Wednesday FO Post: Greg's Requested Socks

Hello there! I'm just going along as usual around here, so believe me, you're not missing anything too thrilling happening. But on the plus side, I do have an FO post for you today.

When I put out the call over the summer to family members asking if anyone would like knit socks, Greg responded really quickly! He asked for socks in the team colors of the Baltimore Orioles, and in the weight like another pair I'd knit for him (worsted weight). Greg is married to my niece La Liz, and is one of the most knitworthy people on the planet.

Project: Greg's Requested Socks

Pattern: Plain Vanilla Sock pattern that I usually use

Yarn: Berroco Vintage, in the colorways Orange and Cast Iron

Needles: US size 5/3.75 mm

Notes:  When I started this pair, I wanted to try something different somehow. I started with corrugated ribbing, but it just didn't look good to me. So I did a couple of knit rows in black, then did a few rows in "colorwork," alternating the colors. Then I did some rows of ribbing in black for the rest of the cuff. I thought that looked a whole lot better.

I didn't get them to him before the end of baseball season, but he said he didn't care, he was wearing them anyway! He actually sent me a photo of him wearing the socks, and the Musselburgh Hat I knit for him a few years ago! Apparently, they fit just fine, and he sounded really pleased, all the way around.

I told him he is always more than welcome to request anything, anytime. When someone gives you such happy feedback, it's not a slog to knit for them, if you ask me.

*****

Right now, I'm at the end of the body of a cardigan I've been knitting. Actually, I'm knitting the bottom ribbing again, because I ripped it out yesterday. I had bound off, using the Tubular Bind Off as suggested in the pattern. But it just looked incredibly crappy to me. So I decided to take it out and either do something else or try again and hope my results were better (I've had much better luck with that bind off before). Well, between it being a sewn bind off and the yarn being really stick-to-itself, I ended up taking out all but the first row of hem ribbing. No big deal really, it won't take me long to re-do it. As a matter of fact, I'm halfway there already!

But I also want to make something for myself that is kind of holiday-ish. I have a couple of things in mind, but first I need to find the yarn in my stash, and then wind it before I can start. So I'll likely do that over the next couple of days.

This morning I put all of the ingredients for chili into the crock pot, so I am pleased to say that dinner is sorted for today. That's always a nice feeling.

So now you're caught up. I hope this week is being kind to you, and that you are working on something that makes you happy. See you next time!

"The Legend Lives On, From the Chippewa On Down ..."

 

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald

If you are of a certain age, you have likely heard the song by Gordon Lightfoot called "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," commemorating something that happened 50 years ago today.  The Edmund Fitzgerald was pretty much considered the ultimate ship for purpose, and much like its unlikely predecessor, the Titanic, was considered pretty unsinkable. Which we have learned time and time again, does not seem to be an actual quality.

Anyway, this time of year, it always comes into focus because of the unfortunate anniversary, and of course this year being the 50th anniversary, there are all kinds of stories about it and the people who worked on it.

I have my own story about the Edmund Fitzgerald, though it happened six years before the ship's demise. 

One of my father's fondest dreams was to someday go on a cruise. Of course, it never happened, because we barely had enough money for necessary things. He worked in the trucking industry, dealing with all kinds of transportation issues and people. In the later part of September 1969, one of the people he dealt with on a regular basis asked if he and my mother would like to go on one of the big ships that transported ore and other materials around the Great Lakes. Apparently this was something that they did on a yearly basis, with maybe up to 10 non-crew people traveling on the ships. 

My mother had no interest in doing this at all. But my father was so excited, and he really saw it as a chance to finally go on a huge ship through famous waters. So off they set for a 10 day trip, on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

Towards the end of the trip, my father got really sick. Two days after they returned, he went into the hospital. The cancer that had started in his stomach five years before, returned, settling in his liver. He never got to come back home, and he died on the Monday of Thanksgiving week in 1969.*

My mother said that except for the last couple of days, he absolutely loved being on that ship, and everything about it. She said that she was glad that they went, because he kept saying how wonderful it was.

