Tea and Knitting

Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world. ~T'ien Yiheng

I'm currently sipping some chamomile tea at the end of a long day. I could just go to bed and let it end. But I think that first some tea and a bit of Gipsy Kings will make everything go down much more smoothly. Chamomile tea, this a bit of loose leaf from Arbor Teas, soothes me and helps me sleep. But it also reminds me of Spain. My first morning in Spain I got sick and my host mom made me chamomile (or manazanilla) tea to soothe me. It really worked. And now I find this pale golden liquid one of the most soothing things in life.

I'm actually crocheting right now. But earlier today, I finished my first cabled knitting project: The Irish Hiking Scarf. Please see photo:


The color is lovely, the texture is fantastic, and I'm just plain happy with the thing. And I can cable! I'm really very proud of myself for completing this pattern.
I'm actually planning to start this scarf again-probably tomorrow-to send a to friend who is living in Northern Ireland for a year. It won't be the same color but it will still be fabulous.

And if you're wondering, the tea is helping me forget the din of the world. It's also my fourth cup today. This (and the name of the blog) might tell you something about my affection for tea. (And only two of the cups were caffeinated.)
Tea soothes me, calms me. And it does help me get going in the morning and close off my day as it ends.

Tuesdays

I love Tuesdays. This semester, Tuesdays are my favorite days. Mondays, I have three classes and women's group every other week. Wednesdays, I have three classes and UCO. Thursdays, I work and then go to class. Friday, I work and then go to class again. Both of these days I get up obscenely early and greet the sun while cleaning frost off my car. I work every other Saturday. This Saturday, in addition to working, I'm taking the Michigan Basic Skills Test so that I can become a teacher. I'm not saying that any of these things are bad. I'm just saying that as an INFJ, I like having some time to myself, my crocheting, my books, and my tea.
Sundays are good days but they are different. They are for prayer, reflection, and recovery. They are not for studying.
But Tuesdays are for studying and relaxing and reading and crocheting and knitting and grocery shopping. I have one class on Tuesdays and I get paid every other Tuesday. Aren't Tuesdays starting to look attractive?
Today, I went and picked up my paycheck. (Thanks, Grand Valley!) I quickly deposited it in the convenient on-campus ATM for my bank. Then I went to class (American Literature until Walt Whitman) and crocheted my way through class-per usual. After class, I went over to the library and checked out Dostoevsky's The Idiot. I've decided to read it. I haven't started yet-been busy with other things. But I'm looking forward to it; I like Russian novels in general, especially Dostoevsky.
After this, I went home and ate lunch; it now being about 2:45pm. After this, I did some grocery shopping and came home. And then, I started in on my homework. This is why I love Tuesdays. I can do homework in peace and no one bothers me...
Until Kyle sends me a text message asking me to go to some "dumb meeting" for UCO at 9pm. "All you have to do is sign your name," quoth he. But basically, I was the only one who could go.
Right...way to ruin my Tuesday, Kyle. I love my Tuesdays because they're MINE...my own, my precious...
Okay, Gollum, stop it.
And then it turned out that Kyle made a mistake and the meeting was yesterday. So I got to keep my Tuesday to myself.
So I made dinner. I'm a bit proud of this. I baked a chicken breast with sliced apples, potatoes, and onions-all of which I sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar. First off, it was delicious. And secondly, I have leftovers! Leftovers are clutch because tomorrow I have three classes, I'm volunteering at the GVSU Study Abroad Fair, Nicole and I are going yarn shopping, and then there's UCO. I think something/someone ate my Wednesday. But I'm sure it will be a great day. I have great confidence. But the leftovers are great because I won't have much time to make lunch or dinner tomorrow.
But I've gotten a good chunk of homework done. I've found a knitting pattern with which I'm going to practice cable knitting; it's supposed to be the ideal beginning cable pattern-SCORE! And now, I'm sitting in bed listening to the Servants of the Word's CD, "Sing a New Song to the Lord." I might start reading The Idiot now. Or I could do my American Lit homework for Thursday. Or I could do one and then the other.
That, my friends, is the beauty of Tuesday.
(Parenthetically, Tuesdays will probably not be my favorite day of the week next semester. C'est la vie.)

What is your favorite day of the week?

Crocheted Musings

My esteemed institution of higher education deems it an exceptional idea to give us both Labor Day and the next day off. This affords us more time to do homework and enjoy the end of summer. It also prevents us from having a fall break in October. And let me tell you; I would love a break in October-even if it were just one or two days off.

In my case, this break has included more crocheting that usual.
This weekend, I bought four skeins of a beautiful gray medium weight yarn. Two of those skeins are now a beautiful gray sweater that is hanging in my closet while a third is being turned into a slouch hat for winter. And the fourth will probably become a scarf to match the hat.
I worked on the sweater while watching movies and while hanging out with friends all weekend. Now it just needs buttons, which I'll buy soon.
And the hat seems to be coming along really quickly.
I blame Ravelry for my spurt of creativity. Ever since Jenny Pink introduced me to the site a few months ago, I have found some amazing patterns for things that I've long wanted to make but just haven't known HOW to do it-or how to find a good, easy to follow pattern.
But now, I know. They have a lot of free patterns (and many more that you have to pay to use) that are pretty easy to follow.

I may also start taking more requests from people.

Un año después…

It's been one year since I left for Spain.
I think today will be a much more peaceful day than 1 de septiembre de 2008 was.
I just have two classes and a skype date with Kayleigh-a friend from Spain.

