Start of Something New

I really don't want to jinx anything ("You're not superstitious, are you Leon?"  "No, I'm just a little 'stitious."**), but has anyone else noticed a touch of Spring in the air?  I trimmed some branches off our one forsythia (side yard, under our bedroom window...:) and popped them into a vase of warm water...along with some King Alfred daffodils that had opened this weekend...all for the dining room table.  Of course, about an hour after I did that on Saturday, it started to HAIL (English pea-size).  Ah yes, the joys of Spring:  flowers, rebirth, and changeable weather.  It's always something new at this time of the year.

Last Friday brought another "something new" into my life.  I started my volunteer job with the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), a part of Old Salem in Winston-Salem.  It was raining and dreary outside (as you can see in that photo over there that I captured with my phone), but I fell in love with all the beautiful things...and the lovely people...that were inside.  I received such a warm welcome...I got the Grand Tour by two enthusiastic staff members...and I was shown all the "off-Tour areas," too. 

I love that part, don't you know?  When we lived in the Memphis area, I used to be a docent for the Mallory Neely house in Victorian Village (which is closed now, I'm sad to see), and my favorite part was to explore the off-Tour areas (although it was sometimes spooky).

Anyway, I'm excited about helping with the Textile Seminar that starts this week.  I'll also get to attend all of the workshops and sessions, so it's best of all worlds.  I have a coverlet that was woven by my great, great grandmother, Nancy Elizabeth Dudley Holland, who lived in middle Tennessee in the mid- to late- 1800's, and I'm hoping to get some more information on it from the instructor of the session called:  "From Home Looms and Store Shelves: New Considerations of Southern Backcountry Textiles".

An update on Elmo's eye...

He's doing remarkably well, thank goodness.  He keeps both of his eyes open now, even though he only has sight in the left eye.  That means that the pressure in both of his eyes is under control and not causing him pain just to open the lids.  He continues to "get lost" sometimes, walking behind an open door and bumping his nose on the wall.  He just adjusts his journey...sorta like a Roomba...and retraces his steps!  Still doing the drops daily (different kinds in each eye, three times a day.)  Amazingly, he looks "normal" when you look at him, as you can see in this photo of him enjoying the rest of Gus' breakfast.  One thing's for sure, he hasn't lost his appetite!

Have I told you about my new March Madness committment?  No, this has nothing to do with the NCAA Tournament, starting this week.  I doubt I'll even do a bracket since my own Memphis Tigers didn't make the cut...they'll be heading into the NIT, playing St. John's on Wednesday...sad to say.  Anyway, I joined other About.com knitters in making a commitment to resolving our UFO's this month...and not starting any new projects until April 1st. 

So, how's that going, Patricia?  It's killing me!!!  I've recently unpacked all of the boxes of yarn that we moved from MO (...whoa!...:), so I was keenly aware of just how many projects I had on the needles...and just how many were in the wings.  Seemed like an excellent idea at the time I read about it.  But, now, that I'm holding myself to it?  Painful. 

BTW, "resolving" means to either finish the thing...or frog it.  I've finished knitting N/M/E's Entwined Shawl (still have to weave in the ends), and an I-cord necklace with buttons (I'd done the I-cord/knitting...I just had to sew about 20 buttons on it for decoration).  I'm working diligently on a belt for Missy M (sock yarn on US 1's...going slowly).  I also have a baby blanket that I'd started crocheting a couple years ago that I've been working on.  Actually, I have two of these baby blankets started; but, in the spirit of things, I'm trying to finish one before I pick up the other one again.  I've yet to frog anything, as I'm putting the ripping out off until the last week of the month.

And, where are the pictures of these things, you ask?  Well, it appears I've misplaced my camera...yikes!  I wish I could ring it up like I do my cellphone when I "lose" it temporarily.  No such luck.  Soon as I can put my hands on it, I'll be back in business.  Until then...stay tuned.



**A great line from NCIS...Special Agent LeRoy Jethro Gibbs to Director Leon Vance, followed by his response.**