This has been a ridiculously hard year for our family. I thought things were rough last Spring (you can always tell how hard I'm working to keep my head above water by how many pairs of socks I'm turning out. I completed four pair in April alone), but this Fall was in a class by itself. Surgery in October, then no power for days on end, followed by having my sadness over the dog's death put firmly into perspective by my father's passing on December 10th, complicated by other things I cannot blog about because they are not my story to tell, but ENOUGH, ALREADY! ......
Dear God,
Uncle.
Love,
Me
*****
WB's behavior has been evening out, although she still has her moments. Over the last two weeks she has been over-the-top frustrated by the failure of her repeated attempts to oust one or the other of us from the inner circle. "You are not in my family!" she informs her target, sharply. "You are not my friend ANY MORE."
So far, the only person exempt from this treatment has been Eldest (who is, to WB's way of thinking, Practically Perfect in Every Way). When words fail her, she has been resorting to hitting ... although tonight I flummoxed her by grabbing her hand before it landed on my arm (my crime? asking her to brush her teeth) and covering it with kisses.
"There," I said to her. "Now, whenever you hit me with your hand, you're giving me lots and lots of love."
You could actually SEE the wheels turn while she tried to think of a way around this. Rather than concede defeat, I was informed that she was NOT going to have a blanket covering her tonight, and she would NOT be using a pillow. She glared at me defiantly.
"O.k.," I said, with (feigned) cheerful indifference. "Sleep tight!"
This was not the reaction she was looking for. She ordered me out of her room -- "NOW, MAMA" -- and was shocked, SHOCKED, when I gave her a quick kiss goodnight and did what she asked.
She doesn't know that I stayed within earshot until I was certain she was asleep, then slipped back in to give her another kiss and cover her with her blanket.
I love her beyond reason, but HEAVENS ABOVE, she is trying my patience.
*****
The sum total of my knitting for the year:
Missing from this collage are some mitts, two pair of socks, and a cowl for my mother, all finished since the end of October.
I know, bad blogger. But honestly ... photographing handknits has been a low priority around here lately. I'll catch up eventually.
****
Last but not least ... 2011, as summed up the first line of the first post of each month:
January: Happy birthday to a boy who has ALWAYS known how to wear a hat.
February: This week's topic is "10 Things on Your Beside Table", to which I say ... only 10?
March: Someone really missed her older brother while he was away.
April: We never planned to have WB share our bedroom with us for so long.
May: It is May 3rd, and I was never so happy to turn the pages on my wall calendar as I was on Sunday morning.
June: Someone does not want to share the strawberries.
July: Taking what she's learned in the classroom ... and using it in the real world.
August: So much for my grand plan to post at least once a week!
September: At this time last week, our house was a flurry of activity.
October: This morning's text exchange between me and Eldest:
November: My apologies ... I didn't mean to blog about having surgery and disappear like that.
December: Thank you for your kind thoughts and expressions of support in the wake of Duke's death.
*****
Wishing us all a happy, challenge-free 2012 ....
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