From Child Care to Elder Care

With my father-in-law spending a bit of time in the hospital, family members have been rotating Mother-in-law care.

Her recent memory fails her these days with the exception of knowing for sure that the man she has known and loved for just about all of her life is ill and she wants to be at his side. 

He must rest and so I stall before taking her for a visit.

 I sit with Oma, answering her questions and having the same conversation over and over and over again, picking up my stalled Beekman as a diversion.

She is interested to see my knitting and tells me stories of how her and her sisters sat around their kitchen table in Germany knitting or doing various forms of needlework while listening to the radio. 

Ah, the wonderful pre-TV days.

She gets her own aching body out of her chair and begins to pull out stacks of linens from her hutch.

Oma shows me her handiwork all made before her marriage and brought over on the ship when she immigrated to America.

We talk, I admire and listen.
I have seen them all many times before, but on this day I pay close attention. For each pattern there is a set of three: a tablecloth, kitchen doilies, and a cover with a rod pocket that hid the dirty dish towels drying on their rack. I hadn't know about the towel cover before. I always just assumed the pocketed cloths were curtains. It pays to listen and learn.
Her past memory is as keen as can be.

She is happy in that moment and so am I.

Take Care,
Joan
***
Sharing with Fiber Arts Friday

More Rule Breaking

The pictures I took of the alligators all along the side of the road were from inside the car. Some even from that car moving. Venturing too close to the species is a good rule that not even I would break.
[Fritz on the other hand...]

Sometimes however, rules are just made to be broken. Like when the grandsons come to the farm for a few days while their parents take a little trip on their own.

They have the free reign to raid the cookie jar at will,

and to sprinkle 'just a little' sugar on their apple pancakes all by themselves.

 Since we must show a little sensibility and give the parents a somewhat better report, there are no rules concerning access to books of all sorts,

and plenty of time outdoors where much waits to be learned.

Like the value of work,

and the value of play,

 and the value of discovery.

Thank goodness, there are no rules on just how much love this Marme and Papa receive in return.

Two Rules

Number One:

When visiting the patriarchal uncle in lets say some place warm like the edge of the everglades in southern Florida,

Listen Intently.

His stories are the roots of a family he loves.

Watch his eyes light up when he speaks of his beloved wife now passed.

Or when he recounts the memories of a career he was so proud of. 

Listen some more.

Ask questions. Let him speak.

It will do all of us a world of good.

He is one of the last to know so much of the family lore.

Number Two:

Do not stop your car on the side of the road to get these kind of photos.

A guard rail is not much of a barrier.

Yes, Follow the Rules.

~Joan

How to Escape the Bitter Cold

Go here,

and find an umbrella drink.

Cheers!

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

One repeat of Beekman Tavern

Crazy Zauberbal held double with Cascade sock yarn. It's making up a nice thick men's work sock.

***
Sharing with WIP Wednesday

Having cleared my calendar for the week because of a Jury Duty Summons, and not as yet had my number called to report, I have been spending these cold, cold days city side with a few favorite endeavors.

The start of a new knitting project,

the finishing of at least one of the WIPs,

Crazy Zauberball

a pot of tea and my favorite mug,

and a new read (thanks Sara for the suggestion!) that has me dreaming, wanting, planning and plotting to get a few fiber animals.

I have the land, the barns, the blog mentors, bits and pieces of stored knowledge from reading and workshops and sheep farm visits,
 the desire....

It's just the work days in the city thing getting in the way.

Drats.

 Double Drats.

I will figure it out.

I must.

A favorite line from Barbara Parry's Adventures in Yarn Farming- Four Seasons on a New England Fiber Farm:

At heart I have a passion for taking an awfully long and complicated way around most things, drawn by the curiosity of blind journeys, the intensity of challenge, and a desire to see things come full circle.

That would be me.

 ***

Happily sharing with Ginny's Yarn Along

WInter Farm Fun

Not a lot of snow, but oh so icy perfect for sledding.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank goodness for a stash of knitted hats and mittens.

 

With a personalized chair lift back to the top.

 

The Great-Grands got in on the fun too each in their own way.
Ma enjoying a favorite morning beverage,

While her Ray opted for more active approach.

 

 

Stay warm my friends,

~Joan