Stasia's Place Of Grace

Sunday, October 13, 2002

 

Dexterity

Today I am grateful that over the past few days, I've had the mental and physical dexterity to do the things I wanted.

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Last evening, I was able to hold a knife to carve my pumpkin. He was getting mushy, so I thought I'd better hurry things up a bit. Here he is:

Jacky Lantern, approx. 4" tall; note the eyebrows!

I got the funky tablecloth at Wal-Mart for $2.50. I have never seen a ukulele-playing ghost before (let alone a doggie ghost) and, as we both play the ukulele, I had to pick it up. It is utterly obnoxious and a lot of fun.

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I was able to work quickly yesterday and today, my hands and brain operating in tandem, and was able to finish the weaving of the Rainbow Ruana!

I also had the mental dexterity to learn a couple of new things about my loom's setup, which should help me with future projects. As soon as I cut this project off, I'll make some adjustments which I think will make my next item go more smoothly.

I really like my loom a lot (it is a four-shaft Ashford table model, with a stand and floor treadles added. I also have an Ashford rigid heddle loom.) But there are a couple of things that would now affect my decision in purchasing my next loom.

I'm grateful to have this loom, and I think it's great for what it is (you can fold it up and put it in a suitcase!) but now that I've worked on it and learned more about weaving, I know that I would like:

• a loom on which you can advance your weaving while seated (instead of having to stand up to do it after weaving five inches or so), and
• one that does not have direct tie-up (so that I can do more complicated patterns with an easier treadling repeat), and
• one that has a removeable breast beam and beater for threading.

So I'm grateful for experience and the mental clarity that comes with it... and that Ashford makes a jack floor loom with these options, to which I can aspire in the future! (Wish I'd gotten it last year, before the price increases! Argh!)

I did not have the mental dexterity to figure out whether I could do the Log Cabin pattern on my rigid heddle loom, but the lovely Linda tells me I can.

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I also had the dexterity to continue the dangerous (for me) act of wielding a knife, and I made a wonderful Hungarian goulash with an all-natural, free-range beef roast that had to be cut up. Jeff had a busy day of hockey seminars and then had to rush to the symphony tonight, so he was grateful for the filling fall dinner. Normally, I don't mess with a) sharp knives or b) wine glasses, but I did ok with the Ginsu and the roast, with no mishaps.

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Sometimes the mind and body come together and work as one and everything happens as if filled with grace. It is only when things become hard for us that we long for them to be easy... when things go as planned, we sometimes forget to be grateful for the use of our brains and bodies. We don't miss the sunny days until the rain starts to fall.

It reminds me of the shoulder injury I had from my cycle accident. For months, it was all I could feel, and I wished that it would just go away. Then, many months later, one day I noticed the pain... and realized that was the first time I'd felt it in days. When it left, I didn't notice... I only focused on it while it was still there, and didn't even have the chance to be grateful that it had gone!

Well, I'm grateful that it (mostly) has, and grateful for days that my brain and body agree to work together, and I'm able to accomplish good things - like pumpkin carving, weaving, and making a nice dinner!

Today, I hope you'll notice something you take for granted... the absence of pain, ease of movement or thought, good health, or peace of mind! And I hope you have them all! Be well!

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