LAST MONTH'S SCRATCHES. . . .
APRIL 26, 2010--Break out the champagne, cider--whatever you use to celebrate. Fifty-three blankets are are their way to Haiti! I have taken pictures, but I need to recover from six boxes and over 160 pounds of blankets. And this is also after breaking up a rottweiler brawl that left everyone in the house limping except the instigator, who is feeling pretty darn cocky. I twisted my knee, my husband wrenched his hand, the oldest rottweiler Charlie strained a muscle, Ralph the middle rottweiler got a bite on his cheek (he's looking like he was in brawl) , and Frank--the baby--who started it all is prancing! I will send the blanket pictures to my cousin for her expert touches and get them posted as soon as possible.
Note: We have sent over 352 blankets since we started. It may seem like a small number, but that's a lot of squares and thoughtful work from people across the United States and one foreign country. It's pretty amazing what we can do when we put aside differences and just concentrate on the goal. Special thanks once more to Marjorie in Bay City for the baby blankets and squares, Kathy from New York --crocheter extraordinaire, Shelly from Minnesota, Ruth from Michigan as well as all the great crocheters at the Yspisilanti Women's Correctional Facility. You all are amazing--your work beautiful. There are tons more who contributed to these blankets who I have not mentioned, but one thing about us squares. . . we don't need personal recognition because we realize the whole is greater than the parts.
My son is back from his honeymoon trip, loved Italy especially Rome and Florence. The pictures are superb and make me want to go "awandering." I keep thining it would be fun to travel around the country and look up some of our contributers. . . it would be a great documentary.
APRIL 16, 2010--I received a surprise box today from Laurel from Orcas Island, Washington--How cool is this???? She sent a blanket--gorgeous-- squares and yarn. She writes: "I crochet as a stress begone tool." Laurel --so do we all!!! Thank you so much. I will be writing!
Thought you'd all like to know that my son and daughter-in-law--the Louisiana residents--left on a belated honeymoon yesterday. As many of you know, David is a geologist. Isn't it fitting that he would fly to Europe during a major geologic event? We haven't heard he's anywhere but Rome, but I imagine this will be story to add to family lore.
APRIL 15, 2010--TAX DAY, YUCK! But we've surpassed our goal for blankets. Gorgeous day here--sun, eighty degrees. . .
APRIL 11, 2010--A windy, sunny Sunday--I am trying out my new portable clothesline--I love it. I can set it up on the deck off the bedroom; hang the clothes, including king-size blankets, fold them up when dry, put them away in the bedroom, and then fold up the hanger, and it's flatter than an ironing board! It's designed for areas where clotheslines are banned. I like it because I don't have to mow around it, it's portable and quite frankly, there's nothing better than clothesline dried items. OK--enough. Heard yesterday from our helpers in Yspisilanti--they have eight blankets for us--so we are over the top! My son will pick them up this week, so the goal has been met and then some! I guess I should set another goal. . . but I won't until these are in my hands, in the boxes and out the door.
APRIL 9,2010--Two boxes of squares arrived today from new groups! One is from Windsor, Colorado--thanks to Miranda and friends--the squares are gorgeous! They used different knitting stitches, colors--they are wonderful. I cannot wait to piece some new blankets together. The second HUGE box came from Medford, Massachusetts. Rita and her knitting and crocheting group sent yarn , a baby blanket and enough squares for seven blankets--WOW. And these are all "novice" knitters: Betty,Mary, Mary Jo, Helen, Kathy,Loretta,Paula,Shirley, Sr.Elaine--thanks so much, ladies. Also there's an experienced crocheter--Loretta--in this group who made the baby blanket. These women went above and beyond! Both groups are now official "SQUARES." And you all have virtual hugs from me for your hard work!
APRIL 2, 2010--Thanks to all the new knitters and crocheters who contacted me over the last week. Can hardly wait to receive your packages. Jennifer from Illinois--loved the blanket and the squares. . . I still have a few blankets to add to our total, but until they are in our hands, I don't put them in the summary. This weekend and early next week, I will start boxing them up for Mississippi where they will be be forwarded to Haiti and Sister Clara's Clinic via Doug and Susan's Kids Foundation. Then we will start another batch which I hope to deliver in person to Mississippi sometime this summer. If my husband and I don't get a road trip in with the motorhome and bike. . . well--let's just say, we NEED a trip.
I also promise to get photographs of all blankets as I package them--these will be forwarded to Mary Beth in St. Louis where she'll work her magic so I can post them and change some pictures on the home page.
It was 80 in Northern Michigan yesterday--the warmest April first I can ever remember since moving here in the early 1990's. I cleaned out the greenhouse, considered raking. . .then got distracted with the fish in the pond. . .But I will say Ralph--the rottweiler helped--he pulled up old cabbage heads out of the garden and then proceded to gnaw on them. Needless to say, cabbage works on his constitution as it does most humans. . . I almost banned him from the bedroom last night. Have a terrific Easter weekend.