'Twas The Night Before Christmas...

When all through the house, 

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

When I was little we spent Christmas with my grandparents in Lubbock. We moved to Albuquerque when I was about three, and my parents always went ‘home’ for Christmas. Both sets of grandparents lived there so it worked out fine because we got to see everyone.

My dad’s mom, my grandmother, always said “Christmas Eve Gift” when we got there. Sometimes it was in the middle of the night but if it was Christmas Eve, that’s what she said in greeting, as soon as we walked through the door.

I never knew what it meant. I thought it was just one of those weird Grandmother things that she did and said. Later, when Grandmother and Granddaddy were no longer around to celebrate Christmas with, we still said it. It didn’t matter if we were at my house, my mom’s or my brother’s, that was the first thing said when someone arrived. It was kind of a joke to Grandmother I guess.

One year, on a knitting list I’m a part of, one of the ladies posted about Christmas Eve Gift. I was surprised! All this time I thought it was just something in our family, so I checked it out on the Internet. (I really don’t know what people did before the Internet. That’s my main source of information!) Anyway, I found out there is a custom, more often than not dealing with gifts, centered on the saying, “Christmas Eve Gift.”

I still remember Grandmother, happy to see us, saying Christmas Eve Gift. I remember walking through the garage, to the back door, and the smell of her house as we came in from the long trip. I remember her having the beds ready, pallets on the floor for us kids, and the warmth and comfort that was offered.

We don’t give or get an extra gift for being the first to say Christmas Eve Gift in our family. I know now what the gift was, as we came through the door and she called out, “Christmas Eve Gift” and we said it back. It’s the gift of being with those you love. It’s the gift of family, together at Christmas.

Remember, the things you get and give this year, the material things, are just that; things. And they will soon be forgotten. The best gift of Christmas is the gift of yourself, spending time with those who mean the most. That’s the gift that will be cherished and remembered, for the rest of time.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, 

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there...

I found this poem, written by Howard Epstein. I adapted it...just a little, just for fun. Enjoy!

A Knitter’s Christmas 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, 

 Knitting needles were clicking, by way of my spouse, 

Knit one, purl one, and yarn over too, 

Her fingers were flying, so much left to do, 

A ski hat for Ty, a warm scarf for Jen, 

A sweater for Bryce, He’ll start a new trend! 

A silk shawl for Judi, some argyles for Dad, 

A knit toy for Caleb, that loquacious lad,

I watch her with wonder, as objects appear, 

Some flowers, a castle, a river, a deer, 

An edging, a ruffle, are done in a whiz, 

She’s painting with yarn, like the artist she is, 

Her patterns are perfect, there’s never a glitch, 

And I know she is knitting, a kiss in each stitch, 

I think that all knitters, who labor away, 

Giving joy unto others, must feel good every day, 

Her needles stop clicking, nothing more left to do, 

So I sit down and say, “Merry Christmas to you” 

And to all who are knitters, may I say with delight, 

“Merry Christmas To All, And To All A Good Night!” 

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, 

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Thanksgiving Blessings

We've come to the time in the season 

When family and friends gather near 

To offer a prayer of Thanksgiving 

For blessings we've known through the year. 

To join hands and thank the creator 

And now when Thanksgiving is due, 

This year when I count my blessings, 

I'm thanking the Lord He made you. 

I'm grateful for the laughter of children, 

The sun and the wind and the rain. 

The color of blue in your sweet eyes, 

The sight of a ball and train. 

The moon rise over a prairie, 

Old love that you've made new. 

This year when I count my blessings, 

I'm thanking the Lord He made you. 

And when the time comes to be going, 

It won't be in sorrow and tear. 

I'll kiss you goodbye and I'll go on my way 

Grateful for all of the years. 

I thank you for all that you gave me, 

For teaching me what love can do. 

Thanksgiving day for the rest of my life, 

I'm thanking the Lord He made you... 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

∩ │◥███◣ ╱◥███◣      

╱◥◣ ◥████◣▓∩▓│∩ ║

│╱◥█◣║∩∩∩║◥█▓ ▓█◣   

      │∩│ ▓   ║∩田 ║▓ ▓ ▓∩ ║          

•°*”˜˜”*°• From my house to your house •°*”˜˜”*°• 

•°*”˜˜”*°•Happy Thanksgiving•°*”˜˜”*°•

to family and friends

This year when I count my blessings, 

I'm thanking the Lord He made you. 

