I'm back!!!!

Hey all, I'm back. My life has gone through so many changes over the last several years. I went from not working outside the home to working part-time to working 60+ hours a week. Im finally back to a somewhat "normal" lifestyle which means time for doing the things I most love, knitting, spinning, blogging, gardening and family!!! I'll be filling in the holes from the past several years a bit at a time. Y'all remember this post from several years ago? She had a great fall Well.....I now work for the devil!!!! I'll be posting some pics of my current OTN and some finished soon. I'm just happy to be alive and blogging once again.

What's Up????

What's up?  It has been a busy time in my household.  Unfortunately, not much knitting, spinning or general creativeness happening here.  As many of you know my handicapped sister came to live with us about a year and a half ago.  I think it is always a challenge when anyone comes to live in your home long term but, if there are other factors involved it is much more difficult.  I won't go into details, it is what it is.


On a lighter note, I'm hoping to get back to "normal" or a new normal soon.  It has been a crazy last four years.  I gotta get back to my knitting and spinning, for years that has brought me great joy and I have more yarn and fiber than I know what to do with.  I think I may just jump in and start My Wicked Emerald City Coat. 

In Search of the Mojo!!!!

Several months ago I wrote about losing my knitting mojo. I believe I'm on the track of locating it. Sometime last year I decided to become a selfish knitter. You know how it is. You knit and knit and knit for everyone else in the universe yet when you open your drawers or closet there is nothing to be found of your own handmade goodness. You've given it all away. Now, don't get me wrong, we do need to reward ourselves for all our hard work and creativity, but for me, this may not be for you, for me I'm beginning to believe THAT is when my mojo began seeping ever so slowly away. I began losing my knitting mojo when i decided to become a selfish knitter. I've found my greatest joy in knitting for others or giving the things I knitted for myself to others. That being said, I will no longer be a selfish knitter. I think I can find a happy medium somewhere.

Presently I'm working on a couple surprises for Valentine's Day. I can't tell you what it is because the recipients read this blog. Then it wouldn't be a surprise. If you really need to know you can either message me. It's a fun, quick, easy, beautiful and useful knit. That's all I'm gonna say.

On the search for the mojo I've come up with an idea. Since I live in downtown Bowling Green the main roads I travel are also traversed by those on foot or by bicycle. Many times the pedestrians I've seen this winter or traveling without proper head/neck wear. I'm thinking about knitting up a bunch of simple hats and scarfs and when I see this cold souls giving them the goodies. Just think how much mojo could be stirred up!!!!! One problem that needs to be overcome is how to give the items to them. I don't want to hold up traffic or have to park and run after these people. My daughter suggested I wrap the items around an apple and throw them at 'em. This would add the necessary weight to propel the item. Not only would they get a warm hat or scarf, they'd get a little snack as well. Gotta check with my auto insurance though........there could be some injuries incurred if they aren't very good catchers or to be more truthful I really suck at throwing. Sometimes this searching for the mojo can be quite difficult.

I'm not sure......

Today is the first day of December........I'm not sure......but I think it is time to start that Christmas knitting!!!!!  My problem is this.  I can't just knit gifts for knitting gifts sake.  I have to have inspiration.  I have to have a dream.  Maybe I'm a dreamer, I don't like to go looking for patterns I like for patterns to find me.  Understand?????  You know, you see something you know you just have to make.  That special gift for that special someone.  Such as.....Lyra's Hat from The Golden Compass or all those ear flap hats you see in the mall stores.  I've decided I wanna make those.  That would knock out several gifts. As is typical, I have lots of yarn but not that special yarn that speaks to me for these hats.  Guess that means I'll have to "make" myself run off to my LYS (Enchanted Yarn & Fiber) to find that speaking yarn.  Or I could dive into my stash......not near as much fun!!

I need inspiration!!!!!  Or possibly I'm a sadist that only produces under extreme time pressure??

What motivates your holiday knitting? 

Let it be known throughout the land!!!!!

Let it be known throughout the land, Friday has been officially designated as Spinning Day.  For far too long I've neglected my beloved wheel.  She has sat there in the corner of my bedroom very patiently waiting for my life to settle down long enough to give her the deserved attention.  From here on out she and I will spend Friday's together.

