Hello, my Fine Fibrous Friends. I hope you’re reading this somewhere warm and cosy, because outside has been relentlessly soggy and grey and cold around here lately.
Also, it’s the time of year when we Brits traditionally exchange comments about how we canNOT belIEVE it’s DARK so EARLY. For reference if you’re reading this in North America, even here in the south of England we’re on a latitude with southern Canada, so winter vs. summer daylight differs a lot.
But actually, there are touches of colour in the garden if you hunt for them. And there’s a small but steady trickle of vegetables coming in from the garden. I’ve planted out broad beans and overwintering peas, plus garlic, onions and shallots, all ready for next year. Going outside to forage for dinner never gets dull.
Indoors, the fire is cosy and the Christmas tree is up.
It’s going to be a weird Christmas without our usual houseful of guests, but we daren’t risk letting anyone over the threshold here at Twisted Towers right now because some of our relatives are – how to phrase this tactfully? – no longer in the first flush of youth.
For local-ish family, we might just meet briefly in a park and hurl greetings and gifts at each other from a safe distance. (Note to self: do not purchase glassware or large geological samples as gifts for any of these people.)
Also, I’ve had a birthday, but in these covidy times, I “celebrated” by going for a solitary ten mile run.
So I’ve reached the age of 48. Doubtless you’ve already noticed the increased wisdom and maturity in this blog post, compared with my juvenile ramblings as a mere 47-year-old. So in future, please expect more posts on sensible matters like pension provision and how to floss, with fewer posts about how I fell out of a tree during a run.
Of course there’s been knitting, too. I’ve nearly finished the jumper that I’m making for the Stoic Spouse. And because I’m conscious that most of my design work has been going into the book rather than being available here, I’ve designed a new cowl for you, which I’m just knitting up. I’m very cautiously showing you only a portion of it here, because it has a twist. Not an actual twist because it’s not a Mobius cowl, but there’s a rather important element of the design that I’m carefully not revealing until I’m ready to share the finished pattern with you.
The yarn is the full twelve-shade spectrum of Stylecraft’s ‘Highland Heathers’. Love this colour palette. Disclosure: I did not pay for this yarn. (Just for further clarity, no I didn’t steal it, either. Stylecraft kindly sent it to me for free.)
Later today, the cowl-in-progress will be taking a short trip to hospital whilst I begin radiotherapy treatment sessions. The whole cancer thingummy is going well, by the way. After some deliberation, they decided I didn’t need chemotherapy, so now that the surgery is done, it’s ‘just’ radiotherapy, ten years of hormone treatment, and further surgery to even things up.
I’ve been running and running and running, partly because running has held me together in mind and body this year, and partly because I’m doing a 1083-mile race (yes you did read that number right) for charity. More on that in a future post – to be written with great maturity and wisdom, of course, just as you’d expect from a proper grown-up 48-year-old.
Am I the only one who’d like to read more about the falling out of a tree during a run incident? Glad you are doing well.
No you’re not the only one ! That’s the only thing that interested me in this post (joking, of course)
Joke aside, I am glad to read rather good news from you, and your photos are lovely.
Oh all right, then. Here you are. (Just realized it was almost 5 years ago!) https://thetwistedyarn.com/wp/2016/01/07/in-which-you-all-get-to-laugh-at-me/
Interesting read, interesting problem solving…. undesired outcome, lol. But then, really, could you have run in wellies? I guess you could always pack them along in a back pack for navigating large pond puddles. I wouldn’t like that myself though – lots of bouncing on the back…. :-}
I enjoy your blog and your knitting. Looking forward to more on that cowl – it’s very pretty. It’s the oddest thing, but when I saw the round photo of the trees it reminded me of an illustration of the capillaries and fat tissues of a breast. Then again, my mind commonly makes odd associations….
Good luck with your upcoming treatments. I they are successful and as brief as possible.
I want to know too.
Happy Birthday, Phil ????????????????hope it was a good one! Lovely to read your post today and thank you soo much for even thinking of us and designing a pattern for us all. I’m glad your treatment is progressing and hopefully life will take on a bit more ‘normality’ for you soon. Your garden looks great and your photos are beautiful, too. (Love your sweater ornament). Know we’re all out here thinking of you and sending hugs and love. Take care.
Suzie p.s.
It’s my birthday today – wish I was just a ‘young one’ like you!
Happy birthday Suzie.
Apparently if you’re 48 and that’s mature and wise, at 49 I should be positively sage-like. This hasn’t happened. Glad running is going well, and you’re still at it. Knitting is my sanity, want to cast on all the things as per usual. We’re also having a quiet Christmas due to similar concerns. Hey ho, vive le vaccine etc….have a happy Noel x
Well I have to agree you appear to be much wiser so I will take far more notice of your posts now.
