Spiderwriterknits: Finally...another post...just where I've been

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Finally...another post...just where I've been

Finally...another post

When I said I procrastinate, I wasn't lying, was I? I do excel at this!

We're in the midst of summer and the humid, sticky weather is upon us. Sitting on the patio is out of the question on most days. It's sticky. It's hot. Even with the new umbrella in place, it can be too warm. Sometimes, however, we do have a neat breeze flowing down between the buildings here. That makes it pleasant.

I've continued on my Wrap Me Shawl...to block 14 out of 21. Block 14 almost undid me. It's been a stumbling block. It's a close knitted pattern called cross stitch by the designer. Only a two row pattern but somehow I manage to make errors even when I'm being extra attentive. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and I can't wait to finish it. So why don't I forge ahead with it?

Thank you notes are holding me up. Had a one of big O birthday's on June 23rd. My husband hosted a family party at a local restaurant. My brother and his wife, from Cleveland, Ohio, and sister and husband, from Reading, PA came in for the event. Also, the DH's daugthers and significant others came to the party, too. They traveled from Hartford, CT, Denville, NJ, and Hockessin, DE.

It was a wonderful party. The DH gave a spectacular speech, all about me and my activities and how proud he is of me. He also praised the women in the Prayer Shawl Ministry. He thinks this is a wonderful thing I did...starting up the ministry at my church.

Then his daughter stood up and thanked me for being so nice to her mother and that she was so happy I married her father. Can't ask for more than this.

The DH's daughters are highly creative and super intelligent...along with being attractive women. The gift they had prepared didn't come in on time, so the graphic artist in the group hurriedly put together another. She did an ad campaign, using ad campaign posters from yesteryear, substituting my face for the original face in the ad. When I saw the first one, I was taken aback. Where on earth did she get my HS graduation picture? Even I can't find that! It was really spooky, seeing me at 18 again. Turns out the original face in the ad had her hair fixed as I wore mine back in the day. Later on, this same daughter brought the original project she and her sisters dreamt up for me. It is a booklet, about 12 x 15, a memory lane trip. Pictures from the beginning of our relationships 40 years a go to the present. What a wonderful gift! On the back cover, there is a picture of the three of them with me and the caption reads "A Three Wicked Stepdaughters Production." Only these three...I can imagine them dreaming this up and the myriad phone calls back and forth.

Today is Prayer Shawl Meeting day at the local B&N. Got a gift certificate, a dollar for every year, from my sister and brother. It's burning a hole in my pocket. I want to make sure I make the best use of it. Now what books do I want that will amuse and entertain and educate me forever? My cat just shook her head and said, "Don't ask me. I can never understand you." Smart cat.

We are happy in this house lately. Our favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, won the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh,m, PA, where, alas and alack, we no longer live, is once again the City of Champions. Three Stanly Cups and Five Super Bowl trophies! What a town. I could move back there in a New York minute!

Off to do some more thank you notes. Next time...the Wrap Me Up shawl will be done. Meanwhile, I've posted some pictures of the work in progress.

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Books I've read and loved

Anthony Adverse, by Hervey Allen (read at 4 times)
Company of Liars, by Karen Maitland
Dissolution, by C. J. Sansom
Green Dolphin Street, by Elizabeth Goudge
Heart of War Trilogy, by John Masters
Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
NIcolo Rising, by Dorothy Dunnet
People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
The Angel's Game, by Carlos Fuiz Zafon
The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs
The House of RIverton, by Kate Morton
The Hungry Tide, by - Amitav Ghosh
The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett
The Outlander Series, Diana Galbadon (5 books in series so far)
The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant
The Vanishing Act, by Maggie O'Farrell
Wilderness Series, by Sarah Donati (4 books in series to date)

A New blogger, semi-old knitter, and stalled writer

Well, I've entered a new realm...for me, that is. I've started a blog. Now what to do with it?? And who in the heck am I?

Joaniecomelately seems to fit me the best. As much as I try, as many good intentions I have, I'm always late. And I hate being late. I think it is arrogant and insensitive. So, I'm working on it.

A work in progress, WIP, that's me. I feel anyone can expand their horizons, change their ways or thoughts, take on new challenges despite their age. That's the last time I'll mention age.

I'm a knitter, have been since the 1960's. Sarted as a crocheter in grade school. My Aunt Margaret taught me when I was about six years old, maybe a few years older.

I made the most elaborate, fluffy edges on handkerchiefs. Today, Several of my classmates in the 7th and 8th grades, along with myself, would work the crochet hook all during class. And this was with Sister Hilda's blessing. A stern lady, but we could do our lady's needlework. Sadly, only one of those hankies remain.

So many heirlooms of the handmade type have been lost through the years. It only dawned on me recently to look at these treasures as heirlooms. I truly wish I had that old, wool serge quilt my sister, Lois, and I slept under on those cold winter nights in the cold patch of Southwestern Pennsylvania. All Grandmother Mary did was cut squares from discarded men's clothing, most of wool serge, real scratchy material. When the square were all cut, she sewed them together to make the top of the quilt and then put on the bottom. This she stuffed with an unknown filling. When this was done, she cut small pieces of yarn to tie knots through the middle of each square to hold the fabric and the filling intact.

This quilt didn't win prizes. The colors were dark navy, brown, gray and black. Nothing pretty about it. But it was warm., especially when the ice was on the inside of the windows in the winter time. The coal stove was banked (the coals were smothered to keep the flame low so there would be hot coals to start the fire in the morning) when my parents went to bed and the ice formed quickly.

Sadly, I can barely crochet a chain nowadays. However, I do knit and I love it. Mainly , I've been working on shawls, lap robes, baby hats and blankets.

Last winter, I winter I proposed to our Monsignor that we have a Prayer Shawl Ministry in our parish. With enthusiasm I didn't expect, he gave me the go-head. I expected, prayed for two or three women to join me. By the afternoon of the first announcement in the Sunday church bulletin, I had twenty plus women on the list. Today, we have about fifteen very active ladies, with a couple working from their home in their spare time. We even have a member at a local nursing home. The rest are still on the list since we are open to people coming when they can and doing what they are able.

By November, 2007, we made and gave away 100 plus items; shawls, lap robes, and baby blankets. And the need for these is still going strong. Some of the women are lightening fast, making 3, 4, 6 items every two weeks. These are the crocheters in the group. We knitters are slower but just as productive in the end.

I thank God daily for the enthusiasm and dedication of these ladies, all of whom I did not know a year ago. Now they feel like old friends.

Writing is another passion of mine, but my husband is finding this hard to believe since I haven't written a word in quite a while. But I will write again, this is for sure.

Several unfinished manuscripts are logged in my writing files and saved on disks. One of them, is the story of my ancestors immigrating from Eastern Europe and settling in the col towns in Western Pennsylvania.

I want to show the hardships and obstacles they overcame to make a better life for themselves and their families to follow in successive generations. In this, they succeeded, despite all of the animosity encountered from some of the citizens in the surrounding areas. The same threat citizens felt when the Irish, the Germans, and other nationalities came to the United States.

For now this is enough about me. As this blog progresses, I hope to share the accomplishments of my fellow prayer shawl ministry members, my own knitting triumphs and missteps along the way. And maybe even a chapter or two. Miracles do occur.

joaniecomelately