18th 09 - 2009 | comment closed

Knitting

I set a goal at the beginning of the year to learn a new skill, like knitting or crocheting. When a local yarn shop advertised a class on learning to knit socks, I knew that was my chance. I am not completely new to knitting. When I was ten or eleven, I learned how to make knitted slippers. When I was in high school, I made my boyfriend a hideous pinkish sweater, which I’m pretty sure he never wore, and I don’t blame him. As part of a humanitarian project I started knitting a leper bandage about ten years ago, and gave up about eight years ago. So I thought learning to knit a sock was within the realm of possibility.

14th 09 - 2009 | comment closed

My Town

Taken toward estuary at mouth of Blackwood riv...
Image via Wikipedia

My town calls itself a city. I don’t know what the population is, but it’s not a big city, although until the housing slump it was growing fast. It is fairly homogenous: mostly white, middle- to upper-class, and probably at least 90 percent the same religion. I’m guessing at least half of the homes are less than twenty years old. A lot of the original settlers have died or sold their large tracts of land which are now new subdivisions. When we first moved here eleven years ago, my kids used to enjoy playing in what was called ‘”the bike fields.” Those are gone, replaced by mostly brown stucco houses. This year the town built a new “town center.” There are city offices, a small library, a fire/police station, and a water park which consists of a small man-made river and a plaza with fountains that kids can play in. People are friendly, crime is low, life is predictable. But sometimes a little boring.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
10th 09 - 2009 | comment closed

Not High Fashion

Costco in Moncton
Image via Wikipedia

I’m wearing a pair of khaki pants that I got at a resale store. They are a bit big and bulge in a funny way at my waist and on my thighs. I keep thinking I need to get them altered, but I wonder if I ever will. My sewing machine is not working. For a top I wore a salmon-colored knit top I got at Costco. It doesn’t fit great, either, but there are no dressing rooms at Costco. It was all right for what I was doing, which was teaching a third-grade class. The main thing there is just don’t draw attention that might distract them from what they are doing. I wore shoes that were good for walking because that’s how I got to that teaching job. I was a little too warm in the outfit. It is a sunny day and not to hot outside, but they don’t turn on the air conditioning in the school until 11:00, and it got pretty stuffy. Now I’m home again, and I’ve taken off the hot clothes and put on something more comfortable.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
7th 09 - 2009 | comment closed

Life-Affirming

Recently I saw the movie “Young @ Heart.” It is a documentary about a singing group comprised entirely of senior citizens. The choir director, who is a bit younger than the singers, picks the music and helps them learn it. It’s mostly rock and pop music from groups like Sonic Youth, James Brown, and Coldplay. While some of these singers must use oxygen or walkers, and are literally near death, and some of them have a hard time learning the rhythm and words to the songs, their enthusiasm for and commitment to what they are doing remains strong. It keeps them going, and they recognize the benefit is for their audiences. I laughed and cried and wanted to hug them all. And I wished I could be part of such a vibrant, life-loving bunch as they are.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Next Page » — « previous page

Categories

Archives