New Year, New Life

I am hoping that 2012 will be bringing new friends and new opportunities for enjoyment for us all.  This past year seems to have flown by, yet during the year it was pain in slow motion.

I lost my husband in December to prostate cancer.  He was a tall, strong, mountain of a man and when the cancer made him weaker and more dependent on me, he felt it was time to go, so he just did.  He did not want to live in that condition another six months, being dependent and weak, and wanted to go home to see his family who passed before him.

One great gift he gave me is the sharing of his children and grandchildren so that I am now a grandmother to two beautiful little girls, and step mom to two wonderful kids. I prefer to say I am a mother by marriage. The circle of love continues.  There may soon be  another child on the way this year, making it three grandchildren! It is a lasting gift of love for which I will be ever grateful.

I find another gift he gave me is becoming part of a larger family of loved ones...his first wife Amy had several brothers and one sister, all of whom are my own now...and my husband came from an equally large family so I am able to be held up in love and peace and comfort during such a sad time in all our lives by each of them.

And last, but not least, are our animals.  They are like our children & keep me on my toes every day.  You just can't be lazing around when your doggies need to take a walk. What a blessing they are.

Life goes on, and we who live those lives have an obligation to go with it and do the best we can to "keep on keeping on". 

May you all share a wonderful 2012 with your families and loved ones.

Dolls for Christmas

Last year I purchased two American dolls for my granddaughters. As it turns out, they were really too young and did not appreciate them.  The eldest is into Barbie Dolls, which are so CHEAP now that she has a dozen.  All naked. All with ratty hair. :o)  All well used and loved.  She has a great time with them, they are just the right size to hold in her little hands, and I have seen her play for hours making up stories and using her imagination.

This year I thought I would make her a little crocheted doll that might give her the same pleasure. She is a tad older, but do not expect her to be treating this doll a whole lot better than her Barbies.

I have posted before about the creations on the ByHook/ByHand blogspot.  I am in love with the little Kaitlyn, a little cat-eared pocket spirit. DARLING! So if you have a cat, you'd love one, too.  If you have a friend that loves cats, that friend would love one!  But more importantly, if you have a granddaughter or two, you can be sure those little girls would be in heaven to get their hands on something so cute and precious.

Can you actually resist this precious little doll?????? And the pattern is FREE. You can do it! Get it, make it, and watch little eyes light up this Christmas

I'm Shopping Again - HELP!

I need a muzzle on my fingers.  This internet has really put a dent in my pocketbook.

Having lived in Japan I feel an affinity to all things Japanese.  I can still remember where we lived, although I was but a wee thing.

I can remember the sand piles in the middle of the road where they put the ammunition for some reason....to be picked up and moved, I think.  I lived in Post War Tachikawa. This is a photo of my younger brother who was born in Japan.  He is near one of those ominous sand piles.

  The women were gentle and loving and ever so talented. My "nanny" was Aokisan and I loved her so very much. Mom said she probably would have kidnapped me as she felt an affinity of me like I did her.  I wonder what every happened to her?

Now I like to collect Japanese crochet books.  I have a few already, but a few just doesn't seem enough.  Ms. Beverly found the site YesAsia for me.  I just purchased several more books today....these aren't cheap, BUT there are always more patterns than you can shake a stick at! (To improperly end a phrase in a preposition).

I purchased four new books.  This is one of them....full of shawls and shrugs:

Do you shop when you are happy, or like me when life throws you a curve ball?  I find that spending my money on something which makes me feel as if I am in control, and that I can make some changes in my life tends to perk me up.  At least as long as the browser if open!!  And, too, when the items arrive. Then I have to find space, and some day go back and look at it.

THEN I feel really good when I end up passing it along to someone else who will use it.  Isn't that just the way life goes!??

May your life be full of blessings!