I'm on Flickr!

Well, I'm on Flickr now.  I think my name is bluejeanz2009, but I am so discombobulated by URLs and such animals. Anyhow...there's a neat slide show of our Blankets & Sew On group that I started at church.  http://www.stjohns-lancaster.org/  There's a neat video clip scanning the whole display we set up last summer in our Parish Hall too.  I'll be at the Diocesan Convention at Bucknell University this June to share our pocket prayer shawl project in a workshop.  We had our first batch, about 45 of them, delivered to the Rt. Rev. George E. Packard, Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies for the Episcopal Church, USA, at the Diocesan Memorial Day service last Saturday.

We are on a roll! 

Memorial Day, 2009

Jen and I took Grandma to the national cemetery at Fort Indiantown Gap last Saturday to visit dad's grave.   As she does each year, mom picked out the floral arrangement and we visited the cemetery to place them on his grave, say a prayer and remember.  This year, she wanted us to drive through the rest of the cemetery so that she could show us the rows and rows of upright markers denoting the most recent of the veterans graves.

My dad, Robert B. Eshelman, died when I was a month shy of my 5th birthday from lympo sarcoma.  He had worked in chemical warfare and been accidentally gassed.  His disease was linked to that.

I drive past the VA Hospital in Wilkes-Barre each time I return to Northeast Pa to see what's left of my extended family. It sits on top of a hill next to Rt. 81.

So, today, thanks to dad and to all the brave soldiers who kept and continue to keep us safe.

Music Therapy and Jen

Daughter Jen was part of a report on Music Therapy which is now on you tube.  If you have a minute or two, please follow the link I tried to include above this posting and let me know what you think.

Spread the word: music and music therapy is awesome.

Thanks.

One down..one to go

Remember a Tale of Two Sweaters?  I completed my Indian Vest this past week and it fits!  There's a story behind this thing.  A few years ago, my daughter Jen gave me a Ball & Skein Shop gift certificate for my birthday with the understanding that my yarn purchase had to be used for ME.  So, I got Galway Paint knitting worsted  and chose a vest from Catherine Ham's book " 25 Gorgeous Sweaters". I knitted a small, after all, I am a sz. 36, right?  I looked like a variegated sausage in the finished product and squirreled it away in a bag, returning to my safer projects.  Well, after awhile, I tinked the whole thing and tried it again in a size medium.

It looked ok when finished...and then I blocked it.  I am now a believer in miracles.  What a difference a blocking makes!

On to the Feb. Ladies sweater///Hey. I didn't specify what year. :)

Life is interesting.

Cheerful?

Is there an unwritten rule that one must be cheerful on one's blog at all times?  If so, I guess I'm out of luck, because I need to be somewhat sad, but will end it on an upbeat note...Promise.

Someone told me recently that a mother is only as happy as her saddest child, or something along that line.  How true.

I'm feeling the weight o' the world these days.  Without details, I just want to share a thank you to all of the wonderful people in the knitting world who are never more than a computer-touch away and who always have interesting stuff to share. 

 This morning I followed a link on a very cool knitting friend's blog and read something neat about an episode of Grey's Anatomy and knitting.  And that's what knitting is for me, a wonderful way to learn, to share, to enjoy, and just to feel a sense of pride at a knitted object, even the WIPs.  I've come to the conclusion that the reason I have so many WIPs around is that I usually challenge myself with something new to learn when I'm feeling down or doubtful about my abilities.  So, there you have it.

The confessions of a "knitster" who is very thankful to all the knitters out there who make life ever so interesting.

Thanks. :)

Graduation

Tomorrow, son Kenny will receive his associates degree from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology with honors.

If you know Kenny, you know that it has been a very rough road.  He is a very gifted guy.

Keep good thoughts and prayers that he finds a job!!

Three cheers.

Here's Ken, Kenny and our friend Kip on Easter Sunday.  Hallelujah :)

A rainy day in Maryland

Hard to find the words to describe yesterday's trip to the MD Sheep & Wool Festival, but here are my random thoughts on the day:

I traveled with Wendy (owner), Rachel-Marie and Katie (staff extraordinaire) of our beloved LYS (Lancaster Yarn Shop)......

So cool to spend time with y'all :)

The day was awesome, wet & wooly!, full of surprises.  The rain only made it easier to get into the restrooms.  Watched a sheep get de-wooled,  Ignored all the lamb-eating food stands and found a lovely hamburger and fries lunch.  Ended the day with the world's best hot chocolate to wash down a nutritious apple turnover.

And the YARN!  Made two purchases: Pucker Brush Farm's lovely wool/mohair blend and Salsa DK gorgeous yarn  from Dalis at Dancing Leaf Farm's "shop".  Could have bought more... Pictures later.

Surprises: meeting Casey, Jessica of Ravelry  at the noon Ravelry meet and greet. Met Laura Chau, author of "Teach Yourself Visually Sock Knitting".  Enjoyed the chance to see people in person, exchange tips, get a free demo on spinning.

AND..  Amy Singer of Knitty.com...how cool...to meet and tell her how much I adore her on-line magazine, one of my all-time favorite websites 

Something else I loved: the chance to knit a row on the Wrap the World in Warmth scarf at the Keep the Fleece stand. keepthefleece.org ..gotta check this site out.

All in all, a very memorable day :)