My cousin, Bill, from the talented side of the family.  Gone these 2 years but not forgotten.

 Katrinia

Matt Fox

 

Exploring Again

 We spent a wonderful afternoon trying to get lost on the country roads around us today. We started in Little Falls after lunch at McD's, heading south out of the city, then east on Rte 5S ending up in St. Johnsville. We drove along the Canal until the road became a seasonal dirt road with mud puddles and tall weeds on both sides. Jeff found a spot with boat launch accessible in both directions that he'd like to try. (Just has to remember where it is!!) We followed a County Highway up a hill and away from the canal and we were suddenly above the trees! There are so many beautiful sights around us!! I never realized how many 150+ year old brick houses there are in St Johnsville until today! We finally headed west into Manheim. Jeff had never heard of it, but I knew it was close to Little Falls. We even went past The Benefit Club where we had a great Thanksgiving dinner with my cousin Ed (and his cousin Carolyn) 2 years ago! Zoey enjoyed the ride, sitting on my lap with her nose out the open window. We were out exploring for about 4 hours. Zoey is already asleep, and Jeff just headed in that direction. I think I'll be joining them as soon as I finish writing this!! We don't do it very often but exploring our corner of NY State is a great way to spend a beautiful, sunny afternoon.

The Fiala branch of the Molinaro family

 

Matt Fox

 

Fanny

   Fanny left us this morning after almost 2 weeks of limited mobility.  Jeff and I took turns sitting with her and even Zoey sat with her for a while.  

   Fanny was an Australian Cattledog Mix that Jeff found at the Herkimer Country Humane Society for my mother. She was a good watch dog barking loudly when anyone drove into our yard.  Sometime in her first few months with us, she was frightened by somebody or something that she never got over.  After that, every unfamiliar person who came into our house was greeted by Zoey at the door and Fanny from under the kitchen table.  

   She was 15 years old with limited sight and hearing but still enjoyed living in our little woods.  When the weather was good, she would walk thru the woods, around Wally's house and back home, checking out the neighborhood.  Once in a while she would go over the hill into one of the cemeteries...just to see what all the fuss was about over there! When Jeff was offered a Beagle puppy, I said Fanny had final say so.  If she said no, then no puppy.  The day we picked out the puppy Fanny didn't know what to make of it or its' littermates!  She sniffed it end to end with a very confused look on her face before flipping her over and giving her a quick wash up!  Zoey was as much hers as she is ours!

   Fanny will be missed by the 3 of us but she is now free of pain, and she will be free forever walking thru our little woods.

Mine, at last!

 

   Here's my corner of the shop (Cooper Country Crafts, Doubleday Court, Cooperstown)!  The rabbits are based on Bilberry Bunnys by Pat Alinejed and 8-9" tall.  The little dolls are based on Izzy Dolls and Pocket Pals. All their accessories are firmly attached.  The shop is now open daily for its 51st season from 10am-5pm except for Easter.  More Bunnys and Pals as well as their accessories are on their way to Cooperstown!  Hope you are, too!

NEW STOCK NEW PHOTS

   Well, I finally got new batteries in my camera and now I've learned that I can't download photos thru a lap-top so that means a trip to the library to download pictures of this year's new stock.  I've spent the last couple of days...and nights... finishing what I'm sending down for Spring opening next Thursday.  (My bag is supposed to be delivered to Val's today so Bonnie can take it to the shop when she stocks her area later this week.)  My new lines are mostly 'smalls' so they require detailed extras than a larger version wouldn't.  For example, a 5 1/2" Easter Bunny has to look extra cute...his nose, eyes, mouth all have to make you smile when you first see him.  My Pocket Pal Easter Bunny is even wearing a pint size knit hat!!  The Pocket Pal 'Pretty in Pink' Girl has a messy bun that required extra hidden stitches to keep it from getting too messy!  And spending extra time on these 'extras' kept me from finishing 2 of the Bilberry Bunnys I was working on...their parts are knit but not stuffed and I haven't their clothes, yet.

