ProseKnitic – of Words und Wolle

Just on a whim, I turned on my laptop while sitting outside Gate 122 in Dubai. Imagine my surprise – Internet! Free Internet at that.

I have been through most (but not all) of my email accounts but still have to download all the pix off my camera which means that it will be a day or two before I can share pictures of Dubai, Oman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and the ship.

What can I say? 8-15th in the Arabian Gulf with sunshine, smooth seas, warm temps, more food that anyone in their right mind would eat and a relaxing time spent with the Eldest. No snow, no rain. No shoveling, cursing or cars that slide across the road and into a ditch.

I still have an hour before flight time. A quiet transition when not quite on vacation but not yet returned to the world of deadlines, laundry, house repairs and uniforms.

I knit a scarf while underway, half a shawl and the body of a raglan sweater. Never did get to the socks….

I have a late night flight out of the UK. I am taking the eldest on a cruise for her birthday. We are meeting in Dubai tomorrow and boarding the Brilliance of the Seas on the Royal Caribbean Lines.

This is a week of warmer weather and a break from the cold and damp of both the UK and Germany.

I have clothes, I have knitting, I have my camera and I have the laptop. Don’t know if I will be on line but I hope so.

And yes, it might seem like a lot of extra weight to haul along the laptop just to be able to send off a few emails with photos. But please consider; if I want to relax in the evenings, I have unwatched episodes of Star Trek Voyager and CSI…..

It was months ago when I discovered the leak staining the ceiling of the utility room. It took a few months more before I was finally able to convince Modern Housing that I needed someone to look at the mess, then repair it.

After four reschedules do to bad weather and their lousy scheduling, the plumber showed up this morning. Ready (are you ready for this?) to replace the float.

I kid you not. I showed him the problem, he remembered the issue from when he had come out to shut the water off. He called in and argued with the people for fifteen minutes before they finally agreed that, yes, he should take out the toilet, just like the surveyor asked.

We have no clue about the float – I have called five times about the mistake. I keep being told they will fix it. Never mind, do not underestimate the ability of a bureaucracy to perpetuate an error.

finally - bare boards

leaving the throne on its own outside since I vetoed it resting next to the tub..

behind the house

The joiners arrived just before 1400. Their work order said (and I quote)

replace a floor board

They looked, pulled up the linoleum and two hours later were here -

not just "a" floor board

Obviously it was too late for them to finish. Having it open to dry out for a few days is also a good idea. Perhaps the three sorts of molds and fungus which had been gracing the floor and air will not be happy.

They will be back Tuesday week.

I think knitting is much better for me than worrying about the next disaster

Knitting is fun, knitting is great. Unlike life,  Knitting gives you do-overs.

About five of them so far today. Same project, third yarn, second set of needles. Not counting a change on the way I am doing the edges.

Then, I took a good look at my yarn and changed pattern which was perfectly fine since the stitch count a few rows in matched a couple of other lovely choices in, Wrapped in Comfort.  You know Alison, right?  SpinDyeKnit Alison?

Any way – now headed to BigFoot

a few rows, more than a few stitches

Video

Borrowed Season 1 of Monk from the library.

Meanwhile

The Mole is back at school in Rochester for the duration of the week and all of next while I am out of country. He is not thrilled, but looks to have it under control for the moment. Meanwhile, he has started to study US History and US Government on his own since the GED exam is one option out of the current stalemate. If anyone knows what their local High School is specifically using for 11-12th Grade textbooks, I would really appreciate recommendations.

I counted it up: grades 1-2 in Wuerzburg, 3-4 in Muenchen, 5 (three schools in Heidelberg with the last also being the location for grades 6-8). 9-10 in Stuttgart. 11 in DSL with a switch to Rochester mid year, last.

Makes it 8 schools for 13 years of education (yes, it adds up. grade 5 x 2). Not exactly continuity of education.

Week at a time, I guess.

Ms Soprano went to 7 different schools and Ms Maus only 5.

