You are all very kind and generous with your compliments about my latest accomplishment. Thanks for taking your time to read and to comment. I appreciate it very, very much.

I have absolutely NOTHING knitting right now. I have a couple little things planned for some gifting, and got out a couple of balls of Sugar ‘n Cream for some dishcloths, but not a thing on the needles. Mostly I plan to ohmagahgetthequiltdone and to do some spinning for a while.

But now for something completely different...

pardon the old ladies hands...

Wonderful Guy picked for me a beautiful and special ring with which to ask me to marry him. It has Australian opal, which I had never really paid attention to before. He bought it up in Estes Park from a jeweler who rides a Bandit, just like ours...well...his!

This necklace is a gift to Eldest Daughter from a dear friend (dentist by trade, jeweler by avocation). I wore it when Wonderful Guy and I were married.

funny how I don't think of myself with grey hair...and yet...it is!

These are the matching ‘earbobs’. This opal isn’t the Australian opal, so not quite as deep in color, but still lovely, and the filigree setting of the necklace is great. Baby diamonds, too!

This necklace was a Christmas gift from Wonderful Guy. It is set in both gold and silver. I now zoom in on opal jewelry whenever the opportunity presents. It’s richness and warmth , along with all this significance, make it very special.

Well.

Opal just got WAY more special.

Seriously way more special.

Opal Marie, Grandbebe Girl Two. Yep, I'm gonna' have 2 of 'em (at least!). I just can't believe my good luck!

Ta-Dah!

Rarely have I been as glad to see something come to an end as this project, and just as rarely have I been as pleased with a project as I have been with the Moderne Log Cabin Blanket (Mason-Dixon Knitting).

It is ALOT of garter stitch, lemmetellya.

That's a double bed it is spread out on, for scale.

Which can be good. But it can also truly be the doldrums. But the beauty of this beast is that just about the time I was convinced I was going to have to put it away for a while (something I really do not do), the color would end! Time for another ball of yarn!

Ooh! New! Shiny! And all excited all over again I would get!

I did not follow the ladies plan exactly. Eh...what's new? I had reasonable intentions to at least follow their general drift, but lost track at about....block 3.

Yep. That far...

See that purple block? One ball of Moda Dea...four knots!

I cleaned my stash of six balls of Moda Dea Washable Wool at 166 yards per and seven balls of Paton's Classic Wool Merino at 223 yards per, and had to purchase 4 skeins of Cascade 220 at...220 yards per...to round it out. I found some of my first handspun perfect for the edging, bringing all the colors together. Or at least I think it works. And I am not doing it over.

Close up of the handspun edging...just cause I am all proud!

(The giftee won't be told any of it is washable! For her own good, don't you know.)

I toted the beast with me as car knitting in a shopping bag, convinced I would finish it before the bag fell apart, which I did. I believe Wonderful Guy had his misgivings about what I was doing. My travel projects have not had quite this girth. But last night, when I finished, and spread it out on the floor to make sure I had all the ends woven in, I had his attention.

This afternoon, when I was steaming the blanket, he remarked it looked 'really nice' and seemed almost to much too give away. I replied immediately, 'Nope!'

oooohhhhh....prettttty!

On this one, that was the whole intent and purpose and goal. And motivation to keep going to the end. The giftee? She is going to love it! Well. I hope she does, anyway.

Wonderful Guy also asked when I was going to give it to said giftee. I said I originally intended it for a Christmas gift, but may use it for the birthday this fall. He thought that was a long ways away!

Silly fellow...he doesn't understand the concept of handmade gifts. One must plan ahead to make it work!

Summary: Three months of fairly monagomous knitting. 4000+ yards of yarn. Some good stash busting. And the paint worn off the tips of a brand new pair of circs!

Newsflash...

...knitting knitting knitting...

...edging is done on two sides of the MLCB...

...so close...

...no more post until....

....knitting knitting knitting....

...I can post a picture of the FFO (finally! finished object)....

Snow Day!

Sent home from work after just a couple of hours this morning because of the weather. It is nasty out there, and continuing to snow and blow.

The thing about spring snows? It won't last. We will be in the fifties this weekend.

I am thinking there will be no lilacs this year, though. I was seeing buds this past weekend, and I am sure this 20 degree snap is 'nipping them in the bud'.

I missed them last year, and will miss them again this year. That's the thing about lilacs, though. The years that they do bloom, I appreciate so much for the years they don't.

Since this is sort of a 'filler' post, I will take the opportunity to answer a couple of questions that come up in the comments lately.

