Monday, November 12, 2007

Keeping busy

I am still trying to look on the bright side despite having the daylight hours shaved away minute by minute, day by day. I am fighting the blahs by sprucing up my surroundings- raking leaves, cleaning out closets, spackling the dents and dings in the drywall that are inevitable when you live with a rambunctious 6 year old. These things are filling my days, causing me to collapse from exhaustion around midnight (I tend to go to bed around 2) only to wake around 3 or 3:30 unable to sleep- my mind racing from one thing to another. Worry, worry, worry... I wish there was a switch just to turn it off- I guess we all do. The thing is I tend to worry about things I have no control over- my brother's crappy relationship, how my friend is coping with her twins, why my bank account seems to be hemorrhaging money (perhaps I could do something about that last one...). I try to tell myself to think about something else, I count sheep, I say the alphabet but nothing seems to work. Suggestions are welcome! I can't be the only one! What do y'all do to turn it all off?

On the knitting front, I am still working on the Secret of the Stole and am really happy with the pattern so far. I have to say, I am glad I took this on as a secret project because I am not sure I would have chosen it had I seen a completed stole first. Not that I don't like it, because I do! There are just so many lace stole patterns out there and I have such a hard time choosing between them. I would have missed out on a great pattern. I am really enjoying the larger sections of stockinette as opposed to a more open pattern. There are just two more hints to be released and it will be finished. I can't believe it is almost over. I really like getting a pattern like this in chunks- it gives me a good deadline to keep me interested and does not seem like such a daunting project.

Of course, I have also started a new project or two since finishing the Tyrolean Stocking. (Thank you for all the compliments, by the way! Y'all are always so sweet! I have to do something about being able to respond to comments left on my blog. I don't want people to think I don't appreciate all the nice comments, because I do! They really make my day. I feel kinda silly posting a reply on their blog. What to do? Again, any suggestions? Is it in poor taste to respond to them in my comments? It has to be better than not respond at all.)

Anyway, the new projects.... one is a rug for my kitchen using the stitch pattern for My So- Called Scarf knitted with Sugar and Cream cotton. I am sure I will finish it about the time it is too hot to actually need it in the kitchen. The cotton is a little rough on the wrists, though the pattern is pleasantly mindless, so I can only knit a few rows at the time.

The second is a design I have had in the back of my mind for awhile now- slippers for The Boy Wonder that look like laced up army boots knit with camouflage yarn. I am to the toe on the first one, writing the pattern as I go along instead of just taking notes as I have in the past. I knit the first in garter stitch, but am thinking of knitting the second one in stockinette to see if I like it better.

Pictures tomorrow, I promise! As now it is 6 o'clock and pitch black outside... sigh...

5 comments:

Lara said...

How to get rid of the blahs and keep positive? I don't know...knitting helps me, taking time for myself, going to tea or coffee by myself. Sometimes just being alone is a refresher for me. But everyone is different. The good thing is that you are trying to do things to keep away the winter blahs! I would just try to keep that up!

But try to get some sleep. Lack of sleep is exhausting!

Anonymous said...

I'm a worrier, too...it's just hard to overcome when that's your nature, so I know! But keeping busy helps me, too.

I don't usually respond personally to comments (unless someone asks a question), but I'll stop by the person's blog if they have one & comment.

Anonymous said...

Lack of sleep is serious and might mean going to the doctor. I now take something every night because without it, I'm awake most nights for an hour or two. It's not good for us. Good luck
Gillian

urbanknitrix said...

We are soooo much a like. I have a terrible time sleeping. I worry about every thing. I tried the sheep, alphabet, 99 bottles of beers on the wall (that one has actually helped). I also watch ESPN and QVC. The other noise sometimes drown out my thoughts. I tried Martin, but then I end up paying too much attention to the t.v. and laughing.

If I know I am really going to worry about something and I need my rest - Benadryl.

As far as commenting, I started going back and putting response in my comment box. The reason, I started doing that, is because if a blogger has a good post, I go back to check out others response and the blogger sometimes reply back to them. I like it that way because sometimes when I try to reply to someone who left a comment on my blog, it says nonreply and I can't.

Get some rest, from one worry to another.

Brenda said...

I've had years of insomnia. The things that I've tried to help out can be classified from normal to wierd. I'll list a few of the ones that helped:
1. Exercise. At least 1/2 an hour of a brisk walk will help. If that's impossible, do something to move around for that amount of time.
2. Keep the bedroom cool and as dark as possible.
3. When your mind starts racing, think of something tedious but meaningless. I've built castles in my head brick by brick in my head. I've mentally packed a backpack for hiking dozens of times. Just as long as it's meaningless and tedious.
4. Warm showers or baths before bedtime might get you to relax more.
5 And you can always tell yourself you'll worry about it tomorrow!