The Porch

When I brought my husband home after his knee replacement, I became his full time nurse along with all the stuff I normally do.  So, add to laundry and groceries and cooking and whatever, I also had bandages to change, meds to monitor, ice packs and water bottles to deliver.  And I crashed.  About day three my jaw hurt, my neck hurt, and I had my epiphany.  I hadn't picked up my knitting for three days.

I knit every day, all year long.  I knit socks and stuffed animals and sweaters and shawls and capes and scarves.  Knitting is my zen.  And knitting on my porch is the ultimate.  I ripped our little porch apart about twenty years ago.  Slowly I have added pieces of furniture - too much, if you ask Big Dave - but special pieces that bring comfort to me and our guests.  What I didn't add was insulation.  I wanted a summer porch.  Every October the doors close and my little piece of heaven takes its winter nap.  As winter comes to a close I look longingly through the glass doors, but I don't open them.  Not right away.  The timing has to be just right.  This weekend it was time.

I am sitting on my porch right now.  It has been a beautiful, warm day.  I had a great walk around the lake with an old friend, and then I came home and rearranged the furniture in my porch.  Then I sat down and started to knit, listening to the cardinals in the ash tree, the neighbor boys shooting hoops, friends across the street laughing.

Spring will come, the snow will melt, and I will watch it all as I sit on my porch - and knit.