Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tears of Sadness, Tears of Joy
Last week I was happy and excited making all kinds of plans for our upcoming wedding. It was maybe an hour before leaving work on Friday (my last day before 3 weeks of vacation) that I got one of those dreaded phone calls. Apparently my grandfather had suffered a heart attack while driving. I was able to visit with him in the hospital on Saturday even though he was unconscious and then he passed away early Sunday morning one week before he was to attend my wedding. We had the funeral yesterday on Long Island where he was laid to rest next to my grandmother who passed away 8 years prior.
I'm having all these conflicting feelings and emotions now. I wake up every morning crying after thinking of some memory of him which is now followed by thoughts of watching him being buried then onto how I won't be able to follow him down the processional aisle or dance with him at the reception. Then I get out of bed and am inundated with calls and emails and check off lists and errands all day long. It does take my mind off things and I'm able to laugh at times and even feel like myself but I know I'm still grieving inside.
My sister read a beautiful speech she had written about my grandpa yesterday. I would have loved to say some words also but was too emotional at the time. I was always better at writing than speaking so here is my own personal tribute to my grandfather:
Since my grandpa lived on Long Island we used to go to the beach often when I was a child. I remember my older sister was always the risk taker and would swim out far on her own. She and my mom always tried to drag me along with them but I was too timid and preferred to stand still at the water's edge watching my feet be buried in the sand as the tide came in and out.
One time in particular sticks out in my mind. My grandpa tried to get me to come out into the waves and I reluctantly agreed as he could be very charming and persuasive. Sure enough a wave came and knocked my 6-year-old self over. After rolling backwards underwater and coming up for air spurting salt water out of my mouth and rubbing my irritated eyes my grandpa asked me if I knew how to brace myself. I had no idea what he was talking about.
He went on to show me that when a wave came instead of facing it head on which inevitably knocked me over the key was to stand sideways with your legs hip length apart and hold out your arms for balance. If you could dig your feet down into the wet sand that was even better. I remember that I didn't really believe him at the time but he was older and supposedly wiser so I tried it. (Secretly I thought the only reason he wasn't getting knocked down was because he was much bigger than me.) Just as I had played at the waters' edge passively watching my feet being buried in the sand this time I purposely dug my feet in. My motions were a bit exaggerated as I kept my legs wider than was probably necessary and stood with my arms straight out as if I were preparing for lift-off.
The next wave came towards me and it appeared bigger and more ominous than ever. I wanted to run back to the safety of the shore line but my grandpa was standing next to me doing the same thing except he was standing there with purpose and anticipation. I took my cue from him and waited terrified as the wave approached. To me it looked like a giant brown monster with its mouth foaming at the top (Remember this was Jones Beach on the south shore of Long Island not the Cayman Islands.) I involuntarily squeezed my eyes shut and dreaded the worst. The water started receding around me as the tide drew it in and I heard the rumbling coming closer and closer until finally it was upon me. I held my breath, dug my feet deep in the sand, and moments later found myself still standing next to my grandpa who was beaming proudly at me.
I was reminded of this image upon waking up this morning. Looking back at it from an adult perspective it's obvious that he was teaching me more than how to combat an oncoming wave. He was showing me that I could face any problem life brought my way as long as I prepared and had someone else watching out for me. There was nothing to be afraid of and any danger whether physical like a wave in the ocean or more figurative it was better to anticipate what was coming and look forward to the challenge rather than run away like a coward towards obvious safety.
This goes along with my grandfather's philosophy on life. His mother died when he was just 4 years old. His father remarried and from what I've heard he wasn't treated very well by his new stepmother and half-siblings. With no resources from which to draw from he found it within himself to overcome any challenge life threw at him. He told me once that at the age of 16 he needed to know how to drive in order to apply for a job that would bring in some much needed income. This was back in 1937. Since his father was either too preoccupied or unwilling to show him he went ahead and taught himself. He took on that delivery job and earned enough money to be more independent.
I don't know all the details but he eventually went on to own an office supply company and did very well for himself. He often made deliveries all around the tri-state area. He served in the military during World War II. He never liked to talk about it much but he told me once that he had helped liberate one of the concentration camps in Germany. He earned military honors which was evident at the funeral when his second wife was presented with an American flag.
My grandpa loved to drive. He owned several large Cadillacs and always drove my grandma anywhere she needed to go. Just the week before his death he had driven from his summer home in Florida all the way back to New Jersey stopping once in Virginia to visit my aunt along the way. At the time of his heart attack he was right where he loved to be...in the driver's seat in control of what was going on and serving as a protective guide to those he loved.
My grandpa was 86 when he died. He had lived a long life. He was married to my grandma for 52 years, had raised 2 daughters who went on to have 4 grandchildren and even has a great-granddaughter although he only "met" her yesterday at the cemetery plot. Everyone was dressed in black and very solemn while Ainsley was radiant in a white sweater and pants with pink flowers on them and ribbons in her hair. All the out-of-town relatives who had not met her yet remarked on how much she resembled my mother. Her middle name Isabelle is in memory of my grandma, Irma.
Although it was very difficult for me to handle my grandpa's sudden passing I know that he didn't suffer much and would have hated to have a long drawn out illness where others would have had to be his caretakers. When his time came he faced it head on and without fear. I know both him and my grandma will be there in spirit on my wedding day. I had wanted to use their wedding bands during the ceremony but they are unable to be located on such short notice so I'm going to use a gold ring from my grandma that has her maiden name initials on it: IK. I will try my hardest to shed most of my tears now so that the only tears shed that day will be tears of joy.
With great love and respect you will be missed by everyone who's life you touched with your wisdom, charm, and fortitude.
Irving Friedman March 5th 1922-May 28th 2008.
Last week I was happy and excited making all kinds of plans for our upcoming wedding. It was maybe an hour before leaving work on Friday (my last day before 3 weeks of vacation) that I got one of those dreaded phone calls. Apparently my grandfather had suffered a heart attack while driving. I was able to visit with him in the hospital on Saturday even though he was unconscious and then he passed away early Sunday morning one week before he was to attend my wedding. We had the funeral yesterday on Long Island where he was laid to rest next to my grandmother who passed away 8 years prior.
