Thursday, January 26, 2017

Fresh start

I really hadn't meant to stop blogging but I did despite my best intentions . You would think that after my year of fighting and beating cancer that things would be peachy keen . It took me to the latter part of 2016 to feel half ways normal  . I was always so tired and would cry at the least little thing . I just could not cope with the everyday stresses .Then last fall while my father was here visiting he suffered a severe stroke and is paralyzed on his right side , can't speak and is pretty much bedridden . He had wonderful care from all the doctors and nurses at the Montreal Neurological but once he was stable he was transported back to Austria . It was so very , very difficult to have to say goodbye to him . He is 87 and had been living a full and active life . To see him like this has been devastating for our whole family . For me this was kind of a wake up call . I had better find a way to enjoy life because everything can change in a heartbeat . All that to say that while there are still bad days, but fewer of them ,  getting back to my knitting and blogging is my way to find the peace and joy again .


So what am I working on you might ask , well that would be mostly socks and mittens . These are my funky  mittens . The pattern is tincanknits The world's simplest mittens. It is a really great pattern with quite a few sizes and best of all it is free ! As always at the beginning of the year I have great intentions of knitting down the stash .I had purchased this yarn with the idea of making a hat . Once I had started it I didn't like the way that the stripes were knitting up .You can see by the photo that there is really no sequence to the colour changes . I quickly frogged the hat and started the mittens, the irregularity of the stripes in the mittens doesn't bother me in the least .They are going into the gift box for charity knitting though  I am tempted to keep them . I kind of like the funkiness ...

The socks are my first ones for Yarngasms' box of socks KAL 2017 . The yarn is another stash yarn  , OnLine Neptune color . The pattern is the Decathalon socks by Sue Grandfield . This is another free pattern on ravelry . Lately it has been my go to sock pattern . It is easy but not boring , just plain garter rib .

There are more socks and mittens underway , but I will leave that for another post .I am hoping that I will continue on blogging and that 2017 will truly be a fresh start ...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry about your Dad. I hope that he continues to recover ..........I'm sure it is very hard on him not being able to do all the things he used to do. I shall keep him (and you)in my prayers.

You are so right about living each day fully.

Wanderingcatstudio said...

I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad. It's hard to see your loved ones suffer.

And one thing I learned with Mom having cancer, is that even when it's gone, it continues to affect you. Long, long after it's over. So live each day as fully as you can, but don't be hard on yourself when you need to take a break either!

Bridget said...

Hello - I can certainly understand your feelings, I've been there myself. I hope your dad improves, and I'm glad you at least got to make sure he was doing OK before he had to head home.

Your socks are really lovely, I like the colors. And I'm like you, I kinda like that the mittens are not a perfect pair. Whether you keep them or donate them, someone will be happy and that's what counts!

Judy S. said...

Judy,

Hopefully you dad is improving daily, Judy. I have just read about your battle with cancer and want you to know that we share a common history. Not only was I raised in WI and love knitting, but I too have been treated for breast cancer---but twice, once in 1995 and then again in 2007. Carpe Diem has been my motto ever since! Your knitting projects are great! That wedding shawl is a real treasure worthy of the generations to come! Know that you are in my thoughts and that I wish you the very best. Hugs from the PNW, too!