November and December have come and gone, and it’s stayed pretty quiet in this space. There were a few reasons for that – it’s been a very busy time both at work at the university as well as behind the scenes with Paper Tiger, but I’ve also been coping with the worsening condition of a herniated disc that’s been plaguing me since early spring this year. It’s actually been a much longer chronic issue, but the occasional flare up of pain has never been a super big deal until 2020. Long story short, I wound up having minor surgery for it on December 18th. It was successful and I’m totally fine, just taking it easy at home while I recover. (I wrote a bit more about that here.)
We had a quiet Christmas at home in Trondheim and will have a quiet new year’s eve as well. Waking up to a thin dusting of snow on Christmas morning was a welcome treat (although it’s long gone now), as was video calling our families later in the day.
I did release a couple of new patterns the week before my surgery, and I will share those here as well, but they deserve their own post, so I will save it for another day soon.
Like many others, I feel like I don’t know where this year has gone. Time always seems to move quickly, but somehow in a year almost without travel, where the days bleed into one another more easily than ever before, time seems to have lost all meaning. I don’t feel too much like doing any big reflections this year. I’m just grateful to be moving towards a new year with a little bit more optimism, even if there are many things that aren’t going to change as quickly as we’d like them to.
I hope your final week of 2020 has been restful and restorative. I hope you’ve been able to find some joy in the midst of chaos and sadness. And I hope you’re able to look to 2021 with a little bit more optimism too.
x
Paper Tiger 
I always enjoy your blog and I’m glad your surgery went well, it must have been very painful beforehand. Even in such strange times, I wish you a happy new year and I’ll look forward to seeing your new designs in 2021.
It has been a strange year. Having grown up with grandparents who experienced WWI and parents in the USA and UK having experienced WWII, I realized my generation, where Vietnam was so far away, had never really experienced a long period of restrictions and shortages (loo rolls 🙄). Now we have and the loss of life greater than the wars and here in America we have had a totally insane man running things. Slowly changes will happen and I believe most of us will go forward grateful for what we do have and also realize how precious our relationship with others, is. Thank God for knitting!! And internet! Wishing you speedy healing and a pain free journey ahead. Happy New Year and looking forward to seeing your new designs!
I read this sitting by my husband’s bedside, in the hospital where he has just had back surgery. I am grateful and relieved he got through this and will soon be feeling better. I wish the same for you. Perhaps a metaphor for 2020 – may we all get through this and feel better soon.
Hi Dianna,
I feel you on time blending together – it makes suddenly finding yourself in the quiet festive season all the more absurd and yet all the more welcome.
I’m glad the surgery went well, and happy to hear you’re already feeling relief from the pain. Wishing you all the best for 2021 ❤️