First off, I wanted to thank you all for the wonderful comments and emails of condolences regarding Onyx’s passing. You have all helped make this difficult time for me so much easier. I can’t say that I’m back to 100% but I am feeling a little better and I have been able to do a little bit of knitting.
Not much progress has been made on my Seaweed Lace Socks (Ravelry Link). I only managed to get past the heel. It hasn’t been much of a priority since this pair is for me and I’ve got to get some other things done first.
I did manage to finish up the Anemoi Mittens to the point of where all that’s left is the thumbs. It’s a good thing too as I’d hate for my friend Dani to leave the islands without these because it’ll be quite an adjustment for her. She’ll be going from temperatures of 80F to 50F. Brr. (Yes, I’m a total wimp.)
There is one project that I’ve been working on for myself and that’s the Something Tweedy. It’s a completely mindless knit, which makes it something akin to comfort food. I find it perfect for those times when I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by my feelings of grief over the loss of Onyx. Though I have to admit that it’s also great football knitting too. (Go Warriors!)
Right now it’s at the point where it actually looks like a sweater, instead of a brown blob of ew. I was a very good girl and took the sweater off the needles to try it on and it fits! There’s nothing like having the confidence in knowing a garment fits to make the knitting all the sweeter.
Another great comfort has been my other two cats. Pressie and Quincy have been wonderfully affectionate since Onyx has been gone. I don’t talk much about Pressie here on the blog because she’s always been more my mother’s cat, but lately she’s been sticking to me like velcro whenever my mother’s out of the house.
We adopted her back in 2001 (at least I think that’s the year) and she was already an adult at that time. She had been a feral cat when she had been rescued. At the time she was rescued she was also pregnant with two kittens. By the time we came into the picture, Pressie’s kittens had already been adopted out.
Pressie didn’t have such good luck. I think it was mostly because of her appearance. She had to have her ears cropped because of some cancerous growths. She also has some really horrible eye allergies which makes it seem like she’s crying blood. So she sometimes looks a little like a demon cat. In fact she’s been known to strike fear in the hearts of men.
(I kid you not. Once, she really scared one of the strong hurly burly workmen we had working on the house. He was afraid she might attack him and she only weighs maybe 7lbs and he was at least 180lbs of pure muscle.)
Regardless of her appearance to others, she is one of the sweetest cats I have ever had the privilege of being with and I thought she deserved some time on the blog.
Thanks for reading, I didn’t know I had such a ramble in me! Have a great week/day/evening! :-)
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I’m so sorry for your loss. May you find peace in your knitting and joy with your other pets.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:46 pm
I enjoyed learning about Pressie, she is sooo beautiful in white. She looks very content. I’m glad you have comfort knitting, we know all too well the emotional rollercoaster you are on. Your Anemoi mittens are amazing! I see you have the Knit Picks dpn, I’m thinking of getting a set. I like the fancy raglan on your Something Tweedy and I am very glad to hear that it fits.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Pressie looks precious!! You know they say “looks aren’t everything”! It’s much like those who rescue hounds…they may look like a mismatch but they turn out to be the GREATEST pets on earth!
Your projects are beautiful!
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:43 pm
We all love pretty animals/humans … at least to look at, but all animals deserve the same love and attention. This is why I like watching “Cold Case” so much because the detective (Lily Rush) has a blind cat … so heart-warming!
It’s great that Pressie found love in your home.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Beautiful knitting and what a sweet cat. I’m glad you can find comfort in both.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Pressie looks like a wonderful cat! Thank goodness she was able to come to you and your mom! Make sure you get lots of rest. The knitting will take care of itself!
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Awww poor baby and her little ears. What matters is YOU love her anyway.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:58 pm
What a cutie - she looks very sweet. Glad you are finding comfort in friends, knittng and cats!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Aw what a sweet pretty girl!
A sweater? A SWEATER?? Ok where’s Opal and what have you done with her? :)
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Looks fade. It’s the heart and soul that count most in my book. I’m glad you’re bouncing back a bit. Give yourself time dahling.
Re: the knitting, you’ve really been cranking! Mittens, socks, sweaters? They all look fantastic!