Six years later, the actual wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald occurred. A massive tragedy affecting the lives of so many families who would never be the same. And then Gordon Lightfoot came out with his song, which told the tale in the most evocative and heartbreaking way.

Every year when the anniversary rolls around, it reminds me of my own personal anniversary that is approaching. I have always felt the shipwreck more as a personal thing than I should, given that no one on the ship on that fateful day had any direct connection with me. But I guess the fact that I knew of the ship beforehand, and it was associated with my father's last happy earthly adventure, made it all more personal.

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes 

When the waves turn the minutes to hours?" 

-- lyric from "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

*This year happens to be a repeat of that week, with November 24th being on a Monday. On the occasions that it happens that way, I am somehow always surprised - as if that should have only happened once.

And Then Monday Morning Arrived ...

In the last post of Bridget Tries to be a Responsible Pet Owner, we had the story of Alfie, who enjoys a trip to the vet every time he goes. Today's post is called Milo the Koodle and the Visit to the Vet.

Well, it almost didn't happen, because I could not find said cat. I tried several ruses, and then decided as a last gasp to give all the cats some wet food and see if he showed up. Which he did, so I grabbed him mid-meal (which made me feel terrible, but desperate times and all that), forced him into the carrier, and we headed over the vet's office. 

Fortunately, we were one of the first appointments of the day, so we didn't have to wait. The vet tech took apart the carrier, pulled him out, and they wrapped him up like a Koodle burrito. They managed to do a thorough check up, take blood, and give him two shots. Fortunately for them, he was so scared and so wrapped up, it happened without incident. And then we came home. Total time from when we left the house: 40 minutes.

And then, once out of the carrier, he gave Alfie and Esme a good whack, and disappeared again. The rest of us went on with our days.

I was reading, and about 3:45 p.m. he reappeared and jumped up onto the armest. 

I went to pet him and he growled. So I left him alone, and by about 8 p.m. he was letting me pet him again. And since I woke up this morning, it's clear he didn't kill me overnight - phew!

And so now we are safe for another year, unless something terrible happens, which hopefully will not. Everyone made it one more time.

The End. 

*****

Today is our 47th wedding anniversary. We are planning to go out to dinner tonight, but since The Tim is working today and tomorrow, we have no crazy plans. Our weekend plans to go look at chairs for our TV room didn't happen, because I had a serious reaction (as usual) to my Covid vaccine, and was completely out of commission. But the chairs are going to be our anniversary gifts, and we are both anxious to get new ones, so it will happen sooner rather than later.

And that, my friends, is the excitement around here. I have an FO post for you, but want to be sure to wait and be certain the item is received before I write about it, so it will happen soon. First though, I need to mail the package. I find that helps with the person receiving things ... 🙄

This Morning vs. Monday Morning

Alfie and I just got home from his annual check up at the vet. Needless to say, a very thorough bath was necessary. But other than that, Alfie was and is quite pleased. He doesn't mind being in the carrier at all, and sees the entire thing as a chance to be social, and then visit with people who are completely interested in being with him. They talk to him and make a fuss, they give him treats, they let him sniff around the exam room - I mean, what's not to like? Yes, he got a shot, but no biggie. 

And that's this morning. Then there will be Monday morning, when Milo the Koodle will be making his annual visit. Let's just say it ... won't be pretty. For anyone and everyone involved. I need to spend my weekend preparing for the trauma that will be felt not just by Milo, but by me. Because not only will I be seen as the enemy who will be trying to get him into the carrier and then taking him to the vets, but when we get home SOMEONE MUST PAY. 

Send prayers. 😉

You may ask, well, what about Esme? Well, what about her? At some point, I'm hoping that she will let me get to the point where I can pick her up, but right now it isn't happening, so we're just lucky that for all intents and purposes, she seems healthy.

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?" 

*****

Anyway, this too shall pass, and hopefully with minor injuries to me. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the rest of today, and likely do some knitting in between the other house chore things I want to accomplish. Can you believe that at this moment in time, I have only one project going? I can't remember the last time that was the case. I'm enjoying it, and making a lot of progress, but I also think this weekend I will cast on at least another pair of socks.

