Here we are between a lovely Christmas day and the New Year, just a few days away. 

Alison’s coat of many colors was completed and she looks quite beautiful in it.  Now to find a little brooch to use as a front closure (see, nothing is ever really finished).  It is slightly oversized so she should get a year’s worth of wear (maybe more?) out of it.  It’s hard knitting for children – you never know when they will suddenly sprout 3 inches.  This is why I oversize things for them and pray that these sweaters will not fit them in the best possible way during July or August.

Christmas Day was spent enjoying the quiet pursuits of playing with a new doll and the building of a very large Lego starship.  Bob and Alex spent the entire day snapping little pieces together, coming up for air every once in a while to grab a soda.  Alison and I had doll adventures, made pom-pom and polymer clay creations (not at the same time), ate snacks and cooked dinner.

As the day wore on, I cast on a sweater for Alex and enjoyed looking at my new knitting book.  With the children in bed, we looked back on the day, thinking what fun it had been to sit on the floor and play with our children.  It also crystallized the true gift of Christmas – the gift of a child.

Happy New Year.  Be well, be safe.

Peace & Love

In two short weeks we will be going on a business trip.  I have nothing to wear except for my usual uniform of jeans and a collection of tee shirts of various colors, some with logos from places we’ve visited.   So my husband and I did a drastic thing today – we went shopping for clothes.  He reminded me all day – “It’s really all about the lunch.” (We went out for lunch during this adventure).  Pre-lunch, we visited a men’s clothing store for about 3 minutes before deciding there was nothing of interest there.  Post-lunch, we hit a major department store and lasted about 10 minutes in there because we visited both the men’s and women’s departments.  I don’t know about you, but they just don’t make clothes the way they used to – the sizing seems all weird, the colors are bland or hideous and the actual cut of things is either bag-like or skin-tight.

Onward we trudged to the next venue – another men’s shop, 2 more women’s.  Nothing, nadda.  There was a pretty little suede jacket, but the only one in my size was in electric green.  I was going for something more subtle (there was a lovely shade of red that was what I would call a “rich Teaberry” for anyone who remembers that gum).   Not to worry, my husband said.  We’re only browsing today.  Just looking.  Scoping out the market. 

It hit me this evening.  I should have knit up something.  A funky jacket, like the one I’m making for my daughter.  Modular.  Black and bright colors.  It’s great (I’ll show you soon).  Notification of this trip was in early October.  That would have given me 3 months to whip up something.  But no.  AND NOW IT’S TOO LATE!

Maybe we’ll hit a good sale next week.

He was right – today was all about the lunch.

Peace & Love

Merry Christmas and Happy winter holidays.  After a month of record temperatures, I am looking out my window in Delanson, NY to see it snowing.  It gives it that holiday sort of feel.

I have never been terribly computer literate – I rely on my terribly handsome and way smart husband to rescue me from myself when it comes to computer related problems.  But today I plunged into the world of blogdom on my own.  I read the tutorial, figured out what I was doing, then proceeded to write this really lofty piece about the benefits and importance of giving of yourself, donating money and generally doing good stuff for others.  It’s what the season brings out in us.  As I went to save this literary masterpiece, I hit the “admin” button, thinking I was going to post from there, and promptly blew away everything I had written. 

No matter, I am no literary genius and I would direct you to a really great piece written by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (the Yarn Harlot).  I have admired this woman’s work from afar – she doesn’t know me, though I feel quite tuned into her life, having enjoyed her blog for some time now, including her books.

I will paraphrase what I tried to post earlier, which echo Stephanie’s thoughts:

Do something, anything, to help those who are not as fortunate as yourself.  Donate a few dollars (or more if you can) to a charity you connect with, volunteer your time, do a good deed.  And this should be a year-round thing, not just a feel good Christmas chore you can check off your list for another year.  Knitters are those year-round good deed doers – now go and spread the news.

Be kind to your children (or someone else’s).  Kindness begets kindness, and sticks with people, especially when it is ingrained from an early age. 

Count your blessings.  We have so much, don’t forget that the better percentage of the world has very little or nothing. 

Knit something for someone else (not family) and give it away. See Betty Christainsen’s book Knitting For Peace for great ideas and charities that would love a donation from you.

Enjoy this beautiful time of year and take some of that good feeling into 2007 with you and pass it around.

Peace & Love