I sometimes find myself in a public place and say the rosary without using rosary beads. I keep track of the prayers using my fingers. Is this acceptable?
Sure. The beaded chain only developed as a convenient prayer counter. It is not intended to be the sole means through which one may pray the rosary. In fact, years ago This Rock published a unique idea for praying a family rosary that was submitted by a Catholic parent:
From [A. L.], a convert from Judaism, comes this creative idea for family prayer time: the toes-ary (rhymes with “rosary”). “When we pray the rosary together as a family, we count the prayers on the toes of the youngest children,” he explains. It keeps the young ones involved. And it sure beats “This little piggy went to market” (source).
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