Flower!

For the first time my Christmas cactus bloomed.  One little pink nubbin swelled up and over a couple weeks turned into a real flower.  It's so pretty.  There are other little pink nubbins on there but I suspect that none of them are as brave as this one and will stay small.


I took a step back toward normalcy today when my friend CS picked me up and we went to the Y to trudge on the treadmills for 20 minutes.  I was impressed that I didn't lose my breath or have a coughing jag.  It felt good.





This afternoon I finished Advent garland mitten no. 11.  I am a big fan of self-patterning yarn.  One more mitten to knit, then a few cords to crochet, and I can assemble it once and for all.






05 January--Barbara Malcolm, Spies Don't Retire. 

The morning air felt like silk on George’s face as he stood out on the bow of Maggie’s Salvation.  The just risen sun glittered on the ripples and flying fish leaped from the water and sailed away from the speeding boat.  Dimitri and the others sat on the benches on the deck; a few were below staying out of the wind until the sun climbed higher and warmed the air.  George was always happier out in the wind and spray, happy when he could see all around which he assumed was a result of all those years of looking at everyone and everything with suspicion.

He glanced at Bunny who was steering the boat into the rising sun, his dreadlocks flowing out from under his cap and flapping in the breeze.  The tall Rasta man stood barefoot on the deck with his long fingers gentle on the wheel, and his lips moving either in prayer or song.  George liked Bunny; he was always cheerful and always willing to lend a hand when work needed to be done.

Franz laughed, saying that Bunny was a good worker as long as you kept your eyes on him.  Only one eye and Bunny would be leaning on the shovel more than he was digging with it, Franz said, but George had found Bunny to be a willing worker quick to finish a job.

We've still got the wind which is making it feel at least 10 degrees colder than it really is and we got a dusting of snow too.  The temps are supposed to stay above freezing for the next couple days but with the wind it sure won't feel like it.  And I'm meeting friends for lunch tomorrow.  Brrrr.
--Barbara