I have a question for the knitting afficionados out there.

What is it with Wollmeise? This most elusive of sock yarns. Forever blogged about, the gold standard of sock wools, but more elusive than a snowflake in July.

I hear about it, I read about it, I see elusive messages on websites …..’all yarn available online…..but not the Wollmeise’. On the rare (very rare) occasions when shops have supplies, prospective purchasers seem to know to the minute when the yarn will be listed and hey presto!, within the twinkle of an eye it will be gone. There are rules about not allowing purchases of more than one skein of a colourway and even the most conscientious of stashbusters break all their austerity rules for the chance to acquire a skein of Wollmeise.

Wollmeise is a German company- probably not all too far from me, somewhere in Bavaria as far as I know. I’ve looked at their website – it looks enticing – until I see that every single item in the ‘shop’ is out of stock. What happens if I make the pilgrimage – will I be faced with a three hour drive followed by empty shelves?

So tell me….what is so very special about this yarn? What makes it so different that people would sell their granny for the chance to get their hands on it?

I know you know!

Helen

Yesterday was one of those beautiful calm autumn days when it’s a joy to be by the water soaking up the last rays before winter kicks in. A day for sitting in a lakeside cafe and watching the world go by. This is Rapperswil – a little town on Lake Zürich, maybe 20 minutes from where I live.

Knowing what weather and temperatures will undoubtedly be coming our way before too long I have no hesitation whatsoever in throwing cares – and chores – to the winds to make time to enjoy these days! There will be enough freezing grey winter days to clean the house!

Helen

Early in the morning above the fog….

Helen

I can’t tell you how often I feel grateful that I’m self-employed and work from home. For those of you who don’t know, I work as a freelance editor and translator  for academics who want to publish in English language academic journals and for whom English is not their first language. I got into it all by accident, someone asked a favour, someone else heard about it, and before I knew what had happened I was running a small business. Amazingly, lots of the things that I learned during all my years as a chartered accountant have stood me in good stead, I’ve taken a few courses, and without trying or advertising it has all grown into a nice little niche by word of mouth alone.

I like what I do, I like my clients, who have all stuck with me for the last 7 years, but most of all I like the fact that I am my own boss. (At this point I should also say, that I’m lucky enough that my income is not the make or break in our family finances and my husband has always backed me to the hilt on this).

What I like best of all though, is that I am able to have a life that is, for the most part, in balance. That struck me very strongly this morning when getting up at the crack of dawn to get the children up, after a lousy night’s sleep (which I guess is an age thing!), and a really hectic few days of being a lone parent, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I didn’t have to make myself look presentable, run for the train and go and do something sensible in the city. Today was a day when I just needed to take things slowly and go with the very, very slow flow.

I really bathed in the luxury of doing things – little pottering type things – at a very slow pace, giving myself time to get into the day at, frankly, the only speed possible. I put off things that required brainpower to the afternoon and concentrated on simple things like unloading the dishwasher, sorting laundry, watering plants. In a quiet and almost meditative way I gave myself the time I needed. And slowly I stopped feeling like something the cat had dragged in and started to feel like me again.

Now here I am, a few hours later and full into the flow of things, still a little tired, but moving through the day with a sense of calm.

Calm is good. Calm is balance and calm is contentment.

Helen

Where I live autumn is characterized by early morning fog, which usually burns off by lunchtime. This morning I went looking for one of those elusive over the fog shots – up in the hills looking down over a sea of fog was what I was looking for. Not to be had today unfortunately – I couldn’t get high enough, but it was hazy and peaceful up on the Pfannenstiel.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Helen