A Day to Give Thanks

With two deaths in the family this fall, it's been hard emotionally. Today is a day to look at the good in my life.

• For over 50 years, I had a good partner in my life, (almost 50 of them we were married.).
• My wonderfully supportive and loving children, who have gathered around for family support.
• My sister Carol, who had a rough start at married life, but she and her two children found a good man and a good life.
• My sister Beth who found her man on a blind date and they're still together.
• Family gatherings like Thanksgiving dinner at my daughter's house.
• My house is paid for and remodeling continues, with most of the work being done by family members.
• My friends, mostly knitting ones.
• My weight loss. I started after Easter, and am reaching the end. I've dreamed of this for years, and finally found something that works for the rest of my life.
• Not to forget my dog. I am never alone in my house.
• My yarn stash. I can knit for a long time without spending money on yarn. Buying yarn is optional.
• A freezer full of good food that I have cooked over time. Cooking is optional, although I've done a lot of it recently.
• My new iPhone acquired when my last phone went swimming and drowned. I'm still learning about all that it can do.

What can I say?

Another death in the family

Last month it was my husband: 9/8/1941-10/13/2011. He had been among the walking wounded for years. Then he caught pneumonia and was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was too much.

At the same time, my sister was also fighting cancer. She went in the hospital for her final treatment, and got pneumonia. Her body struggled with it from the end of September and finally lost the battle.

My sister Carol: 3/31/1945-11/18/2011.

 We lived at opposite sides of the country, and weren't as close as we would have liked to be.

Thankfully, there are no more known illnesses in the family. I have my children, their spouses, and my one remaining sister to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I really don't know what to say!
word seem so inadequate.

Random Thoughts

Both soups were yummy, and I have more Scotch Broth in the freezer. Today, DD and I had tuna fish salad sandwiches. My next cooking project will be meatloaf patties. Cook as needed!I think my solution to cooking for one, is don't. Just cook as usual and package for one. Some things can be cooked to a certain point, put aside, and finished when ready to eat.

I'm getting used to my new computer room, across the hall from my bedroom. It was handy when I woke up the other night and couldn't get back to sleep. Things like the printer don't work like they used to, but they work. The family computer gurus will be in again soon, to do more work like replacing cables with new ones.

I'm getting used to my new iPhone. Did I say that my last phone drowned? There have been some problems with installing e-mail and with my contact list, but they seem to be straightened out now. It helps to have family with iPhone knowledge. I find it interesting that my Bluetooth now has customized ring tomes, so I know who is calling. That is a new to me feature.

I lost my weight/food tracking program when I lost my phone, so went with My Fitness Pal on the recommendation of my daughters. The phone version has a bar code reader, which may come in handy. Since Easter, I have been losing weight by eating smaller portions and exercising more. Tracking shows me progress and helps with nutrition.

Knitting progress - I have a few photos.

The tree bark sweater progresses. I hope I have enough yarn. If not, I'll knit it again on larger needles. I might be able to make it smaller too.

I have a secret project I call a nose warmer for an elephant. It is my purse knitting, being a stockinette tube, just knit round and round.




These socks are from Crystal Yarn Palace Panda Cotton. The pattern is called Hypnosis by Janel Laidman.

I also have a pair of men's socks in Burgundy, but not much progress yet.

Cooking for One

and one, and one. This afternoon was spent in the kitchen. DD Jan missed out on a delicious soup for two that took longer to cook than I had planned for. I hadn't read the part where it said to cook for one hour before adding the last ingredients. It's a vegetable and pasta soup. The trouble with meals for two is that instead of leftover meal, you have left over ingredients. I have made the soup again, through the cook for one hour part. She'll be here on Tuesday, and I will heat it up and add the last pieces.

