Cast free!

I have two feet again. I am still hopping, but allowed to put 1/4 of my weight on my new ankle. So yes, the walker is still part of my ensemble, and now with a heavy, protective black boot. Slow progress, but progress all the same.

Last weekend I had my first moments of actually feeling... bored. It has taken almost two months, but it happened. I think it is easy to become dispirited while isolated from normal daily activities and friends. Since I am currently unable to enjoy the usual ambulatory freedoms biped folks experience, my accessible world has shrunk. This experience has certainly opened my eyes to  those "invisible" issues regarding handicap accessibility and transportation, the number of lonely hours during the workday and the discomfort of asking for assistance. It is difficult to feel useful and dependent simultaneously. So my boredom begets some fretting and anxiety, and then a little sadness happens to spiral down my mood.

I took to the sunny porch yesterday and watched the hummingbirds flitting throughout the garden. They climb inside many of the gladiola blooms, as well as sipping from all three feeders. There are also two youngster hummers that hatched this season. These immature Ruby Throats are sleek with white bellies and chests. They are very curious about people and repeatedly were "humming" about a foot away from my face.

I have started listening to audiobooks, simulating someone reading me a story. My daughter chose the Dresden File series for me from the library. Jim Butcher writes this fantasy series set in present day Chicago, overrun with wizards, vampires and many otherworldly creatures. Not usually my favorite genre but the audiobook narrator, James Marsters has a fabulous voice which makes for wonderful listening.

I am also completing some older, unfinished knitting projects, such as this lace scarf out of Frog Tree Alpaca. The pattern is Dutch and called Gull Wings from Harrisville Designs I have been toting yarn and a half scarf around for years; I think 2010 is when I cast it on and it needs to be done. Fortunately, the scarf still looks good, even though I found some fiber breakage on the outside of the skeins. At least I have a head start on holiday gifts!

I am hoping that these new pursuits will help discourage the insidious effects of boredom and an aimless worry-mode.

Cast 2.0

I am sporting a different color right leg now, and it is much more comfortable than my green cast. I looks bigger because it is, but it's weight is more evenly distributed. I don't wake up with my right hip throbbing in  pain anymore. I am still hopping and non-weight bearing, but I may be getting a walking cast next week. I am sure I won't be allowed to strut out the door and resume my life, but maybe, just maybe I'll walk out into the garden...

We are still having weekly torrential rains and the ground is so saturated an occasional local tree, simply tips over. The amount of precipitation we have had since May is record-breaking. Consequently, I continue voracious reading, and some knitting between hopping around the house or library/restaurant.

I have noticed spicy foods, really knock back the boring, and mundane "blahs" that accompany my ambulatory limitation. The local Thai kitchen has been cranking up the chilies in my usual favorite, yellow curry, and combined with the dish's turmeric, it is a tummy full of sunshine! Smiles for all after a shared meal here.

My latest read was The Garden of Evening Mists, by Tan Twan Eng. A compelling work of fiction woven around history at the end of WWII in Malaysia. Japanese gardening, art, and tattoos have a role in this book short-listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2012. I highly recommend this read.

As a "thank you" for my oldest daughter for all her help during my incapacity, I am knitting her a scarf. She had knitted a cabled purse for me a couple of years ago for Christmas (see the post here http://dustoffurthinkin.blogspot.com/2014/02/projects-with-sticks-string.html ) and there were two skeins left over. The yarn is a lovely Rowan Chunky in shades of blue, and green, with a bit of cherry and mauve. The pattern is from Gardiner Yarn Works, called One Night Stand, designed by Leila Wice and distributed by Cascade Yarns in 2009. Rowan yarn is a pleasure to knit. This project is knit on size 10 needles and is 7" wide. I've got about 32'' in length from one skein of yarn so far...