President's Day Weekend

I can't believe it's been a month plus since I posted! You'd think it had been really busy and that lots of wonderful things occurred, and you'd be only partially right.

We've had the weirdest weather! Days where the high was 17* followed by 52* a couple of days later. Snow falls, then melts - seems like there have already been 2 mud seasons! Got an inch of snow last night, next predictions now are for snow next Thursday and Friday.

My retirement gifts from my employer finally arrived -  took almost 4 months. I opted for a new watch (it was time, my old watch was a gift from my ex-husband before we got married - thinking 1985 or so) which seems like such an old-fashioned choice. The crystal commemorative "thing" remains in the box. It's lovely and heavy, and I'm not sure where to put it. Finally, the leather-bound certificate is interesting. I don't have an "I love me" wall or area for things like this yet - or maybe never.

Starting Socks

Ever since I can remember (or at least for the last 20 years) every so often I start a bunch of first socks, usually between 5 and a dozen.  This is the year as I'm in the throes of completing the last 2 second socks from the batch started just before we moved, so in 2019.

This time I started 12 socks and 1 is already almost complete and 2 are a couple of inches in. The rest have the 12 row cuff I usually use all complete and they are ready to start the legs. Now anytime I need to "purse sock" to work on while waiting I'll have at least 1 available.  And here they are!

There are a wide variety of sock yarns represented: Opal, Opal Sport, Paton's Kroy, Brown Sheep Wildfoote, West Yorkshire Spinners, Knit Picks Tweed, and Drops Fabel. Also needles: my favorite Crystal Palace 6" bamboos, various brands of metal, 9" circulars, Flexi-Flips, Carbon Fiber. 

The 2 that are further along are in my bag now; I'll add a photo when I remember!

Miscellaneous Stuff

Finally started Physical Therapy for my knees in mid-January, and it seems to be helping. Last week I started using the wonderful heated lap pool for water aerobics type exercises in addition to the work with thera bands, a TENS unit, and kinesio tape. I'm walking better than I have since before we moved, and my knees don't feel like they're going to give way; I would do this 2x a week for forever if possible.

Still unpacking and sorting yarn and fabric. I've given away 2 bags full in the knitting group I go to, and the recipients are actually using it!  Still more to go, but I've passed the halfway mark.

Still resolving some issues with Medicare, 401k, and such but we seem to be on the downhill side of it, finally. Prescriptions are arriving automatically as they should, and PT is 100% covered so I am a happy camper.

Mid-January Update

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the middle of January. It's odd to observe a holiday when retired - the only real difference between today and any other Monday is no mail delivery.

We finally got a good snowfall last week - about 15" over 2 days. Then we had 2 days in the 50s (which wasn't enough to melt a lot of snow!) and 2" of rain on top of the remaining snow. Yesterday we had a snow squall that lasted about 30 minutes and dumped almost 2" of new snow.

There is a river in the center of the photo, and woods on the other side of the river. Glad we weren't out driving when it hit!

Yarn and Fabric

Still going through boxes of yarn, fabric, craft supplies and such. Lots of items that make me wonder why they were moved - 3 or 4 of every tablecloth color because we often had dinners for 20+ people, for example - and yet I know why: the packers packed everything in their path before I had a chance to purge. 

I have found quite a lot of "I wondered where that was" yarn and fabric. Sadly there's also rather a lot of "why did I buy that" and "did I buy that?" which is being taken to knitting group first and then donated to the senior center knitters. One bunch of yarn that I was happy to see again was this brown Boss Tweed from Crystal Palace, and the sweater it was destined to become!

I loved this pattern and the Boss Tweed yarn the first time I saw it, and knew I wanted to knit it someday. In 1994 I had no idea I'd ever move anywhere cold enough to wear a heavy sweater like this, but it marinated in stash long enough to be a viable option.

Started the first sleeve on Christmas Day, during football games, and finished it on New Year's Eve. Started the second sleeve on New Year's Day and finished it on January 8. Back is started, but of course I'm now having "do I have enough yarn" anxiety even though I bought enough for the largest size back in 1994!  It's unlikely I'll be able to find more even on eBay, and I should just get over my fears and push on.  If needed, I can add more braids on the bottom, with fringe only on the last one - there is a plan.

Startitis is rearing its ugly head, and I'm going with the flow. This is a hobby, and I can start as many projects as I want, and if I choose not to finish them that's ok. They can be unraveled and the yarn used again or donated, or whatever.

My "quilt queen" friend is helping me choose the my first serious quilt to start.  I have lots of options.  I know I'm not skilled enough to do some of them successfully, others might bore me to tears, There has to be some challenge to the piecing, with a reasonable change of success so it will be interesting to see what jumps to the front of that queue.

Miscellaneous Stuff

All the Medicare plans are finally squared away, with the exception of the one that double billed me in January which will be dealt with this week. I had no idea how much time would be involved in setting up a Part G, Dental, and Prescription plans and getting the dates for Part A and Part B for both of us corrected, but it took about 15 to 20 hours a week for 3 months!  I already reaping the benefits of it - physical therapy for my knee is 100% covered.