Oliver! Stage Play

A quick message to say the stage play Oliver! that the Craftlit group saw in London last week at the Royal Drury Lane Theater was over the top!

The synopsis of Oliver Twist can be found here. 

Charles Dickens wrote Oliver! which was published in 1838.  Why did he write it? Look here:

To make money - it's what he did for a living.

He wanted a subject which would appeal to his audience - readers of Bentley's Miscellany, which was published monthly. He probably based it on the account of the life of Robert Blincoe - an orphan whos story of his life and hard times was popular in the early 19th century - but Dickens's work had originality and it is probably the first novel to have a child as the protagonist.

Dickens used his novel to draw attention to social problems, particularly the Poor Law and child labour.

What struck me was the familiar song "As Long As He Needs Me" that the prostitute character Nancy sang to both Bill Sykes and then later to Oliver could be interpreted as strongly anti-feminist in its lyrics because Sykes regularly mistreated Nancy.

The complete lyrics to the song are here:

As longs as he needs me 
I know where I must be 
I'll cling on steadfastly 
As longs as he needs me 
As long as life is long 
I'll love him, right or wrong 
And somehow I'll be strong 
As long as he needs me 

If you are lonely then you will know 
When someone needs you you love them so 
I won't betray his trust 
Though people say I must 
I've got to stay true just 
As longs as he needs me 

If you are lonely then you will know 
When someone needs you you love them so 
I won't betray his trust 
Though people say I must 
I've got to stay true just 
As longs as he needs me 
(lyric provided by John Bol)

Wow!

Some of us at intermission ...

Tintern Abbey

William Wordsworth's poem Tintern Abbey

.........Once again

Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,

That on a wild secluded scene impress

Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect

The landscape with the quiet of the sky.

Here is a description of the area in Wales around the abbey:

The hills around the Abbey are covered with woods, changing colour with the seasons. The land upon which the Abbey is set makes the most of the sunlight, the Abbey receiving the benefit of the last of the sun shining down the Angiddy valley.

Going to the UK today

Packing just one suitcase and one backpack for the CRAFTLIT TOUR , I'm off today to walk the streets where classic English authors walked.  London, Bath and Wales are the destinations.

Now if I can just remember which of the many little fabric and plastic bags, sacks and envelopes contain those necessary travel accessories in the luggage, we're all set.  (It will be like playing Concentration when looking for those aspirin or that iTouch recharger.)

Wooden Crochet Hooks

These lovely hand fashioned crochet hooks were made by William Schmidt of Turn of the Century.

Having recently taken up crochet, and reading that wooden crochet hooks were easier to hold and made pulling yarns less taxing on finger joints, I found this one in walnut and ergonomically fashioned.  The shop is on Etsy and owned by DCWoodcraft.

 DCWoodcraft's Etsy shop made purchasing quick, and DC efficiently sent it out the next day.  The postal service cooperated by sending it quickly.

This hook feels smooth, organic and comfortable while working with it.  My SIL says she really likes hers, too.  SIL has one made in cherry wood in size "J", although any millimeter sized hook can be purchased.

Here is the crocheted baby blanket in progress with the ergonomic hook attached:

Pleased with the wood hook, I might get rid of most of those stashed plastic crochet hooks.

Color Saturday

We took a little drive yesterday up past Powderhorn Ski Resort and on to the mesa east of Grand Junction, CO.

Petraglyphs beside CO 141:

Husband on left and friends on right ... a few fish in the lake.

Read the Directions First

The Haruni Scarf is finished with major modifications, because I started knitting in haste and then repented in leisure.

It is a lace knit.  If you look carefully, one side is one stitch "off".  So I added a ruffle, and there ya go: finished.  Size 40" x 19" with a modified edging.

Close up of the bottom of the triangle:

The original free download for the Ravelry Emily Ross pattern can be accessed here.

Next time I knit this pattern, I'll re-read through all the directions. o:(

Remember Albom's book: The Five People You Meet in Heaven?

Generous Omi, thank you for picking my comment from your posting a few weeks ago, and sending me such a nice box full of goodies.

