Friday, December 11, 2015

New shoes, socks and happiness (and frustration)

For some time now, I have been listening people talking about Icebugs and finally I bought my pair yesterday. I am about to put them into action, we are soon off to our daily stroll. (Stress the word soon!)
We do this same route daily and to break the monotony, I often have a podcast or a book in my ears (at the moment The woman who walked in sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith), sometimes I arrange the thoughts in my head or sometimes I try to concentrate on taking one-step after another in a meditative way, being present and seeing and smelling the world around me. There is something very calming in the moment when I step outside
(if only you would step outside NOW), 
with outdoor gear on, take the first sniff of the air, close the door behind me and know that there is more than an hour in front of me when I cannot do anything else but to move my feet.
(So, get moving already!) Some time ago one of the companies that sells all kinds of outdoor and trekking gear, had a slogan on their front page that said: "Outside. At the destination." It very much describes how I feel too, the moment when I close the door; I know I am where I want to be. (I am beginning to wonder...) I close behind all the tasks and worries and haste, I cannot do anything with them while I am out walking, I don't plan the moment when I arrive at home again, because then I would take along all the tasks thinking this is what I need to do when I come back. Our usual route is about 8 km (close to 5 miles); long enough to calm the mind or get new ideas, anyway, long enough to distance me from my to-do lists. I would love to stretch it a little bit longer, but in wintertime, there is so much snow that one has to stick onto the snow ploughed routes. I walk with the dogs and that means stopping and waiting (talk about waiting...).
I am not sure if it is my body or my mind that benefits most from this, but this has become extremely important to my wellbeing. This keeps the body fit for knitting and the brain open for ideas.
(I am getting really hot, could we just go now...)
For all this walking, one needs socks... I knit mostly with Regia, Austermann, or some other sock yarn brand that has 25% polyamide mixed with wool. They wear long time and you do not feel like you have wasted your time knitting them. I seldom make socks with all wool yarns as I seem to wear them out very quickly, occasionally a bed sock pair.

Yarn: Regia Pairfect, "knit two identical socks from one skein", 2,25mm needles.

Wool socks with you,
Lene

15 comments:

  1. Just wanted to stop lurking for a moment and let you know how much I enjoy your musings and your work. I may derive a great deal of satisfaction from being a competent technician when it comes to knitting and crafts, but I envy you for being a true artist. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Great color commentary :-D.

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  3. You are an amazing knitter and I LOVE your boots!

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  4. That is a lovely way to approach your walk. I also walk daily, but it's not always a calm meditation. I am going to try and leave things behind when I close the door instead of lugging them along with me. I think wearing great socks like your might help!

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  5. Sorry about earlier deleted "reply" - meant to be this comment: the third picture is my favorite :)

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  6. Anonymous18:40

    O dear this is inspiring! I want to walk more, but I actually just walk when it is sunny, nice weather. Don't have a dog to push me outside that door!
    Thank you, Lene, I will think of you during my next walk!
    Liesbeth

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  7. My walk is shorter, only about 20 minutes, but I understand exactly what you mean. I do not go with ear buds, just two dogs and a plan to do my mile and get outdoors. The dogs are getting older but are still eager in all but the coldest weather. (-30 and -40 or colder is often just too cold for us). I often come up with ideas for my writing work, or knitting designs, or just ways to manage problems in my household better. The walk is essential to my wellbeing...and it is 20 minutes when I leave my four year old twins with my husband, and leave all the chaos inside. This time of year, my morning walk at 7 is completely dark, so I see the moon, the stars and the night sky. Still beautiful and worth it, but not like the birds singing and the bright sky of summer, either!

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  8. Ah Lene, your posts in December are like a present in my inbox everyday. Please, fill with dog and knitting pictures as much as you like, for I love them both so much. I have reading you from the very beginning of your blogging and everyday makes me smile. Must go now and walk dogs...one is staring reproachfully at me right now as I should have gotten up THREE MINUTES ago... From South Carolina in U.S., where it hardly ever feels like December. Jean

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  9. I can not describe that how I like the shoes? I know that you are talking about very cute socks, but I want to say that the shoes are very beautiful, can you tell me where did you buy them?

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    1. Hi and thank you for reading. I bought my shoes from a local sport's gear store, but I am sure they are sold in many shops, they are called Icebugs.

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  10. New things are always better than before and updated than ever.And so new balance crossfit is! I've visited a showroom recently,the collection was marvelous,really!And lastly I visited yours.Its wonderful!

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