Memorial Day Meanderings

Happy Memorial Day!

I’ve just returned from a family gathering for my niece’s graduation from Brown. I gave her the Cloud Illusions Shawl I made for her. I had reblocked it because I thought the goth points were a little too goth-y for her. She’s more the Banana Republic type. I’m so proud of her – she’s been accepted by Teach for America, a group that sends teachers into poor neighborhoods to teach kids growing up in poverty to ensure they get a good education. She is headed to New Orleans to teach for the next few years to do so. It’s one thing to talk the talk, saying the politically correct things about the have- nots, even though heartfelt, when you have so much, but another thing completely to walk the walk. I couldn’t be happier for her that she has chosen to do so.

I spent today plying and setting my yarn for Quidditch for HPHC, and working on my Owl. I’ve got to pick up the pace some, and should be able to for the rest of the month now that my submissions are just about in. I had also chosen to make Line Break by Veera Välimäki for my Broom – the project that takes about 2 months to complete in between the other classes. On the boat on the way home yesterday, I cast on, using Saffron Dyeworks Mini Mica. That ring on the front is a stitch holder/keeper from Lady Danio’s Etsy shop. I can’t say enough good things about her shop. I’ve gotten some beautiful sterling silver stitch markers in all sizes from her, as well as some copper and brass. I love how they jazz up my WIPs, and for as much time as I spend on them, they outta look good while coming of age. At any rate, I was happy with how luxurious and warm Line Break was going to be, though silently daunted by wondering if I could actually keep up with that much garter, and lo and behold, look what was waiting for me in the mail box!

That’s Hedgehog Fibers Pure Cashmere Lace in Graphite. I have 1300+ yards of it, plenty for my Broom. I wonder..can I resist casting on? What would Rock Island look like in this? Or Tiong Bahru, which just got released last week? Or ~gasp~ Madrona??? Whatever I choose, I need to decide soon so I can get cranking on it. Any thoughts?

Before I go, I’d just like to say a little about family gatherings and Memorial Day. Sometimes when we all get together, it makes me wonder things like – “How lucky am I that this is my family?” Though we’re certainly not the Cleavers, we’re all able to travel far and wide to be with each other, we each have a roof over our heads, are lucky enough to have jobs, and are important enough to each other to make the effort to get together and celebrate times like these. It’s a small percentage of us that are fortunate enough to have lives like that. While remembering those who have sacrificed so much to protect our rights to do so, I think it’s also important to look around at those we are gathered with to be grateful for their presence in our lives. Even when we might not always be at our best with them, if we’re lucky enough, they love us anyway. We are better people for having them put up with us, and for being there to give us comfort or a well timed whack upside the head, whichever was most needed at the time.

    I hope you had a lovely holiday.

~Purled