Lynne-Dearest Sister has her sources for patterns, and some are transfers. I don't know if theseswere. If you check out her place, you will find more information. I am woefully ignorant of such things. I have to let her be the expert of some areas!

Tish-There likely won't be a 'Mr. Needles' post, except in passing reference as to how wonderful he is to let me do whatever it is I feel like I need to. Such as getting an DSLR camera...

Susan-The robins here are not a harbinger of Spring. They winter here. Doesn't mean a thing!

Kathleen-I anxiously await your relocation back to the area, where you can enjoy the change of seasons, fiberloft, public libraries, and maybe we can meet in real life!

I wound hanks into 'yarn cakes' last night. I think I hear MLCB calling me for some knitting time. Maybe I can get that last skein wrapped up and start on the binding with one of those cutie-pie cakes today.

Who am I kidding....only if I want screaming tendonitis!

More Knitting History

A couple of posts ago, I talked about my mother teaching knitting in the backroom of the local five and dime in my hometown of Greensburg, and about being The Resource.

Wisest Sister commented on that post.

"FYI your mother gave knitting lessons at our home before I was born(Yes, even then!) She also sold yarn. The tatting edge that she added to a pillowcase was payment from a lady who did not want her Mr. to be able to criticize "wasteful" spending on lessons. Mom also knitted a skirt for herself...and later used that yarn for a jacket for me. (Yep, she "unknitted" her skirt so I could have something special. Love, WS"

Well, I didn’t know that! Imagine. I knew that Momma was very keen on the early version of ‘reduce, recycle, reuse’, which was ‘use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without’, but she thrifted yarn?

My mother, again, goes before us! What we think is new…

So I remarked to Wisest Sister…tell me more. I say to her,

"I have a little knitted outfit in my hope chest, a skirt and vest of tweedy looking yarn, grey and cream and black. I wore it in kindergarten. The story I remember is that it was worn by the ‘Big Girls’ before me. And Eldest Daughter wore it when she was a wee tyke."

Well, apparently…

"The knitted outfit is the one that was Mom's skirt! My memory misfired that it was something else, but your memory helps me. (That’s what sisters do!)"

And here it is…

A skirt and vest, all grey/black/cream tweedy...and wool...scratchy on a five year old's skin!


Buttons up the front...with reinforced buttonholes...ten of them!

Ribbing around the bottom of the vest...

Slits about one inch deep for 'belt loops' for the ribbon belt...all the way around.

Is that not just something?

There is some discoloration, and some moth holes. The FO has to be sixty years old, the yarn older. (I feel certain that the moth damage is from long ago, and that in the hope chest and in the dry Colorado climate it is safe from further damage.)

We may not be EZ and Meg Swanson, but we sisters, well...we have our own family history of knitting.

And I'm thinking it's a strong one, just like us...

TeaPots on TeaTowels

While visiting my step-MIL last summer, and helping with the dish drying, we talked about her preference for cotton dishtowels. Sure, she said, they soak up and get wet, but she liked them!

I noted and filed this information away.

My MIL is a very creative woman. Her home is decorated just lovely, in a comfortable and usable way, with antiques and collectibles. Some she has found. Many are family heirlooms. She paints. Not walls, mind you, but watercolors, and she is very good. Well, I think she is. However, I don’t know that I am any judge of that sort of thing.

Get the idea. Hard woman to find a special gift for. But tea towels? White cotton tea towels?? Well, I have a source for those, and her name is Dearest Sister.

I imposed upon Dearest Sister, begged, cajoled, and promised the moon, actually. “Please oh please, won’t you embroider me some towels to give to my step mom-in-law, to impress her so she will like me the most?”

We chose a teapot with flowers (go figure!) motif together, and decided to delete the ‘days of the week’…if I remember correctly.

Look at the finished project!

Is she not the most talented? Here are some close-ups...

Pink pinks...

White lilies of the valley...

Violet violets...

The teapotted teatowels are on their way to Kansas with a handmade card, wishing my step mother-in-law, and Wonderful Guy’s dad a happy anniversary.

Thanks, Dearest Sister...you're the best!

Lessons (Second Part)

It’s been about a year and a half since I joined the knitting community of Ravelry. And in that year and a half, I have learned me some good stuff!

And I am going to share some of it.

I had decent computer skills before, but Ravelry took my mad internet skilz to a new level. I learned about a Flickr account, and putting/pulling photos in and from there. The world of blogs, all different kinds, just not knitterly type, really opened up for me, and I got the idea maybe I could do something like that. (Sorry that has been inflicted upon all of you!)

