What's better for you?

The difference between what's best for you and what you want are often oceans wide. I'm not talking about that piece of chocolate at 9:30 at night but real true deep life.
My brother's brother in law just passed away after almost a year in a coma after simply falling off his bicycle. He had a condition similar to 'shaken baby' syndrome. So from far away, I can say it is better that he has died and been taken out of his and his family's misery but it's not what anyone wanted.
How do you reconcile the two.
I have had almost 30 years of trying to come to terms with this dicotomy. I have a son who is disabled and I love him as much as any mother loves their child but is he the child I wanted - plain and simply - no. But I love him to the bottom of my heart anyway. And I have come to a kind of terms with it.
We lived together for a long time and had some joys along with the sorrows and hard times. He lives away now which presents a whole new world of hard (to go along with all the rest of the hard). I have to trust other people to look after him in a way I can't any more. That is best for him and me. Is it what I want - no! It is what is best - yes!
So, how do we find a peaceful place between want and reality? How do we all live in a space where we deny ourselves what we want for the greater good? Nobility doesn't feel good despite what the self help books tell you.
My heart goes out to wife and children right now - and I miss my Dad! Hope you are all happily enjoying your best wishes right now. Peace.

New Camera

Plus I won an ipod nano when I bought the camera!

And speaking of a joy to knit with.....

Cashmere and silk wedding cape. Usually it was laced all the way down but she got a little warm by the time I took the photo. It was an absolute joy to knit. I got a knitting patterns book from the public library ( I know - how good it that!) and I can't remember the name of the book - sorry - but I fiddled with the pattern so much that it hardley looks like the one in the book anyway. I knit the light tan in pure cashmere - knitting 8 rows and picking up the stitches from row 1 with row 8 so it made a pleat, and between is two rows of a cashmere silk blend in a darker brown - you can see it slightly on the bottom row. It was a joy to knit and she said it was luxury to wear. (that's a little collette dinigan wedding dress under the cape by the way!). And I noticed lots of wedding guest - friends - absent mindedly stroking the little cape as well. I hope it lasts for as many years as her happy marriage will.

Should we call it the August Baby Sweater down here?

No - it still looks like a February Baby Sweater to me. This one is for little Neve. No idea where the wool came from it's been in the stash that long. I did the 'is this wool ? test' by burning a little bit of it and it came up wool so I'm happy. It's very bright - hope they like it.

And socks for DIL's mom - Bendigo Luxury - in 4 ply - brilliant for socks and so nice to knit with.

bear, mouse,mouse

This bear is enroute to my Grandson - bit like Paddinton but not from Patagonia! Was it Patagonia? I wonder what he will name him?
And the mice are keeping him company (they are for my Grandson's kitten's so they will leave his bear alone!)

Six months since I blogged

Wow - I really thought I would never blog again but I realized I miss it - not that I have a huge (or any for that matter) following - but I love reading other's blogs so I will try again. I love knitting too, so along with work, uni and other committments I want to keep this blog going.

My big news is I have a new grandson. Oh, he is just the joy of my life even tho he lives in another country and I only see him on Skype now, but I was with him on his first day and for 4 weeks after. So knitting has been mostly all about him for the last 6 months but now he is going into summer and I have a couple other knitting projects on the go.

The blanket is EZ's Mystery Blanket knit with Bendigo cotton - big mistake. The blanket is just gorgeous but there are a lot of ends to weave and I am worried about the washing machine undoing some of them. It was a real joy to knit so I'm OK with it falling apart but next time it will be in wool or a blend so the ends felt in. The little sweaters are just my own design and I must say - if you have never knit for someone you love but whom you have yet to meet - you should try it.

My God Daughter is getting married in June, outside in a garden. She has a beautifly sleeveless dress so she needs a shawl/cape. This is a mix of pure cashmere and a cashmere silk blend. How will I ever go back to plain old wool again? Hee hee! I'll post a photo of the finished and modelled finished item.

And socks for my new DIL's parents - shush - don't tell.

Nice to be back - Adios!

Schools out for Summer!

There hasn't been much knitting for the past year in Rhonda's house. I've been busy studying but now I have three months to catch up and knit some things for my grandson!

But first, Barbara had a big '0' birthday so she got a tea cozy from Wild Tea Cosies by Loani Prior. It was pretty easy and turned out really cute. I think she liked it.

And I have started EZ's Mystery Baby Blanket for Junior (that's what my son is calling him for now!) I'm making it out of cream cotton 8 ply. (this picture is pretty fuzzy - oh well, I'll try to get a good one when it's finished)

And the obligatory booties. I make three in case one gets lost. If Mum hates them, well, she will have to hate them a little longer but if she likes them then it's really nice to have a replacement. And it is easy to knit a third. These are from Debbie Bliss but I don't know which book - I copied it out of one I had from the library.

And I am catching up on novel reading, gardening (although it still looks terrible), and sleep. Hopefully I can catch up with friends too (and blogging!) Adios!