pretty door in edenton, nc
The days are getting shorter.
I feel that so intensely. Do you? The days are whipping past, with a countdown to the end-of-the-year at work, and of course the general countdown to The Holidays, at which time we will all finally sit down and relax for a bit. Each day is like a race to pack in as much as I can before bed.
But the nights are longer too, and that I like. The things I do at night:
sleeping
snuggling with my favorite person and cat
baking
knitting
making gifts
writing notes to friends
wrapping myself in an afghan crocheted by my grandma
ogling the wonderfully tacky lights on everyone's houses
making dinner with my family
The chilly mornings make it a little challenging to get out of bed, prolonging those longer nights (especially the snuggling part). There is something wonderful about night - mystery, warmth in the cold, quiet - that seems to define winter for me.
One of the things I've been working on at night is HWWLLB's Christmas sweater. I try to make him a sweater every year, and every year I tell him not to get his hopes up, because as I get older (and as I knit more toys) I seem to have less and less patience for great big grown-up sweaters. There is something wonderful about them though, like running a marathon.
The fair isle is dragging along, though.
Each row seems to take an eternity. I am very, very, very slow at knitting with two strands. For the last week he's done a lot of traveling for work, so I've been able to make some progress on the sweater at home, but that's over now, and I don't know where I will steal the knitting time (away from his peeking eyes) to get it finished. I may have to go hole up at the coffee shop for half the day on Saturday to get this yoke knocked out.
More than anything else, this sweater makes me feel the countdown. I swear last night I could hear a clock ticking as I was racing through the first row of snowflakes. In a way, I'm glad to have to put it down for the next few evenings - maybe the feeling of being in a race will subside a bit. And it will create the perfect time for baking some more cookies.
Sending you all - and your holiday knitting projects - warm, wintry thoughts!
HWWLLB will be snug and warm in that beautiful sweater! It will be worth it, friend, to finish it and see him wearing it with his LLB chinos. :O) I love the photo of the door. Is it your door? So simple and festive. Happy Christmas to you and HW too, and also cat(s?), and best wishes for a safe holiday and a healthy happy 2008. samm
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the countdown- I feel it too! Good luck with the sweater, and keep enjoying the winter!
ReplyDeletethat sweater is the bomb! what a lucky man... I can't wait to knit something for myself again!!! i shouldn't even be blogging right now, I should be knitting! You nailed it with the winter musings... love to be cozy, watching it snow outside... happy holidays Ms Pea!
ReplyDeleteYour sweater is coming along beautifully. I really hope you get it done in time (it sounds like you will). I am amazed that you make him a sweater each you. You are truly a sweetie.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem getting out on the Winter mornings because of my "cocoon theory." My apartment is warm, and then I take a hot shower. So when I got out to wait for the train I'm still in my cocoon of warmth and don't notice the cold.
your nights sound so good and relaxing... isn't that the best part of winter? i am going to soak it up this next couple of weeks... can't wait to be back with my sweetie + kitties.
ReplyDeletethe love sweater looks great. it is like a marathon, esp for a boy... i just always give up on any surprise element and knit with him right there :) xox
The sweater's coming along beautifully! Holing up at a coffee shop with some knitting sounds like a pretty great way to spend half a day.
ReplyDeleteHave a peaceful holiday season.
I am so feeling the ticking of the clock right now too, as the days close in toward Christmas and my time to craft seems hemmed in by the constraints of reality.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog by searching for a baby sweater pattern that is easy and fast... so I've been browsing your previous posts and I was moved by the story of Jackie. She obviously used up one too many of her kitty lives, the dear thing. I've had quite a few cats for friends, sadly all gone to the same reward as Jackie now.
ReplyDeleteAnyway... back to the baby pattern search!
Happy Christmas, and all the best for 2008!