Trip

This last weekend, I went to Wichita. I was to leave early Thursday, but guess who left their ID at home? You guessed it, ME. I ended up on a red eye to Wichita via Houston. There I met up with Joanna who left at the right time, but she too had the wrong ID with her to continue on her trip. I brought her the correct ID and away we flew. We arrived early Friday morning and picked up our car and drove to the hotel. Eva had arranged that we stay in a Stay Inn Suites. We both had our own rooms with a kitchen. Joanna was given this huge room with 540 sq. ft. I just had a regular room. I think it was because Eva didn't like enclosed spaces and was to stay with Joanna at night. It worked out great, because she did stay a while with Joanna and then that's where we Eva's family met up with us. Friday, Eva's mom brought us lunch then off we went to see where Eva is to be buried. We then went to take pictures. It was fun to see Joanna and Eva interact. We also so some sites. The river district is beautiful and the city has these beautiful statues all over the place. After, that we went to dinner at the Cracker Barrel. I enjoyed the chicken livers.
Saturday, Joanna and I went looking for yarn and fabric stores. We found a wonderful knit store called Twist in Wichita. It felt very similar to Frog Pond. I wanted to sit and knit, but time was not with us. We did find a fabric store after getting lost. When we finally found it we were tired. I bought yarn, but no fabric. I was tempted to buy paper yarn to make a bag, but didn't. I also wanted a book, but chose not to go there. I can usually find these on sale here. After the fabric store off we went to Eva's house. She was asleep in bed. We walked into her house and Joanna walked out. She smokes in her house and Joanna got sick from the smell. I stayed while Eva woke up. We left there and went to see where Eva use to live. I was way out in the boonies. She had a nice home. I know it must have been hard for her to give up. (They had to move because of finances.) We went back to the hotel where I met Eva's family. Randy came in to pizza and the fixings. It was a nice treat. The kids were typical kids. Her youngest, Kristen, is just 5 and going to pre-school. Next, Christian, is in 2nd grade and Gavin is in 6th grade. The kids were kids. Finally, Eva needed a smoke and off they all went to the car and the family left. Eva and Joanna went with a friend of Eva's to have a tattoo put on her foot. Eva is really into tattoos. She has so many, I wonder if it is healthy? Anyway, she and Joanna had an evening together with Shirley. I stayed in the room until Joanna joined me before going up to her room. It was nice to have a little quiet time.
Sunday was spent looking at homes in the area. They have some beautiful homes that ranged from $199,000 to $350,000 and up. There was a house there that had a statue of a bronze bear standing on its back legs looking at another bronze statue of a fairy. We got lost again. I was driving thinking I knew where I could find this restaurant and well we finally back tracked to find it. Then back to the hotel and visit more with Eva and her family. They left and we left for the airport. We arrived back in Sacramento just a little before midnight. The trip was fun but exhausting. I asked Joanna if I made a difference being there and she said that if I hadn't, she would not have left seeing her sister in a kind mood. Worth it, yes.

Just A Visit

KNITTING:
Here it is April already and there is so much to write about. My grandson's birthday is the 14th and he will be celebrating it Sunday. I completed his PJ's for the monkey and am still working on the bathrobe. I haven't been on a deadline like this since college. (Thinking more about that statement, I had deadlines for work too, but this seems far more important.) I will post the completed Mr. William Foster with outfits when finished.
Just before Christmas I started 2 sweaters, one a grayish blue, the other a red. I fell in love with the red and decided that it was the one I wanted to complete first.
I was able to complete this just before March 25. I wanted to get some wear out of it before summer comes in with a bang. I like the fit so much that I will more than likely frog that other sweater and use the yarn to make another one of these or use a new lighter yarn so that I can wear it during the spring and fall months too.
READING:
Lately I have been reading books by Lisa See: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls. Both books deal with sisterhood. One with two girls that are from the same family the other with two girls from two different families. This two stories have a brought about me to think upon my own relationships, first to my natal family sisters and then to the friendship sisters I have. I have been blessed with both. Family ties mean a lot to me. I try to keep in touch with my sisters via phone, email, snail mail, and visiting. It is difficult to visit them since both live out-of-state. Since visiting with them is difficult, I rely on my friendship sisters. I have some great friends, ones I can meet up with weekly through a knit group, ones I can meet up with occasionally because they live a few hours away.
FAMILY:
Did you ever find yourself in a situation that you know you may regret? Usually I don't because I don't think before I act, I just do it and take the conscience. My daughter-in-law's sister is dying of cancer in another state. Because my daughter-in-law is pregnant with her 4th child, I do not want her traveling by herself. I am going with her to visit this sister. I don't know what to expect, accept that I am there for her. Hopefully the visit will go well and we will return on speaking terms. Keep us in your prayers.

