ProseKnitic – of Words und Wolle

The short bits – I managed to finish off Part I/II on my re-cert. According to the tutorial, Part II, the patient simulation, is supposed to take 1-2 hours. Right. Tomorrow.

Last year at this time I was out on the Atlantic Ocean underway to Brazil on the MSC Symphonia. I received a greeting from the terrific Argentinians with whom I celebrated Januca. Being with family is really nice

Freedom

The poster, bought in Berlin long before the Wall came down symbolizes to me much of what we should, as a people, be about.

Besides, of course, eating latkes -

Regular and Sweet Potato Latkes

goofing off -

The Mole

and lighting that first candle with the honors done by Ms Copper

Lighting that first candle

Hannukah Swap

I joined a swap started in the Ravely Jewish Fiberholics. Sent off my package to New Jersey several weeks ago (shall we mention forgetting to include the card, several buttons and the cocoa mix?). Mine arrived in the mail from State College PA a couple of weeks ago, and I have just been waiting for tonight to open it…

Swap Package

Swap Package

Viking Ship Sweater

Ms Copper and I were sitting there, having started the first season of CSI: NYC when I noticed that I had messed up the sleeve. Forgot to restart one side of the center border past the lower portion of the dragon’s neck. The good thing is that I had only to rip 10 rounds… the bad thing is that I had been marking off rows on the pattern with highlighter….

26 cm into the sleeve

picture was taken before the extra rows, rip and return……

All the best to you in this holiday season.

The gates are closed, the day is past.

Will I do better next year? Perhaps the words of Joseph Teluskin (A Code of Jewish Ethics:
Volume 1—You Shall Be Holy) should be how we view things – to be happy with the positive as well, rather than only listing those things which should have been done better.

For the next right thing we did by remembering the good that someone has done for us even when we were upset with him or her;
For the next right thing we did by feeding our animals first even when we were also hungry;
For the next right thing we did by stopping our child from teasing or humiliating another child;
For the next right thing we did by standing up for justice when we saw someone mistreated;
For the next right thing we did by refusing to buy products produced by child labor;
For the next right thing we did by remembering to express gratitude to anyone who has helped us;
For the next right thing we did by donating to charity cheerfully;
For the next right thing we did by apologizing to one of our children whose feelings we had unfairly hurt;

For all of these things, may we be inspired to do more during this coming year.

(with thanks for the adaption from my friend Steven Hirsch)

Outside

Fall is on its way

Outside

Inside

the narrow Candle Flame is blocking (this is the reserve side, which I like better)

>6' of Candle Flame

Candle Flame detail

It is a quiet day for me. Thinking about this past year and how I will spend the next.

There are all those items which are still on my to-do list. Things that I promised family and
friends which are as yet unaccomplished.

In the absence of rain, I have no outward excuse for avoiding contemplation. There are
more than enough areas in my life which could do with bit of improvement.

I would ask your forgiveness if I have offended you this past year through the unusual forms
of stupidity, insensitivity or omission of a promised act. Please assume that my failures have
not been intentional and reminders are always in order.

This UK experience has brought another level of challenge to my life, one that I hope to
survive over the next couple of years. Family, friends and colleagues as visitors are
always welcome and encouraged.

It was the end of the day, almost late enough to need my flashlight.

The four of us (me, two teens and Beverly) walked down our street and around the corner to where the small lake flows out into a small stream.

I had printed off a short service that I found on-line, placed up by one the Beth El Synagogues in the US. And trust me, we had more than enough bread crusts for crumbs. No guitar nor real desire for song.

For a short time the rain held off; we quietly recited the prayers and cast the crumbs into the rapidly flowing water.

At the conclusion, the Mole scrambled back up the bank from where he had been overlooking the stream. Heading quickly back down the road, I am afraid that thoughts were more on the upcoming meal rather than reflection.

Erev Rosh Hashanah.

Family scattered across three countries.

Two teens and I have dinner planned. One of the women with whom I work is also on her own. The four of us will have a nice dinner complete with candles and blessings. I started the meal in the slow cooker this morning, Ms Copper made a honey run to Tescos and grabbed salad as well while the Mole knocked out his French home work. Beverly brought her home-made white wine, a pepper and the apple.