So, now that that has been established the question came to "What to spin?"  People, it is redic!!!  I have 4-5 of Abby's Luxury Batts, 3-4 of Abby's Silk, Cotton, boxes of Romney, Jacob and Alpaca, Superwash roving, Llama, Angora, Silk roving, Cormo, Gotland, Raw fleece by the bags full.......

I've settled on starting the first weekly Spinning Friday with the spinning of this gorgeous black Alpaca roving loving given by Amarosa the Alpaca.  Several years ago my husband's cousin graciously sent me fiber from 4 or 5 of the Alpaca from their farm.  I sent it off to a fiber mill and had it turned into roving.  Really gorgeous, soft fiber.

I have 3 lbs 12 oz of this wonderful stuff.  I decided to measure it out in 4 oz section so I can hopefully get the same amount of singles on each bobbin before plying.

Why don't you join me on Spinning Fridays?  It is be a "virtual spinning guild."

What's on your Holiday needles?

What's on your Holiday needles? What projects/patterns do you turn to when you need a quick gift? I have several standards I fall back on and this year thanks to Enchanted's Christmas Club I have a couple more. Typically I fall back to knitting dishcloths. They are a quick knit and oh so useful. Plus, there are plenty of free on-line patterns and so many gorgeous cotton yarns. Or I knit up a bunch of fingerless mitts. I love the Fetching pattern. It's quick when using a worsted or DK weight and inexpensive.

This year I'm adding the Biscuit Blanket from February's club project and the Just Enough Ruffles scarf from January's club project. Both are fast knits and again an inexpensive gift.  What you got going? 

Hum, HUm, HUM!!!!!!

"CHIPPIE THE PARAKEET NEVER saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

The problems began when Chippie's owner decided to clean Chippie's cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She'd barely said 'hello' when 'sssopp!' Chippie got sucked in.

"The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie-- still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.

"Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.

"A few days after the trauma, the reporter who'd initially written about the event contacted Chippie's owner to see how the bird was recovering. 'Well,' she replied, 'Chippie doesn't sing much anymorc he just sits and stares.' An excerpt from Max Lucado "In the eye of the storm."

These last two years have probably been the hardest of my life. Accusations, slander & lies, rejections, loss of income, change of lifestyle, added responsibility of the full-time care of my sister, having to put my aunt that raised me in a nursing home and dealing with her degenerated mental state, my own physical issues......many, many changes.

Remember this, "I'm A Hummer", entry I posted in March '08. Definitely a simplier time!!!! Like Chippie I've found myself not humming much, if at all, over the last couple years. I didn't really think about it until a couple months ago when David brought it to my attention that he had'nt heard me humming for quite some time.

I'm happy to say though in the last month I've caught myself humming every once in a while. It is a good sign that my heart and mind are loosening up. I don't want to give the impression that there hasn't been great joy during the last two years. It definitely hasn't all been bad, much of the changes have brought great freedom. However, I have found myself thinking "I want my life back." The life where I wasn't so mentally strained with the daily decisions and such that any creativity was squelched. The life where I had the time, strength, joy and creativity to blog, knit, spin, cook, garden, sew..........

Even though we may feel like Chippie. We need to give ourselves time. The song may not be the same as it was before but still a song it will be. I'm a Hummer!!!!!!!

A Post With No Name

You remember the song the band America recorded, "A Horse With No Name?" Welp, this is the post with no name. It isn't like I couldn't come up with a name.....the trouble is I came up with to many. You see, I have a problem......a big problem.

This is the problem. I joined Enchanted's Christmas Club thinking that I'd get a jump on Christmas gifts this year. I don't know why I fool myself, I suppose I'm rather convincing. My husband tells me I could sell jalapenos in hell. Maybe I'm an over optimistic optimist. Maybe I'm just plain stupid. Maybe I'm insane. The meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Every year I think "I'm not going to wait until October (sometimes November, sometimes December) before I start my Christmas knitting." Yet, year after year after year that is what I do. Insanity thou art my middle name!!!!!

However, I think I'm going to put the blame on RoLynn and Ashley. After all it IS their fault. If they wouldn't pick such scrumptious projects each month I wouldn't be writing a post with no name. It isn't that I don't love the patterns they choose AND the perfect yarn for the monthly projects. The trouble is I love them too much. This is April, I've knitted every months project, fixen to start on this month's, yet I have nothing, N-O-T-H-I-N-G, in my Christmas gift box, NOTHING!!!!!!

Actually, I haven't even designated a box for Christmas gifts. Maybe my psyche knows me better than I know myself????

