Halfway Down the Stairs

So You Want to Know What This Is?

Well, actually, I'm not sure what it's really called. It is a little carved wooden walnut.

That opens up to expose this:

Inside is a little silver thimble.

This little treasure came to me from my Step Great Grandmother. I was lucky enough to know her until I was in my early 20's. She was a strong, independent woman. She was educated and unafraid. She was a Missionary in Panama in the late 1910's. When her sister died young leaving two young children and a husband, she came home to Minnesota and eventually married her sister's widower. She raised her sister's children. They adopted a little orphan girl who came to their house to be a maid. When she passed away in the nursing home, one of the few things she left behind was a little tapestry bag with some yarn scraps, a few sets of knitting needles (old dpn's), an ivory crochet hook, (which sits on my desk, right next to my computer). Also in the bag was this little walnut with a thimble inside. Of all the memories I treasure of my Great Aunt Fanny, there is not one of her knitting or sewing. I remember her Easter meals with homemade icebox ice cream and hot fudge. I remember her baby grand piano in her parlor where she used to play the songs from The Sound of Music for us. I remember her porch swing and no television. We always had paper dolls and playbooks that occupied us for hours. I remember her gifting me with a copy of Bullfinch's Mythology and bookplates when I was in sixth grade. I read that book cover to cover. I could have taught that sixth grade unit on Greek Mythology all by myself. No knitting and no sewing, but obviously she did them both. This is the only material item I have left of her, but she gave me so many other gifts.

I've been quite busy this weekend - I finished one of the car socks - this is Lorna's Laces in Hawaii. I used a short row heel on this sock, but I don't like it and I won't be using that technique again. I just like my heel flaps.
Here is one finished Roza's sock in my Yarntini. I REALLY love this sock and I am already two inches into the second one.
I yearn for more of this yarn. There will be no exorbitant prices on ebay for me, but if I can stalk her etsy site for more, I will.

I started a little secret project on Friday, (can I just say, this is going to be gorgeous?) but I stalled out and am waiting to hear back from the designer.

Oh, and also? High School sanctioned Lacrosse started this weekend and our high school came out of the gates and defeated their #1 ranked rival!(This school's boy's Varsity is ranked #34 in the country!) Varsity, JV, Girls' Varsity and Girls' JV ALL defeated this school's teams. Go team! Our Freshman Sophomore team has their first game tomorrow night.