I'm Really Excited Now!

I'm excited about this blog. Glad I am devoting it to strictly knitting (with a little life background). I worried about the title a bit, but hey, you have to color outside of the lines a bit no matter how old you are! My blog title is significant in that it, again, speaks to a personal challenge I've made to myself. I've been knitting a long long time and feel at this point I should be a master knitter. It is so wonderful to see the level of expertise and confidence that many who've not been knitting for a long time are at. Well in my defense, the help that is out here now just wasn't there when I started and/or in such abundance. There were not that many knit shops or knitting groups/clubs. And there definitely was not the online help that there is now. Sometimes I think knitting classes are mainly for the camraderie because you can learn just about anything from the knitting videos that are out. As I move forward what are some of my challenges? Well like many knitters, it is to finish WIPs and OTNs and UFOs. I am so anal that I write out my patterns and know exactly where to pick up when I start on an unfinished project again. Two other challenges are lace knitting and design. I'm not trying (if it happens hey, that's okay too) to be a Lily Chin or Shirley Paden or a Veronik Avery or a Kristen Rengren!!! But I think it would behoove ANY knitter to know how to create a basic design. Can't get more personal than that to know that what you're wearing is probably a one of a kind, but it's your own design. First things first!

Nothing But Knitting (Atleast 95% of the time)!

Ideally this blog is to be mainly about knitting. My other blog http://www.lookgrandma.blogspot.com/ really is about my life and other musings. I realize a knitter's life entails more than just knitting, but I will try to only include those stories  (photos, links, etc.) that relate to my knitting. Right now I'm trying to "decorate" this blog to reflect it as a knitter's blog!

Getting Back on Track

Prior to my last two posts it's been a while since I've posted. Most of us bloggers are guilty of doing that. But once blogging is in your blood, it stays on your mind until you get back on track. Why is the appeal to do so more nagging when it's online than say in a handwritten journal. Less effort I guess. But anyway, the last time I truly had plans to get back to this blog was about the time Michael took most of the spotlight from Farrah dying on the same day (a little over a year ago). It's my humble opinion that Farrah would have wanted it that way! Oh well, and no disrespect meant to either, who knows! And, no disrespect meant to either, who really cares! Life went on. In a nutshell, here's how mine did. Walking out on faith (it works every time because He is pleased when you trust Him), I quit a horribly tiring job on September 26, 2009. It left me with little, no correction, it left me with no time except to sleep (or try to) and work. Most times I wasn't getting the rest I needed because I am my Mom's only caregiver so quite often, when I should have been sleeping, I was taking her to a doctor's apointment. Or I was picking up my grandson from school, doing his homework with him, then trying to get some sleep in an apartment where 5 other folks were trying to live normally. To live normally, one has to make noise! I worked overnights where my shift changed from 11pm to 7am (which allowed me to get home and get my grandson to school); from 12am to 8am (which didn't allow me to get him to school on time); finally from 1am to 9am (ridiculous). I was going to deal with it though. But often times if I got stuck doing a job waiting for relief, I often was quite late getting off. No overtime pay. Just comp time that you'd have to beg for and pray you got. Also staff meetings were often held at 3pm so imagine that it's like getting up in the middle of the night (if you work a day shift) to come in for a meeting. Of course you were written up if you didn't show up. It wouldn't have been so bad if the meetings were professional, actual business/needs of the company, etc. were discussed. I have never worked with a group of more ignorant, try-to-be-in-your-business folks in my life. Not everyone was like that, but most. The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back was a shift change to the evenings which would have not allowed me to be the caregiver to my Mom that I needed to be. Some folks requested and got what they needed whether it was a shift change or a day off. I was not one of the favored ones so I quit. No regrets yet!!! Even though I don't have health care. No regrets yet!!!! My doctor hasn't charged me for a visit yet, has given me the source to discount my meds and says he will work with me if I need hospitilization!!! Though so many words, I had more wonderful life events occur.

My Mom turned 91 on November 4, 2010. What a blessing that she is still here and in her right mind! Sometimes I think she has more energy than me!

On January 15, 2010 I again witnessed the birth of a grandson, Joshua Blakes. He is almost 6 months, and brother to Khalil age 7, Aiden age 3, and Olivia age 1. These little guys are the air that I breathe! I was in the delivery room for each of their births. 

Joshua                                                                          Aiden, Olivia, & Khalil

I do the Boy Scout and basketball thing with Khalil. With four children, my daughter is busy. Khalil has graduated from Tiger Cubs to Wolf and is a Cub Scout now. His team, the St. Dorothy Defenders took 2nd place in the Catholic League championship. They would have won if the 1st & even 2nd string had been allowed to play the entire game. But the coaches wanted everyone to get a chance to play.

Here is the really nice thing about this past year. Though I fight for more "me time" I now have more time, more quality time with my family and to knit. The rest of the free time comes when I make sure, metorphorically," that everyone is "fed and diapered" and then I put my foot down and just say "NO. YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!" I have gotten out more to knitting groups, met some new knitting friends, taken a class or two at one of my knit shops and am actually working on somethings for myself. Thanks to Facebook I've reconnected with old friends. Thanks to Ravelry I've made new friends. What's next? A vacation? I'm working on it. I might just have to settle for a fancy room for a night or even two at the Sheraton! It's so nice to be back on track!

Nevermind!!!!!!

Okay, for those who are "waiting on it," nevermind (laugh). Here is what got me, the writer, excited. It was a job search for a head blog writer sponsored by that talented singer/songwriter Alicia Keys! All that it required was just a bit over the top for me and/or my lifestyle. So as soon as I read about, it was not a hard thought process for me to say that as great as it sounded, it was not what I wanted. Oh well. I'm just being realistic. It's a GREAT opportunity for someone looking for a career. At this stage in my life I'm not. I'm leaning more (no doubt just as unrealistically), looking for Trump to send me a check (for whatever reason), or Oprah to give me her blessings or midas touch (say on some handknitted item she sees on me in the street, absolutely loves, has to have, and brings me on her show to share--then comes the zillions of orders ala her bookclub, etc.,), or . . . well you get the picture. Now if someone wanted me to write for them, from home, no travel, pay me big bucks, well I'm okay with that. At this point don't want to travel too far out of my comfort zone for big rewards (laugh). So I'll keep looking. And will hold on to a bit of the fantasy. At least until Oprah ends her show this year, and probably her residency in the Windy City which will rule out ANY bumping into her and her seeing that knitted piece she just has to have, and . . . oops, the helium is taking me away from earth again!

Inspired

I've been trying to work my way back to my blog. I was a reluctant blogger in the first place, then got excited/addicted to blogging only to have some major "Look Gran'Ma" moments interrupt my flow. But saw a report on Good Morning America that inspired me (not necessarily to blog) to get back to and using my blog to try for something. My blog would, I figure, be a wonderful part of the complete package to via for this "something." I will share it in detail later! So wait on it (laugh). I will be back. Got to take care of some "Look Gran'Ma" stuff. My blog name, Look Gran'Ma, alludes to those things big or small, good or not so good, etc., that tends to interrupt my life or more specifically that Me Time. But in all those interruptions, I know they are a part of life, wanted and unwanted. And those unwanted moments are a time for me to become one with my beliefs about being there for others (especially for family), being there with a willingness of heart and a smile on my face. Love You All