Knitting, Canning, Painting

Apparently while I was away, the last official knitting class was held. Now we have become a knitting group, rather than a class, although rumor has it that we are going to be taught "cabling" today. This is the fancy and scary-complicated technique of crossing over while knitting, making the classic fisherman's sweater type of stitching.

Bill told me that the concept of the fisherman's sweater comes from Iceland, where each village had its own specific pattern. Then when there was a tragic accident or a ship lost at sea, the wearer of the sweater could be identified when his body washed ashore. That Bill. So cheerful! I haven't checked out this apocryphal story, but I'm sure MaryAnn will research it for me, if she doesn't find it too macabre.

Andrea called last night, and we talked about canning. I know, our lives are just too exciting! During the course of our conversation, it occurred to me that I can indeed do something with the gigantor zucchini that Bill let get out of hand while I was in Ohio. I can make zucchini relish!

I remember making this condiment almost every year back in New York, courtesy of a recipe from Sue Miller, who also had squash over-abundance problems. She used to grate the zucchini and throw it in the freezer for future canning and zucchini bread making. I can do this. I just forgot about it completely until now.

I spent a half day painting yesterday--small things like closets, doors, baseboards, mouldings and shelves. What this means is that I finally have the use of my arms back! And even after all that stretching and reaching, I woke up without pain this morning (although my core temperature was something resembling the surface of the sun, that hasn't changed). So 9 months after surgery, I'm beginning to see an end to some of the physical disabilities that have been a major source of my anger and frustration.

So today should be good. A little of this and that. First-of-the-month household chores like changing furnace filters, cleaning drains, dosing Echo, septic maintenance and water-softener check. And a knitting group gathering for fun. It doesn't get much better than this!