Last year I decided I was going to become a selfish knitter. Up to that point I had given just about all my wonderful projects away or I was constantly knitting for someone else. Maybe that is the problem........hmmmmmm.

Anyways, so far all the "Christmas Projects" have ended up in my closet. Thus, the problem with naming this post. I was thinking maybe it should be "Houston We Have a Problem" or possibly "Merry Christmas to Me!!!!" or even better "Hello, My Name is Peggy and I'm a Selfish Knitter."

Just look at that face, just look at it!!!!! Isn't that the cutest little feller you ever saw? I gotta have one, I'm gonna have one, I'm gonna have three!!!! One for my Emma Belle, one for her little sister, Ava Simone, and one to be my special little friend and he shall be called Herman!!!! And he shall go with me everywhere. He will ride in my truck on the dashboard, at other times he will travel safely in my knitting bag and at night he will be the last little face I look at before I go to sleep and the first thing I see when I awake. He is my soulmate.

Kits are available at Enchanted Yarn & Fiber for your very own little friend.

What you gonna name him?

Take a ride on the Crazy Train!!!!

I've jumped on the Crazy Train!!!!! Not the one you are thinking of, I've been on that one for years. The one I've jumped on is the Flower Crazy Train. I've even gone so flower crazy that I've been found crocheting the little buggers!!!! (Please keep that whole "Peggy is crocheting" thing a secret). Here's a pic of some finished ones and some partly finished ones.

I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted. Been busy, busy I suppose. I've had to look back at my pics to see what I haven't shown you. One thing that isn't knitting but came as a gift from an awesome knitting friend is this little chicken. I collect chickens and French things. Isn't she beautiful????? And so proud!!!!!

Okay, let's see what have I been knitting.......I finished the February Project from Enchanted's Christmas Club. It is a lovely Biscuit Blanket. It is a quick knit and such a lovely stitch pattern. I plan on making several of these for gifting this year. There was also a bonus pattern for a dish cloth, quite loverly as well.

I finally finished Mystic Light and have it blocking. Sorry about the background, I already had it all pinned out and I ain't gonna do that again!!!! I'll post a better pic once it is dry.

My Name is Peggy, and I'm a Fiber Snob

I've decided, I'm not only a knitting vs crocheting snob and a yarn snob......I'm a fiber snob. Now I know you may be saying what is the difference between a yarn snob and a fiber snob? Aren't they one in the same? Au contraire mon fraire!!!!!!

A yarn snob is someone who turns their nose up at acrylic yarns, particularly the kind purchased at the big "super department stores." Now, there is something to be said for acrylic. When man no longer inhabits the earth and all the buildings have crumbled and the only living thing left are cock roaches......anything ever made from acrylic yarn will look like it did the first day it was made. Kinda like hell.....never ending. A yarn snob will only use "quality" yarns usually purchased at their favorite LYS, Local Yarn Store.

A fiber snob is someone who prefers certain fibers over others. I can't help it, I love wool and wool blends. I'm not sure...but I think I may hate cotton. Or maybe cotton hates me. I recently knitted Rosa's Sleeveless Cardi. I really like the design and I like the garment....I'm just not fond of cotton. Now, I've not given totally up on cotton so no hate mail please. If you've found a cotton you love let me know, maybe I'll have a change of heart.

I finished the Shalom Vest and wore it to a Super Bowl party. Jamie and I staged a throw down, she was for the Colts and I for the Saints. I even won $13 for drawing the winning quarter-backs name out of the pack. I see yarn in my future.

And last, but certainly not least, I have a new friend. I picked her up in Tennessee. A Harrisville 36", 4 harness, 6 treadle floor loom. I think we are going to be great friends and with her I believe I will find a new love and respect for cotton.

OCD Much??????

I've always thought it was a possibility, it's never been diagnosed, but I think I'm kinda OCD. Here are my symptoms, check it out and see what you think:

1. Well, when I get into something, I really get into it. I want it all. Like, I could never understand collecting thimbles from each state one thimble at a time. I would want them all, like now so my set would be complete.

