Mittens progress- and sewing advice needed

Another pair of the Staghorn mittens, this pair for my mom. My mom & sister have hands that are about (literally) 1mm longer than mine, so it's easy fit the mittens. They both have stronger hands than mine, so I added about four stitches to the width to fit.


If I make these again, I'll add the stitches to the thumb side (I put them on the opposite side to balance the increases for the thumb gusset). The pattern twists after the thumb from losing the extra width from the thumb gusset. I noticed it on the pair I made for my MIL but didn't figure out the solution until now.

Sewing thoughts- one of our best friends (he introduced us, can I say that enough? *grin*) broke his leg last week and is strictly NWB (non weight bearing). I want to make him a crutches bag to strap onto each crutch so he can "carry" stuff. We spent the afternoon hanging out and his palms are all bruised from the crutch handle- that means he's using the crutches right (old ortho CNA training coming out here) but also looks super painful. Hopefully a useful homemade gift will cheer him up a bit. Anyone ever done this? Any ideas for how to fasten the bag to the crutch? I know it can't swing or it will knock his balance off, I'm thinking velco maybe or snaps....

Work related injury

Today I pinched my hand in one of the exam tables. I played it cool because there was a patient in the room, but I'm documenting the damage in case I develop gangrene or something.

On happier subjects:

This is the road from Esteli to Leon (one of the best stretches)

our self-appointed escorts on the (self guided) coffee plantation tour (I wanted to take them home, but their parents were watching me suspiciously)

and coffee beans.

Home again

We have many, many pictures to sift through. My favorite places first, though:

the "porch" of the organic small farm & cabins we stopped at for a fruit drink in Miraflor

our cabin (above) and our hostess Dona Carina making the day's tortillas in Miraflor

and me in the clinic in Esteli

Projects

This evening we had a great time hanging out with our good friend R who introduced us...I spent a lot of time knitting away on my mom's mittens when R asked "what's the blue and white project" and I shamefully confessed it was the Special Olympics scarf, but I wasn't sure it would be finished in time. R pointed out that I was cranking away on the mitten "with all those fancy needles" and could surely finish the scarf to express mail Tuesday at the latest. So I picked it up.


Imagine my horror, then, when my instructor for the Belize trip emailed me "see you tomorrow night". *gulp* That is when I present a book summary of the History of Belize book....the book I haven't read yet. I thought our first class meeting was after we came back from Nicaragua. Down went the knitting, up went the book, and I have four pages of notes and only three chapters left to read. That'll be lunch, then I can finish the Special Olympics scarf during class, then I can finish everything else Tuesday evening. I am hoping to make a skirt to take with me to Nicaragua. We'll see.


The fabric is a home-dec fabric, hopefully light enough (100% cotton) to be cool but sturdy enough to do some serious hill-walking and exploring in. The weather is 26C right now, forecasted to be in the mid20s for highs while we're in Esteli. Up to the high 20s in Granada. Phew.

2009 thoughts

(okay, not actually that many...but thoughts about the year 2009 AD or CE, as you like)

A few nights ago we had dinner with some very good friends. Il told me one of her resolutions was to be more mindful, and to stay in touch better with her friends. Those are both resolutions to live by, and I am hoping to live them out this year.

This year I am also trying to think/work/live in metric. In healthcare, metric is commonly used, and the longer I do this gig the more I think in metric anyway. My parents bought the book "Meet the Meters" wayyyy back in the late 1970s, and taught us kids metric measurements, anticipating the great change in the US to metric. Still waiting...but I can do my part to change the US (the rest of the world is already there)!

To start the new year off right, we went skiing at Jay Peak last Friday. It was my (approximately) 8th time on skis and I had a blast! My husband (expert skier) and father-in-law (expert skier, ski instructor) skied with me on the beginner trail and after I fell off the lift, fell on the snow, fell into the trees (that was tricky), I got the hang of it. My sweetie skied sweep behind me (and blocked crazy people from running into me) and my FIL went ahead which was very reassuring so I could see how he did it. I wish we lived in mountain country now, I think I could really love this downhill skiing thing!

On the ride back, a very sleepy 5-year-old nephew alternately napped and demanded "Are you working on my hat, Aunt Sarah? Why not?" The hat I gave their grandpa (my FIL) was a big hit. It's good to have your knitting loved like that.

And this time next week, God willing, we'll be in Nicaragua. I'll do colpos for a day with Mama's clinic in Esteli, then we're on vacation. Perfect time to leave Chicago (forecasted high in Chicago (as we leave) Wednesday 8F, forecasted average in Nicaragua 82F). I just ordered a few light-weight travel shirts to take with me. Finally accepting that I'm a size larger than I was two years ago is helping me dress better (wearing clothes that fit).

A post without pictures is boring, I'm so sorry. Pics later...

ps: They loved the quilt. :)