Do or die

Warning: whinge alert

Today is not a good day.  I have a major muscle spasm in the muscles around my pelvic joint and the joint is inflamed.  And the doctor thinks I may have early stage arthritis in my hip.  I am 41.  These symptoms and this age do not go together.  Most of the time, I am busy ignoring my body, pretending that it's fine, but right now it's not and I need to just stop and rest awhile.  The doctor has told me to stay at home for a week.  Normally,  this would be the best present anyone could think to give me.  A work-free week in New York when we only have so many weeks left would be bliss in different circumstances.  But I know that I won't be able to make much of it.  And frankly, I am hacked off to the nth degree about that.  I should be out gallivanting and instead I am stuck at home.  Even the weather is not cooperating.  It is that beautiful time of year in New York when the air is clear and fresh but it's not cold.  And I am looking out at it feeling exceedingly sorry for myself.  Sniff.

So, I am faced with a choice.  I can either consume my way out of the debt crisis on Etsy/eBay/[insert favourite online shop here] or I can produce.

I choose produce.  (It's not as though I haven't done my bit for the economy already...)

So, what to do?

Well, you may remember that I stropped and sulked about the poor service I got at a wool shop back in February when I was in Australia, and which I wrote about here and here.  Never one to let go of a strop easily, this lovely wool has been consigned to a cupboard ever since. 

What a shame.  But no more.  I am finally going to have a go at making my own version of this lovely thing:

I had thought to crochet it.  But today, I dipped my toe in the waters of Ravelry and found what I think might be a knitted ripple scarf by Karin Boles here.  The pattern says its for a 'confident beginner'.   And I figure what I lack in confidence, I make up for in cussed determination. I've checked how to do YO, K1 on youtube, and it looks pretty straightforward.  We'll see. Wish me luck.

And if I need a change from that, there are always my granny squares to be getting on with...

Yes, it's been awhile since these put in an appearance.  (And you have been too nice to enquire as to why, thank you.)  You will remember that I made a rash promise here that I'd be sewing in the ends as I went along.  Well, that of course meant that I got a bit paralysed and didn't make another square.  (Is it only me that puts such obstacles in my way?).  Well, I've binned that idea in favour of just getting on with it.  I haven't made that many, but I figure if I'm at home for the week I might just see whether I can't churn out a square or two.  (Nothing if not ambitious...)

So, there you are.  Productivity as the cure for consumption.  Who knew?

Cx
PS: and no I do not need this lovely thing from here to do any of the above... :)