How I Love it....

Good Morning dear readers....it's been a bit of winter this week and I am loving it, the look of  little fairy lights twinkling as the snow falls. The first few bouts of snow, always so exhilarating especially this time of year as it sets the tone for the Holidays. The UPS man made a few deliveries yesterday, I've been a bit self indulging this year, treating myself to a few little things, patiently waiting for my new camera to arrive. It's not like me to treat myself, its been awhile since I have been in the festive mood. My experiences as an empty nester changes, evolves as the years go by, and does brings many different feelings this time of year. I find myself thinking of others, who are like me, living alone. Holidays are the hardest for us, I watch the Holiday TV shows, the Christmas commercials, all the family gatherings, the warmth of friends, the festive decorating, baking and cooking. I find myself thinking of my own family, dusting off the memories in my mind that have been tucked away. Thinking of my children and there bright eyed faces in Christmas past, baking holiday cookies, decorating the tree, and gifts staked under for Christmas morning. All faded now, distant memories...it's funny how fast time seems to go, yet at the same time there doesn't seem to be enough. This is the only time of year that seems to remind many of us, that we are alone. Making the best of it until it passes each year, it's all that any of us can do. I do miss the decorating inside and although I don't, I manage to take it outside and for me it's soothing. I also did a bit of blocking last night, finally finished the little hat with ear flaps for the new grand baby. Last night my daughter called me to tell me something I was not to know, until it arrived. Said she had baby Will's first photograph taken in the little Owl Sack and Hat I knitted in a soft gray. She was so excited. Said, mom the photographs of Will in the owl sack and hat are so adorable, I just couldn't keep the surprise, and that's not like me. Said she had ordered a special photograph for me. I can't wait to see and share it with you. It's the first time she has been excited about anything I have knitted. Then again this is the first year I've really dabbled and have delighted in knitting. I am learning so much about knitting I just can't seem to put the needles down. It's been a lot of trial and error but well worth it all, especially the finishing and blocking. How I just seem to love it all!

A Bit of What's Up....

A bit of what's up in my week so far.....

Hello all...how's your day? It's nearly Thanksgiving and I know a lot of you are running around not only shopping for Thanksgiving, but Christmas too. I have mixed feelings this time of year, although I delight in the Season, love the decor, I can't help but think of all those in need. So today I called the Fire Department to see what I could do, anything is better than nothing. I ended up speaking to an employee who's wife had left him this time last year. Within minutes we were talking about how bad this year has been for him. It's amazing how just picking up the phone to help and you meet someone who needs help themselves. I look at people that I pass this time of year and can't help but wonder if they are really okay. This is the time of year to help and offer hope to those who have lost it. Hope is the key, without it nothing matters, we all have to have hope to survive. Without hope, there are no dreams for tomorrow, and faith that things will change is gone. Hope is the thing that gives you wings to believe you can do anything, it tells a person that there is a tomorrow, it puts a light on dreams that have been put out. I know from my own experience of being homeless myself. You may look at these people and say, "oh come on, why aren't they helping themselves. A four little word HOPE when gone keeps a person frozen in time. When frozen by the a devastating situation, we tend to do nothing, we don't know where to go, or for that what to do, that is when hope is gone. There has to be a reason for life, there has to be dreams, people need to know they matter, and that's so important especially this time of year. It's partly why I blog...it's nice to know people visit, read, and by them helping me just by visiting, I hope in return I am helping someone myself.

For me it use to be tough during the Holidays, as I have mentioned I am a germaphobic and now an empty nester, it's not always roses living alone. It takes work to motivate and thank goodness being creative does that for me. Being a germaphobic the less people I can be around in the winter months with all the germs the better I am. My children understand this they call me on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and they chuckle now as they have grown, because they know I am okay. They know they can visit as long as everyone is healthy, they understand that's me. I am grateful that they do. We do get together, they come to my home, if they are ill they call and say they can't make it, but they call, and that's important to me.Just speaking to them means a lot to me. So on my Thanksgiving I will open a box of Stove Top Stuffing, cook a small chicken breast, cranberries, and enjoy my day. I do see the grand babies, of course if they are healthy, and I am grateful as they too understand grandma. We all have problems, no one is without there own issues in this life and that's okay. It's okay to have them, it's okay to talk about them, it's okay even if it makes you different. It's what we do with it... when we know of someones troubles.

There was a day when my son and I (last year) were leaving Walmart, a man was standing holding a sign, please help, my family needs to eat. My son immediately knew what I was going to do, so he stopped. There was a time when he questioned me, he said mom, "how do you know they are really in need?" I replied, " I don't, but this is a test of my humility, my faith, if I pass them by, it says, I don't care. If I stop and give what I can it says I believe, even thought it's a chance I am taking as it could be a scammer. It says, I believe in people and that's all that matters to me. I hope I am a part of the Hope that gives people less fortunate the wings to begin to fly, its part of who I have become through my own life lessons, and I am so very grateful and blessed by those trials in my life. The best feeling in the world is helping others and I wouldn't change that feeling for anything.

