Reviewing a Year of Projects

WOW...our last post for a Year of Projects ....

My Year of Projects List for July 2012-July 2013(see updates in green Italics)

My Afghan Goals:
To complete 12 afghans:
10 from donated squares (9 down and 1 to go)
1.. Summers End
2.  Sandbox 
3. My Granny
4. Christmas Time 
5.  Buckeye Blitz
6.  Box of Crayons 
7.  Arapaho
8.  Desert Rose 
9.  Iris and Lillies 
Complete Candy Corn Afghan (longest work in progress project EVER)
Finish the Feather and Fan Afghan (knitted), that finally has a name, Sea and Sand
  **Sea and Sand in the works

The afghan picture is Sea and Sand, it is very close to finished.  I'm doing the last couple of rows of the final section, the dark gray section.  Then need to work in end, launder and block.  

I did not get the last afghan of the 10 made from donated squares.  I lost steam. 

The goal accomplished last year, learn to cable. I want to make a skirt for myself using this new skill. Need to re-find the pattern for starters.
**Well it seems I'm already altering in come capacity.  I am working on a cable scarf which I never put on the list, needed to practice the cables I thought; plus was traveling and needed a small project that would travel well.  The cabled scarf DONE

I want to make time for working on items other than the above afghans. I kept so busy with those last year, many other wanted projects didn't happen.  Didn't really accomplish this so much.  Seemed there never was enough time to do much beyond the ghans.  A few small things here and there only.

Cast on....I know there are other methods beyond the traditional one I always use. I get all tangled up when I try to do the thumb one and so ....do it old school...the long slow way. Would like to learn another faster cast on.

Did not accomplish this either.  Egads, I'm not doing to well.  

I have a knitting machine, haven't used it in over a year. In fact removed it from my office in order to make room for my antique Treedle Singer Sewing Machine. Would like to set up a space in the basement and use it some again for accomplish quick things for charity, Bridge and Beyond.

Nope...no headway with this either beyond talking with hubby about the logistics of how this might work.

Personal Projects:
 Need to block a blue scarf I knitted AND cable scarf mentioned above
Want to try the above mentioned cable skirt
Misc whatever items for DD (perhaps the jewel tone traveling scarf now in the works) and family, made scarf intended for DD, but ..colors didn't come out the way I hoped. (that was the above cable scarf, and she tells me she really doesn't need another, yet.  So perhaps it will be donated.  Project turned into a Green Sweater which is in the works.
perhaps even some washcloths for myself....in the works

No further headway with the green sweater for DD, never got around to blocking said scarves, and the cotton cloths I initially made for myself, ended up being gifts for others.

So, I conclude I did NOT do well with my list; debating about whether or not to get on board for the up coming year.  I went quite a few weeks without posting and linking because I didn't feel I had much to report.  We'll see how the sign up goes, and how the wind is blowing before I make a final decision.  Though, I'll not lose contact either way, as I think I have you all in my blog log.

Inviting you all with or without yarn to pop back in tomorrow for Memory Monday.  I've been enjoying posting pictures from the way back machine, but your memories don't have to be from long ago....unless you're as old as dirt, like me....you may not have pictures and memories that old.  Grab the badge, post a picture and tell us the story or memory of the picture, link back here and visit others.  Let's make Monday a less dreaded day.
 

Busy and Fun Times on Friday

 It's Friday, always a favorite day for many.  Link up with some fun folks, click the Random 5 button and join Nancy and the rest of us.  Sorry to all my friends I have nothing finished craft wise to join in on Finished Object Friday today.  Still working on the infamous HUGE Afghan that is Sand and Sea or Sea and Sand, think I keep switching how I type the name.  Which sounds better anyway?

