I am grateful for the people who read this blog and for everyone who commented on Friday's post. You have all given sound advice, and support, which I appreciate. Thank you, each and every one of you, for not over indulging my pity party. It was a short lived party. Thursday night I was Monica's guest at a benefit concert for the Zambia Scholarship Fund and Emmylou Harris was the headliner! (I realize the picture sucks but I refused to use my flash.)
The stories and pictures of the children of Zambia put life in perspective. This organization does so much with so little. Fora donation of $20 a Zambian child can go to high school and for $100 they can go to college! Giving is a good way to show how grateful you are for the bounty of your life and 100% of the money goes to the Zambian Fund.
The concert was amazing, as you might expect. Emmylou's voice has stood the test of time and the members of her band were exceptional musicians, too. My body rebelled but, it was worth every single minute. Thank you, Monica for a wonderful evening.
The knitting intention for the weekend was to spend time with a bit of lace. The weekend WAS spent with a lace shawl, but all the time was spent tinking or frogging. Part of the lace was messed up (even though it's simple feather and fan). It seems I still can't knit very long without making mistakes. It took all day Sunday to get back on track...ALL day.
Thankfully I am a persevering person. There are some who would call me stubborn, I know. Watching myself work through the error, never giving in or ripping out the whole piece (because I did not want to cast on 388 st again), brought the realization that this attribute (or character flaw) is why I'm actually doing as well as I am. I'm just too stubborn to give in.
Yup. That is not a small thing. This perseverance of yours. I do love the color and there is something reassuring about feather and fan. Besides, it always looks pretty. Happy Monday!!!!
Posted by: CindyCindy | November 23, 2009 at 05:28 AM
Perseverance can be a good thing. :) Beach glass is such a pretty pattern!
Posted by: Kim | November 23, 2009 at 05:38 AM
I love your stubborn streak. And feather & fan always presents a challenge for me. It seems like it should be easy but I usually manage to screw it up!
Posted by: Carole | November 23, 2009 at 05:39 AM
That's the spirit! :-) I, too, would do almost anything to avoid casting on another 388 stitches! And counting . . . is nearly always a challenge for me.
Posted by: Kym | November 23, 2009 at 05:45 AM
The concert sounds amazing, and I think your shot is terrific. A flash would have illuminated the crowd. The photo had an "Austin City Limits" feel.
Ah, you've begun Beach Glass. I've cast on (an entire evening!)and have set it aside in favor of Christmas projects. Christmas vacation may be the perfect time to curl up with my second lace project. Perhaps the season will help me be less inclined to use the language I muttered the last time ;-)
Posted by: jill | November 23, 2009 at 06:12 AM
The concert (and cause) sound amazing. Love the pink and I'm glad you got back on track!
Posted by: Chris | November 23, 2009 at 06:23 AM
We are kindred souls...I rip and tinker more than I knit sometimes...and I'm not recovering from cardiac surgery! I started an Irish knit sweater yesterday (toddler size)and had not one, not two, not three, but four false starts! What is wrong with me??? So after several hours of "knitting (not!), I'm right back where I started...nowhere! I sometimes wonder in myself if it's a question of perseverance, stubborness, or just plain lunancy! :)
But for the two of us, we know we'll be right back at it the first free minute we have! The difference is you'll have ten finished items and I'll still be ripping and tinkering! You go girl!!! :)
Posted by: Maureen Areglado | November 23, 2009 at 06:41 AM
Stubborn is a good trait!!
Great concert cause~
Happy Thanksgiving Margene..Hope it's a peaceful holiday for you.
Posted by: Dianne | November 23, 2009 at 06:50 AM
The inability to concentrate plagued Terry long after his bypass surgery....it's common. His memory suffered for a while too....all part of the package. It will get better.
Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving, whatever your plans!
Posted by: Marcia | November 23, 2009 at 07:01 AM
We just had a conversation about persistance in our house yesterday during my own wee pity party. It definitly pays off...and the trick is to remember that in the end persistance is what's important.
Posted by: Kristin | November 23, 2009 at 07:26 AM
Good for you! I hope you're feeling lots better and have a great week.
Posted by: Heather Joins The Round | November 23, 2009 at 07:35 AM
I finally bought the Beachglass pattern to benefit the Red Scarf project (thank you to Susan) and need to set aside some time to cast it on... markers will be my very best friends for that process!
Glad to read you are feeling better and making progress.
Posted by: Linda M. | November 23, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Ahhh, the old "people manager" in me always reverts to the knowledge that people's strengths taken to the extreme can become a weakness. Sounds like you stuck with the perseverance and have your project on side!! stubborn? never!
Posted by: Susanne | November 23, 2009 at 08:18 AM
Yay for stubborness!
I can't get feather and fan to work for me either and I don't have any health problems. Maybe just a counting problem! :)
Posted by: Marilyn | November 23, 2009 at 08:24 AM
If it weren't for your stubbornness, you might not still be with us. So I'm thankful for it. I was going to suggest, too, another fingering-weight sweater. (probably not Shetland, as it's scratchy to knit, but I'm actually finding that it's whizzing by, and if you had a nice soft wool, it might give you a welcome heft break from the worsted weight.) I'm now excited to finish my mom's Shetland one and knit one for myself!
Posted by: Norma | November 23, 2009 at 08:35 AM
Stubborn is good!!
Posted by: Vicki | November 23, 2009 at 09:08 AM
I always mess up Feather and Fan. For some ready, I just can't count to 6.
Posted by: susan | November 23, 2009 at 09:44 AM
Stubborn can be a very good thing! I have that trait and it has gotten me through some rough patches. Feather and fan is a tough one for me too, and I can't figure out why...it should be so easy, shouldn't it? So why isn't it?
Posted by: Doris | November 23, 2009 at 10:57 AM
The color is lovely. I seem to start every project over several times no matter how simple or difficult.
Posted by: Debra in Seattle | November 23, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Beautiful color! Stubborn is good - hang in there :)
Posted by: Joy | November 23, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Four things:
1) I envy you Emmylou.
2) What is that yarn? WANT.
3) Totally with you on 388 sts. I wouldn't want to cast them on twice either. Maybe not even once.
4) I didn't see your Friday post until just now, but I recall that a very wise person once commented on a whiny post of mine that everyone is entitled, once in a while, as long as it doesn't become a habit.
Posted by: Lucia | November 23, 2009 at 12:38 PM
i am glad you were able to join me for the concert. it was very enjoyable. Enjoy your whine, and perhaps have some wine with it. We are all entitled to a rant or a whine whenever we feel like it..
Posted by: monica | November 23, 2009 at 01:03 PM
You wouldn't happen to have some German in your makeup, would you? ;)
Posted by: inglesidebelle | November 23, 2009 at 01:08 PM
What a beautiful color... hoping you are at one with your lace by now. I am glad you got to hear Emmylou Harris live!
Posted by: Birdsong | November 23, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Sounds like a wonderful evening for a fabulous cause.
Honey, stubborn is the only way to be. Trust me.
Posted by: Cookie | November 23, 2009 at 01:35 PM