let it (not) snow!

This is what I got to wear today! Moccasins and warm hand-knit socks and leggings and big comfy, hand-knit, lambswool-angora sweater! Because today got called a snow day! While there’s not a flake of snow in view (instead wind and waves have been storming it out night and day), there’s enough, apparently, to create potential havoc on the hill so campus is closed. I didn’t even bring materials home for prep, my plan having been to go in early enough today to work there and then stay after class to prepare tomorrow’s. Instead, I’ve had a day to myself, the first one in weeks and weeks, although I’ve had enjoyable leisurely days with Paul over the break. Still, on my own, there’s no one measuring the aimlessness of my puttering (not that Paul does, just that my projections onto Paul have him potentially doing so).

On my own,

I filled the tagine with chunks of beef, onion, turnip, potato, and carrot, adding ginger, cumin, and saffron, so that from mid-morning on, the house smelled delicious.

I read a chapter from Brookfield and Preskill’s Discussion as a Way of Teaching and thought about how I use discussion in my classes.

I caught up with my Blogs, and found out that my internet buddy, Thom Wong, over at Sunday Best, got a great big tip of the hat from Manolo himself, which should generate some serious traffic for Thom. It’s well worth following the links to track down Thom’s piece on men’s shoes — his prose is always elegant, neat, and entertaining, and his content always reflects a discerning eye and keen analysis.

I bundled up the recycling and popped it outside the gate for Bob, our island recycler, to pick up later and haul into town, and then I walked around the island — from the other side, I could look across the harbour and see the progress of the snow, thickening as it moved up the hill.

I switched colours on the Tulip Cardigan and knit a few rows.

I napped for about an hour! Wonderful! Yesterday, hurrying out of the house en route to the ferry, I slipped on a stair and landed my butt solidly on the concrete walkway, pulling my shoulder and upper arm as I tried to catch myself. I’ve been tired and sore since that injury caught up to me yesterday afternoon (walked to campus and back, got through classes just fine, but once I had that accomplished, the air quickly left this balloon). So the nap was just what I needed — nature’s nurse, as one of my friends used to say.

Began Timothy Taylor’s Story House. I loved his Stanley Park a few years ago, and have had a copy of SH ready to read for weeks and weeks now. With all the reading I have to do for this term’s courses, I was thinking I’d have to leave it a bit longer, but with this serendipitous gift of time, I’m starting it now.

Next I’m going to brew a lovely hot cup of tea — have I mentioned before that I like Russian Caravan blended 5-1 with Lapsang Souchong? Then I’ll sit and read another few chapters from Taylor’s novel before planning the rest of my day. I’d like to work on the Koolhaas hat, maybe finishing the third pattern which would leave me at only one more before the decrease. And I’d like to cast on for the legwarmers Meg requested — I bought the yarn yesterday, altho’ I probably should/could have worked from stash. I’ve also got a few more books that I’d like to open, two of them being at least peripheral to what I’m teaching. Also wanted to check out the Calls for Papers list and see if anything inspires me to write a proposal. But it’s at this stage that the possibilities for puttering start to paralyze me so I think for now, I’ll just brew the tea and take it from there.

If you’re at work right now, may there be a snow day in your future soon! If you’re at home, I hope you’re able to enjoy some puttering as well.

Here’s my comfy snow-day sweater. Because of the mixed effect of tweediness and the angora halo, you can’t see the cabling. I suppose a good photographer could bring this out more, but I find it interesting how much more motivated the human eye is to discern the subtle pattern, tracing the serpentine cables across the sweater’s front.

From the designer Kristin Nicholas’s website, here’s a photo of the pattern as it appeared in Vogue Knitting Fall 2002 with well-defined cables. Clear warning signs here of a slouchily-fitting sweater, but I ignored them, and now I have the perfect snow-day sweater!