Some of my blogging friends may have noticed my “absence” on their sites. I assure you that I still love you, and I will be back soon. There are several things going on in my world right now that are keeping me from being able to visit:
1) My family will be gathering at my house next week, when my son visits from San Francisco, and I have to take some time to clean my house :shock:!
2) I’m having a little bit of problem with arthritis in both my hips and my hands. I may have to take some money out of those piggy banks to buy me an ergonomic chair.
3) I’m working on finishing the [tag]This Blog Blows My Dress Up Contest[/tag]. Matty at Running on Empty is the impartial judge for the [tag]writing contest[/tag]. Have you entered yet? The deadline is June 5th! If you don’t enter, you can’t win the $25 Amazon gift certificate.
4) I’m a little caught up in the Share A Square project.
Have y’all ever seen a rat terrier when it gets hold of a sock? That dog grabs the sock in its mouth and shakes around and just won’t let go. Right about now, you can imagine me with those afghan squares for [tag]Share A Square [/tag]in my mouth! That isn’t a very pretty visual image, is it? I assure you I don’t really have them in my mouth. However, I have them all over my house.
I’m so proud of the big-hearted people who are helping with this project! I knew you all were there. You can see a list of folks on the blogroll who are helping (please tell me if your name belongs there!). Jenny McB at J’s Thoughts and Musings even put the whole blogroll on her sidebar! What a wonderful way to share some “Link Love!” Up The Hill Gang is planning a day of crochet in Tennessee to help the project. Marcia at Tumbled Words approached a crochet group at her local Ben Franklin store and asked for their help. Thorne’s World gathered a selection of patterns for those of you who are bored making granny squares. I know that many others are helping, too. Comment and tell me what you are doing, even if it’s just telling folks about it on your site.
More squares are arriving daily. I got a packet from Meg in California and one from Sharon in Kansas, Connie K. in Longview, TX and Julie in Michigan. Thank you, ladies, for your help.
There have been a lot of people (who can’t crochet for Share A Square) who have asked me how they could help these children. Jill Koss is the director of [tag]Camp Sanguinity[/tag], and she said you can contact her for more information. It costs $150 for a child to go to the camp, which is a lot of money for a family strapped with the medical bills for cancer treatment.
On top of that, the camp provides each camper with items like disposable cameras, sunglasses, water bottles, compasses, and even shoes and clothing (because some of the children come without the proper attire). They have those items for this year, but your generosity will help defray their costs. Jill can be reached at 682-885-7989 or jillk at cookchildrens dot org (remember to change “at” to “@” and “dot” to “.”).
Last week, my local newspaper, [tag]The Denton Record Chronicle[/tag], made a small mention of the Share A Square Project. I was pretty delighted to see it, and was amazed, that the tiny blurb got some attention. It also might have smoothed my attempts to get some other help within my own home town.
A local teacher, Donna G. e-mailed me about it. Unfortunately, when I tried to e-mail her back the school district’s spam filters ditched my e-mail. So, Donna G., please contact me again! My dear husband made some flyers for the project, and I’m taking them down to the Emily Fowler Public Library today. Tonight, there is a beginner crochet group, and the organizer told me she will have the students make squares for the projects as their “testing squares.” Maybe it will inspire them to keep at it.
Y’all. the sticky post I had at the top of my page got boring to me, so I’ve taken it off the page. Now you just have to put up with me reminding you of things within my posts. I hope you will bear with me. Leanne had kindly uploaded that for me, and maybe I’ll use it another time [check out her post called "How I Learned Design" if you are thinking about a Word Press blog. It will give you hope!]
I had told you about the flooding that happened north of me in Gainesville, Texas. It’s still happening—–there, and all around North Texas. The rain just won’t quit. FEMA has set up a headquarters in Gainesville, and my sister tells me that the Red Cross is helping people. If you want to help, please contact the Red Cross. That wonderful [tag]charity[/tag] is always in need of funds to help disaster victims.
The rain is playing havoc with the festivities for the July 4th holiday, and I am sure is affecting the campers at Camp Sanguinity. This is the week, for this year, that the children with [tag]cancer[/tag] in North Texas are meeting. Today was the designated “visitor day,” and unfortunately I can’t go. I had hoped to be able to tell y’all more about the camp. I have to go to Diboll in East Texas to tell stories today. If you don’t see me around here tomorrow, send out the search party, because I might have gotten caught in flood waters!
