Yopping Update #30 - Home

Yes I am home.  Thursday was ALL day travelling - a total of 26 hours and despite a couple of seat mix-ups on two of the three flights we arrived only an hour later than we were supposed to.  I was home by 9:30 pm (my time) and in bed and asleep by 10pm.

Of course due to the nine hour time change I was up at 4 in the morning so I did this:

Made coffee in my favourite mug and started to read my knitting magazines that had arrived while I was away.

The house is in good order and Otis (the cat) seemed happy enough to see me.

Friday was mostly laundry, chinese food for lunch (YUM) and a wee bit of grocery shopping.  I was in bed again by 10pm, but up between 4 and 9.  Then back to bed for a couple of hours.

Once up and fed I started to put Marie Kondo's ideas into practice.  First up underwear drawer:

Then t-shirt and jeans drawer:

and finally...... drum roll please....my hand made sock drawer.

Then I sorted out my knitting supplies and re-organized my stash.

I did start some knitting on Friday - after a week of NO knitting. 

I started the Prairie Shawl with wool I had reclaimed from a partly crocheted sweater at the free store:

And I started the KAL sampler blanket that is in my Simply Knitting magazine.

There are two squares per issue for six issues (I am currently on my first issue).  I will use left over bits and bobs to do this.  You knit three of each square.

this one has bobbles!

Last night I decided to knit another key fob cover out of some rainbow hemp I had.  The one I knit a year or so ago was looking pretty shabby.  I am very happy with this one - another successful use for double-knitting.

While I was sorting out my knitting projects I decided to frog my Tunisian crocheted sampler blanket.  I will find something else to do with the wool.

I have re-acquainted myself with my two crocheted baby blankets.  They are on my now, ever growing to-do list. 

Now that my sleep is almost turned around I need to start prepping for two courses I am teaching in the middle of February.  Maybe tomorrow.  Today I need to 'Kondo' my linen cupboard!

So.  I am home.  Missing my daughter and her daughter like crazy but so thankful for WhatsApp so we can stay in touch and receive pictures like this:

I am not as teary as I thought I would be coming home.  Perhaps the distance has not yet sunk in yet.  I am looking forward to our first video chat this coming week. 

I can finally show you the last baby knit that I gave my grand-daughter just as I left:

That's it for me.  To follow other yoppers check out their progress here.

Yopping Update #29 - All done

Remember my picture from last week.  All my remaining yarn:

This is what became of it:

and I even had enough left to darn a sock:

So until I get home I am knitless.  I decided not to go look for a wool store - which is a journey in itself because I only have 4 more days here and I want to spend it with my daughter. 

She turned 30 last Tuesday and we had a bit of a party.  I brought Christmas Crackers from Canada and there was enough to go around.  You wouldn't believe what a hit these were with the Croats.  They wore their crowns for the rest of the night, laughed mightily at the jokes and were delighted with their prizes.  Next time I come I was told to bring twice as many because her Brother-in-Law wants to save one unopened as a memory keepsake. 

So there have been lots of walks:

and lots of gazing at the new grand-daughter.

I tried out the baby sling with a willing guinea pig: (stuffed dog)

and then my dear daughter tried it with the real thing:

Alas it is all coming to an end too quickly.  Neither of us slept well last night, and I have woken up quite teary this morning.  I will go for a long walk now - the rain and wind have stopped and the sun is trying to peek out.  I plan to get up early tomorrow to see the blood moon.  I am hoping for clear skies at 6am. 

My love to all my dear readers for sharing these past seven weeks.  Next time we talk I will be home.

And I am sure something will be on my needles. 

I am also certain I will be feeling sad.

To follow other yoppers check out their stories here.

On turning 30

Today I got to gaze at my daughter as she gazed at her daughter. 

I have been her mother for 30 years.  As of today.  And we spent the day in her new home country.

She had her first child just before her 30th birthday.  So did I.

Something we now share in common. 

It has become a 'thing' that I write something about her on her birthday. 

So her goes:

On turning 30    (my apologies to Billy Collins)

Arriving as the blizzard ensued
Stopping traffic in the big city
But not stopping you.

You came - into my life
into your dad's life
a shining angel
of light and joy.

You charmed me with
your smiles and intensity
My velcro baby who wanted her mum
and only her mum.

A Capricorn
Just like your daughter
Destined to want independence early.

Just like you.
Just like your Oma
Just like your Grandfather

Just like your Great-Grandmother

Ah yes, You know what it will be
to raise a Capricorn daughter.
and I will try to help with the
few lessons I learned:

Listen to her sixth sense
Trust her intuition
Believe her when she says it is time to move on
Let her go.

Tell her the truth
Be honest
Be there
Even when it is hard and every ounce of you wants to hide yourself away.