Meanwhile the other afternoon, I knitted a pine cone for my fall garland:

This was the fiddliest little item so far, but it didn't take that long so it wasn't like something I was trying to work on all day long. 

Next up will be the pumpkin, and then I'll start over again. I think I would like to have at least two of each thing on the garland, so I'll see what it looks like once I have that amount - maybe I'll need a few more! But in any case, I'll have fun making these little things, even once the garland is done. Because they are the perfect little spurt of paying attention but not for too long.

The Tim especially wants me to make a green pine cone to see if it looks like a tiny Christmas tree. I'll let you know.

I'm so glad that so many of you commented that you also like to put up decorations for yourself to enjoy for holidays. It's nice for once to not be an outlier on something! 

In other news, I *think* fall is finally here to stay in Philadelphia, and I couldn't be happier. Cool sunny days, and chilly nights are so wonderful. Though it is supposed to rain later next week, which is actually good since there is a serious drought happening. And unless I have to be out in it all day, I actually enjoy rainy days. 

Next week is our anniversary and also Halloween. And then November will be starting, which I'm sorry, just seems crazy. Originally, we planned to take a trip next week somewhere to celebrate our anniversary, but neither of us did much about it, so we'll probably go out to dinner someplace that's nicer than usual for us, and that will be nice. We have agreed that for gifts, we are going to buy ourselves some new chairs for our TV room. The current ones are at least ten years old (probably much older), and frankly I'm surprised they are still in one piece. So one of these weekends - maybe even this one - we'll look for replacements. I always think it's fun to get new furniture or a rug or something in a room - it makes the whole place seem different!

And that, my friends, is the excitement around here. I hope all of you enjoy your weekend, and have a chance to do something you really like or want to do. See you next week!

Decorations Make Me Happy

Shortly after fall started, I put out some of my fall decorations. because nothing makes me happier than having a reason to put out decorations in our house and/or outside. I don't have a ton of fall decorations, but there are enough to fill a box about the size of a large shoebox.

Then last Friday, I decided it was time to add in the decorations I have for Halloween, which are in a larger box, mostly because there are a few that are ceramic, and are wrapped in lots of paper. Needless to say, the cats find the wrapped things much more interesting, because they feel once they are unwrapped, it makes for a great place to sit.

I realize the photo at the top of this post is small, but I am including it because I am overly proud of how well I managed to make the top of the living room bookshelf look *just* the way I'd hoped and I wanted to share it. I was so proud of myself when I got this set up, I immediately took a picture. 😂

Is it the most amazing display of items ever? No of course not, but every time I am in the living room, or even when I walk through it, I notice it and it makes me so happy. Which is the point of decorating for any holiday or event, if you ask me. And in the world we currently are forced to live in, I firmly believe that even small amounts of pleasure give us outsized joy. I'm a big fan of take what you can to make your life better, as long as you are not hurting anyone else. 

I know that soon, we'll be seeing people putting out their Christmastime decorations - it used to be only the stores put out things early but I've noticed people starting earlier every year bringing out their holiday stuff, even before Thanksgiving in the U.S. (We don't because I have Thanksgiving decorations, which will surprise approximately none of you.) 

Does that bother me? Frankly, I don't care. I'm more bothered by people who take everything down the evening of December 25 or the very next day and never mention the holiday again until the next year, but that's up to them and since I don't live with those people, who cares?

People need happy things more than ever these days. And for lots of people, that means having their houses decorated for Christmas, even when it's weeks away. It's looking forward to someone's birthday, or a weekend away to a place that allows them to be in a different mindset.

So I have my fall and Halloween decorations giving me my little escape these days. Then I can take a walk outside, see the changing leaves, and maybe even see others' who have decorated. I like having a reason to smile and forget at least for a moment that there are other things upsetting me and stressing me at levels that are unprecedented. 

So I am asking you to do two things: 1) decorate things if you want to, whether or not anyone else thinks you should or it's the "right" time to do so, and 2) if you come across someone who has done so even if it's not something you care about, let them have the little bit of joy without pointing out that it's too early/too much/too whatever. 

Frankly, if *that* is the thing bothering you the most these days, you might just be the absolute luckiest person on the planet. So you know, enjoy that!