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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Strange Saturday and Sandy Preparations

[Image of 5-day forecast and coastal areas under a warning or a watch]
Try as I might I have completely failed at quelling that anxious sensation about a coming storm. Usually I poo poo hurricane forecasts because hey - it's coming anyway. Nothing I can do to stop it. I am always somewhat prepared just because I like to have extras around the house. Also we're usually glad for the rain, though we didn't need all that Irene gave us. We could use some rain now, for that matter, though we're not suffering drought conditions by any means. But the thrum of angst - that energy which causes everyone to empty shelves in stores - is wearing.
This storm is moving slowly enough that it looks like it will ruin the first few days of the week - when I had planned to do Other Outdoor Things or Drive to the City, which I won't do in high winds. I'm glad I can drive a car but I am never in the mood to drive one. Many things can convince me to stay home.

Then - there is the threat of damage. I don't want to see trees down, I'm not in the mood for being without power as the long nights of winter take over from the lingering summer twilight. I don't want to see all the glorious colors stripped from the forest. grumble grumble grumble. Also - this low heavy cloudiness that presages the storm means I have to take my laundry into town to dry. Thank goodness I remembered Friday night, in time to do something about it, that, though the driers are fairly cheap to use, the washing machines cost a fortune in quarters now. You'd think if they're going to charge you $5 to use a washing machine they'd at least put a dollar bill box on the side.

Strange also is the fact that I haven't got a knitting project on the needles.

Ooops. Correction. I don't have an interesting knitting project on the needles. I am diddling with something made of brushed cashmere and silk that there is absolutely no hurry to complete - it's way too lightweight for the frosty weather of autumn. I also have the yarn to make an oatmeal aran - and only the last of the neckline to do to finish Bricca the Aran (which I may actually do if the weather shuts us in for days). I also have - not quite 50 shades of - Cascade 220 that would make the coolest looking intarsia cardigan. In fact it need not be intarsia, but I've been feeling like I need to knit something using that technique ... maybe even something with a random, serendipitous design.

Oh ... how typing that makes me laugh at myself. There's NO such thing as a serendipitous use of color. Oh - you may start out picking whatever looks good together - but after a while the project takes on a look - a color scheme that requires you to be deeply choosy about color just when you're getting tired of the garment and want to cast on something else. I can think of nothing more conducive to UFOedness than a random serendipitous colorwork project. Still and all .... I'm a little hungry for New Clothes ... or rather, Something New on my needles.

Colonial Williamsburg

I'm just back from the Virginia Library Association conference - held, happily this year, in Williamsburg - where I am always glad to go, for many reasons, one of which is that the shopping is so interesting. Besides very quaint and often high quality reproduction stuff in the old town, there are the outlets - where, if you like only Jones of New York, or Anne Taylor, you can indulge yourself with whatever sartorial pleasures you're hungry for at slightly cheaper, outlet mall prices. The outlet malls have gotten so big now they require 3 stoplights on Rt. 60. I seldom have enough time to shop the entire length anymore. I'm usually either tired or short of time or with someone who wants to go into places I would skip, were I on my own. Friday, on the way home, I traversed the whole place.

And I was enormously glad I had spent last weekend sorting through and culling my winter clothes. Had I not, I know I would have spent several hundred dollars on lovely things that would not have fit in my small closet and 4 dresser drawers. (Of course - I could have another dresser drawer if I would only knit up the yarn I have stored in the bottom one) There are two things I need this fall - a down vest and a pair of dress boots and I didn't find anything that was exactly right ... and the dress boots are going to cost a bundle so I shan't buy anything that isn't perfect, while the down vests - of which there were dozens - were either of an unflattering fit or the wrong color. I would rather go vestless than wear something unflattering in either shape or color... and so I am. I will probably find the vest I'm looking for at Walmart.


The VLA convention is always associated with fashion to me because the first time I went - nigh on to 30 years ago - everyone had on the dark suit with silk blouse and foulard tie of John T Malloy's Woman's Dress for Success. I, otoh, did not own a suit and had only a plaid wool skirt with a matching sweater - something straight out of the Patty Duke Show. Back then, my wardrobe was limited at best and even then I wore jeans to work as often as I wore anything else. I did not return to VLA till I had a fancier wardrobe.

Yesterday I finished packing up summer clothes - culling from the heap all the saggy-but-serviceable t-shirts and baggy shorts, though I was unable to pitch the multiples that were in decent shape. I will do that in the springtime - at Tara. I did empty out a tub-and-a-half, so I put all the summer shoes into the empty tub. Usually they're piled in a heap at the top of the stairs. This year they are out of sight and stacked on top of another bin. Sweet.

I also managed to get the house tidy, dusted and vacuumed before we lose power - which the weather dot com guys assure us we will. I have water. I have kerosene lamps. I have battery powered lantern flashlights and extra batteries. I have a pot of chili. I have a gas stove. I have a basket of kindling and dry wood on the back porch. I have library books. I have yarn. I have watercolors. I will go fill the bathtub in a few minutes. I believe I am as prepared as I can possibly be. Now it's just a waiting game.

Take care all my friends in low lying areas. It will soon be better. At Tara.

1 comment:

  1. Dear heart,

    Hope you are staying safe, cozy, dry and well-lit! ;-) And if you're bored with your knitting...have you anything to spin?

    ReplyDelete