Checking In

Well, we've all made it through over 7 months of a pandemic now. I'm disheartened that infection rates are still rising, but hopeful bc morbidity is down. I can't imagine how hard it is to be a nurse or teacher or any sort of front line or truly essential worker right now. Where you feel ethically compelled to put yourself and your family in danger with the work you do, and I am so grateful that those humans exist.

How are you all faring? We're good here. We've continued to stay healthy, me and my extended family, my staff, my friends. I don't believe I know anyone who has tested positive and I know I'm extremely fortunate. Though I will say that we kind of keep our circle small and I haven't really kept up with a lot of people during this time.

My kids went back to school nearly four weeks ago and it has made such a difference in our quality of life. They are no longer taught by someone who has no business teaching them long term (I did my best, but DANG, I'm no teacher), and I am able to work more normal hours. We happen to go to a school that was able to adapt with enough safety protocols that my kids are at school five days a week for their normal pre-COVID schedule. They don't know anyone in their school that has tested positive and though we have gotten a few e-mails with vague notifications about someone with a positive test and contact tracing being done, my family hasn't been directly affected by those three e-mails. My kids don't get to see or play with all their friends, and I certainly don't see a lot of people in person  but we do have a small circle of friends and neighbors that we are comfortable seeing, even if it's just outside to play and sit and chat. I do wonder how many of us will become lonelier once the weather gets too cold to be outside. We are outside quite a lot.

October starts our typical busy fall season in the shop (also in person if we were open to the public details on that are on this post) and a wonder how it will go this year. Things are so different than they were last year. Each thing we do is more labor intensive, less cost effective and more stressful and time consuming. There are constant issues of unpredictable currency conversion (how do you know how much yarn is going to cost in four months when it's finally available, when our currency could be plummeting), yarn availability (GAH. That's the big one.), reliable shipping, importing and so much more that's on my mind. So many variables to doing business that are changing so much every day. I am happy that USPS seems to be more predictably shipping (back down to a week or less in most cases rather than packages sitting in depots for weeks), dyers are starting to get base yarn again in small amounts, and that no dyers that we carry have closed their business as a result of the pandemic. I am truly grateful that we've been able to stay busy at work during such an unpredictable time. But I'm really really going to miss seeing people in the shop this fall and especially not having a holiday open house. When we had to skip our 15th birthday party this summer, I was naive to think that we would at least be able to do our big holiday party. SIGH.

Is life getting more back to normal for you yet? Or are you happy/content with the new normal? Have you had to adjust what you do and how you do it quite a lot? I'm realizing that I'm fine being a homebody. I don't need to leave the house and do things and distract myself as much as I thought. I'm quite alright being at home and watching movies with the kids, baking more and just sitting outside in the front yard as a passtime. I'm unsure if it's because I'm suited to that or if it's because I know it's not forever, and that likely next year at this time things will be more normal so I'm just waiting it out. I do miss going to the gym and working out there (our Y is open but I'm not comfortable getting back to a normal routine there yet). At least I'm telling myself that I do since I have replaced that with a bit of walking and it's just not as effective.

I picked up a project that I put down a couple years ago, some Opal sock yarn (we have a lot in stock- this one is retired). I had to rip back to get to a dropped stitch, but I'm now well past the part that I was to before I tore back, so I should have one finished sock soon. But, of course, some of our awesome Socktober related sock yarns have arrived and I now want to cast on one of those. One of these from Dream in Color, actually. I'll share more details very soon about what we'll have all month long in October to celebrate the sock knitters' month.

Are you relying more on knitting lately like I am? I'm knitting much more than I have in years really. When I think about how much I enjoy it I can't believe that there aren't more knitters in the world. I mean, how do they all stay sane? What do they make for the people in their lives to show them they care? What do they do while watching TV? What do they talk about with friends? What do they stash? We really should create more knitters and crocheters in the world, right? It would be a much nicer place.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Glad to hear that you and your family are well.

Know of 6 people (family and/or friends) in Indiana who have had Covid-19. Five were work-related (3 in health care related jobs). Sadly one person died.

So please continue to take care. Appreciate this time despite its limitations.

[Donna]

I think I could easily be a hermit - as long as I had plenty of yarn & my iPhone with audible & kindle apps. It’s been a slight bone of contention with my partner ever since he retired. He HAS TO go out just about every day. I only want to leave when I have a reason. He has actually implied that I’m agoraphobic. I’m not. I’m not AFRAID to go out. I just need a reason to. I’ve actually been knitting less than usual lately - largely because my sleep patterns have become so jumbled & my fibromyalgia has been worse lately. In addition, I think all the horrible news over the past several months has been very taxing for me. I’m knitting hats for my sister’s grandsons & just finished a pair of Opal socks from the recent cotton collection. The colors & pattern a are great but it has a higher man made fiber content & has a less pleasant feel to me than their previous Opal Cotton socks (of which I’m wearing a pair right now & they’re soft & super comfy). Hopefully these socks will soften up & feel better once they’ve been washed. It’s definitely feeling like fall here! Feels like it’s gone from summer to late fall - high 80’s to high 50’s to mid-60’s.

[Dana Snyder]

I’m so happy to hear you’re doing well. It’s been rough for me since I went back to work. I’m a teacher and we are 100% virtual now but start to transition the students back over a three week period. Some will be staying virtual. We have one more week. All I do is work. I’ve hardly had time to knit. In other news, I got married Labor Day weekend in a super small ceremony. That’s been great but I can’t seem to find time to make room for him in my closet, or the bathroom. He’s supportive and doesn’t mind cause he knows I have no other choice right now. I haven’t had a night or weekend without work for weeks. I’ve only had one breakdown. Lol. I’m ok though. It will be better soon. Fall yarn is waiting!

[Karen machado]

I have been knitting more than ever, since all of this started. I had to quit working with children, because I got sick and my immune system is very compromised now. This has really broken my heart, so knitting has kept me sane and relatively happy. I do not know what to do, because I am currently not working and cannot sit still and do nothing! 😉

[Maureen]

I have been knitting probably the same amount but I already knit a lot as it is.
I recently read that the number one hobby or craft that people have picked up doing or have learned is knitting.
People get a tangible product from their efforts that either make a good gift or a good item for them to use.