Frustration...With a Breaking Update!

The blanket has finally tempted the Pixie to pick up knitting needles. So far, she's just playing....but I did buy her a set of children's needles so that she can start to learn this weekend. The intense look on her face - and that slightly furrowed brow - rather matches my own feelings this week about my favorite hobby.

It's been a week.

Life in general has been rather wonderful. The kids (both mine and the extras) have been stellar all week, I had my monthly guild meeting, my husband has been sweet as can be, facebook has allowed for a couple of really good conversations, I had a couple of mornings to myself, the Princess and I had a mommy-daughter morning because of a school holiday, there has been actual sunshine, and I have a new red cardigan - which makes everything better.

I, however, have been a mess....but I have good reason.

In hindsight, it was a really bad decision to go off of my allergy diet. Knowing that we were going to be on vacation, I cheated from Christmas through last week. After all, there was no way I was going to be able to follow the plan on vacation.....right?

Well that vacation didn't happen, and so I went back on the diet as of Monday AM. I was expecting a withdrawal period similar to what I went through last fall - which was mostly extreme exhaustion for about two weeks. HA! Not so this time. I've been fighting migraines and moodiness amongst other things. My family and friends all have permission to remind me of this if I ever consider cheating again.

So it stands to reason that the knitting would be a mess. I've had to frog a shawl that I spent three days on because of my worsening alpaca allergy, discovered that a pair of patterned socks didn't fit at all, been disgruntled with the beads I had for those socks have been torn between startitis and a need to just finish things the heck up, been annoyed with a few baby projects that need to be done and managed to overload my knitting bag so much that it's probably going to turn me into a hunchback.

What on earth did I do to get myself out of this mess?

I put the 8-year-old in charge. She's directing my knitting for the day, picking which projects(s) I work on and which go back into my work area downstairs.

Oddly enough, this plan is working quite well. She's a smart one, my Princess is, and picked the happiest project I have.

Good plan.

PS. I really did intend for this to be kind-of funny in an 'Oh Silly Me' sort of way. You've got to have a sense of humor about the food allergies, or you are never going to make it. NO, I'm not the walking dead nor am I miserable all of the time. In fact, despite the difficulties I live with great peace of mind these days.

The super-good news is that the headache dissipated yesterday afternoon and I've felt much better today. I imagine I'll be a bit tired for a few more days and then will be back to feeling wonderful!