This is my first attempt at Challah like bread in the machine.

Not too fancy, but a little better than jeans or uniforms, we gathered around the table for salad, Cacciatore, rice, vegetables, bread, with pie for desert.

Tomorrow when the teens are home from school, we will get together again at the local pond where it exits for a short Tashlich Service.

L’shona tovah

Leslie has written a great post on head coverings, traditions and the “to snood or not to snood” question. If you are not Jewish, I suspect it would have little relevance to you, except for her excellent research and photo documentation.

But then I have to wonder where the tradition of women covering their heads in Catholic Churches originated. I suspect it might also come from Micah (6:8) as part of the “but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly” showing the spread of oral traditional along many cultural lines.

Me? As a lose member not aligned with much of anything outside of our military Reformadox community in Heidelberg I feel free to accept or reject those traditions which make sense to me. When someone else has done the research, it is even better. I can see covering my head as a sign of respect. I can’t accept it on the basis of it being a problem to the men around me (hello? if I have to be responsible for myself, so can they. It flies in the face of the Judaic tradition of personal responsibility).

I like kippahs, and playing around with different patterns to make designs while using up a lot of leftover sock yarn.

Slip Star Kippah

Podiobooks

7th Son – Descent by JC Hutchins. Partway through, and other than a couple of technical errors on VIP procedures, it is interesting and certainly well written. (never mind that without the errors the plot could not move forward).

Audiobookstand has some great deals right now, and free shipping…. (no affliation, yada, yada).

Oh joy, it was raining when I crawled out of bed this morning with less that 5 hours of sleep. Getting dressed was not that rough and my suitcase was packed. I even located my car keys, cell phone and passport.

There was the particulary jobsworth at the train station.
Informed me at 0610 (train comes at 01618) that I should have bought my ticket from the vending machine

Vending Machine didn’t have a place for a discount.
Yes, it does.
Well, I could not easily find it and could not see my way clear to paying full fare when I am can use HRM Military discount.
It is right there.
Fine, but you are here to sell tickets, aren’t you?

80 minutes later I am at Heathrow, much of it slow train, waiting and even slower bus time. No way could I have taken the 0718 and made the flight.

I have preprinted my boarding pass. The first gatekeeper stops me – your wheeled carryon looks too big. I demonstrate- it fits in the size thing. Been taking it on the plane for two years. Never mind that the airlines have dropped the size of their overheads, I can make it fit (grin).

Heading down the runway – I got to see the infamous Terminal 5

with its line up of British Airway flights (can you spell Lufthansa? Nicer and cheaper).

Yes, it was raining – rapidly ascending through the clouds

The extremely kind, wonderful guy to whom I am married even picked me up at Frankfurt. At stop at the commissary and we were home in plenty of time to wash, chop and cook vegetables. The youngest two pitched in with minimal complaints. The Mole did wonderfully and didn’t even blink at being up and about.

Seder

From getting ready (anyone want to explain why my brain kept telling me 1830 like every other year when it turned out the starting time was 1930? I could have taken a nap. Really could have used that nap).

To holding the service -

to the six (hard to get both sides of the table with this particular lens) who sang every single last concluding song. One way to entertain while a few of the rest of us cleaned up.

Turning the Voice lose with the camera – she even proved that I was there.

It was well after 2300 when we returned – turkey and leftover tzimmes in tow. Staggered toward bed, it was a really long day, to be topped by a week of eating flavourless cardboard (excuse me, Matzah!)

Knitting

He was willing to me take pictures of him in the completed vest

What I am not going to do is post pictures of all the Kippot – go here if you want to see a good number

Books

High Country – Nevada Barr – almost through disk 4/5 in the car.
Time Crime – H. Beam Piper (Podibook – current recording of this 1956 classic.)
Small Favor – Jim Butcher in Hardback (yes, the latest Dresden File .) His page is worth visiting, and the short story is what you might call unexpected cute.

Again, there was no one in the breakfast room with me at 0400 in the morning. I am on the second sock madness sock. Going down a needle size, it is an improvement. Thinking about reknitting the first, but later, much later ….

