Fortitude

n. Courage in pain or adversity. [ME f. F, f .L fortitudo -dinis (fortis strong; see -TUDE)] O.E.D.

I feel I am the very embodiment of Fortitude. If you can believe it, I am still knitting the blue bridesmaid wraps. I am about half way finished with the very last one and it is requiring all my courage in pain or adversity not to fling it across the room. It will be finished and I can't say I'll be unhappy. One shawl to a deadline is one thing, but six? That would be six things.

I dare not start anything else for fear that I would never want to return to blue fluff. I have, however, bought more yarn (which, of course, I really, really needed.) Mostly to cheer myself up and act as a sort of carrot.

Some blue (ARRGH!) eyelash stuff.



#1 daughter was wearing a scarf I made for her. It was much admired by her friend and would it be possible for me to knit one for her? Yes, but not before the blue what-nots are finished. I'll probably use the zig-zag pattern I got from Artyarns - it stops me dying of boredom and solves the problem of the variegated yarn getting itself into unattractive stripes and blobs (technical term, again) of colour.

I also got this Louisa Harding yarn to make a scarf for me.



Just a simple garter stitch with pointy (technical term) ends, finished with a frilly edging in Kimono Ribbon and a few pom-poms at the ends.

I've managed todo a few other things, too. #1 daughter had a birthday, cake was made, pizza was made, dips and snacks and asparagus rolls were made. All was eaten.

I made the Christmas Cake - the Traditional Boiled Cake from the ever-reliable Prue Leith. Full of dried fruit - currants, raisins, sultanas but also dried pear, peach, apricot, cherries. I am feeding it brandy every few days and hoping it isn't too alcoholic for the rest of the family.

I had a "turn" the other day - very bad asthma attack. #1 daughter did sterling work - calling up the doctor, explaining the problem, listening carefully. The upshot was that an ambulance was sent for. I feared I would be carted off to hospital but the paramedics treated me in the comfort of my living room and I never had to leave the house. Top marks to them.

Back to the blue nightmare. Is there no end to it??