First off, I don't know what happened to my Thanksgiving Day post. I wrote it ahead of time and set it to publish...didn't happen. So I've posted it tonight.
How'd it get to be December!?! Thanksgiving being late this year has thrown me a bit off. We had a fabulous weekend with the Michigan cousins! Late nights, early mornings, and lots of laughter. We came home totally relaxed.
But, now it's December and I don't have a single finished knitting project to show you. In fact, I don't even have a single pair of socks on the needles. There hasn't been a pair of socks in my purse since the end of October!
There was a bit of knitting though. First a quick photo of and then the sleeve knitting. The first one went quickly. The second sleeve I'd hoped to finish this past weekend but we were having WAY too much fun! And now it's back to the grind and there hasn't been any knitting since Friday.
My hope is to finish it this week. However, there is something going on each evening PLUS we have to prepare for another open house this weekend. But, it would be nice to show some finished projects for December. Happy December!
This month has been interesting. It has been a year since my husband moved to another state after his girlfriend fired him from his job. This month has marked a number of "anniversaries", of sorts, but I can't say that I've been reminiscing. In fact, much of the final five months of 2008 are completely buried in my psyche. What's occurring now is not so much reminiscing than rediscovering that which was buried in order to survive.
For instance, a year ago I began teaching at Magpie's Cottage. At the time, teaching was a welcome respite from the storm that was raging around me. However, a year later, I now recognize that, because my ex was newly unemployed (without benefits) and I was only working part time, teaching was also a means to put food on the table! I'd forgotten how much I counted on those teaching gigs to provide the basics for the three of us.
There were also the Sundays after church that we were invited to dinners that meant we came home with leftovers for meals during the week. It was an awful, horrible time of trying to figure things out while trying to meet the needs of my two girls.
Or my own needs. Like falling on some ice near our church to end up with a cut that should've been stitched up. But, my ex's situation had left the three of us were without medical coverage. So, first my priest bandaged me up and then my girls learned to make butterfly stitches and put clean dressings on my wound. Today my scar brings a smile to my face because it reminds me of those that took care of me and my family during those difficult months.
We had many angels that came into our lives at that time. This Thanksgiving I am ever so thankful for the angels that made sure my family was fed, my mortgage was without concern, and even an angel that provided presents under the Christmas tree for my girls. I am reminded this week of how much I have to be thankful for...including so many of you who provided kind words that brought me hope during that time.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! You DO make a difference in people's lives.
But when asked to teach how to knit two socks at a time on one circular needle, something akin to burning the candle at both ends, I said "yes". After all, it's just another technique...not my preferred technique.
And after accomplishing the task, with the aide of an EXCELLENT text, I'm pleased with my results...all the while recognizing that it still isn't my preferred technique.
Sure, I recognize that there are those of you who LOVE knowing that both socks will be knit "exactly" the same and you won't suffer from "Second Sock Syndrome". For me, the occasionally tangled mess didn't accommodate my desire for "portable" knitting and I thankfully don't suffer from "SSS". However, there is a pair of gloves that this method may work wonderfully for ensuring that the striping matches exactly in accordance with the recipient's wishes. No candle burning necessary.
Greetings. Sorry for the long silence. Yes, everything is fine...more than fine. Sure, I'm blogging less and knitting less but doing so much more these days. There's been a funeral and a wedding. There's been huge work projects followed by an equally huge party. There seems to be a lot less time available. But, in reality, the time there is happens to be filled with so many positive things and wonderful people. So, my dear friends, I am more than fine and ever so glad that you asked.
Things take longer to accomplish but every accomplishment is celebrated. Take the conversion of the little girl's room to what it is today. Gone is the pink and purple paint and wallpaper border with fairies dancing through the meadow. My little girls have both grown beyond the need for fairies to surround them daily. They prefer to be surrounded by those who have shown them great love and support over the past year. Abandonment is a hard pill to swallow. But the love of so many old and new people in their lives (and mine) have made it easier to transition. My little girl is growing up.
But, don't worry, she hasn't grown entirely. Some things never change. This past weekend was another in the countless years of volunteering for Festival of Trees. This year, Skyechild's computer skills were enlisted. However, the little girl that still makes brief appearances showed up once again for a bit of gingerbread. An oversized conch shell complete with treasure chest and mermaid. And, once again, she came home with gingerbread when her raffle ticket was chosen. However, this time it fits in our house instead of ending up displayed in her school library like two years ago. (And, there is the traditional photo of her by a tree, but those are for me these days.)
There are so many new (and old)things going on in our lives these days that it's too hard to keep up here. These days I'm taking more time to enjoy every moment with family and friends. Time flies when you're having fun...and unfortunately that means more fun = less blogging. Seems less IS more.
This is what I hear from people all the time these days. And it's true...I look and feel better than I have in a very long time! I feel good in my own skin. I hope all of you do too!
Enjoy the video...I can sing each word of the song in total agreement!!!
It's Teacher's Convention time around here meaning Skyechild would be off from school. So, today was my vacation day...was. Up at 6AM...do the dishes, clean the kitchen, sort & start the laundry, and brew a pot of coffee in order to work on my work laptop and finish an insurance project. By 11:00, all was well and it was time to pack up the laptop and head into the office.
