Knitting for Old Age

Maybe it's just me, but when I get towards the end of a project, I tend to get very focused on finishing. One more row...one more row. Sometimes it's because I'm ready to move on to something else. More often, it's because I can't wait to see what it's going to look like once it's all done.

This Deep Peace Shawl was the rare exception to that rule. I hated to see the knitting come to an end! The simple lace patterns were fun to knit, and the yarn...the yarn. Such beautiful Riverwinds Farm Yarn! The colors are perfect and the spun fiber is some of the nicest I have ever used.

Now if I could only learn to be comfortable wearing shawls. I love to knit them; I just rarely use them. They always seem to be in my way when I'm trying to get some work done. I'm telling you, someday, I will be the envy of my nursing home.

BSOD!

There I was, minding my own business, when BAM! Out of nowhere comes the BSOD! No warning. Nothing. Just the dreaded blue screen of death and then blackness. How can this be? My laptop is only a couple of years old. But the the BSOD knows not age and strikes when and where it wills. And now my computer sits. Waiting for its checkup. And I'm not naive enough to expect a hopeful prognosis.

So, I'm back on my dinosaur slogging through months of updates to make it usable until I get the miraculous news that a repair is possible or the more likely event of having to buy another computer. It's a sad, sad tale. (Not to mention the loss of a couple of documents that I neglected to save that represent so many hours of work.)

Luckily, I've been away and busy enough to not have to dwell on my misfortune. We spent a few days on another golf jaunt---this time through Wisconsin. Perfect golfing weather and some fun with family. Then we came home just long enough to repack our bags for a few days in Chicago.

Chicago is one of my favorite cities. The people are friendly, the city is beautiful, and, of course, the pizza is the best. It's a city we never get tired of visiting.

We didn't have any special plans for our weekend---sometimes the best way to travel. Besides eating pizza, we did a little shopping, saw a movie, and even indulged in an afternoon nap one day. We even had the chance to watch some of the filming of the upcoming Transformers movie. What is it now? Transformers 3? 4? 5? No celebrities to see, only pretty cars and trucks. On Sunday, we decided to head over to watch the World Cup final on the big screens over at Soldier Field. They had a decent crowd for the day. Sorry, but I just don't get it. Nothing happens! And the drama. Not for me, but a couple of cold beers made it bearable.

It's good to finally be home for a few days. Even if it does mean facing my laptop woes.