Random 5 Friday, It's Good to be Back

• Missed the last couple of weeks, as I was traveling.  Hubby, DD and I had a wonderful time.  Take a peak here on my traveling blog.
• Getting over a wicked allergy bout that hit again on our return from vacation.  We landed in a terrific rain storm that lasted too many days,  that seemed to reverse all the good I got from being in the beautiful, dry mountain air of Park City, Utah.
• The work week was pretty nasty after vacation, we were over over booked, and understaffed, and it was a mighty long week.
• Spent a good deal of time working on my mothers side of the family (doing the family tree), and think I've found a lost cousin we've wondered about for years.  Posted a long letter to him yesterday and have my fingers crossed that it is indeed him, and that I get a response.  Too bad some of these folks eluded me before, Mom would have enjoyed the additional information I found.   **edited becasuse this was a scheduled post to say, my cousin called last night-though I didn't get to talk to him he left a message so will make contact today...pretty excited.  
  
   These 2 pictures you can tell are from long ago, back in 1951, I was 1 then; and he's now 75.  Wonder if he played music all his life???  So many questions.
  
  
  Beyond the clues these 2 pictures tell us, he played trombone and liked dogs....I know very little about him.   Hope that will be remedied soon.  My cousin Lee said in his phone message it was good to hear from me.  Wonderful start.
• Looking forward to a gathering of old neighborhood friends (from childhood) in my old hometown this wkend.  Some of you might remember I met up with one girl friend I hadn't seen in 50 years earlier this summer.  This is 2nd go round, but a few others are joining us.

This is the picture she took of me at President Hardings Memorial, a place we played often as kids.  This will be the meeting place again this week.  I love making connections.

I've been very disappointed so few have joined me in Memory Monday, so am trying once again to invite you all.  Monday's are often dreaded days, let's make them more fun.  PLEASE join me on Monday, post a photo and share it's memory with us.

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Pedal Pushers and Flowers in Niagara Falls

More fun on Memory Monday.  Chuck, Mike, Mom, and Me.  Dad's behind the camera.  I remember thinking how cool it was the flowers could tell time!  This was The Canadian side of Niagara Falls.  Back in the day, we took a mini vacation.  Think maybe a 3 day.  We stayed on the American side, think the lodging was cheaper, but I remember Mom talking about how much prettier, cleaner the Canadian side was.  Not sure of the year but think I was in 2nd grade, while Chuck was in 4th and Mike in Kindergarden?

Pedal pushers, and kids today think Capri's are a new thing, lol; not so much.  Then later when they guys wore a version of them they were called clam diggers.

I can remember how carefully Mom packed.  She packed for all 5 of us, in just 2 suitcases.  Remember when you had to carry your luggage, before wheels and over sized bags to stuff?  I remember her having a folding little travel iron that she could touch things up on the bed in the hotel room.  Who out there is as old as me and remembers stuff like this?

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The Magic of Cardboard and Tissue Paper

Join me in the way back machine again for another round of Memory Monday.  Long long ago, when make believe was truly magical.  Mom used tissue paper to make a fire place.  We had those cardboard ones later...prefab design, but here Mom use a book case and turned it into a Christmas Fireplace so we had a place to hang our stockings and a place for Santa to enter the house.  I loved having tea parties, big brother Chuck was playing along.  Shouldn't there be a rule against wearing ones pistol at the table?  lol  Younger brother Mike in the jumper seat.  Oh those were good times, not because we got alot at Christmas, we didn't ...money was tight; but oh the magic of make believe.  Mom was sooooooooo good at it.  She was so very creative.

This was in an old house on Johns Street in Marion, before we moved into our new house on Lilac Lane.  If memory serves this was really an old house we rented, there was an open furnace right in the living room.

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Year of Projects, It's Sunday

 Slow progress on the green sweater for DD, though it does now measure 17.5 inches approximately.  This is the back.  It traveled with me recently to Park City Utah.  I was able to knit on the way out, not so on the way back, the flight was too crowded and it was night coming back.  I'm a bit concerned with where my markers are.  I think...it is my imagination...that I see a little texture change in the rows beneath them?  Wanting to be sure I don't drop any stitches I put in markers every 40 stitches, and am now wondering if that was a bad idea?

 Finished 2 cotton washcloths.  One is straight forward garter (on the left), with a few rows of purl for a half way look; while the 2nd one is a paw print.  I'm not sure the paw print shows up well in the photo, but it does in person.  Both need ends tucked.

I now have 4 washcloths done for my 2 pay it forward gifts that appear on my YOP list.

Didn't knit much at all while on vacation last week, was enjoying family time with hubby and DD.

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AND...don't forget to pop in tomorrow for Memory Monday!

A Red, White and Blue Memory

It's Monday...Monday Monday, and just that day...are you singing with me.  Memory Monday and again something from the way back machine...though a bit more current then last weeks post.  Left to right, older brother Chuck, Grandma (Dad's Mom), Dad, Mom, Me and Mike my younger brother in front.

You can't tell from the picture but I believe this was taken around a 4th of July family celebration.  Mom always made something for the occasion.  I think her shift was blue and white, and my shorts were white with a red and white handkerchief print blouse.  Grandma, never was seen in anything less then a dress and necklace.  AND she never owned a pair of slacks.  The most casual I can remember her being dresswise was when it was hot she rolled down her nylons and twisted them to keep them up.

Remember how everyone had to squint into the sun to get their picture taken...lol My eyes are closed, Dads are close.  I think I was about 12-13 ish here so the picture was taken some time around 1962 ish.

What you're memory for today?

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Random 5 on Friday

It's Fridaytime for another fun round of Random 5 (Friday 5, guess people call it several different names)

• Spent a good part of week organizing stuff here, my desk was sorely in need.  Looks much nicer now...hope I remember where I put stuff, lol
• Looking forward to a week in the mountains with Hubby and Darling Daughter.  Been Christmas when we were last all together.
• The hardest part of packing for a trip for me is what yarn to take.  I never gauge the right number of projects to take, and typically take too much; but I don't want to have craft time with out something to work on.
• Been so rainy, wet, and humid here am hopeful the dry mountain air will give hubby and I a break from the allergy problems.  He's sneezing and coughing and I'm going crazy with itchy eyes.
• Am so enjoying the flowers in the yard

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Mark your calendars and be sure to pop back her for Memory Monday's, the more the merrier.