Cutting it Close

A few days ago I wrote that I might not have enough of the gray print to make four stars for this quartet, but I was going to keep on until I used up the print. WHEW! I made it ... this is literally -- I mean LITERALLY -- cutting it close. Here are the four stars, complete but without border yet. I had just barely enough gray -- here are the scraps that remained when I did the last triangle.

These little gray pieces were so small I swept them right into the wastebasket. You can see there's very little of the gold or very light fabric either, but I was certain there was enough because so little is needed for the star. So I guess this confirms the accuracy of my "eyeballing" estimates. But I think I'll try to avoid such close calls in the future.

Given that sense of self-confidence, I actually began doiing the NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle in pen! [I get the Sunday magazine on Saturday since it is delivered to me] It's not all confience, though I usually manage to finish the puzzles, but the paper has a coating so that most of the pencils I own look very pale and I find my mind actually works better when I can see what I've written more clearly. So it may be messy where the first answer is wrong, but I'll see how it works. I LOVE having the puzzle on Saturday, I can sit in bed and make myself sleepy mulling the last few tough words.

Speaking of confidence, even though all the street crossings are still messy with the remnants of ice and snow piled there by shovelers and snow plows, I went out twice today without my trekking pole -- walking like a person with no hip problem. In fact, I am convincing myself I AM now a person with -- well, hardly any -- hip problem. A residual stiffness that has to be worked through. But I now pronounce that episode ended, done, finished, over and consigned to memory ... a strong enough memory to remain cautious on those icy corners. It feels good to feel normal ... if a little older and more cautious.