Remembering "Tootie"

Since September, I have been visiting either on Sat or Sunday afternoon a great older lady on hospice care in a local nursing home. On my way over to visit her today , I found out that she passed on Friday. Tootie was a lot of fun to visit with. She knew she was going to die soon but she was not interested in complaining or whining -- and she sure did like to talk!! We spent hours just talking about our lives. Tootie liked to listen as well as talk. She told me funny and sad stories about growing up in Bayonne and Jersey City. I heard about living through the Great Depression and World War II. The only thing she was still angry about was that her son her only child died when he was only 40 and his wife a few years after.

Most of the time when I visited with her she was wrapped in the ugliest green variegated Red Heart Afghan that she had crocheted herself. Yarn snob that I am, I wanted to make her a soft beautiful shawl but she loved that ugly thing brought from her home! I never made her a shawl because every time I visited with her she proudly reminded me that she made this Afghan! I'll start visiting with someone new new week but I know I'll keep a picture of Tootie in her treasured green Afghan tucked away in my heart.

Adding to the Yarn Stash

If you ever saw my yarn closet and the various places where I have yarn stored (hidden) it would surprise you (it surprises me) that I spent yesterday going from one LYS to another buying yarns like my house was empty of yarn and I had six years or so of vacation to just sit around and knit!

I was in the company of fellow addicts which does not help and probably even makes my actions seem normal! First we went to Stix and Stitches. They were having a yarn sale and there were some great buys to be had. I picked up enough Silky Tweed by Elsebeth Lavold at half price to make a sweater and I got one of her pattern books for $5. We had a nice lunch then went off following my phone navigator to another yarn shop. the last time we were there, the place had a great sale basket and seemed like a yarn treasure chest. Yesterday, it just seemed like an over stuffed junk pile (nice junk) and the owner was kind of distant and cranky. I did manage to get enough Noro to add to some Noro I had at home to do a vest. Then we went to the last store, Modern Yarns which I had not really liked on our last trip. I got some beautiful kettle dyed wool from Araucania also in the half price bin and some coordinating full price cascade yarn to make another sweater AND and orphan LOrna Lace single skein of sock yarn. A quick stop at Starbucks and we were off to go home!


So now I need to start knitting and not stop for years BUT what did I do when I got home? I ran out to Kohls and spent my preChristmas Kohls bucks on a set of new pots for Steven, a new pair of black dress shoes for me and a new front door mud rug. Well I spent my $30 free dollars and a bit more THEN I jumped back into reading about Sookie Stackhouse and the vampires! I can not believe that I am reading all this nonsense BUT it really is entertaining.


Today , I need to get organized to return to work, meet my mother and grand mother for lunch and make two baby quilts BUT all I really want to do is get book 8 in the Sookie Stackhouse series!

Woolbearers Yarn Trip

Yesterday, I took a drive to one of the nicest yarns stores in New Jersey! I LOVE Woolbearer's. It is a nice size store not jam packed so no feelings of claustraphobia or dustitis and long forgotten shelves of garbagio! I think they have just about everything you need in yarn there. AND Myra who was there is so helpful and know the inventory AND actually listens to what you want instead of pushing the flavor of the month yarn on you or the most expensive stuff she can triple strand!

I didn't get much, just a few skeins of Boku as a replacement for the Silk Garden Noro a swap partner wanted, size 10 1/2 double pointed needles (yet another pair is missing) and a few great buttons for my Noro Vest AND the Wallaby Pattern which was a return to nostalgia for me. I just recently found Caroline's first passport. She is so cute in the picture and wearing a Wallaby I made for her!

My friend, Kaye bought yarn for three projects, I don't think Kaye needs to yarn shop for a year. She is so disiplined that she is actually waiting for finish her WIP BEFORE casting on one new thing! If I'm not driving I've been known to cast on in the car on the way home!!!

