Talk to the hand

I found this funny quiz on Bonne Marie's blog. Here's my result for "What Finger are You?" (find your finger through the link below).

You Are the Thumb

You're unique and flexible. And you defy any category. Mentally strong and agile, you do things your own way. And you do them well. You are a natural leader... but also truly a loner. You inspire many but connect with few. You get along well with: The Middle Finger Stay away from: The Pinky

What Finger Are You?

Pretty funny that it says I should stay away from the pinky! I'm not getting along with mine too well. (Or maybe I chould say that I'm not getting along without it too well.)

I know hearing about my bum hand is boring and repetitive and old. Without full use of it, though, there isn't a lot of progress to post. But there's news! They finally resorted to putting a plaster cast on the pinkie to force it into being more straight. The cast will be changed twice a week, stretching the finger back more each time (A digital rack!)


Even better news?
I CAN REALLY KNIT!
The cast keeps my finger immobile enough that I can just about knit to my heart's content. Won't be able to make up for three months worth of major knitlessness, but I might put a dent in my long project list before they remove the cast for good. (Then there will be a re-evaluation of what I can do.)

(Thanks, Bonne Marie, for the hand site!)

Bare Naked

Score!!! My fiber came in on Friday! As IF I needed more. This is special though (isn't it all?) - a bunch of bare-naked, no color fingerling-weight yarn from KnitPicks and some silk from Pacific Wool and Fiber. Our local Frog Pond Fiber Arts group is having a dye workshop at E's house in a couple of weeks. I haven't done any dyeing yet, so I'm really jazzed about it. I figure fingerling weight is good - I can knit socks. If the colors turn out icky, I'll just wear long pants. Hope to get lucky on the silk, though.

This is what kind of day it was around here today.

Garbo, fast asleep, never heard me sneak up with the camera.

On the other hand...

I'm out of the habit of posting, and there's not too much to write about. But okay, okay, it's been over a month.

I started knitting a little. I began a cardi from Maie Landra's new book, Knits from a Painter's Palette. I've been collecting Koigu skeins for a while, and finally broke down and bought the last two. I must be out of my mind - knitting this on size twos when my knitting time is so limited right now. A nice super-bulky sweater or a quick hat would have been more instantly satisfying, but, well, I'm in it now - literally up to the armpits.

I'm still waiting for my hand to heal. It has been eleven weeks since the surgery. I am still struggling with physical therapy, splints, braces, exercises, massage, and heat packs. Knitting has been an adventure. I've had to learn a new way to tension my yarn because some of the digits engaged doing it my usual way are out of commission. If I get enthusiastic and knit more than a few rows at a time, my little finger contracts into my palm, the middle joint freezes at about 45 degrees, and there is some pain. It can take days clamped back in the splint to get the finger to extend again. The Medical Professionals can't or won't say how long therapy will continue, if my vigilance is going to ultimately pay off - or like Sisyphus and the rock, I am doomed to this cycle of flexion and forced extension over and over again forever. But knit I will.

Okay. I'm finished whining (for now).

I'm spinning on my beautiful new wheel a lot - howzat for optimism? If I do eventually knit without restriction, I'll have lots to knit with! And I'm spinning better, too, though I'm still exploring what Hazel can do. I finished 22 ounces of charcoal alpaca, DK weight, for a sweater (pictures when it's all skeined and washed). And look at this lovely pink silk from and blue merino from Elizabeth M! I'm working on some turquoise silk now, too.

More pictures later. I promise!