I'm having all these conflicting feelings and emotions now. I wake up every morning crying after thinking of some memory of him which is now followed by thoughts of watching him being buried then onto how I won't be able to follow him down the processional aisle or dance with him at the reception. Then I get out of bed and am inundated with calls and emails and check off lists and errands all day long. It does take my mind off things and I'm able to laugh at times and even feel like myself but I know I'm still grieving inside.
My sister read a beautiful speech she had written about my grandpa yesterday. I would have loved to say some words also but was too emotional at the time. I was always better at writing than speaking so here is my own personal tribute to my grandfather:
Since my grandpa lived on Long Island we used to go to the beach often when I was a child. I remember my older sister was always the risk taker and would swim out far on her own. She and my mom always tried to drag me along with them but I was too timid and preferred to stand still at the water's edge watching my feet be buried in the sand as the tide came in and out.
One time in particular sticks out in my mind. My grandpa tried to get me to come out into the waves and I reluctantly agreed as he could be very charming and persuasive. Sure enough a wave came and knocked my 6-year-old self over. After rolling backwards underwater and coming up for air spurting salt water out of my mouth and rubbing my irritated eyes my grandpa asked me if I knew how to brace myself. I had no idea what he was talking about.
He went on to show me that when a wave came instead of facing it head on which inevitably knocked me over the key was to stand sideways with your legs hip length apart and hold out your arms for balance. If you could dig your feet down into the wet sand that was even better. I remember that I didn't really believe him at the time but he was older and supposedly wiser so I tried it. (Secretly I thought the only reason he wasn't getting knocked down was because he was much bigger than me.) Just as I had played at the waters' edge passively watching my feet being buried in the sand this time I purposely dug my feet in. My motions were a bit exaggerated as I kept my legs wider than was probably necessary and stood with my arms straight out as if I were preparing for lift-off.
The next wave came towards me and it appeared bigger and more ominous than ever. I wanted to run back to the safety of the shore line but my grandpa was standing next to me doing the same thing except he was standing there with purpose and anticipation. I took my cue from him and waited terrified as the wave approached. To me it looked like a giant brown monster with its mouth foaming at the top (Remember this was Jones Beach on the south shore of Long Island not the Cayman Islands.) I involuntarily squeezed my eyes shut and dreaded the worst. The water started receding around me as the tide drew it in and I heard the rumbling coming closer and closer until finally it was upon me. I held my breath, dug my feet deep in the sand, and moments later found myself still standing next to my grandpa who was beaming proudly at me.
I was reminded of this image upon waking up this morning. Looking back at it from an adult perspective it's obvious that he was teaching me more than how to combat an oncoming wave. He was showing me that I could face any problem life brought my way as long as I prepared and had someone else watching out for me. There was nothing to be afraid of and any danger whether physical like a wave in the ocean or more figurative it was better to anticipate what was coming and look forward to the challenge rather than run away like a coward towards obvious safety.
This goes along with my grandfather's philosophy on life. His mother died when he was just 4 years old. His father remarried and from what I've heard he wasn't treated very well by his new stepmother and half-siblings. With no resources from which to draw from he found it within himself to overcome any challenge life threw at him. He told me once that at the age of 16 he needed to know how to drive in order to apply for a job that would bring in some much needed income. This was back in 1937. Since his father was either too preoccupied or unwilling to show him he went ahead and taught himself. He took on that delivery job and earned enough money to be more independent.
I don't know all the details but he eventually went on to own an office supply company and did very well for himself. He often made deliveries all around the tri-state area. He served in the military during World War II. He never liked to talk about it much but he told me once that he had helped liberate one of the concentration camps in Germany. He earned military honors which was evident at the funeral when his second wife was presented with an American flag.
My grandpa loved to drive. He owned several large Cadillacs and always drove my grandma anywhere she needed to go. Just the week before his death he had driven from his summer home in Florida all the way back to New Jersey stopping once in Virginia to visit my aunt along the way. At the time of his heart attack he was right where he loved to be...in the driver's seat in control of what was going on and serving as a protective guide to those he loved.
My grandpa was 86 when he died. He had lived a long life. He was married to my grandma for 52 years, had raised 2 daughters who went on to have 4 grandchildren and even has a great-granddaughter although he only "met" her yesterday at the cemetery plot. Everyone was dressed in black and very solemn while Ainsley was radiant in a white sweater and pants with pink flowers on them and ribbons in her hair. All the out-of-town relatives who had not met her yet remarked on how much she resembled my mother. Her middle name Isabelle is in memory of my grandma, Irma.
Although it was very difficult for me to handle my grandpa's sudden passing I know that he didn't suffer much and would have hated to have a long drawn out illness where others would have had to be his caretakers. When his time came he faced it head on and without fear. I know both him and my grandma will be there in spirit on my wedding day. I had wanted to use their wedding bands during the ceremony but they are unable to be located on such short notice so I'm going to use a gold ring from my grandma that has her maiden name initials on it: IK. I will try my hardest to shed most of my tears now so that the only tears shed that day will be tears of joy.
With great love and respect you will be missed by everyone who's life you touched with your wisdom, charm, and fortitude.
Irving Friedman March 5th 1922-May 28th 2008.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Time After Time
With my wedding now less than 2 weeks away my life has been going something like this, "Wedding, eat, wedding, sleep, weddingweddingwedding!" Every day after work I'm either running to some appointment whether it's finalizing the arrangements with the catering hall/florist/photographer/rabbi/band or rushing around on errands to pick up odds and ends. I have nothing to complain about though. It's been really exciting to see all the details coming into place and to know that I had a large part in making it happen. It feels like an accomplishent.
One new trait I've developed is calling to appointments ahead of time. I'm always the type of person who waits until my hair is a tangled mess before calling the salon for a trim or if it's just calling friends to see what their plans are for Saturday night rather than checking in earlier in the week.
I got on a roll last Friday when I had a day off from work. Looking back at the call log on my phone I called the dress shop, photographer, hotel coordinators at 2 different hotels, spa, hair salon, nail salon, in addition to my aunt, sister, and mother all to either make appointments or discuss little details. The more appointments I made the more I wanted to call other places to make more. It became addictive! I tried thinking of places where JFo might need appointments but he made me stop.
I liked how I could put all the appointments in my PDA calendar and color coordinate them. What I'm finding out is that I need to be flexible as often the other party will cancel or I'll realize that I'm really overbooked or not feeling well and need to reschedule. Now that I'm writing this out it sounds really obvious but this was a revelation for me and my time management skills.
