Sunday, October 05, 2014

The news is that my husband and I have decided not to go to Thomas' and Lucy's wedding on the 1st of November.

My husband is frail, and has never enjoyed large gatherings. My idea of leaving him behind and making a day-trip on my own has less and less appeal as the date approaches. I'm old too. So this is what we have decided, and I'm sure it's the right decision. And I can wake up in the morning and let the radio tell me today's date without being gripped by panic.

There are still things to do, but at least they don't involve squeezing my husband into elegant, uncomfortable clothes. I must finish Rams & Yowes, because Ted's first birthday will be celebrated in Yorkshire when the American contingent arrives for the wedding. The birthday is two days before. The blankie has got to be tidied and blocked and nicely packaged, for Greek Helen to take down.

And the wedding present also needs attention. We are giving them something from stash – not literally, of course; not a skein of yarn with or without m*ths. Once it's been freshened up, it too will need packaging.

But I can manage those things, I think.

So I looked up Crosby and Sinatra singing “What a Swell Party This Is”, as a sort of compensation. It is a more melancholy song than I had remembered.

I got the pattern-pictures of the Unst Bridal Shawl scanned for Hellie yesterday, and sent them off. I'll give serious thought to your idea of blocking a bit of the edging, Judith. I had thought just to send it with a warning about its unblocked state, to let them see the exact shade of not-quite-brilliant whiteness.


And I got yesterday's ration of attached i-cord done without any more trouble. I'm now working on the third side, having started just after a corner.

7 comments:

  1. I'm sure you will be sorry to miss the fun, but gladder to miss the angst of attending.

    When I got married, my grandmother was too ill to attend. My cousin made a video and she took it to my grandmother with plenty of cake the following weekend.

    Although we missed her on the day, we were also spared the angst of worrying about her too. I'm sure everyone will understand.

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  2. If I lived in that part of the world and was capable and rich I would offer to come and spend the day sitting quietly knitting and waiting on your husband while you went off in a limousine in style. Well, it's nice to dream of such things but I suspect that you have made the right decision - just make sure they have those video cameras well primed so you can enjoy it afterwards!

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  3. No decision about the wedding was going to be 100% satisfactory but I think the realist has triumphed. All the panic and worry could quite possibly have resulted in another session of the tiredness you experienced last winter. There will be lots of videos, pictures and stories for you to enjoy at your leisure.

    I suspect the moths would not be interested in that sort of stash. Lucky couple!

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  4. Anonymous9:44 AM

    De-lurking to say:
    This is a long shot, but does the church where the ceremony is to take place have a webcam set up at all? My aunt was too frail to attend a family event recently (funeral, in this case) but was able to watch most of it "live" on a laptop and certainly to hear the homily.

    Fiona

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  5. I was thinking the same thing Fiona. An iPad and FaceTime let me see my renovations in Sydney from here in Glasgow, so would be well worth looking into. The relief you're feeling says to me that you have made the right decision. Liz

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  6. I was dragged, kicking and screaming, to a similar decision lately, Jean. In the end, I was quite satisfied that I decided to stay home. The event(s) passed and between photos, emails and phone, I felt my best wishes were passed on to those who mattered. None were worse off that we didn't attend - especially Mr. A and I who would have been a mess of stress had we made the trip. I hope you're not too sad to miss the wedding. I'm sure you - and the happy couple - will enjoy a wonderful and quiet visit at a time when no one is rushed.

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  7. A hard decision, but when a decision reduces anxiety and panic, it's surely the correct one. I'm sure that your loving family will understand. Just be sure to raise a celebratory glass of cider at the appropriate time!

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