• Having knitting or crocheted as much as normal past couple of weeks, have been working on my SIL, Jan's genealogy...thrilled with how much I've found for her in such a short period of time.  Particularly given one of the family names in Jones!
• On countdown til we leave for vacation with our Darling Daughter...we just don't get to see her enough
• Catching up with my grade school friend last Saturday was soooooooooooo awesome.  We had a great time, took pictures, shared stories and laughed alot.  Looking forward to our next outing.  Will be blogging and sharing some pictures in a few days.  Stay tuned, please!
• Work schedule is about to become wild and crazy, over booked, and double booked...hope I have the umph for it.  I'm not getting any younger you know.
• Hoping to get to Shakespeare in the Park this weekend.  Every-time I think we're gonna go, hubby's too tired, or the weather doesn't cooperate.  We've not made it all this year.

 I mentioned working on my SIL's and Wendy's family tree above, and want to share with you a fun project to do with the kids...big and small.  Join me please over on Flat Stanley's.  The project will be posted later today, just click the tree to pop over.

For those that like blog challenges, pop over to Paula's.  Her June challenge is about to end, but she's having one in July too.  Check it out.  I may only participate here and there, with work kicking into high gear, and I've done 3 month long blog challenges in the past 3 months.  I might not be able to blog daily in July.  But, know she'd love some folks to join her.

Still trying to Memory Monday up and going with more participants.  Please pop back on Monday, and join in.  Linky Love, Meme's blog challenges that are a specific day of the week don't require a huge comment...time wise so they appeal to me...join in.

Mom You Fascinate Me

Today's blog prompt from Paula's June Blog Challenge is to write about someone who fascinates you and why.  This is My Mom, she was probably about 16 or 17 here in this picture.

She fascinated me because she and many women of her time did so much.  They married young, had children young, cook and cleaned and did laundry when there no short cuts.  Modern conveniences didn't exist, keeping a house was hard work from sun up til sun down.  They didn't have time or money to have manicures, pedicures, massages, girls night out.  They didn't didn't have "me time".  They didn't belong to the gym to stay fit, they didn't need to.  Working day in and day out was enough exercise.  They didn't talk about being stressed out the way young mothers do today.

Think of the time and effort alone it took to do laundry for a family of 5.  Wringing out the laundry, 1 piece at a time in the wringer washer operating the crank by hand.  Then lugging heavy wet cloths outside to hang them on the line...back inside to start the next load, back outside to take the clothes down etc.  The process had to be repeated many times over.  And because everything came off the line stiff, wrinkled then the long process of ironing, hanging, folding and putting things away.

There were no microwaves to heat something up quick, nor fast food joints around the corner, no frozen meals for convenience.  Every meal had to planned out,  things removed from the freezer and cooked.  There were no dishwashers beyond ones pair of hands.  Garbage disposals came along much later, so wrapping up and taking out the trash was a constant thing.

She sewed most of my clothes, she went fishing with my Dad on his day off, she made things come together with her creativity.  When I think about her, aside from missing her since she's passed 4 years ago; I am fascinated at what she accomplished in a day.  Makes me think that perhaps kids who's relationship wasn't what they wanted with their mothers, might not have realized what all they went through.  I'm fascinated that she did these things every day and still had time to jump rope with me, teach me to knit, play jax sometimes.  Parents weren't kids best friends back in those day, how could they be...there wasn't time for that.  There was work to be done, those light hearted moments of play were very special.

Old Time Christmas

It's time to have fun with Memory Monday.  Pulled this photo from the way back machine.  This was probably a day or two after Christmas, or later in the day on Christmas Day.  My older brother Chuck with Bozo the Clown Punching Bag,  Me with my easel chalk board, and my younger brother Mike...always the cowboy!   My brother Mike would get up in the middle of the night and boot his cowboy boots on...sometimes he'd go back to bed wearing them, he loved being a cowboy.

Grab the badge, link back here, add yourself to the linky and visit others.  Let's share a fun, funny, cute memory.
 And today's prompt from Paula's is to write about your favorite movie.

The first one that came to mind is John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man".  We watch it every year around St. Paddy's day, we quote from the memory often.