2. When I started knitting socks, that is all I wanted to knit.

3. When I started knitting lace, how many KALs was I a member of at the same time????? It wasn't pretty I know that.

4. When I started spinning, I got ALL the gadgets

5. Now I'm getting into weaving and I WANT IT ALL!!!! NOW!!!!

But, here is the thing that really got me to thinking we may have a problem. You know I've been happily getting back into knitting, spinning, blogging and Ravelry. Well that is all fine and good. This is the thing:

6. You know on Ravelry where you can join groups and then take part in many different interesting conversations about the particular specialty of the group? I can't stand to go to the group home page and see any number in the posts column signifying I haven't read the post. I find myself going to the page and pretending that I'm reading the post just to get the little number to go away. Sick right??????

Thankfully I deleted a bunch of groups before I realized this tendency. I presently only have about 6-7 to keep clean.

On another note, I've been asked to blog for Enchanted Yarn & Fiber. I'll be sharing different things over there if you wanna have a look see. You can also sign up for their newsletter over there and keep up with all the fun.

Here we go AGAIN!!!!

I've been feeling pretty good. Been knitting like a fiend, began thinking about my blog again, hooked back up with several on-line knitting groups, heck, I even got one of my spinning wheels out again. I was feeling pretty much in control, till it happened. Don't ask me how it happened.....it just happened. One moment I was living in semi-sane knitterland and the next I had re-entered bonkersville knitterland.

First I'll try to explain how I think it happened and then I'll tell you the result. I had happily made it through the Christmas knitting madness actually quite happy with myself. I had even finished the Angelica's Coat and the Shawl Collared Vest. I began knitting the Falling Water Vest and a La La Simple Shawl but feeling somewhat underwhelmed I decided I wanted to knit the Every Way Wrap. Trouble is with all the changes that have occurred my funding has dried up so forget purchasing new yarn and I couldn't find enough in my stash to complete it. So, being the optimistic idiot I am I decided I should spin the yarn, after all, I have loads of wonderful fiber crammed into two closets. I've already started spinning the fiber, white Romney, I plan on dying it before I knit it up.. It is okay, no biggee. But then I added a pair of Fetchings for a friend to the queue, actually I've already cast them on. Still not biggee right? This is where I began sliding down the slippery slope into bonkersville knitterland.

A couple months ago we purchased a Stacht Rigid Heddle Loom hoping it would be something my sister, Sheila, could be taught to do. She did make Sara a beautiful scarf, only trouble is I have to sit right there to make sure she is following the steps properly. Anyways, I began looking into weaving. A dangerous thing to do. Now, I want a floor loom. And by golly I'm going to finger out a way to get one. If nothing else, surely there is someone out there with one stuck away somewhere and I can at least borrow it. They are rather pricey. Heck, I've even been looking at plans for building one. Until I can steal, uh procure one I'm going to work on the rigid heddle one. So with my other projects, now I'm wanting to make the Space Out Felted Scarf. Then today on one of my on-line groups someone talked about the Heart on a String hat and after seeing it I've decided I want to knit for a couple special little girls.

See what I mean????? Here we go AGAIN!!!!!

Hey you!!!! Wanna know a secret????

Wanna know a secret? I love knitting. I mean, I don't just like knitting, I don't just enjoy knitting, I don't just knit for fun........I love, love, love, Love, LOve, LOVe, LOVE knitting!!!! I knit everyday of my life.....do you? I can't imagine life without knitting. I can't understand how people make it through life without knitting.

It is almost like magic (hehehe), you take string and sticks and create unbelievable wonders, works of art. And if it doesn't turn out like you thought it becomes insulation between the bottom of your stash and the stash itself. Or it gets frogged and the possibilities begin again.

I'm not a great knitter, however, I've taught countless women to knit. It is so thrilling to see a new knitter born. One lady I taught several years ago told me every time she sat down to knit she felt like she was wasting time. WASTING TIME!!!!!! Can you imagine????? How could knitting be considered wasting time? Pretty much every Christmas, birthday or "just cause" gift I give is something I've knitted. How is that wasting time? Each gift is an heirloom.

Well, IF knitting is wasting time......I sho have been wasting da time.....a lot!!!! Here is the low down on my wasting time the last month or so:

9 pairs of fingerless gloves
2 Gators
9 hats
2 pair of mittens
1 Angelica's Coat
1 Shawl Collared Vest
2 scarves

What have you been wasting time on?

Presently I'm wasting time on the Falling Water Ruffle Vest by Jamie Thomas of Imagine Knit Designs and the La La Simple Shawl. I'm feeling kinda agitated.....like I'm not wasting my time on enough projects. I know many of you waste time on one project at a time. To me you aren't getting the most benefit of your wasting of time. I need several, oh, okay...many projects going at the same time or I feel kinda empty. With that said, I believe it is time to go digging into the ole UFO bags.

