A Bi-Coastal Heart

It's a beautiful sunny Saturday here in Connecticut today. I'm already wondering what the weather is going to be like today in San Carlos, CA. Why you ask. Well that is where half of my heart will be.  You see my daughter Jessika and her family live in San Carlos. It is hard being a Gram to two little granddaughters who live on the opposite coast....

This week was a difficult one for me.  You see my first born granddaughter, Piper, was born with the Terrifying Peanut Allergy. She always has to have an Epi Pen within reach.  Last year she decided she was "ready" to become a part of Stanford's Alliance for Food Allergy Reasearch's Peanut Study. It is a study in which children with the allegy wear a special "patch" applied to their back for a period of time. The hope is that by introducing the allergen itself in minimal portions each day the child might eventually become immune to it.  The importance of this is enormous. It means that the child will not have to be continually "on guard" against something that could KILL them. Yes KILL them.  It also takes away the "stigma" of being the odd one out, the one kid that has to have special treatment. No child wants to be "the different one".  Reaching these children at an early age can eliminate the fear and the treat of death. This program is amazing. This program is life-saving. Piper's parents know how lucky they are to have become a part of it.  They also realize just how brave their little girl is.  

After wearing a special "patch" for the last six months it was time to test for the results of it's effectiveness this past Wednesday.  That meant a long ride to Palo Alto early in the morning, checking into the clinic and eating bowl after bowl of "disgusting" pudding which may or may not have been laced with peanuts.  Can you even imagine that?  I mean at eight years old??? 

The last time Piper was tested she could only ingest 100 mil before symptoms of her alergy were evident....BUT this time she managed 1000mil. (Now that is a LOT of disgusting pudding!!).  But to her Mom, her Dad and all the other people who adore her it was RELIEF and pure JOY!!!

Needless to say I was anxious about the results but as a Gram I was focused on Piper's bravery and I couldn't wait until it was just plain over.  I thought I'd best put my time to a better use than wandering about the house.  I decided to make something special for Piper instead. I wanted it to be something special. I wanted her to be able to remember how special she was during that long day of "pudding eating".  

 Here is the result of my fidgety worry:

I do so hope she will love it. She loves bright happy colors and I tried to pick as many as I could find.

I love this special little girl with my bi-coastal heart....

Directions for Bag: http://attic24.typepad.com Jolly Chunky Bag (on left side)

Rainy Rainy Rainy

Yep. It has been raining here for the past three days.

No sun but LOTS of crochet.

I might have mentioned before that I adore Attic24's blog by Lucy from the UK.  She is a marvel. It doesn't take much to make Lucy happy.....a flower, a blue sky, watching her three "littles" play and draw, a walk in the woods or along the river.  Her favorite past time is "hookie" though. Her color work is simply gorgeous - bright, happy, and most of all fun.

I loved her new pattern for the "Chunky" Tote:

I longed to make one. The only problem was that the yarn for the project was not available here in the US.  That is until I spotted it on ETSY from the Texas Yarn Farm. I was elated!!

I ordered it on Thursday last and received it on Monday.  It arrived all soft and squishy in a white plastic bag and fitted perfectly in our mailbox.  I couldn't get into the house fast enough.

Needless to say I couldn't wait to get started and I DIDN"T....the colors were so bright and cheerful.
I now have all the "bibs and bobs" completed: Main bag, two straps, eight flowers, and eight leaves.
All I have to do is assemble...and there seems to be enough yarn left to make my little CA grands a bag as well.  I'm planning to scale their's down a bit though.

Oh I love to crochet!!!!