While I have been knitting off and on for many, many years, with Ravelry, my access to resources for patterns, techniques, yarns, and ideas is limited only by my time. My mother taught knitting in my small hometown, in the back room of the ‘five and dime’. I am pretty sure (but am confident that the sisters will correct me if I am mistaken) that the only yarn sold there was of the acrylic variety. I definitely remember her talking about the wonders of Wintuk. (Oooh, Wintuk...washable! Dryable! Pillable...) In the early 60’s, my mother was pretty much the local knitting sage. Now she was pretty good, and she knew a lot, but out there in western Kansas, with her as The Resource, the resources were limited.

Not so for me!

Fearlessly, I have taken on numerous new techniques, including lace, socks, magic loop, and spinning. Learning! I love it!! Techniques? Some more than others…

And knitting/spinning down my stash… yep, there’s that aspect, too.

Ravelry is full of real people, learning new stuff all the time, just like me. We post photos of the stuff we make, real pix of real FO’s, not photoshopped photos knit by professionals on gorgeous, skinny models. My photoediting skills were barely adequate before, but now! Somewhat more than barely adequate! I have found I can have fun with them, though, and have a hunger for a new, shiny SLR camera. (Yoo Hoo, Wonderful Guy…are you reading….)

I have learned that the internet is a wild and wide open place, and when one puts an opinion or idea out there, one better be prepared for whatever comes back from it. The printed word comes without gestures or intonations, and it can, and it will be, read and responded to in diverse ways. Argh! There be program work there. Putting myself out there, being comfortable in my own skin, speaking my own truth…no matter what. Yikes!

Progress, not perfection, is more likely to be achieved. I can write a post in Word, spell check, preview, copy, proof, preview, spell check, and post. Then come back the next day, and find errors. Or knit a dress for a grandbebe girl, with a too small neck opening…or post a photo from Dearest Sister’s Blog, without even thinking about asking.

I have made connections to people through Ravelry and through the my little bloggery effort I would have made in no other way. And it totally mystifies, strangely intrigues, and even bewilders my family. Actually it may freak them out just a little. I like it! At least for now…I haven’t had weird stalker type commenters or hateful spammer stuff yet!

So here’s to broadening horizons.

Cheers. And thanks for reading.

F is for...

...foliage.

Last year, when I chanced to take some shots of a couple of trees in the front yards of our home, and that of a neighbors.


Early spring, on a walk with Best Dog Ever, who was all 'what is she doing, and why aren't we GOING!'

Just a bit later in the spring, another walk with Best Dog Ever, who was thinking, 'again with the waiting and not with the walking?'

Fall, and another walk with Best Dog Ever, and maybe now I understand why I am third on her best loved list...

Fall, before work.


Winter. After a snow, Wonderful Guy emails that the neighbor's tree has about a dozen robins in it. I clamor for him to grab a shot of it, and since he loves me...

A foliage of robins!

PS Thanks for the great ideas for the podcast listening. I gather that they are easily collectible!

Lessons (First Part)

Dearest Sister goes on about how she followed me in a ‘baggy pants kind of way’.

This weekend I asked her to tutor me about podcasts. After her lesson, I had to find my own way, though, not using an iPod, or iTunes. I had a bad experience with iTunes flaking out my Vista registry on my previous, and now dead, computer, so I use a different player on the new nifty neato laptop. The Windows/Mac folk probably have it fixed now, but Windows player works just fine and dandy, and twice burned is learned for me...at least in this case. Dearest Sister has a sweet iPod her Mister gifted her that she uses.

Anyway.

The world of podcasts is now opened up to me. I can hear the voices, finally, of the words I read. I am excited!
Any suggestions for some must-hears?

In other news. I have nearly two dozen eggs knitted, and will be almost out of tail ends of dishclothe cotton yarn when the last two eggs are complete. I am a bit concerned, though. Grandbebe Girl came by today, and walked right by my proud display with nary a glance.


Hmmmm.

P.S. Kathleen? They are filled with fiber loft, not m&m's!

Also, a photo of the bow-tie neck knot thingie (by Katherine Burgess) I completed a bit ago. Not a bit deal, except for the fact that I chose to knit it out of yesterday's mentioned handspun. As I was knitting, I was seeing how it would look great as the edging for the MLCB...possibly.