Time Sure Moves By!

     Time has sure gotten away from me this year.  After Christmas I had just gotten the decorations put away when Jeff started the Cold Season...and when that happens it usually means trouble.  This year was no different.

   Jeff's cold lingered for a good month until he was forced to replace his Vicks vaporizer because his current one wasn't doing any good.  He was coughing and hacking like crazy, drawing strange attention from strangers in Hannifords. He even cancelled a couple of doctors' appointments because he refuses to wear a face mask, and Bassett requires patients to use them if they have any symptoms of respiratory illness.  (He has been known for getting into arguments with staff, other patients, generally strangers who demand he stop 'stealing their air'!)

   I managed to avoid his germs for January but as February started, I felt it was my turn for a cold.  And it wasn't just a cold.  I started to experience an overall weakness, with an inability to get out of a chair or walk.  I fell and had a hard time getting back into a chair.  Jeff called the ambulance, and they put me back in my place.  A couple of days later was having trouble moving at all and this time, the ambulance came and took me to the Little Falls Hospital.

    I ended up being admitted and stayed a couple of days after they found an empty bed for me.  I had pneumonia and the flu (virus B).  I was told to contact my attending physician and arrange to see him in a week to 10 days.  Between the weather and how I felt, I didn't see anybody for almost 3 weeks.  My blood pressure was the lowest it had ever been (95/87) and my INR was 4.0.  It took all of March to get my numbers back into their respective ranges.  

   One thing...perhaps the only good thing...I lost my appetite and haven't really found it again.  I'm down a whole size...and I'm still losing. Some days I forget to eat, and I have gone to bed hungry!  Jeff's gone to Burger King alone and when I do go with him, a Whopper doesn't appeal to me anymore.  There isn't any cola or candy in the house.  I'm enjoying a glass of bottled water over ice with a slug of lemon juice.

  The shop, Cooper County Crafts, is scheduled to open for our 51st season on April 17th. I'm changing my line again.  This year I'm going to be doing knit toys.  We'll see how they do.  Photos to follow!

 

   s 

Happy Birthday, Mom!

                Josephine Molinaro Terico, 1914-2013 Today would have been my mom's birthday...she was born on 1/13/1914 in Herkimer, NY. We had a lot of good times together until her passing on 10/17/2013. Her front door (and back door) were always open and there was always a pot of fresh coffee perking. Family, friends, neighbors were always welcome! I miss her every day. Happy Birthday, Josie!

What I sent in the Advent Swap

 Week1

Advent Swap Weeks 1 & 2

    Oh, this year's Advent Swap on Ravelry is going strong!  I sent a package to Cathy Jensen in Little Falls, N.J. and received one from Brenda Turney in Stoneham, MA.  I've had to post the photos of what I've received on Facebook because I haven't been able to post on Ravelry.  Then I realized I could post here, too, so that's what I'm doing!  

        This package really impressed me!  This swap is divided into 4 weekly Advent gifts and 1 for Christmas and all the gifts were nestled into a fabric 'basket'.  The gift for each week...and the one for Christmas...were wrapped in different papers, so the first thing I had to do was open the card and find the key to the wrapping paper.

  WEEK 1: The card was a beautiful Scherenchnitte scene.  

I learned to cut Scherenchnitte when I was in college (all those many years ago) and I have loved it ever since.  The theme for Week 1 was 'Cocoa & Chocolate' and the package included an assortment of hot chocolate mixes, a jar of cinnamon powder, a cocoa butter Tea Tree Oil hand cream, a Pumpkin Spice sachet and a gift certificate for cooking spices (Jeff is still trying to decide which ones he wants to try).

WEEK 2:  This week's theme was 'Snowflakes' and the center piece was a crystal snowflake candy dish filled with Dove chocolates.  

A pair of adorable snowmen and snowflake socks and a 'Souper Bowl'...soup warmer/cooker/server...with a baggie of dried nut completed the package.

My box is still full...there are 2 weeks of Advent to go before Christmas!...and I will continue to post my Advent surprises here. Thank you, Brenda, for 2 great weeks!

