Sodden

Note, this post was actually written yesterday (Wednesday), but due to telephone and internet problems it could not be posted.  In fact, both the telephone and cable lines were underwater as the protective shielding had cracked and filled with water, requiring the lines to be replaced from street to house. It was actually interesting to see how much water can come pouring out of 275 feet of shielded cable.

It seems that the world has been inexorably changed, soaked, sodden, from the recent rains.  Or at least it seems that inundation has been the frame of reference which shapes my world of late.

Work has been overwhelming, crazy even, with impossible demands on all fronts, grumpy patients, impatient clients and general stress and frustration all around.  I generally consider myself lucky that my job allows me pretty much to work on my own schedule, and mostly from home, this week excepted.  Internet service has been erratic at best and totally down most of the time.  Phone service is barely functioning.  Lines drops unexpectedly.  When I am connected, static is the order of the day and everyone sounds like they are talking under water.  Perhaps the phones are flooded…who knows.  Dealing with demanding clients while struggling with a virtually non-existent phone system does not make for a happy office manager. 

At least cell service seems unaffected.  Good thing that.  After years of getting no, or very little wireless signal at our house, only reliably in the yellow bathroom, or the South east corner of the driveway, we have had consistent wireless connections for about two months now, on any phone, whereas before, only my ancient Star-Tac, the one that dates prior to new shielding requirements and fancy new features, could reliably pick up a signal, and even that was variable.  Every phone company in the area told me no phone would get a signal if that one couldn’t so until recently there was no reason to replace it.

The construction front has been similarly plagued by chaos.  Weather stoppages, missing information, mis-communication, more changes to the plans, contractors that want to work even though the plans aren’t done and we are still waiting for approval from the building inspector. Everyone has an opinion and it is at odds with everyone else’s opinion.  Past surveys are inadequate.  Headaches abound.

Needless to say knitting has been stalled as well.  I did finish the last sleeve of Rogue, but nothing has been sewn together yet.  I am not one of those people who can sew sweaters while chatting at knitting group or watching TV.  I need a quiet place where I can pay attention to my work.  There has been no such place or time of late.  Even when the world seems quiet my mind is agitated.  Assembly issues must wait.

The thought of starting another project has been overwhelming, not because I don’t want to knit but more because I don’t want to swatch and calculate.  Nothing can be started without adequate preparation or heartache will ensue.  I have enough of projects that go wrong for now.  In fact I have had enough of calculations and math and anything that seems remotely like work.  Instead I lose myself in fiction whenever the chance for a momentary reprieve finds me: Julian Barnes, Elizabeth George, and Iain Pears have provided my escapes and helped me to maintain my sanity. 

Hopefully, calm will follow.