You might want to read about the amazing occurrence here that Omi and her dog were lucky enough to encounter...spoiler alert: a $500 table she coveted 11 years ago she now owns.

Back to the treats that Omi sent: at least 30 items including little soaps, trinkets, books, charms, buttons, yarn, magazines, pin cushions.  Oh, my!  She even sent extra goodies because she knows they can be passed along to our local hospice patients.

Which leads me to the wonderful thing that happened yesterday while Libby and I were visiting a very ill elderly woman in her last hours of her long life;  and hence, the title of the blog post.
                                                                  
                                                                The Event

Our patient (Mrs. A) was not rousing when Libby and I arrived at the nursing home, along with our special friend and new hospice volunteer, Mary.  The aides said she had been asleep all morning and they could not awaken her, and that likely she had only a few more hours of life.

Libby licked Mrs. A's hand and I talked to her, placing my hand on her shoulder.  Within five minutes, Mrs. A. began a very lucid conversation, and talked about how her daughters had come from long distances over the weekend to visit with her.  Mrs. A. petted Libby and continued in conversation with us for 20 minutes more. The nurses and aides were surprised that she rallied to raise her head and talk with us.

After Mrs. A was fully awake and conscious of her surroundings, an elderly woman was brought in to the room by her middle aged daughter.  The visitor was in a wheelchair, connected to oxygen and had a bit of difficulty in speaking due to lack of breath, but we understood within a few moments that this visitor was Mrs. A's long time best friend.

Mary, Libby and I excused ourselves with heartfelt goodbyes and returned to our car. 

Mitch Albom  in his book The Five People You Meet in Heaven posits that we are all connected to another, and that an action undertaken by one person is destined to have an unanticipated and often life-changing influence upon someone else.

Perhaps the reason for our simple visit and leaving a small gift was simply to awaken Mrs. A. so that she could see her best friend and talk a bit with her before she left this world.

Makes sense to me.

Where are all those American Jobs? Outsourced, of Course

A couple of days ago, I had to reschedule some flights due to an unexpected medical occurrence. Not to worry, United Airlines and Patel, answering the 1-800 number from out of this country, helped me reschedule. This two-way conversation consumed about half an hour, and only after he had to repeat most of what he said at least twice because of my difficulty in understanding his British/American/Indonesian accent.

After our transactions were concluded, Patel asked my level of business satisfaction, on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest level of satisfaction. It took me a split second to decide on the level "3"; an accurate and very generous response, I thought. Patel seemed very disappointed in that response, and you could almost hear his sigh of disappointment in only receiving a "3". He asked me why he had received this seemingly low number. I replied (likely in too much of an exasperated tone) that it was because our half hour conversation could have been transacted in about two or three minutes, if only I could have understood what he was trying to tell me in our lengthy discourse.

Poor Patel, I probably cost him a bonus that day because his customer satisfaction levels with United Airlines was less than exemplary.

Along the same lines, James Lileks tweeted this:

Therapy Dogs and Getting Ready for Dog Work

Just an update on Libby and her Therapy Dogs International visits: she has been awarded a new certificate for 250 completed "official" visits with clients requesting her pooch services of dog licks and cuddling.

This is her previous certificate.

Her "new" certificate is in the mail.

(See video on sidebar for Libby's Work Day)

Nostalgia in the Fall with Fidget Pie

Since my children were small, every autumn brought out the baker in me and the need to make fidget pie. 

This pattern of making a fidget pie with apples and potatoes first started when we lived in Michigan and the fall season brimmed with gorgeous pumpkins seen along the roadside.  Of course, apples and apple cider were in abundance, too.

Here is a scanned page of a fidget pie recipe that must be over thirty years old, and still resides in my jumbled hodgepodge of recipes that cannot be discarded:

My husband has played along with the "Season of Fidget Pie" each September, and made an excellent one last week.  He wrote the recipe and has pictures of his pie here.

The main ingredients are potatoes, apples, diced ham, onions, a bit of apple cider, and a buttery pie crust.  It was delicious!

Sunday's Thought

Love your neighbor as thyself.