I have fear this morning. The kind that wrenches the gut and makes palms sweat. Pure fear.
I am taking a skiing lesson today. My first. I am 47.
Hyland Ski Area, where the kids took their lessons this Christmas, is having a sale (such a deal!) and I cannot turn it down. Lessons are essentially half price, and work out to $15 per lesson. And today is my first of 3.
I’ve been Wii Skiiing (skwiing?) like a maniac in preparation – it’s just about the same, right?
So when the kids are done with Hebrew school we’ll pack everyone up and head off to the slopes.
However, here’s the crazy portion of our adventure: Gerry is insistent that he wants to try, too.
I have my doubts. But I had my doubts about him on the bike last year. Of course, after a few days of riding he realized that the pain it caused wasn’t worth the freedom and he hasn’t been back on, but mentally it was a milestone he had to achieve.
I’m thinking if he can just get the skis on and slide out to the bunny hill it will be an immense victory. Neither of us expects to go down a larger hill today. I’m not letting him out of my sight.
I’ve been fretting over this for days. When I mentioned the 2-for-1 lessons to Gerry we both assumed that I’d ask a local friend to join me.
However, Gerry sat and thought for a while, went outside and shoveled, then came back in and said, “You know, I’ve always wanted to learn to ski, I never did because I didn’t have health insurance. Now I have health insurance and I have cancer. But I want to learn.”
So we’ll see. I have to trust his sense of what he can do, and I have to trust him. But I’m going to be on him like white on – snow – while we’re on the slope.
Add this to the list of things – like traveling outside of North America – that Gerry wants to DO before he can’t. And with any luck the day he can’t will be far, far in the future.
Skiing UPDATE
We’re home, we’re great, we did just fine!We had an older instructor who was good with ‘handicapped’ and challenged and Gerry did amazingly well. Didn’t fall once, and he was able to stop and turn – he was delighted!
I fell three times, wrenched my shoulder (who knew?) and wasn’t able to “wedge” and control my speed downhill. Once again, Gerry outshines me in the quietst way. We’re supposed to go back next Sunday…
Thanks, everyone, for your moral support!
HoTN
The Sutton Hoo mask has moved to the next phase, the sides! I worked up both sides yesterday, one at a time, so I could revise the chart I’m working off of.
The technique I used to create the horizontal cable across the front is being employed again, this time to create the horizontal join lines. The vertical ones are created by twisting and slipping stitches. The image to the right is from Highfiber.com
The plan is to add embroidery after all is finished to give the impression of the plates on the Sutton Hoo reproductions I’ve seen.
A very helpful site as I resarch this has been the British Museum, and a really fun site is Highfiber’s section on a Sutton Hoo Helmet recreation.
The sides and back of my prototype are being worked in a sock yarn because I don’t have enough of the Mohair Splash. Once I get the pattern finalized I’ll knit another – or maybe have someone knit one up for me – in the original, inspiring yarn!
In the mean time, I have two more projects I’m getting going on. One is a short sleeved jacket from a painting of Queen Elizabeth (perhaps, maybe it’s someone else, opinions differ) and the other is a modern hand-knit version of the garments that adorn the Minoan Snake Goddess statuette.
I’m planning on giving her a surplice top to cover up those girls (memories of giggling at this slide in Art History class…), a shrug and a ruffled skirt. I’m brightening her up a bit more than the sketch would imply – warmer colors, but very earthy. Some beautiful Mango Moon yarn arrived 2 days ago, and I’m chomping to get Sutton Hoo to a stoppable place so I can dive into this!