Another Look at Friendship

A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely. ~Pam Brown

In this post, I wondered if it wouldn't be better to let old friendships go and concentrate on new ones.  I've been pondering this question and I've decided that old friendships are too precious to let go by default.  I love to garden and the quote above made me think of how devastated I feel when I have neglected a plant and see it wilting or dying.  How much more important to me are my friends!

I've begun a sort of Year in Review for 2010 to send to my old friends back East and want to finish it and send it by e-mail before the end of this month.  A tall order, but I have always worked better under pressure.  Once the e-mail is sent I intend to concentrate on the letters and phone calls and small, silly presents angle. Like the Girl Scout song intones:  Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other is gold.

Another Cuppa and Some More Crochet

Throw out those crumpled receipts, old card catalog cards, and ripped up parking tickets and get yourself some real bookmarks. ~Robin K. Blum

One of the book clubs I belong to will be meeting at my home in February for a discussion of Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje.  I wanted to make a little  something for the members as a token of my appreciation for them.  They are a wonderful group and I look forward to our monthly discussions with great anticipation. 

I came up with the idea of making each of them a bookmark and since it is the month of Valentine's Day I found a pattern for a little heart bookmark.  It is quick to crochet and I made four while sipping some Earl Grey tea.   

Little Heart Bookmarks

Sipping tea and crocheting is becoming quite a pleasant habit with me.  Now what tea shall I sip as I make four more bookmarks for my friends?  Vanilla/Cinnamon, Orange Spice, or Winter Mint?  

Tea and Crochet

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

What a lovely afternoon I've had!  My husband and I sat in the living room sipping tea in companionable silence.  He read and I crocheted.  Life doesn't get any better than that. 

I was able to finish the first block for the 2011 Block-a-Month Crochet Along, a group I belong to on Ravelry.  The afghan I will eventually put together with the twelve blocks I'll be making is for my little grandson.  I chose very vibrant colors because the finished afghan is for a child.  However, I was getting a bit anxious wondering if the colors were too vibrant.  Now that it is finished I love it. 



January Block--Maggie's Square



Now, I only have eleven more blocks to go!

Friendship

Every man passes his life in the search after friendship.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

One of the secret, seldom shared wishes I have for my retirement is to make new friends while keeping the old ones. While I was in the working world I had many acquaintances, but few real friends.  Being a friend requires a lot of maintenance and I was often neglectful in that area.  I vowed that when I retired I would try to do a better job of being a friend.

I have more trouble it seems in keeping up with old friends than in making new ones. Distance makes it more difficult to keep in touch.  E-mails are my usual means of communicating with far away friends, but they lack a certain warmth and spontaneity that face to face contact has. No longer sharing common activities also makes it difficult to find meaningful things to say to old friends. I wonder sometimes if it wouldn't be better to stop trying to keep the friendships alive and just be content with happy memories.  

I have been very fortunate to find a number of people in my new life that I consider friends. We have common interests (reading and knitting and crocheting, for example) and proximity allows us to meet more frequently.  Today, I unexpectedly met with a friend I hadn't seen in a few months. We have both been busy with family matters and never seemed to be in the same place at the same time.  It was lovely to see her and have the chance to chat and catch up on all our doings.  She is a gentle person who brings out the best in me.  I have smiled all day today just thinking about our meeting.  Friendship is good for the soul.

Say "Ah!"

God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying, "Ah!" ~ Joseph Campbell

Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Tahoe, California

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Trees make me a believer.  I am drawn to taking pictures of them on all my travels.

Another Work in Progress

It's a work in progress. It's got a lot of new things on it, but it still needs a lot. ~Tiffany Ross
The road to h___ is paved with works-in-progress.  ~Philippe de Comines

I began another project yesterday afternoon.  I must be crazy with all the works in progress (WIPs) I already have, but this is crocheting one 12 inch block a month until December, 2011.  When I have finished all twelve of the blocks, I will put them together into an afghan for my grandson.  I am using seven very bright colors of a soft worsted weight yarn:  Caron Simply Soft Brites.  The yarn is a bit splitty, but I am pleased with the pattern and my progress so far.

Maggie's Square for Baby G's Afghan

The square was designed by The Crochet Dude, Drew Emborsky. It is a free pattern that can be found on Ravelry and here. It has a new stitch in it for me--the crossed double crochet stitch.  It took me a bit of practice and research to be able to feel comfortable with the new stitch, but I'm glad I took the time.  I really like it and am happy to add another stitch to my repertoire.

End of the Chase

Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you.  ~John De Paola

Yesterday I was greatly frustrated in my planning for a family vacation in May.  Nothing was working.  I couldn't find flights that were affordable and with times that were reasonable.  I couldn't find accommodations for all of us.  I was ready to pull my hair out, so I took a break and just knitted for hours.  It was very calming and gave me hope that somehow I would make everything work another day.

Well, today was the day.  I talked with my daughter-in-law and she was willing to change the dates I was having so much difficulty with.  Then I went online and found flights and accommodations that were nearly perfect.  I feel a great sense of relief and now we are all looking forward to some quality time together. 

I hope I can remember this the next time I panic when things are not going my way.  Stepping away from a problem for a while is sometimes the best way to solve it.