(still on the DHs computer – there are a bjiillion symbols on the 88 or less keys making typing really, really frustrating. Need an accent, umläut? Not a problem, but try finding the parens, delete or return key. Aargh. you will get pix later).

After the Bat Mitzvah, we headed downtown Minneapolis to a different hotel for our last night.

The crew was hungry again. Together with my long lost step-brother & wife, we headed into the maze of the Skyway system to find lunch. Ms Copper and the Mole were willing to sit still long enough for me to take pictures (new camera lens….)

as well as Jan was a good sport

Taking up a seating area in a café, I finished up the sock (you know which sock) while we visited.

All of a sudden four hours had passed and the place was closing. I could not completely avoid being in at least one picture.

The kids had disappeared a while back in search of manicures, hair cuts and other primping for an evening dinner at the Minneapolis Club.

Why is it freaking cold in April? It is not supposed to be below freezing. Now imagine a large, elegant drafty restored old mansion. Right, tights, dress and jacket. Still cold.

I took along the camera, but wound up not taking any pix at all.

later, I am wiped.

There was sunshine today. The window washer was by yesterday on a cherry-picker. The view is rather a nice one.

Out on the grounds – the set up for next week’s Sovereign’s Day Parade seems to be complete.

The geese are out in pairs

and my garden is starting to bloom. There are buds on trees which I thought were dead.

Kippahs

After all those socks, I had been thinking about quick and portable projects. You see, I aways have sock yarn left. Sock yarn is just the right weight. Both Jen Tocker and Caroline (Soxpixie) have free patterns. Kippahs to match my socks, that would be nice.

Knit in the round on dps (why use a circular and have to go to dps anyway for the decreases?) starting with 120 stitches. Eight pattern rows, a couple of garter ridges and then the decreases. Easy as pie!
Bowls are great for blocking

The British have these lovely places called airing cupboards. Even with the heat turned off, this small room is still warm and dry.

Sitting with those matching Cherry Tree Hill Wild Berry Chain socks.

Books

Blood Dreams by Kay Hooper from the library. The latest in her FBI Special Crimes Unit series.
The Last Twilight by Marjorie M Liu in paperback. A Dirk & Steele, set in Africa.

Arches

Even a simple view from the back of FASC has sun and green.

-Holly

It was lovely having that extra hour of daylight this evening.
I used it driving back from Bournemouth where I had attended the Wessex Limmund Day at Bournemouth University. We were not on the beach – surrounded instead by

less than exciting campus buildings.

The program itself provided usually four choices at each session time ranging from music and meditation through various historical subjects to Rashi and Talmund. An essentially volunteer run organization, Limmund is dedicated to Jewish Education. Started in the UK, the idea and organization has now spread to the Continent (oh, how quickly one gets used to the UK being the center of the Universe), Russia, OZ, Turkey, Canada and the US.

After the opening speach by the Bournemouth Mayor who was also part of the organization

we all headed in different directions. I listened to presentations on The Jews in Hungary, 100 Blessings (Daily), Jewry in the American Civil War, Maimonides and cantoral music.

The day ended with David Solomon doing the whole of the Tanakah (all 39 books of the Bible) in one hour.

Both learned and funny, David is a dynamic teacher complete with time lines on the wall, magic marker in his hand (stick figures) marking out from Genesis to the building of the second temple.

Home

It was still light – I have a few flowers

plus Daffodils and ???

Bread

Tomato Dill bread with spicy couscous, salad and Cyprus soft cheese.

oh, and I almost forgot!

Knitting

I made a bit of progress on DS’s vest

-Holly

Saturday morning I awoke in this lovely, cold room that reminded me of uninsulated houses in Minnesota.

I didn’t get much time to feel sorry for myself, since there was a full day planned of programming and religious services, ending with a regimental dinner.

I spent a bit more time outside the house when I needed a break (Orthodox-R-not-me)

since it has been a long time since I have dealt with segregated seating plus a whole raft of new melodies. I did mention gardens, didn’t I?

And then there was the formal dinner, all the uniforms and posed pictures. The good thing about being welded to your own camera is that you appear in very few….

And no, not a picture of me included since I looked like dead officer walking in all of them. Nor are there any pictures of those who closed down the bar somewhere around 0230.

