What makes Autumn for me?

I have to say when the air gets a nice crisp feel to it is when I really know it is Autumn in this area. Since I live in Maryland, it has still been very warm, if not hot. It has been in the 90's this week. I also like to see the colors of the trees changing. Of course I can't wait to take my granddaughter, Alia, trick or treating next month. :)

One Day at a Time

I had such a busy day at work today. I have been training to be a trainer for a computer conversion we are starting this week. I have been training for months and now I feel my head is in such a fog that I can't even think straight. I started work at 6:00 a.m. and before I knew it, it was almost 4:00 p.m.

After work, I had to go see my father-in-law. I really feel bad for him. My husband, John, is the second child her has lost. Due to the fact that John died in an accident, his father is focusing on wanting to sue the driver that hit him. I believe that it will only bring more pain to the driver and will not ever bring "closure" as my father-in-law thinks it will. So after leaving his place, all I wanted to do was come home and knit.

I have been working on the FFBE bag. I am almost ready to felt the bag. I can't wait to see it felted. I find it amazing that knitting can bring such a calm over me, even after such a stressful day.

Tomorrow would have been my husband's 42nd birthday. I am really trying to stay positive and enjoy the day as much as possible. He was looking forward to his birthday. He was always such a BIG KID when it came to getting presents!! It makes me smile just thinking about how he would act.

Thank you

I want to thank everyone that has sent their condolences to me and my family this week following the sudden death of my husband. Your thoughts and prayers have helped us get through one of the worst weeks of our lives. I am holding onto the memories because they are true gifts from God. I am just so thankful that I was allowed to have John as part of my life because I am who I am today partially because of him. He will always be part of my heart!

Answers to Questions Around the World Swap

1. Are you religious?
   Yes, I believe in God.
   
2. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced? I have been knitting for about a year now. I still consider myself a beginner.
   
3. Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting? I love to read, and take long walks.
   
4. Favorite color(s)? purples and burgandies
   
5. Do you collect anything? precious moment figurines
   
6. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals? no
   
7. Do you have any pets? Yes, I have 2 cats (Lance and Thunder)
   
8. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate? I really enjoy a good cup of coffee!!! :)
   
9. Cookies or Sweets? I prefer cookies.
   
10. Do you knit socks? No, however that is my next thing to learn with regard to knitting.
    
11. If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits) I am really enjoying knitting bags and purses.
    
12. Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do? Yes we put up a tree.
    
13. Favorite holiday treats? My mom's pinwheel cookies.
    
14. Favorite holiday smells? The smell of the fresh Christmas tree in the house.
    
15. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate. We celebrate in traditional ways. Every year we go to my parent's house for breakfast and to open presents and then go to my grandmother's house for the day.
    
16. What are your favorite holiday traditions? Decorating the tree
    
17. Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....” The birth of our Lord and celebrating His birth with family and friends.
    
18. If you were a Christmas ornament you would be…….? I would be figurine of a mother holding her children on her lap.
    
19. What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given?I enjoying giving gifts that I know the other person really wanted.
    
20. When do you start your Christmas? We start celebrating the holiday season at the beginning of December.
    
21. Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them? No.
    
22. What is your favorite Christmas dish? Stuffing.
    
23. Carolers are at your door. What do you do? I open the door and enjoy the sounds.
    
24. When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning? We open presents on Christmas morning.
    
25. Do you celebrate with family or friends or both? We celebrate with both friends and family.
    

My husband's death

On Saturday morning, September 15, 2007 my husband, John, was killed in an accident. While this pain is greater than I ever thought it could be, I do know that God gave me a few gifts before bring John home to be with him. I was able to spend one entire day with John on Tuesday. It was like I was with the man I had married, not the addict. This day will always be such a special memory to me!

John is my best friend and was such a sweet person. He had such a heart of gold. I know he is now my guardian angel!

Please keep our family in your prayers. Also, please say prayers for his son and daughter. They are having an extremely hard time right now.

What a busy week?

As I write this, I am waiting to find out if I will have my granddaughter for the night. Grandma can't wait to spoil her!!!! As you can from this picture, Alia has very "devilish" side to her. Of course, as her grandmother, I only see her as an angel. This was taken last Sunday morning. She had just gotten me up very early and she was ready to move, but Grandma was still trying to drink her coffee.

For being a short week, it feels as if I have worked 2 weeks. I work for a trash company and even though we get a holiday, the trash still needs to get picked up the week of the holiday. Therefore, I always try to really enjoy my day off because when I go back to work I pay for the day off!

I have been busy knitting in the evenings. I am working on the book bag for my niece. Here is the link to the pattern: Ayla Bag. Hopefully I will have a pic of it soon to post. I was about 1/4 of the way through the pattern when I realized I needed to frog it almost all the way down to the base. I am determined I am doing this bag! I also have plans to use the basic pattern and adapt it also for my nieces 2 brothers. These are my brother's 3 year old triplets and they have just started preschool. I figure if I make these for Christmas (along with cool toys from Aunt Suzy) it will be around the time their parents will be looking to replace their first book bags.

Lastly, our family has the problem of addiction in it. Both my stepson and husband are addicts. My husband is currently in rehab but will be getting out tomorrow, Monday, or Tuesday. Needless to say, the stress level is very high for me right now. However, I have to admit my Nar-Anon friends have been great and they are helping me get through all of this. If you are a friend or family member of an addict and need to know you are not alone, please reach out to Nar-Anon. If you don't know how to reach them, please contact me and I will try to find a meeting for you!

Fall into Autumn Dishcloth exchange

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?

2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?

6. What do you like best about Autumn?

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?

Chocolate, popcorn, and peaches

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)

I have 3 grown children and 1 granddaughter. I also have 2 cats and 1 husband.

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why? I love variegated. They would show the different "colors" of me.

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?

Right now as dishclothes. However, with Christmas coming I am working on fashclothes.

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)

Thanksgiving. I get to spend time with my entire family.

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about? NO.