Milestones

Milestones, those markers on the road of life that let us know that we have accomplished something. Somehow our lives are changed when passing the milestones--usually for the good. I passed an important milestone on May 20, and I hope it is good. I finally received my masters degree in library and information studies. I also am now eligible to receive the appropriate license to be a school librarian.

I knit my way through many classes, until the classes became so complicated that I needed both hands to take notes!! Information technology was one such class, as was information architecture and cataloging.

Here I am in my robe, hood and hat with my daughter #2! She was more excited about my graduation than I was!! She earned it--she got me up to go to my 7:45 a.m. Spanish class more than once. And she set an example of how to stick to one's homework until it is done. And how to keep at it until you understand it. And how to go to school even when you are not feeling well--no wimp scholar is she!! High school kids have a hard life; harder than I ever had it and harder than my graduate school life.



Here I am with my parents. I am wearing my father's PhD robe, the one he wore when he was a faculty member and marched in annual graduation processions. I wore the robe out of respect for his accomplishment. He started college when I was 1 month old, after he returned from WWII. He finished his PhD when I was 16--and there were a total of five children in the family. He worked full time and studied whenever he could. Of course, my mother sacrificed a lot to achieve the goal--she deserves an honorary PhD. (She never went to college because she was at home taking care of us kids.) Nothing I experienced as a late in life graduate student compared with the hard times they had making ends meet and burning the candle at both ends.
Knitting milestones are also important. Blocking an item is like a graduation, of sorts. all the coursework is completed; all the papers are handed in and this is the ultimate final step before sending it off into the world to do good!! Here is my Shaped Triangle Shawl from Gathering of Lace; the one I started in 2002 after Knitting Camp. Or, maybe I started it in 2003. At any rate, I purchased the yarn, Joslyn's lace weight yarn called angel hair, at Knitting Camp. (the yarn is truly deserving of the name. It is wonderful laceweight yarn!!) The shawl sat smushed in a bag for years and I finally retrieved it this winter. I vowed to finish it by June 1, and I blocked it this evening!!!

Ignore the little blips--There are some in the photos. I'm planning on wearing it with great pride, even with the little problems for which I did NOT rip back. I ripped back for a number of problems, let me assure you. But, at some point I just had to get this baby done!!



And done it is!! The temperatures are in the mid to upper 80's this week and I don't have anyplace to wear this. Maybe I'll have my husband take me out to dinner at an air conditioned restaurant. I plan to wear it to Knitting Camp beginning July 5, regardless of the temperature!!!!

Where do all of you wear your shawls?? Do you have an elegant life that I don't?? Maybe I should celebrate finishing the shawl and graduation all in one!! Although, dh already paid for a dinner for 10 family and friends after the ceremony........ Clearly, I need more milestones to celebrate by wearing my shawls!