Finishing Up: Spring Break Part II

Where a Knitting Project and Week Off are Completed

My one azalea bush is in full bloom. 

Thursday

Woke up itching and with congested nose, as a result of weed-wacking yesterday.  Am in antihistamine-induced haze all day.  Sit on couch and knit capelet and work on Noro cardigan.  Spend evening at home.

Friday

Have decided that I need to get on a horse again (used to ride before children), so that approaching a horse won’t be a foreign experience when the boys are in college and time is available for this hobby.  Drive to my sister-in-law’s house in the country where she wisely points me to the cutest, gentlest, My-Little-Poniest Icelandic horse.  My sister-in-law Karen and her husband started breeding Icelandics after Karen broke her back falling from a tall Appaloosa horse.  (Icelandics are low to the ground and calm-natured.)  Sina, the mare, is interested in eating and hanging out in the shade, so our approaches to the morning’s exercise are similar.   In evening have dinner with friend Lauren at Italian restaurant—after eating first dinner with family.  Am stuffed and contented as Lauren shares amusing anecdotes and bears present of antique teacup with plant inside. 

Photo of Sina from Windgait website. 

Gift from friend.

Saturday

Meet former principal for coffee.  Have much to catch up on, including shared trip to Italy  last May.  After three hours of coffee drinking, come crashing down and feel lightheaded and exhausted.  Do household chores and nearly finish seaming Noro cardigan.  Watch Larkrise to Candleford in the evening. 

Sunday



Finished cardigan.  The button band does
lie flat, just not in this picture. 



Amy Lane, author of The Baking Pocket Bible, gives this book
a favorable review on her blog:  CookingCakesandChildren.

Last day of break!  Wake up with urge to wring the last bit of leisure out of my holiday.  Teenaged son is sleeping and husband goes to church.  Take younger son for brunch to Café Monte (for escape from reality into French atmosphere) and then head over to Barnes and Noble (it’s special teacher discount week).  Buy a copy of Debbie Bliss's Knits to Give, as it includes several projects I intend to make, including a tea cozy and necktie.  (The cheerful colors and fresh graphic designs pop off the pages of this book.  It was difficult to resist buying it.)  Go to the Fresh Market and buy produce and sweets.  Go to Hancock Fabrics for buttons for cardigan and then return home to sew them on.  Cook dinner and get ready for week at work (and a return to healthier eating and spending habits). 

Goodies from The Fresh Market.  (Photo taken by my son James.)