Please share your experiences with time management (or lack thereof) so I can see where I fit in the spectrum.
With my wedding now less than 2 weeks away my life has been going something like this, "Wedding, eat, wedding, sleep, weddingweddingwedding!" Every day after work I'm either running to some appointment whether it's finalizing the arrangements with the catering hall/florist/photographer/rabbi/band or rushing around on errands to pick up odds and ends. I have nothing to complain about though. It's been really exciting to see all the details coming into place and to know that I had a large part in making it happen. It feels like an accomplishent.
One new trait I've developed is calling to appointments ahead of time. I'm always the type of person who waits until my hair is a tangled mess before calling the salon for a trim or if it's just calling friends to see what their plans are for Saturday night rather than checking in earlier in the week.
I got on a roll last Friday when I had a day off from work. Looking back at the call log on my phone I called the dress shop, photographer, hotel coordinators at 2 different hotels, spa, hair salon, nail salon, in addition to my aunt, sister, and mother all to either make appointments or discuss little details. The more appointments I made the more I wanted to call other places to make more. It became addictive! I tried thinking of places where JFo might need appointments but he made me stop.
I liked how I could put all the appointments in my PDA calendar and color coordinate them. What I'm finding out is that I need to be flexible as often the other party will cancel or I'll realize that I'm really overbooked or not feeling well and need to reschedule. Now that I'm writing this out it sounds really obvious but this was a revelation for me and my time management skills.
Please share your experiences with time management (or lack thereof) so I can see where I fit in the spectrum.
Monday, May 05, 2008
I Feel Like a Woman
There have always been many things I wanted to learn more about or skills I wanted to acquire but there never seemed the time or, more importantly, the motivation to see these things out. It's only been while planning my wedding and preparing for my new role as a married woman that I have made the effort to learn.
Take putting on makeup for example. My usual routine (if I bothered at all) was to put on blush, eyeshadow, mascara, lipstick, and pressed powder. However, I never bothered to learn the proper techniques for applying the make-up. I would just use the little brushes that came in the packages and just figure it out on my own. When I was getting ready for my engagement photos I wanted to be able to do my own makeup (and have some new stuff that wasn't so old it made me break out every time I put it on!). For Hanukah JF had bought me blush and eyeshadow brushes from MAC and had given me the card of the manager at the Bloomingdale's counter so I could make an appointment to learn proper application techniques. Three months later when I felt I had a reason to I took this step and realized how little I knew before. For example, if I was putting on 2 colors of eyeshadow I would put one on my eyelid and the other over it on my brow. I learned you're actually supposed to put them side by side; one by inner corner of your eye and one by the outer corner. This was a huge revelation to me and I feel much more confident now when I apply my makeup and have gotten many compliments.
My hair has always been another sore spot. I have naturally curly brown hair that falls a bit below shoulder length when dry. My normal routine was to wash it every day with shampoo and conditioner, towel it try, apply a couple types of styling products starting at the crown of my head and using a pick to comb it through my hair. Most days I would start off with very flat hair on top and by the end of the day my hair had majorly poofed out. Ponytail bands and clips were my friends. My sister encouraged me to go a salon where there was a certified curl technician who could give me a good cut and show me the best way to style my hair. I went to The Beehive in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and received the best hair cutting experience of my life. Now I use shampoo occasionally, condition every day, and apply hair products with my fingers while still in the shower starting at the tips and ending with the roots before dabbing my hair dry with an old t-shirt (apparently not as drying as using a towel).
There are many other physical examples of changes I have undertaken such as trying to accessorize every day with interesting jewelry, wear skirts more often, and even heels on occasion. These may seem like small superficial things but they have made a big difference in my self-confidence. I feel it is worth it to try to look good as compared to before when I would roll out of bed 20 minutes before it was time to leave for work, throw on a pilling sweater and pair of oversized pants complimented by scuffed flats, and rush out the door forgoing makeup or jewelry.
It's amazing what a little mascara & lipstick can do!
There have always been many things I wanted to learn more about or skills I wanted to acquire but there never seemed the time or, more importantly, the motivation to see these things out. It's only been while planning my wedding and preparing for my new role as a married woman that I have made the effort to learn.
Take putting on makeup for example. My usual routine (if I bothered at all) was to put on blush, eyeshadow, mascara, lipstick, and pressed powder. However, I never bothered to learn the proper techniques for applying the make-up. I would just use the little brushes that came in the packages and just figure it out on my own. When I was getting ready for my engagement photos I wanted to be able to do my own makeup (and have some new stuff that wasn't so old it made me break out every time I put it on!). For Hanukah JF had bought me blush and eyeshadow brushes from MAC and had given me the card of the manager at the Bloomingdale's counter so I could make an appointment to learn proper application techniques. Three months later when I felt I had a reason to I took this step and realized how little I knew before. For example, if I was putting on 2 colors of eyeshadow I would put one on my eyelid and the other over it on my brow. I learned you're actually supposed to put them side by side; one by inner corner of your eye and one by the outer corner. This was a huge revelation to me and I feel much more confident now when I apply my makeup and have gotten many compliments.
My hair has always been another sore spot. I have naturally curly brown hair that falls a bit below shoulder length when dry. My normal routine was to wash it every day with shampoo and conditioner, towel it try, apply a couple types of styling products starting at the crown of my head and using a pick to comb it through my hair. Most days I would start off with very flat hair on top and by the end of the day my hair had majorly poofed out. Ponytail bands and clips were my friends. My sister encouraged me to go a salon where there was a certified curl technician who could give me a good cut and show me the best way to style my hair. I went to The Beehive in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and received the best hair cutting experience of my life. Now I use shampoo occasionally, condition every day, and apply hair products with my fingers while still in the shower starting at the tips and ending with the roots before dabbing my hair dry with an old t-shirt (apparently not as drying as using a towel).
There are many other physical examples of changes I have undertaken such as trying to accessorize every day with interesting jewelry, wear skirts more often, and even heels on occasion. These may seem like small superficial things but they have made a big difference in my self-confidence. I feel it is worth it to try to look good as compared to before when I would roll out of bed 20 minutes before it was time to leave for work, throw on a pilling sweater and pair of oversized pants complimented by scuffed flats, and rush out the door forgoing makeup or jewelry.