I have treasured the times when we are sitting and talking or walking in easy companionship.When we have shared tears, and fears and truths.

Your daughter is lucky to have you
and the bond between you two will be unbreakable.

30: wife, mother, seeker of soul
striving to understand your universal spirit

You are well on your way
having learned more about yourself in the last 30 years
then I have about myself in the last 63.

I will share with you and your daughter things I have learned
And you will teach me
And you will teach your daughter
And your daughter will teach me.

The circle of life.

Yopping Update #28 - What will I knit now?

There has been a lot of knitting of little things this week.

First I finished my dish towel and then made a second:

and then with the left over natural hemp I made another crochet scrubbie (the first is in the picture above with the red tea towel.

Down to just odds and ends to knit with, but enough for another pair of mittens:

and a wee pair of socks:

I offered to put together the pink elephant for my daughter, and then I made its matching green one.

Now I have no more kits, but I have all these odds and ends left over:

Clearly there was enough green christmas sparkly wool to make another Christmas tree (or three) ornament last night.

I think today I will be casting on another little ornament or advent knit for next December.

On the Grand-daughter front I got to babysit her on Tuesday while Mom and Dad went to register her birth.   Awesome cuddling time - and no crying!  I still got it.

There has been lots of long walks almost every day - three hours on Wednesday!

Olive trees and churches, museums and fountains and the ubiquitous cats everywhere.  This one was right by the automatic door of the Tommy's grocery store.  My daughter says he is always there - out of the wind and basking in the sun.  I love how his tail curls around his paws!

I took a picture of this sign to show my daughter and son-in-law how far I had walked.  I was focused on the name of the Kastel at the bottom.

They laughed about me sending them an anti-capitalist plaque.

"Honouring the fight of the proletarian revolution against capitalism in 1920."

And right around the corner was this odd modern sculpture.

 Such a contrast to the beautiful church just behind it (the church picture at the beginning of this post).

Yesterday was another long walk in the other direction and I caught this view of the church bell tower against the blue blue sky.

I got a message yesterday from Lufthansa that my flight leaves in 11 days and 20 hours!

What?  I can't believe it is coming so fast.

It will be so hard to leave my girl, and her girl and this beautiful place.

On the plus side I have been watching the Marie Kondo videos and I have some serious plans for organizing my closets and drawers when I get home.

I am sure other yoppers are having other adventures of their own.  You can check out their stories here.

Yopping Update #27 - the old and the new

Where to begin?

How about this?

The hat she is wearing was knit by my aunt many years ago and my sister found it among my aunt's things while we were cleaning out her house.  My aunt never 'finished' a baby knit until the baby was born.  This hat was knit, but not sewn up.  I brought it with me to Croatia and once Layla was born I sewed it up and brought it to the hospital for her to wear home.  How special is that?

She is now ten days old and her grandpa (djedi) and I (baka) can just gaze at her for hours.   I have even got a few cuddles in, although like her mother, Layla is a momma's girl.  

I have been knitting and we finally celebrated Christmas on January 1 so I can show you some knits that have been under wraps.  

Two Zodiac potholders - double knit of course, from hemp.  One for baby - 

and one for her daddy (tata)

I finished two more Simpy Knitting Kits:

and then I knit this little guy out of scraps I had left over.  It was fun to learn the loop stitch:

I started a hemp dish towel for me, but it isn't finished yet because I decided to knit my grand-daughter some mitts.  These are my own pattern made with leftover yarn from my Hitchhiker.

I have been walking a lot here - about an hour a day most days.  

Here is the view on my walks along the seawall:

and then of course on January 1, I had to take a dip in the sea for prosperity's sake:

If you want to see a video of the event you can check it out on my instagram feed @breathinglife1680

We have been eating amazing meals - our son-in-law is an excellent cook and I have been sleeping in every day until 10ish (ok, sometimes 11ish).  

Bura was blowing on Wednesday and Thursday and it was cccooolllllllldddddd (-1C) , but when Bura blows the sea is the most amazing colour.

I am glad that on January 1st when I dipped in the sea the air was about 13C.  The sea was colder - probably around 10 degrees.  I am sure glad Bura wasn't blowing for that adventure.  

Yesterday on my walk I came upon these Roman ruins:

and then this blooming cactus:

It is hard to believe we have been here a month already and in less than three weeks we head home. 

New Year's Eve was amazing - we went down to the sea at midnight and the whole of Split and Kastel was awash in fireworks, not to mention the ones being set off right over our heads.  

Then last night we heard a commotion and there was a wedding happening right below our balcony in the church square - more fireworks, music, and singing.  It was so joyous.  

So that is my week of adventures. 

To follow other intrepid yoppers check out their stories here.