So....

apparently, there will be no eulogy - the church does not allow them. Same church as my grandmother where I was allowed to say a eulogy but now there's new clergy so no - they won't allow it. Perhaps I suggested, they should just bury everyone together on the same day since there will be nothing personal about the funerals. I'm pissed.....and of course, there's nothing I can do which does not sit well with a personality like mine.

I started a new sock last night - a nice self striping by Biscotte et cie but nothing is really working for me at the moment. I feel like I can't get comfortable - not watching tv, not knitting, not reading - I'm just so restless.

He's Gone....

Grandpa passed away peacefully this afternoon. He is restored to health and back with his loving wife again.
Pick Up Sticks (the shop)will be closed from today February 9th until February 17th.

Let's see....

where am I at? It's Friday morning and Emma just left for school and I am sitting here contemplating. My dear grandfather has pneumonia and it's very likely he won't survive it - I visited him yesterday and today I'm going back with Lisa and my dad. It's hard to even gather my thoughts to write something - on one hand I want him to get well but on the other hand, he's 90, he's been suffering and he needs to be with my grandmother. I was sitting with him yesterday thinking about the man who from my earliest memories smelled like Juicy Fruit gum - he always, always, always had a stick of Juicy Fruit until he got dentures. My grandmother always told me that when I came along he was ready to have more children so he poured all that love and attention on to me. And it's true - he's the man who gave me my first ring - an amethyst birthstone ring, he's the man he took me to my first movie - it was Jungle Book, he's the man who took me to the subway on the day it opened and rode with me up and down, up and down, he's the man who first took me to Center Island, he's the man who introduced me to horses and horse racing, he's the man who told me that it never gets darker than midnight no matter what, he's the man who came and sat with me when I brought my first born home and no one else could come, he's the man that showed up with grandma at every single one of Laura's horse shows - even when he wasn't sure how to get there, he's the man who would let me pretend to each spinach like Popeye the Sailor man and then magically be able to get his ring off his finger, he's the man who still has the stone I got stuck up my nose when I was three, he's the man who ate eggs with his dinner every day of his life, he's the man who made the best toast in the oven, he's the man who made the world's best french fries, he's the man that never called anyone by their right name - hence my mom and aunt were Manetta and Maurella instead of Annetta and Lauretta, he's the man who with grandma were among the first to meet all of my children for the first time, he's the man who started his day with 2 fingers of whisky - he's the man I call Grandpa and what a Grandpa he has been. I want to be the one to say his eulogy - maybe I just wrote it.

A funny kind of day....

today marks the 5th anniversary of my mother's death - in fact, it's almost to the exact minute. I wonder where these five years have gone - it doesn't feel like that long. It makes me realize how sometimes I really am just putting one foot in front of the other and carrying on. I still think of her every day, I miss her like crazy and wish she was here to meet her 2 great grandchildren. Somehow though, when my grandmother passed away this summer, I was happy that her and my mom were together - not happy that I was on my own but happy for them.

I've been knitting - nothing that is a WIP - I mean, really, why would I do that? I'm feeling an attachment to socks these days - I finished there out of Misti Alpaca sock yarn and can't wait to cast on with a new one.

It's Fleece Artist 2/6 in an undetermined color (I've never seen anything like it before) and I'm dying to cast on. I was expecting new yarn today from Artyarns and Handmaiden but they didn't arrive so I will have lots of time to finish Misti Alpaca socks.

The contest will end February 3, 2009 and the winner will be announced on February 4th. The yarn arrives on the third so I thought that would be appropriate. Soon there will be lots of new stuff in here.....I love new stuff!

You guys are super quick!

Ok so you are already answering the contest question without even knowing what the prize is? Here's what you have to do to win:

Name the Yarn

Name the Colorway

Name the Pattern

and you will win a Free Sock Club membership! Yup - 3 mos of free yarn and patterns! By the way - this contest yarn is coming to Pick Up Sticks so I'm not just teasing you for nothing.......(if more than one person answers correctly there will be a draw for the winner!)