It's amazing what a little mascara & lipstick can do!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
A Night to Remember
A couple weeks ago several members from my knitting group threw me a surprise bachelorette party. I was really caught off guard as I was expecting a low key dinner with my friend SP and ended up with a rowdy night of sharing drinks and appetizers at The Park (one of those uber trendy places in the Meatpacking District) followed by the Coyote Ugly type antics on display at the nearby bar Hogs and Heifers.
All identities have been concealed in order for the muggles to keep up their fantasies that knitters only sit at home with their cats playing with balls of string (Ok, we do that too sometimes but don't knock it until you've tried it!).
In addition to sewing a veil/tiara combo the multi-talented SP also made these awesome knitted panties for me. She definately wins the award for Best Achievement in a Last Minute Knitted Gift Award Involving Lace on Small Needles. Nothing says love and cheesy bachelorette fun more than an I-cord thong. Makes me tear up just thinking about it.
And so as to not end this post with a closeup of my newly acquired 'drawers feast your eyes on this beautiful sock yarn AP presented me with from the Adirondack Yarn Company. She bought herself a skein too so we can be 'Sock Sisters.' (Ok, I totally just made that term up but when it catches on faster than Ravelry you can say you heard it here first.)
Thanks again for thinking of me, you guys, and making this special time in my life all the more memorable...
A couple weeks ago several members from my knitting group threw me a surprise bachelorette party. I was really caught off guard as I was expecting a low key dinner with my friend SP and ended up with a rowdy night of sharing drinks and appetizers at The Park (one of those uber trendy places in the Meatpacking District) followed by the Coyote Ugly type antics on display at the nearby bar Hogs and Heifers.
All identities have been concealed in order for the muggles to keep up their fantasies that knitters only sit at home with their cats playing with balls of string (Ok, we do that too sometimes but don't knock it until you've tried it!).
In addition to sewing a veil/tiara combo the multi-talented SP also made these awesome knitted panties for me. She definately wins the award for Best Achievement in a Last Minute Knitted Gift Award Involving Lace on Small Needles. Nothing says love and cheesy bachelorette fun more than an I-cord thong. Makes me tear up just thinking about it.
And so as to not end this post with a closeup of my newly acquired 'drawers feast your eyes on this beautiful sock yarn AP presented me with from the Adirondack Yarn Company. She bought herself a skein too so we can be 'Sock Sisters.' (Ok, I totally just made that term up but when it catches on faster than Ravelry you can say you heard it here first.)
Thanks again for thinking of me, you guys, and making this special time in my life all the more memorable...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
New Beginnings
The last couple weeks have been extremely busy with the wedding countdown and my birthday thrown in just for fun. I'm a real sap when it comes to birthdays. I think it's because your birthday is one of those times like the holidays when you really feel like a kid again. Plus having mine in spring always feels refreshing after a long dreary winter. Some people start over in the fall since that's when school starts. Others make a fresh start in January for the new year. I like to regroup every April when I hear the birds chirping letting me know my birthday has arrived.
Last Sunday I had my hair and makeup trial. My mom, sister, and niece came along and then took me out to a belated birthday lunch afterwards. Figuring it was Ainsley's 1st half-birthday (She'll be 6 months old next week) I surprised her with this super cute jacket. The back even has a little lamb tail. Now she's a baby in sheep's clothing!
On my actual birthday last Friday I was greeted by this display of balloons and gifts upon arriving at my cubicle. When you're crammed down in the sub-basement of a hospital with a bunch of women you can't help but bond. My co-workers were so awesome for doing this and took me out to lunch to Le Pain Quotidien to boot.
After work that day I had a little time to kill before dinner so I went over to one of those paint your own pottery jobbies over on 2nd Ave called "Make." JF joined me (and made many juvenile comments about the name of the store in the process) and we made this lovely cookie jar.
We must have painted the whole thing in 1/2 an hour as we were in a hurry but I'm really pleased with the result. I'll admit several stencils were used in the process! Cosette even makes an appearance on the side.
My original intent was to keep the jar open and use it to put large kitchen utensils in. I'm rethinking that now as the paw prints on the lid came out well and JF is threatening to throw the lid away if we're not going to use it now while I insist that the jar may have alternate uses in the future. Men-so short sighted!
Speaking of the big C here she is watching me snap pics of the cookie jar. She gets this adorable look in her eyes whenever she wants food or attention. It's just like that character Puss in Boots in Shrek who uses it as a distraction-it works every time!
After a lovely dinner at an organic vegan restaurant Candle Cafe JF gave me my present-the Knitpicks Harmony interchangeable needle set! It was funny because I was terribly excited about the gift while my non-knitting friends did a valid attempt at faking enthusiasm for something they had no understanding of. "Your fiance got you a bunch of colored sticks-how nice!"
For the benefit of my non-knitting friends and family who read this blog the set consists of 9 different sizes of knitting needles. It also includes two different lengths of cords. The ends of the needles and cords are designed so that you can screw the ends into each other and then you tighten it with a little key.
Voila! You would use a short cord for a small project like a hat or sleeve and a long cord for a large project like the body of a sweater or a blanket. Now I'll never have to delay casting on a new project because I don't have the right needle size at home. And the rainbow swirly pattern is really as an added bonus.
The last couple weeks have been extremely busy with the wedding countdown and my birthday thrown in just for fun. I'm a real sap when it comes to birthdays. I think it's because your birthday is one of those times like the holidays when you really feel like a kid again. Plus having mine in spring always feels refreshing after a long dreary winter. Some people start over in the fall since that's when school starts. Others make a fresh start in January for the new year. I like to regroup every April when I hear the birds chirping letting me know my birthday has arrived.
Last Sunday I had my hair and makeup trial. My mom, sister, and niece came along and then took me out to a belated birthday lunch afterwards. Figuring it was Ainsley's 1st half-birthday (She'll be 6 months old next week) I surprised her with this super cute jacket. The back even has a little lamb tail. Now she's a baby in sheep's clothing!
On my actual birthday last Friday I was greeted by this display of balloons and gifts upon arriving at my cubicle. When you're crammed down in the sub-basement of a hospital with a bunch of women you can't help but bond. My co-workers were so awesome for doing this and took me out to lunch to Le Pain Quotidien to boot.
After work that day I had a little time to kill before dinner so I went over to one of those paint your own pottery jobbies over on 2nd Ave called "Make." JF joined me (and made many juvenile comments about the name of the store in the process) and we made this lovely cookie jar.
