Parisian Winter

Winter, so far, has been incredibly warm. Not as dismal as last year, when the whole month of January was rain. This year, we've had plenty of rain, but also sunny days. There was a week of clear, cold weather in January that hit just at the right time, when our refrigerator died and we could store our food outside in a cooler, to keep it from freezing.
We bought a very nice refrigerator, but hanging the outside panel to the door is different from the old one so, in spite of it being very nice and not too expensive, it seems we are going to pass it down to E and G and get a different make and model in order to hang the panel without making any modifications. Until then, though, I'm very happy with what we got and do not see why we can't adapt the panel to the new configuration.
We are in the midst of planning our summer already. When and where do we take charge of grandchildren. It's pretty much settled. It looks like we'll be taking the Parisian grandchildren to visit with their U.K. cousins. That way they all get to spend some time together. Then, later in the summer, just before school begins, we might take them to visit E and G. That's still to be determined.

Only one side seam is sewn up

Meanwhile, I'm knitting. I'm trying to make a cardigan similar to one I bought 15 years ago that has simply been worn out. It's not easy. I started before my shoulder went out last summer. Then, last month, I did the second front piece and the back. I even hung the collar, but noticed I wouldn't have enough for the sleeves. I ordered more, but the online shop no longer had the same stock number and while waiting, I had added a pocket to the right front and could not Kitchner-stitch the ribbing that goes up the front as it should be. I ruined it! When the new cotton yarn came, I started the whole project over. I've now done the two fronts and the back. I'm ready to do the sleeves and then the collar. Since I did not waste so much yarn on swatches, I should have enough.
The complication of this sweater is that about a third of each front, which make up the center, is 2/2 ribbing and the sides are stockinette. On the back, it's the same -- the center third is ribbed and the sides are stockinette. This meant that I had to pull the needles into "hold" position for each row. I learned this, too late, on the first effort. It takes a lot of time. Not as much time as hand knitting, but it takes time and concentration. Then there are the decreases and increases, the double decreases for the armhole and back shoulder. The shoulder seam is towards the back, not at the top of the armhole. I had never formed the shoulder like that before and I had never used double decreases for the armhole, but I do like the look. I'm using the old sweater as my pattern so I have to keep measuring and calculating. This yarn is not as thin as the yarn on the original sweater and the gauge is not at all the same. In addition, after washing, it will all be tighter. It's cotton and it will shrink a bit, so the result, right now, looks too big, but it should be fine once I wash it.
The big deal about this project is that I'm using my right arm almost as I did before. It does tire out faster. I can't push or pull the carriage over the knitting bed as fast with my right arm as with my left and putting the needles into position for every row gave me a workout. But I am thrilled at the result of shoulder replacement only 5 months ago!
I saw my surgeon again, last week, and he's very happy with the result. Next appointment on the anniversary of the surgery in September. I had my x-rays with me for this visit and he took a look at the hip x-ray that my GP had prescribed. He's a knee and shoulder guy, not a hip man, but he showed me that the cartilage is almost gone on the left side and that I can look forward to consulting a surgeon in the next few years. The osteopath I go to has also seen it and agrees that the cartilage is almost gone. He hopes to help me maintain mobility in order to put off surgery. He did a good job on the shoulder for 6 years. Until then, I limp a bit.