Spartan Socks

For Christmas I decided to give each of the "children" (except for Florida Boy, as he would seem to have no need for wooly socks) a pair of my "lovingly" hand knit socks. For child 4, I chose MSU Spartan green and white, as she and friends have alumni football tickets--and wooly socks seemed like a great idea for tailgating--and displaying your loyal team colors. (As an aside, I am not sure it is at all about the football, as much as it is about the excuse to party and hang with one's college friends). These were the first "ringel" socks that I did, and I am quite pleased with the outcome. Child 4 was appropriately appreciative of the socks (unlike the appreciation for the aprons I lovingly created with my sewing machine, but that is fodder for another day's blog). The Regia sock yarn is thin, but nice. Was fun to knit. Hope it helps keep her footsies warm, and can't hurt the Spartans to show more spirit!

Working Socks

As you can see, I have spent lots of time snuggled under an afghan, knitting away. I like the yarn. Very soft, with a good "hand". I not sure I am crazy about the orange in combination with the pinks, but then, I am not a fan of orange. The pattern is easy to follow. Originally written in 1902--sort of fun to read about the history as I knit along.
Will be doing a Dutch heel-- will let you know how that goes! Anticipate that it will be turned by new years! One pair of socks into the first week of the new year! Who needs therapy when they have socks to knit! And now, I have more patterns to choose from! Haven't missed work one bit!

Comfort and Joy

The holiday has been fantastic, except for the dreaded virus that is hanging on and on and on. S. (who was also supposed to be off all this time) ended up having to work (long story) and fly to Tennessee, where he seems to have picked up a variation of the virus that I have been battling--so we are great fun here sniffling, coughing, and snoozing! S. is not working this week, but he is too sick to do anything worthwhile.

The gifts were wonderful, dinner good, and enjoyed the visits. Child 1 got me a new sock knitting book, and some yarn--appreciated by both Mr. Cat and myself. Dove right in Xmas day to start the "working socks" on two circular no. 1 needles. Will keep you up to date on our progress. Also got a new hair dryer (based on Child 3's last use of mine) and I must admit that it does dry things PDQ! S. came through with some bling--nice. S. got an I-pod from the kids. Haven't seen him since--he has been trying to figure it out! So far, he seems pleased with his progress.

Stay tuned. Plan fun knitting socks!

Disappointment at the mall

Today, in the holiday spirit, after visiting my specialist for my lingering viral illness--(two more weeks he says)--I met child 1 at the mega-mall. We wandered, lunched, chatted, mingled with the shoppers, and hit all the usual spots--and I saw nothing--ABSOLUTELY NOTHING--that I wanted, needed, or was remotely interested in buying for myself or anyone else.

I don't think it is related to the illness. The stores had lots of stock (except of course the one thing that child 1 was looking for) and there were lots of sales. It was just that I already have it, don't want it, have no need for it, or am not interested in it. Maybe it is the crass commercialism of the holiday--maybe it is that I have lived long enough to acquire anything that I need or really want---maybe I am not the "market" that is a target anymore. Regardless, it was a revelation.

We did an electronics store, then another mall--same result. Poked, looked, read, and browsed. Bought nothing. Desired nothing.

Don't depend on me to bolster your sagging sales oh merchants. You don't have anything that I want--at least not anything that I am willing to give up cash for. Maybe next season???????

Holiday "Cheer"

Auntie L lives in "assisted living"--a very good and necessary thing for her at 95. They had a Christmas Party to which each resident could invite 4 family members. Unfortunately for L. I am pretty much it, so I make the effort for her to be a family of "4". It is a Thursday night at 5:30, and it is pretty obvious to me that the people who run this place (with which I am extremely happy) figured out that fewer "family" will show to gobble up the goodies on a Thursday night, when most people in our geographic region are fighting rush hour traffic!(and are therefore not really available!)

There is a harpist (very nice touch) , so many decorated trees that I lost count, smiling staff in glitzy red, gold and/or silver holiday finery, a high school girls choir, appetizers, punch, a buffet, twinkling lights, yummy cookies, and to finish it all off, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The residents seemed to be enjoying all the commotion--as much as elderly residents enjoy anything.

We were seated near the harp--nice, with a "family of four"--another 95 year old lady who is amazing like my departed mother in law (both in look and attitude), her son, son's wife, and grandson who, at about 17, made it obvious that this is the last thing on earth that he wished to do. In assisted living, most people are hard of hearing, so in addition to the harp and the distant singing, there was a lot of conversational shouting. Except for the shouting, the entire event reminded me of the Christmas parties my dad always took me to at his Lodge when I was a kid...at least the punch wasn't bad.

