Monday, August 31, 2009

ready for a deep cleansing breath

Or a good cry.
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The lobster shack by the marina. Note: no eel on menu
Let's say you turn 19 on the same day you're packing your stuff because you are getting into the old Buick (a bonafide Grandma Car, but you think it's extremely cool as it is now yours, all yours), with your dad and driving to Florida, where you're moving into an apartment (for the first time) and returning to culinary college.

And...let's say your mom thinks you should stay on track and pack and finish doing laundry. And what are all those things on the floor in your room? Maybe make a list of missing essentials.....stuff like that?

Would you and the buddy helping you go out for gas, stop by the marina to say bye to a friend, take the big squirming bag full of live eels he offers you? Then return to the house, abandoning all else to kill and gut eel for cooking later? No???!!

I thought not. Me neither.
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Breeeaaaaathe. Let's look at my finished Gaia shawl and forget the guys, the filleted eels, the clothes, skim boards, books, old kitchen stuff, in disorganized mini-towers and how much I'm going to miss the son going so far away again.

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pattern: Gaia Shoulder Hug
yarn: 1 skein of Noro Silk Garden Sock, love this colorway # 279!
needles: size 6 us
notes: A little small as shawls go, not bad for a shoulder wrap if you're short. The pattern is written for a skein of Kureyon Sock , which is 100 yards longer than this lovely Silk Garden Sock skein. If you look on the Ravelry link, you'll see the larger ones in Kureyon. I used the picot cast off as recommended to make the little riffle on the edge.
You know what? I like this pattern so much I may just knit another one. Maybe on size 7 needles next time, it could be a little more open before blocking. It's such a good project for filling in times when you need to knit something mindless. But not boring.
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I'd probably wear it this way, if I were keeping it. Which is very, very, tempting.

14 comments:

Cathy R said...

Gaia is lovely! Do you really have to give her away? Maybe keep it as a consolation prize for having to deal with live eels...

Good luck to your son!

Carole Knits said...

Eels huh? Sounds gross. But the shawl is beautiful.

Bullwinkle said...

eeeeuuuuuuuuuu

Lovely shawl/scarf though.

There a place in Belgium where an eel stew is quite a delicacy. And very yummy.

Or maybe that was the beer.

Natalie said...

Your scarflette is gorgeous. It will be perfect for the early fall days.

Mary Lou said...

Silk Garden sock - too bad we don't carry Noro anymore, i might have to go find some. But not eels. No. No way. EEEUWWW Those culinary guys have some wierd ideas.

Yuliana said...

pretty colors...
so, you gutted the eels? how are you going to cook it?
I wish there's eel here (cleaned, and cooked of course)

the Lady said...

Eels? Yuck!!! Ugh, I just can't stand the thought.

Nice shawl thought.

Oh god, eels. I think I have to go have a moment.

She Knits Flying Monkeys said...

Lovely. I must knit one.

I feel as though I as am in mourning. Packed my 18-yr old daughter off to college 8 hrs away. Tell me it gets better.

kat said...

ha! love that. i have to say, i probably would abandon packing for eels. not that i know how to gut one, but it sounds tempting. the first time i went fishing, at five years old,i caught an eel. it was memorable.

Birdsong said...

Gotta love 'em! I know that must be hard having so much distance between you. Your Gaia turned out fantastic though, and will hopefully provide enough distraction.

twinsetellen said...

I had to read the post several times to understand that taking the bucket could possible be looked on unfavorably. It just wouldn't fit my mental framework. It is too absurdly wonderful of an offer to risk insulting the universe by turning it down.

I suppose that says a lot about me.

Marla McLean, Atelierista said...

As the proud recipient of the Gaia shawl, now aptly renamed "Gale's birthday gift to her sister Marla shawl." It is beautiful and elegant and very cool. When I received it I commented, wow, it looks so familiar...

gayle said...

Almost anything is better than packing... Even eels.
Gaia is wonderful. You definitely need to make another - to keep, this time. And it will keep the mind and fingers busy with the kidlet so far from home...

Ani said...

lovelovelove this scarf/shawl!!