Retired Knitter's Corner of the World

Boy, when you don't blog daily, stuff backs up.  Hard to know if any of this stuff is of interest ... but no matter.  Here is an update from my corner of the world ...

The Year of House Improvements
After years of putting off, and putting off, and putting off  - we have finally decided to do more than just clean the house!  It started in the spring with trimming the yard and mulching.  Mulch makes everything look better.  And then a new front storm door was installed today.  Coming up we are replacing 3 bathroom floors and some window screens.  Let's not forget the defective bathroom mirror upstairs that has to go, and the light over the kitchen sink that was cheap and ugly (and new) when we moved in 28 years ago - and has not improved with age.  Finally the aluminum siding is DIRTY and GREEN (neither color is light gray the siding was born to be) so a pressure wash is in our future.  Who knows, if I get on a roll this year I might do some of next year's things - interior house painting, 28 year old carpeting that needs to go, kitchen cabinets that have out lived their usefulness.  We put so much stuff off for so long that we are now facing change after change after change.

This year I added some color to my simple uncluttered external environments.  I have bushes, trees, mulch and some brick.  That is it!  Simple, uncluttered, easy to maintain.  But I love nurseries.  I love picking out plants, putting them in pots, watering and fertilizing them, pinching off the spent blossoms, talking to them over the morning coffee - I haven't done this for awhile but it lifts my spirits.  After my frustrating Mother's Day ... I needed a little spirit lifting.  But I do feel sorry for these small gentle blossoms because they were adopted by the killer of green things ... just saying.

The Mother's Day that wasn't ...

Mother's Day was an "up and down" event for me. It was Sunday so that meant church with mom, which was an "up" because it is so important to her.  And lunch with her at Assisted Living was an "up" - the food there is great.  But her allergies were making her miserable - a "down," and I discovered her allergy meds were discontinued at some point in the worst allergy season in years - a "great big down" for both of us, and her legs seemed to freeze up at times making her very unsteady - another "down" that worried me quite a bit.  Then there was the sour "icing on the cake" -  I discovered that a beautiful hand woven wool shawl (shown in the picture) I made for her a few years ago had been accidentally machine washed and dried by the staff.  It was now a napkin!  You can't machine wash and machine dry wool.  Big fat "no no" unless you want a felted napkin.  Mom loved that shawl when I gave it to her and she enjoyed it mostly during the winter months when she would get cold.  She doesn't know it is gone.  Reduced mental functioning has saved her from this disappointment.  I was, however, upset enough for both of us. By the time I got home my kids were on to other commitments - that was OK - I was focused on getting some of mom's medical issues corrected.  And I had the company of my kids earlier in the weekend.

My daughter ordered me a FitBit Pedometer for Mother's Day which will come in June and I am totally excited about it.  And my son and daughter-in-law made a lasagna for our Sunday dinner before they left for the evening.  That was totally yummy and I didn't have to cook. Big thumbs up on that!!

I guess the ups and downs finally balanced out this Mother's Day.

My Crafing Life ...
I treated myself to a new set of Interchangeable knitting needles by Knitter's Pride - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these needles.  Go out and buy them.  Buy them even if you don't knit.  :-)  I started a new shawl for mom right away using these needles, and I love the feel of them.  I am using the same yarn as the woven shawl for mom's new shawl - except I added a strand of purple yarn to boost the color.  I am pleased with the product so far. But the knitting list has got to stop growing.  Here is my 2013 list:

• Mom's shawl - 10% done
• My Autumnal Cardigan: - 40% done
• My daughter Leaf Lace Shawl - 0% done - but working on the guage swatch 
• My cousins' Faery Ring Jacket - 0%
• My son's Dr. Zoidberg hood and mittens - 0% done

My Walking World ...
Walking is going ok - in a not-so-ok sort of way!!  :-)

Ok ... in that I am not giving up, and I am walking at least a few days a week, and I am getting my step counts up, and I feel better now than that day several weeks ago when I went for the first walk and felt like death!

Not-so-ok ... in that I am not yet walking 5 times a week and I don't reach 10,000 steps every single day.  But I hit 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day most days.  That is better than the 4,000 to 5,000 I was doing.

So this post is the iceberg of my life - the pieces that are showing.

Hope your corner of the world is treating you well.

Making Room

The constant internal theme of my life seems to be "Make Room."  It has almost become a mantra.

Clear those counters.

Pick up those items.

Give away stuff.

Pitch that clutter.

Step down from leadership.

The last example is the newest in the ever expanding theme.  

When do you feel that your stuff and your life's activities

 comfortably equals the space and the time given to you? 

