Funny you should ask!

"Are you knitting anything these days?"

I was going to title this post 'Never Not Knitting' but that's owned by someone and they're probably sensitive as to how others use the phrase. 


But it's accurate. 

Or more to the point: Never Not Waiting. Lots of waiting room visits with my parents, so I need something to do!
I would like to say I knit to stay sane but this summer's obsession with the Jacobus Monkey pattern might question my claim to sanity. 

I made a bunch of them! 

They became my take-a-long project because once you get the face done the arms, legs and tail are mindless round and round knitting, only requiring you count rows and at some point recognize you've gone on long enough. 

And I kept knitting them!
And then I decided to try them on size 000, 0, 1 and 1.5. 

I also quilted! Or I should say: I pulled out a nearly finished UFO quilt-as-you-go project and FINISHED IT!

(And then I started another monkey :) 

Most recently I have been working on new felted slippers. Because winter will come. And they either wear out or my knucklehead dog thinks chewing on them is fitting punishment for being ignored.

It seems to be Mushroom Season

Let's go for a walk in our woods . . . 

Waiting at the edge

Sunrise will not be rushed.

Lakeside Landing. 

A lake road I've driven by for all of my adult life and never driven down to watch the sunrise. 

In early August we found out how little we knew about the symptoms of stroke. My dad was shuffling more, slowing down. At 81 it seemed to be allowed. But then he fell. When I called the doctor to get him seen, little things started adding up. Go to the Emergency Room NOW we were told. 

He was admitted on a Tuesday. We have been fortunate in that this was our first experience with aging.
Realities of life. 

To say he hated the hospital is putting it mildly. By Wednesday of the next week we brought him home, as he wished most desperately. 

By Friday I knew it was a mistake. We survived the red tape until Monday. 

He's now at a nursing facility regaining strength and relearning life skills. Fully aware of his surroundings and again wishing to be home. 

He says Saturday. I hope this is not another mistake.

Meanwhile, I've moved back home and started making morning trips before the sunrise to be with my 85 year old mother. Cook her breakfast, bring in the paper, be there when she showers to be sure she hasn't fallen. And clean. To keep busy, but mostly because it's desperately needed. A little at a time, everyday.

But occasionally I turn left towards the sunrise. 

To remember to take a deep breath.
Breathe. 

(Random days from August 22nd - September 9th.)

A Season of Change

Uncertain New Normal

My parents are in their eighties and with the recent stroke dad had, things have changed.

Things are still changing.

Helping care for them is a given, but it's taken a little while to settle into a routine that can be sustained, without falling apart.

Remembering to breathe. 

Some days it feels like panic mode has taken over and my desire to fix all the things is made harder when suddenly all the things need fixing.

An impulse left turn on the way to mom's one morning had me chasing the sunrise. After that first morning using the camera on my phone I began taking my Nikon with it's new-to-me used 18 - 200mm lens.

I've been thinking for a while now I would revive this journal. Blogging is as hard as I remember! I've written and deleted dozens on paragraphs. 
I'm going to hit Publish and hope it gets easier.