Details:
Pattern: Melodia by Janina Kallio
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Fino in the Admiral colourway
New techniques: garter tab cast on
Modifications: I still had quite a of yarn left at the end of the pattern, so I kept knitting to avoid having leftovers. I added two more row of eyelets and a bunch more garter rows.
Other: cast off with Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off.

On with the pix!

from the front

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wrapped – with doer-upperer shawl pin

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from the back

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It really is beautiful and feels wonderful squishy and gorgeous, but alas I loathe the look of it on me as a shawl. Hideously unflattering!

But worn as a scarf? A+++ Behold! An Action Shot!

I’ve decided what I really like in a shawl/wrap is something wild like the bonkers-ness of the very giant Be Kind shawl.

I am determined make another with some Manos del Uruguay in a bold colourway and the called for needle size.

But would I knit this one again? Nope! It’s a lovely pattern, but it’s not for me

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Mending Joe/Frank’s childhood teddy who had a torn foot. Teddy recently arrived along with a few treasures from his other parents’ house after a decluttering initiative.

Fortunately after a rummage in the fabric tub I found some grey woollen fabric that didn’t look too jarring. Another one of those “that might come in useful one day” moments.

I recently salvaged the fabric from an old backpack of his that had seen much better days and was going to be tossed.

This is how hoarding starts.

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Spring in July!

We’d best get onto that heat-proofing ahead of summer.

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A very lovely day, which I did not get out amongst. Will do better tomorrow.

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Rotten and infuriating day at SML, phone battery about to die. I consider this a message from The Universe that I should go to sleep.

Meanwhile, perhaps you might enjoy a recent sunset:

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Serious cow on the epic hike from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidigg.

I think I need more regular access to cows – serious or otherwise.

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Don tested into A2.1**^^ and has zoom classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights. He’d originally planned for one night per week, but that class was cancelled before it started.

It’s quite intense, has a bunch of homework and he’s greatly enjoying it.

I try to do quiet activities during this time and not suck up all the internet! This self-enforced no-tech for a couple of hours really makes for a lovely and peaceful evening.

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** German
^^ of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

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In no surprise to anyone, despite my intentions to eschew routines (as much as practical), I find myself firmly back in them.

Mostly this involves a good deal of knitting, attempting to learn German and completing Palacely chores. And workly work, natürlich.

This is surprisingly satisfying, though I am skeptical of its ability to remain so over the long term.

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