A busy week of knitting and other things

If you read this already on "KnitTalk", there is other stuff here but you can skip the beginning. I'm recycling tonight. :)

Well, a soggy spring has sprung here in Ottawa and in my business that means "crazy-busy at work" time. Finding myself pretty worn out by the end of the day and just wanting some QNT - Quiet Needle Time. Last weekend I picked up Tara Jon Manning's "Mindful Knitting" and I'm really appreciative of how that wee book has given me a deeper understanding of how my knitting destresses me. Usually I knit in front of the TV in the evenings, but for this week I left the box off and just knit. The first time was hard because my mind wouldn't shut up - I was mentally watching "Simpsons" reruns, for heaven's sake! But the next evening, and the next, I found I could really just sit and knit. And it made me feel really, really good.

The book also deals with "regular" seated meditation - so far, I stink at that. I'm too fidgety, that's why having the knitting to focus on is so good for me. BUT - there's also a big point made of being "in the moment" in everyday living of life, and I've been working on that as well; here are a few "in the moment" joys I really appreciated in the past few days:

1. Lilacs are blooming everywhere and with all the rain this week the scent is staying low; I love the smell of lilacs more than almost any other smell, so that's been heavenly. I've stopped dead in my tracks a couple of times to just smell lilacs. Wonderful.
2. Also in flowers, the dandelions are everywhere too, and twice this week when out driving I've been caught in "snowstorms" of dandelion fluff. Something about that just makes me grin LAMOA*.
3. A hot bubble bath. No, really, I think I'd go mental if I didn't have the capability of running a hot bubble bath in an evening when I want to. Just feeling the muscles relax, the mind slows down... ahh.
4. And again, knitting. Beautiful things made by my hands make me proud and happy. And it's SO tactile, so soft... it's hard to find the right similes for it but it's all good.
   

I'm so looking forward to this long weekend - I've got some volunteer work scheduled but otherwise not too much. Hoping to finish Mom's first "safety sock" and get the second cast on; I had her try it on last night and it's ready to start toe decreases, so I just need an uninterrupted hour and it will be done. Good 'focus' knitting, doing sock toes! Finally got Dad's cardigan front done and now started the sleeves - the end is in sight at last - and I have a second sock for me at the heel as well as a gorgeous Fleece Artist "Curlylocks" shawl which looks like maybe 4-5 more hours (that yarn is deceptive, it just goes on and on...) So lots to knit and a few others waiting in the wings, but I want these finished up first. Pictures by Monday night, I promise!

Happy Victoria Day / Memorial Day weekend, everyone!

*Like A Monkey On Acid. No, I will not explain the provenance of this expression - but really, just picture it in your mind. Now I bet you're doing it too. :)