We must have painted the whole thing in 1/2 an hour as we were in a hurry but I'm really pleased with the result. I'll admit several stencils were used in the process! Cosette even makes an appearance on the side.
My original intent was to keep the jar open and use it to put large kitchen utensils in. I'm rethinking that now as the paw prints on the lid came out well and JF is threatening to throw the lid away if we're not going to use it now while I insist that the jar may have alternate uses in the future. Men-so short sighted!
Speaking of the big C here she is watching me snap pics of the cookie jar. She gets this adorable look in her eyes whenever she wants food or attention. It's just like that character Puss in Boots in Shrek who uses it as a distraction-it works every time!
After a lovely dinner at an organic vegan restaurant Candle Cafe JF gave me my present-the Knitpicks Harmony interchangeable needle set! It was funny because I was terribly excited about the gift while my non-knitting friends did a valid attempt at faking enthusiasm for something they had no understanding of. "Your fiance got you a bunch of colored sticks-how nice!"
For the benefit of my non-knitting friends and family who read this blog the set consists of 9 different sizes of knitting needles. It also includes two different lengths of cords. The ends of the needles and cords are designed so that you can screw the ends into each other and then you tighten it with a little key.
Voila! You would use a short cord for a small project like a hat or sleeve and a long cord for a large project like the body of a sweater or a blanket. Now I'll never have to delay casting on a new project because I don't have the right needle size at home. And the rainbow swirly pattern is really as an added bonus.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Happy Birthday Grandma Jean!
I came back from Charleston a few weeks ago just in time to attend my Grandma Jean's 90th birthday party. I guess longevity must run in my family! JF and I drove out to my aunt Gerri's on Long Island for the occasion. It was great to see all my aunts, uncles, and cousins that I haven't seen since my engagement party back in September (Shoot, I was trying to keep this post free of wedding references. Guess I failed!) My dad is the oldest of 5 and all his brother and sisters are married with kids so whenever we get together it's always a big loud group of people. My cousin Laura made a DVD with pictures set to music of my grandma and other family members. She gave us all copies which was really sweet.
I tried to think of what a good gift would be. I mean after all once you're 90 years old you've probably gotten so many gifts it might be hard to get a gift that seems original. So of course I knit her something. During my trip to Charleston I worked on this beret. The first version came out ok for a regular ski hat but didn't have enough floppiness to be a beret so I did some extra increases and the second version came out just right. I used this free online pattern from whatifknits and highly recommend it. I used some bulky weight yarn from Brooks Farm I had in my stash from Rhinebeck '06. Can anyone tell me what the difference between a tam and a beret is? I suppose I could just google it but it's more fun to hear it from my blog readers!
And what's the best part about being 90 years old besides having a big party thrown in your honor?
Meeting your adorable great-grandchild, of course!
I used way too many exclamation points in this post!!!!!
I came back from Charleston a few weeks ago just in time to attend my Grandma Jean's 90th birthday party. I guess longevity must run in my family! JF and I drove out to my aunt Gerri's on Long Island for the occasion. It was great to see all my aunts, uncles, and cousins that I haven't seen since my engagement party back in September (Shoot, I was trying to keep this post free of wedding references. Guess I failed!) My dad is the oldest of 5 and all his brother and sisters are married with kids so whenever we get together it's always a big loud group of people. My cousin Laura made a DVD with pictures set to music of my grandma and other family members. She gave us all copies which was really sweet.
I tried to think of what a good gift would be. I mean after all once you're 90 years old you've probably gotten so many gifts it might be hard to get a gift that seems original. So of course I knit her something. During my trip to Charleston I worked on this beret. The first version came out ok for a regular ski hat but didn't have enough floppiness to be a beret so I did some extra increases and the second version came out just right. I used this free online pattern from whatifknits and highly recommend it. I used some bulky weight yarn from Brooks Farm I had in my stash from Rhinebeck '06. Can anyone tell me what the difference between a tam and a beret is? I suppose I could just google it but it's more fun to hear it from my blog readers!
And what's the best part about being 90 years old besides having a big party thrown in your honor?
Meeting your adorable great-grandchild, of course!
I used way too many exclamation points in this post!!!!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Southern Adventures
I visited an old friend from college last week in Charleston, South Carolina. I had never been there before and found the city to be simply charming. It was also nice for me to have a break from all this crazy wedding planning and just do something on my own. We had fun recounting memories from college and catching up on the current going-ons in our lives.
I still can't believe it's been nearly six years since we graduated college. She's married, expecting a baby, and going to medical school. I'm getting married in just a few short months and been working hard, as always, on my career and all things knitting-related.
The popular touristy thing to do in Charleston is to take a horse drawn carriage ride through the city with a tour guide talking about all the history surrounding you.
Here's a view from the carriage as we started out. Our horse was old and super slow. We kept having to pull to the side so other carriages could trot past ours!
We mostly saw all these beautiful houses that date back to the Civil War era. Fancy gates like the one shown above were a trademark of these houses.
It was also essential to have a large front porch. An interesting fact is that the porches were always built to maximize the breeze since there was no air conditioning way back when. As a result many of the porches are on the side of the house. The owners sacrificed a good view of the waterfront in order to stay cool.
These mansions are worth several million dollars today due to their location and history. Personally, if I was going to drop a few mil on a house I'd want it to be relatively new!
I thought it was pretty how the ivy grew along this staircase.
Here's a pic of King Street which is the main shopping district.
And a nice view of the water. The Palmetto tree, as pictured here, grows all over the place down there. It's on the SC state flag, license plates, and all the touristy souvenirs sold in the Marketplace.
I added this silver charm to the bracelet I started in San Francisco last year. My cat, Cosette, approved of it when I got home.
I was only down there for a few days and would have liked to stay longer. But JF and I will probably visit at some point. After all there will be a newborn expecting a hand-knit blanket!
I visited an old friend from college last week in Charleston, South Carolina. I had never been there before and found the city to be simply charming. It was also nice for me to have a break from all this crazy wedding planning and just do something on my own. We had fun recounting memories from college and catching up on the current going-ons in our lives.
I still can't believe it's been nearly six years since we graduated college. She's married, expecting a baby, and going to medical school. I'm getting married in just a few short months and been working hard, as always, on my career and all things knitting-related.
The popular touristy thing to do in Charleston is to take a horse drawn carriage ride through the city with a tour guide talking about all the history surrounding you.
