True Confessions time.
I got, for Christmas, this little book where you record details of your workouts. It’s fun to see the weights I’m lifting increase, and good to get a heads-up if my cardio minutes are down, and I can make sure that I’m not skipping the triceps thing too often.
There are also little boxes to check for the minutes we spend in a variety of other activities: walking, swimming, dancing, housework…
Ah, yes. The sad truth is, as I look back through my little book, that I am doing well if I hit 30 minutes a week in the “housework” section.
Oh — I’m doing the dishes and the laundry and wiping down the counters and stuff, but actual housework that counts as physical activity? Apparently not.
I’m learning the three main theories about the Pre-Cambrian explosion (one, Dawkins says, is “bonkers”), contemplating the quantum connectedness of all Creation, polishing up my Handel for Easter, comparing the finer points of Brit and U.S. chick lit, reviewing educational software for work, keeping up with adult friendships so I won’t suffer too much from Empty Nest Syndrome in the future, making an effort to remember to brush my hair before I leave the house — what could I give up to gain time for housework?
I can’t knit less — the baby shower on Sunday is for twins, so I can’t show up with one hat. Besides, if I were really knitting too much, I would have a finished sweater to show for it.
Perhaps I should spend less time reading blogs. After all, in the time it takes me get through the Yarn Ho! ring, I could thoroughly clean my kitchen.
Last night after choir, and instead of cleaning house, I watched The Legend of Zorro with my boys and worked on the second baby hat. After some trial and error, I decided to go with this simple cable braid for the edging. #1 son persuaded me that the twins should have the same yarn for their hats, just different edgings. This is on 12 stitches. It is two stitches of garter stitch, one purl, a 6×6 cable, and then the purl and two garter to match on the other edge. It could make a good edging for a jacket or bag.
You read everyone in the yarn ho ring? I’m nominating you for blog sainthood!
Purty edging. And housework is overrated. I’m standing by that.
I hardly ever read anyone in my blogrings. Just the people I’m subscribed to and who are subcribed to me.
The cable braid is beautiful. I really have to get myself some cable needles and try at some cabling. It would make a beautiful edging on an open front vest…hmmm….I like that idea a lot! Speaking of housework…I am in need of doing some myself…there does never seem to be a shortage of it.
What other housework is there? As long as you can move around without falling over too much stuff and as long as clouds of dust don’t waft up everytime you walk somewhere in the house, you have done enough housework.
I never get through all my lists of things to do – that’s why they are written in pencil, I can rub out the things I haven’t done at the end of one day and transfer them to the list for the next day – dynamic do-it lists (even the name sounds energetic).
Dishes and laundry and swiping counters doesn”t count as active housework? Who are these people? Love the cable, by the way. Are you doing a shrimp stitch on the edge when you’re done? I like to slip the first stitch on each “outside” edge for a built-in finish. What’s going on the other one?
Shrimp stitch is the name I was given for a sort of backwards crochet that gives a slanted picot effect. Tonight’s rehearsal was for Our Town, also doing some gospel for a local church. 🙂
I still like to pretend knitting is a great cardio workout! LOL! RYC: This is my opinion as well. Nothing speaks like the almighty dollar. I was also hoping that someone who didn’t know before; or more likely, didn’t realize they did know but were ignoring the truth would open their eyes… thank you.