Yarn Elbow?

I think I have lateral epicondylitis. Or more commonly known as Tennis Elbow. Except I haven't picked up my tennis racquet in 6 months. Now, my circulars - that's another thing entirely.

I'm a thrower. That is, I knit English style with my right hand, wrist and elbow leading the way. When the Yarn Widower sees me wincing while knitting, he tries to show me what I look like by swinging his entire arm around his left hand. He says helpful things like, "yeah, well, it looks like you may have to stop knitting for a while." What?!?!?!??!

F-that. I will knit through the pain.

But yesterday while participating in an anatomy workshop with a renowned body-worker Ashtanga guru, the teacher noticed my elbow brace (yeah, I had to buy one, no it's not really helping) and said, "Don't let that get any worse."

And in my head I started whining softly to myself, "But. I can't. NOT. knit." After the panic died down, I meekly asked him what I should do.

1) Ice baths - helps bring down the inflammation
2) Wrist stretches - those forearm tendons are like metal rods, they're so freaking tight (not his exact words...)

I got these images from a drummer's website - the first picture shows how to stretch the wrist flexors. The second shows how to stretch the wrist extensors. Owie but a good kind of pain.

Anway, the anatomy guru made no mention of knitting cessation. Hurray! As soon as I got home, I popped some advil and stretched my aching joints while softly moaning for effect (it's hard to get any sympathy from the Yarn Widower; I've really got to work it. Even still, all my efforts got me was a cocked eyebrow and a skeptical "Are you coming down with something? sigh.)

This morning I'm back at the knitting. It's a bit better but I may have to switch to Continental for a while. As for the ice baths, I think I'll wait until it's warmer out. Or until I can't take it anymore.

Fukakta

Current favorite curse word. Very good at calming the nerves when muttered at various fukakta people and fukakta things. Kinda like a mantra. Fukaktafukaktafukakta.

Ahhh. Now I can knit. Er, rather, write about knitting. Actually, I'm kind of in a knitting slump. Yarn Widower has been requiring more 100% concentration time which means no knitting while conversing with him and I've been trying to cut back on the Lost/knitting ritual too. (Yarn Widower gets annoyed when I ask, "Wait, what just happened? I missed it. Rewind." Fukakta addictive television show that never really answers any of the important questions - Gah!) And I've been driving a lot lately which is great for my audiobook listening but bad for the knitting. (I can highly recommend Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys and for all those YA fans out there Buddha Boy is pretty good too).

But I feel a knitting resurgence coming upon me. Now that it's getting to be very Spring and mud-lusciousy outside, I want cotton/linen everything! Last night at SNB, my new friend Bugheart showed me her latest project - the Buttony by Katie Marcus. Pattern available here. I did a little scouting around on Ravelry and found a gal who did it in Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton. And I do believe I've found my next project. I worry a bit because the pattern seems a bit obtuse but am comforted knowing that Bugheart will be available for knitting consultation. And while I've started sweaters in the past, I've never actually finished one. It would be nice to actually finish one. For me, even? That would be nice.

But then Yarn Widower asks, "What about your brother's socks? And my scarf? And I've been waiting ten years for that sweater...."

Fukakta.