I finished my first knitted blanket on Sunday night; I'm so proud. Now I need money to buy the yarn so I can start my first crocheted sweater. I found a pattern online (thanks to Ravelry) and am super excited to start making it. I also have a knitted sweater I'm hoping to start someday soon. But that one requires special new needles so that will be a while in coming. I'm also not sure what yarn to use for that project, so it's really going to have to wait.
(I left the cord for uploading pictures from my camera at my parents' house, so pictures of my new apartment, my new blanket, and other things will be a bit in coming.)
I didn't knit this much before I went to Spain. Or crochet this much... Or drink this much tea...I drink at least two cups a day.
But I really think that going to Spain was a good thing for me.
Plus, how else would I have ever gotten to go to Rome for the Feast of St. Cecilia at the age of 20?
Spain was-despite all the rough spots-so worth it.

Now if only I could find my cell phone charger...I never had that problem in Spain. (And I did have a cell phone there.)

Random Notes and Quotes

First off, I am hereby admitting that I am obsessed with knitting and crocheting. I need more yarn money and I want to finish my current knitting project-it only needs one more skein-so I can start on my first crocheted sweater. And I'm already crocheting a pair of socks for my dear friend, Lynne. Oh, and then there's a sweater I want to crochet too. But I need to buy new needles first.
I have a problem. I know it.

Secondly, I have news on the migraine front. I've been taking Imitrex-as mentioned in a previous post-for the past 17 or 18 months. It kills the migraines but makes the Cecilia sick. A few weeks ago, I started losing my memories. I would take the meds and keep doing things just to get through the nausea. But when I woke up the next morning, I had no memory of any of it. I mentioned this to my friend, Kyle, about a week and a half ago. He asked me if I had talked to my doctor about it yet and I said no. Well, yesterday I did...and they're taking me off the memory-destroyer and they're putting me on something that hopefully won't kill the memories.

Thirdly, I heard my friend Sam say this a few days ago:
"So Christina, Fr. Mark told us today that Obama isn't necessarily the AntiChrist. Like, he could be but it's not definite."
Someone else asked Sam if he was upset and he responded "Yeah, kinda."

I spent August 9-18 at Campus Outreach Academy, leadership training for University Christian Outreach. (This was where I overheard Sam and Christina talking.) One morning, Christina walked into the bathroom where I was getting ready and announced, "I'm Louis Quatorze."
I guess the Sun King is her favorite European monarch. For my part, I defended Ludwig the Mad.

Crafting my way through a migraine

Fact: I have migraines.
Fact: I LOVE knitting and crocheting. And I'm getting into jewelry making.

When I have a migraine, I'm supposed to take this medication called "Imitrex" which is supposed to make my headaches and their posse go away. The problem with this is that the drugs make me really nauseous (which I generally already am from the migraine) and so I can't sleep for a really long time after taking the drugs.
So I read. And I craft. It helps me get through the pain and nausea.
I'm making blankets and a baby scarf and socks.
But whatever gets you through it...

Sweet Dreams are Made of Cheese

That references a misquoting of this song by the Eurythmics.

I know what I'd really like to do with my life. I'm studying to be a teacher. And that is amazing. I really want to teach kids.
But there is something else that I want to do. But I don't see it being possible.
I want to own a shop sells tea, coffee, coffee drinks, handmade goods, and cookies and brownies made to order. Basic idea: you come in, pick out the cookie dough flavor or brownie flavor that you want, choose your mix-ins, and then we bake it for you while you wait. And while waiting, you can sit and drink a beverage of your choice, look at our knitted and crocheted goods, maybe do some knitting and crocheting of your own, and get some tips for your knitting.
My mom really likes this idea and has this dream that some day the two of us will be able to do it together.
But we can't financially do it right now.
But we really want to do it. And God willing, we will do it.

The Final Product

A while ago, I mentioned that I was making baby blankets for two friends. Now you get to see pictures right here on my blog.
The yellow blanket on your left belongs to Gemma Spencer, daughter of my friends Mark and Susanna Spencer. Gemma was born on March 15 but her parents received the blanket in mid-February.
The green blanket on your right will be given to Christina Poynter tomorrow for her unborn baby who is due in about four weeks.
I take orders; we can discuss prices if you're interested in one of my blankets.

A crocheted post

If I could crochet you a post, I would. But I have no clue how that would be possible. So you'll just have to take this typed post...if anyone even reads this thing anymore.
But speaking of crocheting, it's one of the things consuming my life these days. I have two pregnant friends who are due in the next few months and I've promised to make both of them baby blankets. Both couples have decided not to find out the sex of their babies. Now, I knew going into all of this that Susanna wasn't going to find out. And I was fine with that. I was more than willing to make her a yellow blanket (with green accents). In fact, I'm working on that blanket right now and I'm loving it. It's such a pretty pattern and I'm so excited to send it to Susanna and know that she and her husband and their baby will all be able to enjoy the blanket.
But then Christina told me that she wasn't finding out what she was having either. And there went all of my plans/dreams for a pink and purple or pink and green or blue and green (no blue and yellow; they're MSU fans in that family) blanket. It would have to be green with yellow accents. Now that's fine. But I really want to make a pretty baby girl blanket or an adorable baby boy blanket.
Maybe I should just start making blankets in advance and giving them to people after their babies are born.