-Holly

Remember that I had noted that “Fri – crack of dawn from the Hostel to the Stuttgart Airport, to Heathrow to Sandhurst. After a few hours, we went on to Amport House (out in the middle of the fields past Andover).”

Well, this is the longer version.

Yesterday, after clearing and rushing home, I managed to catch a train to Stuttgart. When I had looked for cheap fares to the UK, it turned out that traveling from Stuttgart, including the train fare was cheaper than flying from Frankfurt (which, of course also has an associated train fare).

But at that early in the morning it was a hike directly to the train station, passing by what passes below for this week’s arch. I managed the S-Bahn to the airport and then the flight without too much difficulty.

I was lucky enough to be picked up at the Airport, then caught a ride with a colleague to Amport House, which is located near Andover.

This was essentially the annual get together (retreat) for the Jewish Services Members of her Majesties Forces. There were a couple members of the Dutch Military (the current Jewish Rabbi and his predecessor) and a member of the French Marines. And me.

The house and gardens are stunning:

And the interior is twisty halls, stained glass windows and antiques.

Arches

Seen very early in the morning (would you believe ~0500) the metal doorway to nowhere that is in the park across from the Stuttgart Main Train Station has a bit of stone sculpture set it front.

Shabbat Shalom

-Holly

After spending the morning dealing with no-fee passports for the crew, dropping off and picking up I managed to accomplish a couple of important things:

First – I am done with the quiz portion of the recert module. To do the patient management section – I am planning on using the medical library at HMEDDAC on either tomorrow or Sunday morning. It should be quiet so that I can scream and curse in peace.

Services

Our monthly Shabbas Potluck.

It was a hoot, great food and Charles set up and ran a slide show of the Hannukah party. One of the Protestant Chaplains stopped in. We fed him and gave him a dreidel lesson.

Audio Books

Finishing up The Black Rose by Nora Roberts I moved on to The Red Lily prior to bedtime. I read them all when they came out. This makes them excellent background books for knitting as I don’t have to maintain a really high level of concentration.

Knitting

Speaking of knitting – I tried the Funnel Neck Sweater on the Eldest. Says it is too heavy to wear. And to scratchy. I think I am going to go ahead and wash the flipping thing just to stop the complaints. But that will make lengthening the sleeves a real pain if it becomes necessary. I think it is going to become my English gardening sweater.

Second – the Valley Jacket is complete! Modeled by Ms Pink – I might see the eldest by the end of the weekend, since she has been waiting for the sweater.

Now on to Mein Weg and Kauni…

(I will not start anything new till they are finished. No, I will not…

Arches & Doors

Gleaming marble, glass and glorious iron work  in the Argentinian sunshine, shouldn’t it lead off to a new adventure?

-Holly

7 Dec 2007 – MSC Sinfonia – Day 19 – At Sea
Friday

Other than a blinding headache which hit after sunrise, this was a perfect day. Providing that you want to be up at the crack of dawn to watch the sun crawl above the horizon, reflecting on the water and lighting up the clouds.

Travel

With a day at sea, I had no place to go and nothing to do. I.E. I slept!

That and played a couple of computer games during those times I could keep.

Knitting

Nothing, no knitting! But I now have all the pieces for Mein Weg and just have to cut the steeks, sew it together and finish off the front and neck as soon as I get home.

Audio Books

Looks through the MP3 player and the list on my external hard drive – settled on
The Chill of Fear by Kay Hooper.

Arches

Yesterday, while leaving Rio, there is this amazing bridge carrying traffic across the bay. Overwatching the island, it speeds by the older buildings leaving them carefully mired it ferry support

-Holly

who skipped services in favor of sleeping. And besides, my Spanish is simply not good.

6 Dec 2007 – MSC Sinfonia – Day 18 – Rio de Janerio
Thursday

Advertised as a walking tour of Historic Rio de Janerio – I took more than a few photos. As the Portuguese Colony in the New World, the area supplied raw materials, processed sugar and a lot of gold.

Rio also served as home to the Royalty of Portugal starting in 1808. Something about a small war on the continent involving Napolean and a decision by various parties to leave in order to literally keep their heads.

(and I think I have these panels in the right order. If you have no interest in South American History – just skip to the next section).

