Roanoke, VA - 125 Years Young!

It wasn't the best of days (a bit chilly and showery) but today was Roanoke, VA (my hometown) 125th anniversary. I wanted to attend the festivities, as I was born here, and have lived here most of my 50 years. A parade of dignitaries arrived at the Roanoke Civic Center in a light rain shower. This horse-drawn carriage transported our Governor, Tim Kaine, to the event (and yes, I'm a bit slow, he's behind the carriage, so the photo is obviously not the best!). Today was also the grand opening of the new Exhibition Hall for the Roanoke Civic Center, and most of the photos here were taken there. The lighting left a lot to be desired, mainly because they were showing slides, and later a video, on the history of the city, so the lights were quite dim.


One of the main reasons I wanted to attend were the antique cars I knew would be there...


This is the hood ornament of the "Woody" in the photo above it. The photos of the Woody simply could not do the restored (and HIGHLY polished) wood trim justice - this car is just gorgeous...



(oh, did I mention my landlord owns these? I came home from work last night to discover several of them parked in front of my new home!)

Then there was a delightful display of handcrafted dolls wearing vintage costumes! I couldn't get all of them photographed, but I probably still went overboard in sharing them with you. I was quite taken with them...especially the period detail! Just exquisite...





Our History Museum had a display of photographs and period items from the day...I know I was born in the wrong time, as I'd feel so at home in this setting! (Ok...I'd have been a Suffragette, but I'd still have been happier living in Victorian times...)

Before I began making bags and knitting up a storm, I thought I wanted to be a Crazy Quilter. I've studied it and studied it, but discovered that, although I can quilt and embroider, both, I'm not cut out for this art form - I really need order, not random placement! Still I adore crazy quilts, and this vintage example took my breath away...look at that butterfly!

This is really not a good photo, but one of the guest speakers was none other than Earl Hamner, creator of The Waltons and Falcon Crest. Mr. Hamner is now 83 and reminisced about visiting Roanoke when he was growing up just down the road a bit in Schuyler, VA (okay, it's north, but around here we go "up" to go south and "down" to go north, so go figure!).


We realized the festivities were going to go on a lot longer than we'd expected, and we both had other things to get done today, so we left. As we returned to ground level at the Civic Center I realized we really do have a lovely view of downtown from there...you can see how gray a day it was...

Getting Philosophical on Socks!

A little over a year ago, I started knitting socks for the first time. I didn’t think it would be a big deal, I’d just take a class, learn to knit them toe-up and then cuff-down, and be done with it. Something else accomplished. Marked off my list of “wish I knew how to...”

Well.

I’ve now knit 5 pair (only one was a gift). All toe-up, as it’s the method that fits my feet the best, so why bother with another way? My time is limited…

This is an amazing feat – no I did not intend the pun – as I have also churned out well over 200 Nana Sadie Rose bags in that time, plus assorted knitted items and even read a book or six, worked a full-time job, taken care of a part-time business client, maintained friendships and family ties, and also managed a major move under extreme pressure.

And the most frequently asked question I get when people see me knitting a pair of socks (ok...they only see me knitting one sock at a time!) is:

“Why would anyone pay $20-$25 for yarn and spend hours and hours to hand-knit ONE pair of socks when you can go to Walmart and buy 6 pair for $5?”

Actually, it’s really a fair question, in spite of the fact that I tend to look the questioners squarely in the eye as if they are from another planet.

I had the same question over a year ago (before I knit my first pair).

My standard answer is also pretty simple. “If you’ve never worn a pair of hand-knit merino socks, you cannot understand. Once you do, you’ll never again question it. And no, I will not knit you a pair, it takes me too long to knit my own, and I’m going to have a drawer full before I stop...but I’ll be happy to help you learn to knit your own...”

Why Socks?

1. Warmth. There is no way a pair of cheap cotton/acrylic socks from Walmart can keep my feet as warm as merino wool.
2. Quality. These socks FIT my feet. I have very small feet (size 5.5). The standard Walmart sock “fits women’s size 6-9” which means I have a LOT of sock stuffed in around my heels and toes that is not needed.
3. Sensuality. There. I’ve said it. If you’ve never worn silk underwear, if you’ve never felt velvet against your skin, then you can’t imagine the sensual quality of merino against the soles of your feet. Imagine a hot bath in steaming scented oil of your favorite flavor, the water slipping over your skin…imagine velvety rose petals strewn across slick satin sheets…fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate…
4. Peace of Mind. The process of knitting keeps me sane, and the small needles (usually size 1 bamboos) and fingering weight yarn combined with a portable project means that wherever I am, I can indulge in a bit of emotional release just about anytime.