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:40 pm
pressie looks sweet! lots of nice knitting does comfort the soul doesn’t it?
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:53 pm
The sweater is looking good and I love those mittens. You and Shel are going to suck me into colorwork, I just know it.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:55 pm
So glad you are doing better. Yah for Pressie time… she is one of the sweetest things… she was probably staring down that guy to get him to pet her! Hehehe…
I LOVE those mittens.. makes me wish I was in cold weather to make me a pair!
Hugs!
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
It’s good to hear you’re doing better. That sweater looks so comfy and nice!
December 4th, 2007 at 3:06 am
50F? That’s not cold. It’s been hovering in the 20s here. : ) The colors you used for the mittens are gorgeous. Pressie looks like a wonderful cat. My Munchkin has eye allergies too and is always blinking like she’s sleepy.
December 4th, 2007 at 4:07 am
The mittens and the sweater look great.
And good for Pressie, striking fear in the hearts of musclemen! Now I know what I must do to keep Mr. Penney in line. (JUST KIDDING!)
December 4th, 2007 at 4:24 am
Hi Pressie - nice to meet you! You sure did have a rough start to life, but you’ve ended up in just about the best place you could :) You just go on taking care of Opal - she’s a strong girl, but she’s still feeling a little fragile and she needs your attention and affection.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:43 am
I love your colors for the Anemois (I am biased of course having knit them in a similar color combo!). I am looking forward to seeing your tweedy sweater. I think Pressie is purr-fectly adorable. Okay, I am done now.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:53 am
Yeah, I am into comfort knitting too right now…pets Pressie in absentia…Laptop was feral too, but she moved right in :)
Glad we could all give you a hug and a cheerful word, even if those are in absentia too!
Love those seaweed socks! They look like they are being knitted out of kelp :)
December 4th, 2007 at 6:01 am
So glad you are getting good progress on the sweater! I know it will be great when done.
The mittens are beautiful! I knew you could do them– you do wonderful knitting!
Pressie is so sweet - just remember - she needs a extra treat just because…. lol
Hugs
December 4th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Pressie looks like a very sweet kitty. She is adorable in that basket.
I had to laugh at the ‘brown blog of ew!’ I’ve had projects like that. But, in the end … they all turned out very nice.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:09 am
Men can be such babies at times. I think most cats do the tearing thing a little bit. Then again I have a himmie-persian, so my world view may be slightly off kilter. ;^)
The mitts look great and I agree about the shock your friend will go thru with her move. Loving that sweater, too and Pressie. Such a pretty girl.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Pressie is beautiful on the inside, where it counts. I’m telling you - she’s a dad blamed beauty queen!
Takes one to know one.
No,not me silly! YOU!!!
After all, you’re the one that saw past the surface and adopted her…
Blessings!
December 4th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Pressie is one lucky cat. Not to scare you or anything, but it’s 21F here, and snowing.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:39 am
Oh, cute, cute little Pressie! What a very precious cat she is - seeing that pic I felt so much like giving her a big, big hug! It’s definitely not the outside that counts with a pet, it’s always the inside - and often it’s the animals that are not so cute or beautiful or whatnot on the outside that are the most loving and warmhearted beings. My little Billy won’t ever be a top-model either, he’s got two differently sized eyes that keep watering too - but he’s such a sweet little boy, I would never ever exchange him for a model-style cat - or for any other cat for that matter!
I can well imagine that your other cats helped you a lot over the hardest time right after Onyx passed away - that’s also the reason why I got the two boys only 3 weeks after Lady’s passed. It was just unbearable for me being in this dead empty and silent apartment - the boys are certainly no replacements for Lady, but they filled up our place with so much life and action and warmth - and I’m sure your cats do so too, thus helping you with your sadness.
A big hug to you and Pressie and Quincy!
December 5th, 2007 at 6:10 am
What a sweetie she is….the ferals can either be amazingly wonderful or, let’s face it, hard to live with.
So glad Pressie is the former! And white kitties have such a time in the wild with the skin cancer on their ears…just not fair at all…
Love the mittens!
(((hugs)))