[EDITOR'S NOTE: The Share A Square project has ended, and the afghans were delivered on July 7th, 2008. Although we will not continue that project, an exciting NEW endeavor, called the Good Medicine Project is in progress for summer camp 2009. We hope you will join us.]
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Now it is time to break out the batherapy – I swear it helps arthritis, and it is so relaxing. Sorry you are aching.
Hope you have a great visit with your family.
The ache will go away, but I sure would love some batherapy! Thanks for the visit.~skt
Hey there! Sorry to hear you are achey..hope that gets better soon.
Also, I just wanted to let you know that I haven’t forgotten to send in my squares. I am waiting on ink so I can make my labels. I know I should just hand make my labels but I’m just a wee anal about things like that because I can’t make it perfectly like I want it to be! lol! I know, I know…I need therapy! lol!!
We ALL need therapy, Jenny!
I look forward to getting them~skt
Woweee!!! Look at all of those beautiful squares! The afghans are going to be beautiful.
I’m still doing something wrong in my attempts to crochet. My kids say to try to find some instructional videos on YouTube and see if that works for me. I will be trying this weekend!!!
How cool that your family is coming to visit!!!! You must be excited!!!
Jessica
I am excited, and those squares are lovely, aren’t they? You keep trying to crochet, but if it doesn’t work out, just keep talking about the program~skt
Mine should be getting there any day now.
You know, small coincidence. I went to the Camp Sanguinity link, just to look around and see what they were about. I was thinking it was mainly a camp for kids with cancer. I was surprised to see that it also includes children with blood diseases. My younger brother had a blood disease called aplastic anemia from the age of nine until he passed away at age 19 in 1991. He would have loved to attend a camp. His “camp” was the hospital in Galveston….a place where people knew and accepted him. I’m so glad these kids have this camp! Thanks for making us aware of it.
Stacy, I wish your brother had been able to go to that camp. I’m so sorry for your loss. I look forward to getting your squares~skt
Now, I know you were bored with your sticky and I like reading updates within posts. If you get bored not having a sticky, could post a photo of a different square up top every day, so we could see the variety of beautiful squares. Never mind, we can look at the big pic as you add more to the collection.
I’m sending the barbs I usually toss at Leon’s smart remarks toward your hips and hands — just to deaden the arthritis. (Let me know if it works
) I’m not worried about sending the troops out after you, there is no way that handsome man of yours won’t have you rescued before you even get in trouble.
So glad your community is getting more involved.
I could post a different square every day? Oh, Marcia. That’s easy for YOU to say.
You accomplish more in a day than I get done in a month~skt
I´m sorry to hear about your ache. Have yo got any treatment for that? My mother has arthritis, it´s terrible when she has a crisis. I hope you will be well soon, so you can enjoy the visit of your family. Un saludo especial para ti, eres maravillosa.
Thank you, Lola. I don’t take much medication, because I’m stubborn and think I can handle it. The ache comes and goes, and I will try not to whine about it.~skt
Sending some cool New England weather thoughts your way. Rose emailed me last night, I think b/n the three of us- her daughter included, we will be sending about 100 at the end of the week.
We are hooked thanks to you.
I turned you into hookers!
Can’t wait to get them~skt
Hi Shelly,
Sorry to hear you have some health problems , I’m sure you will over come them. Your posts are so inspiring, they are packed with love for others and clearly demonstrate your wonderful personality – so rare a trait these days.
I am so glad your share-a-square effort is getting up a head a steam! You (and they) deserve it.
Keep well and good luck.
Coming from someone as nice as you, that’s a fine compliment, Nigel. Thanks for the good wishes~skt
Hugs and kisses right back. I need a smiley face that shows a big “smack” don’t I?
Hi Shelly, I heard all about the rain y’all have been getting….amazing! You know, I will be moving not far from you soon!!
We’ll have to meet and maybe crochet together! hee hee I have sent you a box of squares via UPS, you should receive them Friday or Monday.
Don’t float away…maybe building an Ark is in order?? LOL
An ark? Nah. We will be back to drought mode soon. It’s Texas! Can’t wait to have you as a neighbor.~skt
Hi Shelly, I brought this to the attention of my crochet class that meets at the Senior Center in La Puente, California. They are all real excited to start helping you!! I will be taking the pattern to the next meeting(both knit and crochet) so that we can get started. We all think this is a great idea! We are just a small group of women but we love things like this. The last one we did was “caps to the capital” This is so great a project!!!
Thank you, Patricia! Can’t wait to get the squares!~skt