All Done

Well, mostly done, that is.  I still have to weave in the ends and wash it, but the cowl I've knit for my friend's brother is finished. 

I didn't follow a pattern.  I just cast on 48 stitches, knit in K2P2 rib until I ran out of yarn, then tinked back until I had enough yarn to bind off.   I also knit on larger size needles --15 -- than what was recommended on the ball band, which was US 13.  I figured a looser fabric would make it more comfortable and scrunchable around his neck, for the extra warmth.  

Other than that, not much else has gone on today.  Needless to say, I didn't go up to Batesville.  Again.  I'm not sure why I'm stuck on going to Batesville, other than collecting a few more route badges at the Mounds, and might as well go to Lowe's while I'm there.  Other than that, until the Hobby Lobby opens, there isn't much I need up in Batesville.  But it's stuck in my head that I need to go, so one of these days, I need to go. If only to get the idea out of my head. 

So, what did I do while I was not going to Batesville?  I did a little piddling around the house, including putting the Christmas cookie and candy containers back up into the top of the cabinet in the laundry room, where they'll remain until next year.  I did laundry and....that's about it, besides knitting and watching TV, I mean. 

Soo, what did I watch while I was knitting?  I found a documentary series on Prime called A Day In, and it centers around German history.  There are three episodes:  once is about a women living in Dresden after WWII, one is about a German immigrant to New York in the1880s, and the third is about a castle manager in 1218.  The narration is in English, but most of the dialogue is in German with subtitles, which made it difficult to watch while knitting, but we made it through.  As a history geek, I found it very interesting, and I'm sure those of you with German ancestry would love it. 

I also started watching The X-Files again.  I'd gotten through season 5, then stopped.  I don't really know why.  I guess I just needed a break.  By the way, I don't know who needs to read this, but it's a show of fiction.  Chris Carter was never a super duper secret FBI agent, and the scripts are not taken from super duper secret FBI cases -- I actually saw a Facebook meme making that case a while back.  I kind of wish I'd saved it for my meme debunkeration segment, but I wasn't doing it back then. Still, the show does seem to be where so many modern conspiracy theories originated. 

Okayyyy, I did not mean for this to turn into a What I Watch On TV blog, but hey, when all you do is work, there isn't really that much else to talk about.  

You know, I was thinking -- scary, I know, but hear me out -- I was thinking that if one could feel sorry for a month, I would feel sorry for January.  Nobody likes January. 

After the lights and warmth and family of the holiday season, and by holiday season, I mean from Halloween through New  Year's Day.   Yes, there is Epiphany, but it's more of an observance than a holiday.  I guess.  Growing up Southern Baptist, we didn't really do Epiphany, so I don't really know that much about how it's observed.  

But that's not the point.  The point is, after the joy and beauty of the holiday season, January is dreary and depressing.  Snow isn't magical any more.  The lights are gone-- after the 6th at least-- and the decorations are down and put away, and January is just cold and blah.  

The only exciting things that happen are tornadoes and ice storms -- both of which we are expecting through the next week, starting with tomorrow's severe weather.

It's like January is the Monday of the year, it's cold and dark and seems to last forever.  Case in point, I've thought it was the 5th all day.  But it's only the 4th...

See?  January. 

Wake me when it's over.