Your colour work is amazing so neat and as you say the yarn palette is just delicious.
Your garden looks very productive. I have been trying to establish a wildlife garden which is much harder than it sounds and have to explain to the old chap that no, you just don’t leave it. Pond is wonderful though.
I rode my bike down a river bank and ended up in a tree- it hurt. I was just checking for broken bones when I could hear people coming along the track. I was frantically trying to extricate myself before they found an old woman up a tree rather than in a shoe!
Hope the rest of your treatment goes well, lots of positive vibes coming your way.
Have a magical Christmas.
Congrats on turning another year older. Lovely to read about some nice aspects of the winter season, ie. a little colour still round and about, cute reminisces of Christmas dec making, etc. Loving your circular photos – adds another perspective to the blog. Looking forward to seeing that new knit progress. You are so talented.
Happy birthday!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! This year will certainly be remembered. Glad to hear you are doing well and will not have to survive chemo. The radiation should be a breeze, maybe a bother, but you will get to see a few people on a regular basis – the good side. Your cowl is looking very interesting and beautiful. We will all be looking forward to seeing the “twist”.
You are just simply amazing, I love your reading what you’ve been up to. Hope you had a brilliant birthday. Sending good vibes your way. Looking forward to the next installment.
Have a lovely Christmas.
Big hug for your birthday, djees, I did miss that becoming wiser at 48! If I only knew. Still hopscotching around like always. The cowl is stunning, for what I can see. Run, dear, run those miles. Keeps us sane, does it. I refuse to talk about getting darker, and only have 4 to 5 day”light” hours. I am waiting for winterstoltice, going to light that fire to celebrate the coming back of the light. Frost and ice can’t hold me back. I do have a garden with a stove though XD it won’t be too dangerous. Merry Xmas, we’ve a small circle, Phill, but we do have a circle of loved ones. See you <3
The cowl does look interesting, can’t wait for the reveal!
Your Christmas tree is charming, my preference too. Old fashioned and welcoming.
Glad you are progressing on your journey through cancer. While none of it is fun, we do get a sense of power just having survived!
We have short days here in the north and since the mountains are close on the west, the sun is “over the hill” by 4 pm these days. I have been celebrating Dec. 21 every year with a little jig of joy to know that the days will at last become a little longer with each passing day.
To put things in perspective, I just finished watching a series from BBC called Home Fires ????
It made me realize that the people in your country had to persevere during the bombings, men going to war, women having to make do in the villages,etc. We can certainly get through this dratted year of covid.
Merry Christmas and keep knitting….
Love that second picture!! The silhouette of the thistle?!? Against the sky. Great shot!! How are you taking the round shots? Thru a fish eye lens?
Congrats on being a year wiser. Love the gorgeous pictures. The cowl is beautiful and an interesting project for those who have imbibed in wayyyyyy too much Christmas cheer. Hopefully the garden will provide enough to forage for dinner. I’m glad running is keeping you sane or is that insane? I double checked three times to make sure I read it right, 1083 MILES!!! Charity or no charity, covid, the other ugly “c” word, Christmas celebrations cancelled? Ok, enough trying to find relevant words that start with “c”. A run of that length truly is twisted.
To the Twisted family and your online family: Merry Christmas and may 2021 bring us all Peace.
Teresa in Michigan (the Mitten State) USA
I read this while sheltering in bed following radiotherapy session number 12. I have also managed to avoid chemo this time around, and, having experienced it three years ago, am mighty glad to have done so. Radiotherapy is absolutely doable, but also, give yourself time to process, and to grieve. It changes you, but that may not necessarily be all bad!
I wish you all the best
I’ve just got home from a check up with my surgeon, (four years on from my mastectomy and everything is fine) and it was so nice to hear that you’re doing well. The cowl looks gorgeous, such beautiful colours, I’m looking forward to hearing more about it.
Keep safe, happy Christmas!
hi phil…
so great to see a pic of you! and you look healthy! yay!
and pics of all the winter scenery in england (my birthplace) … your photos are great quality.
best regards,
daisy
Happy Birthday and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours. I have just gone back to knitting after many many years of crochet fanatisism – may not be a word – and very much like to look of your cowl.
Best Wishes
Samantha
Board you are doing well! Merry Christmas!
So good to hear from you. Great news too re your treatment, that’s worth celebrating this Christmas. I look forward to your book. Keep safe and well xx
Happy birthday, I’m glad to hear everything goes well and no chemo. Good luck with the running.
