Two weeks ago, we wrote a complaint that the washbasin in our bathroom was shaky. So two guys came (Malayalam only) and dismantled the whole thing, leaving the washbasin in the fire escape and the only word I understood was “nala” meaning tomorrow. Well, the tomorrow only came after a week or so, when 4 (!!!) men showed up to “put in a flug”.
Having given up on anybody ever replacing the washbasin, it took me a minute to understand that they’d come to do something about it. I let them in, they carved out a hole in the wall, put in some cement and a wooden flug (now you get it!) and went away, asking me to water it twice a day and Monday (yesterday) they’d come and put the washbasin back up.
I’ve been faithfully watering the flug, but alas, no one has come to complete the task. And so we roll.
In knitting news, I’ve been working on this pattern, which caught my eye. I’m using Lion cotton and Sugar n’ Cream. Although the designer’s work looks scrumptious, mine is definitely going to end as an Ugh. The problem might be that (a) I knit too tight therefore my floats are too tight, thus not giving that gingham look, (b) cotton isn’t slippery enough for the pattern (c) general shabby knitting.
Also, the handle is done in double knitting in two colours, which has me completely floored, me never having done double knitting in colours before. I’ve tried checking out the videos available online, but I wish someone would explain this particular pattern to me. I’ve finished the body of the towel and it only needs a handle now. There is a chart, but I’m not able to understand that very well. 😦
As you can see in the photo, it is still raining here. Apparently Kerala (and much of India) has had 20% excess rainfall this monsoon. Somebody forgot to tell the southwest monsoon that it must retreat before the northeast monsoon comes calling. We went on a cruise of the backwaters on Sunday, taking around the husband’s superior and family. That isn’t our boat, although ours looked identical. They do you for lunch. The boats have two bedrooms with attached bathrooms. You can hire them for the night as well. Food is traditional Kerala cuisine. The backwaters are used as the main media of transport in the region, and it was startling to see distance signboards we normally spot on highways. All in all, a unique experience.
Me, I’m a dry land creature, and while the life on so much water is fascinating to study and brood over, I much prefer less moisture. Water scares me. Nice for a break, though.
ETA: The designer is holding my hand while I attempt the handle. Progress shall be reported.
swakrta.com 
10 comments
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September 25, 2007 at 5:12 pm
phoenix
Hey there, I’m so sorry you’re having trouble with the pattern. That is of course my fault. The handle portion of that pattern is really quite sketchy at the moment and assumes a familarity with the technique. I’m working on a less “figure it out version” of the pattern, that should be ready soon. I sent you a note through ravelry, and some of the details I outline there will be included in the updated version.
I started writing up the patterns mainly just as a response to people who asked “Hey is there a pattern for that,” and I kind of jumped in without any experience, thinking just those one or two people would actually knit one. One of the reasons I haven’t posted in a while is I’ve been re-working all of my patterns so that the instructions are clearer all around. At the moment, there’s a moratorium on uploading the new stuff. It’s taking a bit of time, but I’ve got about three patterns ready for test-knitting and a few more in the pipeline. In the meantime I appreciate you actually taking the time to offer feedback and ask for me for help. (You could have stopped in silent frustration!) Your feedback is really helping me more than you know. Cheers!
September 25, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Cindy
I wish I was closer and able to meet for a cup of tea or coffee and help you with the knitting!
Oh well. Sounds like you are getting the help you need.
The photo of the boat in the rain is really something! Yikes.
September 25, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Debbie
I would love it if you’d describe the local cuisine!
As for double knitting, consider it some bonus brain jogging 😉 It’s tricksy, it is.
September 26, 2007 at 3:06 am
Andrea (noricum)
Too much water outside, not enough inside? 😛
Neat towel pattern! I have to try it too. 🙂 Hmmm… I think a plain handle on the towel will work fine too, if phoenix isn’t able to help you out.
September 26, 2007 at 4:09 am
Trifarina
What’s a flug?
September 27, 2007 at 3:49 am
Trifarina
Thanks! Plug! Make somewhat more sense now. Good luck getting the rest of your bathroom!
October 4, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Sneaksleep
I’m so bummed my husband and I didn’t have time to see the backwaters when we were in Kerala. Maybe on the next trip to India. I’m not sure if I’ve had Kerala cuisine or not. Is it very different from general south Indian cuisine?
October 4, 2007 at 6:59 pm
Desperately seeking « Where is she now?
[…] I have made some progress on the pattern as you can seen above, having detoured wildly on both the crochet and knit fronts, by turning out these two FOs (now, isn’t that a rare word for you to hear on this here blog?). First up is the Gingham Country Tea Towel I had a bit of a duh moment with: […]
October 11, 2007 at 12:31 am
buddi
That houseboat picture has made me so so nostalgic that I just pushed away a plate of cookies I was happily devouring. I can close my eyes and be on that houseboat watching the rain and listening to the wind. I would even settle for watching the rain from my old childhood bedroom window 🙂
October 13, 2007 at 7:42 am
Houseboat News » Water the flug
[…] mrsfife wrote a fantastic post today on “Water the flug”Here’s ONLY a quick extractHouseboat on backwaters. Two weeks ago, we wrote a complaint that the washbasin in our bathroom was shaky. So two guys came (Malayalam only) and dismantled the whole thing, leaving the washbasin in the fire escape and the only word I … […]