There’s more of course. But a list is so ... cut and dried. I’m working for the soul (!) of knitted socks.

Once upon a time, I danced. My very highly-arched feet were stuffed into toe shoes that made it possible for me to bear the entirety of my weight upon my ONE BIG TOE. I spent hours and hours every day in those shoes, on first one and then the other of my big toes. I was…”A BALLERINA.”

I never made it to NYC, but I danced daily in preparation for it. At the end of every day, my toes were dented and bruised and very, very red. The end result has been misshapen feet, with an early propensity to bunions and corns in both traditional and non-traditional places. My arches ached and often got the worst “stitches” and cramps in them…charley horses? In my calves…all the time.

As beautiful as ballet is, it’s a hard, painful life. There’s a reason why ballerinas have to end their careers in their early 30s. Their bodies simply cannot handle the demands the art places on it beyond that time. (Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but usually ballerinas become dance teachers, and they spend their remaining lives in ballet shoes, not toe shoes, for a reason!)

The arthritis that has developed in my middle toes (I’m convinced from being scrunched between the big toe and the outer toes for years on end) is eased by the softness and warmth of hand-knit socks. Wearing hand-knit socks also means that I must wear shoes with a wider toe bed, which is certainly healthier for my feet. Clogs just fit the bill (they also help keep the heels of the socks from wearing out faster).

And may I offer a hint to those gentlemen who might be reading with whatever measure of interest in Nana? The fastest way for a man to make it into my life is to offer to give me a foot massage. Spend long periods of time, with warm oil, gently stroking my toes, the arch of my foot, the heel and back around again, and I’ll probably agree to do just about anything.
;)
(But be careful, because tickling those same feet sends me in the opposite direction really, really fast!)

But this IS about socks, right? Well...what I learned with my first pair of merino wool socks is that those handcrafted, form-fitted, ideally-shaped-to-MY-foot toe-up socks, knitted in stockinette is a very close second to a foot massage in my book. My toes are enveloped in softness, comfort, and warmth that lasts all day. There is no bunching, no excess fabric, the socks fit like a glove, if you will…

Especially if the sock yarn is 100% merino. Sinful luxury. And the price of $20-$25 per pair? Peanuts.

All the colorful hand-dyed goodness is just eye candy. Pure fluff. Tons of fun. And I look for fun wherever I can find it now that I’m a Woman of a Certain Age.

So go ahead. Buy your Walmart mass-produced, low-quality cotton-acrylic blend socks. Keep your toes chilly.

But I’ll keep knitting my “expensive” socks. It’s a therapy unrivaled…a combination of process (knitting) and product (the socks) that cannot under any circumstance be surpassed. And actually, when you think about it, hour for hour, $25 for gorgeous sock yarn is a lot cheaper than either psychoanalysis or therapeutic massage would cost me.

JMHO!

Different Every Time!

I think this is me, mostly...

Take the Quiz here!

But first I got this:

Take the Quiz here!

And when I thought about it...(some of those questions I don't really have good answers for - my best friend isn't in that selection of questions after all...)

Take the Quiz here!

(but I hate to admit that I haven't read Persuasion)

So...I suspect I'm really a conglomeration of all of them.
Thanks Birdsong for pointing me to this fun quiz!

We're Moving...

And not blogs! Knitnana, Nana Sadie Rose, and crew are in the process of changing physical abodes.

There'll be light and air (especially AIR!!), space...this lovely townhome is vintage (suits Nana Sadie Rose, doncha think? as she's pretty vintage, too!), with hardwood floors and a quaint, yet large kitchen. And storage galore - which I don't completely understand considering the age of the place. The two really don't go together, but there you go...

Every thing is in turmoil. There are empty boxes stacked high in every free space, and even some that are finally packed (this isn't a happy process for me, but I don't know anyone who likes it). When you consider the limited space I'm in now...well, it's a tad bit TIGHT in here...

But it's giving me another opportunity to re-evaluate the "stuff" of my life, another chance to practice my voluntary simplicity philosophy...

How much is enough? Do you know what "enough" is for you? It's really such a personal decision - no one can tell you what the definition is, you simply have to come to it yourself. I've spent years reducing...seeing things creep back up again, then reducing once more. It's hard. But freeing when you can realize that you've really less than when you started all those years ago (11 for me!).

