So, today is my daughter's 1st wedding anniversary, the day my twin sisters were born, and Fathers Day.

A year ago today was one of the best days ever.

HAPPY 1st ANNIVERSARY, ALI & ROD!!

54 Years ago today, my mother was in the hospital for a very different — and much happier — reason! And, also, SURPRISE! The legend goes (and, yes, it is a legend): Having been told at her OB/GYN visit the day before that she had another month to go, and to expect a big baby boy, she was in the hospital a day later and delivered TWIN GIRLS! The hospital staff awaited placenta after Sharon (aka, Baby A) was born, and lo & behold, a half-hour later it was Karen (aka, Baby B) instead.

It boggles the mind — almost as much as a woman who could look THAT GOOD holding newborn twins. That is my mom.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHARON & KAREN!!

My mother is still in ICU, tweaking here & adjusting there; it takes time. And patience. And, oh, I just can't thank you all enough for your good wishes.

Happy Fathers Day to my pretty terrific husband, and dad to our three daughters. (Note to self: updated photo of hubby & daughters.)

(we did this)

HAPPY FATHERS DAY, RUSTY!!

 

My mom's been in the hospital since a week ago yesterday, in ICU since Saturday afternoon. She's been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past 18 months, and complications from side effects of a new (to her) chemo treatment that was recently begun led to her being admitted with pneumonia.

There it is in a nutshell, and it seems that's all I can manage. Please send good juju, mojo, karma, vibes, wishes, love, luck, and prayers. Improvements are slow, and maybe a cosmic boost will help to boot her out of ICU in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the little dude in the photo above is Mack and he turned 9 yesterday! Can you believe it? Junah is 5 months old today, and I told him that it won't be long before he's 9… only a few thousand days! I intend to savor every single one, but they sure seem to fly by fast.

Thanks in advance for all the love.

 

Habu birthday to you
Habu birthday to you
Habu birthday, dear Mom
Habu birthday to you!

Back in November, I took Mom to Iris Fine Yarns to see the Habu trunk show.  I knew that my mother would like the Habu "style," and I was right.  She looked great in everything, and she loved every single piece — it was just a matter of degree!

I tried on a few things, too, and was actually quite surprised at how good they looked!  I wasn’t expecting that.  There’s very little shaping in any of the garments, no tailoring to speak of, but the fibers, the finished fabrics, the way the garments are put together, the careful result of what little shaping there is — I’m not saying they’d look good on everyone, but if there’s an opportunity to try on these pieces, do it — it was a happy surprise.

It was a difficult choice, but Mom ordered Kit #68.  I’m doing the knitting for her birthday present.  It came up on Saturday when we were out together — and I told her that I hadn’t started it yet.  Yeah.  The tone of her reply — "You haven’t started it yet!?" — I was practically casting on while taking off my jacket when I got home!  The luscious Alchemy Monarch project, which had been coming along swimmingly, has been dropped like a hot potato!  I’d just attached the second ball of yarn, too, but it was MOM… the tone, the look, the inflection… oh, how could I be such a terrible, neglectful daughter?

Heh.  There are eight pieces to knit and I’m at about the half-way mark.  It’s quick to knit but, man, that chart’s a real trip!  This project is going to involve more than the normal amount of sewing up, and I’m just going to have to put my head down and blaze through to the finish.  Maybe I’ll get on a roll and sew up Oblique at the same time!  It could happen.  The color differences in Mom’s kit are much more subtle than the example on the web (and the one we tried on); the yarns are wonderful to work with.