A Fresh Start

When Em3 mentioned that he was going to Norway, I thought it was an interesting choice of a vacation destination.  I have never thought about visiting there personally.  I think I wondered to myself why he would choose to go there.  Was there a relative?  Did he have long lost friends there?  Those were the thoughts that passed through my mind. 

As I was browsing through his magnificent photos that he has taken, I could certainly appreciate the reasons for a visit to this beautiful country.  The picture of the young man wearing the Nordic Toque at his stand of Nordic knitted creations reminded me of a long forgotten talent that I once had.

Years ago as a young bride, in a desperate attempt to find a relief to my boredom, I took up knitting.  You see the thing that had attracted me to my husband initially had nothing to do with common interests or hobbies.  I was not much into fixing up dilapidated, old cars or target shooting in the bush with my older (read elderly) friends.  Because of this disconnection between us, I spent many long hours alone.  I became a Suzy Homemaker when I wasn’t at work.  I was very good at keeping the household finances in order, cutting the grass, tending the garden, baking my own bread, pies and creations for dinner, looking after my infant daughter, of course doing laundry and all the other housework.  Still there was something missing.  I needed something to do when the boredom would almost drive me crazy.  I remember watching my friend knitting as we visited one evening.  She was making a sweater for herself and I marvelled at how beautiful it was.

She convinced me that I too could learn to knit and soon I had a new obsession.  I purchased tons and tons of wool (and still own tons of unused wool).  Purchased almost every size of knitting needle required along with books and books of patterns.

One book that I purchased was of Norwegian Patterns for sweaters, hats and mittens.  I decided to try to knit some.  It was a challenge with the intricate pattern, but I was enthralled with it.  I ended up knitting toques in different colours for my ex (still a husband at the time), my daughter and myself.  I was in the middle of making my daughter some mittens to match her hat when the passion for knitting died, or my husband left (I can’t remember what came first, hehehehe). 

During my last household move, I opened that long forgotten Blue plastic bin and found the partially knit mitten.  Of course, I doubt that I could pick it up where I left off.  My recollection of what to do and how seems to have been wiped from my memory as if it was something that had happened in a past life.

That is my story of me and Nordic knits.