Wick (Double Diamonds): Week 4 – 25 May

This past week or so has seemed quiet compared to the week away, but hasn’t been without incident.  Most notably, I visited the dentist again, having dislodged a bridge the day after I returned from holiday.  The dentist was able to fit me in this week, and within ten minutes it was re-secured.  This included trimming a neighbouring tooth so the bridge would seat properly. 

This time last year: river view

Not as notable as the dentist, I booked airline tickets for the next holiday in July/August.  This should have been simple but wasn’t.  After multiple attempts, and receiving the same error message each time, I phoned the airline.  I’d tried signing in and out of my account, different browsers, different payment methods.  Nothing.  A helpful customer service agent sorted it out in minutes.  That was indeed a relief.  The next thing to book is transport to the airport in Inverness to start the trip.  Living in Caithness, it takes a bit more effort to get anywhere.

This time last year: Beatrice wind farm from the Trinkie

On Saturday, there wasn’t a regular handbell practice.  Instead, we’d been booked to play at a ‘Carnival of Plants’ about 16 miles south of Wick.  To quote from the organisers’ website: 

“The Carnival . . . has been developed to look at how . . . plants and nature can make real differences to people’s physical and mental health. By engaging with Psychologists, Mental Health practitioners and experts in Therapeutic Horticulture, a series of Plant-drawing workshops and a 2-day Carnival have been put together. There should be something for everyone!”

We were one of the featured performers/events.  Most of what we played were plant-titled pieces.  One piece, though, was a world premiere.  In collaboration with a woman with a chronic illness, our music director was commissioned to write a piece about living with a life-changing condition.  Along with the handbells, the other instruments were a flute, nails rattling in a biscuit tin, windchimes, and a plant. 

This time last year: pathside weed

Yes, a plant.  For there exists a device that can pick up electrical signals from a plant using a sensor clipped to a leaf.  The signal can then be output using a choice of different sounds.  In this case, it was either a musical fluty sound, wood blocks, or drum beats.  A Christmas cactus was the soloist.  It did well in practice but, a diva at heart, was resolutely mute just prior to the performance.  Reinforcements were brought in – a fuchsia and another Christmas cactus – but weren’t needed as the diva started to ‘sing’.

Clematis outside the lounge window

Overall, I prefer to get my therapy by knitting, which, like handbell ringing, requires nearly complete concentration.  And good progress has been made this week.  In under two inches, the body of the gansey will be done.  The pattern has been another mindful/mindless task.  Six plain, three pattern, six plain, three pattern – but sometimes the pattern is P1 K1 P1 and sometimes  P3.  I haven’t even attempted to keep track of the number of times the centre of the three stitches has been purled instead of knit, or knit instead of purled.