Skyechild came along. Afterwards, we went to lunch and took care of errands before coming home to work on two large projects of our own. You see, while I was involved in a "working vacation", she was working on moving her clothing and other belongings our of her room. After our errands, she continued on her project and my project was the hopefully final harvesting of the lawn.
Tonight, the laundry is finished, the cleaning is/was caught up, the lawn is harvested and the mower stowed away, the bedroom is nearly emptied, and new paint has been purchased. I'm sore and tired and can't wait to go back to work tomorrow. A vacation from my vacation.
Take a look...there it is...real, actual knitting! A finished pair of socks and a sweater body that is completed. Actually, the neckline is also finished at this point and the sweater merely needs sleeves. Honestly. Truly.
Here, take a look.
Oh crap. I deleted the photo by accident. But, that's the way of things lately. Too many things going on at once. But, it was a good picture of me, wearing the sweater as it is so far. Oh well...at least there was actual knitting.
It was a year ago that Panda and I were on the college search. At one point, she was considering a school as far away as New Orleans. In the end, she chose a school much closer to home...because it was the RIGHT school not the closest or cheapest school.
At the time, I thought sure she'd choose one of the private schools farther from home than the state school she felt had the best program. I don't regret having checked out all of the schools because when we finished the search it was clear that she'd chosen the right school for her. If we hadn't done the search and she'd chosen this one I would've felt guilty that she "settled" because of the grief my ex had put us through.
But, in addition to the curriculum and the "spirit" that made her feel that it was the right choice for her, there was one sign in particular that warmed me to the place...Sock Assassins.
This little sign in the stairwell made me smile and feel that the school was home to individuals with good spirits. Turns out it didn't stop there.
Today, Panda emailed me a photo she'd taken with her phone. Panda found this while heading to class this afternoon and couldn't wait to share the image with me! Seems the Knitta crowd has a few recruits on campus.
Seeing her this past weekend, spending time listening to her stories of school, activities, and friends should've been proof enough that my girl is right where she needs to be. But seeing her photo this afternoon reminded me that she is surrounded by the right kind of "spirits" as well. There be knitters!
It's 10PM and I can no longer form a fluid thought! It's been non-stop the past few days and those of you that have chimed in are probably right about the combination of good times, weather, seasons, and general blah going on at the moment. Unfortunately, as much as a daily nap would be so very welcome...it's a luxury that I frankly don't have much time for!
However, I'm also a firm believer in taking time for rest. The alternative is to burn the candle at both ends until your body calls for a "time-out" and you get your rest in the form of being sick. What's the happy medium? Has anyone truly figured it out yet?
Speaking of sick...they are conducting an H1N1 vaccination program at my daughter's school next week. I have to admit, I'm not entirely sure whether or not she should be vaccinated. There are plenty of scare tactics on both sides of the issue and frankly, I've lost trust in anything that is suggested out of Washington/the government/or anyone who presumes to tell me that they know "exactly" what's good for me and my family. I have concerns for and against having her vaccinated...and it's not clear which side of the issue is stronger in my head/heart. Guess that will be the topic of reading this weekend.
In the meantime, speaking of sick, keep my friend Jon & his family in your thoughts and prayers on Thursday. He's having a lump removed and it's lymphoma. Their family has dealt with more than their share of cancer in the recent history and my hope is that the prognosis will be far better than imagined. They could all use a bit of peace.
Okay...heavy post...and it seems that there was something lighthearted that crossed my radar screen today. Oh, yeah, it was this...
...definitely one that will be on my movie list during Thanksgiving break! Maybe I'll be caught up by then!
It's late...I've been to a bridal shower...my second in the past two months (and missed a third). I LOVE that new married lives are sprouting up around me. It makes me quite happy to be a part of new lives as they begin their journey. The one thing they always get from me is that love CAN endure...as long as both parties have faith in it...my mate did not have faith in anything, much less faith in a family that loved him unconditionally...so he left and didn't look back...not even to be part of his children's lives.
But, I digress. (Thanks to a couple of glasses of wine and a fabulous dinner!)
Tonight's shower was for my employer's granddaughter. A beautiful young Chicago lawyer. We were each to bring a holiday item but, in true form, I didn't necessarily follow the plan.
The jade plant at the far right is what I gifted to her. You see, when I was hired, one of the items that was my charge was taking care of her grandmother's jade plant. Since she travels a lot she's not able to do it herself and it became one of my duties.
Of course, it's not just any jade plant...but the jade plant that her grandmother had given her when her youngest son was born nearly 50 years ago! Early on I took caring for the jade as a type of job security issue...and panicked when it dropped a few shoots. However, I took the shoots and started new plants.
So, tonight it was with great pleasure that I could present to the bride-to-be a jade tree for her new life, that was from not only her grandmother but also her great-great-grandmother. I know that "family" and being surrounded by and supported by family is as important to her as it is to me. It was very easy to give her the jade and know that she would appreciate having that bit of history and family connection for her own life. New lives need the full love and support of family...in one form or another!
Krafty1 at Etsy
