If you remember, I had my flu and covid shots last week, one in each arm (from a nurse who apparently developed her technique driving in fence posts back on the farm) and unfortunately one of them—I’m guessing the flu vaccine, from the symptoms—gave rise to minor complications. They’re passing slowly, for which relief much thanks, but it did suck most of the life out of me for a few days, as though Harry Potter’s Dementors now come in a soluble liquid. It’s brought my cough back too, so that I now sound like a cross between a fox barking and someone trying to clear a blocked drain with a plunger, or an extra in a Victorian drama set in opium den. Meanwhile I’ve amended my entry in Who’s Who with my new hobby, “trying not to cough”.
Flooded path
Now, some months back, you may recall, Deb Gillanders of Propagansey in Whitby had the happy idea that I could knit a gansey which could be raffled in aid of the local Fishermen’s Mission. I agreed at once, for the sea runs deep in my veins—no, wait, that’s caffeine—anyway, I was delighted to help. Hence the navy blue gansey I knitted back in the autumn, based on that worn by George Bremner of Wick and taken from his portrait in the Johnston Collection held by Wick Museum. The gansey knit up as a men’s extra large, and is a nice, comfortable fit on me.
Riverside near sunset
The week before last I had the very great pleasure of meeting Jackie Dodds of the Mission at Scrabster, to formally hand over the gansey. She told me something of the work of the Mission in helping fishermen through these difficult times, financially and (equally importantly) mentally, and I have to say I had no idea. One of the biggest challenges Jackie faces is getting on the radar of many fishermen, and we talked about other things that might be done to help, including talks on the herring fishing and ganseys aimed at fishermen. So we’ll see. The gansey will be raffled sometime in the new year. I’m already fully booked up with gansey projects for 2023, but if the raffle is a success I might try to make this an annual thing.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for inspiration this Christmas, Judit has knitted up a hat to brighten all our weeks. The pattern is Betty Martin, and the colour is fireman red, as red as the breast of an easily-embarrassed robin who’s been standing too close to the fire in his thermal long johns, and will add some festive cheer to somebody’s Christmas this year. Many thanks as ever to Judit for sharing, and for the inspiration.
Waves from autumn winds
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TECHNICAL STUFF
It’s been slow going this week—it’s hard to knit with a Dementor sitting on your chest—but even so I’m about halfway up the back. I left the front half on the circular needle I’d been using for the body and am using a second needle the same size (80cm) to knit the back. The half-gussets I’ve strung on some old yarn ends to keep them ready for when I start the sleeves—although it’s a bit of a faff getting them on and taking them off later, I haven’t found a stitch holder that didn’t get in the way, so stringing the stitches on old bits of yarn is still my preferred method.
Lovely soft colour, suits the patterns so well.
Those covid and flu shots – hard decision. I knew from experience that I would have a very sore and swollen arm for at least 3 days. So do I get poked in my left arm, I sleep on that side. Or do I get jabbed on the right arm, my knitting side?
Is a good night’s sleep more important? But I can’t bear sitting unless my hands are busy. Life is so complicated ………
These vaccinations, very easy decisions, because the alternative is a much increased chance of serious illness or death. I always find it funny when they say “this might hurt” and I always answer “more than dying?”. One of my co-workers threaded the legal needle in the US and managed to avoid the requirement to get vaccinated, despite being a defense contractor. That ended up with him spending a few days in the ICU and getting a bill that would have paid for his winter heating. The US is not a civilized country to be sick in, especially if you made health insurance decisions that embodied your belief that you and your family would not have significant medical bills.
I certainly agree with you. It’s hard to find a brighter side to such a serious situation. I’m immuno compromised and have been right there as soon as vaccines are available. I’m hoping that vaccines that can be inhaled will be in the near future. Much easier to administer, so hopefully more people will take advantage of that.
In spite of all the issues with the health care system in Canada, I feel very lucky to live here. Specially at a time when so much of the world is in turmoil.
Hi Lois, I suppose one advantage to getting both shots at once is that you don’t have to wonder about which arm to get them in – just bam! bam! and you’re done. And you and Chris are quite right – there’s no question about getting them. I had something akin to flu once and I’d move heaven and earth to avoid anything like that again!
Beautiful sweater. As a lover of symmetry, I really like that pattern.
Re vaccinations – easy decision. Sleep is important. There is more than one way to keep hands busy, but only one way to sleep.
Even after the shots, wear the mask! Sanitize!
In the USA right now, babies are filling the ICUs with three infections at once – covid, and the flu, and another respiratory infection that has initials I forget – in the same infant. Because adults stopped masking and handwashing. Last year we didn’t have the new shots, but this didn’t happen because people still masked and washed. Babies can’t be vaccinated against covid yet; I don’t know about flu. Last year there was a rise in flu, but back when people were careful, there was a year with zero deaths from flu! It works if we all do it!
Hi Tamar, it’s rare to see a face mask now outside of healthcare environments. But I use hand sanitiser constantly, and wash my hands and do what I can to not get infected, or to spread germs. China seems to be in the trouble it’s in because they haven’t pushed their vaccines enough.
I find that putting ‘hold’ stitches on the cable of a needle with removable ends means they are easy to put onto it and easy to take off again – and with the screw in ‘stops’ they provide the sts are safe !!!
Hi Lynne, that sounds interesting. My concern would always be the ends falling off, but if they screw on they should be safe. Thanks for the tip!
I was offered the flu and covid jab at the same time, but decided to have them separately as my mother had a bad reaction when she had both. Unfortunately I had very unpleasant side effects from the covid jab and missed my ‘flu jab appointment. Like you, I have had something ‘flu like before (twice) and never, ever want to have it again so must get myself to the chemist for my jab! I am very glad I had the covid jab as I then caught covid a few weeks later (first time since the pandemic began) but only had mild symptoms and tested clear again quite soon.
What a wonderful idea to auction your hand knit gansey to raise funds for the Fisherman’s Mission!
Hi Kate, I’m a medievalist by training and inclination and it never ceases to strike me how lucky we are to live in the age we do! Otherwise Covid could have been our Black Death moment. Of course it was pretty bad, and I am always aware of the families devastated by the the loss of loved one; but it could have been so much worse.
And yes, the idea to auction the gansey is wonderful, isn’t it? but it’s not mine — full credit to Deb Gillanders!
I so agree, I am very grateful to live in this day and age, despite the challenges that surround us. Modern medicine, and also the opportunities for education and a variety of employment that simply were not available for previous generations in my family. I hope these things will be easily available for everybody in the years to come.