Over the last few years I have focused on the obvious!  Make my environment less cluttered.  As I look around my kitchen I have a long way to go.  It is hard to wrap my mind around what life would be like right now if I held on to everything I discarded over the last 4 years.  Flashes of The Hoarders - a TV show about folks who can't let go of anything - pops into my mind.  The "de-clutter bug" is starting to eat away at me again.  I can feel another purge coming on soon.

Today I am focusing on the less obvious.

Time and guilt.  

Today I will be telling my Knitting Group that I am stepping down as their coordinator and handing over that role to another member.  This group holds a special place in my heart.  They are fun, interesting, non-judgemental, supportive, creative (big time creative) and welcoming.  They supported me through my most difficult days in caring for my mom.  My hope is that today ... after I tell them this news, they will be happy for me.

This change will allow me the flexibility to "drop in" as a fellow participant rather than be the linch pin that connects everyone.  I've missed too many meetings this spring - time continues to be a commodity  in short supply.  I need to make room in my life to participate in this wonderful group - without the guilt that comes when I miss meetings.

They are wonderful people.  They will understand!

Fingers crossed!

Visiting on the Farmhouse Porch

Oh . my . God!

  Is it Tuesday again?

  Wasn't it Tuesday just yesterday?

(gets up and checks the paper calendar on the wall)

Ok, guess not!

Time once again to visit on the farmhouse porch - the porch of Everyday Ruralty.


Questions

When it's time to cut the grass (mow the lawn), who does it?

Ha!!  We have no lawn.  Problem fixed.  When we moved here we decided to cover the front yard with landscaping and mulch.  The back yard is a brick patio and mulch.  No pesky grass.  I should note, however, that we have a stamp size front and back yard since we live in a townhouse community. :-) Our "fix" wouldn't work for most people.  We are very happy NOT being large land owners.  

If someone gave you $500 dollars, and you could not spend it on yourself, who would you spend it on?

I would spend it on my mom who currently lives in Assisted Living.  It would pay for only 2 days of care but I can't think of another person who deserves (and needs) my help more in that regard.  Her life was never flush with assets.  She saved and led a frugal life, and now we are blowing through that savings with breath taking speed for her Assisted Living.  It makes me sad.  She lived with me for 5 years prior to being admitted to Assisted Living.  You can find our story together on my blog at Through My Caregiver Eyes label.  My experience was not a traditional "sandwich generation" story ... my kids were grown and on their own, but my life with mom mirrors many of the struggles that others have faced.  

Have you ever taken a blogging break or considered one?

Funny you should ask.  I just came off a considerable blogging break (about 2 months).  Blogging breaks sort of catch me by surprise.  I don't know they are coming.  All of a sudden I notice that it has been a week, then two, and before I know it an official break from blogging has occurred.  This last break was the longest.  I couldn't get in gear to write even one word, although ideas would pop up in my head, and I would say to myself ... yes, I should blog about that ... and then I wouldn't.  I am back now but never say never with regards to blogging breaks.

Are you bothered by spring allergies or hay fever? If not spring, any other time of the year?

Yes, year round, in door and out door!  And if I could be more compliant in taking my allergy meds, my life would be more peaceful.  

What's new with you?

Nothing. I lead a very busy but boring life.   

All I can say at this point is ... tomorrow better not be TUESDAY!!!

A book from my nightstand

My nightstand is was filled with books I wasn't reading (blogging was not the only thing I wasn't doing.)  If I wasn't blogging or reading blogs, maybe I should be reading some of my many books!

So many books!

  Gosh, there must be something in this stack

 that can capture my attention.

What a waste!!

I pitched a bunch of them ... titles that were worthy of buying many moons ago seemed boring and irrelevant now.

And then I picked out Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

I can't remember when I got this book ... but it was a theme that caught my attention sometime in the past, and I wanted to sit down and read it right now ... so I did.

Amish Peace is filled with short chapters about the central themes of Amish life.  Each chapter includes Amish proverbs and facts about the Amish community told through the words of real Plain People.  Each theme shows how less can result in more ... more peace!

Simplicity of life style, respect for time, focus on family and community ... are a few of the themes concisely covered in this small book.  Although "going Amish" is outside the realm of reality (in fact it is nearly impossible), their wisdom is definite something to be emulated.

In my own life, I have used a few tried and true methods to simplify and add more peace to my own life.

• Back down external commitments to create more down time.
• De-clutter my environment to make my world seem less "busy" and stressful.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg for the Amish culture.  There is so much more to learn from these people who have managed to successfully live in a way that is simply contrary to "the American way of thinking."