Friday Everyones Favorite Day

Yippee Skippy it's Friday! (click the badge and join Nancy at Rural Journal and the rest of us)

• I'm still working on my afghan, scroll back to see Sea and Sand, Sand and Sea...I keep forgetting which name is correct, lol  AND I actually think I might get it finished this weekend.  Course I've said that before.
• Super excited with today being Friday, tomorrow is Sat.  Aren't you glad I've got that figured out?  lol  I'm meeting an old grade school friend from the old neighborhood tomorrow.  We've not seen each other in over 50 years!  Thanks to a group about this hometown on Facebook, we've re-connected.  We're going to share pictures and catch up.  We both moved away from said hometown and are meeting each other there to walk around in our old haunts!
• Hubby and I've taken the plunge...we're planning (have reservations) for a trip to Spain.  He keeps telling me to pace myself and not get burned out before the trip starts.  LOL.  It's not til next Spring; but there is a fair amount of planning involved and I'm enjoying the planning.  We have a week booked, and just signed up yesterday with a travel agent in order to better utilize our points for the flight and additional lodging package....all that seems a bit complicated to me so we're leaving that to the experts.  This is our very first trip to Europe.
• Been enjoying the beautiful flowers in the yard and finally...finished my mulching for year.  107 bags!  Think I'm getting to old for this type of yard work.
• Asking you all to join me in trying to get a new linky love/meme off the ground.  It's called Memory Monday.  No one seems to like or look forward to Monday's.  Thought this would be a fun, light hearted way to make Monday a nicer day.  

There's the cool badge I struggled to make.  Select a picture or paint us one, but I do like pictures and tell us about a fun, special, funny memory it evokes.  Add your name and url from your actual blog post and of course link back to the linky.  Got this idea when having fun looking through old photo's.  Your memory doesn't have to be from the way back machine.  If you click on the badge you'll see the last  post where I've tried to get it up and running with my old photo's.

I Belief it's Wednesday, Big Linky Day

Wednesday Work in Progress Time with Tami, What are you doing Wednesday with Susan
I am knitting the last section of this time consuming long time work in progress feather and fan style afghan.  The final dark gray edge.  Then will need to work in the edges...think about whether or not I want to crochet an edge around it?  I'm hopeful I won't run out of the gray.  The ball you see isn't very big and I have another one about the same size.  The final edge of course has additional rows the other sections don't have...so fingers crossed.  I love the look, love the way the colors came together even though the design changed several times based on what yarn I had.  It's called Sea and Sand and will be donated to Homeless Families Foundation through my charity, Bridge and Beyond.

AND today over at Paula's, June Blog Challenge, our prompt is to write about your beliefs.  Had to think about that, as we already wrote about religious beliefs, so this sorta seems like a repeat.  Perhaps this prompt is an attempt to be more general?

• I belief in people.  Despite all the negative things you see on tv and read on facebook, I belief most people are good and want to do good.  I belief the few extreme loud mouths get the news cover which sours everyone.
• I belief family is important.
• I belief people should slow down and smell the roses and quit making lists, like bucket lists, to do lists, things to accomplish or buy lists.  Live each day and be happy for the day, it's a gift.
• I belief people need to learn contentment.
• I belief people shouldn't expect everything to go 100% there way all time, and learn how to adjust and move forward.
• I belief everyone should do what they can for others, and not judge people who have trouble making it on their own.  I belief it's our Christian duty to care for others.
• I believe...I best get linked up and start visits or I'll never get done.........cause the list of I belief could go on and on.

INVITING YOU ALL, from all the linky's above to join me on Monday's for Memory Monday.  Click here to see what it's all about and be sure and mark your calendar to come join the fun.  It's a new linky, and we're just trying to get going...so please help out.  We all moan about Monday, let's put some life and fun into that day.
(JC6, S4, T13)

Main Stream Music

Today's blog prompt, tell us your views on Main Stream Music.(click the badge and join us over at Paula's for the June Blog Challenge)

What is Main Stream Media?  According to the Urban Dictionary

"Music that's usually on the radio, Top 40 and is well known to the general public. Usually criticized by fans of the previous mainstream generations, and people who prefer bands and/or genres that aren't apart of the mainstream popularity of the time."

