HELLO FROM IOWA

The gypsy in me activated my imagination and here I am in Iowa. I have never been in this part of the country before but it is about the same latitude as New Hampshire so feels very familiar. The trees and plants make me feel right at home as they are the same as the ones I grew up with and loved.

I came here in April to live with my son, Joseph. We sold the house in Melrose and then Holly and the family joined us here in Coralville. Holly bought a home just 8 minutes away from us and now has a good job here in Iowa. Landen also has found a good job that he likes and Luke works with his father. Now that the family is settled Joe and I decided we needed a home instead of an apartment so we have gotten a place just a block away from Holly. This way Joe can spend much of his time with his family and still take care of me. All is working out fine.

This month I turn 90 years old. I never imagined I would live this long but here I am and healthier than I have ever been. Since I found I was gluten sensitive most of my ailments have gone away. Oh, I am getting older and my aching bones remind me of that everyday but they also let me know I have a long life still ahead of me, want them or not so I had best make the best of it. This means I need a point to life again.

My first love, teaching is out of the question so I have gone to my second love, knitting. I got out my books and found patterns form the 40’s and 50’s that I used to make when I was in High School. Back when knitting was first a passion for me. I found the books on Nordic sweaters. At that time I made everyone in the family sweaters or hats from these patterns and decided that was how I wanted to spend my old age – making a Nordic sweater for everyone in the family.

Counting up all the children, grand children, great grand children and their spouses plus a few very special people like god children and adopted children I came to the grand total of 56 sweaters from sizes 3, which is the smallest pattern I have to size men’s 44 +. I have several new ones in the family so will make them a size 3 and they can grow into them and several very large men that I will have to add more to the 44 size. Also I find styles also have changes just a bit so I have to add inches in length to the sweaters and some like the sleeved longer now also. With that said I have started on the sweater and have decided I will take a picture of each sweater and if I can figure out how to get them onto my page I will send you a picture of each one as I finish it. They have changed the format again on this blog so it may take a while for me to learn how to do this so be patient with me. I have about a dozen done already so will start with those. Wish me luck. It is no problem to make the sweater just getting the pictures onto my page.

Now with a new purpose in life I will move forward and be happy. Hope this finds you all the same.