Oh yes, forgot to wish you Happy Birthday. So…Happy Birthday!! Just think, you’ve been around for almost half a century! I hope you have many more happy birthdays. Maybe you can make it a full century someday!
Big Birthday hugs to you.
🙂
Hello – greetings from Kentucky! So happy I found you via your knitted Christmas tree – haven’t done needlework for many, many decades but was able to resume in spite of my gnarly, arthritic hands and no-longer opposable thumbs. I guess they still are opposable, they just now run east to west. This is my tenth anniversary to the day of the start of my cancer journey, radiotherapy as noted above isn’t bad at all although my head cage gave me the creeps; slow yoga breathing helped with that lol! Went back to work after each treatment, helped me to feel more for my patients, much less about me. Best of luck to you, I love your work and humor.
Forty-eight .. You are not a proper grown-up at all, Phil – you are A CHILD !!! Still, I can remember when I was 48, and Stringer and I were happy and life was good (both of which positive adjectives I hope remain still in your daily-use vocabulary). You’re in the middle period of your life, do you realize ? And what do you MEAN by offering us images of your stranded knitting the back of which looks like the front of something else ? Could you not have the common decency to have a few sloppy carry-acrosses (or whatever they’re called: you can tell that stranded knitting or fair isle is not on my can-do list) ???!
I hope your birthday was fun, and I would imagine that it was full of joy and relief and the feeling of having won a great battle. Which you have.
We love you, Phil.
Only 48! I am 10 years older than that. I am impressed that you have managed to keep running through this year’s trials and tribulations. Beautiful knitting as usual. xx
Your tree is beautiful. I am so pleased to hear you are feeling well. I will wait patiently for the details of your 1083 mile run. Just typing that makes me want to take a nap.
Merry Christmas from Idaho, USA! I love your knitting creations! I am primarily a crocheter myself.
What caught my eye about your post is that you are now 48. I will be 57 in a couple of months. I shall leave you with a word of wisdom from my mother, “Use it, if you don’t want to lose it.” Boy, am I finding that to be true! Happy knitting!
Canadians are saying the exact same thing right now!
I too am interested in the tree incident. BTW I have friends in Battle (close to Hastings 1066 and all that) and they’re north of Western Canada/USA border meaning north of the 49th parallel. People in the Toronto area are actually longitudinally (such a word?) close to the California/Oregan border – Point Pelee in Ontario is about the same longitude.
Happy belated birthday, Phil.
And…no chemoterapy, HOORAY! I’m so glad to hear it.
The cowl looks fantastic, can’t wait to see it finished. Thank you for finding the time to design a new pattern.
Big hugs.
<3 Happy Birthday, Phil <3
Happy belated birthday, you are young and vital in my 69 year old eyes…. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
48?! that’s a wee babe still. I hope you had a lovely birthday and I’m pleased you are doing well!
As usual, your blog brings me great joy. You have the wonderful ability to use words well and to accompany them with gorgeous photos. I am sending healing vibes for body and soul and praying that the new year brings only good tidings.
p.s Your knitting is stunning!
Oh! (slaps self in the forehead) happy, happy birthday, Phil!
Happy birthday! And hooray for not needing chemo!!! May you and yours have lovely peaceful holidays. Beautiful tree – wherever did you get the sweater ornament?
I am a bit late in opening my emails, but I am sooooo very pleased to read that you are up and running. I wish you good health and happiness for the future, you are, indeed, an inspiration. I love all your knitting and running and the gardening, and – of course- your humour and spirit.
Thank you. x
Belated birthday congratulations – am definitely seeing the wisdom of your now 48 years. Yes thanks, extremely warm here as Summer has arrived and we’re enjoying very long daylight hours (sorry) with the light dawning around 5.00am’ish and continuing well after 8.30pm (again, sorry). Wishing you all the best for your radiotherapy treatments.
I love you!! I am with you every step on your journey. Merry Christmas!
Thank you so very much. And a merry Christmas to you too. ❤️
I am really looking forward to make the COVID cowl could you include a substitute yarn for stylecraft highland Heather’s dk because I live in the US and have to pay a lot for shipping this yarn to me. Thanks
Hello, I know I am bit actually not a bit but I am delayed my wishes by months and I apologize for that. But still I hope you had a wonderful birthday and Christmas amid Covid-19. I wish that you will live a very long and healthy life, and also share such amazing blogs with your readers.
I am really impressed by your crafting work and they look so so astonishing.
I would also suggest that whenever you are looking for quality natural yarn for your crafting supplies you could visit Kurapati Textile Mill website anytime and drop your query for any purchase and get it cheaper rates.
http://www.kurapatitextilemill.com/yarn.html