Rambling Through Monday

I feel like writing today.  Mostly, I feel like rambling.

Lately, I have started to wonder if I have any more stories left in me. 

Monday is change the bedding and laundry day.  We have several "not fun" appointments this month.  But, today is a free day.   I am thinking that I might try to record my knitting podcast today. (Joey's Scarf) That requires a lot of planning though.


Scary thing happened to me the other day.  I got a "ransom" note from a computer hacker.   What was upsetting to me was that the hacker knew my password.  Of course I ignored his demands and my computer didn't blow up.   I wanted to report it, but didn't know where to send my complaint.
I changed my passwords all over the place.  But wondered if the hacker knew my password, would changing my password prevent "hacker" from gaining all of my new ones?

I find I am more peaceful when I don't watch/listen/read "the news".  But, then won't I be uninformed?
Will I have to rely on small talk about the weather or idle chatter at the next cocktail party?
By the way, I haven't been to a cocktail party in years, so I guess I don't have to worry about that.

I woke up this morning before daybreak.  I turned over and heard Ross stir.   He reached over to find my hand.   Although at times he may not remember my name,  I believe he feels soothed by my comforting touch, just as I do by his.




I finished knitting a sweater I have been working on for months.  I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride that I had finished it.   I am not happy with the fit.  But, boy did it come out nice.



Ross and I completed a 750 piece jigsaw puzzle.  Jigsaw puzzles are interesting.  As soon as it was finished I took great pleasure in decomposing it.  Oh, I took a pic first.

I don't want to do another jigsaw puzzle in forever!

These days,  I have time to contemplate the clouds via the sunroom windows.   Today the glimpses of blue give me the smallest glimmer of hope.



     She felt bone weary.  When she was a girl, her dear grandmother would say those words, and then sigh deeply.   At the time it made her think of a bent over skeleton,  gingerly walking with a cane.  As she watched her grandmother bustle about getting dinner ready for her flock, her grandma hardly looked like her imagined skeleton.
    She now wondered what had made her grandmother bone weary. 

A story...perhaps?

A to Z 2019 April Blogger Challenge - The Letter Y - Yearly

I will be posting six days a week for the month of April - (with a rest day on Sunday).
Each post will begin with the corresponding letter of the alphabet beginning with A and finishing with the letter Z.

I began participating in this challenge in 2012.   With the exception of last year, I believe I completed the challenge each year.   Last year I lost steam somewhere around the letter W.

Yearly

I have mentioned in my previous posts that I host a YouTube podcast called Joey's Scarf.  The main themes are knitting, crochet and yarn.   The podcast name is in honor of my son Joe.  Joe passed away from colon cancer in 2011.
I started the podcast in January of 2017.  On an episode in February of that year I asked followers of my podcast to join me in knitting or crocheting something in honor of someone they lost.  Or perhaps they would want to create an item for someone they care about.
Personally, when I am making something for a specific person, I am thinking about that person while I am knitting or crocheting.    
I asked the participants to share what they were making, who they were making it for and why.
I explained that on the anniversary of Joe's birth, April 4th, I would randomly select someone from the group and send that person a gift of appreciation. 
Beside me there were six others who joined me.  The stories from each one touched my heart.  The items they made were beautiful. 
One of the women had just lost her daughter to cancer.  Even though we are thousands of miles apart, we made a connection and continue to keep in touch through social media.
That first year I decided to send each of the woman a little something to show my appreciation.  Their participation was a comfort to me, especially at that time of the year, near Joe's birthday. 

This has become an annual event.  April 4, 2019 was the completion of the third one.  Some of the same women have participated each year,  as well as a couple of new people.   I continue to appreciate the sometimes heartbreaking and but always heartfelt experiences that have been shared with me each time.

A to Z 2019 April Blogger Challenge - The Letter W - Uh Um

It's April - That means I will be participating in the A to Z Blog Challenge.

I will be posting six days a week for the month of April - (with a rest day on Sunday).
Each post will begin with the corresponding letter of the alphabet beginning with A and finishing with the letter Z.

I began participating in this challenge in 2012.   With the exception of last year, I believe I completed the challenge each year.   Last year I lost steam somewhere around the letter W.

WooHoo I made it to W

Words, Words, Words

I host a video podcast on YouTube called "Joey's Scarf".    I use my phone to record the video.  It's kind of weird to sit and talk to a screen.   

Because the subjects of my podcasts are knitting, crocheting and yarn I have a lot of props to help me feel a little more comfortable.  

Some podcasters have a partner.  It probably feels more natural to have someone next to you. It is more of a conversation between two people where the audience become eavesdroppers.

I often find myself stumbling over my words.  When I am playing back the video I notice that I say "um" and "uh" a lot.   I haven't been able to control that. 

At the end of the podcast, I usually invite Ross to spend a little time with me.  It doesn't take much to get Ross talking.   I throw out a word or two and he takes off on a tangent meandering from the original word to many other words, then finally circling back to the original word.  

He has a way with words.


Have you ever been in a situation where you find yourself stumbling over your words?

A to Z Challenge -The Letter K - Why Knitting of Course

I am participating in the “April Blogging From A to Z Challenge” for 2018.  Except for Sundays, but starting with Sunday April 1, I will be writing a post each day in April.  Working through the alphabet, by the end of the challenge I will have posted 26 writings.  

