January 6, 2017

There was a slight lull in reporting sweater action in the last few weeks. Though decidedly a bit slow, there is action to report!! The back of the sweater is ready to start decreasing for armholes. One arm is off to Kathy in Seattle (and willing to do both arms to avoid odd lengths) need to coordinate a pocket with Jeannette in MI and offers from Debra in WY to jump in as needed. Friends are the best. Friends who knit are the bestest.

Meanwhile I plugged away while we were in AZ. Sadly there was no one on hand to help remedy my mistakes. No matter, it’s the love that counts…right? RIGHT?

We stopped south of Tucson to visit a friend, 80year+ Donna who considers Jim a son so she was delighted to jump in and knit a few rows. Her other home is in Alaska where she lived many years with her husband, a well-known big animal veterinarian, specializing in moose. Donna is always attractive, with beautiful earrings and lipstick, I commented on her beautiful skin. “Estee Lauder,” she said. “I have always used the products. However I was surprised to learn that she had shot a sheep in the Brooks Range in the ‘70’s while hunting with her husband and the pilot forgot them for a week. It was only when their daughter wondered where they were and contacted the pilot did he remember. She wrote a story about it for Alaska magazine and showed us the article. She hunted for many years. She still is ready to “hunt” whenever necessary. She also bakes the best cookies and pies and they are always available.

I nimbly continued knitting away, making more mistakes as we flew back to AK for a few weeks at home. A trip to Anchorage provided an opportunity to enlist a couple more friends to knit a few rows. I met up with Jim and Joyce at Organic Oasis for dinner. Traveling nurses (Jim is now a P.A.) for many years, they settled in Dillingham for a few years and we shared many adventures. In Anchorage now, and retired, they celebrate Joyce’s Lymphoma remission every single day—with Jim retiring early to enjoy life with Joyce. In Dillingham, she went along on hunts with Jim but never had any desire to hunt herself. Thank goodness for FB, because Joyce showed up as a big game hunter in Africa along with Jim and continued the path in Alaska!! They are mutual big road trip travelers and we have missed them when we are both traveling but send road reports back and forth.

Pili, my super massage therapist for many years, put on her reading glasses after a massage to knit a couple of rows for Jim. Not your every day massage therapist, Pili is also trained in sciatica and myofasical release among other things, and has helped me tremendously over the years. “This isn’t going to be a relaxing massage,” she said as she started to uncurl my toes and work on my feet. “You will have to work.” Tales of her daughters, Luna the cat, and other happenings always make for interesting massage time. Jim, a former non-massage-enthusiast is also smitten with her skills.

We’re off to Anchorage on Sunday for a little more work on my condo I am selling, then to Phoenix to meet up with the Grey Panther and head east through NM and into Texas for meetups with Jim’s family and friends. He lived and taught in TX for 20 years before coming to AK. He will also fly to Atlanta to spend time with his sister Shawneen who twice came to Seattle to be with him when I had to go for a surgery consult and surgery. All three of Jim’s sisters are nurses. Jim plans to repair some antique furniture for her. Somehow her husband just doesn’t seem to be able to get around to it. Meanwhile my cousin Gail will join me for a week and I KNOW she is a knitter. What better than talking, drinking tea and knitting!!

Nineteen knitters love and skill are now tucked into Jim’s sweater—the glow that it will give off when finished will light the world!!