Memory

September 11, 2001 was a day much like today in Philadelphia - sunny, a nice breeze, a day that promised that fall weather would be coming soon, but summer had not yet said goodbye. 

And even though I know what happened, and saw it with my own eyes, and still feel it pierce my heart every single year, it still somehow seems like it couldn't have possibly really happened. 

God bless the families and the souls of those who did nothing more than just go about their lives on a nice day in September.

Moving Right Along

How was your weekend? Mine was good, though I did work both days. But weekend days are short days, so it was fine. And since the weather was miserable, I was just as happy to be doing that.

The Tim was apparently inspired to get some things done, so he returned a toilet he'd ordered from Home Depot that ended up being the wrong one to work with the plumbing in our old house, and then he ordered another one, since the one we need wasn't in stock. I'm glad I missed all of that, because frankly, helping to carry a HEAVY toilet down from the third floor to the first is not something that would have ended well, if I had been the designated helper. He got the next door neighbor to help, and said that with him helping, it was really no big deal. So both of us felt like we had a worthwhile weekend. 😊

I mentioned in my last post that some people were coming to fix our chimney. I was amazed at all they accomplished in what seemed like such a short amount of time! The best part is that they were really nice, and I wasn't nervous at all having them around. Granted, most of the time they were outside on the roof, but I had to leave the doors unlocked for them to get in and out of the house, and it didn't freak me out like I feared it would. It's funny, I'm not really fearful out and about anywhere, but I really hesitate when people have to come to the house. I guess it's because letting a stranger come in is just unnerving under the best circumstances. But all's well that ends well. Next up - a new roof!

My knitting is moving along pretty well too. By the end of last week, I'd finished the first half of a Musselburgh hat I'm knitting for a Christmas gift. I started adding the second yarn, as you can see below:

I enjoy making these in two different yarns, and the variations it means you can have when you wear it. Honestly, the most frustrating thing in the pattern as far as I'm concerned is the very beginning. Every time I start one, I think it may not even be worth it, but then I get to the part where you just knit around for a long time, and suddenly all is well ... 

*****

I was surprised to realize that the September 11 attacks were 22 years ago. That seems so odd to me; admittedly, I don't feel like it was yesterday, but it just doesn't seem that it could be long ago enough for those born that year to be adults today. Time is just so weird. I know for anyone directly affected, it likely does feel like it was yesterday. I hope for all of them, they have been able to find a new normal that at least means that every single day isn't full of searing grief and sorrow.

I wish peace and comfort to all of you. Have a good week, and remember to let those important to you know that you care. 

Perfection In One Day

First of all, thank you for your kind support and commisseration about my work situations in my last post.  Please be assured that everything that can be done has been done, even if to no avail.  Though I'm guessing that now you can appreciate more than ever why I am dreading next week, when we have to return to the building to work five days a week.  At least being at home some of the time gave me some space and a buffer.  Oh well

ANYWAY, the important thing here is to share some of our weekend with you.  This past weekend, both the NJ Sheep and Wool Festival and the Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival returned to in-person events.  I love going to the NJ one, but this year just didn't get myself together to go.  

Instead, since it sounded as if the weather would cooperate, The Tim and I planned an outing where Hamlet could join us.  So we got into the car and headed a bit northwest to the Andorra Meadow - about 20 minutes away on a Saturday with little traffic that early in the morning.  It's a little more than 2-mile trail that ends up in a meadow.  We hadn't been there before, so we were exploring as well.

Me to The Tim: We can tell people we went for a hike, and found some fungi(s).

The Tim: [crickets]

In any case, it was wonderful, and Hamlet had a great time!  For the whole time we were there, we ran into only two other people (and of course Hamlet made sure that they petted him).  It was perfect.

Apparently, the grasses were very tasty.  The Tim and I did not sample them, but Hamlet took his time doing a tasting all along the way.

In the photo above, Hamlet is right in front of a log that was blocking the trail and required one to go over it.  I went over first, and then Hamlet lept over it, "just like Lassie!" (OK, that's what we told him - in reality, I pulled, and The Tim pushed and lifted.)  Then The Tim joined us and we continued along.

I always love seeing little wild daisies like these:

And seeing these little berries pleased me!

This was in the meadow, where they had these little houses scattered all around.

Just look at that sky!  And if you saw these photos and didn't know where you were, who would think that less than a mile away was a major road with stores and houses?

On the way home, we passed a corner where one side of the street had a place called Pete's Pierogies, and the other side of the street had Murphy's Tavern.  We decided that was the best corner in town, since it would cover all of our needs ... 😊

The day finished up with some knitting and reading in the afternoon, and then The Tim made a pizza for dinner.  We watched some shows we'd recorded and just relaxed.  There aren't many days that are that perfect, but Saturday turned out to be one of them.

As we were walking around on such a lovely day, it struck me that it was the same kind of day that it was here on September 11, 2001 - a little bit cool, very sunny, and the kind of day that made you smile and believe that nothing could go wrong.  And it made me think once again how lucky I am to be able to still be here, enjoying those kinds of days, when so many never had that privilege, through no fault of their own.

Unexpected Unraveling

I'm joining Kat and everyone today for Unraveled Wednesday.  This time, it actually involves some unraveling, which in the end is OK, but which is also something that was not really fun to do.

Before we get into that, here is what I am currently reading:

So far I'm only a few pages in, but I already like it and hopefully that will continue.  I've been wanting to read it since it came out, and my turn on the library hold list finally happened.

On to the unraveling ...

I had been making slow but steady progress on my Pabaig, and had separated for the sleeves, and [I thought] I had finished the front knitting.  I went to start the back, and when I reviewed the pattern instructions, I thought to myself, "Hm, I don't remember it going that way."  But since I had also been working on other projects, I just figured I wasn't remembering the details.  I got a few rows in, and looked at the instructions again, and realized that I had misinterpreted them for the front, and I would end up with two badly mismatched sides of the sweater!  Ugh.  So off to the frog pond, where I went back to the first row after separating for the sleeves, and started over.  

As a result, it looks like the red blob of before, but with a bit more length.  Sigh.

However, since I discovered it before thinking I was nearly finished, it didn't bother me as much, and I'm moving right along again.  So the whole thing will take a bit longer, but since I hadn't really given myself a deadline, I'll just finish it when I finish it, with no regrets.

But I would like to point out that the yarn IS fingering weight, so there was a lot more to rip out and it took a stupid amount of time.  Such is life.

******

It occurred to me today that with it being the 18th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, any child born that year is starting their first year of college this year (if they decided to go to college in the first place).  Which means in some ways, an entire lifetime has passed since that horrible, sad day.  Time really does go on, no matter how much it stands still for you when something awful happens.  I hope for the survivors and all of the families affected, that they have reached the point where the first memories of their loved ones are the best and not the saddest.

Don't forget to say I love you today.  This day is a reminder that tomorrow doesn't always come.