The last few days have seen highs in the 50s – unbelievable for the end of January and start of February, at least in NE Wisconsin where I live, but central Indiana has been very temperate. In fact, the daffodils and some of the perennials are peaking up in my son’s front garden. Poor little things. They will probably receive a rude awakening one of these days soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve gotten a lot of knitting done while here. There isn’t much else to do during the day. I finished a pair of socks that I started this summer – 2nd sock itis – but the 2nd sock is now complete. Actually, it doesn’t quite match the first, and the lesson to be learned from this is that you shouldn’t wait so long between socks. They have a lace pattern from the toe to the top. The socks were knit from the toe up and thus a decision had to be made as to where to start the gusset and heel flap, all the while maintaining the lace pattern on the instep stitches. With 6 months in between socks, I could not remember how I worked the first sock, and the lace pattern was complicated enough that I couldn’t quite figure out where the gusset began on the first sock, let alone replicate it on the 2nd sock. Oh well! Only I will know, because I am the one who will wear them.

I’m in a suburb of Indianapolis for the next 10 days. I arrived yesterday via airplane and could have driven it faster than flying. I flew out of Milwaukee to Kansas City and then on to Indy, but there was a 2 hour delay in KC, so the entire trip took about 10 hours. It’s a 7-hour drive if the traffic around Chicago cooperates.

Today we spent the morning at a wrestling meet. My grandson was supposed to wrestle, but he didn’t make weight so he couldn’t compete. Luckily, I took my knitting. :–). This evening we went to an Indianapolis Symphony Concert that was wonderful. (She proudly explaines – my son is Assistant Principal French Horn in the ISO.)

They played Shostakovich’s Festival overture, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto # 2, and Prokofief’s Symphony #4 – a very obscure work that I had not heard before. Super evening. While sitting there I realized that I had not heard a symphony orchestra concert in more than 8 years. That’s way too long.

The Rachmaninoff was one of my mother’s favorite piano concertos. I remember her playing an old 78 recording of it over and over when I was a child. The performance tonight almost conjured her up. She loved that piece so much that I am reasonably sure that she heard it tonight from somewhere.

On the knitting front, there is a yarn store in this town, so I’m sure I will darkening their door Monday morning. I brought 2 small projects to work on while I am here, but they were chosen because they are small and light-weight – easy to pack, etc. Maybe something else will meet my fancy here. I also want to hit the Apple store. I need a new power cord for my IPad. We don’t have an Apple store in Green Bay, so I might as well take care of that need while I am in a town big enough to have one.

 

Tomorrow I drive down to Milwaukee to catch a flight to Indianapolis, where I will stay with my 16-year-old grandson for about 10 days. It’s such a big deal because I can’t carry any luggage yet – hand is still too sore and weak for that much weight. I am also wondering what I will do while I am there, as grandson will be in school during the day. My son tells me there is a new yarn store in their town, so that will take care of about half a day. Then what will I do.

On another front I am anxiously awaiting the delivery of a new Erlbacher Gearhart sock knitting machine. I have hankered after one for years, but the only machines that were available were antiques. You bought them on ebay or from folks who bought and reconditioned them, but you never really knew if you were getting all the parts until it arrived. Now there is a company in Missouri making NEW antique knitting machines. I ordered mine shortly after Christmas and they said there was a 6-8week wait. That means – anytime now. Can’t wait!

 

The weather person says a winter storm is moving in tonight, and it has been gray all day. Temps are in the 20s, so that’s not so bad, but drizzle/freezing rain over night will make the morning drive difficult.

AJ installed the new light fixture and finished painting the walls in the kitchen. Then I did my vacuum thing, so we are looking better in that regard. The television news is all about the death of Joe Paterno and the outcome of the SC primary, and I am feeling at loose ends. Yes – I can knit, but I had wanted to add borders to a wall hanging I am making of Oregon’s Multnomah Falls and just discovered the I cannot use a rotary cutter. It requires too much downward force from a hand that just had surgery 3 days ago – so – here I am, telling my tale of woe.

AJ took Jessie to the park. She is a three-year-old Springadore – at least that’s what we call her. She came from a litter of pure bred Springer Spaniels on a farm East of here, but her father was a black lab from the farm down the road. Therefore, she has black fur, slightly wavy, that shines a bit brown when the sun hits it. We got Jessie when we moved to Green Bay. I was alone all day and missed having someone to talk to, so Jessie became my best friend. She’s very smart, loves romps in the park, makes up her own hide-the-ball-in-the-snow game, and then delights in digging it out.

Finished – surgery and all. What a relief!