I also made a big pot of Scotch Broth Soup, with lamb, veggies, and barley. The taste reminds me of Campbell's Scotch Broth, which I hear is discontinued. It made enough for 8 meals, 6 of which will go in the freezer. DD Jan was talking about how I'm eating a lot of lamb. "Did Dad not like lamb?" He liked it, but it seems to be more of a winter food, in addition to being more expensive than some other meats. I recently ordered lamb curry in an Indian restaurant and also bought and ate some lamb chops, which prompted the question.

Before the gym, this morning, I went to my son's house for breakfast. We were in the habit of going out for breakfast once a month, but when he took a look at his current finances, he suggested eating at home. He and his wife made pancakes, bacon, and a scrambled egg casserole. Last month they came to our house, and his Dad enjoyed it thoroughly. It made more sense for me to do the traveling this time. No need to try to keep things warm in transit.

I'll be reading/listening to King Lear in the near future. DGD Luci will be studying it in school this year. It is one of those things I know a lot about, but don't think I every read it and know I never saw it. I remember that the library has a section of audio books of Shakespeare plays. I think the audio will be closer to a staged version. I'll look for a video also. This is a case where the printed page has limitations. I may also read the play from the book I inherited from my mother.

This morning, Luci was deep into a copy of  Les Miserables that I gave her last week for her birthday.. It seems she loves old books. The first thing she did with my gift was to open it up and smell it. She loves the smell of books. The one I gave her, I had bought as a teenager and just read recently.

Moving On

I feel like a lump in the middle of a whirlwind. So much has happened and so much is happening. I'm somewhat numb, while things whirl around me.

This last week was a little hectic. Saturday I worked and had nothing scheduled in the evening except peace and quiet. Sunday morning I had breakfast with our son and his wife's family at the Gunny Hall. Then I went to the gym and came home and baked cornbread for a neighborhood chili cook off. Monday was work and DSon came over to look at wine making supplies. His father in law has a friend who is interested. Also on Mondya morning, my cell phone jumped out of my pocket into the toilet. It drowned. Phone calls to DD Julie, whose plan I am now on resulted, ultimately in a new phone. Tuesday was gym time again, then off to the phone store to get a new iPhone, a big upgrade from what I had! Then I had to get DH's car title changed to my name so I could give it to DGS Craig. He needs to get the title in his name and then I will take the car off my insurance. He's been driving it for about 3 weeks now, since before DH died. Wednesday was a calm day, just work. Thursday was gym and then to the bank to add a signature to my business account now that I had all the paperwork. We tried to add e-mail to my new phone, and messed up my e-mail account. That took a while to straighten out. It's still not on my phone, we plan to try gmail and forward all other mail to that, knowing that gmail will work on the phone. Thursday night, a huge amount of wine making supplies left the house. The wine bottles are on the front porch and will be recycled. The large jugs were sold. I went to the knitting group at my LYS, DSon handled the wine stuff. Whew!


DD Jan is still working on patching walls and painting, causing movement of things that belong in the various rooms. She finished one small, but important room. The furniture from that room was blocking movement in the hall, so other rooms couldn't be put together. My knitting books are slowly being put back on shelves. There are new shelves for the magazines. I've had to move DH's clothes out of his closet in order to patch and paint it. They have left the house and may fit some of the men in the family. Mostly they will be donated to charity.

Today the computers are to be moved from the basement where the family room used to be. They will go in an upstairs bedroom. Eventually, one computer will be eliminated since there is only one of me.

DD Julie is the family finance expert, and has been making phone calls to various people on my behalf. Everyone in the family is rethinking insurance coverage, car, house, health etc. What worked before may not be the best for my future.

Knitting continues, mostly on my tree bark sweater. I have a couple of small projects also, including 2 pairs of socks, and something I'm calling a nose warmer for an elephant.

The weather is getting colder. At early morning dog walk time, it was 37 degrees, and there are lots of leaves on the ground. High temps are in the 50's. Tonight I think I will be home alone. Tomorrow I'll go to DSon's for breakfast, go to the gym and come home to make soup. I have 2 varieties planned. Chop, chop, stir, stir, and knit while it cooks.