there and back again

Paul and I made it to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, back to Milwaukee, and home again without any more meltdowns of our own. Many thanks for all the kind comments on my last post.

It's a real bitch to see your families' health declining, though. Dementia, back problems, MS, Parkinson's-like symptoms... the guilt you feel at not being there to help combines with extreme relief to create an emotional sinkhole. December 08 has been rough. My hope for the New Year is for things to be easier for a while. Heck, I think the whole country could use that.

So comfort knitting has been in order. Another feather and fan shawl is on the needles: This time I'm using Noro's Cashmere Island rather than Silk Garden. It's soft and free of allergy-inducing mohair, but I do miss the silk sheen. It's labeled as a DK weight, so I went with size 8 needles, but size 9 or 10 might be better. We'll see how it blocks out. BTW, you can score some Cashmere Island for a song at both Webs and Little Knits (which also has Malabrigo Dos).

Before Christmas a friend and I braved the snow for a trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory. It was a real treat on a grey day.

the holiday poinsettia exhibit

I received numerous warnings about how rough the neighborhood was, but it seemed OK to me, especially in the middle of they day. I highly recommend it, and it's easily accessible by the blue line. I'm already planning to return in the summer to see the outdoor gardens.

the aroid house

One more thing: a link to the Vampire Weekend concert at SXSW (from NPR).

Happy New Year to all!