Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Happy New Year

Today, the first day of the new year, I got irritated with my mother.
Well, that's really pretty much everyday (and she knows it - I'm such an ungrateful brat).
She's a talker, she is, and I can be social, but then, as my mother says, I clam up when I don't feel like talking.
Too right.
Well, today was a day that I was glad to bear all my mother's talking, as I took her over to see my Aunt Ruth in the nursing home.
Poor thing has had a time of it lately, but like her biblical namesake she will suffer all and still remain positive.
It's a blessing because, well, I'm not airing any dirty laundry here, but just suffice it to say that she deserves nothing but the best, but throughout her entire life she hasn't always received it.
My mother likes to tell the story that when they were growing up on a farm my Aunt Margaret would get upset because she couldn't go to the movies, or spend money on things, but Aunt Ruth always said, "The cows come first." That's pretty much how she is - putting others first, and understanding why.
So, as I discussed in my last post, when I saw her in the nursing home a few weeks ago (shame on me, I really need to go more), she said that she was cold, so I knew that I needed to make her a shawl.
Well hell, she's 96, probably doesn't weigh more than a twig, and is getting frail.
Plus I understand that the elderly get cold more often. As I'm poised to enter the hot flash stage of my life, I can't quite fathom that.
Homespun yarn by Lion Brand (yes, acrylic) is very warm, holds up well, and best of all is machine washable.
Exactly what someone in a nursing home needs really.
As I know that pink is Aunt Ruth's color I went with the quartz colorway because it has the subtle color changes and is pink (and purpley) but not overwhelmingly so. Of course in looking at the description on the Website it doesn't mention that it's pink at all. Whatever.
She loves her shawl and asked me to put it on her right away.
She got tears in her eyes which made me go all teary eyed so I had to channel my hard-ass self not to get all emotional.
Usually I do that by changing the subject or walking away.
Well before we left she told my mother, I'm going to be buried in this shawl.
Tell me that doesn't tug at your heartstrings.
I looked and laughed and said, "Aunt Ruth, you'll last longer than that shawl. It will probably unravel before you go."
Was that masterful deflection or what?
Here's a picture of Aunt Ruth and my mother talking in the nursing home:



Happy new year all, and knit to make someone happy (even if you only knit for yourself)!

1 comment:

Caroline said...

Well, the fact that you go to visit your aunt and take your mother too is proof that you're a far better person than I am! What a wonderful gift for you to give your aunt too.

Oh! and regarding your previous post, you wouldn't believe how many ex-students keep texting me telling me that I have to see The Great Gatsy trailer. I don't like DiCaprio very well either, but I'm anticipating the movie. I really liked the Paul Rudd version though.