Sunday, August 5, 2007

Fantasy World

This is a "Ryan Weekend". Every other weekend my Autistic son leaves his group home for 48 hours with his "first" family. During those 48 hours we focus on his visit and the time revolves around his desires. Ryan tends to be anti-social with a few specific exceptions. He shuns stimuli such as TV, radio, visitors, outings, and any form of extreme weather. Fortunately for me, he finds comfort with me sitting in my spot on the couch, needles in hand. or a book or my laptop quietly occupying my time. This all sounds pretty placid and non-taxing. By definition, autism describes a person that appears to live in their own world or fantasy land, if you will. Ryan lives there, and likes to carry on a streaming dialogue throughout his waking moments. Nonstop talking interrupted by blocks of blessed unconsciousness.



We love him and welcome him home, yet it can be exhausting. We have a lot of the bases covered on coping. Living in San Diego precludes extreme weather. When we lived in MI and he got wet, he would strip naked to remove the uncomfortable wet clothing. This ceased to be cute at age 3. We have learned as a family to do without the aforementioned electronic conveniences that usually entertain us. Quiet time is well spent here working on individual projects or study. Sounds lofty (LOL), but we occasionally sneak on headphones and put a DVD in the laptop.



This weekend I have had the best time in my own online knitting world of fantasy. I went on a virtually tour of the world with all of the websites I could find under Knitting Tours. I was inspired by the ads in the back of the latest Interweave Knits Magazine. How does an Alaskan cruise sound to you? France in the spring or fall with Chez French Girls? My love affair with Italy could only be heightened by Tactile Tours. Sea Socks 08 has a nice sound to it. England, Scotland or Nova Scotia accompanied by knitters. Sign me up. Only limited by money and time,never by imagination.

The rest of my Internet fantasy involved an elusive search for a pattern to satisfy the longing I have to use a finite amount of delicious yarn with a lacy pattern recently seen and coveted on a fellow guild member. The pattern comes from the Joan Mcgowan-Michael book, Lingerie Style Knits. A beautiful book I can not buy right now. My Koigu inspired socks will be completed tonight and I have 2 other urgent projects at my elbow calling out to me. All in all this weekend of fantasy was well spent. I may not be going to Europe any time soon, but I was inspired to make a reservation to attend the TKGA show in Oakland,CA this fall. Our local guild will be recognized for its longevity and maybe I can find a class to take or a ball of yarn to buy...

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! I didn't know you were a blogger now. My little Marsha that only read her emails once a week has a blog! And she knows all the lingo! I thought you were really branching out when you started texting... this is very impressive!

Anonymous said...

Tell that Ryan Hi and that we love and miss him, just as we do you all from MI

wendoid said...

I enjoyed your blog; now I want to join knit whits and just create ponchos for the rest of my life. Thanks Marsh! Your such an inspiration! I''m looking for a deterrent from domestic duties! If it involves color texture and composition; my husband will think it's art and it will be OK to spend large amounts of my time on something productive. This sounds so cynical but I just got back from craft night and I'm a little tippsy. Love Ya! Wendy

Anonymous said...

Well said.