Fabric and yarn do not enter into the discussion. I have what I have. Fabric comes in based on sales orders for the business, yarn right now is on hold for Knit from Your Stash, so it's slowly being used.

So: I cannot give up my CD and tape (!) collection, nor my books. And my bear collection is finally going to have the space to come out and play (in an antique cradle that is a family piece - there's been no room for it for years...). But I'm paring down the wardobe considerably (I've put together a certain "uniform" over the years, and might as well give up the rest, if I eventually lose the weight, I'll just buy new, till then, someone else can get the benefit from it!). The blue & white china stays as well. The magazines I used to collect, well, many of those are on their way out.

And the stuff of a lifetime, and my mom's lifetime before me, well much isn't worth keeping after all.

In all this new space, what a lovely idea to try and "keep things light!"

Interesting...

You Are a Pegasus

You are a perfectionist, with an eye for beauty. You know how to live a good life - and you rarely deviate from your good taste. While you aren't outgoing, you have excellent social skills. People both admire you - and feel very comfortable around you.

What Mythological Creature Are You?

Do Ya Think?

Your Career Personality: Practical, Easy-Going, and Determined

Your Ideal Careers: Airplane pilot Civil engineer Fire fighter Forensic pathologist Graphic designer Marine biologist Police officer Professional athlete Race car driver Software engineer

The Quick and Dirty Career Test

Actually, practical, easy-going, and determined describe me very well - and it works with designing bags and knitting items!

New Year's Plans...

2007.
My plans are really pretty simple. From simplicity. Voluntary simplicity (heard that one here before?).

My personal "enough" has been ignored over the past several months. I know that stress does that to me. And 2006, while wonderful in many ways, was stressful.

So Enough. Here we go. New Plans, New Goals.

1. Aim for health - and all the "resolutions" that go with that: eating better, exercising more, destressing more.
2. Moving for health - and in this, I don't mean exercise - Literally MOVING...to a new, healthy environment without smoke. And weeding out "stuff" in the process!
3. Buy less, save more. And, um, yes, that means destash the yarn. (Fabrics do not qualify, as they are not stash, they are business inventory.) I have some of the most gorgeous yarn...and I'm a slow knitter. If I couldn't buy more yarn for 2 years, I'd still have enough to use up...(lolol!) But I don't include sock yarn. That's exempt. (A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...)

In all things, it will be quality over quantity. Holding fast to my personal definition of "enough."

If not now, when?
I think I deserve it.

What Classic Movie Are You?

Found this on Miriam's blog...

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I wonder what Jane thinks of this?

Merry Christmas!

Last year I bought myself a very special original piece of art and I want to share it with you....(the photo just doesn't do it justice, you know?)

If you'd like something by this artist (NAYY), you can see her work here. Everything she does is wonderful - be it Siamese cats, greyhounds, or even Ragdolls (should I tell Wendy and Lucy?). Her title for the piece above was "I brought my own."

May you get caught under the mistletoe with your own very special person this year.
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve's Eve...

On Knitnana I was sharing my foot-dragging about decorating for the holidays the other day. I did finally succumb and put up a very little tree and a wreath on the door.

But until I visited my sister-in-law over the weekend, I'd completely forgotten this little tree, which I love.

For years, I wanted a little tabletop ceramic tree. I never wanted to take a ceramics class to get one, however. A couple of years ago, DD discovered this one at a flea market and gave it to me for Christmas. Unlike most of the trees I see with little "lights" on them, this tree has little birds that the light shines through. I adore it.

So it, and the gifts for my big sister's family, adorn my dining room. I guess I'm having more Christmas this year than I'd planned.

Today is my eldest grandson's birthday. This is the first year I've not been able to be with him to celebrate - they've moved too many miles away...and it's so hard to have a birthday right before Christmas.

His dad calls him "Tater." This is a much younger photo of him...


Dearest little Tater...Happy Birthday! I miss you so much! I hope you had the best birthday of your life! Your Nana loves you.
(((hugs)))

Reading? Well, These Days, Rarely...

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

From my dear friend Christie who's answer is quite appropriate to her, I was sitting and wondering why it didn't ask about knitting in line at the post office or what socks I brought to knit on the plane...I do read, just not the way I used to when I was indeed just a step or two away from that Ph.D., but these days, it's one book, now usually a novel, and I read over weeks, not hours. Knitting and sewing have replaced reading, mainly for two reasons, my eyesight, and my income!

But compulsive about my hobbies? Well, now THAT I am...
Thanks for a fun quiz, Christie!