We also went to a tiny quilting shop in a quaint old barn or garage. I got the perfect material for a baby quit I need to make and picked up a Christmas throw quilt kit. Now here is my ethical quandry. When I went to use my debit card to pay I was missing it so I was concentrating on searching for my card was not paying any attention to the women who was ringing up my order. I had to pay by check. Now the last time I was there I wound up paying for patterns which were mixed up in a basket of free patterns. (My card was resting safely at Woolbearers) So when I got home I looked at my receipt and realized that the women checked me out incorrectly. The Christmas kit was marked $59.95 but the pattern for the kit was in the front and still marked $7.00 so I was charged 40% of $7 not 40% almost $60. If I had spotted it in the store I would have corrected it. Now I don't know what to do. Part of me just wants to say well these things happen, I was over chaged in a different Quilt shop recently and did not get it corrected. When I asked my Knitting Group the concensus was to leave it alone because if I called the store I might get the women checking out in trouble. Any ideas?

12/26/08

SO,Christmas has come and gone!!!! It's hard to believe. We had a very nice low key holiday around here. We celebrated Christmas Eve at my house. We had good food, good company and every one loved their gifts. Christmas was very relaxed. Steven got up early and went surfing, Caroline slept in and I just rested and enjoyed the quiet and peace of the house. We skipped the usual big Christmas brunch and then just went to my sister's house for dinner. I gave no handmade gifts this year, well not made by me--- I did purchase beautiful shawls made by Russian women for my grandmother and mother. Caroline got handmade open finger tip gloves from Whole Foods. They have a great little spot where they sell handmade gifts that benefit crafters usually in underdeveloped places.

Christmas Eve after dinner Steven and Caroline used the upstairs sitting room for the first time. They listened to music and played games and hung out. We just need to do the floor and a second coat of paint and the moldings and the sitting room will be done. I went to Lowes and got the rest of the flooring today. It will be really nice to have to finished up there!

The only handmade stuff I did this year was baking. I made scones, muffins, coffee cakes and tea breads and wrapped them nicely and set up reusable shopping bags stuffed with the baked goodies, Starbucks coffee, teas and a few nice cups. Breakfast to go for my Christmas Eve guests, my sisters and mother and Katie's mom.

Tonight I am going to put on my new Christmas robe and nightgown and finish knitting an alpaca scarf I started last year.

So who is ready?

I've been home since Wed. I sleep, knit and get up to do a little then sleep again! Caroline has been working or out so Katie has been a huge help.
The shopping is done, the food for Christmas Eve bought and the house clean and decorated. All I have to do is survive two days at work and cook.

The only way I'm as far as I am is because I'm not doing 1/10 th of what I used to do. Not one person but me even seems to notice. No holiday knitting, way fewer gifts or even gift cards then in the past. Less decorating and less obcessing over over every single thing!

I'm working on finishing up my projects on my Ravelry list so I've been working on the MIstaken Rib Scarf and then next I'll work on finishing my circular jacket and then I'll decide about the Lady Feb sweater and the trial knitting sweater from the "famous" designer who asked us to try it out then just left us all high and dry with HER mistakes, corrected them and now will sell us the pattern!

Back Home Again

It has been forever since I posted. I've been busy, then sick then busy then sick again! Right after Thanksgiving I had a sinus infection which made me want to turn my head in for a new one. Then back to work and lots of catch up but I've been knitting at night. I'm working on a sweater with a border design of roses and leaves then a lice pattern. So far I'm knitting a tube and I'll steek it for arm openings etc. I'm using some black merino cashmire I got at Sitches with the rainbow Kauni for the design. So far I LOVE it.

Last Sat. I was admitted to the hospital with a similiar ischemic colitis as last year. Since I was only sick not crazy I went to the emergency room with about six months of knitting in my tote bag, (forgot to bring clean panties) and I just got out yesterday. I did get lots of knitting done and I'll be out of work until Monday so although my Christmas prep is so far off I can't even begin to figure it out I have been knitting up a storm.

November 26

My deserts are finishing baking in the oven, nothing too special this year -- just an apple pear, cranberry crumble, a tray of brownie cookie bars and the pumpkin pie ready in it's box. Today Caroline and I are going to my family dinner at my sister's house. Steven is working at Macy's Thanksgiving parade. Friday, I'll cook at my house.