Mostly pictures – few words, just to catch you up to date on the other Lotus Blossom I knit in CA.

Lotus Blossom in Scarlet

Blocking

looking better

Scarlet Lotus Blossom detail

and while I was at it – I took another shawl – Twinings that had been languishing since the end of August

almost 2 meters Blocked

close up detail

and it really looks lovely drapped

We have all studied literature in school. Defined by me as that portion of writing in prose in which a point/commentary is delivered through the expression of the story.

Fiction on the other hand, is all about the story.

The difference is the writer’s intent. Not what professors of language, literature or social analysis decide later, but what the author intended in the first place.

For example, it is fairly clear that Jonathan Swift and Mark Twain were using the medium of storytelling to provide commentary on their societies. Both have even commented so in non-fiction essays.

Similarly, in genre fiction there is little question in most people’s minds that mystery stories are all about solving the puzzle and romance is about relationships.

That leaves Science Fiction – which is about some kind of future – based on technology rather than magic. The wisdom about 30-40 years ago was that authors wrote their vision of the future. Meaning that science was going to lead to outbound travel while really not fixing much of anything with the people involved. Postulations of doom and gloom abounded.

What was also noticeable were the characters – present day attitudes superimposed on future science. Makes as much sense as an enlighted man of the 13th century expressing 21st century US views about the roles of men and women in society.

And then along comes Ursula Le Guin with The Left Hand of Darkness portraying a society different in concept from the known and accepted in her time. If you need a summary, perhaps you want to detour to Wikipedia or an excellent discussion of gender roles in science fiction and society by Rebecca Rass.

I originally read Left Hand of Darkness in 1969 when it was first published and was stunned by the book, the thought and the society portrayed. It is not an action adventure which was what I had quietly assumed was most science fiction (see Andre Norton, Robert Heinlein, James Blish……..) but a thoughtful portrayal of what was certainly alien to someone fighting basic gender discrimination in school.

Since this is the first one on my Classics of SciFi List, I am still decided how to approach the commentary. Assume that you will hear once to several times about each book since I am as interested in how they strike me now as when I first read them.

Perhaps that is my definition of classic – a book that keeps appearing fresh with each re-reading.

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Smart name from Raverlry last year right about this time.

What better way to deal with the mid-winter doldrums than to knit a nice vest?

Rather than something complicated, fine yarn and fiddly, I decided to choose an easy, fast pattern. In fact, Drops #115-24, a cabled top looked to be right about my speed.

Purchased a few years ago, I have this bag of Shakespeare by Artful Yarns, 100% wool in a lovely combination of blues and purples

Color #5

Casting on 95 stitches (yes, that is around. Total number that 95!) on size 8.00 needles to set up the pattern before moving up to 9.00 needles with two strands held together

cables plus ribbing

it has not taken long to get three balls (135 yards each worked from inside and outside) into the project.

not quite to the underarm, but close.

I am rather pleased to think that I will shortly have a nice warm vest.

I did look through other’s projects: Nicole knit a lovely version without sleeves, as did Katharaina. Then there is Donna’s (which is located here on her old blog) which I hope she ports everything over from Blogspot as she has such a nice collection of pictures and finished things.

There were another three or so finished vests, but none of the rest have projects that seem to be posted outside of Ravelry.

Audio Books

The Mercedes Coffin – Faye Kellerman. A Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus mystery, this was one of several downloaded from iTunes a few months back when they had books on sale ($6.95 seemed like a really good deal).

I read it (library book( when first released in hardback) and enjoyed it then. It is holding up well on listening, the reader is a pretty gruff sounding guy which seems to suit the story well.

on other fronts

By the simple expedient of heading into London, the Mole managed to avoid returning to school this afternoon.

On return, we had a serious conversation about what comes next. He is a good kid, knows that the budget is not unlimited (school year prepaid) and that transferring schools – except to mean mom’s – is not likely.

No one really lost their temper and we will talk on the way to Croughton in the morning.