**song by Johnny Cash

Today I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything...

I just wanna lay in my bed.  

Don't feel like picking up my phone  

So leave a message at the tone. 

Cause today I swear I'm not doing anything… 

Well, not anything I don’t want to do. How about that? I’m tired! I’m not tired like a normal tired. I have no energy for anything. By the time I get home from work I could just go to bed. Add fixing supper, cleaning up after and other little chores and I’m exhausted. I’ll look at the computer for a bit, knit some if I’m lucky and go to bed. It’s as early as 10:00 pm on some nights. That’s not like me at all!

The past two or three weeks have been really busy. Lots of travel, a funeral and the everyday fun at work makes for long days. I decided to take all next week off. Of course I’ll spend most of it getting ready for Thanksgiving, but at least I can start and stop when I want. No 5:30 am for me for a whole week! One thing that irritates me though is that now Tuesday is an early release day. Those going to work get to leave at 1:30. So I take one of my comp days, worth 8.5 hours and I feel cheated. It should only count as a half day off. But work isn’t fair. And it never will be. I’d have to take the day anyway because I have to go to the doctor with my husband for one of those “turned 50” procedures. Life isn’t fair. And it never will be.

We had a trip planned for Thanksgiving, to the mountain house. It’s pretty there and there are actually ‘seasons’. It would be nice but it’s far. We’d have a great time and we’d put off coming back home as long as we could. It would lead to starting another week being tired. So we will stay home and have family over to enjoy the day. There’s a lot to be done to get ready for the holiday but I’m comforted in knowing I can do it, at my own pace, without having to report to anyone. I don’t even have to get out of my pajamas if I don’t want! I can have a glass of wine. I can knit a row or two. And what if I decide to take a nap in between? Heck, I might just do that!

No, I ain't gonna comb my hair 

Cause I ain't going anywhere 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, oh… 

I have a bad habit of keeping things in the plastic store bags they were placed in when bought. And if I don’t already have them in a bag I tend to put them in a bag. So today, while rearranging some of these plastic bags I ran across a couple of projects that I finished knitting but never finished.

Remember to check out Our Creative Spaces to see some great projects!

They need the ends worked in and probably would benefit from blocking. But the knitting is done!

Montego Bay scarf

Couple of dishcloths.

Chianti shawl

Something with a ruffle...I forgot what it's called

I know there are more, some I’ve probably even forgotten doing, and I’ll find them…eventually. Then I’ll have a big blocking party. Who knows? If I got to it before Christmas I might even have some shopping done!

I'll be lounging on the couch, 

Just chillin' in my snuggie… 

I’ll be watching corny Christmas movies, knitting and relaxing. Because today, I just don’t feel like doing anything.

Yes I said it. 

I said itI said it cause I can. 

Today I don’t feel like doing anything...

Thankful

Somedays we forget, 

To look around us.  

Somedays we can't see,  

The joy that surrounds us.  

So caught up inside ourselves,  

We take when we should give…  

Thirty days hath November. It’s soon to be Thanksgiving. Then shortly after that, it will be Christmas. The stores have had Christmas decorations out since October. It’s become a hurry up world.

The beginning of November is when it’s really fall to me. Then the leaves are gone. The wind blows and it’s winter. Not officially of course, but winter, never the less. November is the beginning of the holidays. It’s the time when family gets together. This is the month my dad was born. This is the month my dear cousin passed away. It’s a birthday month for some close friends. It’s a month of beginnings. It’s a month of endings. But mostly, when I think of November I think of it as the month for being thankful.

I feel sorry for myself sometimes and sometime even wish I was somewhere, someone, else. But I have a lot to bet thankful for. And I need to remember that. I’m thankful I have a family. Are they perfect? Not at all. But I have a good husband who loves me. As my ‘friends’ say, he must be a saint. Nobody else would put up with you! Saint, no, but he’s been there beside me, through the good times and the bad. I have three wonderful kids who have grown up to be three wonderful adults. I have a fantastic son by marriage and I have three of the best grandkids in the world. I’m glad they want me to be a part of their lives. I’m thankful I have both my parents. I worry about them more as they age and I’m glad for the times we have together. I’m thankful I knew my grandparents, all of them, including a great grandmother and grandfather. I know, through a roundabout way, they helped make me who I am today. I’m thankful I have a sister and a brother I love and who love me. I have cousins, aunts, uncles…all important in my life.