At the Palace – there was both a model of it in 1922 and this is what it looks like today

The exhibition inside steps through the chages, preceding the arrival of the Portuguese Royal Family in 1808.

Travel

We walked around Rio – seeing the sights – buildings

Along the oldest street in the city

Doors

The Mosaics

Socks

Sock Break!
Decided to take this yarn

and start a pair of socks.

Audio Books

First Amoung Sequels by Jasper Fforde

Perhaps my favorite of the whole day however were the port monsters ready to tackle the arriving ships.

Heading back out this evening – we were treated to the sight of Sugar Loaf, the bay and a number of small islands.

-Holly

5 Dec 2007 – MSC Sinfonia – Day 17 – At Sea
Wednesday

We are at sea, traveling toward Rio. Spending the day in a 12th Floor lounge, it was quiet for most of the day. Imagine my surprise when, right around sunset, I heard hebrew behind me.

Jewish Holidays

It is the first night of Channukah and I had my menorah in my room, planning to light the first candle fairly soon.

As it turns out, I was preempted by a sizable Argentinian contingent who invited me to participate along with a couple of Italian members of the tribe and some ships security personnel who happen to be Israeli.

Knitting

I am essentially finished with the Mein Weg fronts, freeing up my only 3mm needle. Means I am out of excuses for the second Kauni Facing.

Audio Books

Wanting shorter books today, I went back to Michael Connelly – The Last Coyote and Trunk Music

-Holly

The nice thing about having a kit

is that the frame goes up easily.

You wrap the all-one-sides around the frame

Use the same makeshift roof cross pieces as the last several years

and roll on the roof.

Then it just remains gather everyone for candles and blessings

before giving everyone a chance with the lulav and etrog. We finished just before sunset, but it was too dark for further photos. It was also a bit too chilly after sundown to try and eat our potluck outside, but everyone at least had a piece of challah.

According to one of my builders, this year it took us 14 minutes. That does not include the time Ted and I spent digging under all the Christian season decorations in the garage to unearth the Sukkah pieces from last year. (including hauling out the wheelbarrow, climbing over unsteady bits of furniture and extracting it bit by bit from the far back corner from under everything else without breaking anything).

It would have been nice to have gotten it up on the first night of the holiday, but I am not so foolish as to try and do it alone.

The potluck was a good time, and we had a steady influx of people.

Spinning

I think it is only one more bobbin of the Azure Sky to go. I have two full Schacht bobbins of 2 ply and will get at least 1/2 of a third.

Arches

A door to the Schloss in Pfäffikon. The plaque in the entryway that is shared by the church is inside an entry.

Shabbat Shalom

-Holly

Have you ever noticed that it is really hard to make food for a break the fast while you are hungry and killing time between the Torah Service and Minha?

Everyone did wel, considering. It is not my favorite day of the year, and leaves me both physically and emotionally wiped.

Perhaps I will have more energy tomorrow?

-Holly

The sun is going down, it is quite. Both Shabbat and the start of Yom Kippur.

Repeated three times, for self, family and community. Sound level rising each time, the pain of the cry of Kol Nidre as we ask beg forgiveness for the future.

Arches

Tel Aviv and Jaffa – new buildings and old. Arches leading to doors leading to somewhere that has far outlasted those who built.

A good fast

-Holly

Thursday – MTV Chapel, Heidelberg, Germany

Rosh Hashanah, like many other holidays is traditionally celebrated for 2 days in the Diaspora.

We don’t have second day services, so those that are interested can locally attending services at the Heidelberg Gemeinde or the same in Mannheim.

There are two Torah readings for Rosh Hashanah – Gen 22.1-19 is often read on the first day and Gen 1.1-2.3 on the second. They are about beginnings. The beginnings of Isaac”s relationship with G-d (not just that of Abraham to G-d) and the beginning of all life.

This time of year, for anyone who has school aged children is obviously about beginnings. The school year starts in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer is over, fall is here, vacations put away. Memories are glowing crystals to be cherished.

So it is also a time of reflection, for how can we stand anew, if we don’t understand who we are. What we have done this past year and where each one of us wishes to go in the next. It is a time for self-reflection and honesty. And a time of clearing out that which is unfinish and honestly going to remain so. And a time for making amends.