People Are Strange

I have begun this post over and over again. I'll type a bit and then re-read it, delete it and start again. Over the past nine months or so my life has taken many twists and turns. Most for the GOOD. Actually, if I told you of all the events you wouldn't believe it. At times I've wondered if I was living in the Twilight Zone or The Salem Witch Hunt. Strange, strange occurrences, accusations and events. The trouble is, or at least this is how it seems to me, that people do not want the truth. They prefer to listen to gossip and slander and count it as truth. For a series of months my life joy was stolen from me and it feels so good to be free of that now. Although, the rumor mill is still going strong.

Peggy!!!! What the heck are you talking about. I'm so glad you asked. :)

I am going to talk about the HAPPY changes in my life and get back to talking about knitting, spinning and good friends.

After a long wait we purchased a new home and moved into it in July. It is a wonderful, lovely home built in 1929. We so love old homes and their character. It is located in downtown Bowling Green set amidst many other old homes. With all the varied people living in the vicinity it has a Bohemian feel. Fits me to a tea!!!!! This is a picture of our backyard.

After many months of tears and prays we resigned our position as Senior Pastor at the church we've been at for the last five years and have launched out to start a new church, The Open, here in Bowling Green. We semi-jokingly say it is a church for people who hate church. You can check out our web site and even listen to my husband's messages at the link above.

AND I've gotten back to knitting!!!!! I'll post a few pictures at a time. I finally finished My Little Green Hoodie. The pattern is from Chic Knits, Basic Hoodie and is made from Frog Tree Alpaca. This picture doesn't capture the true color, it is a vibrant green.

These are a couple hats I've made this week. The pattern is found in Kristen Knits. I love them and have several more people wanting one so I'm sure you will see some more variations.

I'll leave you with a funny little story. My step-father, Luther, has an eye that twitches. It is funny cuz when we were kids we could always tell when he was angry because that eye would twitch faster. But, the funny thing is when he first came into my mother's family all of my Uncles began getting rather perturbed at him because they thought his eye twitch was actually him winking, flirting, with my aunts. We laughed at that for years. It is a good example though, that things are not always as they appear. We often jump to judgement because it is something new to us or we are looking at the situation through our old lenses. Let us seek truth!!!!!

Forever Changed - 16 Years

We all have circumstances or events that constitute the sum of who we are. Some are happy and some are not so happy. Still, I choose to accept the view that had I not experienced these circumstances or events I would not be the person I am today. And having these experiences will, hopefully, allow me to help someone along in their journey of this thing we call life.

I could tell you all sorts of stories about my childhood and on that have had tremendous impact to me being, well, me. But, the one I'm talking about today visits my mind and emotions probably the most often, particularly during the month of September and particularly today, September 13th.

My life was forever changed September 13, 1995. It doesn't seem possible it could have been twelve years ago, yet it seems like a life time. At that time I was deep into getting a Bachelors in Mathematics. Exactly one week before I had spoke before a special committee of the Kentucky State Legislature as a representative of the Community and Junior Colleges throughout the state. My mornings consisted of getting my children, Aaron-17, Sara-14 and Jordan-9 off to school before I headed out for my day of classes. On this particular morning Sara's friend Jenny had called to say she had missed her bus and could they give her a ride to school. You know as a mom you get tired of being the jerk so I told them sure. I didn't want her to get in trouble with her mom for missing school. As I was getting ready to go out the door they pulled up, Aaron had forgotten his backpack. Backpack in hand off they went. Just as I was walking down the front steps the fire alarm in town went off and as I got to the end of our road a State Trooper went flying pass me with light and siren on full tilt.

