Reconnecting with Friends

One of the reasons I started this blog effort was to organize and document my knitting projects ... so where is the knitting? Funny -- my favorite blog to read is Crazy Aunt Purl -- again, it was because of the knitting thing that I started reading. But really, Girlfriend rarely knits. Don't let those last two entries fool you. She is talking about knitting, but the subject matter really is ranting -- and yes, she is the Master of ranting. As a matter of fact, I went to the grocery store today and again, felt my blood boil about how people leave their carts strewn hither and yon throughout the parking lot. Who cares if they roll away and hit YOUR car -- I'm safely away from the danger. And even those that make a cursory effort to get the carts back to the little canopied gathering spot. They just give a wimpy shove in the general direction, not even hard enough to get the front wheels over the little bumper thing that keeps the beasts corralled. Today, when I returned my cart, muttering under my breath, I shoved it into another empty cart, and another empty cart, and so on and so on and so on ..... while some fellow came up and said "I think I'll follow your lead!", at which time I started ranting (only a slight bit really) about the laziness of our comrade shoppers -- and he smiled and -- get this -- clapped. Okay, was he laughing WITH me or AT me? So wasn't I talking about Aunt Purl? Yes, I'm getting to that. When it comes to Aunt Purl, oh yes, I'm laughing along WITH her. As a matter of fact, in full Purl fashion, I am blogging away while enjoying a little glass of vino. Cheers! Aunt Purl.

So, back to the knitting ... I am still trying to add in my finished stuff in the link. At the same time that I spend countless hours organizing this blog, I really am trying to knit. Here's the first Tychus hat modeling in front of the second attempt. Darling Husband liked the design of the hat, but not the colors. So, I'm making one for him in that charcoal/burgundy combination. However, I just learned today that he REALLY would rather have one in the colors of his rotten old trucks, so this little project may become a triptych. Lucky, I DIG this pattern! It amazes me how it comes together so magically. I have suggested it to Crazy Aunt Purl twice, but she hasn't bitten yet. Although my model looks kind of pointy, I assure you that, when placed on a big ole head, it looks every bit as nice as the model in the knitty.com picture.


Okay, the heading today was "Reconnecting to Friends" so let's get to the point. Last Thursday, I was in the waiting room of a medical office with my mother (knitting on Tychus, I might add), when something amazing happened. The office had glassed walls to the main lobby. An old friend that I have not seen or heard from in over 11 years spotted me while exiting the elevator and came in to say "Hello." I had one of those "sure I know you, but how?" looks that you get when you see someone out of context. She said "Lisa" and the years fell away. This gal was a new secretary in the Big Ugly Law Firm and I was to train her. She was so tall, so slim, so pretty, so long blonde hair, so perfect sexy clothes -- I knew I'd hate her. Guess what? She was great and we had a ton of fun together. Yes, she still looks amazing -- in fact even more so. But what bothers me is the fact that she PICKED ME OUT while strolling out from her meeting, in a waiting room full of people in a building that we did not have in common, after 11 years??! I'm not sure what that says, but I am delighted to have reconnected with Miss Lisa again.

The heading is "Friends" in the plural, so on to Story 2. Several years ago, a neighbor that I knew only vaguely asked me to help with the sale of their house. During the course of the transaction, I became very fond of Joe and Jeanette (as did my Darling Husband) and we were sorry to have met them so late in our common neighborhood. They spend winters in Florida but kept a MerrryLand residence (moving up north to Abingdon), so we did keep in touch. Joe has had a bad spell of health, ending with the recent news that the lung cancer will probably take him in less than 2 months. The good news (for the rest of us at least), is that Joe's spirit is NOT diminished.

Darling Husband and I went for a visit today. Joe is bedridden and his shape was so tiny under the blanket covering him that I'm sure I made an audible gasp. However, once he started talking, I knew Joe was still with us. Darling Husband had arrived in the room barechested in response to Joe's "Topless Sunday" rule and that brought a big smile. During the course of our visit, Joe shared several off-color jokes that Jeanette had never heard even though this man doesn't go more than 20 minutes without telling an off-color joke. He said the stuff just pops into his head. After we discussed his weight loss, he shared with us a little song ... "No ass at all, not ass at all, a tiny little pecker, and no ass at all."

Joe is not selfish and will share his ideas with anyone. The hospice nurse who visited him that morning was asked, "Are you a nurse," -- Yes --, "and are you a stripper?" Like most people, she took Joe's craziness in good humor and told him that she WAS a bellydancer, and even did a little grinding for him.

We had such a good time during a visit what should have been a hellish obligation. They don't make 'em like Joe anymore, so I hope he says around a while longer.