Growing old and fitting in

Tags

Crochet, Fitting in, Friends, Growing old

Last semester, the autumn of 2011, was quite relaxing. I had a lot of time on my hands, but I had a bunch of projects I had been postponing and that I then had time to get on with. After having Son I have been introduced to more and more people who knit. They’re mostly my age and have knitted for years already. The produce one gorgeous creation after the other, and their kids are dressed in the most adorable home-knitted clothes you can imagine. Whenever a friend has kids they’re there with the cutest little outfit, unique, with good colour combinations, and the perfect gift for a newborn world citizen. I can’t knit to save my life…

I had to do something though. Hour after hour I listened to them discuss the quality of different yarns, the recipes, and how to treat the finished garments. I turned to youtube. Then I found a book. I bought a needle. I bought a roll of yarn. And I taught myself how to crochet. It was quite easy. In only a short while I produced a hat for myself, one for son, another hat for myself (I scrapped the first – it was hideous), a set of handwarmers for myself, and a more complex set for my mom. But by then I had grown tired of it.

At least now I can, if I want to. And, while sitting in Aberdeen waiting for our flight home, I taught two of the world’s most wonderful ladies how to crochet as well. That way, when we’re approaching eighty and are sitting shaking together somewhere, we can shake while holding each our crochet needle. That way it’ll look like we’re doing something. We’ve even tried already! Not being eighty, but shaking with crochets needles in our hands. Shaking with laughter of the surreality of the three of us sitting in a room full of people with our needles and yarn. A few metres ahead of us sat three ladies a little older than us, 2-3 times older than us probably, but at least, they were knitting…

I just won the lottery!

Tags

Friends

and I am now the wealthiest person in the world!

The past week has been packed with social events and I have managed to meet, face-to-face, many of those who have been neglected over the past year. The weekend was spent marking the end of an era, or what should have been the end of an era (nothing is ever black or white in my world), and many came to join the festivities.

I woke up early Sunday morning after having had no more than a few minutes at a time to myself since early Friday morning. I lay for a few minutes thinking back on the last two days, and the fact dawned on me; I must be the luckiest person alive.

 I am surrounded by the most amazing people in world.

From early Friday morning I have been surrounded by friends, good friends. Friends who seem to read my mind, who know what I’m about to say before I say it. Friends who listen when I need to talk, brighten my days and who indubitably have my back no matter what the world throws my way. Friends who are there to share laughter, and to share the tears. Friends who will give me their honest opinion, even if it’s not what I want to hear. And friends who will never disappear, not even in times where they are not my first priority.

To the list I can also add family and colleagues, though the lines between the three are thin – if they exist at all, especially since the latter is at the moment quite an abstract, and almost non-existent category. No matter how they can be categorised, members of both have pushed me on, encouraged, listened, debated and shared experiences that will keep us close for a long time to come. I do consider them all my friends, but they have also for a few years now played the parts of colleagues.

Autumn Walk

Tags

Autumn, Friends, Nature, Outside, Son, Walking

Some days back, a friend of mine, Silje, her two children, Son and I, went for a walk in a forest nearby. The autumn colours are so beautiful right now, the weather was chilly and it was raining on and off all day. We only had light sprays as we walked and absolutely nothing to complain about. We walked slowly, letting the kids play, and took almost thee hours walking a round that would normally never take me more than an hour.

My friend’s oldest child is thee years old and play extremely well with Son, who is a year and a half. My friend’s youngest is only two months, and spent the entire trip wrapped in duvets and blankets in his carriage. And he slept like a baby for all the hours.

We chit chatted and laughed and smiled at our kids running around. We also dropped by an local farm where they sell biological groceries and homegrown vegetables. The kids were thrilled as they got to pick out some biscuits and dried fruits.