Sprinkles of Ideas

Quick knit for a baby already born. Most moms are just as happy with sweaters as with my epic blankets, so I'm listening. This is the one with the terrible purling back tension. I have been so very tense with the beginning of my nursing practicum. So I tried to distract the eye with some embroidery. This was a good pattern except for the huge mistake of not having enough cast on stitches (77 instead of 67). That's a pretty big mistake. If you google "baby raglan sweater free pattern", you can come up with some better patterns. I may do this again in the round and learn steeks. Perhaps that's why I have hidden my colour pattern sweater- fear of steeks. Like all other knitting techniques, they're probably easy once you figure it out. But the energy to figure it out is not always available.

Gobs of snow. This is what I woke up to on Friday morning. I got off my second night shift at 0700h and was asleep by 0800. Amazingly, I didn't get jet lag. Maybe this is something I can really do. The work on the unit is physically demanding- a lot of total care and nursing interventions, but the team is really together and the culture seems to focus on the patient. This is what I really need. I don't mind the odd cranky nurse (there are lots) but the patients are not the problem making our work hard. They are the purpose.

Amaryllis update. This sucker really wants to grow. We have a second bud at the base. It was leaning all the way over the pot, but straightened overnight when I turned it.

I was able to do a bit of knitting on night shift. First night I brought the silk shawl. On the second night I brought some of my new alpaca. It's sock yarn and I knit it two strands together for a hat for D. Thanks to Lara at www.math4knitters.com for the hat recipe. I finished it lastnight when I was with my book club. I gave it to him this morning and he was tickled.

We went out for pasta dinner (the restaurant of Michael Buble's auntie) and then back to Jean's for decaf, knitting and some Vicar of Dibley. We exchanged presents. I think they liked the lavender eye pillows. I received a lovely brown shawl and matching bookmark and some very promising homemade antipasto.

Jean gave me light reading for night shifts. What a treat. The intersection of our reading and knitting.

Today is Emily's first Orchestra concert. There is a matinee and an evening. I decided to go to both and bask in the Christmas music. Trying to make up for being absent or sleeping most of the week. Sitting I can do. I'm taking a reluctant Scotty this afternoon and my mom and dad are coming this evening. D is on call and his parents don't support Emily nearly enough. I doubt they'll show. Another reason for me to go. The people are great and the Chilliwack Metropolitan Orchestra is playing with the youth to support them. This is a great new endeavour.

I've cast on the last square for the aran afghan. David Reidy www.sticksandstring.com talks about patience, and this is how I cultivate it. I had a great morning catching up on podcasts and knitting. Hope you can, too.