Baggage

Baggage… sounds like I am carrying around some sort of troubles… but that’s not what I mean… Two things come to mind actually… the bag I knit while mom was here, and the baggage that my poor mom had to drag all over the Philly airport on her trip back to Colorado… I gave her so many random things to take back with her that she needed to borrow one of my duffle bags to get it all home. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal really except that we packed it full and checked it thinking that the only time she’d have to deal with it was when she got to Colorado and had to get from the airport to the public transportation.

My mom’s hip was replaced in February of 2006… so she shouldn’t really be bending and picking up heavy bags… but we figured the ONE time of getting onto the bus wasn’t a huge issue… little did we know about the flight troubles she’d encounter.

Mom was here in PA visiting and helping unpack etc. for a whole month! It was amazing to have her here and I got her knitting again as usual (I do that each time we visit with each other)…

She knit up two hats… I have to laugh even typing that… the first one came out too big… much too big.. but we decided that she could give it to my sister who has a big head (literally not figuratively…)… and then we thought, hmmm maybe if we wash it it will shrink a little… ummmm it grew??!! what’s with that??? I’ve never had an article of clothing GROW in the wash and dryer! So then she knit up another one… practicing her ribbing skills etc. Well this one came out too big too, but .. .it was wool… so we felted it… and it came out a bit smaller than we’d have liked… (not around, but in height)… it will work but won’t completely cover her ears for the really cold part of the Colorado winter… but that’s ok.. she (and I) really liked the final product… and the felting got rid of some of her mistakes which also made her quite happy

She got tired of the NEVER going to fit hats… and moved onto dishcloths… why I never got a photo of the hats is beyond me…

She started with this pattern, called Elfin lace. It was from the knitting pattern book that my first dishcloth swap pal sent me. She was really very happy with the result.. And.. given that it was her first time knitting lace… she did AWESOME.. much better than I did when I went with my first attempt at lace ! She had nearly all the same distractions as me too… what’s with that??

We renewed our love of Tea while she was here, and she oooh’d and ahhh’d over my teapot from Mia

and we enjoyed the many Tazo iced teas she also sent in my tea swap package back in July… mmmm Om was really good… a mix of green and black teas.. yum!

 

Mom fell in love with the summer bag I knit… it’s perfect for the beach and those sandy toys, or for the grocery store to be a conscious green shopper… I knit this for my vacation swap pal! She put in her requests for a pink one and picked out the yarn from my stash.

the bag has a drawstring that cinches the top nicely, and though the pattern didn’t call for it, I knit a strap to facilitate the ‘mommy’ who’s grocery shopping or beaching it and needs a free hand for a child…

 

When I knit this up for mom though I’m going to take out one or two of the pattern repeats to make it a tad smaller…

 

Mom’s trip was awesome.. we had a fun visit, and the kids adored having her here (and maybe got used to her just a bit too much)… we’ll all miss her…

 

I love you mom!