nostalgia

Posted on | August 6, 2009 | 17 Comments

I was taking pictures this morning of my cheating-on-my-sweater projects and was going to write a random post (it is Thursday, afterall), but have gotten completely sidetracked.

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This is my seed-stitch-avoidance knitting project – simple socks with luscious yarn I got from my favorite indie dyer, Yarn Zombie.  Jackie has a way with colors that I just can’t resist!

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And this is my spinning avoid-seed-stitch project.  The bobbin on the right is BFL dyed by Carrie and the one on the left is Wensleydale dyed by Adrian.  I’m probably going to add a third bobbin of Finn, a new-to-me fiber, also dyed by Adrian.  Hopefully they’ll look good plied together!

Do you see the plate hanging on the wall in the background?  Here it is close-up:

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This is the town where I was born and where I spent my formative years.  Looking at this plate is like looking at a microcosm of my life.  On the bottom right is the Indiana Cotton Mill, where my grandmother worked for many years, until it closed in 1954.    Bottom left is Myers Grade School, which is the first school I attended when we moved back to Cannelton after spending six years in Oklahoma City.  It’s where the most popular girl in class bought me a piece of peanut butter fudge on my first day and sealed my acceptance into their group, although they didn’t tell me how cruel they would later be – where Robin Rausch kissed me on the cheek in the back of the playground during a game of Truth or Dare.  I was in love.   They installed tennis courts the following year, after I’d moved to the high school, and I still feel cheated out of the tennis career that was certain to raise my social and economic standing.

Center left is St. Michael’s Church, built in 1859 and still the most beautiful church I’ve ever seen.  My friends and I played Ghosts in the Graveyard in the church basement after religion classes and my grandmother’s funeral was held there.  I’m happy to see they’re restoring the church.  It had incredible handpainted scenes along the walls, which were painted over with white paint in the 1970s.  I hated it at the time, but the white paint served to preserve the art underneath. 
 
 The courthouse at the top center is where I would go to meet with my probation officer.  Yes, I was a hellraiser – a juvenile deliquent.  I didn’t make cheerleader my sophomore year (was first alternate) and my mantra became F-the Establishment.  If I’d just held out over the summer, Marvina Sturgent became pregnant and a spot opened up, but by September I was too rebellious to turn back.  I’d check myself out of my fifth period class, walk six blocks to the courthouse, talk to a sweaty, balding man about nothing for thirty minutes and then walk back to school.  Once my probation period ended, they wiped my record clean but my bad attitude remained.  I’m not sure that it ever completely left.
Me sitting on my grandmother's porch. I'm pretty sure that's a mood ring I'm wearing.

Me sitting on my grandmother's porch. I'm pretty sure that's a mood ring I'm wearing.

So, that’s my little walk down memory lane.  I’m sure it wasn’t as interesting for you as it was therapeutic for me, but thank you for walking along with me, if you did!
Category: The Money Pit

Comments

17 Responses to “nostalgia”

  1. Meg
    August 6th, 2009 @ 10:16 am

    Ah, Midwest summer memories. They’re sweet for me too! The colors on the bobbins look like they’ll go together very nicely. I love putting different colors together this way.

  2. Anne
    August 6th, 2009 @ 11:27 am

    It sure was fun tho! As was seeing your avoidance-technique projects. :)

  3. kmkat
    August 6th, 2009 @ 11:51 am

    You had a probation officer? Zounds.

  4. Juno
    August 6th, 2009 @ 12:00 pm

    Hell raiser.

  5. Diane
    August 6th, 2009 @ 12:59 pm

    1. Love the colors in that first yarn. Is it merino? It reminds me of Koigu.

    2. Keep avoiding seed stitch because I can’t wait to see these colors plied. I’m spinning Finn wool right now and loving it. Undyed but that’ll come later.

    3. What’s the building on the center right? No stories there?

    4. Ever wonder how life would have turned out if Marvina got busy a few months earlier?

  6. Paula
    August 6th, 2009 @ 1:31 pm

    Nice walk down memory lane. Part of my summers were spent at my uncle and aunt’s lake house near Monticello, IN on Lake Freeman. Love the yarn-that’s a new one to me

  7. Cookie
    August 6th, 2009 @ 1:49 pm

    There’s nothing wrong with a little avoidance or a walk down memory lane.

  8. Carole
    August 6th, 2009 @ 2:57 pm

    Lovely knitting and spinning. I never would have guessed you were a rebel!

  9. Nora
    August 6th, 2009 @ 3:49 pm

    Oh, youth… I do love your avoidance projects. Such colors!

  10. Cheryl S.
    August 6th, 2009 @ 4:02 pm

    A juvie, eh? Hee hee!
    Love those socks.

  11. cyndy
    August 7th, 2009 @ 6:37 am

    Lovely diversions….

    …the seed stitch will be better off because of them…

  12. Jen
    August 7th, 2009 @ 7:54 am

    I don’t think you’re rebellious, lol! Not in a bad way, at least. I want a city plate now, too! And I’m guessing the pink pants were Rumbleseat brand, remember those? Ah…Good times.

  13. crazy for yarn in alabama
    August 7th, 2009 @ 8:45 am

    What a GREAT post!! Love the walk down memory lane….but in retrospect….had you of waited for that cheerleading spot to open…you probably wouldn’t be the person you are today!! Funny the circumstances that shape our lives!!

  14. mel
    August 10th, 2009 @ 4:22 pm

    I’ve missed you E! And I very much enjoyed your trip down memory lane, thanks for taking us along! I love how that plate ties into so many moments and memories. A very cool thing. I had a feeling you were a rebel ;)

    The distraction projects are great too – that sock colorway is awesome.

  15. Carrie
    August 10th, 2009 @ 5:56 pm

    Sometimes memory lane is the only road that takes us where we need to go.

  16. Bubblesknits
    August 10th, 2009 @ 9:22 pm

    Wow…did all the popular groups do that to the newcomers? That part basically described my middle school years. lol I think the cruelty is why I’m so terrified about the boy-child starting school.

    Love that you had a probation officer, though. hee ;-)

  17. Tina M.
    August 11th, 2009 @ 4:20 am

    You secret rebel, you! I knew you were hell on wheels, I just knew it!