Therefore, it is about faith and trust. Abraham had that faith in G-d, Isaac had that faith in his father. To do the right thing, to take care.

You notice that I have been using the pronoun “We” – for this is a time of community and community responsibility. We will skip the annual request for money or laying of guilt for not contributing enough. At the same time, it is one of the few times in the year where the current “Gen-X” expression – “It is all about me” doesn’t seem obscene. It is not selfish to examine “me” and my relationships. My responsibilities and how well I have fulfilled them. The promises I made. Those to faith, family, community. A chance given to me to set things right and to make things better.

As we go through today and this next week, take the opportunity. Clean out the old, make amends and start anew.

May we all have a sweet new year. May we have peace, and the swords truly become plowshares.

-Holly

Not in our side Chapel, rather the services moved to the main chapel. Our congregation certainly did not fill the pews tonight. No issues here about tickets and reserved seating as you see with most US based congregations. In fact, we have learned over the years that if you want people to sit at the front, you move up the table with the prayer books. Othewise there are people scattered over 30 rows, when there is barely enough to fill four.

The rabbi who was due in, well, he was diverted. And too late to get someone else in on contract (unless we wanted to go Aleph – and that creates other issues). At this point, three of us who are the mainstays are doing this for the third year running. Bill (Opera trained)  is responsible for the Cantor’s portion and Vicki and I divided up the rest as well as farmed out as many readings as possible. Obviously, choirs are not us – way too small for that nonsense – we want everyone to participate.

The Oneg after was well attended.

I have the D’var Torah for the morning. And have located at least a couple of members who will be able to help with the reading.

Obviously, I did not knit, spin or have any sanity time today.

-Holly

Sockapalooza4

Done. Finished. Grafted the toes, wove in ends, and trimmed off any extra yarn dangles. Without further ado – Front and Back of Heart-a-Palooza. Purposely, there is a definite Right and Left.

My Pal’s feet are shorter than mine, and a bit wider, so they don’t fit me properly. (Which is good – grin). But I like the look and the feel. I did Balbriggan Heels and made up a toe. They are squishy, comfortable, and not too shabby.

Specifics – 72 stitches on 2,00 mm needles using Supersock in Cherry from Cherry Hill Tree Yarns. This is a 100% superwash merino with a lovely hand and great twist. The fronts are patterned, as is the heel. The backs and soles are done in ribbing to adapt to a wide variety of leg and foot shapes.

Before I publish this pattern, I need a few somewhat experienced sock knitters who would be wiling to test drive it. Required abilities – willingness to knit top down on 3/4 needles or two circs, with 4/5 needles for gusset or two circs, grafting in stockinette and ribbing, and chart reading for cable designs (these are all 1/1, 2/1 or 2/2 cables). This pattern is really only suitable for solid or semi-solid yarn with a high twist. Please leave me a comment if you might want to play.

Arches

Last week a Minaret of St Petersburg – this week, Talin – old town – in Estonia.

Books

Set Sail for Murder by Carolyn Hart. Finished today, nice quick read with enough twists to keep you guessing. And I highly recommend Spanish Dagger by Susan Witting Albert. The most recent in the China Bayles Murder Mysteries, there is depth to characters and a sense of care to plot details that are missing in all too many series that last a while. Perhaps it is her attention to research details that help?

The 18 year old, while baking Challah for shul tonight made an extra – a mini – for her younger sister. All of 15 cm long, it was pretty cute. I got lucky to get a picture since it was devoured about 10 seconds later.

!שבת שלום

-Holly

Knitting

The Bavarian Braid striped socks are finished. They are made of a German sock wool, knit on 2,5 mm needles over 60 stitches. The detailing is fairly simple, there is a twisted stitch braid running down each side, just to the front of the side marker and a double braid going down the back. The braid continues down the foot through the toe which is shaped inside the braid until the last several rounds. The color is actually much closer to the second two photos. Amazing the difference between indoor without flash and outdoor pix.

