Countdown to Autumn

With TheReunion over the fall season seems closer than ever. Any moment now I'll hear the Song of the Cricket coming from the hedgerows (and the thwack of the flyswatter if they come indoors - love me some cricket songs, but only outside.) Usually I am exhausted by now - ready for any downtime at all - after a mad weekend of guests and partying. This year I feel a different sort of tired, mostly made up of grief processing. I miss my dad. I miss my dog. I don't exactly fear the future as one of the Old Ladies at TheReunion ... it's still a little while off - and besides, being old isn't necessarily such a bad thing. But I do feel a little like I'm staring into a future that I have never imagined and never planned for. It's just that the ozone layer of old folks has thinned even more now that I too have lost a parent. I remember when it happened for BD and while I always knew it would come for me too, I didn't really believe it.

Well. It is just my turn.

But I am cutting myself a lot of slack while I come to terms with changes. I'm not despairing as I struggle with a stupid 6 stitch/8 row lace pattern, knitting a row, tinking back, knitting the next 2 rows, tinking back. This is the slowest scarf ever knittinked! But it will be lovely and heck - I like to knit a lot more than I like to finish. I've ordered blocking mats from KnitPicks so that I can actually stretch this lace out and get an idea of the finished gauge. Maybe I won't have to knit such a long scarf!  I am planning on using the same border stitch on it so length and width will be added. That pattern is a little easier to follow - a diamond shape, always easy to read.

Blocking mats

I'm also thinking about sweaters - about something quick and smooth and zipped up swiftly. Something from my stash? Something from new yarn? Now that the house is a little cooler upstairs I may do some stash shopping.

And now it is after 8 and Monday to boot. Guess TheQueen better get a hustle on.