See. That's the thing with me. I see dyed roving, and have absolutely no idea what sort of yarn it will turn out to look like, or how yarn will look knitted up. It's just so hit and miss. I swear. If I buy some yarn, with a pattern in mind, and it comes together, it's a miracle.

Needing A Break

…from the ongoing never-ending projects. Actually, good progress is being made on both quilting and garter stitch fronts, but still. A change-up is a good thing.

And the promise of another alpaca fleece has given impetus to get the fleece from last May completely spun.

And Dearest Sister has mentioned her one pair of handknit socks, which she didn’t think she would like, is wearing thin, and she will be needing another pair. I think she needs some alpaca socks.

And it feels good.
I like to spin.

I have started the last color on the MLCB. There are two skeins to be knitted, then the edge, which I am planning on using some of my first handspun.

It might just bring out the variety of colors wonderfully. Or horribly. In which case, the bridge will be crossed then.

The GBII quilt is approaching half done. I am always amazed at how a quilt starts looking so...quiltish when one gets some...quilting on it.

In other news, Middle Daughter called today from the Docs. Held her phone up to the machine thingey, and guess what? I heard the Grand-Bean's heartbeat. How about that?!

Her View of It

Get thee quickly over there for more of BFF!

(Dearest Sister's view of All Tish Tuesday in which she shows off her mad math skilz.)

Nothing But Tish Tuesday

In kindergarten, in the month of May, I think, a new girl moved to town. I think she sat at my table in the afternoon kindergarten class.

What I know is… My birthday was in May and so was hers.

We became BFFs.

Serious BFFs.

We were in the same class in Mrs. Sterling’s first grade, and Mrs. Scroggins’ second grade, who, incidentally, were sisters.

That's me in the middle, and BFF, to the left, with Dearest Sister to right.

We were both skinny little girls, me blond, she brunette.

Our mothers attended the same church where we were in the same Sunday School class, much to the dismay of our teachers. We were sometimes out of control. We also attended Vacation Bible School at this church (and no other, unlike some kids who roamed the different VBSs…shock horror!) in the summer; the highlight for me was always the refreshment time of Kool-Aid and homemade cookies!

During church we begged to be allowed to sit together during service. Rarely did this happen. Our mothers were wise…or tired of putting up with our…silliness. The begging began again after church to be able to spend the afternoon together.

Since my mother took my sister and I out to my great aunt’s for Sunday dinner, and it generally wasn’t a big deal for there to be one more, BFF often would come with us. Great Aunt Ruth lived in the family homestead, a huge four story Victorian farmhouse built at the turn of the last century, which we generally had run of. There are lots of stories there…

More often than not, we spent one night over at each other’s house on the weekends. We were together all summer long, when there weren’t 4-H projects to be worked on. By me. When everyone was having fun…at the best swimming pool EVER!

The powers that be separated us in third grade, which was pretty darn devastating, then her family moved in fourth grade. Not moving out of state, and with several of her relatives in town, we still had some opportunities to see each other. About the time her family returned, my mother decided we needed to leave the small hometown for the big city.

Look at us, all matchy matchy!

We did not ever move back, but BFF came to the big city for a week at a time some summers. Where there was more swimming. Always there was swimming....

And then there were the summers Dearest Sister and I went to spend in Greensburg, ostensibly with Great Aunt, but we spent nearly all our time with BFF. Now. There are some stories… which won’t be shared at this time…(remember, I moderate comments, Dearest Sister and Tish!)…or maybe ever. Some of them have to do with the swimming pool...

We grew up, and touched base occasionally, but as it often plays out, life, spouses, kids, schedules…blah blah blah…but whenever we were in the neighborhood, or she happened to be close to where we were, calls were made.

BFF and me, serendipitous donut meeting, with...different...hair....

One morning, Wonderful Guy and I headed up to Rocky Mountain for some hiking. Deciding I needed to be introduced to the local donut place, we stopped and grabbed a couple. Back in the car, and settling in to eat my goodies, Wonderful Guy said, ‘that woman thinks she knows you.’ I looked up to see knocking at my window my BFF. They were driving through Estes, and had just stopped at the donut place, too. Freaky!


Hmmm...Dearest Sister and I are still sort of matchy matchy...which is...fun...but a little perturbing...

She stills lives in our hometown, with those who have stayed to rebuild after the tornado that took just about everything except the swimming pool, the Big Well, and our memories of what it was like growing up there.

I remember her birthday every year to this day.

BFF says she always thought of Dearest Sister and me as sisters. And still does.

And we might as well be.

Dibs!