The fire yarn is now wound and some gauges have been made. I obviously (well to me) was going to have to do some adjusting. What it looks like is that I will wind up with is 25 stitches/10 cm. Doesn’t match any of the suggested ones for the Cottonwood. So I am adjusting the pattern down to 228 stitches, which will give me 4 repeats of the pattern on each front and 8 for the back with a couple of extra edge stitches to even things out.
I like the colors in the ball, and the burgundy seems to be a good contrast, and not as pink as it appears in this picture.

Home stuff

Not a teen is interesting in counting the Omer. They are not interested in anything but planning the post Pesach dinner out. And you think that they would all help clean up the terrace and grounds? Noah pitched in for a while, but when I looked out – all I saw was George getting rid of the cobwebs. As you probably figured out, I was happily ensconced in a chair and knitting.

Knitting

Progress! I finished up the armholes early this afternoon, then dunked the sweater before patting it out to block it. The original pattern had called for one row of purls around the armhole, then bind off in knit. I thought it looked rather unfinished in the book picture, and it was even more so up close. As a result, I added a band in the same pattern as the neck, bottom and front facings, only narrower. I think it looks rather nice. The yarn is Gedifra’s For You in red, knit on 3,5 mm needles.

I had enough energy that I pulled out one of the orphan socks and started to make it a mate. It was as good an excuse as any to test drive the 15 cm bamboo needles in size 2,5mm that I picked up at Rödel today. I like the feel and the flex, but they are lacking in the really sharp points that are nice to have if you are doing twisted stitch patterns. I should be past the gusset decreases before I call it quits for the night.

Next Project

I am going for the Cottonwood Vest out of Folk Vests. I picked up some burgundy merino today for the main color, and will use the fire roving handspun for the contrast color. Since I have no interest in a vest as big around as this one, I chose it because the patterning lends itself easily to gauge changes and reduction of stitches.

What to eat?

Any other time of year I can go to the Fußgänger Zone in Heidelberg, plow through the crowds and head home totally oblivious to the food.

But not during Passover. I notice everything to eat that is for sale; all the people walking by with take-away in their hands. All the walk up counters that line the Hauptstraße seem to be teaming with people.

And things that would normally not interest me at all are starting to smell good.

I know it has to be related to the issue of “permission.” Since normally I could choose to eat almost anything, but don’t; it does not tempt me. But today, in spite of a late breakfast, I was hungry when I ran my errands downtown. With stomach rumbling, there seemed to be a bakery every 50 meters with luscious pastries on display. Nordsee fish shops had out their crusty baguettes filled with lox or fried fish cakes. The sidewalk cafés were open and starting to do business. Couples, families and friends sat relaxing over a beer and watching the crowds pass by.

It was about this time that I really figured out that even if I wanted something to eat, it was going to be unlikely that I would be able to find anything. Certainly not any of the shops serving things in bread, or breaded; not even considering the animals or creatures from which it had been prepared.

Then I started looking. Other than the fresh fruits and vegetables in Kaufhof’s Markthalle, the only possibility that I found (and unsurprisingly in the same place) was Matjesfilet. With sour cream and dill, plain, with onions or with a sour cream & beet combination – those would be on the edible list. All the other fish concoctions had sea food of one kind or another.

But the thought of herring just did not do anything for me, and I headed home.

Besides, they didn’t offer even plastic silverware with their containers of food.

Audio Books

Total mindless stories today. First one of the Gallagher Series by Nora Roberts which was much better as an abbreviated audio book than as an original read, then followed by Anne McCaffrey from her Pegasus series.

-Holly

We have a really great vacuum cleaner. It is one of those no bag models; you just empty out the container when it is full. This seems to be all the time when you have a golden retriever in the house. Even when fairly full, it has a powerful suction; strong enough to suck keys off a laptop computer. You don’t even have to ask me how I know that, do you?

Noah was my hero, managing to find the tab key, the small plastic interlocking spacer, and to get them properly settled back on the keyboard such that they actually worked.

Knitting

I am certain that I do not have to appologize for not getting much knitting done today. I managed another 15 rows on the 1/2 circle sweaeter and am doing the gusset on the first Niagara sock.

