Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Memories

I am so excited about Thanksgiving this year. It will be the first that my family and I have stayed at home and celebrated together. I've been cleaning for two days now, yep two days and there is so much more to do. Thankfully the children are excited about coming to Momma and Daddy's and they won't be critical of the house. Not unless the food sucks. :)

We have a pretty traditional meal planned. I love to cook so that part is going to be fun for me.

I have many Thanksgiving memories but the one that stands out most in my mind is one from my childhood. It must have been around 1963 or so, I was around six. By that time my parents were divorced and myself and my sister, Sheila, were living with my aunt and uncle. Aunt Beo (Nanny) and Uncle Melvin had purchased a bigger house in order to raise two little girls. My Daddy was single at the time so Aunt Beo had invited him to spend the day with us.

I can remember being so excited that my Daddy was going to be there. Aunt Beo prepared a wonderful traditional meal, turkey, green beans, corn, regular dressing and dressing with oysters special for my uncle, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, coconut cream and chocolate pies with wonderful fluffy meringue.

Now, I was a rather mischievous child. A good little girl, but my mind was always thinking of ways to surprise or trick people. I have all kinds of tales about my activities. My step-father, Luther, could tell you all kinds of nasty deeds done to him. He has a difficult time receiving a cup of coffee from me to this day. None were ever meant to cause harm though. I don't know, maybe I had too much time on my hands? But, my little mind was always working. It is kinda funny because now I hate practical jokes.

Anyways, while everyone was busy preparing food and such I had a brainstorm. I was admiring the pies Aunt Beo had made that morning when inspiration hit me. I found some unpopped popcorn in the cupboard, grabbed a handful and headed to the dining room where the pies were waiting to be devoured. I dropped about five or so kernels on top of each pie that had meringue and somehow, I don't remember now what I used, I pushed the kernels deep within the pies as an added little treat.

After we had finished our meal my heart began to race. I was so excited to see their faces when they bit into a nice soft piece of pie and found my "surprise. " As the pies were cut and handed out I couldn't stop giggling. My poor Daddy was the first and just about broke a tooth chomping into a big bite of pie. I can't remember getting into trouble. I'm sure Aunt Beo said something like "Peggy Lynn!!!!" It seems I can remember Daddy laughing along with me.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of wonderful memories. But, you might want to hide the popcorn. :)

Thursday, November 20, 2008

On Monsters

Hey all!!!! Many of you have been contacting me wondering what in the world is going on that I haven't been showing up here much lately. It has been crazy. Or I think it has been. I've been making quite a few trips to take care of Nanny and many to Louisville for my Emma Belle. I've been working some for my Sara and this week I'm working a couple days for my favorite defense attorney. And yes, I have been knitting with a tad spinning thrown in for good measure. Probably the biggest thing that has been taking (stealing) my time is Facebook. I have fallen into the Facebook hole and can't, or don't want to, find my way out. Come over and befriend me.

Okay, about knitting. Hmmm, well since I'm at The Attorney's office I don't have any pictures to show you just now. But...........remember that horror story of a knitting project "Edward Longshanks?" That knee length tomten my oldest, Aaron, wanted? Well, thank the Lord Most High, or the knitting gods, or my ignorance, I made a mistake and the sleeves weren't matching up so that ugly baby is frogged!!!! Instead I'm knitting him a sweater from knitty.com called Avast. Very lovely and doable.

I also have a really cute little green hoodie OTN right now. This one is from ChicKnits, Basic Chic Hoodie, and it is for me. YAY. I have way too many other things OTN or about to jump OTN right now to even mention. I am going to do better in the area of communication though.

The other day I was thinking about what a mess everything is. I have knitting on the kitchen table and the bar in the kitchen. Knitting in the living room, in a couple places, knitting in my bedroom on the floor and the night stand. The wicker love seat is totally unsittable since it is piled high with knitting, yarn, needles, a yarn swift and ball winder and....oh yes fiber, oh and knitting books. Upstairs the wool room is total uninhabitable. All things knitting and spinning strewn throughout the room. A total mess. We won't even talk about the basement.

Thinking about it all I remembered a situation we encountered while living in a little two bedroom apartment in Tulsa, OK.....Graduate Housing while David attended Oral Roberts University and I worked for the Chaplain. We already had our three children. Aaron was 7, Sara 5, and Jordan 3. My kids were like most children they did not go lacking for toys and in a tiny apartment we didn't have much space. David came up with a plan. The "Toy Monster." Now, this is how the Toy Monster operated. David would tell the kids to pick up their toys because at a certain time on a certain day the Toy Monster was going to come through. Any toy not picked up and put in its proper place the Toy Monster picked up, put it in a box not to be seen again for a full month. It actually worked pretty well. When the old toys were set free by the Toy Monster you would think it was a family reunion or Christmas all over again. The children were once again united with their long lost toys.

Well, I was thinking.....what if there was "Yarn, or Knitting or Fiber Monster" that would come through and anything, no matter what, not found in its proper place would get taken away for a month. Would that cause me to keep things in better order? I guess if there was a project I started that I really loathed that would be a good excuse to never touch it again. Once it was released from Project Prison I could break parole by leaving it out and..........oh well.

Overall though, I don't think that would work. It would probably just give me a better excuse to cast on a bunch of new things or go out and buy more yarn. Or this would cause me to truly go stark raving mad and the "Monster" would bring it all back. Obsession know no limits. I'd do whatever it took.

What about you? Do you have knitting or whatnot all over your house? If you are one of those people who has everything in its place and seldom have more than one thing OTN ......I don't like you!!!!!!

Do you think a "Knitting, Yarn, Spinning Monster" would work in your house?