Today was my first evening without plans since last Wednesday, but not for lack of opportunity. I've re-discovered my ability to say "no" to a social event. I think I was so lonely in Texas, where I really had no social life other than the ladies at the yarn shop, that I've been willing to say "yes" to everything. I hit my limit on Sunday though - had an absolute blast and am so happy I hosted, but I need some quiet. So tonight I headed to the gym for a Turbokick class. On my way to the gym, I noticed some new arrivals in the neighborhood.
The circus is in town! I didn't see any animals, but did see lots of other stuff. I am planning to see the circus, although at a different venue, and the group I'm going with includes little ones which means it will be a good time. I walked past again in the hopes of seeing animals on my way home, but was disappointed, so I headed home and spent the rest of the evening relaxing.
I thought about knitting, but the only thing I've been paying attention to is my socks, and they're kind of boring. I do need to put some time in on these if I want to finish them by the end of the month, but I'm not really motivated.
Sewing has been on my mind the last couple of days - I got phone calls from both of my step-sisters yesterday, which was a real surprise. Actually, the older one wasn't much of a surprise; we've stayed in touch and had exchanged e-mails earlier in the week. The younger one was out of the blue though because our relationship has been strained since Dave's death, and it had reached a breaking point for me during last summer's trip to Hawaii. I had pretty much given up maintaining a relationship with her and her kids by the end of the year. Anyway, I had a pleasant enough conversation with her and my niece wanted to talk to me - it's always fun to be on the phone with a five year old. Which gets back to the sewing machine...I still have strips of fabric cut out for memory quilts for both kids that I keep putting off. I need to put them together, if only to get that nagging feeling out of the back of my head. (What's worse, making something this emotionally taxing without love in your heart, or dealing with the guilt because you haven't made the things? So far I've opted to live with the guilt.)
Which isn't to say that I reached for the sewing machine tonight. The strips are at the bottom of my hope chest and will need to be ironed again before I do anything. Too much effort for the evening. I did pull out the spinning wheel, just to see if I remember how to spin. I met with some success.
I only spun for about 30 minutes, but I'm looking pretty consistent. I've got about a pound of so of this black Romney lamb that I bought from the Copper Moose a couple of years ago (I think before I left DC the first time,) and it practically spins itself. I just barely pre-drafted and it moves through my hands with almost no effort. I might have enough of this to do something other than admire the finished skein, too.
Spinning is also my recourse when I'm avoiding guilt-ridden projects. There's something about drafting fiber that sooths the spirit.
It sounds as if the memory quilts are simply something you'll have to do to either in small doses or one swell foop. Or, you could always delegate and swap the quilts with your mom and do a project she's procrastinating? Do you work best on a reward system?
Posted by: Sylvia | March 25, 2008 at 02:58 PM