Life Happens (originally titled On The Needles)

I had written this "On The Needles" post a couple of weeks ago with plans to post it during a busy week. Well, that certainly was a busy week. But not in the way I expected. Looking at this post now (it was in my list "to be posted") it reminded me of the quote, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." I always thought that quote was from John Lennon, and he did include the line in a 1980 song. But the quote can be tracked back to the 1950s to Reader's Digest. Remember the Quotable Quotes? And the same words popped up several other times in different publications in the 50s. 

This is not a whine about not getting to do what I wanted to do. Not in the least. It's about life. It's about how life happens. People and real life will always come before "plans." I was so happy that I could help them out. And happy that all is well now. So here is what I was going to post a couple of weeks ago:

Pattern: Grandmother's Favorite

Yarn: Sugar & Cream

Needles: size 7

Yes, in between everything else going on, there has been knitting. What's been on my needles? I made a couple of dishcloths to take to the Cornerstone Retreat in Illinois in a couple of weeks. There is a dishcloth swap for a get-acquainted activity. Wish I'd had time to make a fancier dishcloth, but truly, this pattern is my favorite for washing dishes. Just a good basic dishcloth.

Didn't make it to Cornerstone due to hospital crisis with Baby Girl.

 Pattern: Kid's Fruit Hat

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Needles: size 6

And right before the knitting retreat, there is a baby shower at our church. I knit a little newborn size hat for every baby. I have used other patterns, but again, this simple one is my favorite. It's not as showy but it is the most practical. The roll brim lets you roll it up or down to make it fit as the baby grows.

Didn't get to go to the baby shower. Same crisis. But the hat got delivered on time.
Yay! for knitting ahead for once in my life. 

Pattern: Summertide

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Light

Needles: size 6

But you don't want to knit basic and simple all of the time. This work-in-progress is a challenge. It is a mystery knit-along—that means hundreds of knitters from around the globe signed on to knit this pattern that they haven't seen. We only knew it was a shawl. Clues are emailed once a week for four weeks. There is an online forum for lots of chatter. Knitters can help each other along and cheer each other on. It's been fun. The last clue was released last week and I'm behind. This pattern requires attention. It was not one to do while the grandchildren were here last week. And it's not one to take to my weekly knitting group where sometimes there's more talking than knitting. I'll get it done somewhere along the way. Thankfully, unlike the two easy projects above, this one doesn't have a deadline.

Deadline for this mystery KAL is October 31—tomorrow. Won't finish on time. 
It will get done later.

Doesn't matter who said the "life happens" quote. We just know it's true. Let this be a challenge to all of us to pay more attention to the moment—what's happening to us right now. Good and bad.

So now as things are back to normal (at least as normal as life gets), I have a couple of new dishcloths to give to Mommy. I washed a lot of dishes there. She needs some new ones and she'll get the ones I made. Daddy-O dropped the baby hat off at church before the baby shower. And the lace shawl will be finished when it's finished. There are no knitting police.

Here's to rolling with what ever life hands you. Each and every minute of the day. The ones that go as planned and the ones that veer off in another direction. Will I stop planning? Of course not. Plans will be made. And when they change, I'll adjust and keep on keeping on.