Who is She, SANDY, that is?

Sandy of Sandy's Space, who is she? Well yeah there's a little ditty of a profile on the blog, don't we all have that. (pretty typical picture of me, preparing pasta and wine at hand....I'm sure there's yarn laying somewhere too)

Well, Sandy's a 60 year old who sometimes feel 60 +, though is lucky enough to usually feel much younger. I don't get hung up on age, or birthdays, they're just numbers after all. Numbers don't mean much unless we place great importance on them.

I'm married and when June rolls round this year will be celebrating 39 years. Neither hubby or I have been married to anyone else. We met in high school, though we only had one date then. We were friends, lived on the same street even. He worked with my younger brother the summer after high school and that's when we started dating. Unlike kids today we didn't know and date each other for eons and eons before getting engaged; nor were we engaged for YEARS earning our millions, buying everything on our list before getting married. We dated about 9 months, got engaged in the fall and got married the very next June. We had a very small outdoor wedding. My Mother made my dress and the dress my SIL, Jan wore who was my maid of honor. Though I guess technically she was my matron of honor since she was married. We had one used car between us, and somehow managed. Hubby was working full time evenings, and went to school during the day, while I worked day shift at a local hospital. We were happy, don't think we cared our furniture didn't match, or wasn't new. Don't think we even realized we didn't have much. We were together and that's what mattered to us.

We were married a good long while before we had our one practical perfect daughter. We never vacationed without her, and in the early days we camped mostly because that was affordable, and because we like being outdoors. We hiked, cooked out, and enjoyed lots of family time. We had one TV, and later when she needed one for school 1 computer.

I love good wine, quiet time, pretty scenery, computer time, and naturally knitting and crochet time. I go no where without a project in hand. You never know if you'll have time to do a row or two. I learned to crochet and knit when I was very young. Mom taught me to knit and a lady next door taught me to crochet. I really didn't do anything with either craft until after I was married though.

I'm not an animal person. Many animals scare me. I've always assumed part of that came from being attacked by a large dog when I was a kid. Also, probably too the number of people I saw badly mauled when I worked for a plastic surgeon from their family pets didn't help. Though we had dogs when I was kid growing up, and hubby and I had 2 cats when we were younger.....so, we have had pets; but not now.

I love to travel, and almost always visit historic locations when we do travel. I love learning who was there before me. I enjoy doing genealogy, though due to library cut backs don't do as much of that as I used to. I like spending time in and photographing gravestones for the same reason, to learn history and genealogy. Most cemeteries are such peaceful pretty places, it's also a good place to walk.

I began this blog back in August of 2005, though blogged in other venues prior to that. Some of you might remember aol had blogs, though I couldn't get anyone to blog with me then. Everyone I knew that had aol was afraid to blog. I blogged for awhile on msn spaces and yahoo's 360; until both became irritating with things not working. That's when I found a home here on Blogspot. I didn't blog as much then as I do now, and have deleted all my earlier blog posts here. I now have 3 blogs here on blogspot, Traveling Suitcase, and Bridge and Beyond. Obviously Traveling Suitcase is a travel blog, Bridge and Beyond is dedicated to helping homeless through knitting and crocheting. And now, perhaps you know a little bit more about me, the lady called Sandy.

This is my S post, Z-A Challenge

Oddball Baby Blanket now a FO

FO Friday post

Cupid, the Oddball Baby Blanket is now complete and will soon be on it's way, traveling once again. It will be heading to Minnesota, and after being wash on it's way with many others to a hospital for babies in need. I blogged about this blanket, the process and the purpose for my WIPW HERE.
Here's a close up of the border which is comprised of a row of sc, followed by a row of dc cross stitches, followed by a row of shells made with 5 dc. I believe it does pull the blanket together a bit, not as much as I had hoped. I see the yellow (Xanthic), but the blue speaks aren't as visible as I would have liked. I like it better finished then when I began, but it's still not a favorite for me.

Items to work on: Afghan for Bridge and Beyond, Washcloth for Bridge and Beyond, Scarf for...maybe myself?, Scarf for Red Scarf Project, but have the urge to start something new....I'm seeing and hearing some yarn calling out to me. And, it's calling pretty loudly, so don't know if I'll be able to pretend I don't hear it much longer.

**Z-A V post is HERE
***U post is HERE

So much more then a Washcloth

A washcloth, really...you're blogging about a washcloth? Yes, I am. The finished washcloth in pretty spring colors was a gift. I belong to Oddball, and in fact blogged about in yesterday, (scroll back for the post). As we send around our knitted blankets that benefit charity; we generally include (though it's optional) a little gift for the next person doing the knitting. I got this wonderful washcloth from Cheryl. Cheryl is a fellow Ohioan which is cool, and if you've not used a hand knit or crocheted cotton wash cloth, you really don't know what you're missing. They are fabulous.

Hand knitted or crochet washcloths are both new and old. They are new and or retro, because; they really are quite old. People used to make these all the time, and suddenly they've become popular again. People in the crafting communities have decided maybe Grandma knew what she was talking about after all. They're very nice on your skin. They can be made square or round, some folks like to use them in the shower and some in the kitchen. There are several brands of 100% cotton yarn, but probably the most common and widely known and used is Lily, the original Sugar'n Cream 100% Cotton made in Canada. The new larger skeins are normally 3 oz, and measure 150 yards.

If you like to use body wash, you truly only need a dab if you use one of these wonderful cotton washcloths.

The 2nd one pictured, The camo one that's on the needle, well... I decided after getting Cheryl's gift I hadn't made one in awhile and nabbed some camo cotton. I'll be making as many as I can from the one skein and all will be donated to Bridge and Beyond.
Bridge and Beyond is one of my other blogs that focuses on helping homeless and those in need. Please hop over, always love visitors. Homeless people live in the elements. Do you have any idea how good it feels to take a bath, a shower, to wash up? To do that with a hand knit or crocheted washcloth is something easy to do at our end; and very meaningful at the other end. Skin tired, cold, wrinkled from the elements deserves to be washed with a hand knit especially for you cloth. Hand made shows them someone does care. We knit and crochet to warm those in need through Bridge and Beyond.

A simple washcloth with a bar of soap, is so much more then a washcloth and soap.

**A-Z Challenge W post
****V post CLICK HERE