I will be doing some work on this blog tomorrow and on the weekend. Today will be spent with my immediate family celebrating Thanksgiving.
Have a great day!
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Today I pause for a few moments and remember the events that took place on this date in 1963 at 12:30 pm CST. It was at that time forty three years ago when John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
This was an event that is embedded in my mind’s eye as though it were only yesterday. I was in seventh grade Study Hall at the local Junior High School when the announcement was made that the President had been shot and killed. I recall the sense of sadness that an era had ended and knew life would never be the same for my country. This sounds strange, but it is true.
I vividly recall watching and listening to the events of the following days unfold.Most fascinating to me was the orderly transferal of authority to Vice President Lyndon Johnson. This was living history. No classroom lesson could have taught about the Democratic process better than this.
My family was one of many who watched the public funeral on our black and white television. I recall silence as the caisson carried his body to lie in state at the Capitol.It seemed unreal.I recall the pictures of his children watching the procession. A sense of shock and sadness prevailed.
Life has not been the same for many of us after those four days in November, 1963, when time stood still.
Today at 12:30 pm, I will stand still in remembrance of John Fitzgerald Kennedy; of what was and could have have been.
Will you do the same?
Today I pause for a few moments and remember the events that took place on this date in 1963 at 12:30 pm CST. It was at that time forty three years ago when John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
This was an event that is embedded in my mind’s eye as though it were only yesterday. I was in seventh grade Study Hall at the local Junior High School when the announcement was made that the President had been shot and killed. I recall the sense of sadness that an era had ended and knew life would never be the same for my country. This sounds strange, but it is true.
I vividly recall watching and listening to the events of the following days unfold.Most fascinating to me was the orderly transferal of authority to Vice President Lyndon Johnson. This was living history. No classroom lesson could have taught about the Democratic process better than this.
My family was one of many who watched the public funeral on our black and white television. I recall silence as the caisson carried his body to lie in state at the Capitol.It seemed unreal.I recall the pictures of his children watching the procession. A sense of shock and sadness prevailed.
Life has not been the same for many of us after those four days in November, 1963, when time stood still.
Today at 12:30 pm, I will stand still in remembrance of John Fitzgerald Kennedy; of what was and could have have been.
Will you do the same?
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I just realized that it has been almost two months since I wrote anything here at all. They have been busy, though not exciting months.
I now have new glasses which I hate. They are bifocals to be used for both near and far vision. The division between the near and far vision is placed according to my specifications and the frames look nice. The problem is that I simply do not like bifocals. The first time I wore them was many years ago before technology was as advanced as it is today. I hated them then and I still hate them. People say things like “you have to get used to them”. They are right, but some things push my limits, like these blasted things. I wear them for driving and will carry them with me for work so I can wear them when I cannot see to safely work. Other than that they live in their case. Once we can afford it I will get a pair for driving and another pair for for everything else. I know that in the scope of life this is a minor issue, but having worn glasses for most ofmy life, this is an issue about which I have strong feelings.
Since the new glasses arrived about two and half weeks ago much of my focus has been on job hunting. The search is now over and I start a new job next Monday. Technically it took a little over two months to find work, if you count the time I was without work, but actually it only took about two weeks. Working without glasses is not a choice.
This week is being spent meeting some family commitments and completing some projects around the house. It is nothing exciting: catching up on laundry; getting homeschool lessons planned for at least the next week or two; completing a couple of knitting projects, starting another project or two and having time to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family.
This has been an interesting and educational week. My family has needed for me to return to work as a nurse for quite a while. Monday was spent doing some important Mom jobs so that left the rest of the week for job hunting. What a week it has been!!
The last time I worked as a nurse was several years ago. This was before the current nursing shortage. Wednesday morning I went to a lovely retirement center and was met by very kind and loving people who made it plain that they were glad to have an RN apply for a job. The best part was that my six years away from the profession was not treated as negative. That was a huge relief!! I explained the reasons for my actions and was reassured that as a woman there are times when my career may take second place to family needs. Even if this organization does not offer me a job, it’s staff provided me with a boost of courage that was desperately needed.
Thursday was the day I attended a job fair strictly for RN’s. This event seemed planned to the most minute detail. After signing in, I was given a pass to allow me to leave the paid parking garage without paying. To many people this might seem like a small thing, but to me it was a big issue. It meant I could stay as long as needed without being concerned about not having cash to pay for parking. What a relief!! I was escorted to the conference room by a recruiter who made it her business to put me at ease and insure that I was put in touch with the person with whom I needed to speak. I will spare you the details except to tell you that the hospital went out of its way to sell themselves to the RN’s present. This was impressive.
