Not that anyone is counting.

Four days until the hip replacement. 

Per doctor's orders, I had to stop taking ibuprofen last weekend and instead take Tylenol until the surgery. The latter does not work nearly as well as the former for joint pain. Just in case you were wondering.

On the knitting front, I finished Scotty's mittens (New Year's Day) and Younger Son's hat (New Year's Eve) as promised. Cast on for a pair of fingerless gloves for a friend; she runs a drive-through coffee kiosk in town so has to open and shut her window all morning long. Although she claims it is warm inside the kiosk, I bet her hands get cold. Thus, the fingerless gloves.

As an added benefit, I realized that the yarn I am using -- Colorado Yarns Durango -- would be perfect for the extra-long fingerless gloves I want for myself, to wear when I am reading in bed. I have 4 or 5 skeins of the ecru -- plenty! I shall cast on for them next.

Smokey wants a tuque for himself like the ones I made for Harley and Peter. I don't have any more of that yarn, Phildar Pure Laine 3-1/2 DK, and it is discontinued. I have been searching for a suitable substitute. He desires the hat to be wooly and (probably) blue. As I am determined to knit exclusively from stash for the foreseeable future, this has necessitated some serious stash diving. But I may have found the solution: the Rowan Pure Wool 4-ply fingering weight I got when I subscribed to the Rowan magazine. If I double-strand it, it should be roughly DK weight. The tuque requires about 350 yards of DK weight, so that would be 700 yards of the fingering weight; if Ravelry is to be believed, I have a little over 1,000 yards. Score!

It has been snowing nonstop for two days, with a total accumulation <1/4". Such is January on The Great Frozen Tundra.

Comments

[tut-tut]

Hope you're feeling better. Thanks for the link for the tuque; had never heard of that word before.

[Big Alice]

Good luck on the surgery. I'm sorry about the joint pain with the aspirin.

If the Rowan doesn't work out, I think I've got 350 yards of wooly DK in blue, and I'm happy to send it to you (trying to reduce my own stash). I don't know if it's the right blue, but I can take a picture. Just let me know. I'd rather someone just took it and used it than it just sat in boxes for years, taking up space.

[Sava]

I think the beauty of stash busting is that you use yarns that you wouldn't normally think to use. The Rowan is a beautiful color and I'm eager to see how it turns out!

[Chris]

I'll be thinking of you on surgery day! Yeah, it isn't even worth it for me to take Tylenol. *sigh*

[Silvernfire]

Ah, Tylenol. Doesn't seem to do much for my headaches either. Wow, your 2013 sounds quite productive already knitting-wise.

[k]

A friend of mine just got a new knee; then it will be you; then another friend out in Washington. If all three of you come through with flying colors (of which I am certain), I will start browbeating a friend here to get hers (yes, both) done. She can hardly walk, and it's just stupid. She is actually old, as opposed to all of you, who were merely too active and wore yourselves out.
And my brother called and told me he needs a hip replaced; thing is, he has no insurance. He lives in Minnesota though; I have hopes. If he can't get it replaced, he'll be permanently disabled (he's a chef).

So. All this means positive and energizing vibes to you.

[Sheepish Annie]

Good luck with the impending surgery. I know it sucks now but I hear the relief once it's done is amazing!

[Lisa]

Ugh about the surgery, but I hope it goes swimmingly, and that you enjoy the rest (enforced and drug induced, I know, but it is a rest of sorts...)

[JulieH]

Good luck with your surgery, and I hope you have an quick and easy recovery!

[Kym]

My mom is Canadian. I'm well-versed in The Tuque. (Although I was taunted in my American elementary school for using the term.) Tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory. Great fever-reducer; works on most of my headaches. But. It does NOTHIN' for joint inflammation. Hang in there! Soon they'll be giving you The Good Stuff. :-)

[Carrie#K]

The countdown is the worst part. Hopefully. But almost here! and you should be recovered in time for tax season. ;)

[Soxanne]

Eeeekkk!!!!

Will you be in the city? Let me know if you want visitors. Or yarn delivery.