A friend recently invested in a herd of alpacas. She brought home about 8 pregnant females and two little girl alpacas. Today, Wonderful Guy and I went out to meet them.

I am in love.

These girls are just the best.

Look at Friend's Daughter with one of the little girls.

I think this one is telling Wonderful Guy that the time change has just wreaked havoc on their schedule.

Friend and Friend's Daughter with the little girl whose rose grey baby fleece I HAVE DIBS ON!

Let me repeat. Baby alpaca. Rose grey.

I think they love me, too.

La la la la....I can't hear you!

Visitors usually bring goodies. It the tradition around here.

What am I, chopped liver?

Said farm also has a goat, a couple of icelandics, some regular type sheep, and some egg laying chickens. Today only the alpacas were getting any attention.

Saturday Saturday

What a glorious day. I think it made it into the 60's, and was clear and sunny. Around here, that reads warmer.

Wonderful Guy and I helped the Bebe Daddy lay some wood flooring in a home renovation project they have going, being the experts that we are. Levels of expertise are relative, especially among those we are related to. The task was rather straight forward, and only took a part of the day.

Which allowed for a motorbike ride. It was a bit chilly, but really nice to get out. And when we returned, I couldn't help myself. I started poking around in the yard.

Agh! Only the middle of March, and there is still snow melting on my north facing patio. But I couldn't help myself. I had to just peak and see in a few places. Starting this early spells DOOM for me. It will be like crack. I will be out there poking around and uncovering and looking and peaking....

Way too early to even be thinking about green stuff. And what's worse? We are going to have great weather this week.

I am lost.

Success!

Yesterday, Eldest Daughter calls, all squealy and excited. 'Mom! My tulips, they are poking up through the mulch!', she cried. These are the tulips we planted last fall on my trip to Philly to see her new digs.

What prompted her to check on afore-mentioned tulips was a call from her younger sister, bespeaking of her own tulips, showing foliage.

I have raised Gardeners!

I am so proud.

Now...for something completely different...I feel the need to address some of yesterday's comments.

Lynne-sometimes newly planted rhizomes need re-seating. That freeze-thaw cycle may heave them out. Keep the good thoughts. Not all make it all the time.

Wunx~-the kittie girls have only been interested in the ends before they are woven in. They are such old lady kitties.

And to my wonderful, supportive sisters...about my filling all my baskets...blah blah blah! You're just jealous.

E is for...

...Easter Eggs!

Knittie eggs (by Curly Purly) using all the bits and ends of my leftover dishclothe cotton yarn. Knit in the round, my only variation is to use magic loop instead of dpns, and size 7's instead of size 8's.

After I finally read the directions correctly (my problem, not the authors!), I have this pattern down to about 40 minutes per egg.

Instant gratification, indeed.

Egg-actly (har har har) what I need with two never-ending projects such as the MLCB and the GBII quilt going on and on and on and on. And on.

Like the Eeenergizer Eeester Bunny?

My plan? Well...initially...to knit one dozen for Grandbebe Girl for Easter. I am 92% there.

But I have more tail ends of yarn to go, and the eggs, they look so fun.

And I have a few...just a few...more baskets that I can fill with them.

So why not?

Early Childhood Adventures

Of late, Dearest Sister has asked the rhetorical question 'What were they thinking?'!


She is referring a photo of me as a child, less protected from the cold than I might be, and then makes a broad assumption that it might have led to my current 'obsession with woolen hand knits'.


Obsession? I think not!


I know obsession, and this is not it. I manage very well to keep my compulsions well balanced, thank you very much!


However. I do think that I see the reason I have been chilled much of my life.



Again, we see the devotion of elder siblings, in this case Deeply Missed Sister, taking time out of her busy social schedule to teach her baby sis self defense.

While wearing Daddy's boots.

But no coat.

Or long pants.

With snow on the ground.

Hmmm.

What were they thinking?

Babblative

babblative

\'ba-bl-tiv\ adj : pointlessly or annoyingly talkative : garrulous

At the risk of being...here's your post for the day...or for the last couple of days, as it were.

I am going to hae to go to Barnes and Noble today. Precious Niece has given her mother and myself the heads up, with the warning to 'not get any ideas' (silly girl!), about the latest issue of 'Quilter's Home' magazine. Apparently there is, within it's covers, an "exploration of adult themes in quilting". And this so hot that the publisher has gone to the trouble to wrap them in plastic before distributing them. JoAnns, that bastion of uprightness and morality, has opted not to carry this issue. I am not castigating JoAnn's here, folks, just reporting the news. I have three coupons for there (2-50% & 1-40% off!) even as I type this. According to the article, the magazine's other cover lines: "5 Popular Appliqué Glues Put to the Test," "Read This Before Buying That Longarm." Hmmm...I am not sure any of this is of use to me. Perhaps I should just take my coupons and go to JoAnns. And buy a quilt book!

