I packed lightly for Japan and the only sweater was my Forecast, which if you read my blog, you know I finished while I was there. I needed it mostly for the mountain visits, Takayama and Koyasan. And I did get to wear it both places. It was Cascade 220, easily replaceable. The knitting only took a couple weeks. I significantly modified the pattern with great results, but still have a couple things I would have liked to have done differently (like the collar) so I just might make another one.
The saddest part is losing the buttons. Nancy brought them back from her big Europe Adventure a couple years ago --- purchased in a little town near Nimes, France.
But losing the buttons isn't like I lost Nancy or anything.
Our last stop in Japan was Nagasaki. It got warm and I took off my sweater the afternoon we visited the A-bomb memorial, Peace Museum and Peace Park. When we got off the tram at the harbor, I realized the sweater was no longer in my bag. We contacted the tram line, we waited for that particular car to come back and checked, then I went back to the area and retraced all my steps. I didn't have time to contact the police lost and found, but our friend in Nagasaki said she would do so. As others have said, Japanese culture considers it important to return things via lost and found, so it is still possible that I will get it back. I just don't know where it fell out of the bag, so perhaps it ended up in a canal or something.
But what now? I am feeling the urge to reknit Forecast, but that would mean purchasing more yarn. I have yarn in my stash that would make fine sweaters, but nothing that would make a perfect Forecast.
Meanwhile, I've been uploading Japan photos to flickr. Haven't organized and culled them completely, yet. But my librarian knitter Cousin Jane (SockFetishist on ravelry) sleuthed them out already. If you don't want to wait for the polished slideshow, you can find them as well here.
I have also started uploading my mother in law's Japan photos. She let me take her camera's memory card home so I can get her started on flickr. It's great to see the different photos of the same places that she took, but the problem is, she took photos of me. And I am often wearing my sweater.
3 comments:
Hey sis,
I haven't checked in for over 2 months, so I did some catching up today.
Your adventures in Japan sound fun. Your description of the subway with the 10 exits sounded only somewhat familiar. We do that in European stations - turning around looking in all directions to see where the correct exit place/stairs/escalator is... but 10 exits?!? That is tops. I have an acquaintance here (my awesome massage therapist) whose last name is Akayama, like the mountain you visited minus the "T".
Her last name is from her husband. Although abandoned by his Japanese father and raised in the States, they recently went to Japan to meet him. I wonder if the name is derived from the area?
I will ask her about the mountain next week. She and her husband teach martial arts and she is trained in many Eastern methods for her trade as a therapist. They spent a month in China and Japan studying.
Good to read about your last couple of months. Now I need to go find pictures.
Aiming to be back in VA by mid August. Trying to see as much of Europe as we can afford money and time wise. Although moving sucks, having that as a goal should make up for it!
I copied the name of the city in France where your friend got your buttons. I need to see where it is - do you happen to have a store name/address? We are 1 hour from the border to France - so depending on where that city is - if it is anywhere near Strasbourg - I may be able to find you replacement buttons :)
Tscheuss! T
T-
I will email you separately as well. Nancy says you should definitely take the trip! Train to Avignon, rent a car and hang out in Arles. Great castle nearby and great food, great Sun.
The store is in Uzes and is worth the trip. In fact, she told me I should plan to meet you in Avignon. Dunno how my family or my bank account would feel about that, but a girl can dream...
Aww, shucks, I got a blog mention!
And: Hi, T! Can you speak Deutsch now??
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