Auntie L enjoyed the ham, and loved the fancy cookies. But the best part of the evening as our visit to Santa... We had to wait in line (just like we did when I was a little girl at the Hudson's downtown, holding her hand) and when it was her turn, she giggled,and really a got a kick out of Santa asking if she had been a good girl! She and Santa posed for a picture (again back to my youth at Hudson's) and we left with her candy cane, reindeer cup, and a tiny teddy bear---with me holding my Polaroid. It was a poignant reminder of the cycle of life. I will go again next year if I have the opportunity--because she enjoyed it, and there is so little joy left when you are 95!

I left the picture of L. and Santa next the picture of L. and Uncle M.on a cruise. Maybe my offering to him that I am taking good care of her... maybe because the picture did not capture the depth of the moment. I prefer to keep my mental picture of the giggles and joy---it doesn't really show in the picture, or much in the person anymore, but it is the Auntie L. that I remember from my youth.

Auntie L of the slippery pants!

I inherited my Aunt L. As the story goes, my grandmother had a difficult pregnancy with the youngest of the sisters...and my mother, who was 5 at the time, and the responsible type, was assigned the task of "taking care of L." by her father. This pattern continued for the rest of their lives. Even when my Aunt L. Married Uncle M. who "took care of her" to the tenth degree, my mother was always there--still taking care of whatever what left over. When Uncle M. died, there was a rapid return to the 5 year old T. and the 2 1/2 year old L. pattern that lasted until T could no longer take care of herself, let alone L.

So, that is how I inherited L. She is a sweetie, but don't cross her. She is also related to my mother and her sisters, who all had a "stubborn streak". L. is a wheel chair user--but she still makes up her mind about something, and just won't let it go.....which brings us to the slippery pants.

Polyester double knit is the fabric of choice--it is durable, stretchable, somewhat warm, easy to care for, and can be obtained in elastic waist pull up versions (easier) with pockets (essential), in petite sizes. L. has a bunch of them.

L. also has a wheelchair upholstered with a durable, cleanable, and somewhat slippery fabric. She had a "grippy" mat in the seat, but like so many things, I have no idea where she has placed that. Without the mat, she slides right out if she leans forward--like to fiddle with the Christmas tree lights. The tree is on a timer, and I had specifically asked her what time it should go off, but apparently she did not really mean what she said. The times and place of the slipping out tells me that she was trying to unplug or plug in the tree.

I kept getting the calls about L. falling out of her chair. I want to suggest seat belts to the staff...she won't give up the slippery pants! (or the futzing with the tree lights) I do ask them to tell her she cannot continue to fall out of the chair--or she will have to go to the dreaded nursing home again if she hurts herself---mean, but gets her attention.

When I dropped by yesterday, obviously the staff was tired of picking her up and having to call me, and she was plopped atop the fluffy bath mat (which they insisted that she have for safety, but she refuses to use as a bathmat), with its grippy side gripping the chair---probably more comfy anyway!

They haven't called today.

"Central Office"

Had to get salt for the water softener today...and regardless of ones personal or political stand, Wal Mart is the cheapest place to buy it. I am all about cheap, so if you have some big philosophical opinion about the ruination of the country by the Wal-mart folks, keep it to yourself....I am trying to fund my retirement, so need to keep all the pennies I can.

The salt comes in heavy 40 lb. bags. They used to be stacked up by the exit door, and the nice little man would heft them into my cart, leaving only a short distance to move the incredibly heavy cart to my car.

Some genius (according to the check out girl who did not look terribly taken advantage of by the evil empire) came into the store from corporate, and deemed that the water softener salt should be as far away as possible from the exit. This proves to me that 1) this person is a guy, probably young and 2) this person has city water.

In the good old days, when the salt was by the door, I would gleefully wander the Wal-mart filling my cart with abandon. I had lots of room for essentials and impulse purchases! After I checked out, the little man would stack them on the top of the cart, making it somewhat easier to shift them into my car.

Today, I had to put the things in to the cart--trying not to do serious harm to my back or create a hernia. Once the four bags were in the cart, there was no room for anything else, severely limiting the amount that I could spend on this trip to the wonderful world of Wal-mart. I had to push the very heavy cart all the way through the store--not a pleasant experience for a "mature" female. Then I still had several football fields to go to get to the car...where I had to actually lift the blinkin bags, instead of slide then into my SUV hatch.

So, corporate genius boy...I will hence forth be buying the softener salt at the next door home improvement store. It may cost a few cents more, but it is near the door! So, you young, male, city water drinking idiot, you have reduced the revenue, not increased it by your goofy marketing degree logic. Ask your mother... She will tell you that in your Wal-mart you do not want to clutter my cart up with large and heavy essentials if you wish to entice me to shop till I drop. If I was looking for a work out, I would go to the Y!