I’m glad I have a house to live in. I know there are people who have to go to a shelter or stay in their cars. It’s not just a house, and it’s not perfect, but I have a home. I’m thankful I have clean clothes to wear. Not everyone does. Some are tight and that means there is plenty to eat. Nobody here is hungry. I’m thankful for electricity. There is a washer, dryer, stove and refrigerator. I am fortunate to have luxuries, not just the necessities.

I’m thankful for the Internet. Dumb? Probably. But it has allowed me to connect with people I’d never have met or talked to otherwise. It lets me keep up with my sons, out of the state and out of the country, and my daughter, who is busy with her own life. I know what my sister, my cousin, my friends, are doing and they keep me connected with the rest of the family and world who don’t have the Internet.

I know I’m lucky; probably luckier than a lot of people. I am thankful for superficial things as well as for meaningful things. I am thankful, and I hope you can find a reason to be thankful too.

So for tonight we pray for 

What we know can be. 

And on this day we hope for 

What we still can't see. 

It's up to us to be the change 

And even though we all can still do more 

There's so much to be thankful for. 

I finished the autumn chickadee cowl. I just love sock yarn. The colors are so pretty and the patterns the yarn makes when knitted is beautiful. But I have no desire to make socks. Well, maybe one pair, someday, just to see if I can. But until then I’ll use it for other things.

Chickadee with three sock yarns

Folded over

With a pin

I’m starting a gift for my sister. Not for her, but for her to give her friend. It’s not a variegated yarn but it’s pretty. It’s purple with a pink and blue color mixed in. I don't have a picture yet.

Linen Stitch

 And bad as it sounds, I’m thankful I have yarn, probably too much, to work with when I want. But I won’t take it for granted.

Autumn colored yarn

So for tonight we pray for 

What we know can be. 

And every day we hope for 

What we still can't see. 

It's up to us to be the change. 

And even though we all can still do more. 

There's so much to be thankful for…

Happy New Year...

No more champagne,

And the fireworks are through.

Here we are, me and you…

The euphoria associated with a brand new year is slowly wearing off. The Christmas decorations are down. The first week of reality has set in. Most people are back to work, to their regular routines, except for the resolutions. What about those resolutions? It’s been almost a week. Are they still as bright and desirable as they were? Is the drive and the energy to accomplish still there? Hopefully!

I was reading about resolutions and what it takes to keep them. One article said four out of five people who make New Year’s resolutions will eventually break them. In fact, a third of those people won’t even keep their resolutions to the end of January. I find that kind of sad.

How can you keep the momentum going? If I knew that I’d write one of those great self help books and become rich! But I read some ideas that would help me do it.

First, be realistic. You have to start small. If you can’t even walk a half mile how can you compete in a marathon next month? But if you start walking or exercising every day, chances are you’ll build up to marathon completion status. Probably not the marathon next month, but the one that is a little further down the road. Make a plan and follow it and you’ll get there.


Second, reward yourself. It’s fun to be successful! Do what you are trying to do and treat yourself for your accomplishments. Buy a book, get a manicure/pedicure, or try a fancy restaurant. You deserve it!




Third, stick with it. Messing up one day isn’t an excuse to give up. You may get in a situation where you can’t do what you need to do for that day. But you can get right back to it. It’s hard. But you can do it.




And finally, tell someone. It’s a lot more work to be accountable to someone. If you are trying to drink water every Wednesday it will be a lot harder to NOT drink that water if you know I’m going to ask about it!




Basically what all of the articles seemed to say was to make a plan and make your goals or resolutions ’s specific and realistic. Even though you have to be the one to accomplish the goal, get support from friends and family to help you keep the momentum. They will cheer your success and encourage you when you slip. And it makes you accountable. I’m not sure if any of this will make you more successful in carrying out your resolutions. It was just something I ran across that made sense to me. And so concludes the self-help advice post for the week! You can send your nickel, via PayPal, credit card or check! Good luck!

Happy new year!

Happy new year!

May we all have a vision now and then.

Of a world where every neighbor is a friend...

