First of all, thank you so much for your warm, encouraging, thoughtful and generous responses to my last post. It’s one of the most personal pieces I’ve ever posted on the blog, also one of the longest and most challenging to write (although also one of the most engaging and satisfying to put together). But any vulnerability I felt when I clicked “publish” (and there’s always vulnerability when publishing something personal) was quickly vanquished by the kind comments left by readers. And I’ve been delighted to see the difference that my post has made to the fund-raising effort for which I solicited contributions.
In the wake of that larger blog-posting effort, I’m going small today, following up with stories about the handknit teddy bears that I gave my two grandsons earlier this year.
We recently visited the youngest grandson’s house, where we found that this little Ginger Bear is a favourite companion, the only stuffy brought to bed each night (and showing enough signs of wear that I’m considering casting-on for a replacement, just in case. . . Luckily, this guy’s Mama is a knitter, so she could probably handle that eventuality. . .
And then a few days after we returned home from visiting that little Bear, another grandson, just finished kindergarten, brought home the journal he’d been keeping during the school year. His mom sent me this photo of a page she thought I’d like to see . .
With not too much imagination and a bit of perseverance, these phonetically derived spellings can be interpreted as: “I have a stuffy named OsoBeary. You can take off its clothes. I love OsoBeary. My Nana made it.” No additional comment necessary, right? Nana’s wearing a big smile right now.
That’s me for today. I joined my fellow for a good paddle in False Creek/English Bay this morning — it was great, but I’m still tiring easily after my second vaccination (Squee!! and also Woot! Woot!) on Sunday). Next up on my agenda: A pretty little afternoon nap. Anyone else indulge occasionally?
Comments open, comme d’hab . . .
xo,
f
Yes, during the last momentous year, I have discovered the joy of an occasional afternoon nap. I can’t believe that I’ve never indulged before. As for the knitting, I don’t think I will ever be able to indulge in that. I friend gave me wool and needles for a scarf many years ago. She even started it off. I found it recently in a box, during a Covid Declutter. It’s been there for more than ten years….sigh…
Ali
Author
I’ve always loved an afternoon nap — I hope you will keep up this occasional habit even as we move out of🤞🏻 this pandemic. As for the stubbornly resistant knitting materials waiting to become a habit, you could check out Baaad Anna (Vancouver yarn store)’s Neighbourhood Fibre Libraries project — if it ever gets to your island, you have a worthy destination for your scarf-in-waiting. <https://baaadannas.com/2021/07/05/neighbourhood-fibre-libraries/>
I love your bears and the way they (oh dear I had to say it) knit the experience of the cousins together:).
Author
Ha! I hope it’s true, though — I like to imagine that when they get together at someone’s wedding two or three decades from now, one of them will mention the bear Nana made, and another will say she still has her little mouse and another will admit that moths got to theirs long ago and they miss it yet. . .
Those little bear & mice beasts are treasures . I had my childhood Teddy for almost seventy years till my big overgrown puppy of a dog decided to shred it . I was sad but not as sad as when the dog died a couple of years later . So tell your grandchildren to watch out for any family dogs .
Author
Yikes! But yes, the loss of the dog would have been much tougher. We had two Golden Retrievers as our kids were growing (one at a time) — and oh, what they chewed through in their first years (Telemark boots, wallboard, carpeting, a visitor’s shoes, removed by the front door (her preference, not my request, but still). . . .those destructions stung, but the eventual loss of the dogs was much tougher.
I did try to make gentle suggestions to the g’kids (two families have dogs; two have cats; one has no pets). . . but don’t want to lay any foundation for guilt should damage occur. Fingers crossed 😉
Those little bears are such lovely companions for your grandchildren. I love that this one’s name is Oso(Beary), and that phonetically written journal entry is so very sweet. My second vaccine is scheduled for Saturday and I am apprehensive as I had a reaction the first time round. I’ll feel no compunction about napping and pampering myself. Perhaps I’ll have no reaction – that would be wonderful!
Author
I was happy that the Six accepted my suggestion of OsoBeary as a name for his bear. We went for a walk in the woods first, and the Oemleria cerasiformis was just flowering. I told him that I’ve mostly heard it called Indian plum, but that I’d just learned that another name for it is Osoberry — as you well know, “Oso” is Spanish for bear, and I wonder if the shrub gets called this because bears eat its fruit. I’ve just spent a short while looking up some indigenous people’s names for this plant; I’ll include the link I found because I know you like hiking and are interested in languages. <https://dspace.library.uvic.ca/bitstream/handle/1828/5091/Appendix%202B%20%20UVicSpace%20Indigenous%20names%20of%20native%20species_BIG.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y>
Hope your vaccination goes well on Saturday. I had considerably more swelling, a rash, some warmth at the injection site for several days this time, almost nothing with the first. Well worth it to be building this immunity! 😉
I am in the middle (!) of my second teddy right now. the first went to his/her new home in June. This one is due in August. And then there are all those clothes… no more problems thinking up presents for the next birthdays and X-mases.
Congratulations on the completion of your vaccine! I had my second shot four weeks ago, and I am making travel plans (to Italy), although with caution.
Author
Isn’t it great?! And such a good way to use up yarn leftovers. Between these and socks, I’ll be set for a productive old age, as long as my fingers stay mobile 😉
Oh, so happy for you to be heading to Italy. We’re hoping to make plans soon, but still asked to avoid non-essential travel at the moment.
Think that photo of Kindergartner’s bear story will be a beloved item for years to come for you–just as the bear will be for him. Precious.
Author
It pleased me so!!
Frances,your knitted Teddy bears are not only sooooo lovely,but they are knitting a family stories for the future….what a wonderful idea! What a wonderful Nana!
But,I admire your children and grandchildren for recognizing true values,too
Some decades ago I’ve made a lot of crochet pieces for my (then) little cousins,they loved all of them,but my late SIL was aghast when I’ve made little cardi for her little daughter/my niece as well….de gustibus…etc
Dottoressa
Author
It’s true, K, not everyone appreciates the value of handmade items. Knowing you, those crocheted garments would have been stylish and well executed, but as you say, de gustibus non est disputandum (or, in English, and with more evident eye-rolling, “there’s no accounting for taste”).
Most days I have a sleep in the middle of the afternoon. I wake early and rise not long after so am ready for a snooze by 2.30pm. And I have done this for years – not when I was working as a teacher, sadly – but definitely when my children were very small. Valuable way to detach and unplug just for a short while. Turns out I was right all along, despite many of my peers looking at me with horror. I think I was supposed to be making play-doh or conjuring up something imaginative for tea. (Shrugs). Hope your weekend went well. Ours seemed to be underlined by football. (Shrugs once more.)
Author
I feel the same way about my naps and those who have looked askance at them through the years. As it turns out, I haven’t slept my life away. That shrugging is almost as useful a skill as the napping.