Romjula

We've turned the corner, and the days are slowly starting to get longer. We also had a very nice and mellow Christmas celebration. Since all three of us in the Kverulantinnen household have been sick with a nasty cold and hacking cough, it was a big relief that this year my sister-in-law offered to host Christmas dinner.

I decided to take a couple of days off from my usual routines after Christmas. That means a few days off from both academic work and knitting (gasp!), and the chance to revel in some of Jane Austen's novels. I read Sense and Sensibility and Emma in the course of about three days, before heading back into work to take care of some nagging tasks. Having now submitted both a peer review of someone else's article and a revision of one of my own, I came home today with a clear enough conscience to pick up Mansfield Park. I'm skipping Pride and Prejudice this round of re-reading, I think. I have to admit that this time I was totally blown away by Sense and Sensibility. I have become a huge fan of the level-headed and gracious Elinor Dashwood. In comparison, Emma Woodhouse is exactly what Mr. Knightly calls her, namely a "nonsensical girl."

I did a big rush of pre-Christmas knitting: two Zissou toques for KE and E, and most of the Plain and Simple pullover for me. I've knitted up to the shoulders, but have completely lost my steam on it. All I want to do is read Regency novels! It's pretty clear that I won't finish it by January first, so I'll have to just live with the fact that I "only" finished knitting 10 sweaters this year.

We don't have any plans for New Years at all this year. We're really all just trying to gather strength for the coming term, consciously or unconsciously, I think. 2010 has been a hectic, productive, and emotionally challenging year for me. I'm glad it's over, and am not quite sure how to face a new one. It's a little overwhelming to think of all the things big and small I'd like to change. As always work and knitting goals are easier to identify and carry out than personal ones.