Back From Illinois and a Few Projects

I went to Illinois last Thursday for an extended weekend. I only wish that I would have had more time there. I went to visit an aunt who has some health issues, a cousin and was able to visit another cousin (once removed) while I was there too. I stayed with a very good friend from my high school days. I have a couple great friends from those old days that I am very happy to say we have remained very good friends now that we are very close to 60 years old. Unfortunately, I was very talkative and didn't take many pictures.

One thing I always do when I go to Illinois is place flowers on my mom's grave and the graves of other family members who are buried close to her. They were very special people and deserve to be remembered.

It was cold in Illinois when I was there but the day I left became frigid. I didn't think about having to scrape the windows on the rental car so when I went out to drive to the airport I had to scrape ICE not snow off the windows. I stopped on the way to airport to get gas and the pump said my debit card was defective. The clerk tried to manually input the number and it still wouldn't work so I used a credit card with no problems. Unfortunately, the pumps needed a kick in the oomp-tee-doo to work because it took 8 minutes to pump in $15 worth of gas. Finally got underway and made it just in time to the airport as the plane was boarding. Whew--barely made it! I am happy to be back in Florida but I always feel like I've left home after leaving Illinois, probably because I grew up there.

I always have many pairs of ladies slippers stockpiled but this time I didn't so I didn't have as many pairs to pass out in Illinois as I wished. While I was there, I made a red pair for my friend.

Pattern

I am getting a few pairs socked away and here's one pair:

Pattern

I got some Hometown USA yarn and looked high and low for a pattern I'd like to make out of it. I wanted something simple but not too home-made looking. I liked the Snap! I Lost My Hat pattern. I made it twice, once in size medium and once in size large. The medium is more child-size than adult and that's why I ended up making the large size too.

size medium

size large

I made an infinity cowl to go with the hats.

cowl pattern

This is all for now folks. Hope you are staying warm.

Hugs,

Sharon

I've Been AWOL from Here

I've been missing in action here again. I did go to Illinois to visit family and friends. It was a whirl-wind trip. Son Matthew went with me and we were constantly on the go. Even though we saw everyone we set out to see, I felt like our visits were too short. I brought some crochet items as gifts but spacey me forgot to give the slippers I crocheted to 2 people I had them for. I'll make it up to them the next time I see them. I got carried away talking and visiting and forgot about taking pictures. My son took a couple but he's not familiar with my camera and  they turned out blurry. Anyway, here's what we did.

Met up with an old high school friend and we went to Aurelio's  in Frankfurt, IL for pizza and chat. The pizza was great and the chat was even better. Beth is a great friend and I miss her dearly. Here's a blurry picture   of us--

Our room wasn't ready when we checked into the hotel so we went to the cemetery and put out flowers for my mom. It was between Mothers' Day and  Memorial Day so I decided to go with a patriotic theme for the decorations.

Mom

Grandma and Grandpa

For the first time since I graduated high school back in '75, I saw the lady who taught me to crochet. I thanked her several times for teaching me. Crocheting is a great stress reliever for me and I feel like when I give someone something I've crocheted it comes from the heart because of all the hours it takes to make a project and the happy thoughts about the person I'm making the item for. Anyway, she's in her 80s now and no longer crochets because no matter how she sits, her back hurts. She told me to stop in and visit any time I'm back in the area. To be honest, I'm not sure she remembered me.

After not making a trip up there the last 4 or 5 years, I was rather surprised at how much a couple of older relatives have slowed down. I need to make an effort to make a trip more frequently.

My aunt is taking care of my cousin's twins who were born last fall. They're the cutest little things. The little girl has longer hair and very feminine eyebrows. She's definitely the alpha child (is there such a thing?) and she has a very dominant personality. She wasn't happy when I tried to hold her. Her brother on the other hand, not only was I able to hold him but I was able to feed him a bottle too. His hair is shorter and his eyebrows are thicker and he just looks like a little boy already. I took the blankets up there that I've procrastinated about mailing. It was such a long time since I held a baby and I was amazed at how heavy the little ones were! Got me wishing that there were more little ones around us. .

I visited with my cousin and it was very nice. We met at Jameson's Pub and dined outside. Food is delicious there and service is great too. I had a hamburger that was too big to finish at one sitting. I had a small cooler with me so I put my leftovers in it and had the rest for breakfast. I often eat crazy things like that for breakfast, I hate to waste food. Her mother is my aunt who passed away last Thanksgiving. I put some flowers out for her at the cemetery too.

Before I made the drive, Ray had the tires and oil changed in the truck. I'll be darned if my uncle didn't notice a strange sound when he rode with me and after getting it checked out, I had a bad wheel bearing. I'm pretty happy that he noticed it because I could have had a bad accident driving home. So, I extended my stay and had it fixed. My son ended up missing a day at work. Even though he called the day before, he was given a point, or as I call it, a demerit for missing work. He works at Wal-Mart and they're really mean about those things. I've been contemplating boycotting them but then again, my son still works there and is getting a check so I should be less quick about the boycott thing.

We made it home safely and my "babies" were happy to see me.

Nellie Belle

Opi

I have a few ends to weave in on my latest project then I'll post a picture for you.

Take care everyone and hugs,

Sharon

Entry for April 06, 2008

Entry for April 06, 2008

On this day in history 1832 the Black Hawk War began. The Sac and Fox Indians had lost their lands in Illlinois because of a controversial treaty that was signed in 1804. The Indians had ceded their lands east of the Mississippi by this treaty which was signed by 4 basically unauthorized representatives of the tribes. The tribes left Iowa where they had resided after this treaty to return to their "homes" in Illinois. To read more there is a fantastic web site called The Black Hawk War of 1832 . There you will find many primary sources. (Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)

Entry for December 04, 2006

On this day in history 1674-- French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette erected a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan, in present-day Illinois. His log cabin became the first building of a settlement that afterward grew to become the city of Chicago. New Advent online encyclopedia has Marquette's biography for you to read. The Chicago Public Library has an online history of Chicago.

(Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)