Recognition

I never did find my carefully laid out 2008 monthly planner, but as luck would have it, J brought the exact same monthly planner home from work with all of his work shifts already inputted by hand. I think I should take credit for this attempt at orderliness. Perhaps my organizational skills are rubbing off on him after all. Of course, I took over the planner and inputted all of B’s child care and kindergarten days in it too (for his sake naturally), and the planner is now always at MY arm’s length. It is always available if he would like to take a peek at it. Poor guy. I am sure he tries to help, but it would seem that his plans to have his own planner have been thwarted. There’s really no use to us having two planners. Consider it a ‘Family’ Planner (where I schedule and input everything, and he just needs to do as I say). Sound good? Yeah, I think so.

I feel that sometimes I am wrapped up so much in my own personal day-to-day turmoil (mostly nonsense and silly stuff that isn't worth sweating like a lost planner) that maybe I am missing recognizing my friends and relatives' serious and sometimes painful issues. I mean, I sometimes say the wrong words or act silly and awk-mo or I completely forget (selective memory) or better yet, when I am the listener in a serious conversation, I frequently zone out trying to come up with appropriate words or a face to make to show that I really do care. I actually get so anxious that I might come off insincere that I completely miss the specifics and come off looking like an ass because I have to ask the poor soul to repeat their whole ordeal again. I wish that compassion was more natural and smooth for me. I am exceptionally lucky to work with the most sincere and caring people in the world. It's very easy to feel like a klutz around these women. I am sure T can attest to this ! I guess I just want the people I know for real to know that I try so hard, and it might look like I don't care at all, but the truth is all these realities keep me up at night. T once called me stranded at a motel in the most dire of straits, and I couldn't talk because I was laughing uncontrollably. That's what I do.

This afternoon I decided how I would recognize one special co-worker I know going through a very difficult time by dedicating my first lace project to them. I know that I promised T we would work on the Woodland Shawl together very soon, but I know she would understand. I was thinking of something quick, not too much pattern following - a wide comforting shawl that I could use my Knit Picks Shadow lace-weight merino wool. I came up with Elizabeth Zimmerman's Pi Shawl - I have the Knitter's Almanac, so this is perfect. I can make it as simple as I want. I have to count rows, but that's not horrible. It's doable. It's simply knitting in a circle, and I can handle that. How long could it possibly take? Maybe unconscientiously I needed to learn to knit so that rather than relying on words of comfort and making the right gestures, I can hand over a knitted item that speaks volumes about how much I care. Because I do care - a whole lot actually.

Here's proof that I did indeed swatch - albeit backwards. Turns out the first size of needles I swatched on were closest to gauge, and yet I continued to swatch with three other sized needles. Brilliant! This is my Rowan Soft Tweed in Twig for my Drops Cardigan . Feel free to ooh and ahh.

And look what Em brought back for me from the France pavillion at Epcot! A Manet original. Manet really painted this mug - I am most certain it is a relic. A relic in which I will relish sipping my peppermint tea. She also gifted me some sweet 'bon bons'. Only Em would be able to find a suitably classy 'cadeau' from a Disney gift shop! Isn't my 'tasse' most lovely? Merci beaucoup, Em.

Here's my slow progress on the Newfie Mitten. I just have the thumb to go. Well, and the matching mitten.Well, I just remembered that J recorded some 30 Rock for me to watch. He likes me.

N