It’s Wednesday, 11 days before the big day. I was going to come here to talk about knitting, and I’ll get to that. But, I am having a morning of feeling really odd. In one week, we’ll be at madness level 5, barrelling toward the big day and it’ll likely feel like I can’t catch a break or a breath.

So, I am breathing this week. The week is flying by while simultaneously time feels suspended. We are moving too fast toward big day when I really want to take in what is now. The enjoyment of anticipation, the enjoyment of having done most of what needs doing and knowing that whatever happens next is ok with me. The suspension of time where I enjoy all that has been with my relationship with Mr. Ink. This almost 6-year relationship has been nothing but good. I didn’t know that a relationship with another person could just be good and uncomplicated and comfortable while also being the best thing that ever happens. So I have this idea this week that I want to treasure that. The big day changes everything and nothing at all. Once the big day happens, Mr. Ink will still be planting trees and gardening. I’ll still be knitting and spinning and messing around with makeup. We’ll still be parenting a teenager, going on bike rides, taking the dogs to the dog park, and planning our next big adventure together. This is my week to remember and appreciate how we got here, close to the big day.

I feel like it doesn’t take a leap to understand that all these feelings are kind of leading me to not get quite as much done this week as I had anticipated. I am hopeful that I’ll be able to change that dynamic yet this week. Those bathrooms didn’t get deep cleaned yet. I blame the still slightly bum knee which was acting up after I walked the dogs yesterday. And a headache. And a myriad of other excuses. I did get Mr. Ink to work on the slow running bathroom sink drain though, so it’s ready to be cleaned.

Instead, I worked on the normal day to day house chores and some additional packing up items which will be used at the wedding. Then, I also got some knitting done. Let’s talk about that knitting now. I mentioned that I had started two new projects. The first was a cowl, and as it turns out, I forgot to check and twisted my cast on. Didn’t notice for a while, and it was too late to fix so that got ripped back out and I don’t have the heart to cast on again right now. The other thing is another Lintilla shawl. I have often found that the Lintilla shawl is my perfect no brainer knitting. I adore it. It provides interest while still being garter stitch and the pattern is easily memorized. Here’s the handspun I am using:

I had created this last summer when I did a craft room clean out and declutter. One ply is silk hankies and the other ply is crampot dyed locks. I loved the finished yarn so much that I was saving it for a special occasion, knowing full well it would become a Lintilla shawl but also knowing I wasn’t ready to crack into the skein. Turns out, now is a good time.

The colors here are a little funny, they don’t blend nicely into one another. It’s more like color blocks. But, this is also a ridiculously soft yarn with a ton of interesting texture and those color changes are going to make me very happy during the knitting of this shawl. It is a little jarring to not have it look like I am accustomed to having handspun look.

I got the flight details this morning for Mr. Ink’s sister in law. She’s…great. She takes care of things. Knowing that she’ll arrive on Wednesday and just help take over whatever needs taking over is really a relief. Knowing that I’ve done MY part to be as prepared as possible will help her not feel overwhelmed as well. It’s a good relationship. My parents arrive the day before that, and it’ll be nice to have a little time with them before the insanity of additional family company begins. Work is the oddest thing since I’ve told very few people what I’ll be out for, it just continues on as normal with the same types of stress we always have and nothing slowing down for anyone. When it comes to work, nothing is feeling suspended at all, in fact, I’d venture a guess that work is what has me feeling like we are barreling through the week.  I will be pulling together a bunch of tasks and deadlines for my boss this week as she’s eager to make sure I TRULY do not need to worry about anything at work while I am out of the office. So eager that she’s agreed to sit in my office half the time to make sure everything stays on track. She doesn’t work in my building so it’ll be a good opportunity for her to get a handle on what is happening in my building, a benefit to her as well.

Anyhow, that’s about a long enough blog post for now, too long really. But it’s a good description of where I am at the moment. 🙂