I almost turned to go the same way, but decided I was being ridiculous so I turned right and went on my way. The kids didn't have cell phones at the time. Aaron had a pager and I called it thinking that when he got to school he would call. And then I called Nanny's house. She lived about a block from the high school so I made them park there instead of the school because I was afraid they would have a wreck with all the craziness of kids trying to get out of the parking lot at final bell. She hadn't seen them, but I told her it was foggy and it was probably just taking them a little longer than normal. I ended up calling Aaron's pager and Nanny a couple more times. Then I called the church to speak to my husband, David. Our Church Administrator said that he had received a call stating that the kids had been in an accident and he and our Associate Pastor had gone to check it out. David wouldn't have anything to do with a cell phone but I knew Marion had one so I called it. Marion answered and as soon as he knew it was me he gave it to David. As he said hello I could hear the helicopter blades in the background as two choppers lifted off to head for Louisville. David stated that the kids had been injured in a one vehicle accident and were being stat flighted to Louisville but not to worry, he was sure it was just a standard thing and for me to go on to classes. I knew better, I knew if they were stat flighting them it had to be serious. We discussed a good place for me to meet him so we could go to the hospital together.

As I drove to our meeting place my phone rang. It was the police, they had found Aaron's pager going off and called the number. As soon as he knew it was me he asked if I knew where my children were. I told him it was my understanding they were being flown to a hospital in Louisville. He said yes, my two were being taken to Kosair Children's Hospital and that Jenny was being taken to University. I told him how to get in contact with her mother and hung up. I didn't know the extent of any of their injuries but I knew enough to know that if Jenny was being taken to University she was the most seriously injured.

Once we arrived we were ushered into an emergency room where Aaron lay on one side and Sara on the other. They had both been thrown out the sun roof of Aaron's little Ranger and both had sustained broken backs plus many lacerations and contusions. Sara's back was broken in the thoracic area and her spleen had been badly damaged. Aaron's back was broken in the lumbar region and he had two plastic surgeons working on his face and head for a number of hours. Sara was in the hospital for about a week and a half and then sent home for a month or so to see if her spleen would heal before they did her back surgery. She had to wear one of those hard tortoise shells in order to be able to move around. They performed Aaron's surgery within the first couple days. And he remained in Kosairs for about a week and a half before he was transferred to Frazier Rehab. Basically he had to learn to walk all over again. He remained at Frazier for about 5 -6 weeks. By the time we were able to take him home he literally looked like someone from a concentration camp. It took him many months before he could walk without a cane and he had to wear a brace for some time. David stayed home with Sara and I stayed with Aaron.

Two days after the accident they removed little Jenny off of life support. If you have children, particularly older children, you know there are friends that your kids have that you like but when they are around it is like having a guest and then there are friends that just fit in, they seem like part of the family. Jenny was one of those. When she was around she just felt like one of mine.

I cannot begin to tell you the grief I felt at that time. The Bible says that when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was in so much grief and pressure that He actually sweat drops of blood. I cannot imagine that kind of grief, I felt at any moment large droplets of blood would begin to pour from my forehead. I experienced immense grief but also anger and even guilt. Why did I get my babies back, injured and maimed yes, but I got em back and why didn't Jenny's parents get her?

It took me several years to work through that. Am I actually through it now? When something so traumatic happens to you I don't know that you ever actually get over it. Here twelve years later I could cry as if it were yesterday. Is it easier? Definitely. Sometimes I feel like Scarlett O'Hara, "I'll think about that tomorra, if I think about it today I'll go crazy." But when it is this time of year or I look at my children, particularly Aaron, and see how their lives could have been different it is a challenge.

Sara is doing great, she has rods on both sides of her spine. Which, to her joy, will require her to have c-sections when she has children. That makes her happy, I don't know why. Do you want pain before or pain after?

Aaron is doing quite well. He is slightly crooked and lives with pain everyday of his life. But he still gets to do what he loves to do, play and teach private music lessons.

They are alive and living a happy and productive life. I gave up multiple scholarships. I attempted to get back into the flow and complete that degree several times over the years. But, I was just never able to get back into it. And that is okay.

I don't know all the reasons for things, and I don't always understand but truly one thing I do know is Romans 8:28 says "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. "

Does that make my pain go away. Not really, but it does bring comfort. And I know that I am better prepared to understand the grief and pain of others than I would have before.

I have been forever changed.

New Year's Resolutions

Here we are, another new year. I love this time of year. I guess I'm just naive enough to feel like I have a fresh start. Whoever came up with the idea to have Thanksgiving in November, quickly followed by Christmas in December and the New Year starting shortly thereafter was a genius. You get all wore out and burned out from all the holiday gatherings and festivities and then you quickly get to start another fresh year. I've been thinking about my New Year's Resolutions. I figure if I take them a day, week or month at a time I might be okay. Here are mine:

1. Start each day with a positive attitude. For me one way to accomplish this is to have my "quiet time" in the morning first thing. Get my coffee, my bible and devotional book and spend some quiet time reading, praying and meditating on what I've read.