Grandmama...quit stalking me!

I had lunch with Grandbebe Girl (and Bebe Momma and Wonderful Guy, too) yesterday. I am teaching her how to say 'girls rule'. Because we do.

'I wanted to wear the handknit sweater, but she made me wear this broncos sweatshirt...'

I finally made an appointment for a regular yearly check-up with the regular doc for this next week. I need prescriptions refilled and have managed to eke out the past year and a half without a visit. So now I will go in for the requisite yearly (or in my case, 2 and and half yearly)bloodwork for cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. I don't anticipate problems and it is so easy to put off. So I did. And now...this morning I awaken with a UTI. Jeesh. How does it always seem to happen like that?

Just about the time I am getting sick and tired of the MLCB, it's time to change colors. All new again! Shiny yarn! I have four skeins left. Then the binding, which, as of now, and this has changed about 437 times, I believe I will use some of my handspun. I am getting so close to the end I can taste it. Until I remember is takes about a week per skein of pretty good consistent knitting. That's four more weeks minimum! I may yet bag the handspun idea (even though it would be an excellent use for this early effort) and use one of the remaining skeins, thereby shortening the effort all around.

Because, remember, I am also quilting. (But only in a good way!) I calculate I am 0.375% complete. Exactly. Okay, I am joking. Best guess, about 1/3 maybe? I would hope more, but closer to a half is probably too generous. Somewhere in between.

So that pretty much defines blabbative, now, doesn't it?

knit knit knit....

stitch stitch stitch....

knit knit knit....on the never-ending blanket.

stitch stitch stitch...on the GBII quilt.

All it seems I have been doing.

Well, there's the third day in a row of 70 plus degree weather. Makin' me feel like spring.

But I know it's just a tease. That's the way March is.

stitch stitch stitch...

I offer this in the absence of a more meaty post.

Dearest Sister's post from yesterday. (or maybe the day before...)

knit knit knit....

What I remember

...about Deeply Missed Sister

1. Her hands. Her hands, and long, graceful fingers were so distinguishable. For me, it was the only recognizable part of her in the casket.

2. As a mother. She was a wonderful and devoted mother to her boys, just loving and caring for them in a way I admired so much. She would be so tickled with her grandsons, and revel in that role.

3. Her photography! She took lots of mediocre snapshots with her Kodak Instamatic (or it may have been a 110). But she was the one in the family that took a lot of photos and got them developed. And she organized them! And now, we have her albums, with names and dates on the backs of the photos.

4. As an aunt, she loved her nieces. She adored her nieces. She could just eat them up. And I know she would be proud of them all today.

5. Her faith. She had a Christian faith that ran deep and strong, and raised her boys to have the same.

6. Glamorous. In fact, she got all the family’s glamour…sucked it out of all us, I am pretty sure! She was the cheerleader, the homecoming queen, TWA stewardess (with Wisest Sister). She lived and vacationed in famous places, and did fancy things, and always looked just spiffy. When the family would get together re-unionizing, the rest of us would be in jeans, and tees or sweats, with jogging shoes…and she would have on a belt and a tucked in shirt, with her hair styled.


7. Aerobics, and how she just determined that was what I needed to do after my first baby was born. Paid my way to the first clinic, and walked me through what I needed to start teaching classes way back when. Such a boon for me and I don’t think I ever let her know how much I appreciated it.
8. Trendy craftiness. She knit with broomstick size knitting needles, for example.

9. The sound of her voice and her laugh, and how that changed when she went on oxygen.

10. Her grief at the loss of her son. She taught us so much.


11. Her illness, and how our definitions and references and understandings about life, and health, and living, and death changed. Figuring out that others don’t know and likely won’t understand unless they have had the experience. Seeing that each deal with it on their own level.

12. Saying that when she goes, many of the things she holds valuable will suddenly become worthless, and the things she thinks nothing of, will suddenly become valuable to us. I held onto a moving box with her handwriting for years. Just because it had her handwriting on it.

13. Her death as a wakeup call, for looking at how I was living, if I had only 10 more good and healthy years left.

P.S. Found the crocus blooming in my yard this afternoon.