I heard an interesting segments on NPR this morning. It seems that gratitude actually improves your health not just your outlook! I have lots to give thanks for this year. My children are doing well, everyone in my family is healthy and employed. I have many friends and both work and hobbies I enjoy! What more can I want! Well maybe a little less weight and some more money would be nice but on the whole I am very fortunate and blessed in my life.

So now I'll spend the rest of the morning working on my new sweater, listening to the radio and watching the parade! Have a great Thanksgiving.

working too much

Last week end at Stitches was great. We ate, knitted, went to classes, visited, shopped and in general were dazzled by wool fumes. I learned how to make Lapland Handgarments--- A fancy way of saying mittens from near the Arctic Circle. It was a very interesting folk art technique. I also learned how to knit backwards.(finally)

This week at work was very stressful. I was ready to retire and just live in my car! This weekend I'm going with my sisters to visit my uncle who is sick. Although the reason for the trip is sad it will be nice being with my sisters. I AM going to finish the everlasting gansey.

Just Another Lazy Sunday

It's hard to believe that November is here already and Thanksgiving less then 4 weeks away. Work is very busy. I have been going to so trainings and meetings that I never have time to do what I actually consider my job and next week is going to be worse! One of my uncles passed away. It is so hard to see that whole generation of my family just fading away. So Monday I am taking the day to go to his funeral. Tuesday is Election Day so the teachers work but no kids are in school. This is a big PD day for me. Then Wed and Thursday are normal days and I'm taking Friday as a personal day to go to Stitches. I was supposed to go to yet another training on Monday but I've rescheduled which is good as now maybe I can practice a little of what I have learned! I think that looking at data is important but right now NYC is going overboard with tracking and measuring. It's like the Emperor's New Clothing except many people are speaking up, they are just being ignored.


I've made friends with the endless gansey again. I had FAR TOO MANY stitches in the sleeve. I don't know why sometimes I follow directions even when they seem wrong and other times knit sweaters without directions! I've gotten the design done and a few inches and it does seem normal.

I went to a party last night and had a nice time, but with the clock changing got up very early this morning went shopping, did laundry etc but now all I want to do is take a nap, watch TV and maybe quilt or knit and so I think that today I will just do what I want!

I'm not talking to the gansey

Well, I really should be angry with myself not the sweater. I picked up the RIGHT amount of stitches for the sleeve. I knew it looked big but somehow I convinced my self that something was going to change so I kept on knitting until it looked like I was knitting another sweater out of the arm hole. What is this power of denial while knitting. I put a gazillion stitches and a zigzag pattern into something that was wrong from the first stitch!!!! SO it ALL needs to be RIPPEd out. I went to a meeting during my work day and my friend forgot to bring my knitting bag from school so it is resting in a cold dark school. I just hope it feels bad. I'll measure and frog probably on Friday. On Thursday after school I am supposed to go look at new floors for my almost finished upstairs bedroom.

By Friday maybe I can look at that miserable sleeve!

A carless weekend

For a little over a year I owned two old junky cars which ran OK. Then one pooped out and I let it rest for a while before I donated it to a local kid to take apart and hopefully turn into a local -go-to-school-car. Well as soon as that happened my other junky car started having troubles. I suspect they were communicating and plotting against me!

I'll hopefully get the car back on Monday, even more hopefully without a huge bill! So this weekend I'm without a car. Friday, I took the commuter bus and subway to where I was going to a workshop. I have finally completed my certification from Schools Attuned. I really wish I could tune up my car in addition to kids!

Yesterday, my friend Laurie picked me up and I went to her house to hang out and knit until my car was ready. Kathy, another knitting friend was there also and we had a very relaxing day. I worked on the seeks for my gansey and now the body and yolk are done and I'm up to the sleeves. I tried it on and the sweater is beautiful, I just wish there was a little less of me in it!

