Happenings in douliciaville

There's nothing major going on, but so many separate little bits are floating around out there I wanted to plunk them all down in one place. That is a way of saying this post is simply an assortment of random comments and thoughts.

1. The preciousness and precariousness of new life.

A friend just delivered her third baby at 31 weeks last week. Each of her births has been wild in its own way (including an 11 pound homebirth) and I was so hoping this could just be a routine little birth. No such luck. Her water broke at 30 weeks and they stalled delivery as long as possible. Ultimately it was his legs' unexpected, unanticipated appearance in the birth canal that brought this pregnancy to an abrupt halt. Both are doing as well as could be expected after an emergency C-section and premature delivery.

This weekend I am going to stay with my cousin whose daughter was born a few months ago with Treacher-Collins Syndrome. She has tubes and hearing aids in more places than anyone should, especially during their first weeks of life. My hope is to be able to help out around the house or with my cousin's other children, but honestly I am nervous that I'll just be in the way.

The client I worked with whose child was born still last September is still waiting for hope of another child. The unfairnesses mount as month after month goes by with loss being her only experience of pregnancy. I so wish I had the power to change that.

2. Blog updates

I did my every-few-months' tidying of the blogroll. I like to link to blogs that are kept relatively current. There were a few, notably Milliner's Dream and FPMama, that had stagnated. I actually am worried about Hannah at Milliner's Dream. She's been out of e-mail contact and her blog has been completely still for months. It's a weird thing about the blogging community that you have no way to investigate silence. Not like a physical community where you can go to that person's house and knock on the door. Hannah, if you're out there, let me know you're okay...

I have added a few new knitbloggers. Welcome Brown Berry (check out what she's been up to!) and On the Road to Somewhere (who writes about science and knitting).

Buzz Girl now appears under my book links. How fun to get an insider's view of the publishing world. It may become depressing after a while -- I have mixed feelings about publishing -- so we'll see how long she stays.

3. Getting Startitis

I will finish Clapotis in the next few days. Another week should knock off the Clementine Shawlette (in which I prematurely repeated a row last week to aesthetic disappointment but refuse to rip out because I'd have no idea how to recreate the stitches...now I understand lifelines in lace knitting). I need to get back on the horse for the boxy short sleeve cardigan. But what I really want? What I really, really want?

To start a cotton sweater (yarn purchased in May) for my younger son's kindergarten fall.

To make a cotton cardigan (yarn purchased in June) for my officemate's daughter's second birthday.

To make a scarf for a friend who's moving to New York this fall.

It is taking all my discipline to keep from starting something new before wrapping up at least two of my 3 current WIPs.