I’ve really been in a knitting mood for some reason. If I could I’d just stay in my chair with a good movie and knit all day. But someone has to help pay back the student loans! Knitayear is going strong as well. It’s always exciting when I get to start a new strip. Day 279, January 4, is the first day back to work and is a day full of training. I’m tired because I’ve been staying up as late as I want and sleeping late too. The training is okay but nothing I’ve not heard before. I picked brown with little tufts of color. I loved this yarn when I got it. It’s pretty old. Day 280, January 5, started off foggy. I was about to leave when Alan said not to get in a hurry because it was so foggy. I called in and it finally cleared around 9:00. I left and it was still lifting. But I crossed the caprock and NOTHING. No fog. Completely clear. I was afraid they would think I made it up! It was another meeting and an assignment that could turn out to be a bit difficult. But I’m ambitious and thinking I can finish it up like I’m supposed to do it. I choose a shiny green ‘vintage’ yarn. I found a can with a lot of little balls of yarn that I forgot I had. Day 281 is January 6. I haven’t figured it all out but I’m motivated and hope to finish today because I have tomorrow off and I don’t want to come in if I don’t have to. I choose a variegated maroon, white, dark blue and green. Another vintage. And day 282, January 7, is the best day ever. It’s my day off. I’m delighted as Bryce likes to say! I don’t know why, but it really seemed like I needed it. I’m just taking it easy, knitting, watching a movie and relaxing. Alan brought lunch then went back to work. I fixed supper later and we just hung out. Nice. I chose a bright sunny yellow. It’s a delightful color!

I finished the Button Scarf Wrap. I like the yarn and I like how it turned out.

I started an Anthropologie Inspired Pom-Pom scarf, for fun. It’s lengthwise and it said to cast on 400 stitches. I only did 300 and hope it’s not ten feet long! It’s only 26 rows so it won’t be as bad as it could be. It’s dark green.

I’ve eaten more fruit and drank more water since the first. I’m going to read a book this week. Ask me about it. And how are your resolutions coming?

Happy new year!

Happy new year!

May we all have our hopes, our will to try.

If we don't we might as well lay down and die.

You and I.

So This Is Christmas

And what have we done...

Another year over,

And a new one just begun...

What do they say? The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. That seems to be what happened. We rearranged the furniture in the living room where the satellite box for the television and the Internet is. All was good then the Internet stopped working. A call to tech support cured it and all worked but it was late so I decided I’d post the next day. Next morning I got up, turned on the computer and tried to start iTunes. No go. I had a lot to do so decided to worry about it later. Later came and went. Finally there’s another excruciatingly painful call to tech support. There is a funny thing about tech support. The hardware people always want to blame the software people and the software people insist the hardware is the problem. The call lasted well over an hour and the issue was still not resolved. And there’s another day gone. Finally, Bryce looked at it, unplugged it and then plugged everything back in. Voila!! One of the people (there were three or four) in the marathon call had told us to plug one of the cables into the wrong port. Jeez.

So, you missed the Fa la la post, the great Knitters Night Before Christmas poem and who knows what else!

The coolest wrapping paper ever!!!

Again, I’m playing catch-up. It was really busy getting everything ready for all to come to our house for Christmas. We always try to squeeze 3 months of work into one week. It’s not like there weren’t 364 days to get ready! Anyway, it was pretty much working, shopping, wrapping and cleaning taking up all the time.

Somebody must have been good!!!

Christmas went off well. There were four that weren’t able to make it in. Dustin is in Afghanistan. Ty is in Utah and couldn’t get enough time off work to come all the way and Ashley had other plans and it was Kevin’s year for his family in Dallas. But we got to meet the new great niece, for the first time.

Unwrapping presents is hard work!

 

Mom and dad enjoying Christmas.

We had a lot of food. If nothing else goes right I can almost guarantee you won’t go hungry while you are here! We had a Mexican feast on Christmas Eve with tamales, chili rellenos, green chili stew, queso, posole and Mexican stack ups which are sort of like build your own nachos. It was good. Then the next day we had traditional Christmas dinner with turkey and dressing and all that goes with it! There were enough leftovers to pick and choose when anyone got hungry any other time.

Look at me Pappy!

Dinosaur hats!

Grrrrrrr!!!

Sunday morning it was time for everyone to leave. I made some orange biscuits, a family flavorite! Then everyone packed up and they were gone. It was sure quiet!

Smile Aaron!