Today we are having a birthday party for my grandmother who turned 97 on the 14th of October. She has been calling herself 97 for so long that I thought she was turning 98. She asked for gift certificates to eat out! Thats what she is getting and a bag of her favorite candies, Butterfingers. She especially likes the small ones put out at Holloween.

I don't know what it is about not having MY car in the driveway that makes me feel trapped. I have Katie's car to use if I need and usually I plot to find a time to stay in and just do inside stuff but today and yesterday, I just kept thinking about getting out but I didn't want to use Katie's car and I really didn't want to go anywhere!

October 12th

Where has this extra long weekend gone? Sat. turned out to be a very nice day. I did a workshop for a group I work with and my topic was revitalization. We had a very nice group and we worked on aspects of how to take care of our own energy. We did a few activities that worked out well. Made dream pillows, almond scrub and bath soaks. Everyone enjoyed it except one man who it seems to me has made a decision never to enjoy anything.

When I got home my friend's husband was working on the bathroom leak which was fixed without the maximum trouble. I still need a new ceiling and so far all they did to the car was reset the engine light . So I'll still have to see on that one. But I did get to spend the weekend with old friends and ALL my ironing is done.

I've been feeling overwhelmed by worry about finances and the political situation and I've made a decision that I'm going to limit my watching on CNN and news shows. I feel that they are just fanning these anxious feeling in me without really doing any thing positive. Right after 911 I did the same thing. So I'll watch the debate on Wed but I will not watch the endless picking apart of it!


I'm just about at the neckline of the gansey but I made a mistake in the pattern and had to redo three rows. My daughter got me hooked on Trueblood a vampire series on HBO. I never thought it would have interested me, parts of it really don't but somehow I messed up the THIRD repeat of the yolk pattern while I was watching it.
I hope to start the neckline decreases and shoulder part tonight.

What a Day!!!!!!

I did not feel well this morning so I stayed home. I should have escaped from this house when I had the chance! After I was feeling a bit better, I took a shower and used the bathroom sink then I went down to the laundry room to find all the water I had used draining down the ceiling!

Then I got in my car to do an errand and the check engine light came on less then a week after I had the car inspected and worked on.

So my husband's friend came over to work on the leak and we found that it was destroying the ceiling of the downstairs bathroom and that the leak is in the wall. So now I need to replace the ceiling in the downstairs bathroom, possibly open a wall in the upstairs kitchen SO I WOULD LIKE TO SCREAM!!!!!

I'm just waiting for the news about the car.

So as I see my Stitches money drainning away I think I'll do upstairs and knit! I'm nearing the neckline of my neverending gansey!

Interesting Weekend

Not too much knitting this weekend but a good one anyway. Friday I stayed at work for the Hispanic Heritage Celebration at my school. We all had a good time, lots of great home cooked foods, salsa lessons and visiting with the children's families.

Sat. I went with a friend to her friend's 50th Birthday party. I've never met the women whose party it was but she seems to have raised three great kids and looks like someone I would enjoy getting to know. the party was in a great Italian restaurant in Bayonne, NJ. I ate so much I came home a just hung out in a food coma for the rest of the night.

Today, was a very quiet day. I slept in then went to the nursing home to visit my hospice ladies. It is so interesting visiting them. At first the two older women, )I visit each separately) are very quiet but soon they open up and just talk and talk about their families, what they liked to cook, their old homes and how they both liked to crochet. One women lived near to Bayonne and the restaurant I wnet to was a favorite of hers. So here I am --- a died in the wool knitter and I visit ladies who loved to crochet. One lady sits wrapped in a crochet afghan she made herself. She has a beautiful white shawl that someone knit for her on the back of her chair but she does not like it. I think she does not see well enough to appreciate the beautiful work in it and the white just seems boring. Next week I think I'll take some knitting with me. Even if I never work on it it might be a conversation starter.

I have a day off this week so I'll be able to get together with the day time knitting group. I'm working on the pattern part of the gansey. I really should take a picture soon but I'm so lazy with the camera!

