Still plugging away:)

Dashing this one off before continuing my work day.  It seems I visit this blog so little anymore.  Often I think of things I'd like to post throughout the day, but it gets away from me. To anyone who reads this thing, I hope you are well. 

Life has continued on. So has death, unfortunately.

Recently, we had some very sad news in our family.  My ex son-in-law and father of our two oldest grandgirls - Donald was his name - died after a couple of months in the hospital alternating between the ICU, possible rehab, and then back to the ICU and life support.  He ultimately just stopped breathing after three major organ systems shut down.  His funeral is this coming weekend  - ironically on Father's Day here in the U.S. He was a complex person, basically a good dad who loved his kids, but not the greatest of husbands - something I found out long after the fact. His disease (alcoholism) impacted his mental and physical health and was the true cause of his death. Luckily, his daughters know that he loved them and that the person he was when under the influence wasn't their real father. We have all made sure they knew that even as it was going on. When I remember him, I prefer to think about the picture we have of him in the hospital nursery just after their firstborn had arrived, holding her with a look of pure awe and joy on his face.  I just know that when he arrives in Heaven, he will know that joy again. And that gives me peace.

I swear, the person who develops a cure for addiction will deserve the Nobel prize!

Just about 5 or so weeks earlier, we lost John's brother, Jim suddenly.  It was a Friday evening and he and our sister-in-law Jackie were driving back from watching one of their grandkids at the usual Friday night game up on Long Island (as we had started to do ourselves that evening down here in Maryland). He was driving.  He said something to the effect that he felt hot, he didn't feel well and then just slumped over.  Jackie's usual level-headedness kicked into gear and she was able to steer the car to the curb and avoided two accidents in the process.  Their son, a NYC fireman and local fire chief, had been driving behind them. There were off-duty police officers all around working a local event, and the ambulance was there in seconds.  He couldn't have asked for better, faster, and more competent and loving care, but nothing worked. He was gone in minutes. Jim was 77. They had been married for almost 53 years. (But they always looked so young to me!) The fire department hosted the wake.  Their graciousness and unyielding support and care of the entire family were something I will never forget. As with many gatherings of old friends and extended family, we saw people we hadn't seen in decades. Bittersweet. Every one of our kids came to be there. My brother, Chris, my sister, Linda, and her husband Hernando also came to the wake. It meant so much that they were all there. I still cannot imagine how Jackie is dealing with it.

A few weeks ago, I came upon a book written by the adoptive mother of a former client of mine. We've been in touch on and off since the adoption 7 years ago - my client's sibs have also been in care - and I had to reach out to her and let her know I had read it. She had the horrible experience of losing her husband suddenly in the middle of the adoption process. We texted back and forth about some of our memories of that time. Talk about the agony and the ecstasy....

In happier news, our second oldest grandchild graduated high school a few weeks ago.  She seems to have found her niche in the area of early childhood education or daycare. She plans on pursuing that at our local community college in the fall. John is the doggie daycare and the Uber driver for pet and human parents who need someone to fill in.  He isn't quite sure that's all he wants to do with his time.

D our son is staying with us while he finishes a gig in DC which appears to be getting some great reviews - we are hoping to see it in the next couple of weeks. His SO - M - is back in NY for her job, but we got to see her this past weekend.

We are doing our Sunday dinner thing for those who can make it and the occasional weeknight dinner with those who prefer to come by at other times.

Work is still going on for me. As always, I am working on getting more organized. Sigh. No comment.

Oh - a fun thing! I went to the place that used to be called the Mannings.  It is now known as Red Stone Glen.  I spent a Saturday about an hour and a half away in Pennsylvania learning how to spin!  I had taken spinning lessons at my wonderful LYS but for some reason they didn't stick - probably because the wheel I have is Irish tension and tough to learn on.  So I took my wheel with me to PA and made a day of it. It was great.  For the first time in my life, I actually spun yarn!

For many of you fiberistas out there, this is silliness I'm sure. I am an oldish lady. Since I was a 9-year-old checking out the antique spinning wheel my stepmother had in the living room,  I have been fascinated with the idea of spinning yarn. After a short course on spinning with a drop spindle at the aforesaid LYS,  I have spun yarn with a spindle, but of course, getting a wheel was an expense I really couldn't justify. When I found an affordable refurbished Louet wheel from a gentleman on Ebay all the way in the Netherlands, the die was cast!

I learned I need to appreciate my own wheel and what it can do. I also learned I probably need to start by using more woolen than worsted fiber prep. I got some hand carders and I will be using them to create rolags out of the combed top I got at the aforesaid LYS.

Now I need to take some time to practice. Practice. Practice.

Knitting has also been happening.  I finished a test knit shawl by Pauliina Kuunsola and will be starting another one today.  Her instructions are so clear and easy to follow and knitting her designs is a pleasure. No pics yet of either until she is ready to post them on Ravelry. I still have her Enchanter Shawl on the needles and want to get working on that one soon as well.

I'm using up a bunch of beautiful yarn I got from the estate of a knitting friend who passed away about 10 years ago.  Thank you Annece!

I'm also working on the Embrace Cowl with a bunch of Berroco Sox yarn in a lovely colorway.

This picture doesn't do justice to the vibrancy of the colors.

Am also putting some effort into Circe by Natasja Hornby:

Again, must be the overcast day - the pink on this is truly fabulous.

And my final knitting WIP I'm working on and off on - Ranunculus by Midori Hirose:

For a long time, this project sat by my desk to work on while waiting my turn in court, but I tended to ignore it, so back with the TV knitting it goes! Right now it's at the knit stockinette in the round-unto-all-eternity phase.

I'm fairly monogamous with my cross-stitch projects, though there are dozens I'd love to start. I'm very much a slow-poke and more of a product stitcher, so I figured I start on a project for Thanksgiving - it's Be Thankful by Shepherd's Bush and it's a fun cute project  - sort of a "large print" item and easier on the old eyes:

Hopefully if I'm a very good girl, I will have this ready for framing by November. LOL I am a slowpoke stitcher!

Weaving: Still working on the blue/yellow/beige scarf, but I've finished a "Plaid-ish" scarf. It's now son D's:

Sorry about all the death stuff.  But it is a part of life. Like the Stoics' Memento Mori, I believe it's a good idea to keep the remembrance of death in all its capriciousness to remind me that living the best life I can is a precious gift.

Welp, back to work.  I'll post when I can.  Until then, 

God be with you 'til we meet again+