One of the hardest things about knitting a “pair” of anything is getting them to match exactly. Such was the case with the mittens. First, I think I stopped a little short on the thumb gusset, then I knitted a little tighter, creating a slightly smaller mitten the second time. Not enough to be a real problem and it can be corrected with proper blocking. But still, it is a little frustrating to follow a pattern and get different results. I have about five and a half inches of the matching hat finished then I can set that project aside and be finished with this yarn. 

I’m trying to use up some of the yarns I have in my stash. The owner of the yarn shop I’ve been frequenting told me someone asked her how many UFO’s she had. (UFO – UnFinished Objects) she told the gal she thought she had four or five. She went home and counted. Turns out she has more like a couple dozen. That’s what happens when I do needle crafts. I see these beautiful yarns and I have to have them. At one point, I had enough yarn to knit a dozen pairs of socks. I’m whittling it down to a more manageable level.

I slept in the camper on Saturday night. I use the term loosely because I only slept sporadically. I discovered the electric blanket does indeed work. It must have been way too cold for it to overcome the last time I stayed out there. I was reading along about 3:00am when I heard a scream right outside the camper that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It happened again and again then started running away from me toward the creek. By the speed it was traveling, I knew it had to be something fast. I looked up animal sounds on the internet and determined it was a fox. The resultant adrenalin kept me up the rest of the night.

The rain started around 4:00 in the morning and continued off and on all day. The former Mrs. FixIt came for a visit in the afternoon which is always such a delight. We had a lovely conversation as I rocked and knitted. We are all so blessed that we have cultivated our friendship. So many divorced couples are so hateful and it isn’t good for anyone involved. She and I have an awful lot in common. I save my magazines for her. She saves coupons for us. It’s wonderful to have such a large and blended family.

As I settled in to write this last night, I had the window open and the spring peepers were calling for the first time this year. I heard them the night of March 2nd up near where my bonus son lives, but this is the first time here on “Marshmallow Ranch”. Mr. FixIt was in the family room when he called to tell me there was a little peeper on the family room window. It took me quite a while to capture a photo because of lighting, but I finally managed. They are such cute little things.

It is Monday…a brand new week. A brand new opportunity to be our best selves and to love the way Jesus loves. My heart breaks with every news report coming out of Ukraine. To listen to them speak of their prayers to God to give them strength and courage and to vanquish their enemies from their land humbles me. To watch the villagers in Poland running to greet the mothers and children and elders with open arms fills me with hope. To watch the mothers packed in rail cars with their babies traveling into the unknown, leaving their husbands and fathers behind to fight an unjust war fills me with dismay and anger.

I cannot help but wonder how things would have been different if it was Mr. Virgo sitting by my side watching these scenes unfolding. I’ve wondered about the differences between our political viewpoints and how those might have affected us the last few years. As I count down to the ninth anniversary of his death, I am compelled to recognize how difficult it might have been for us. We were both firmly entrenched in our ideals. I can’t help but think the state of the world today might have driven a wedge between us. As it is, he died before that particular scenario played out. There is nothing good about losing him. And, if he had to go then, it was before anything could have affected us negatively. I do know he would not have handled the pandemic well. 

Mr. FixIt and I are perfectly aligned…politically and spiritually. This knowledge allows me to relax. I don’t have to walk on eggshells or worry about saying the wrong thing. I guess the larger lesson is this…I shouldn’t have worried so much about it before and been more true to myself. I think I finally grew into the person I was always meant to be once I began to emerge from the flames of grief. That is why Mr. FixIt and I are so compatible. We’ve both had the rough edges knocked off by life and we just fit together…like peas and carrots.

?

“And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.””

Luke 10:18-20 ESV