Autumn Coffee Swap

About Your Yarn Passion

1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? When did you first learn?

I knit, can crochet --just hate it :).
I learned about 52 years ago!

2. Do you like using a particular type of needle or hook? (wood, metal, straight, circular) Is there something you've been wanting to try, or a particular size you always seem to be short on?

I knit on all sorts of needles. I usually switch them to suit the project I'm working on. I have just about anything I need or want.

3. What kind of projects do you enjoy making? Any types you just haven't ever gotten into as much as others?

I love sock knitting but I've been on a sweater and vest run.

4. What's on your needles\hook right now? What's your oldest UFO (unfinished object)?
Right now I have a gansey, the Lady Feb sweater, a mistaken stitch scarf and a generic sock going. Everything else is pretty much abandoned, I just may not have admitted it yet. My oldest UFO ? Who know what might turn up at some point.
5. If you were going on vacation tomorrow, what project(s) would travel with you?
I would grab my sock project and depending on how I'm going both of my current sweater projects. If I had to pack light I would go with totally socks.

6. What are your favorite types of yarns? Any you're allergic too, or just hate working with? Anything in particular you've been dying to try?
I love working with natural yarns especially wool. I hate working with yarns that feel slick or crunchy when I work with them. I have no new yarn wish list right now.

7. What sort of colors do you love in yarns? Brights? Pastels? More muted colors? Variegated? Are there any you can't stand?
I'm not a pastel person. I love greens, blues and reds. I enjoy working with the wonderful dyed yarns but I also love working with yarns in their natural colors.
Your Coffee Passion

1. Do you prefer caffeinated or not?
TO ME if isn't not caffeinated, I don't bother!

2. Whole bean or ground? For what type of pot or press?
I use whole beans. I use either an automated grind and brew pot or a french press.

3. What types of roasts do you enjoy? Are you more the light and lively or dark and robust type? I am a dark and robust coffee person. I'll drink french vanilla but flavored coffees are not my favorite.

4. How do you 'take' your coffee? Creamers? Sweetener? Other add ins? I take my coffee black and no sugar.
5. That first morning cup - is it about the taste, or the caffeine?It's both!!!!

6. Do you enjoy going out to coffee shops like Starbucks? What are some of your favorites? I go to Starbucks when ever I can and my budget groans!

7. You've just made the perfect cup of coffee - is it in a thick mug, or a thinner cup? Where would you sit to drink it? My coffee would be in a huge mug. In good weather, I want to be outside. For indoor weather my coffee follows me everywhere in the house!

8. You're enjoying that perfect cup, and have a magic cabinet in your kitchen - when you open it, magically, your favorite treats will appear to enjoy alongside the coffee - what are they? Are they sweet? Crunchy? Soft and flaky?
I LOVE cookies and anything sweet with my coffee and my huge size shows it!

All about YOU!

1. Do you have other hobbies like spinning or scrapbooking?
I am a quilter and I do redwork.

2. Do you collect anything?
I collect vintage linens especially lacy or doily like items and blue polish pottery.

3. What is your favorite part of Autumn? I love the season change, especially the color of the leaves. I enjoy apple picking and Autumn outings like Rhinbeck!

4. What sort of scents do you enjoy? Any difference in what you like for your house versus what you like for your body? I love patchouli blends, lavender and vanilla for my self. For the house I like fresh and clean-- nothing too floral and I don't like artificial food fragrances.

5. Are you allergic to anything? Iodine

6. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID? Yes, franhaz

7. How would you spend an ideal fall afternoon/day? My ideal fall day would be outside. It could be walking around at the beach. My family has a house at the beach and the ocean and bay are great at this time of the year. I also enjoy taking a trip upstate NY to see the wonderful fall foliage and do something outside like apple or pumpkin picking.

Another Knitpick Needle breaks

Friday night while I was watching the debates yet another of my cables from my knitpicks set broke. This time the cable separated from the connector that joins it to the needle. I have also had the cable break while still attached to the needle, the needle tips separate from the metal part and also received several broken wooden needles still sealed in the shipping bags!

