Old Friends

This Sunday we celebrated my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. My brother Kelly, his wife Dawn and their son Robert did much of the work, I just filled in the edges a bit. Kenny and his daughters helped too. Ron would have helped but he is in Alaska with Lori and Maddie but they were well-represented by Liz, Tucker and wee Levi :-}.
Dad had a very good time, I think. Kelly had put together a slideshow dvd with old family photos, many of which mom had forgotten we had since they had been in the box so long.
The party was a special treat for me, because circumstances meant my cousins Lisa and Brent and their families could come (they were up at the lake that weekend). I hadn't seen them for more than a dozen years. Even more special, my Aunt Linda was there! After she and my uncle split, I saw her much less often, especially as my travels took me to Japan and California. She was a very important part of my childhood, and often swept me away to spend time with her and the kids in the summers :-}. I don't know how long it had been since I'd seen her face, but she stayed in touch with Mom all along. It was SO good to see Linda, Lisa and Brent, to meet Brent's kids and see Lisa's Tony again. Talk about some terrific hugging :-} I dearly hope we all see each other again soon.
Yesterday despite the horrible heat (the heat index was up around 110 degrees F) and still feeling a bit tired and worn out from Sunday,  I felt strongly that Oscar and I should go to the Farmer's market near the post office here in Ypsilanti. It was hot but we picked up some lovely herbs and some Dragon Tongue green speckled beans and best of all, ran into another dear friend. We hadn't seen much of the PTD crowd since I got sick several years ago, mostly because my health kept me away from being able to make commitments. I missed them very much. And yesterday, one of my favorite people was there at one of the booths! We were able to stop and chat and hug the stuffings out of Dennis, and I am sure he passed our love on to the rest. We made tentative plans to meet for a grilled backyard supper soon. I can hardly wait :-}.
I am determined to take it easy both physically and mentally today. Oscar has mentored learning, and I plan to sit and read books simply for pleasure, rather than review. I have a used Kindle that came with lots of lovely books. It also contains one of my favorite series, the Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters.
I am starting with Crocodile on the Sandbank and going forward from there. Another old friend to keep me company today as I recover from Sunday and yesterday's activities. :-}
I will also be knitting a bit should reading pall. Kelly, Dawn and Robbie picked up a big bag o' yarn for me at a rummage sale (dickering them down to $3!). Much of it is acrylic which is very popular with charity, and in the midst of that was a bag of odds and ends of cotton 'dishcloth' yarn. I love hand knitted washcloths, particularly if they have a smooth stockinette side. Some of my skin is very tender and easily abraded and those type of cloths are safe to use. I will have a lot of fun making a 'motley crew' of wash cloths (photos later after they are done.) I also decided I need a mindless project for when the cotton yarn tires my fingers out, and decided to make a version of the Sencillo Shawlette (perhaps with a more simple border for the mindless criteria). It looks like a capital way to use up scraps of sock yarn while having fun with color choice.
(photo is of the hollyhocks growing in Mom and Dad's backyard. Mom taught me to make hollyhock dolls when I was a kidling, although I used a little stick as arms securing the bud/head to the blossom/skirt instead of the method used in the video linked.)