Stone's Throw

Saturdays are usually my day for sleeping in and doing as little as possible. Usually I feel this is almost a right I possess with everything else that goes on throughout the week. Today, however, I gave Saturday over to friends and my darling Hubby who always attends tai chi out at Yuko-en which is a Japanese garden not too far from here in Georgetown, KY.

Despite being in a wheelchair, there were a surprising amount of movements I could do with my upper body. One of the most interesting and exciting things about the tai chi group was that when the instructor and the older students came around to correct everyone's posture or movements, I was included quite easily in the group and no one hesitated in correcting my movements with a gentle touch here or a soft correction there. Most places I have gone (other than physical therapy or occupational therapy of course) the people are almost loathe to touch me either because they don't want to hurt me or because they are afraid (sometimes subconsciously) they are going to "catch" my disease -- rheumatoid arthritis. Having physical contact, physical correction, especially as gentle and as encouraging as it was given, made me feel a part of everything, and actually solidified the decision to make sure and keep going back each Saturday.

Just-Bill, the instructor, encouraged me "To jump right into the middle of things." He said this at breakfast where the tai chi group had collected for food. (It is remarkable how this sort of activity can make you quite ravenous.) So, as part of this "jumping into the middle of things" attitude, I am planning on going to the qigong class which is going to be held out at The Kentucky Horse Park here in Lexington. This is going to be on Thursdays. Little by little each day of every week is beginning to have something planned. And the things are those things which give me joy and pleasure, as well as make me feel as if I am living life and no longer sitting on the curb watching Life itself go by.

It is amazing to me how all of this started really -- with a piece of string.

Through my knitting and feeling at peace with myself I have found Life isn't passing me by nor am I watching as it goes by -- sometimes rapidly, sometimes slowly -- but I am there, enjoying the moment and being creative and pro-active. Knitting has helped me take back control of my life, or, probably, helped me see I could take back control of my life, my world.

Since I have become such a knitter I am always on the look-out for yarn stores or places affiliated with knitting. (We all know how much I love Michael's!) Well, it just so happens there is a yarn store in Georgetown and it is open every Saturday! It is called Stone's Throw Artisans and is owned and operated by Beth Stone. In roaming through Georgetown once breakfast was over, we (Hubby, Cheyenne, and I) found it and I was in absolute heaven!

Yarns of various textures and colors greeted the eye as soon as the door was open. One entire wall was given over to needles and tools and the selection of sock yarns was genuinely amazing to my yarn-starved eyes!

Spindles and roving also occupied a nice section and knitting books were sectioned off nicely for you to peruse and choose at your leisure.

Stone's Throw is one of those places where you can relax and just let the world go on by. Not like a cave to hide in, but more like one of those nice oasis's where you can just rest for a moment, collect supplies and prepare for the continuation of your journey from Here to There.

My hands itched to knit, to touch the yarns and feel the roving and dream up projects for this yarn and that color. It was one of those places where even Hubby didn't rush. He just relaxed and let me roam and enjoyed the moment of cool peace himself.

Much to my surprise, when I hesitantly asked if there was layaway possible, I was greeted with positive information. So now there are needles and yarn waiting for me at Stone's Throw and since I am going to be there every Saturday, then retrieving the yarn isn't going to be a problem at all!

Knitting has led to occupational therapy and physical therapy which has led to the energy and hope of tai chi and tai chi has led back to knitting. I can't say things have come "full circle" because I am still moving out, still developing and living my life, but I do believe small circles, positive and negative ones, do exist along the path and this, my friends, is one of the more positive circles.