Now, I will acknowledge that watching a certain person involved in the debate makes me want to pull out my hair, so I might have been yanking my needles with a little more force then usual. I love using these Knitpick needles but so far I'm concerned about their durability! I've had mixed results with customer service. They need to find you in their customer service logs to replace the needles. They could not find records of several of my needle purchases and foolish me I didn't keep copies so they would not replace my sock needles even if I mailed them back in. Sat. morning they did find the record of my set and are sending me a replacement but I was asked "How old my set was?" so now I'm wondering if the replacements will be time limited. I have other needles that are years and years old. Occasionally I break a needle, not often. I stopped using Brittany Birch dpns because although they were willing to replace them I realized that I bent them too much the way I used them. I have used circular needles for years and NEVER had a problem except with Knitpicks. SO I guess the moral of this is that in the long run you get what you pay for.

Another Sat Gone!

Where has September gone? I feel like it was just August! Well not really, I do feel like I've been back to work for at least 5 months!

Today, my son came home from a work trip. He is working as a generator tech and went out of state to do a series of jobs. This was the first time he worked alone and because of excessive rain , and equipment decisions made by other people he had some VERY stressful times and I had a few when there were terrible winds and rain where he was working and I could not get in touch with him. So today I went to the airport to pick him up and spend a little time with him. It was so good to see him. I cannot imagine how people have their children go off to war and manage not to go insane with worry! While we were waiting for his bag, two older women were near us. Steven must have heard them say something, because he reached out and just picked up their huge bag with one hand off the baggage carousel and settled it on floor for them. They were so surprised and grateful and I just felt so good about my son to see him do something kind so naturally. It really felt nice to be his mother then!

I'm up to the underarm gusset part of my gansey so soon I'll be doing some more interesting knitting. Now, I'm finished with the Sat. chores and dinner so I'm going to knit and try to stay up to watch at least a little TV!

Greetings from the Shore

Yesterday, my grandmother, mother, sister, daughter, nephew and I went to see a movie filmed in the town where we have spent all our summers and where my mother and grandmother now live year round. The plot of the movie barely existed and the ending was sweet, pat and totally unrealistic BUT what a trip to see Lavallette on the big screen. All the little cliches of summer love at the beach were trotted out and it was totally fun to remember each one. My grandmother in her late 90's is getting increasingly frail and it is harder and herder for her to get around so I don't know how many more outings like this we will have.

Today, I started visiting hospice patients in a local nursing home. Up to now I visited people at home and they were younger and more alert. Sitting with these older people today made me so grateful that so far my grandmother has been able to stay at home and that my husband was able to spend his last time in our house. The nursing home is clean, nicely decorated and seems to be staffed with lovely people but....

I have knit 12 and a half inches on my gansey and now is when I can mess up. In my boredom with just going around I can start the sleeve gusset and interesting yolk part to early. I am going to measure my favorite sweater and FORCE myself to knit the body long enough. I need some behind coverage with this sweater! So now that I've already done the cleaning and cooking I have planned, I'm going to put comfortable clothes on and quilt and knit the afternoon away.

Sept 20

Just a lazy Sat so far. Go up, had lots of coffee, went for a pedicure now I'm going out for an early dinner / late lunch then most of the women in my family are going to see a movie, "Greeting from the Shore" which mentions the little town where we have our beach house. After this I plan to come home and continue the relaxing theme by knitting on my acres of boring gansey sweater body knitting until I fall asleep.

Not bad after a week of 12 hour plus days.

Back to Work Again!

This Summer I was doing well with blogging frequently then I went to California to visit my sister and her family and I had a really wonderful time BUT I got back to NJ the night before I had to go back to work. I usually go back to work a week before I have to be there SO work has been very hectic but really OK.

I'm working on a gansey and right now I'm in the acres of plain stitch body so it is a bit boring. I can't get myself going to finish the Lady Feb sweater or to do the hour of finishing on the pinwheel sweater or the twenty other little jobs I need to do. Work is interfering with my life!