Merry Christmas to Me

Ok. I hope this works. I've tried everything I can think of to eliminate the cigarette smoke from my space. I still have a little trick or two up my sleeve. But tonight, I bought my Christmas present to me: a Whirlpool Whispure 450. Not inexpensive by any means, but when it's your livelihood at stake, you make trade-offs.
Not to mention your life.
I've managed to keep fans blowing out slightly opened windows, but the end of this week, it's supposed to turn COLD. I can't keep that up all winter. So this little baby, which is supposed to work miracles, if the reviews at Consumer Reports and on the internet are to be believed, has come home to make my life healthier.
Keep your fingers crossed?

Teabird's Aspirational MEME

An aspirational meme
(picked up from Melanie and I thought it fit nicely on this blog...)

What part of the past would you bring back if you possibly could?
My mother. I would spend the years I lived with her as an adult and as her friend once again and forever. I miss her dearly. We did everything together and had so much fun!

What character trait would you alter if you could?
My chatterbox syndrome...I can talk you to death. I can talk the walls to death. I think best aloud, so I run off at the mouth constantly. Don't get behind me in the grocery store...you will be amazed!

Which skill would you like to have the time and energy to really work on?
Organization, of my work/living space.

Are you money poor, love poor, time poor, or freedom poor?
Energy poor, I'll ditto Melanie, and add in money poor, which will cause a draught of energy. Because the funding issues are a challenge, I am also time poor, because I have so many money-earning projects going it's hard to find time for quiet relaxation, which also contributes to being energy poor.

What element of your partner's character would you alter if you could?
MFMPPF is inclined to put everyone else in his life ahead of himself. While I value his sense of loyalty and desire to support those he loves, I'd like to see him value his own feelings enough to come first on his own list.

What three things are you going to do next year that you've been meaning to do for ages but never got around to? Organize my closets to accommodate stash yarn and fabrics as well as my clothes! Knit a gossamer lace scarf/shawl. Two new products for Nana Sadie Rose (shhhh...it's a secret!)

If your fairy godmother gave you three wishes, what would you wish for?
Health, a secure retirement, MFMPPF to feel he deserves to be happy (preferably with me in the picture, long-term!).

What one thing would you change about your living conditions?
A home without health risks imposed by other people (like downstairs neighbors who smoke!)

How could the quality of your free time be improved?
By having more of it at a longer stretch...

What change have you made to your life recently that you're most proud of?
I still count "recently" to include 3 years ago when I quit smoking. Oh, and that Nana Sadie Rose thing...too!

If anyone decides to tag herself, please share -

A Time to Turn Inward...

Today I cleaned up the balcony garden (yes, sometimes things get away from me, and this one did!). Yesterday was 75 degrees. Today is 48. But the sun is bright. And it was time to clear away the deadwood and make way for the quietude of winter.

First, tho', will come the lights and fun of the holidays, and of course, Nana Sadie Rose is busy busy busy putting the finishing touches on Christmas orders, and preparing for the last of the craft shows before the Winter Holiday gift-giving season commences.

But more and more, I'm finding myself wending inward. Closing up windows, closing inward with emotions, shutting down early, as darkness falls sooner and sooner...

I'm having a struggle here. A new neighbor has moved in below me. She is a heavy smoker. Those of you who know me, know that I struggled to quit smoking and have been very successful in staying quit these last few years. After my heart attack and by-pass surgery, and now with Lupus and the lung issues associated with that, the protection of my heart & lung health is one of my major priorities. My aunt recently died of lung cancer after having NEVER smoked, but she did live with a smoker for the first years of her marriage...then he quit. Second-hand smoke is deadly.

My landlady has indicated that there is nothing she can do beyond asking the neighbor to please take it outside or to use an ionizer (which I've read actually isn't beneficial because of the release of ozone into the air). She says that she cannot tell her what to do in her own home...

While things are a bit better this weekend than last, there is still smoke in my apartment, once in awhile, enough to upset me.

I want to poll my readers about a couple of things from your own experience, so would you leave me comments or email me at nanasadieroseATcoxDOTnet?

What air purifiers have you had success with? What costs did you not anticipate? I've been looking at the Whirlpool Whispur 450 specifically...

What, if any, legal issues do you see with smoke invading from another apartment, after years of residence (I've been here more than 5 years...the previous neighbors did not smoke, the landlady knew of my health issues, this is a large complex, and this is a Big Tobacco State - tho' the governor is more amenable to anti-smoking legislation that previous ones have been!).