It was a good time. We laughed at the ornament game we play. We enjoyed the little guys opening presents. We had stockings with so much stuff we have to use bags instead of stockings. It was a good Christmas. And we’ll do it all again next year. If I start now maybe I’ll be ready!

And so this is Christmas

I hope you have fun

The near and the dear one

The old and the young…

Knitayear is still in progress but I haven’t taken the time every day like I should. So I catch up and it is all good but I want to try to stay caught up. Hmmmm…maybe a resolution? Day 265, December 21 was a very productive day. I went to Odessa and finished up the rest of the shopping. I get some of the groceries I need and now all that is left is wrapping everything. I love whoever she is that invented the printed boxes and also the bags. Pure genius! I chose a thick green yarn. Reminded me of getting things done. Day 266, December 22 was another fruitful day. I got a lot done. Moved some boxes, made beds, did laundry and wrapped presents. I chose handspun that looks like peppermint. Reminds me that there is a lot to be done but I’m perked up and still inspired! December 23, day 267, and panic is setting in. I’m overwhelmed and there is a lot to be done still. I need to decide that it will work and what is done gets done and if it’s not done most likely I’ll be the only one who knows anyway. I chose a crazy silver fur. It’s frazzled like I’m feeling! Day 268, December 24, and I’m wrapping presents. I’m cooking too and Bryce volunteers to go to the store for me so I make a list and send him and Mallory. It’s coming together and I’m just resigned that it’s going to be what it’s going to be. I chose an alpaca mixed with a ribbon. It’s yarn I got in NC that I made a mobius out of. It’s soft, pretty and reassuring for some reason. Day 269, December 25, is Christmas! I’m ambitious, starting the cooking. It’s a fun day and I’m glad to be with all the family. It’s all going to be okay. I choose red fun fur with colored bobbles. It’s bright and cheery and Christmas! Day 270, December 26 and I’m pleased with how everything went. Waiting for Callye to come get Evan. Trying to get things straightened up again. It was a great time and I’m glad it’s over. I picked green with a silver thread wound through it. Now to get ready for New Years!

A very merry Christmas

And a happy New Year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fear…

What A Beautiful Mess

What a beautiful mess I'm in…
Spending all my time with you.
There's nothing else I'd rather do.

Thanksgiving wasn’t over the river and through the woods but it was at grandmother’s house. Well, Pappy’s house and that’s close enough. Pappy’s ‘nother one house as the kids said. The mountain house is just big enough but when we all go, the walls close in and no matter how hard we try, things just get in a mess. A beautiful mess, though, because we are enjoying each other. There were some people missing and it would have been even better if they’d been there. But they were in our thoughts, and we were in theirs. It’s fun, it’s tiring, it’s caring and it’s sharing. It’s family.

Belle...still and quiet? What's up with that!?!

Helping Pappy and loving it!

This sums it up!!! Thanks for Thanksgiving 2010.

I hope everyone got to spend time with people who are important to them. Be thankful for the wonderful things in your life.

What a beautiful mess,
What a beautiful mess I'm in…

There was some yarn play during the holiday. I took a bunch of hanks that needed to be wound. I have a swift and a ball winder. I took them to the mountain house and while there was room I set it up on the counter and wound some of the hanks. The boys were mesmerized. Of course they wanted to help so with a little guidance they wound yarn too. I didn’t get finished with all I had but I got a good start. Then I wondered why I have so much.

Caleb says, "All  your yarns is rainbow colors Mames!"

I also made a couple of Christmas scarves. They are just scraps but I like how they look. And they are lengthwise so they are fast. The kids liked them so I made two more little ones. I also finished the Gaiter and started on Ty’s scarf. I knitted on the way home in the dark and got about a foot done. Surprisingly I can do this pattern in the dark with not too many problems.

Ty's Gaiter and scarf in the works.

