And so it begins

When it became apparent that my father's health was fading, I forsaw that I'd be spending more time away from my couch and my TV and the happy place where I create sweaters. I also knew that I didn't like toting sweaters or even pieces of sweaters and I've got way too many scarves as it is. So the idea of learning to make socks started bouncing around in my head. I liked the idea and searched for a pattern and bought yarn (full disclosure, the first yarn I bought was chosen because it was the cheapest sock yarn at the yarn store).

I cast on at home the day that mom told me that dad was going to the hospice and I told her that I'd be there in two days. The next day I found my BIL at my door with istructions from my sister to get me to the hospice RIGHT NOW! I packed the sock, again with the idea that I'd be in a strange place for prolonged periods of time with not much to distract me but learning how to make a sock.

As it turned out, Dad died within minutes of my arrival at the hospice and the sock never made it out of my bag. However, it was my security blanket during the ride with my mother to her house and the next 24 hours that I spent with her. The sock also saw me through the viewing and the memorial service. The next sock helped me through the funeral dinner and the visitations over the course of the next couple of days by the dear friends and supporters that love my mother and loved Dad.

My dad would like the asymmetry of these socks. He would appreciate the randomness, nay the chaos that the yarn presented. I'm not entirely sure that I could have ever gotten two matching socks out of this yarn. Dad, like Grumpy has been around since 1937. Also like Grumpy, he had a gruff exterior but a heart of gold. He taught me old fashioned morals and ethics. He taught me to work and to be proud of my accomplishments and he taught me to be a great person. Dad taught me many virtues that he himself did possess and could never change his paradigm to ingrain into his charecter, but he taught them and ingrained them upon me anyway.


So one legacy has come to an end, but in his shadow, a new skill was born.