Sunday, October 18, 2009

On the Road Again/The Sweater that Never Ends

In the morning I'm off to Atlanta, for school visits. Then I only have one more trip, in November, and I can take a vacation from traveling until April. The nice thing about Atlanta is that I'll stay with my brother. One of the worst things about going out of town to visit schools is staying in hotels, though I've learned some tricks, like bringing a small fan for the white noise. And carrying chocolate with me. Lots of chocolate.

The boys and the Man went on their Cub Scout camp out this weekend, and I thought I was going to finally finish this sleeve I've been knitting. I'm making my dad a cardigan for Christmas, and I inadvertently picked a pattern that's almost all purling. I was halfway done with the back when it occurred to me that I was making very slow progress, and then it struck me: all I was doing was purling, with a few knit stitches thrown in here and there like little decoys to distract me from the fact that 90% of the stitches in this sweater are purl stitches.

I'm sure there's a name for the pattern of stitches used to make this sweater--first row, k1, *p1, k4, repeat; second row, p1, *k1, p4, repeat; third row, purl across; fourth row, repeat second row--but I'm finding some of my own creative names to mutter as I slowly purl, purl, purl for hours on end. Why does purling take forever and a day?

Anyway, I didn't finish the sleeve. I did do the grocery shopping and buy some new jeans and drive Jack twenty miles out to the campsite later Saturday afternoon, after he'd attended his friend's birthday party earlier Saturday afternoon. I did bake a chocolate cake for the boys to enjoy while I'm out of town.

Every weekend is the same. I plan to get lots of done, but I never do. I did take a nap this afternoon. It was wonderful. The dog napped with me, lying on my chest the way he does when it's just me and him and the couch.

So now I must go pack and prepare to be--once again--an introvert in an extrovert's world. I'll be back Wednesday night. Thursday, another nap. And then another.

Have a great week!

6 comments:

Heather said...

Have a safe trip. I love Atlanta because my family is there too. But the traffic? No, I do not love the traffic. Be prepared for that.

Tracy said...

Is Atlanta as hot and humid as I imagine it to be?

Enjoy those recouperation naps towards the end of the week! This introvert spent almost all weekend at home. Miracle of miracles I even organised to have some friends over for a meal. Dh nearly keeled over from shock!

Pom Pom said...

I hope the school visit is fun. You're ambitious to undertake a sweater as a Christmas gift. My sweaters take years. What kind of a dog do you have? Naps with dogs are cozy, I think.

Gumbo Lily said...

Have a wonderful trip -- as best you can. The sweater sounds hard. I don't knit, but I think it must be difficult. I like instant gratification. Embroidery is like that -- it's fairly fast and you see results quickly.

Nap and nap again!
Jody

Anonymous said...

Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind on it.
[url=http://ugg-boots-bailey-button-5803.blogspot.com/]ugg boots bailey button[/url] ugg-boots-bailey-button-5803.blogspot.com
[url=http://ugg-outlet-onine.blogspot.com/]ugg outlet[/url] ugg-outlet-onine.blogspot.com
[url=http://burberryoutletfree.blogspot.com/]burberry outlet[/url] burberryoutletfree.blogspot.com
The horizon of life is broadened chiefly by the enlargement of the heart.
ugg boots sale classic-uggboots-sale.blogspot.com
fox fur ugg boots fox-fur-ugg-boots.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

If we think about the purpose of the expression really like, not just in terms of a close relationship having one other, however , as a feeling which is engendered should you have miltchmonkey an even better association on your own very ( space ) or simply as being a feeling of greater unity with your family or perhaps the human race - it then becomes all the more extra ordinary that each everyone is seeking in your daily course will be really enjoy.