Christmas Scarves

Christmas in a different hue

Knitayear is also still going on. I did get behind up there but caught up for this post and have one more November post to go. Then maybe I can be caught up for a while. Doubtful! Day 236, November 22 was a little frenzied. I was trying to get things caught up at work and also get things going at home so we could leave. I chose a green yarn with little ribbons hanging off of it. Day 237, November 23, I was getting ready to go. Then plans changed and we weren’t going that day. I shut down. Then plans changed and we were going that day. Make up your mind!!! But I’m ready, regardless. It’s my good friend’s birthday today too. And she’s older now! I choose maroon worsted with colored flecks. November 24, day 238 was a good day. I’m glad to be at the house. Glad for the mountain air and the trees. I’m not as glad for the stairs and the two hundred times going up and down to unload! I chose dark green wool for the trees. It’s day 239, Thanksgiving, November 25, and I’m thankful we can all be together. I wish the boys were here and that Dustin was home but I know it will come soon enough. It would have been fun to have Junie and mom and dad too, but they’ll be there Christmas. We didn’t really plan a Thanksgiving supper but the turkey was in the smoker and it took a little longer than expected. We had a sausage snack to tide us over then had a wonderful supper. It was all the usual favorites. I made a standby that we call Sour Cream Salad and the little guys ate it like there was nothing better. I like it when that happens! I chose Artist Fleece wool silk in orange, green and blue. Day 240 was the calm after the storm. November 26 is Black Friday but we skipped it. When they start opening stores at 3:00 am or midnight it’s not fun anymore. We occasionally went for some things in the past, ate breakfast out and came home. That wasn’t too bad. But to stay up and out all night? Well, it’s not worth the money saved to me. We hung around the house and just relaxed. I chose yellow bamboo. Day 241, November 27, Callye and I ventured out. We were lucky and found some leftover Black Friday things without the crowd and the early hours! We also went to a dollar store and just had fun finding little stocking stuffers and the like. I chose Flame Trend superwash in a color called party. It’s really rainbow colored but I could only use a bit so it’s bright green. I feel fortunate and very lucky that we had this holiday together. I think I already said it but the cherry on the Sundae would have been the boys being able to be there. The wild times, the messes…the memories made. That’s what counts.

Is it your eyes?
Is it your smile?

What a beautiful mess…

Cowgirls Don’t Cry…

Ride, baby, ride.
Lessons of life are going to show you in time,
Soon enough your gonna know why.
It's gonna hurt every now and then.
If you fall get back on again.
Cowgirls don't cry…

I missed a call the other day. When I looked it was from my mom. We don’t talk on the phone much so I don’t really like seeing that she called because I always think it must be something bad. And usually I’m right. This missed call was no exception.

My cousin, Susan, had passed away. It was expected but that didn’t make it any easier. She had courageously fought cancer but as often is the case, especially with pancreatic cancer, she lost the battle.

There are 14 cousins on my mother’s side. My mom had an older sister who was married and had her own kids when my mother was little. Those three cousins were closer in age to her than they were to the rest of us. So really, when my Mamaw was alive, there were 11 of us that gathered on a fairly regular holiday basis and played and knew each other. The cousins were sort of born in pairs. The oldest two girls, BK and Nan, are the same age. Then came Susan and I, a month apart. Next was Chuck, then Judi, then Charles and Carla, Junior, Kurt and Jimmie. There was usually someone for everyone to play with, close to their same age. I have so many fond memories of those times. The adults would play games, cards mainly, and talk and laugh and cheat. The kids would play together. Of course, BK, Nan, Susan and I would play girl things together. When we were young we’d do the doll thing or play house or some variation. As we grew up we’d listen to the radio, pop songs mostly, and sing and dance along. We talked about movie stars, boys, and school. We got along fairly well, too, which was an advantage. Mamaw would cook and the house would smell good, holiday smells of things like onion and apple, the secret ingredient to her dressing, and turkey.

When I was really little we lived in Lubbock. I think we moved when I was around three. We lived close to my aunt and uncle, Nan and Susan’s parents. Because of that we visited often. I know that after we moved we’d almost always go and visit when we went back to Lubbock.

One memory that really stands out, and I’m not sure why, was playing with Susan one day. We were in Lubbock, probably at her house. We were both a bit tomboy and liked playing things like cowboy and Indians and army men. We not only played cowboy, we were cowboys. A favorite of ours was a show called “Stoney Burke”. Stoney Burke was a rodeo rider. He wanted to win the Golden Buckle, which is the grand prize going to the world champion saddle bronc rider. I don’t know if he ever won but every week there was some sort of dilemma along the way that we watched, entranced. He was played by Jack Lord, and as 5 year olds, we thought he was HOT! Another show we liked was called “Wide Country”. This show had brothers who were also rodeo riders. One was named Mitch Guthrie and the other Andy. We never could remember Andy’s name so we called them Mitch and Mitch Guthrie. After a while they sort of became one. Of course we loved "Bonanza" too. We had big crushes on Adam and Susan liked to be Little Joe. In fact, if you asked her name she might just tell you she was Little Joe Cartwright!