Tim's message today/my response

 Okay, you knew about my having the WATCHMAN device implanted in my heart so I can get off of the damn Eliquis that caused my major GI bleed. Procedure on Sept 5th. It went like a breeze. Now fast forward 45 days to Oct 24th when I go back in for planned a TEE procedure. (Trans Esophageal Endoscopy). The object of which is to measure the healing. They knock you out, put a tube down your esophagus, then put a much smaller tube into that tube which has some high tech camera/sensor on it. It takes high quality graphics because it’s so close to the heard. It is supposed to do what it does the vast majority of the time. That is to view complete healing (growth of new heart tisssue) across atop of the device. At this time they likely take you off of all blood thinners for good and you are home free. Well then comes along Tim Bannigan. When I come to after the procedure the Dr. says, “this is very very rare, happening in less than 1 out of 500 cases”. I think, “Oh shit, this isn’t going to be good.” He explains that I have developed a large Clot in my heart right atop of the device. So the standard procedure for this now is to go back on my full dose of daily Eliquis and Plavix for the next three months to hopefully see the Clot is dissolved and gone.

So, after I swore all the way home, kicked the dog (not really), and watched my BP go up and stay there, I had to go back to my WATCHMAN Dr. I “accused him of practicing Irish medicine”. He said, what’s that. I replied, I start out with A-Fib, start to take Eliquis for 7 years. Then have a major GI bleed. Then you and several other Drs. convince me that the WATCHMAN is going to save me by getting me off of the Eliquis that was going to kill me. I get the WATCHMAN implanted, have complications, delelop a large clot in my heart. Now what is supposed to save my life is the “exact same medication and dosages” that were destined to kill me only a few weeks ago. “THAT IS IRISH MEDICINE DOCTOR!” It’s So Ridiculously Absurd that Im actually laughing at it. . Save a prayer for me.

AND MY RESPONSE;

What did you do in a this or a previous life to deserve this?? Were you a bad little boy? A rotten altar boy? Did you make a habit of kicking dogs, teasing small children and tormenting little girls? Remrmber, into all lives some rain must fall and,boy, are you getting dumped on now! Take a deep breath, take a couple, try to relax and remember you will overcome this. And, stop blaming your doctor. He didn't know you'd be the one to blow his odds of a successful practice. (Of course, I'll say an extra prayer for you...need you ask?) Keep me posted. Irish Medicine?? Sounds like somebody placed a voodo curse on you!

November's Starting With a POP!

    November started with a POP!  Sunday afternoon we got in the car and headed to town, but the car made a strange noise...a combination slurp and burp.  With a shake and shutter.  We had just come out of the long driveway on to Smallsbush and it didn't stop.  Jeff pulled over and opened his door and found a flat tire.  He turned the car around and we went home.
   This morning, he replaced the flat tire with the spare...a donut...and we headed to town making it onto Rte 5 before 'the slurp and burp' started again.  I had the 'honor' of checking the tires on the passenger's side and found, yep, another flat tire.

   We were close to Skinner's so Jeff decided to stop there.  We were planning on 2 new tires, and it didn't really make much difference where we got them.  My 'Yarn Allowance' wasn't going to be used for yarn!!  We ordered the tires and bummed a ride home.  The car should be ready later today.  

   This is the first major expense the Hyundai has cost us.  Remember, it is a 2008 car with about 35,000 miles on it.  The tires looked good with little wear on the treds.  The problem is dry rot.  Jeff is a little concerned about the other 2 tires and the hoses but there is not much we can do about that. Just keep our fingers crossed, I guess. If any of them blow, let's hope they do it at home (when we're first starting out) or in town (near a service center) and not on the open highway!!