Here's a view from the carriage as we started out. Our horse was old and super slow. We kept having to pull to the side so other carriages could trot past ours!
We mostly saw all these beautiful houses that date back to the Civil War era. Fancy gates like the one shown above were a trademark of these houses.
It was also essential to have a large front porch. An interesting fact is that the porches were always built to maximize the breeze since there was no air conditioning way back when. As a result many of the porches are on the side of the house. The owners sacrificed a good view of the waterfront in order to stay cool.
These mansions are worth several million dollars today due to their location and history. Personally, if I was going to drop a few mil on a house I'd want it to be relatively new!
I thought it was pretty how the ivy grew along this staircase.
Here's a pic of King Street which is the main shopping district.
And a nice view of the water. The Palmetto tree, as pictured here, grows all over the place down there. It's on the SC state flag, license plates, and all the touristy souvenirs sold in the Marketplace.
I added this silver charm to the bracelet I started in San Francisco last year. My cat, Cosette, approved of it when I got home.
I was only down there for a few days and would have liked to stay longer. But JF and I will probably visit at some point. After all there will be a newborn expecting a hand-knit blanket!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Fabulous Flowers
I had a wonderful time this past Sunday at the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show. I had never been there before and while late winter is certainly less than ideal as nothing was in bloom it was worth it to see so many varieties of my favorite flower. Without further ado here are some pics:
The one above is my favorite. I love the contrast of the pale yellow with the fuschia 'veins' of the flower.
I'm definitely coming back in the spring to see the garden in full bloom.
I had a wonderful time this past Sunday at the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show. I had never been there before and while late winter is certainly less than ideal as nothing was in bloom it was worth it to see so many varieties of my favorite flower. Without further ado here are some pics:
The one above is my favorite. I love the contrast of the pale yellow with the fuschia 'veins' of the flower.
I'm definitely coming back in the spring to see the garden in full bloom.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Choices, Choices, and More Choices
With less than 4 months until my wedding I've been super busy with the planning as you can imagine. In some ways it is somewhat torturous for someone like me who is incapable of making the simplest decisions: "Paper or plastic?" "Umm....I don't know. Let's see...paper seems better for the environment but plastic is easier to carry. But then again...."
There are a few things that seemed just right though. I know it's cliche but when I put my wedding gown on for the first time I just knew it was the right dress. I had figured out the best way to go about trying on gowns was to close my eyes while I was being zipped into it and the train was being arranged and then open them to get the full effect. Once I put the veil on my choice was sealed. I just felt so beautiful and special I didn't want to take it off!
I also felt confident we chose the right florist. I remember we visited three florists in one day. The first one was a large company that seemed kind of like a wedding factory. I knew something was off when they said they never turn down a wedding. I felt as though I was going to get something very generic when what I was looking for was something unique.
The second place we visited was the one we went with. It's run by a couple who at one point sold their florist shop to focus on doing the flowers for events and run the business out of their house. For one thing they have 3 cats roaming their house and the name of the business is even named after a cat: The Cheshire Tree. Secondly the owner really sat down and listened to everything I had to say, helped guide my choices in terms of what flowers would be in season for the colors I wanted, and she even remembered the specific flower arrangements she had done for other weddings in order to show me pictures.
We did end up going to another florist which was the one recommended by our catering hall. But again they just seemed very generic and not very helpful in trying to customize what we wanted. I felt like I was expected to know everything about flowers when at the time I didn't know an iris from an orchid. (Now I'm at a point where I walk past bouquets and can name every flower!)
I also love the place we chose for the reception and ceremony. They have a beautiful garden looking out onto a lake for the ceremony and then an outdoor tent for cocktails. I also liked that the ballroom had large windows looking out on the lake which let in a lot of sunlight. The nicest part for me is that it's down the street from the house I grew up in. My mother used to take me swimming at the same lake and occasionally we could make out a bride and groom on the other side. Now I'll be that bride!
So when I start to doubt my choices in other areas I try to think of these things where it just felt right. There's no knitting to show in this post as I'm making some things for the wedding and prefer to keep them a secret until that day... but I promise lots of pics afterwards. It's hard for me to even think of afterwards. The whole last year has been focused on this one day it seems surreal as if the whole world will just stop after that.
With less than 4 months until my wedding I've been super busy with the planning as you can imagine. In some ways it is somewhat torturous for someone like me who is incapable of making the simplest decisions: "Paper or plastic?" "Umm....I don't know. Let's see...paper seems better for the environment but plastic is easier to carry. But then again...."
There are a few things that seemed just right though. I know it's cliche but when I put my wedding gown on for the first time I just knew it was the right dress. I had figured out the best way to go about trying on gowns was to close my eyes while I was being zipped into it and the train was being arranged and then open them to get the full effect. Once I put the veil on my choice was sealed. I just felt so beautiful and special I didn't want to take it off!
I also felt confident we chose the right florist. I remember we visited three florists in one day. The first one was a large company that seemed kind of like a wedding factory. I knew something was off when they said they never turn down a wedding. I felt as though I was going to get something very generic when what I was looking for was something unique.
The second place we visited was the one we went with. It's run by a couple who at one point sold their florist shop to focus on doing the flowers for events and run the business out of their house. For one thing they have 3 cats roaming their house and the name of the business is even named after a cat: The Cheshire Tree. Secondly the owner really sat down and listened to everything I had to say, helped guide my choices in terms of what flowers would be in season for the colors I wanted, and she even remembered the specific flower arrangements she had done for other weddings in order to show me pictures.
We did end up going to another florist which was the one recommended by our catering hall. But again they just seemed very generic and not very helpful in trying to customize what we wanted. I felt like I was expected to know everything about flowers when at the time I didn't know an iris from an orchid. (Now I'm at a point where I walk past bouquets and can name every flower!)
I also love the place we chose for the reception and ceremony. They have a beautiful garden looking out onto a lake for the ceremony and then an outdoor tent for cocktails. I also liked that the ballroom had large windows looking out on the lake which let in a lot of sunlight. The nicest part for me is that it's down the street from the house I grew up in. My mother used to take me swimming at the same lake and occasionally we could make out a bride and groom on the other side. Now I'll be that bride!
So when I start to doubt my choices in other areas I try to think of these things where it just felt right. There's no knitting to show in this post as I'm making some things for the wedding and prefer to keep them a secret until that day... but I promise lots of pics afterwards. It's hard for me to even think of afterwards. The whole last year has been focused on this one day it seems surreal as if the whole world will just stop after that.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Hurray for V-Day!
