#SocialSummer - Getting Crafty

I was challenged by Social Insiders to pick a craft project and try it out. I am currently working on an afghan that my mom started, so I guess I already picked me craft. I always try to be ahead of the game.

My mom crocheted all the time. She always had a project going, so we were all kept in afghans, pillows and house slippers. She also taught me how to crochet and I did it in spurts. I made a couple of lap afghans and lots and lots of scarfs.

When I became a grandma for the first time, I picked it up again with a vengeance. I made each one of my grandsons 3 afghans when they were born. Their mamas are not sentimental, so I guarantee those are long gone, but oh well. I also made one for my great niece. She is now 8 and still has hers. Her mama IS sentimental. Since my youngest grandson is now 7, it has been a couple of days since I was crocheting for babies.

Last year, when my mom passed away, we started going through things to determine what to get rid of, what to organize and what to keep to make Dad's home comfortable for him to live in. I mean, it was comfortable, but he didn't need to be surrounded by all Mom's stuff. He is totally not interested in Harlequin Romances. LOL!

We knew she had a TON of yarn. There is an entire craft room full of yarn, fabric and craft supplies. And we have not even gotten all the way through it yet, a year later. But we started finding unfinished crochet projects. Mom was always working on more than one at a time, so we weren't surprised. 

Since I enjoy crocheting and my two sisters that were there do not, I was designated to finish Mom's projects. Here are some pics of what I have finished so far. (Oh, and Mom always knew who things were for before she started, but we did not. So as I finish each thing, it goes to the one that it seems to be for.)

Large lap afghan that ended up being for sister, Jackie.

Next I only had to put a border around a little afghan. It went to my 3 year old great niece, Lexi

Then, since there was a lot of the same yarn from the baby afghan and because my niece, Jessica, loved the colors so much, I made her a large lap afghan. This pic was actually before I finished it. It is pretty big. LOL!

Those were the projects I had brought home when after Mom passed away. When I went there on vacation last month, I came back with a dufflebag of unfinished projects.

Not only am I enjoying crocheting, but I am able to give family members something Mom started and I finished. Oh, and I also will have to crochet an afghan for Hubby as he keeps asking me if it is his each time I finish something.

So, there are my crafty projects and carrying on a family legacy.I call that success!

@SocialInsiders #SocialSummer

#SocialSummer - One of my favorite things.

As a member of Social Insiders I have been challenged with telling you about my favorite thing. 

This was a hard one as I have a lot of favorite things. Followers of my blog, if any are still around since I have not been blogging in a long time, might remember that my Hubby is one of my favorite things. But I think that is not the subject of the challenge. LOL!

So today I will tell you about one of my favorite things that is not my hubby!

Believe it or not, one of my favorite things is our rolling shopping cart. Yes, it really is! 

For years, Hubby and I lived in second floor apartments and we lugged thousands of pounds of groceries up those starts. And we hauled camping equipment up and down those stairs for years. Yes, even though Hubby goes camping by himself, I would help him lug his crap.

When we moved to a first floor apartment, carrying groceries would have been easier, but for some reason, I decided I wanted a rolling cart. At the time we moved, apparently I thought we were rich as I was ordering all kinds of new stuff for our apartment, so I ordered a cart. I started using it to bring in groceries and I loved it!! What used to take me 3 trips between the car and apartment I could now make in one! It was awesome!

Of course, Hubby didn't think he needed to use it, until the first time he did. Then he realized how awesome it was! He especially loved that when he was in his wheelchair after surgeries he can move get stuff to and from the car. Regularly, he comments on how he is so glad we got this cart. 

I will say it has really saved extra wear and tear on my knees and in the hot summer it is a dream to not have to go in and out of the heat!

So, there is one of my favorite things! We love it so much that when Aldi had one in its ad, Hubby went and got one to keep in the closet for when ours breaks or wears out. Love it!

@SocialInsiders #SocialSummer

#SocialSummer: All about my town!

So, I was challenged by Social Insiders to blog about what makes my town special. I talk about living in the Houston area, but I actually live in the city of Pasadena, Texas. On the map, it looks like a suburb of Houston, but it is really its own city. No, really! Pasadena is really a historic city. And here are some interesting facts:

Pasadena is one of the top 20 most populated cities in Texas.

John Travolta, Debra Winger and other actors came to the city to film the 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, which depicted life and young love in Pasadena. The film centered on the city's honky-tonk bar Gilley's, which was co-owned by country music star Mickey Gilley. I went to Gilley’s back in the day, but I did not ride the mechanical bull!

Clara Barton of the American Red Cross purchased 1.5 million strawberry plants and sent them to Pasadena to help victims of the 1900 flood get back on their feet. By the 1930s those crops had flourished so much that Pasadena was claiming the title of Strawberry Capital of the World. At its height, the city's strawberry growers shipped as many as 28 train carloads of strawberries each day. To honor that history, the city still holds an annual Pasadena Strawberry Festival. Here is a picture of the World’s Biggest Strawberry Shortcake! Yum!

The Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department is the largest all volunteer municipal fire department in the United States. And it is fabulous! We had to call once when our chimney caught on fire on January 1, 2015. They came fast and put that fire out quick!

The city operates 15 tennis courts, several baseball fields, and a total of 43 parks total. These include over 14 miles of trails, four Youth Recreation Centers, an Adaptive Recreation center, three pools for Swimming or Aquatics, an Athletics department, a Dog Park, Party Rentals, a Golf Course, an Historical Museum, and a Senior Citizen Center.

 Armand Bayou Nature Center is a 2,500 acre preserve on the western shore of Galveston Bay in Pasadena. It is the only remnant of this region's original eco-systems: coastal tall grass prairie, bottomland forest and bayou. A diversity of plant life has taken root here, including bottomland hardwoods. Hundreds of species of wildlife thrive in the narrow wooded streams and scattered lakes, ponds and marshes.Armand Bayou also is a breeding and nursery ground for many fin fish and shellfish and a haven for rarely seen species such as bobcats and owls.

Pasadena also has an annual Rodeo, Thanksgiving Day parade, Christmas Parade and various town celebrations throughout the year. Go Pasadena, Texas!

@SocialInsiders #SocialSummer