First things first–happy birthday, Grandpa!

He’s been gone since 1967 and we never had a chance to know each other. I was 10 months old when he died of Alzheimer’s which, I figure, puts us at about the same mental level for most of the ten months our time here on earth overlapped. It doesn’t allow for many memories, though.

I have exactly one thing of his. (You know, other than his little boy, my father.) Although I suppose that technically my Grandmother’s secretary desk used to be their secretary desk, but well, we’re talking personal items here. And this is it. A monogrammed handkerchief.

I don’t quite remember how I ended up with this. It was in my father’s dresser for years and then, one day, it was in mine, but I don’t remember how or why. I don’t know for sure who embroidered it, either. It could have come from the store this way, or it could have been my grandmother. I don’t really know. I just know that Dad told me it belonged to his father, and that makes me appreciate it all the more. On the rare occasion I need a handkerchief, this is the one I reach for.

My Dad gets good-grandfather points, too. I was busy in the kitchen today getting ready for Chappy’s birthday party tomorrow … and it was a little too hot for me, anyway … so Dad took Chappy for a walk. Don’t they look happy? You know, it’s really unusual for me to see Chappy from a distance.

I’m blocking my shawl and enjoying the usual blocking magic. It wouldn’t fit on the blocking board itself, though, because the corners stretched past the edge (making pinning difficult).

So, I folded it in half. Not only does that mean it fits on the blocking board, but … only half the amount of pinning!

And, right now? I’ve got the blocking board standing up against the bookcases in the hall. I’m just hoping that Chappy doesn’t try to rub his head on it (as he is wont to do) and poke his eyes on the pins. But I told him not to, so…

It sure looks pretty, though, huh? The shawl, you’ll remember, is the Shetland Shawl from “Folk Wraps”, knitted in my handspun Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm cormo. (Yes, I know, Susan’s farm is Juniper Moon now, but this was from my first share of MVFF, so … Martha’s Vineyard.)

Oh, and Buttons and Lucky are having fun. They picked out our movie for tonight, too.

Tags: Family, Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning // 1 Comment »