I was coming home from a rough day at work thinking nothing was going to perk up my mood. Then voila:
Nothing like roses and chocolates to make a girl feel special. We went for a late sushi dinner at Kotobuki, a Japanese restaurant in Roslyn out on Long Island. We had a good time eating lots of fish and listening to the trumpet player they had there. The restaurant was also giving out single roses to all the women there, thus the really tall flower peeking out over the rest.
JF talks up a whole spiel every year about Valentine's Day being this fake holiday where you feel obligated to spend money and go out...then he never fails to surprise me with little gifts. I can't tell whether he says all that stuff just to throw me off or he just gives in 'cause he knows I like all that cheesy V-day stuff. I realize it's a manufactured holiday and all but like any holiday it's nice to celebrate and have another chance to show someone that you care whether it's a romantic interest or your friends and family.
In that spirit happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there in blogland! Thanks for reading all my posts and sending your comments. It always raises my spirits to get the emails especially when I'm having a tough day on the job.
This is a cat bed that JF's mom gave Cosette for a Valentine's Day present. We both liked it but weren't sure if she would go for this cushy type of bed.
We purchased this blue cat bed at the shelter pet store because we just needed something at the moment. It's basically a mat with raised sides but she loves it.
As predicted she wasn't very interested in the new bed. Even when I sprayed catnip on it she was only interested in it for about an hour. Then we got the idea to put the old bed inside the new bed and it worked like a charm.
It's a bit of a tight squeeze but as long as she's happy...although she was disappointed we didn't bring her out for sushi as tuna is her fav food!
I was coming home from a rough day at work thinking nothing was going to perk up my mood. Then voila:
Nothing like roses and chocolates to make a girl feel special. We went for a late sushi dinner at Kotobuki, a Japanese restaurant in Roslyn out on Long Island. We had a good time eating lots of fish and listening to the trumpet player they had there. The restaurant was also giving out single roses to all the women there, thus the really tall flower peeking out over the rest.
JF talks up a whole spiel every year about Valentine's Day being this fake holiday where you feel obligated to spend money and go out...then he never fails to surprise me with little gifts. I can't tell whether he says all that stuff just to throw me off or he just gives in 'cause he knows I like all that cheesy V-day stuff. I realize it's a manufactured holiday and all but like any holiday it's nice to celebrate and have another chance to show someone that you care whether it's a romantic interest or your friends and family.
In that spirit happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there in blogland! Thanks for reading all my posts and sending your comments. It always raises my spirits to get the emails especially when I'm having a tough day on the job.
This is a cat bed that JF's mom gave Cosette for a Valentine's Day present. We both liked it but weren't sure if she would go for this cushy type of bed.
We purchased this blue cat bed at the shelter pet store because we just needed something at the moment. It's basically a mat with raised sides but she loves it.
As predicted she wasn't very interested in the new bed. Even when I sprayed catnip on it she was only interested in it for about an hour. Then we got the idea to put the old bed inside the new bed and it worked like a charm.
It's a bit of a tight squeeze but as long as she's happy...although she was disappointed we didn't bring her out for sushi as tuna is her fav food!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Holy Kippah!
JF and I were planning to make kippahs for the men in the bridal party at our wedding. For those not in the know these are the head coverings also known as yarmulkas (or "little hat thingies" as a friend once said) that Jewish men wear. We bought this Lorna's Laces Shepard sock yarn at Webs. I thought the colors were really beautiful. JF found this pattern online.
The first one we tried was on size 2 needles using the version for fingering weight yarn. I cast on and did the first few rows, JF did the middle part, then I did the decreases. It came out on the large side as you can see above. It's unblocked and looks more like a sombrero than a kippah but you get the idea.
The next version was the fingering weight yarn pattern but on size 1 needles. This was where the project transitioned to me knitting the whole thing....but that's another story. Just like in the Goldilocks story this one was now too small.
You can really see the size difference here. The pattern is intended for the reverse stockinette side to be the public size of the work. We both thought the variegated yarn looked better on the regular stockinette side. For the next prototype I'm going to try the instructions for extra fine yarn on size 1's. Hopefully that will be a keeper as I need to move on to other wedding-related items to knit. This kind of thing always sounds like a good idea until the reality of making all this stuff on a timeline sets in!
This is a little knitting cell phone charm I bought on impulse at the checkout line at WEBS. Unfortunately when I got home I couldn't figure out how to attach it to my Treo. Never one to give up on a knitting related accessory I looped it around the cord of my camera instead.
JF and I were planning to make kippahs for the men in the bridal party at our wedding. For those not in the know these are the head coverings also known as yarmulkas (or "little hat thingies" as a friend once said) that Jewish men wear. We bought this Lorna's Laces Shepard sock yarn at Webs. I thought the colors were really beautiful. JF found this pattern online.
The first one we tried was on size 2 needles using the version for fingering weight yarn. I cast on and did the first few rows, JF did the middle part, then I did the decreases. It came out on the large side as you can see above. It's unblocked and looks more like a sombrero than a kippah but you get the idea.
The next version was the fingering weight yarn pattern but on size 1 needles. This was where the project transitioned to me knitting the whole thing....but that's another story. Just like in the Goldilocks story this one was now too small.
You can really see the size difference here. The pattern is intended for the reverse stockinette side to be the public size of the work. We both thought the variegated yarn looked better on the regular stockinette side. For the next prototype I'm going to try the instructions for extra fine yarn on size 1's. Hopefully that will be a keeper as I need to move on to other wedding-related items to knit. This kind of thing always sounds like a good idea until the reality of making all this stuff on a timeline sets in!
This is a little knitting cell phone charm I bought on impulse at the checkout line at WEBS. Unfortunately when I got home I couldn't figure out how to attach it to my Treo. Never one to give up on a knitting related accessory I looped it around the cord of my camera instead.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Crazy for Calendars!
I had submitted a design for the Knitting Pattern-A-Day calendar last year. I figured I didn't get in since I had sent it so close to the deadline I had probably missed it plus the fact that I never heard back from them. I re-sent it for next year's calendar and got an email back this time stating that my pattern was already in the 2008 calendar. I was December 8th and they would send me a free copy in the mail. That was the best surpise ever!