 In a word.....RePuLSive!  The above two are not special people, they've not cured cancer, they are not good hearted, kind people.  While one is still alive and one dead, they aren't courageous or people who deserve fame, in my opinion.  Madonna is obscene...as was Michael when he was alive.  They both are extreme personalities.  I didn't care for their music and generally turned off the performance if they showed up on TV.  They both took advantage of people, used foul language and lead lives I consider pathetic.  I do not know why people like this are in the news all the time, nor do I understand why people continue to honor them.  My opinion of most main stream music...........is why I do not play the radio, buy CD's, watch u-tube video's, or have the sound on my computer.

I like older music, like Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Any Williams.  I like Motown.  I like music you can sing to, know the words too, words that aren't filled with nasty happenings.  Dean Martin's music would have been called main stream music in his time, and he and the other Rat Pack lead some pretty wild lives too, I think the difference is they weren't considered people to mold your lives after, and they did NOT pretend to have sex on stage and appear half naked. 

Why is was deemed necessary for Michael Jackson to be on every channel all day long for days and weeks after his death is well beyond me.  He was not larger then life.  He was someone I wouldn't care to have any of my loved ones around.
(JC6)

Homemade Halloween Costumes

It's time for another Memory Monday post.  A look back with a smile.  Don't forget to link up and share you memories.  Let's make Monday more fun.  This is from a Halloween...back in the day when Mom mad our costumes.  Left to right, me, younger brother Mike, and older brother Chuck.  Halloween in Marion Ohio was a blast.  

You can see a small part of the family t.v. behind us.  The round shaped screen.  Remember when t.v.'s were in fact family t.v.'s?  When there wasn't one in everyroom?  When it was a piece of furniture?

Share your memories.  Write you post, add your blog post link here...visit others on the linky and enjoy.  Be sure and add the new Memory Monday Badge to your blog and or blog post, with a link back here.  Mark your calendars and come back next week.

If  you missed last Monday's Memory...it's HERE
(7) 

What Should Your Future Look Like

Another blog challenge, another blog prompt.  Todays prompt, How You Hope your future will be like.

Join us at Paula's for the challenge, click badge.  Today's prompt reminds me alot of Day 2 prompt, Where would you like to be in Ten Years.  Here's the post to give the feel of what the future would be like in my dream world.
In addition to that there should be ample time for pedicures during Girl Time with Darling Daughter.

Lots of good food and wine.

 Time for party dresses

 Oodles of yarn and craft time

 Memories from Long ago

 Pretty flowers

And above all Loving Families

**If you missed, scroll back and join the fun for Memory Monday.  Get some Linky Love**

Ten Speed Schwinns and Weddings

Hello, it's a dark, dreary raining Monday morning.  A perfect time for Memory Monday.  I didn't yet manage to make a badge (time got away from this wk-end), and I'm late getting this post up for the same reason; but will try to get things rolling.  If you stop in last Mondayyou saw a picture from the way back machine, well here's another.  Though this one isn't as far back.  This is our Wedding Picture from the local paper.  We purchased our 10 speed bikes as wedding presents for each other.  Bikes were so popular at the time (41 years ago the 17th of this month), there were waiting lists at stores to get a Schwinn 10 speed.  We found ours in a old style bike shop out of town, Delaware, Ohio. 

We had the funniest idea that people would be coming to visit the day of our wedding.  We had a large box of donuts at my apartment for just that reason.  No idea why we thought that.  We weren't busy, things being so different then what people now do with their big weddings.  We went for a bike ride early in the day, he went home to get ready and I got ready by myself at my apartment.  I didn't have someone do my make up or my hair...it was all very normal, very relaxed.   My Dad came to pick me up at an appointed time and we drove to Whetstone Park of Roses for the ceremony.

The ceremony was short, casual and outside.  The weather was perfect!  We still have those bikes, though it's been years since we've ridden them.  I now have an old cruiser I ride around the neighborhood; we no longer go on true bike rides/hikes of distance.  I bring this memory up because our 41st anniversary is a week from today.  Lots of memories in those 41 years together.

