Remembering Dad

40 years ago today, Dad died.  Dad, I miss you so much.  

So often over these 40 years, I've wanted to share a favorite book I've read, to sail or hike or run with him, to share a family dinner or a glass of wine, to travel to Europe or hang out at the cabin with him.  I've wanted my children to know their amazing grandfather.  I've wanted to tell him I finally graduated from WSU, and to share our mutual passion for history.  I've wanted to email him, garden with him, knit something warm for him.

This photo is how I like to remember Dad, out sailing his beloved "Catch-22", wearing the sweater Mom knit for him (I have that pattern and one of these days I'm going to knit it)  19 years is too short a time to have known and loved my Dad.  Miss you like 60, Walter!

Bucket List

Cara got to knock an item off her bucket list, using this digger thing (backhoe?) today to dig a trench. Orangeburg pipe section needs replacing.  I hope laying new pipe is the next item on her bucket list.

Updates!

My faithful readers (Cara and Katie) are complaining about the lack of new posts.  I haven't really had much to write about but here's what I could think of:

1. KNEE.  PROBLEMS.  A few weeks ago my left knee started hurting.  Badly.  So I went to my doc (Doogie Howser for reals.  He's about 12)  Xray didn't show much more than the expected arthritis, so he chalked it up to tendonitis and told me to rest up.  And that my planned trip to Colonial Williamsburg probably wasn't going to happen, due to walking inability.

So right before I left for DC, the doc's office called and said the X-ray MAY have shown a broken bone (in my knee?  I didn't think there was anything there to break other than the knee cap)  I'm getting an MRI this afternoon.  Please light candles that it's not serious.  My medical insurance doesn't start until Jan 1 (thank you a million times Obama!)

2.  The Pick of a Lifetime:

Picture me rolling around on hundreds of pattern books...Cara found a Craigslist ad for a lady in DC who was cleaning up after a garage sale, with "Lots" of knitting patterns cheap.  We headed up to her place and she did have patterns and magazines on a rack.  I started looking at those while Cara checked out a box that we could see had some good old stuff.  The lady told her "those are free, do you want them?  And I've got 5 more boxes in the house".  Indeed we did want them!  Tony loaded up all the boxes in the car and we sorted them out when we got back to the house.  We figured there's about 10K worth of patterns in there.  Looks like a yarn store's old inventory, pristine condition and hundreds of pattern books from the 30s on up.  Heaven!  Just waiting for the 8 50 lb. boxes I mailed from DC to arrive to start putting them in my store.

3.  Knitting Projects:

I've got several finished things and some in the works.  I should have started my Christmas knitting about 11 1/2 months ago :-)

A soft bunny for Colie, she needed something to wrap around her neck (her favorite thing to do with softies)

"Runar" hat with runes reading "May Thor Bless, May Thor Protect".  It turned out okay, the fold line is a bit off.  It's double thick so will be warm.  And if Loki shows up, I'm safe.

CheckingIn from The 'Burg

Cara, Tony and I are spending the week in Fredericksburg. They are helping their dad remodel his bathroom.  I'm just along for fun. I had big plans to tour Colonial Williamsburg this trip; it's one tourist spot I haven't seen yet. But I'm having knee problems (more on THAT mess after I get an MRI) so walking around is out of the question this trip. 

My nice kids offered to push me around C. W. In a wheelchair, even though they hate that place with every fiber of their being. But I'm nice too, so I'm letting them off the hook. 

Showing Off

The Gang was at our LYS, Paradise Fibers, yesterday.  And right inside the front door was this display!  That's my Anita Bolero Jacket pattern from the "Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits" magazine that was published last month.  They are also displaying my Gentleman's Golf Stockings and my Cosycoat Jacket from the same issue.

I had loaned the garments to Paradise, and was expecting them to be displayed upstairs in their "sit and knit" corner.  It's quite an honor to be the first thing you see when you walk in the store!  I'm going to have to take a field trip over there and get a photo of myself posing with the display :-)