Knitting, Botany, Mycology, Nature, Adventure, and Life... in no particular order.
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Grandma’s Lessons
Some of my favorite things I learned from my Grandma
- It is perfectly acceptable to pass on a double yellow
- Compost is pretty much the best thing ever
- Driving a standard is the only car to drive
- Always peel towards yourself
- The best flaky pastry is always made with Lard
- Sleeping with the windows open is good for you, even in the winter, when it is wicked cold. Just wear a hat.
- Always wear a hat in the winter. Always. (Go put one on right now!)
- If you’re tall enough to stand at the counter you’re old enough to use a pairing knife
- Gardening makes you strong (and gives you a way to use all the compost)
- Scrapple is AWESOME
(Note: none of the grandchildren ever were injured, but perhaps you should consider avoiding 4 & 8 if you have small children… just in case. They’ll probably be fine though.)
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Strange Sorrow
I have another brief post I was working on, but it doesn’t feel right for now. Then again nothing feels right now. Now I have that strange post-wake feeling, the one where you’re tired, and happy to have seen family, and sad, and numb, and tired and sad. You’re trying not to really think about what is happening to the people in the middle of it all, let alone yourself. You remember old times, tell stories, make jokes, share.
Right now I am filled with all these things. I also keep thinking I wish I had knit my aunt something. I bet she would have really enjoyed having something hand knit. I should have made the time. Then I feel selfish for thinking it. Then I think it some more.
I think my brain is tired and trying to cope. I doubt tomorrow will be any better
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PAX report
So, last month I went to PAX. I went with friends, with family, and with strangers. It was very different from my first time going to PAX in Seattle a few years ago. Then I really knew nothing of gaming culture and played pretty much only Dr. Mario on occasion. I used it as a great excuse to go on vacation in Seattle with friends (which worked out great as I had lots of time on my own to explore) and did spend some time at the convention having fun and being totally overwhelmed.
This time was different. This time I knew a lot more going in, and I had some plans. I wanted to do some console gaming (and I did! played a Wii for the first time), I wanted to learn how to play D&D (which I also did, rolling a d20 for the first time and now knowing what “roll for initiative” means) and I wanted to meet up with other knitters who were also PAX attendees.
The last of those is one of my favorites. Many of us worked through the PA forums and Ravelry to spread the word. The most difficult part was that the place we chose was very crowded so not everyone found us. However, we had a great time and I met some great knitters & crocheters (or hookers if you prefer). There is a great post by Rows Red over here with more pictures of PAX. Playing D&D and other games with friends, getting a Castle Crashers t-shirt, having Will Weaton walk by (and then later take a pic with my sister while I was learning to play D&D… the irony), going to panels, and hanging with my sister really made the whole weekend awesome.
So, here are some pictures, since detailing the convention isn’t going to be interesting for anyone. However this summer I am totally going to the classic arcade museum up in NH, so feel free to join me!
The Beginning! (Gateway to PAX)
KN1TT3RS!
Saturday Night Concert
My first D&D final dungeon!
Nerd Sisters!
And in a couple weekends the DM there is going to teach our parents to play!
That’s all for now. Next big summary: St. Louis!
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Reve-slipper-lation
So for many years I have been very stubborn about my slipper footwear. I get Isotoner black spandex ballet slippers with a leather sole. I wear them till the seams start to come undone and then wear them some more. My first pair was one I stole from my Mom many years ago. They always make that slipper sound and once they are worn in you can slide across the floor in them.
I decided last year it was time for new slippers and set my heart on the L.L. Bean Hearthside ones. And then they sold out and were not going to restock till next year. So this year I ordered early and lo and behold they did not fit. So Saturday there was a family trip to the local L.L. Bean. Turns out the slippers I thought I wanted were just no good for my feet. I was sorely dissapointed. I was going to get warm slippers for once. Maybe my feet would be less cold this winter, but no. All the other slippers were the big puffy ones. Ugh.
Then between my man and my Mom asking just why it was that those puffy ones were no good I decided perhaps it was time to be a bit adventerous and at least try a pair on. Let me tell you it was love as soon as my foot was in that slipper! And now, having owned them for less than 48 hours they have quickly risen to one of my prized posessions! I probably have not been this excited about footwear since my Frye boots were purchased in January 2008. (I mean Frye boots, what could top that?!)
Anyways, this is my new found love (L.L. Bean women’s Wicked Good Moccasins)
And yesterday even before we had the heat up my feel never got cold while they were on, even while the snowstorm raged outside! Woo Hoo!
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Woah There
A lot has happened since the Celtics game and I just haven’t been able to mentally catch up.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving and managed to see all the respective immediate families. Dinner was with mine and my sister managed to cook us a terrific meal. She really knows how to cook, and with Mom and I helping out I would say there couldn’t have been a better meal. (Also I really love my family so spending time with them is always great.) I, of course, baked a pumpkin pie and everyone still loves me till next year.
Then, the following day, I had my 10 year reunion! Good Grief! We had a nice group come over first and then we took the T downtown to Felt where we grabbed dinner before heading upstairs to the party. There are a lot of things I could say here. I could wax poetic, make then vs. now lists, or even go on in detail about tons of people you aren’t likely to know. The sort version: it was super fun, it was great to talk to all different people and catch up, found out a bunch of people are in the area and we plan to hang out (boardgames will probably be part of that), and in the end I got to have some of my favorite people in the world in the same room as me again. I might have gotten teary, but it was probably the lighting.
Saturday I missed the fellas’ annual alumni high school ultimate game, but went out to brunch with an old friend and his lovely lady. After that though I caught up with all the rascals and adventures were had involving Blue-Ray players, Chinese food, and board games.
Somehow it is now the 2nd week in December. I have been knitting up a storm and having tea and cookies at night. Later I’ll share more on that and hopefully get the lights on the tree (YEAH TREE!) and post some pictures. At least now I don’t constantly feel like I am trying to show up time so I can catch up with all my thoughts. (Keep your slow comments to yourselves… especially you Dad!)
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Hope Chest Tale
My grandmother (also a Genevieve) was married in 1939 and received a beautiful Lane cedar chest. It was always at the foot of the bed and as children we sat, stubbed our toes, and jumped off it onto the bed. When it was time to move Grandma from her own house to assisted living, some of her things were moved to other family members’ houses and much of it was tossed.
For years I forgot about the cedar chest, untill during a visit to my aunt’s house there was a great moth fiasco that involved much moving of furniture and the throwing away of a large Persian rug. We had to move the cedar chest, which upon seeing again I immediately loved, and discovered my uncle liked to store his old paperwork in it.
For probably a year I thought about that chest. Wishing it was with me and full of my lovely yarn, protecting it from any possible mothy infestations. When I eventually mentioned this to my Mom she commented that I should probably just ask my aunt (my mother is full of sound and reasonable advice!) because if my uncle has it filled with papers then probably they won’t miss it much if I wanted it.
So I emailed and asked. I waited with bated breath… well as much as one does when they email someone. My aunt said she would be thrilled if I would take it, Grandma would want me to have it, and it clears up some space in the basement. Hooray! So, on my last visit to see my family, we cleaned it up and loaded it into her station wagon and drove from L.I. to Cambridge with Grandma’s cedar chest in the back.
Now I have a cedar chest in my living room full of yarn and Jason’s sweaters (mostly yarn). The hinge creaks just a bit as I open it and am accosted by a myriad of colors and textures. I even recieved a swift and nostepinne for my birthday from my Mom in a walnut wood that matched the center panel of the simple deco design. There are so many reasons I am so happy about having Grandma’s hope chest… not the least of which is that she is the one who first taught me to knit, which I will never forget.