Join me for Memory Monday, post a picture and tell us the story. I'll get a badge made later, but for now...sing the linky and let's get started.  Be sure and visit others on the list and  leave comments, so they know you were there.  It will make the dreaded Monday much more pleasant.

SIGN THE LINKY HERE

Have you Considered Suicide?

The blog prompt for the 5th day is Write about a time you thought about ending your own life. (click on badge to join the linky)

WOW, talk about a heavy subject.  I can't write about that, I've never had the thought.  I have however been with people who've expressed it.  Once while working in a medical office and I drove the person to the hospital for an admission to the Psych Ward.  Sadly, he did take his life after being there awhile.  He hung himself.  Probably wasn't the best idea for me to drive him, medical transport probably should have been called.  I've thought about that several times over the years.

Another time standing for an elevator while working at the hospital prior to the medical office above, I saw someone jump from a window from a floor above where we were.  Saw her land on the snow covered connecting arm of two buildings.  Horrible, they did a code right there on the roof.

Looking at stats from 2007 taken from the National Institution of Public Health, specifically about younger people, they break them into 3 groups by age:
10-14 Children
15-19 Adolescents
20-24 Young Adults.

Their stats say suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death.  This is something to be seriously.  They go on to say that generally the population is more likely to use guns, suffocation or poisons.  Young adults and Adolences are more likely to use guns over suffocation while children are more likely to use suffocation as a means of suicide.

Five times more males then females ages 15-19 died of suicide and slightly more then 6 times as many males in the 20-24 year old bracket.

Such sad statistics.  Mental illness, depression is very real and needs to be talked about like a broken arm so people can get over stigma that still surrounds it and obtain the help they need.
(JBC 11)

Stories that Picture Can Tell

Sitting at a light the other day I looked and found myself sorta smiling and shaking my head at the same time.  Why?  Not a day goes that you don't hear on the news someone or some body of people complaining about privacy.   And yet, daily on social media and bumper stickers and license plates people freely give up information about themselves.  Have you ever wondered what your car says about you?  We hear people are living on hard times, and yet look at the 4 cars in this picture...everyone a large eat gas car/truck and everyone a new car.  You can't tell from the photo but my car is small 10 year old economy type car.

They say a picture's worth a thousand words...well, I'm not going to write 1,000 words; who'd read it if I did.  But, doesn't this picture have your mind thinking up a story?  Looking at the SUV in front of me.  You can tell they're a vegan or vegetarian...funny thing to tell stangers sitting behind your car.  There's only one with the American Flag, might mean they're patriotic and think only that flag should be displayed, not for instants The Confederate Flag?  Or perhaps they mean though they are 2 parties constantly waring with each other, there is only 1 country.  They're probably a boater and or a camper...large hitch under the bumper.

Anyone else ponder things about places or people when you're stopped in traffic?

Since it's Friday 5, I'm counting that as 2 above...1, the general picture and wondering about the economy...maybe if people drove smaller more gas friendly cars they'd have more money?  Or maybe people are doing better then the media has us believe?

2...The story of the blue SUV

3..We've had 3 seasons this week.  It's been hot enough all the windows have been opened and the ceiling fans on like it was the middle of summer, it's been cold enough all the windows have been closed and we've dressed in layers...thinking about turning on the heat again like it's late fall, AND it's been wet and foggy enough to be early spring.

4..I was hoping to be done with the feather and fan knitted afghan (Sand and Sea), by now; but am not...though I'm continuing to work on it.

 Working on the 2nd to last section, so maybe ...hopefully soon it will be finished.

5..I've had the best time this week connecting with friends from my childhood, thanks to Facebook.  There's a group page from my old hometown, and all of sudden I've connected with about half a dozen friends from my early grade school days.  We've been sharing stories, pictures and memories.  What great fun.