As quoted by "Uncle Amos," an Amish man who wrote occasionally for the Small Farmer's Journal:

"If you admire our faith, strengthen yours.  If you admire our sense of commitment, deepen yours.  If you admire our community spirit, build your own.  If you admire the simple life, cut back.  If you admire deep character and enduring values, live them yourself."

Well said, Uncle Amos!

Blessed are they who have nothing to say, and can't be persuaded to say it.

He who has no money is poor; he who has nothing but money is poorer.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

A task takes as long as it takes.

Enjoy today.  It won't come back.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

I enjoy the virtual visit to everydayrurality.com.  It is like visiting a farm and spending time on the porch with friends.  Now that I am back to blogging it seemed like a good time to return to the front porch!  To participate, visit the Every Day Ruralty and follow the instructions.  It happens every Tuesday, but feel free to come and go as it fits your schedule.  Answer the questions offered ... and visit others who are sitting on the farm porch with you.  Cheers

Do you prefer to drive or be driven?
I used to prefer to drive, but now my husband's eyes are so poor that he has given up driving.  I am the only driver in the family.  I love being driven now - it seldom happens, but when it does it is pure joy for me.

What's your favorite kind of jam, jelly, or preserve?
I love blueberry preserves.  They aren't very common - easier to find strawberry!

Do you have any special plans for this spring or summer?
I will be attending Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in May.  This is a major event for me - sort of like High Holy Days for knitters, weavers, and spinners.  In June I will visit The Mannings in PA for their annual Spin In (a day long event devoted to spinning wool).  In August, I plan to attend the annual Knit In at The Mannings (a day long event devoted to knitting).  See a theme here?  

Lots of folks are becoming aware of issues with food. There are many articles, books, and movies on topics like allergies, GMO, pesticide use, bad or no labeling, over processed foods, foods from other countries that may not have high standards, and many more topics. What concerns you the most? If nothing concerns you, have a cookie and skip to the next question.  Guess I am pretty trusting about my food and the suppliers.  I am sure there are issues, but I am 66 and have eaten pretty freely without regard to food safety (other than making sure to avoid spoilage or undercooking), and I haven't had any problems.  I am trying to eat less processed foods and more fruits and veggies, but that is it.

Do you use nail polish often? Finger nails, piggies, or both?  Never.  All my nails are a mess.  I am not fussy in that regard.

Lips

Seriously.

Don't you just wonder

 what God was thinking when he made lips like these?

It has been 5 months since our dear elderly English Bull Dog, Meathead, was so sick,

 and we thought he might not make it.  

And here we are today, with the the best picture ever of any lips on the planet!

A reason to rejoice!

Happy Monday.

I blinked!

Wow, that was a long blog break!

  About two months.

And I had no idea that a break was coming.

  No idea!!

And if you "blink" ... things change.

During the blink (ok, it was a 2-month blink - but who was counting) - I discovered a few things:

• I missed blogging! (I guess that shouldn't be a shocker, but it was.)  I missed writing.  I missed visiting blogs.  I missed being visited.

• I missed stuff!  All kinds of stuff.  Stuff like:        

                   A good blogger friend was hospitalized!  Double yikes!!   So sorry, HappyOne.

                   Another blogger friend returned to blogging after a long absence like me.  Welcome back
                             Noofy.
                   One blogging friend just picked up everything and moved away.  Wow,
                             Diane, when you make a change you don't mess around.
                   My cousin who knits, spins, and weaves ... knits, spins and weaves rings around me!
                            Talk about productive, Linda.  (So I clarify a bit.  This isn't new behavior for her.
                             She has been doing it for a long time.  But sitting on your own butt for 2 months
                             exacerbates the impact of her creative output. )  Hangs head in shame.

• I panicked a bit when Google Reader announced their departure.  They were my blog post capture tool. Oh my God!!  How will I keep up with everyone?  (... that is after I stop blinking) But now I subscribe to blogs by email - a much more civilized method of keeping up with blog posts.  So "good riddens" Google Reader - I blinked, you bowed out, and my blog life improved!  So there, Goggle Reader! 

Going forward I need to be more reasonable about blogging - so I can avoid the "blink" effects.

• Blog on a semi- regular schedule.  At least once a week sounds good - thanks for the idea, Noofy.
• Limit blog subscriptions.  It is totally unrealistic to have over 500 outstanding blog posts to read.  And, seriously, that was the number when I was brave enough to peak at Google Reader during the blink.
• Subscribe to blogs by email -  I get new posts each day a little at a time.  Really, folks, that has been refreshing!

Woo Hoo!

Glad to be back ... 

even if I am talking to myself only after all this time

and all you guys have moved on to others

who don't have blink issues.

:-)