Today I went to a long term care facility not far from home. Once again I was welcomed with open arms. My absence from nursing to be a Mother to my child was not viewed negatively. The experience was very positive. Once again, even if a position is not offered, the time was well spent.
The common thread of each of these days was the attitude of respect for me as an RN with experience. This was refreshing. I know that there are gaps in my knowledge after not having worked in a few years, but as a professional this can be overcome with a little effort on my part.
This is proving to be a busy week in my house. I am still working on the red and blue scarf from several days ago. It is more than halfway finished. It is turning out quite nicely. The credit for using a lighter weight yarn and a heavier weight one goes to Bev for making the Blog Scarf . I don’t have any sock yarn in my stash but there is plenty of sport yarn. This yarn is doing a fine job by adding a little extra bulk and color to the scarf. it is a technique I will be using frequently in the future. My original goal was to have it done before now, but life got in the way.
I am spending a lot of time this week job hunting which is cutting into knitting and computer time a lot. I have an idea in my brain for a dishcloth design, but won’t have the time to work on it until the week end. Adding links and making some changes here will also have to wait a couple of more days.
My glasses arrived yesterday afternoon!! After about a month I can finally see normally again! I had taken them to an optical shop associated with a former employer of DH thinking I could save some money. That was fine in theory but they did not make them to meet my needs twice. After getting them back wrong from the lab the second time, I asked for my money back for the lenses. My choice was to keep and pay for the frames. I was told the refund is on its way from the company’s home office. This occurred on Monday.
Tuesday morning the frames and prescription were taken to a local optical shop. My needs were explained. I was told the glasses would be ready for pickup by Friday or Monday. Yesterday afternoon my anxious inquiry was met with the response that the glasses had arrived. I was still dubious to say the least. There have not been many times in my life when a lab has been able to prepare them accurately this quickly. To my delighted surprise, not only were they ready, but they were made correctly. I could see!!!
This means that I can drive again; have fewer headaches; and look for work.
It will take a while for me to adjust to them since they are a stronger bifocal than the previous prescription. My tolerance for them last night was limited but will hopefully increase in the next couple of days.
My latest project is making some scarves for the Orphan Foundation of America. I learned about their Red Scarf Project so late last year that there was only enough time to make a few scarves. My original plan was make several scarves for them this year. I also wanted to use better yarn than the acrylic that is in my stash. It is now November. I am not working. There is no money for additional yarn. There are no scarves made for this project at the moment.
What’s a lady to do??? I could rob a bank; steal yarn from an LYS ; refuse to make any scarves; beg for yarn ; or buy yarn with bill and grocery money. Those just don’t sound like such good ideas.
Instead, my choice was to make a scarf using acrylic yarn in my stash. This scarf needs to be unisex, bright and cheerful; nice looking but utilitarian; quite washable and soft; and mostly comfortable. The choice of yarn was easy. I picked out a skein of red worsted weight yarn and a skein of blue sport weight yarn from the bins in the basement. These will work quite nicely for what I have in mind.
The pattern had been chosen before the yarn. It is called the Easy Scarf and is positively beautiful. The designer of the pattern used yarn I can only dream I own at this time. Maybe next year this yarn can be used. Right now I am making due with what is on hand. Generations of women have done that before me and will most likely do it after me.
I chose my trusty Size 15 straight Boye needles. It took a bit of trial and error to determine the correct number of stitches to give me the desired width of approximately 7-8 inches. Eventually 24 stitches were cast on using one strand each of the red and blue, to give a width of 7 1/2 inches. That is close enough. The first four rows were done in the garter stitch. This has been followed by pattern as written by the designer. There are 3.2 stitches per inch and 3 rows per inch done in pattern.
What a great pattern!! It is working up quickly and easily. It is also making a soft squishy fabric.
This is a great project to do when I am talking with my family or in the car as a passenger. It is also good to work on in those rare moments of television watching.
I realize my version is probably not what the designer had in mind. But it is working and will give some deserving student a scarf that says ” I care.” That is what the Orphan Foundation of America wants to accomplish.
I finally chose a Theme and created a custom header. It was hard to choose the header because it had to be different from my other blog: Dish and Wash Cloth Mania.
The sidebar desperately needs updated. There are lots of links to be added and some other changes to make, but those will have to wait until tomorrow.
It has taken most of the morning; a lot of experimenting and playing around to accomplish this. At least it is done.
My time this afternoon will be spent setting up house here. There are links to add; a header to customize; a sidebar to set up and a few other things to do. Right now I am not even sure what Theme I want to use.