I've done some preliminary research on the net, but you know, I'm under a time crunch with other things right now. I need to buy an air cleaner/purifier right away, and don't want to make a costly mistake!

All your info will be greatly appreciated...
(((hugs)))

Autumn in the Mountains...

Taken by a coworker of mine, rebelnva, this shot is from Douthat State Park and shows how glorious it can be in the Blue Ridge in fall...

You are White Chocolate

You have a strong feminine side with a good bit of innocence thrown in. Whether your girlish ways are an act or not, men like to take care of you. You are an understated beauty, and your power is often underestimated!

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

Really? I suppose that's true...but I prefer to EAT the Dark Chocolate! (Unless of course I'm having a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha) :)

Very Early Sunday Morning...

It's a lifeline to my friends and family all over the world. And when something goes wrong with it, I'll spend hours, beg more friends for help, and generally suffer intense angst, sturm und drang...until, of course, it's back and functional again.

I do not understand the mindset of the people who create the little problems that can wreak havoc on the delicate electronic wizardry that makes these boxes run. I also have no patience for their "games."

I believe, that once again, Nana Sadie and Knitnana can get back to the business they love: sewing and knitting. Computer geekism isn't what we're good at. But once again, it is enabling a quality post...

Have a wonderful Sunday...I'm headed to bed.
(((hugs)))

VERY Fall Friday Night!

I hate to start with "It was a dark and stormy night..." But it was...
The apartment was too warm, so I had the balcony door opened just an inch or so for fresh air. All the girls caught the crispness in the air (it was damp, too, but they try not to notice that). We were having fun with The Meezer's tearstrip (you can see them all on Knitnana). But The Calico Curmudgeon kept going to the door and crying. She is not a vocal kitty, so this was unusual. We're accepting the fact that she's going on to 16 years old, and not in the best of health, so perhaps she'll be heading to the Rainbow Bridge soon (sob!). But on THIS Friday night, there was a hint of the kitten left to see...


She wouldn't leave the door alone, wouldn't stop crying though, as if there really was an urgency that she get outside. I finally shut the door and we went to bed, The Calico reluctantly settling down on her purr pad.

Saturday morning dawned with more gloom, but I went outside to check the tomatoes. There won't be many more of the lovelies. And on the wicker rocker I discovered a red grape tomato with a chunk bitten out. Hmmm....

When did The Calico Curmudgeon become a watch cat? And I just wonder what kind of animal it was that was wanting a midnight snack on my balcony? I'm really glad I didn't try to find out in the dark last night!

It's Always Serendipity!

Knitnana has been really busy and posted a bunch today, so (I know this sounds as if I have a split personality! lololol!!) I decided it was time to update here...

You know, when I find a fabric that I think will work, I'm usually pretty amazed at the end result of a bag, even when I thought "this will be cool" at the first sighting...

But it's ALWAYS serendipitous when SOMEONE ELSE brings me the fabric (especially when it's one I'm uncertain about...have seen before and dismissed for one reason or another) and it turns out beyond my wildest expectations.

Such is the case with this bag. I believe this is a Daisy Kingdom fabric (and I'm not wild about the quality of their fabrics - they're ok, just not what I prefer). My big sis bought it and sent it to me. She thought it was neat (mainly because she has a couple of her own kitties represented on the cloth! lolol). I was distressed. I knew the print was entirely too big for a Mera bag. I told her so. She still wanted a bag...we discussed. Then she came to visit. She brought her wireless laptop, a host of connection devices, her digital camera and all of IT's cables, etc.

I said, "You know what you need to carry all of this, don't you? A Sadie bag..." "Oh, I don't need that large of a bag..." yada yada...

"I could use your cat fabric" - this I knew was the tease.

"OH. Well, okay."

So here it is. Amazing, huh? I am over the moon with the results. Which just goes to show you, while Nana Sadie Rose has a great eye, she's not alone in this talent!

(I was able to find some interesting stuff for the insides, too!) Let me know if you have an idea for a bag of your own, okay?

My Celtic Horoscope...

You Are A Fir Tree

You love anything beautiful, and you have extraordinary taste. And while it's hard for you to trust, you care deeply for those close to you. You are a social butterfly, and you have many friends. You handle stress well - and you are a master at relaxing after a hard day. Overall, you are modest, talented, unselfish, and very reliable.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

I'll agree with most of this...but "You handle stress well?" Um...yeah, that's why I had a heart attack, right?