We used to play Stoney Burk, Mitch and Mitch Guthrie, and Little Joe all the time. Susan always got to be Stoney Burk if she wasn't Little Joe, and I had to be Mitch and Mitch Guthrie. We had boots and western shirts. We had hats and even play guns. We had it all. Well, almost. SHE had it all. She had chaps and SPURS! I didn’t care too much about the chaps. But I loved those spurs. She would put them on and walk up and down the hallway with a little jingle. Sometimes, but not very often at all, she’d let me put them on. But that was mainly when her mom made her. My turn didn’t last long enough! Soon they were hers again.

One time we were playing and I wanted to wear the spurs for a while but she said not yet. I asked again and she kept making excuses. We were being cowboys and running and playing when Susan tripped and fell. She fell down right on one of the spurs. I know it hurt. There was no way it couldn’t have hurt! The pointed spur poked her right in her butt! I was concerned at first, then I started to laugh. It served her right since she didn’t let me wear the spurs! The moms came out to comfort Susan and to glare at me. I got in trouble for laughing. She got sympathy.

Funny how some things stick with you. I would think about the incident with the spurs, and how I had laughed, and I would feel so guilty for laughing. For years I worried about that. One time, we were in our early teens, they came to visit in Albuquerque. I took her aside and apologized for laughing at her when she fell on her spurs. She didn’t know what I was talking about. I had to explain. When she remembered she laughed. Then I laughed. She thought it was the funniest thing that I’d felt guilty all those years for something she didn’t even remember. It became our secret, one of those things that probably nobody knew but she and I, and we laughed about it from then on.

As we got older, we didn’t see each other much. We made different kinds of life choices. She married young, then divorced and later went to Germany. She lived over there for years. When she came back to the states she moved to Illinois. A couple of summers ago we all got together and she was there with her boys. A lot of the family came in. We got to visit and had a good time. It was good we all got to see each other. We didn’t know it would be the last time.

We’ll go soon, to say goodbye to my cousin and my friend. It will be hard. She’s the first one of us to go. When something like this happens it brings thoughts of time and how we never know how much we have. We’ll gather, like we did a couple of summers ago. But this time it will be to say goodbye. Goodbye my cousin. Know you’ll be remembered always. I hope there were silver spurs waiting for you.

Her daddy gave her, her first pony,Then taught her to ride.
She climbed high in that saddle.
Fell I don't know how many times.
Taught her a lesson that she learned,
Maybe a little too well…
Cowgirls don't cry.

I’m knitting, on the knitayear and on some other things.

Pompadoodle blankets--as soft as they look!

It’s day 215, November 1. I don’t know how this year has gone by so fast. It’s another manic Monday, things to do and people to see. I picked a multi color Noro because all the colors reminded me of crazy but I’d have to knit a lot to get them in so I only got in the greenish yellow. You’ll have to believe me on the multi colors! November 2, day 216, is my late night at work. I don’t mind because I have great people to work with. I had to sit through a really long webinar. It’s the new way to have a meeting. It’s really not bad but you’re tied to your desk with earphones on. Fortunately I have two screens and figured out how to make the other work for all the other things I want to and should be doing during the meeting. I guess I don’t give my full attention that way but I was impatient because he kept repeating himself. And I was ready for the day to end. Thank goodness we got out early from night class. But mom called on the way home. I chose something called ragg silk. It’s made from silk sari’s in India. I can’t imagine having the job of tearing those things into strips, then sewing them together and winding them in balls. Talk about being impatient. Day 217 was a busy day. Transition fair is scheduled on November 3, and it’s always busy. We had around 200 + students, all special education students. The fair is to help them find ways to transition from high school to careers or school or just life. It was a success. This was also the Susan’s last day. The yarn I chose won’t seem fitting for the news I got today. I chose a vibrant, multi colored yarn with bright almost psychedelic colors. I picked it for the good times. It reminds me of a lot of things. It looked like Susan to me for some reason. I’ll remember this day and what it was for in the knitayear. I’ll be strong.

Cowgirl don't cry,
Ride, baby, ride.
Lessons of life show us all in time,
Too soon God lets you know why.
If you fall get right back on,
Good Lord calls everybody home…