Knitting Of Course

Knitting.  What image does that conjure up for you?

Although there are plenty of grandmothers who do knit, I am happily one of them, knitting is not just for your grandma anymore.  

All sorts of people knit. 

 Famous people knit

Men knit.   There is a magazine filled with knitwear designs for men.  RIB Magazine

Knitting is not just my hobby, for me it is a passion.   I knit every day.  I have a YouTube podcast where I talk about knitting. It’s called Joey’s Scarf.

Sometimes Ross joins me on the podcast.

Strange you say?  Well, there are over 1400 other YouTube channels where other knitters talk about knitting.

There are hundreds of knitting festivals, at different times of the year all over the world where thousands of knitters gather together to commiserate about knitting.   The most famous I would say is the New York State Sheep and Wool festival in Rhinebeck, NY.

Here are some of the things I have been working on lately.

I have taught several people how to knit, including my mother, my aunt, my daughter and my granddaughter.  I tried to teach Ross how to knit.

That didn’t go so well.  But he is very supportive of my passion.  He is my companion (okay and also my driver) when we go around the country looking for yarn.

I have knit many items which I have given away to friends, relatives and friends of friends and relatives of relatives.

In case you are wondering why I knit, let me explain.  There are so many reasons actually.  I knit because it has provided comfort to me during some hard times.   The repetitive sequence of knit, purl, knit, purl, knit, purl is meditative.

It has proven to provide health benefits as noted in this NY Times article.

The Health Benefits of Knitting - The New York Times

Another reason is the creative outlet it provides for me.  And as the above article states, I get a complete sense of satisfaction when I finish a project because I not only have a useful item, but a most beautiful one.

Another positive benefit is the supportive community I have discovered,  all of us with a common understanding of how our deep passion for this ancient creative process of knitting has created a bond among all of us.

History of knitting, from knotted nets and knitted socks to knitting guilds.

Knitting is now commonly known as a slow craft which goes along with the Scandinavian term Hygge.

"Hygge is a Norwegian and Danish word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.” 

 I like that I can take my time leisurely and peacefully enjoying the creative process.

Have you ever tried to knit?   I suggest you give it a try. 

On The Patio With Lynda & Ross - A to Z Challenge The Letter P

Blogging from A to Z Challenge
April 2016
This month I will be participating in the “Blogging from A-Z Challenge” 
What is it?

Blogging every day.  It begins on April First with a topic themed on something with the letter A, then on April second another topic with the letter B as the theme, and so on until I finish on April thirtieth with the theme based on the letter Z.   The theme of the day is the letter scheduled for that day.

Podcast

A few months ago I stumbled across a knitting video podcast.  One podcast led to another and then another.
For some reason, I couldn't stop watching, even though each podcast is about an hour long.
My curiosity was piqued.
The hosts seem to be ordinary people, like me.
I noticed that the format of these particular crafting type podcasts is pretty much the same.
First is the intro.  That would include a welcome, introducing themselves, saying what the name of the podcast is and which episode number it is.
The host(s) is usually holding a mug with the string and tag of a tea bag hanging over the side.
After the intro, they will then describe what they have in the mug.  Without fail, they will take a sip and say "ahh, that's good."
Next, they will launch into a "show and tell" of what they have been knitting.
There are WIPs (works in progress), what they have completed, FO's (finished objects), or HO's (half-finished objects, such as one of a pair of socks or mittens).
Their handiworks are always stored in a neat looking, zippered project bag.
They make a big fuss over the bag, saying how much they love (drawing out the word love) the bag.  They acknowledge the maker of the bag and include a link to the website.
Next, they will slowly unzip the bag and then even more slowly pull the FO, WIP or HO out of the bag.  They will hold the object close to the camera so that the viewer "can get a better look."
I've learned that these podcasters are a community.  They seem to all know of each other and they will give shout outs to each other during the video.
They also send gifts to each other.  Showing the viewers what they have received is another part of the standard format that they all seem to follow.
There is a segment dedicated to acquisitions.  That would be new yarn, knitting needles, accessories, they have recently bought or received.
Of course, there is personal chit chat during the podcast.  They'll talk about marriage, kids, partners, where they live, etc.
Perhaps that's the hook.  It's just them and you, friends having a cup of tea together.
I do subscribe to several.  If you're interested, go to YouTube and search for Knitting Podcasts.
My absolute favorite hosts are Arne & Carlos.  They are amazing artisans and fun to watch.
Anyway, I wondered what goes into making a video podcast.
I found a couple of "how to" sites and videos.
Apparently it is not as easy as the podcasters make it seem.
It soon became apparent to me that some of the podcasts I was watching, particularly the ones with thousands of subscribers, were professionally produced.  They had special cameras, microphones, lighting and someone behind the camera producing the video.
Even so, I wanted to try to do one.
I approached Ross with the idea.   He said yes right away.
I must say, I wasn't surprised.  He is a bit of a ham.
I decided that I didn't want to do a crafty podcast.  It would be a Seinfeld type podcast, instead.   You know a podcast about nothing.
Just Ross and I talking like we do every day.
Filming the piece was easy.  It took a great deal of effort for me to learn how to use iMovie to edit, add titles, music and sound effects,  but, I did it.
If you like to take a peek, click here.