2. Eat better, become more health conscious. I don't include exercise here, I know I should but, I really hate exercise and I know I will be pressured and yucky. Eating better is a good start. Dirty Harry said "A man has got to know his limitations." That goes for woman too.

3. Get more Christmas 09 knitting done. That means sticking with the A Loose Knit Group plan and not getting distracted.

4. Knitting more socks for ME!!!! I'm ashamed when I get around all my knitting friends and they are sporting their hand knit socks.

5. Read a new book every month. This means less Facebook and less playing the silly Yahtzee/solitaire games I play on my palm every night in bed. One book I am determined I am going to finish first is Out of Eden by Steinbeck. I started this book about 10 years ago. You see, there is this one character, Kathy, that I hate so much every time over the last 10 years I have picked the book back up to finish I can't stand it and I put it back down. I keep thinking if I knew for sure she comes to a bad end I might be able to finish it. I was the same way with Hugo's, Les Miserables. I loved Jean Valjean so much the thought of him coming to a bad end almost kept me from finishing it. If you haven't read it, oh my, it is such an awesome book. The movie with Liam Neeson is awesome as well.

6. Getting my house organized and keeping it organized.

Well, I'm sure there are more, but that is a pretty good start. How about you? You got any resolutions you want to share?

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. :)

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?

World Peace?

Do you think about world peace very often? Or what your part in it is? You know, while drinking your morning coffee you contemplate what the world would be like "if I were Queen (King) of the forest?"

I used to semi-jokingly state that we were going to obtain world peace one knitter at a time. I thought if we could get more and more people knitting we would come into a place of knitting zen where all boundaries would be broken. A place where all things knitterly would be shared in common. I imagined the United Nations filled with knitters from all around the world. Each country bringing it's own special, unique fiber to be added to the UN stash. And each time a new texture, fiber or color was added all would join in together with oooooooooooo's and ahhhhhhhhhhhhh's. Instead of the clicking of angry tongues one would hear the clicking of happy knitting needles. I imagined the halls being filled with little free rolling yarn balls. And via the wonderful gift of knitting each country would learn to share of their resources and come up with constructive, creative ways to solve all OUR major issues. We would act as one.

Overall, most fiber enthusiasts I've met world wide are very giving people. I've had people from all over the world send me yarn, cd's, fiber, chocolate, patterns and knitted items just because they wanted to gift me with things. Wonderful people from Norway, England, Belgium, Canada, and here in the States. I began believing my surmise........Knitting is the way to world peace. Yes and amen.

But then something happened to burst my bubble. I started hanging around knitters. People!!!!! If it weren't for people we could achieve world peace. I wish I could blame it on all the other knitters, but alas, I can't. I have no one but myself to blame. You see, I've known this for some time now, but it is something I've managed to keep hidden deep within myself. A secret I find it difficult to reveal. Actually, a secret I have relished with pride.

"Hello, my name is Peggy and I am a......................yarn snob." The only way I can allow myself to be so vulnerable as to reveal this is I hope to give you the courage to admit who/what you really are. That you too will come out of the closet. That through my groveling you may have your own personal epiphany.

I am a yarn snob. I've been one for a number of years. At least five years. I think it happened about the time I became a serious knitter. What I mean by that is when all other hobbies were forsaken for only knitting. If the word hobby is disconcerting to you we will deal with that later. It was around that time that I quit going into the craft section of Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby to look for yarn. The word "acrylic" seldom passed over my tongue except in phrases of disgust. In fact, that is a word I would only say in a whisper. I thought "Never has a more disgusting, vile word been created" except for one other word I won't venture to mention just yet. I don't recall being rude to anyone over my snobbery. Many times our prejudices thrive within the darkness of our superior thoughts or are veiled in our communications. Such as, "Oh, yeah, if you want QUALITY yarn you need to go to the "yarn store."" Or, "All the acrylic yarn I have in my stash was given to me, I only use it when teaching new knitters."

How can I hope to be any part of any kind of answer to any kind of world peace of any kind when I harbor any kind superiority? I wish I could say my being a yarn snob was the worst of my deepest darkest secrets. Many times when the cosmic light of self-awareness shines into the dark, dank crevices of our souls other, more serious character flaws are revealed.

To Be Continued......................