If you bought this calendar you can be patient and wait or just skip ahead to December and check it out. It was actually co-designed by me and JF. It was his vision then we worked out the math together and I chose the yarn and knit it up.
I made it to go with his Jimmie Johnson NASCAR jacket. If you've seen JF out and about you've probably seen him wearing his Racing Stripes Scarf. It was good to work on this pattern together because I never would have thought to mimic the stripes on the hood of a race car on my own!
Even though I knew way ahead of time about my other calendar design I was still super excited to get this package in the mail. It came from Bust magazine since that's where Debbie Stoller works as editor-in-chief.
Inside was the Stitch 'n Bitch Page-A-Day 2008 Calendar. I had this calendar last year and enjoyed looking forward to little knitting tidbits each day.
Again, if you don't mind skipping ahead check me out on October 24th. My Arrowhead Socks are the 'Socks of the Month.' JF took that pic of me (err rather my feet) in Charles Schultz Park. It's a great little park on the Upper East Side by my old apartment. They have benches where you can sit and look out at the water. I endured multiple stares as I positioned myself on my back on the bench with my feet up in the air and JF shouting, "Hold still... show me some heel...now more toe..I said more toe!"
I had submitted a design for the Knitting Pattern-A-Day calendar last year. I figured I didn't get in since I had sent it so close to the deadline I had probably missed it plus the fact that I never heard back from them. I re-sent it for next year's calendar and got an email back this time stating that my pattern was already in the 2008 calendar. I was December 8th and they would send me a free copy in the mail. That was the best surpise ever!
If you bought this calendar you can be patient and wait or just skip ahead to December and check it out. It was actually co-designed by me and JF. It was his vision then we worked out the math together and I chose the yarn and knit it up.
I made it to go with his Jimmie Johnson NASCAR jacket. If you've seen JF out and about you've probably seen him wearing his Racing Stripes Scarf. It was good to work on this pattern together because I never would have thought to mimic the stripes on the hood of a race car on my own!
Even though I knew way ahead of time about my other calendar design I was still super excited to get this package in the mail. It came from Bust magazine since that's where Debbie Stoller works as editor-in-chief.
Inside was the Stitch 'n Bitch Page-A-Day 2008 Calendar. I had this calendar last year and enjoyed looking forward to little knitting tidbits each day.
Again, if you don't mind skipping ahead check me out on October 24th. My Arrowhead Socks are the 'Socks of the Month.' JF took that pic of me (err rather my feet) in Charles Schultz Park. It's a great little park on the Upper East Side by my old apartment. They have benches where you can sit and look out at the water. I endured multiple stares as I positioned myself on my back on the bench with my feet up in the air and JF shouting, "Hold still... show me some heel...now more toe..I said more toe!"
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Quick Knits and Cat Communication
Lately, I've been working on complicated pieces that involved a lot of colorwork or shaping. While it's interesting to learn new skills and rewarding when I (eventually) finish a piece like that I've been feeling a craving for some quick knits. I find winter is the one time of year I get to display some of my handiwork and if I didn't start soon these would be destined for next season!
Lately, I've been working on complicated pieces that involved a lot of colorwork or shaping. While it's interesting to learn new skills and rewarding when I (eventually) finish a piece like that I've been feeling a craving for some quick knits. I find winter is the one time of year I get to display some of my handiwork and if I didn't start soon these would be destined for next season!
These mittens were made from a pattern in Ann Budd's The Handy Book of Patterns. This book is a great resource as it gives you charts to make any basic project such as hats or even sweaters in many gauges of yarn. The only modification I made was to cast on more stitches for the thumb than was indicated so it wasn't too tight. I managed to whip these up in just 4 days starting on a Saturday and binding off the thumbs at knitting group on Wednesday.
I used yarn I had in my stash from Brooks Farm. I'm having trouble figuring out which yarn it was but it appears to be a wool/mohair blend and is on the chunky side. I made a pair of these mittens from a similar pattern a couple years ago but my downfall was leaving tails that were too short and I ended up busting open the thumbs after a couple of wears. This time I learned my lesson and left generously long tails to wind in several times.
Remember that day last week when it was sudddenly about 10 degrees out? JF begged me to whip him up a quick hat the night before, even threatening to buy a hat which at this point would be sacrilege! I felt a little guilty as the '48' hat I had started for him has been sitting around unworked on since I made a mistake in the chart and have been too fed up to take out 2 rows of 130 stitches each in 3 color intarsia!
This hat was completed in one night of speed knitting using Lion Brand Thick 'n Quick. JF had bought a ball of this to use as a trim on a sweater he's been working on we figured there was enough to spare. The edging is a 2x2 seed stitch pattern. It looks nice but isn't as effective as ribbing in terms of conforming to the head. JF added the pom-pom on top which I think is a nice touch.
Finally our very quiet cat has gotten creative in finding ways to communicate with us. The other day she ate her wet food in the shape of a backwards "C." This could mean many things...cat, Cosette, Christmas....or is our kitty just dyslexic??
"No, dummy, I was trying to say put down the yarn and play with me...or at least give me some yarn to play with too!"
I used yarn I had in my stash from Brooks Farm. I'm having trouble figuring out which yarn it was but it appears to be a wool/mohair blend and is on the chunky side. I made a pair of these mittens from a similar pattern a couple years ago but my downfall was leaving tails that were too short and I ended up busting open the thumbs after a couple of wears. This time I learned my lesson and left generously long tails to wind in several times.
Remember that day last week when it was sudddenly about 10 degrees out? JF begged me to whip him up a quick hat the night before, even threatening to buy a hat which at this point would be sacrilege! I felt a little guilty as the '48' hat I had started for him has been sitting around unworked on since I made a mistake in the chart and have been too fed up to take out 2 rows of 130 stitches each in 3 color intarsia!
This hat was completed in one night of speed knitting using Lion Brand Thick 'n Quick. JF had bought a ball of this to use as a trim on a sweater he's been working on we figured there was enough to spare. The edging is a 2x2 seed stitch pattern. It looks nice but isn't as effective as ribbing in terms of conforming to the head. JF added the pom-pom on top which I think is a nice touch.
Finally our very quiet cat has gotten creative in finding ways to communicate with us. The other day she ate her wet food in the shape of a backwards "C." This could mean many things...cat, Cosette, Christmas....or is our kitty just dyslexic??
"No, dummy, I was trying to say put down the yarn and play with me...or at least give me some yarn to play with too!"
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