Hi Knitters,This afternoon I took my daughters out of school to come along with me to the St. Mary's Care Center for a knitting hour with the residents. This is a living facility for older people who need medical attention. What a wonderful place to be. The staff was warm, happy and friendly and so welcoming. My daughters had a ball with the residents, just as much fun as I had.
The picture above is my daughter is working on a blanket for a church knitting group. This is the church across the street from our house where she tagged along with a friend to their Saturday knitting group. They make squares and sew them into blankets to give to people in need. She brought her square along to knit on today.
We arrived at the care center at 1:00 and the ladies had bingo at 2:00! There was no messing around with that schedule. I love that! After our visit as I was packing up my stuff my daughters walked down the hall with the group to the bingo room to check things out. When I was ready to leave I walked to the room to pick up my girls and there was my 11 year-old daughter smack-dab in the middle of the group quietly playing a round of bingo! I had to wait for her to finish the game before we could leave. Could you ever love anything more than that? The girls are already begging me to go back for a visit and I am right with them. I am definitely going to go back and knit with them at their knitting group sometime soon. Every once in awhile you bet we will show up and knit with them.
Aren't they great? I brought a couple of books to donate to the knitting group. The woman in the purple sweater, Adele, was particularly happy about that. She wouldn't give that book up for more than a minute and then she wanted it right back. That is so cute! Hardly anyone got to look at the book. I think I may need to send over a few more copies. We chatted, I demonstrated a few quick things, my girls visited and took pictures for me.
Adele made sure I signed the book for the group. My daughter handed out samples for the ladies to hold.
This cute woman was so funny, I forgot her name. She was there with her mother. She looped the big carrots on her ring finger and kept telling everyone that she only had a "five carrot ring." I told her I was going to steal her line and look I already did!
I saved the best for last. This beautiful, smart 102 year-old woman (I had heard she was 101) immediately jumped in and started teaching my daughter how to purl. I will never forget this moment. To see my daughters both enjoy the company of this fascinating, on the ball woman touched my heart in so many ways. The girls enjoyed all of the residents. I loved the way they just jumped in with no fear or reservations. It is incredible to see the openness and accepting ways of children. This was a good day for me. 
Her name is Sally and boy is she a treat. Here she is helping my youngest with her purl stitch.
That was her thing, teaching the purl stitch. She enjoyed the hour and everyone enjoyed her.
This is too good for words.
Aren't they great? I brought a couple of books to donate to the knitting group. The woman in the purple sweater, Adele, was particularly happy about that. She wouldn't give that book up for more than a minute and then she wanted it right back. That is so cute! Hardly anyone got to look at the book. I think I may need to send over a few more copies. We chatted, I demonstrated a few quick things, my girls visited and took pictures for me.
Adele made sure I signed the book for the group. My daughter handed out samples for the ladies to hold.
This cute woman was so funny, I forgot her name. She was there with her mother. She looped the big carrots on her ring finger and kept telling everyone that she only had a "five carrot ring." I told her I was going to steal her line and look I already did!
I saved the best for last. This beautiful, smart 102 year-old woman (I had heard she was 101) immediately jumped in and started teaching my daughter how to purl. I will never forget this moment. To see my daughters both enjoy the company of this fascinating, on the ball woman touched my heart in so many ways. The girls enjoyed all of the residents. I loved the way they just jumped in with no fear or reservations. It is incredible to see the openness and accepting ways of children. This was a good day for me. 
Her name is Sally and boy is she a treat. Here she is helping my youngest with her purl stitch.That was her thing, teaching the purl stitch. She enjoyed the hour and everyone enjoyed her.
This is too good for words. Priceless.
best, susie
WOW! that is SO AWESOME!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour post today has touched my heart and lifted my spirits by making me smile. I bet they enjoyed you and your daughters company very much indeed.
ReplyDeleteChris xx
I choked up a bit at the end - how sweet it is to see generations come together - pretty amazing! Way to go, Susie!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great outing! People so often forget that older people can teach us so much, it's great that your girls got to experience that.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful and heartwarming! I love that Sally's "thing" is teaching the purl stitch... and Adele's "thing" is making sure nobody gets that book away from her. :)
ReplyDeleteOrdinarily, we teachers would frown on kids leaving school early but your daughters learned so much more this afternoon than their classmates who stayed at school could possibly have learned! Good choice, Mom!
ReplyDeletewow.
ReplyDeletemakes me slow down a little and think, i CAN teach my daughter to knit.
thanks for sharing.
sharon
We at St. Mary's Care Center were triply blessed by the presence of three of your beautiful family.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing.
And if I could put a plug in--
Our knitting group meets each Monday and Thursday afternoon at 3pm. Give us a call at 845-0582.
We'd love to have you.
Carmela
Wow! That is so great! I have taught a knitting class at a local nursing home/assitisted living place before, and it was so fun talking to the older women!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this post. I've read your blog for SO LONG, but I had to comment now. My daughter would love a trip like this. She visited an assisted living with her class last year and has begged to go back. I need to do this.
ReplyDeleteOh, you have so inspired me to knit. I have been learning for a week now and last night, I started my first hat. I have half of it completed. I'm so excited. I carry 'itty bitty hats' around everywhere. My husband gets so tickled at how excited I am. I cannot wait to complete a hat for my oldest daughter (5). She's so excited.
Thank you!
This is the best post I've seen on the blogs in a long time.
ReplyDeleteFun and heart warming :)
Deni,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words.
susan
Wow, 102 years and still knitting! That is unbelievable.Thanks for the great post!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the wonderful story. I can only hope that our son will be half as sweet as your girls!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. I desire to be so clear minded and active if I'm ever in the spot of that dear 100 year old lady. I love to teach young girls to purl now - would love to still be passing on the history of stitches at that age. What a good gift your daughter received. Thanks for reciving it with such grace. A treasured moment for all of us who share in it with you
ReplyDeleteThe VSG
Sharon and everyone thanks so much for all your kind comments on St Mary's Health Care Center! I so enjoyed Sharon and her daughters. I welcome with open arms her or anyone of you that would like to join us with our knitting group or anytime (Mon and Thurs at 3:00-4:00 is knitting/crochet time). Took me awhile to find find this blog but sure enjoy it now that I have. Signed the "5 carrot woman" (from the center)
ReplyDelete