Heidelberg Community Seder

Kathi and Louis started with the cooking at 1500, I got there about 1630. My set up crew actually arrived in plenty of time to do the tablecloths, plates and everything. Final number in attendance was 45. Besides US and Germany, we had members with origins in Turkey, Hungary and the Form USSR. Our youngest attendee is 6 months old, our oldest? Well, we know she has passed 80 a number of years ago. And of course, you have to make sure that you sing all the songs now, don’t you?

It is back to work tomorrow. Good grief, that is only 6 1/2 hours from now!

-Holly

There are spring cleaning rituals and customs in many cultures. I am not sure that as many come with all the stipulations and rules as cleaning for Passover. But we are ……

Done. The kitchen is clean, as is the house. For that matter, with two friends + their daughter and my son we managed to get the kitchen at the chapel completely scrubbed. Additionally, the teens cleaned up the floor, set up tables and otherwise were an incredible amount of help. Looking at the state of the stove, refridgerator and oven, we decided that it probably had not been cleaned since we did it last year. Once we finished, we taped up both doors leading into the kitchen and placed big signs saying that the kitchen had been kashered and to come back on 3 April. Just to be safe, I will stop by in the morning and talk to the NCOIC as well as the senior chaplain.

Fiber Stuff

Not surprisingly, I did not get a chance to do much in the way of spinning or knitting today. I skeined the merino roving – comes to about 500 meters of 2 ply for a fraction less than 450 gm. I have only 5 cm to go on each of the second sleeve and second curved extension.

Perhaps an unforseen benefit – I hardly had time to drool over new yarns or pattern ideas with everything that needed to be done today. no browsing webstores, no spending of my hard earned cash. I downloaded the pattern for the 6 Sock KAL, and it will be fun. There are a lot of yarn choices already in my stash. The Socken-Kreativ-Liste is not on the same month cycle, giving me a chance to do a new sock every month for one or the other. Now, it also should be time for Chameleon Colorworks to send me another challenge and then there is STR. Two pairs a month? It should be do-able.

-Holly

Knitting

Honestly, it really is not a mobius. Of course I have managed to twist the sleeve around a couple of times while knitting back and forth. I find that I have a tendency to change gauge if I add another needle. And I really do not like to put stitches on and off a stitch holder. As you can imagine, this can lead to the most interesting contortions as I wind up working on three – four sections at the same time. I have less than10 cm to go on the second front and am 1/2 down the first sleeve.

And if you are looking for an absolutely great and elegant men’s sock pattern, Colin has written up his Bavarian Twist Sock pattern. It has enough patterning to be interesting while not being fussy. Socks for my DH in something other than my standard slip stitch or 5/1 rib have just moved to the top of the sock line.

Spinning

The Corriedale “Fire” roving from Crown Mountain Farms is plied. After it rests on the bobbin for a couple of days, I will then skein it after which it will appear here with the rest of what I have finished. Once I know for certain how many meters I have, I can decide whether it will become the Shibori Vest or the contrast yarn in Celtic Lattice (both are found in Folk Vests). It was worth the slow ratio on this wheel to have a large enough bobbin to hold the entire 8oz. I really dislike breaks or joins in my yarn.

Passover preparations

There is less than 48 hours to go until the first Seder. For the second year in a row I am organizing it for our community. Since we are holding it at MTV Chapel Fellowship Hall, this gives me two kitchens to kasher. Naturally I spent a large amount of today either cleaning or pushing the four members of the family in residence to do their share. After a few flare-ups (no, I don’t give a whit about the grass length, no one can see it and doing email during daylight hours is not essential) I managed to brow beat the guys taking a large amount of trash to the recycling center and vacuuming.

The girls were supposed to be working on the kitchen and their rooms. Well, they have spent a lot of time in the kitchen and made some progress. But mostly I have been hearing their voices raised in harmony for the last few hours with interludes of solo opera from Nina. So I don’t think all that much is getting done. There are no cleaning or sorting sounds.

I am on load #8 of laundry and the turkey is thawing (the only kosher meat the commissary carries is turkey, chicken drumsticks and hot dogs. Since I did not have time to make a run to Strasbourg, turkey it is. No way is this crowd going to settle for a vegetarian meal.

I don’t see that I am going to have time until next weekend to update my projects webpage. At that point coding is going to look easy compared to eating more matzah!

-Holly