Thumbs down.

Yup, that's my right hand in a big, immobilizing wrist brace. . . giving a big thumbs down to my knitting-preventing injury. As I'm right handed I can't seem to do much of anything. Brushing my hair, riding my bike, cutting vegetables, writing--all pretty much out of the question. And my plan to have a finished garment within the week? Totally out of the question.

I'm not really sure what's wrong with my wrist or how it happened, but it sure is painful. Come to think of it, I have a habit of injuring myself without knowing it. A few years ago I woke up with a torn rotator cuff. The doctor's best guess was that I injured my shoulder while sleeping (leave it to me to get a sports injury while doing the most sedentary activity there is). I'm starting to wonder if maybe I lead a parallel, active life in my sleep. Maybe I sleep walk-- or better, maybe I'm a sleep ninja.

There is always the possibility that knitting had something to do with my injury. In just 2 days I got a significant amount of work done on the back of Grecian Plait, about 6 or 7 inches I think. Maybe all that turbo knitting got my wrist all out of whack, though I doubt it. Or maybe what I mean to say is I'd never be able to own up to injuring myself knitting. . . it's easier for me to swallow REM nun-chucking.

I love this pattern, but the more I knit it the more I get the feeling that I chose the absolute wrong yarn for this pattern. This was the first yarn I bought specifically for a pattern (2ish years ago?) and I had no idea about gauge or texture or content. I decided I wanted it to be a coolish sweater, so I settled on cotton. The salesgirl at the yarn shop plopped a big bag of grey GGH cotton in my hands and told me it would be suitable, and I blindly believed her. Unfortunately, the more I knit with it the more I see that the GGH Tara is pretty bulky-- not at all like the wispy mohair called for in the pattern. And I've heard rumors it's warm as hell. I'm hoping the sweater won't turn out too bulky and hot, but the only way to really know is finish knitting it. I have a feeling that no matter how it turns out I will love it anyway. There's just something about the dove grey dryer-lintesque Tara that tugs at my heartstrings.

The upside to my wrist injury? My good friend Oscar (see photo of us high-fiving a few posts back) and his lovely girlfriend gave me an early 21st birthday present. . . David Sedaris' new book (that I've been lusting after but am too cheap to buy)! When You Are Engulfed In Flames is fantastic so far, and I'm definitely not minding that my previously allotted knitting time is now being spent reading hysterical short stories about tapeworms and crazy hick nannies.

Who am I kidding though, I can't wait 'til I can knit again. (Or for that matter write my name legibly again.)