Speaking about memories.  Please pop in on Monday.  I'm going to try to get going with a meme, titled Memory Mondays.  Tried sometime back but got way laid.  Hopefully will have a linky up, provided I can figure it out.  Everyone moans about Monday, lets put some fun into it.

Friday 5 badge and link in meme tab top of the blog, join us.  Though...I'm late to the party today.
(BL5,F5 10)

Memory, A Simpler Time?

Haven't posted a Memory Monday in awhile.   Found this old picture and thought I'd post it.  I can't say I remember this, as Chuck the toddler in the picture is my older brother so I was either not yet born or very much an infant.  But, it bring back memories.

Memories of what a hard worker Mom was.  That roaster on the utility shelf I know she had for many years, because even as teenager it's the one she used every Thanksgiving to cook the turkey in.  She still used the shelf too.  Here though, I believe it was used to cook a good many things, as I don't think she had an oven.  From stories I remember her telling me, she cooked on a one burner hot plate and used the roaster in their first..maybe even the first couple of homes/apt's.  That wooden ironing board is still one in my parents house.  Mom's gone (4 years ago), and I don't think Dad has need of ironing; but it's still there and when she was living it was till in use.

Not sure what brother Chuck is playing with.  Apparently, something came out of the box?

I also remember my cousin, Nancy (older then Chuck) telling me Mom had lots of sweaters when she was young and she liked to get into her sweater draw.  Looks like she's wearing one in the picture.  Also get a kick out of noticing the rolled up jeans........kids today think they've started a new trend...not so much, What goes round comes round.

People have fond memories and often refer to that bygone time as a simpler time.  I don't think that's so, our lives today our more simple.  It's far easier/simpler to do laundry now then it was then, likewise cooking with all our computerized fancy stoves etc.  Simpler times?  Hum

Multiple Generations

Working on one's family tree is always interesting and fun.  You can find some members of your family easier then others, and it's not something you can do over night, even with the internet.  I started working on my family tree years ago.  It's been a long time since I've worked on it, and need to get back to it.  My Dad and older brother and I visited Chillicothe, Ohio the other day and visited the cemetery where many on my Dad's side of the family gravestones can be found.

I've had some trouble with updating of my genealogy software and may need to buy a new program and re-enter the data to fix the problem.

This is my Dad who served in WWII in his Navy uniform.  He was a fighting Seabee.  This picture used to always be on my Grandmother's dresser, back in the day.  My Dad's name is Charles Albert (he was Jr.).  He still has lots of hair, not as much as in this picture naturally, lol.

This is my Grandpa (my Dad's Dad), Charles Albert Mader, Sr.  He looks so young here in his Army Uniform.  He was born Sept. 6th, 1896, married Grandma (Artie Viola Roseboom...more on her later), on July 24th, 1918.  He died May 1, 1959, on my older brother's birthday.  He died young, at only 63 years old, which is only a year older then I am now.  WOW, how's that for some perspective?  I've made a memorial to him HERE with some cute stories.  He was quite a character.  Interesting to scroll back and forth and look at their eyes.

His father was, Charles Frederick Mader, who was quite musical.  I can't tell if we have the eye thing going on here or not.  I sorta think we do?  There are additional pictures here on his memorial that I think show the eye connection.  He was born Jan 29th 1860, and died Jan 6th 1933.  He was just an infant when Civil War broke out.  His primary claim to fame would be his friendship with President Warren G. Harding, and the fact that he taught Warren G. Harding how to play the horn!

Interesting note here is my older brothers name is Charles, and his oldest son was named Charles also; though he went by his middle name.  So you can see the name of Charles has a long standing and proud family history.

My Great-Great Grandfather, Wilhelm Heinrich Mader, far right, father of above Charles Frederick immigrated to the United States as a young man.  He left Germany after the death of his mother and traveled alone to this country. (click to enlarge the picture, I think the family resemblance is striking).

Here's a picture of William Henry (his Americanized name) later in life.   A memorial made in his honor is HERE

Have you traced your family tree?  You'll be amazed what you can learn about how things do travel down through the generations.