Growing Like a Weed

I swear my amaryllis has shot up at least an inch in the last few days.  The shoot is separating into leaves or layers and maybe next a stalk will emerge.  Watch this space.


I had a haircut appointment this morning so I had to go out but when I looked at the temperature on my phone it said zero degrees with a wind chill of minus seventeen.  Ugh.  Since I was getting my hair done I didn't hesitate to cram a nice wool hat on my head and my hairdresser made sure my hair was dry before he let me go.  I put the hat back on in the car.  Actually I left it on in the bookstore and grocery too.  The dreaded hat hair, you know.

After lunch I sat and threaded the strips of chicken breast onto a bajillion picks so I can spread them out in a big pan tomorrow to bake for taking to the knitting guild holiday pot luck in the evening.  I would have taken a photo but I had raw chicken on my fingers. Ugh.



I knitted a couple more rounds on the felted hat brim.  One good thing about knitting with big yarn on big needles that one round is about a third of an inch high, so I don't have to knit a zillion rounds to make three more inches.  I figure I've got about 2 more rounds to go before the next decrease round, then come the crown rounds.



A few years ago on our fall Knit-away day we all made this shelf elf.  Mine has unfortunately huge feet.  I don't know why; I followed the directions.  Really, I did.  He doesn't move around, he lives in this wooden vase that my grandpa turned on his lathe.  I never liked the idea of a tattletale elf ratting kids out to Santa anyway.  Seems unsporting.

18 December--Barbara Malcolm, Spies Don't Retire.

Dimitri took George’s lead and unpacked the laptop at the post office, leaving the carton there to be recycled.   He didn’t want to give Irina the opportunity to peel back George’s quickly applied label to see that it was originally sent by the Clemment’s son to George.  Irina was already suspicious enough of everything and everyone since the Brits had arrived on Bonaire, he didn’t need to add fuel to that fire.  As soon as he walked into the duplex with the bubble wrapped laptop under his arm she was by his side.  “What is that, Dimitri?” 

“Oh, you are here, my dear,” he said feigning surprise, “this came from headquarters so that I can better keep in touch with them and intercept George’s emails.” 

For the first time since Billie had ambushed them at her Queen’s Birthday party, Irina laid her cheek on his shoulder.  “I am sorry that this is happening to our idyll.  We were having such a good retirement here until they arrived and now you are back at work.”  She turned and glared in the direction of George and Sonia’s house.  “I hate them.”

Dimitri put his hand on her cheek and patted it.  “Do not hate them, dushka; it is not their fault that we both ended up here.  I think headquarters is mad to expect me to gather information from George.  He is as wily as they come and, besides, our countries are now friends.  At least we are supposed to be.  What can the Russian government possibly want to know that they cannot get by merely asking?”  He hated lying to his wife but his lifelong profession made lying natural to him.  Now that he had a wireless laptop he and George could keep in closer touch, not risking discovery by one of the island busybodies who were all too eager to carry tales to one of their wives.  He pressed his lips to Irina’s forehead.  “I need to go up to Bonaire Warehouse today.  There was a letter enclosed telling me to get a shredder.”

“Of course you must do as they say.  We cannot afford to have your pension cut any more than they have already.” 

Dimitri carried the still-wrapped computer into the back bedroom where they had made a small office and laid it on the desk.  When he had peeled back the last layer of bubble wrap he was horrified to see a note from George’s son saying he hoped that this laptop did the trick.  If Irina had seen the note the trick would have been done all right.  He could not imagine how angry Irina would be to know that he and George were perpetrating a ruse over their wives so that they could spend time together.  Dimitri shook his head thinking that this must be what unfaithful spouses felt like, the intrigue was addictive and the dishonesty was too easy after his life of deception.  He loved it; he would be sorry when they finally told the truth.

I'm going to be very glad to have an electric blanket tonight.  Even though the furnace is running knowing how cold it is outside makes me feel cold inside.  Silly, no?
--Barbara

P.S. I only bought one present today. *pats self on back*