Can you see the difference? Well, no, isn’t much. Until Friday evening I didn’t feel like knitting, not even my own. Instead, I took out Gordon’s notebook and tried to make sense of his system of lines, dots, and five-barred gates. He did explain it multiple times, but I never took it in. I think there’s a blog post somewhere … I’ll be able to use both his notebook and the first sleeve to continue.
Stormy weather
Saturday evening, I knit one row. It was a start. As I lifted the knitting into my lap, examining it to see how to proceed, there was a faint odour, a waft. I realised it was his. It’s hard to explain the feeling that brings. On the one hand, you know they’re gone, but on the other, it’s as though they are still with you. It’s strangely comforting, and I may miss it, but when the gansey is done, it will be blocked and sent to the recipient. It must have been the same with the other ganseys he knit, but I never handled them apart from repairing errors, washing, and blocking.
Caithness Potholes
The start of last week was relatively calm, just notifying friends and work colleagues via social media and telephone, and starting the process of the paperwork. The dam broke on Thursday, with multiple phone calls and appointments to make. The most important things are progressing; the smaller things will be taken care of as and when. The service arrangements should be sorted soon. There are many decisions to make regarding that. A streamed service is necessary, because of friends, relatives, and blog-readers living around the world. I will post a link as soon as I receive it. And then there’s all the other paperwork.
Clear Frosty Morning
I am slowly finding my rhythm of life. It’s like being part of a binary star system, where one of the stars has, for some reason, shot off into space. The remaining planet then takes a while to settle down into its own orbit. Balance will be achieved, but, as with any process, it will take time.
And finally, many many thanks for your condolences, sympathy, and best wishes. I am touched that so many of you wish to continue reading the blog; I’ll try not to disappoint.
Regarding the donation button at the bottom of the blog. I hadn’t really thought about it last week, apart from having a working one available. Over the week, I’ve decided to give all donations from 1 December – 28 February to two charities. Gordon made regular donations to Cancer Research UK, so that is one. The second will be the Johnston Collection of the Wick Society – it was the source of many of the patterns that Gordon knit in the past five or six years; it seems appropriate.
Bless you Margaret. You do not disappoint in the least.You are a treasure.
Oh, Margaret, your notes bring tears to my eyes. Grieving is such a a long passage it changes along the way but I don’t think it ever ends. You’re going to be great on this blog, never doubt that. Hugs and prayers from across the pond.
Thank you for continuing to write the blog. You’ve done a fine job, much appreciated. Best wishes
Lovely to find you in my mailbox
‘Picking up the threads,’….I can almost hear him saying well done……
Dear Margaret, yes absolutely to sudden smells & Yes please to a streamed service. You sound very collected, I hope you have delegatably close friends to help do things. Thoughts are with you.
Sending you a great big hug from Nova Scotia.
Thank you so much for keeping it going and for such lovely words.
Thank you for posting (and such a lovely post). I’ve been thinking about you all week. Oh, and I can see the bit of progress yu made on the sleeve. 🙂
Dear Margaret, I admire your strength and your will to continue Gordons work. Being a non native speaker of English I enjoyed the blog also as a fantastic lesson both language and history of Your country. The meeting in Inverness where I met Gordon was the starting point of my knitting ganseys and my thanks goes to You for including my pullovers to Readers gallery.
A big hug to You from Finland
Thank you for continuing the blog and sending thought of comfort to you from Michigan, USA.
Thank you for continuing the blog. It has been a comfort to me since losing my husband very unexpectedly last year.
Sending a big hug from New Brunswick.
Thank you for picking up the knitting. There is definitely visible progress.
Hi Margaret, great to hear from you and that you will continue. Love and hugs to you from myself and as you know from many others. The little reminders last and last. My wife died in 2003but still thought about and spoken of . Moments that can be relished. Take care, bless you and may your God or Goddess go with you.
Thank you so much for sharing, both your progress on the gansey and your days.