Final Friday

It's the last Friday of 2024 -- can you believe it? I'm feeling a bit conflicted about the end of the year. On the one hand, it's not been a great year in many ways. Yes, there have been some high points, but generally I'm not giving it a high rating. On the other hand, I'm not sure that 2025 is going to be any better. But I say this like I have a choice in the matter; the new year is coming whether we want it to or not! For now, I'm trying to focus on the fact that we're having a very restful vacation, even though it's going a bit fast for my taste.

It was quite a treat this week to have Chanukah start on Christmas -- the first time that's ever happened in my lifetime! We've always made a nice meal when we've been here on Christmas (because there's really no good Chinese food in this area of Florida, if you can believe it, so we can't have the "traditional" Jewish Christmas meal), but this year it was a true Chanukah dinner:

My mother made latkes from scratch, even ordering a food processor so she wouldn't have to grate the potatoes by hand, and we had her brisket and spicy roasted green beans. She also made Chanukah crackers, filled with candy, dreidels, and the paper crowns you normally find in Christmas crackers. Then we lit the candles and opened presents. It was delightful.

This trip has been noticeably different from the typical trip for me because I haven't been able to go for my long workouts outside; really, I haven't spent much time outside at all. But this too shall pass. My foot is definitely getting stronger, and I'm hopeful that when I see the orthopedist again at the beginning of January, I'll be able to stop wearing the boot for good and start walking again (I have a feeling it will still be months before I can run again, but I'm not so keen to run during snow and ice season anyway, so that's okay with me). I also haven't been knitting as much as I thought I would, but that's also okay. It seems to be working well with not bringing as much yarn as usual. I've been making slow and steady progress on my sweater, which has turned out to be more complicated than I realized before I cast on.

The feature at the front of the neck is brioche and has different instructions every round. In addition, the increases are not your typical raglans, so I have to pay attention to and keep track of which round I'm on. I know it'll all be worth it in the end, but it means a slow process. But isn't that why most of us knit, because we like the process? I used one strand of yarn for the collar and the short rows at the beginning but am now alternating, which is less obvious in real life than it is in the photo (the lighting isn't ideal this morning). In my fantasies, I'd be heading home with a finished sweater after vacation, but in reality, I'll be happy if I just get through the yoke.

We have nothing special planned for this weekend other than dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant down here tomorrow night, so I'm hoping to find some time for end-of-year reflection. Monday is our last One Little Word check-in, and at some point I'd like to do a review of my reading year -- though the reading is continuing! I hope you've all recovered from any big holiday events and are enjoying the quiet time at the end of the year.