Just a little monkey, Mr. William Foster from Knit Picks. I made this for the project in Ravelympics 2010. It will be given to William on his 2nd birthday in April. I still need to complete the jammies and robe.
I have been busy with knitting, quilting and taking care of myself. It seems along with the shingles my system was down and I caught a cold that just wouldn't go away. Then I was gifted from someone with the stomach flu. It seems it has been one illness on top of another.
Knit night is special for me. It is the time to communicate with fellow knitters and friends. It can be happy moments for all. I tend to tease a little to much. It is good to have friends that can keep one on their toes and aware they are going to far. I never want to hurt anyone or cause pain.

I completed those mystery socks I mentioned in my last post. I was able to do so because I am still not feeling my best. During the non rain period yesterday, I tried to do some window shopping, but soon became tired. I decided to it wasn't worth it, went home, had lunch and then took an hour and a half nap. After the nap I was able to complete the socks, finishing up a little after 9 PM. I am pleased with them. The colorwork area (leg) is a little snug, but the foot feels prefect. I am delighted with the outcome.

Knitting-Friendship-Illness

Knitting: Presently I am salvaging a pair of socks started last November by attempting the mystery sock through the Thrifty Knitters Sock Club. The socks started out cute with a twisted top. Then it added a striped edge. The next step was to add a snowflake, but I didn't think I could do that so I put them aside until I completed my Christmas knitting. I got my Charlene Schurch sock book out, Sensational Knitted Socks, and Socks a la Carte, by Jonelle Raffino, Katherine Cade and the SWTC Staff and decided to complete the sock. I hope to complete these socks soon.
Friendships: Friends are a special breed. It means one takes the time to stay connected with that person and care about them. Friends can be made many years ago, or within the year. I am fortunate to have a friend from childhood. She and I have lived many miles apart for years, but are able to maintain our friendship. We go away together on vacations. While our children were younger, we would go camping, now we go quilt shop hopping. Then I have friends i made over thirty years ago. With these friends, visiting, having a meal together or shopping is the main way we stay in touch and care for one another. My newest friends are a group of quilters and knitters. The quilters live near me, but I see these friends only a short time a month. (I would call these more of an acquaintance rather than a friend.) The knitters are seen every week. We talk and share stories and knit together. We are developing those rich friendships. If a friend asked me for help, I'm there. I try to help out when I can.
Illness: Sneezing and coughing, rubbing eyes, blowing ones nose, tiredness, lack of energy, and /or headaches. It seems as I get older, I am finding myself ill more often. I wash my hands, make sure I don't eat food a child made and I try to stay away from people that are ill.
I wrote about these three items because currently these are things on my mind. I am not feeling well, I have friends who are under stress right now and I am concerned out them. Lastly, my knitting is getting done because I am not feeling well. All things are working out. I know my friends are in good hands. My cold seems to be getting better and I am so close to completing one sock.

Earthquakes

With the Hatian earthquake, I started remembering all the shakers I've been in. In 1957 there was a rather large quake in S.F. I was in the 4th grade and in school at the time. The teacher was a substitute and the cold must have been on her mind, because the first thing out of her mouth was atomic bomb. We all began to leave the room, but then she said that it was an earthquake and under the desks we went. Lights swaying and tables shaking. There were many aftershocks, most seemed to happen at night. My dad was involved with scouting and he went off assuring us that there would be few if any aftershocks. After he left, there was a strong one and we got to sleep altogether in the living room that night. There were more aftershocks, one while we were sleeping in bed downstairs. The window above our heads rattled and with the 3 of us in one bed, we took our pillows and put them over our heads. Who at that age would think one might suffocate? There have been many more earthquakes in my life and I suppose there would be more. Life continues.

Time on Hands

The third time this week. I must have too much time on my hands. I decided to complete a pair of socks I started for a challenge. We were to use two different colors and follow the directions given by the moderator. When I found out the pattern, I decided I did not want just a seasonal sock, so I wait until now. I took out my Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch and found a pattern using two different colors. Now that I started, I don't want to stop. I need to control this desire because I need to complete a quilt for a friend. Also, I don't want to sit to much. I need to get up and move around and do a little exercise.
I'm still reading Sarah Palin's book. I have found her writing simple and at times more like mind than that of other authors. That's not a good thing or a bad thing, I guess I expected a more sophisticated or elegant writer. She tells her story from her prospective and not those of the media or political personage. I would like to see how she does on her report tonight for Fox TV.