Eye-let Cowel

 So let's do this thing! First, cast on 162 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit the following set-up rows:

Set-up Rows 1 - 4: purl

Set-up Row 5: p80, place marker, purl until end of round

And once those are done, we'll move on to the main pattern, which is Simple Eyelet Pattern from page 168 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. And we'll proceed as follows:

Row 1: knit, slipping extra marker when you come to it

Row 2: knit until you reach first marker, m1r, slip marker, k1, m1l, knit until end of round

Row 3: * k6, yo, k2tog * until you're one stitch before first marker, k1, slip marker, k3, * yo, k2tog, k6; rep from * until you reach end of round

Row 4: knit until you reach first marker, m1r, slip marker, k1, m1l, knit until end of round

Row 5: knit, slipping extra marker when you come to it

Row 6: knit until you reach first marker, m1r, slip marker, k1, m1l, knit until end of round

Row 7: * k2, yo, k2tog, k4 * until you're three stitches before first marker, k3, slip marker, k5, * k4, yo, k2tog, k2 * until you reach end of round

Row 8 - 10: repeat rows 4 - 6

Row 11: * k6, yo, k2tog * until you're five stitches before first marker, k5, slip marker, k7, * yo, k2tog, k6; rep from * until you reach end of round

Rows 12 - 14: repeat rows 4 - 6

Row 15: * k2, yo, k2tog, k4 * until you're seven stitches before first marker, k2, yo, k2tog, k3, slip marker, k1, * k4, yo, k2tog, k2 * until you reach end of round

Row 16: knit until you reach first marker, m1r, slip marker, k1, m1l, knit until end of round

Knit rows 1 - 16 two times, and then knit rows 1 - 15 again (this piece would probably also look nice if you knit rows 1 - 16 three times, and you'd still have enough yarn to do it if you're using the same). Knit one final row around, removing extra marker when you do so. Then complete the final edging rows:

Edging Rows 1 - 5: purl

Once these are complete, bind off loosely and tuck in ends. Block, allowing purled edges to continue to curl under when you do so.

Sydney & Bear

 

This is Sydney and her new Bear.  

Josephine Morgan 1923-2024

    Yesterday Jeff and I attended the interment of my cousin's (JoJo Morgan) ashes at Calvery Cemetery in Herkimer. I met more cousins...the children of my cousin's children's that I had only known or seen photos of as children.

The service that they performed was touching and different. There were the usual prayers and memories, a report from my cousin from Beyond via a medium, and a favorite Christmas song (if you were in the area, yes, you heard the beautiful 'Tu Scendi Della Stella', a song that it's not Christmas at my house without!) A grandson had built a casket for her ashes and anything else anyone wanted to add, and it was almost too small after the teddy bear and Pooh bear were added. (The pre-dug grave for the box wasn't big enough and would have to be enlarged after the ceremony!)

The reception that followed was 'Italian' from the ziti and meatballs to the tray of cookies that didn't last long! The only thing missing was the bottle of homemade wine.

I was a bit sad as we drove home afterwards. I know that chances are I will never see most of those people again and I was sorry more of the family couldn't attend, especially those live within driving range. I guess I'm just getting old. Oh, well, that's life, huh?

old photos

 

JD and BJ...Toddlers!!(c.1952)

DATES TO REMEMBER

Philomena (Fanny) Terico: 4/28/1871-1/29/1957

Dad (Tony Terico):  7/4/1908-10/22/1993

Mary Braccini Molinaro: d 1/6/1995

John Osredkar:  4/28/1911-12/7/2009

Carol Fiala Paul:   1923-1999

Fran Fiore:  8/17/1921-6/11/1999

Pete Molinaro:  6/15/1918-4/7/2002

Frances Molinaro Osredkar:  11/26/1915-2/4/2009

Jeff Day & I were introduced when I went back to work at the library today:  5/9/2009 

Mom (Josie Molinaro Terico):  1/13/1914-10/17/2013

Thomas Paul:12/1953-3/15/2015

Jeff moved finally in:  8/29/2015

Phylis Mirgo:  7/7/1927-1/21/2016

Fran Davey:  5/2/1953-2/23/2019

Bill Mirgo:  7/19/1958-4/12/2023

JoJo Fiala Morgan:  1923-7/5/2024