A Consolation

Yesterday, I bought myself flowers, because it is almost springtime, after all, and I felt as if I needed some of these tiny tearoses. And since I had missed my package full of flowery yarn, I at least had these roses.

I'm making some progress on my Lorna's Laces sock. I wish I had size 1 dpns to switch to, but even if I did, I don't think I could because these Addis are indeed a 1.5 although they say 1. I have to say, I miss the way dpns pinwheeled about in my palms. I miss holding one in my mouth as I switched needles. Although it's been great mastering this magic loop method, I have to say that it feels strangely mechanic to me, a bit synthesizer-ish and I feel like musician who just misses her hand-carved violin.

I'm proud of myself: yesterday was my first day knitting in public. I knitted in a bar before, but there really wasn't anyone around except for some drunk friends of mine who said I was "weaving." But I knitted yesterday on the subway platform and on the train. I felt strangely animal and alert, as if I were readying myself for a fight or flight. Truly bizarre. A strange adrenaline rush, I think, because I must have felt scared and suddenly aware that something so private to me had become public.

Last night, I dined with some friends, and I had the best oxtail that I've ever had. I'm so glad that it's making its way back into American dining. There are two places in my Brooklyn neighborhood that make braised oxtail: one place just mixes a few bits of it into the pasta and charges $18. This other place gives you full pieces of oxtail on the bone and a lot of fresh pasta for the same price.