Sick Days and Sweaters

I've made great progress on my Mystery Sweater.  

Recent days have been trying, to say the least.  Although they did provide time for some knitting:

Last Friday

End-of-week woes.  Come home from work even more wiped out than usual. (I typically spend Friday in way that confirms my sixteen-year-old son's assertion that his parents "have no life"--as I end my week's labors glued to the couch in the den, where I knit away.)   However, that night I find myself asleep in bed by 8:00.  

Saturday 

Brief respite.  I know I should stay in as I still feel "puny" (an old-timey and probably southern adjective), but think it wise to attempt to stave off impending illness by driving 16 miles to Whole Foods to stock up on immune-boosting supplements and super foods.  Oddly enough, after eating quiche and gelato, I feel revived. Alas, Saturday afternoon and evening, the Whole-Foods Effect is wearing worn off, and I spend the day listlessly knitting and then finishing up Helen Fielding's new novel: Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy.  Read with joyful abandon, as I've waited fourteen years for a new Bridget story!  The sad fact that I see myself in Bridget Jones and in Marianne Dashwood (found in Austen's Sense and Sensibility) must say something frightening about my emotional maturity and sense of self-discipline.

Sunday

Sore muscles.  Draining fatigue.  Dilemma.  I know that Amy Gunderson, a designer from Universal Yarn will be at Cottage Yarn that afternoon for a book signing.  I am currently taking part in her Mystery Sweater knit-along.  Have brainstorm:  I have to show her my sweater in progress! Another siren luring me is the fact that the new Jane Austen Knits is now on store shelves.  I decide to take a long hot bath and some Ibuprofen and go. Make it a point not to get too close to anyone  and only stay for a bit. Leave happy as a result of having a chance to talk with Amy  and to meet sales director Yonca Ozbelli, Return home tired, but satisfied, as I now have a signed copy of 50 Knitted Gifts for Year-Round Giving (a volume which features a wide array of clever and attractive knitted items appropriate for four seasons and major holidays, all made using Universal Deluxe Worsted), one of the two remaining copies of Jane Austen Knits in the store, and some bright orange yarn to make some great Spiderweb Boot Toppers in the book.  (Hmmm. Can I can get these done by Halloween, along with 30-day sweater?)  

Yonca and Amy both brought their own Mystery Sweaters in progress.  Amy is holding hers.  

I love the color choices for this Midnight Kiss Capelet.  

Patterns for this wine cozy and cupcakes are in the book.  

Monday

Splitting headache.  Sore throat.  Painful earache.  Stay home joined by sick younger son.  Spend part of day on couch, knitting sweater and watching Nickelodeon movie, entitled Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging.  Might be childish fodder but can justify my choice as its director, Gurinder Chadha, also directed personal favorites Bend it like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice. (Maybe not modern classics, but witty and entertaining!)   Viewing film about teenage angst inspires me to attempt to grade some student essays, written by my juniors whom I asked to write about a person who is memorable to them or who influenced them in some way.  Am now not only shaking with the onset of a fever but also am choking up after reading about grandmothers and mothers who are always positive in the face of eviction, deportation, hours spent working four jobs, and bouts with brain tumors.  Am surprised that evoking tears of thankful joy in one's offspring--or grand-offspring--appears to be a common phenomenon.  Reading spurs me to guiltily contemplate my peevish wallowing and rantings, including, but not limited to "I'm sick!" and "Can't you see I don't feel well.  Do it yourself!" or "You wanted that dog!  Walk her or we can get rid of her!"  Doubt my children will write effusive sentimental essays about self, but maybe they'll remember all the pancakes and homemade cookies I've made for them.  And perhaps someday they will desire and appreciate hand-knitted presents.

Tuesday

Still puny.  Still drained.  Make homemade lentil soup and spend six hours on couch watching melodramatic TV mini-series, The Starter Wife, on iPad.  Also read a bit of A Tale of Two Cities, so am not complete cultural idiot.  Read more characterization essays and am happy to finish, as tears are not helping sinus congestion.  Am working like gangbusters in-between on Mystery Sweater, though.

Wednesday

Change of plans.  Not back at work as anticipated.  Now now have wraparound headache in addition to a cough and earache.  Son is still home, too.  My husband takes him to the doctor.  I make a doctor's appointment and, when I call, am informed, "When you arrive take a mask from the basket near the door and wear it into the waiting room."  When I get there, do as instructed.  Am impressed by witty and wise, Jackie, who attends me and prescribes a "Z-pack" for a respiratory infection. Jackie has the prescription automatically sent to Costco, so have to pick it up there.  Despite splitting headache, for a moment, am tempted to stop at Cottage Yarn.  It's located on the same highway.  It's only a five minutes' drive.  I could wear the mask, so I won't infect anyone.  I feel awful, but yarn shop stops always contribute to improved well-being.  Ultimately decide that I might be mistaken for an armed robber and things would be better off all around for my health and safety for me to return home, get into my pajamas, and try to recover.   Besides I have to finish my sweater and then cast on those orange-and-black boot toppers.