MrsDoF's Dear Ones

silver cross crocheted Friday

this one is going to a fella whose dad passed on last Spring, but I never did get around to sending a card
the first Father’s Day is the hardest

it has been more than a year since I tried to work a cross, and this task reminded why I had to let it go before
my hands were feeling a bit cramped by the end, even though I took frequent rest time

the center square was pulled out to begin again 4 times
I had 3 arms done, but they did not look quite proper
so I looked again at the instructions and found the *blah-blah* repeat x 3 which I had missed first reading

this finale does have one error in it on the 4^th aka long point because I cut and fastened off
when I should have turned and worked the first stitch of the picot edging
otherwise, the cross is fine, worthy of sentiments

then today after breakfast:
the classified ad said there would be a BIG SALE at the church up the street

so with a few coins in my pocket and $dollars in my wallet, I decided to go see what bargains I could find

I arrived just as a man in his mid-20s, same age as my sons, was painting a sign saying

EVERYTHING HALF PRICE!!

which is great because I like doing some looking more than the paying

I found a neat little lap table with a cushion behind it, which I have been thinking about buying one for the time when the Concerts on the Quad happen.
It will be easy to carry along with my Yarn bag and folding chair, and I will use it with my peg loom.

onto my pile I added a couple children’s books which I will read myself then pass along to a kid, a pre-school wooden puzzle for the church nursery, a little carrying case where I will store small yarn balls
and a child’s t-shirt, with the idea that I will re-cycle it and sew a t-shirt tote bag as I read about in a tutorial at Frugal Living

I walk over to the table to pay.  It seems that the teenage members of the Youth Group and the Youth Minister (that fella who painted the sign) are in charge of the proceedings.

In the back of my mind is the tally for my goodies will be about $3.00, so paying half price will be easy with just the coins in my pocket.

However, each item price had to be carefully noted in a spiral notebook on different pages, 50% deducted by calculator, that price written beside the first, and also written on a bit of paper, then all the prices from that paper entered into the calculator before I was told that my final total was $1.77.  Which means that one of the 50¢ items did not remember the half price.

I opened my wallet after all, handed over 2 singles and mentioned she could keep the change.  Which seemed to cause a bit of confusion because the Youth Sponsor had to tell her to write the extra 33¢ on the very first page of the notebook under General Fund Donations.

I asked why it had taken so long to make a sale? (while in my head I’m thinking these poor youngsters have no idea how to do arithmetic problems)

He pulled me aside from the check-out table and explained that the kids are working for a trip out of state and each needs to earn a certain amount of money to be able to go, so they brought in the stuff for the sale and get credit for each item.
I nodded, and said I’m a parent, so I understand.

As I was leaving, I was thinking that puts way too much pressure on the kids who have stuff of little value to carry in and sell.
Where was the teamwork? the sense of everybody in the group gets to go?  What about the kid who only brought in a couple t-shirts he had outgrown, yet worked hard and carried all the trash out to the dumpster?

Well, it’s not the church I attend, and I did give a few cents over the requested amount which went into the General Fund.
I just hope the Youth Group has a time to live in memory.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

when trying to take a picture of a knitted lady’s hat
grab the snow shovel still resting behind the front door
lean it against the porch railing in between downpours
drape the hat over the handle
and hope tired hands cooperate with the camera buttons
Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice Autumn Print 4-ply acrylic yarn

it fits me fine, but it will go to a charity need

the picture there?  well, it’s what I did Monday
Husband went back to the job, and I wanted to stick close to home but not too busy, just in case he called for a ride or sumthin.

Yes, I’m still working with cotton granny squares, but I realized I had not knitted a loom hat in about a month, nor had I worked with acrylic yarn in that time.

When I am trying to work with my Planner Book, I like to be sitting down with the paper book open on a shelf in front of me, the big phone on the wall with the receiver against my ear, and numbers for the automated system on the phone itself, right where I can read ‘em and hear the beep to show I pressed hard enough.

Having the number pad on the same part as the earpiece does not work for me, the motions repeating *up to the ear to listen, down to the proper distance and adjust bi-focals to see the correct button* make me lose concentration and tire out my wrist.

I cannot understand how folks use those itty-bitty cell phones or personal assistant devices or online calendars or whatever they are called, with the teeny screen which I cain’t read in sunlight.  Mine comes out only when necessary, which I consider a long distance aka free minutes call to my mother, and even then I’m sitting all comfortable on the porch steps, not waiting at the take-out window for supper.

Some people just live to be the first to have the newest gadget and be showing me how easy it is to use, all while I am trying to work on something else a whole lot more fun to be doing.

I’m thinking of this because I need to be here near the phone, Planner Book in hand, waiting for a medical office to call me back to set up an appointment for a colonoscopy.  Already this morning, I have made 4 calls and received 5, plus the look-up I did on the Internet to find a provider within our insurance network so it will get paid for.

weel now, I have typed myself out so I’ll have us get on with the rest of the day

Mine will become easier when I get an important appointment set up, and hope I can find a driver available at the same time.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

update almost Noon, but the gal called me back and we made an appointment for early morning Monday 29 June
I won’t say I can hardly wait, but I will be glad to learn a few things I’ve been concerned for