So I am currently blocking the blanket to the owl sweater, and have started another sweater working it my own way as I go. This time I am using sport weight yarn by Bernat, it's baby softee. Not a bad yarn and much better than Caron Simply Soft. My cat, Bella, entertains me on top of the chair I bought from Goodwill in the summer, by chasing her tail. If you remember I striped the chair down a bit, said I would leave it sit until it hits me as to how I wanted to finish it. I have ordered what I need and will transform it soon. I have so many blasted ideas rolling around in this gal's head for knitting, recycling and so much more it's hard to keep up. And I am thankful I do. I am going to try this winter to get more of them completed and post them. I am soon to be adding to my shop page, linen pillow covers with quotes, phrases. I will post when they are available. In the meantime....

Have a wonderful week, be safe as you make your way shopping. Blessings to all. Again thank you for visiting, it means a lot.

Knitted Sweater with A Bizarre Story

Well it seems as though winter is arriving and coming in harder than last year. Despite the fact that I think we are all in for a bizarre winter, knitting is on my agenda.

Which calls for sweaters, right! My baby owl sweater is still on the block, although I am pleased that it's finished, and indeed was fun and easy to knit, there are a few things I would change. First of all if the pattern calls for sport weight don't use worsted. I knew the darn thing call for sport weight yet my brain kept saying worsted. Needless to say, its more of a 3 to 6 month sweater instead of a newborn. I'm not thrilled with the neckline, but, the rest is fine. As with most things the first one is the one were I learn everything and make many mistakes. Happily in this one there is only one very small mistake. I used Carson Simply Soft and love the way it makes blankets, but, am not pleased with the way this yarn is with this particular pattern. I have used quality yarns and it truly does make a difference especially in stitch quality. Oh, and I love The Crochet Dude blocks...they are like puzzles can be made large or small depending on your blocking project. I purchased mine on EBay. They are so easy to store especially when you live in a small space.

I tried to zoom in a bit closer, actually this girl needs to treat herself to a really nice camera. Currently I've been working with a Kodak Easy Share Z712 1S it's done the job since purchased 5 years ago, but, I think it's time to treat myself after all I do love photography. Although one would never know by looking at my photographs..it's really not me it's the camera..yeah right, okay, who you  kidding. Indeed a quality camera does help. Oh and back to the zoom in part...I wanted to show you the little owl's on each side of the sweater. Again the quality of the yarn makes a huge difference. I'm going to make another which will go much quicker, of course, in a Sport Weight. Now for the story....

Bizarre and Very True

 I think my mind is still a bit off track, especially after this bizarre thing that happened to me which had me stunned and laughing at the same time.

Okay so in spring girl walks to food store, while crossing street after girl looks both ways, car quite a distance away decides to speed up nearly hitting girl. So girl knows the driver long story, involves care of handicap children, so girl decides to follow her for the last time and finally confront her. Let's just say don't try running this girl off road. So girl goes into Menard's to find dreaded woman to which girl does, needless to say words were minced, and 5'7" girl looking down at 5'3" her, finally settled the whole thing. Now girl is really running on adrenalin, so she decides to calm down by browsing around. In her purse was a bag with a diet Pepsi that spilled over and through a hole in bag all inside purse. So she ask cashier for a Menard's bag and was told, you can only have one, if you purchasing something. Okay brain derailed and girl said, you've got to be kidding. So girl decides to go to garden center just to browse around nature, is very calming. What to her wondering eyes should appear, a checkout counter and many Menard's bags appear. So she looks up at the camera in her adrenalin rush, a bird flies up, and she says, I"m taking a Menard's bag.

Well weeks later police show up at girl's door. Believe it or not with a warrant for theft of a Menard's bag. The officer finding it so funny, let's girl just sign warrant, and leaves. Sorry I am still LOL! Needless to say very true story...girl ends up in court. Now girl is well educated in law and knows plea bargaining is what the court counts on, it's how they make there money. Girl leaves the store, 3 employees corner her and ask, where did you get the Menard's Bag. Well of course the answer was inside in the garden department. They ask to view inside bag, girl opens bag, inside is another bag with the spilled pop to which she opens, along with wet wipes girl carries every where.  Finally, today was the pretrial before court trial with jury, and girl telling attorney listen no deals, no plea bargaining, it was a Menard's bag to which they clearly viewed inside. So girl request video footage of employees looking through bag in parking lot.
So video was viewed, showed employees with girl letting them search bag and purse, and  showing girl placing other bag with pop leaking, dripping and placing it inside the Menard's bag. That was my day, 4 hours of waiting in court today, talking to tons of people, more waiting, and hearing many stories. In the 4 hours girl was there, she was the last to be addressed, with the Judge apologizing for girls long wait saying you've been here quite awhile. Girl responds, yes, I should have packed lunch. Okay, right, whatever! Needless to say the obvious happened....girl gets told charges are dropped, go ahead, you can go, run home....enjoy your holiday. Girl walks out totally stunned by it all and laughing all the way home. And that's what our tax dollars pay for, a 2 cent Menard's bag taken from a store. Oh help please... as girl is still LOL! What has this world come too!