Snowed in again!

Yep, we got socked again last night. Unofficial snowfall in my town (measured against Rocky's 25 inch shoulders) is over 20 inches. Poor guy, he could barely leap over it this morning on his way to his tree (I had to remind him he doesn't use the indoor bathroom). I won't bore you with photos of pure whiteness.

In more sad news, Pisgah Yarn, makers of Peaches and Crème cotton yarns, sold out to SpinRite of Canada. In case you don't know, SpinRite bought Bernat yarns years ago, turning it from a really nice yarn company (selling lovely basics, seasonal fashion yarns, inspired design books, and distributing Jaeger before Rowan bought them) to a craft yarn line. Not that I'm opposed to craft yarns- they have their place for many things! But not to have Sesame 4 wool in the beautiful color palette of Berella 4 (what a color palette that was!!) was indeed a big loss. And Gloucester cotton was a great cabled cotton that washed and wore well. SpinRite is the home of Lily, maker of Sugar and Cream. I myself don't think Peaches & Crème is long for this earth, being the 2 cottons are quite similar. But not identical: P&C is much softer than SandC. P&C has colors that SandC does not (and vice-versa, to be fair). This morn I sent in an order for 10 cones (that's over a mile) of P&C. I wish I could afford more. The P&C Ravelry group moderator asked us to make at least one dishcloth for each of the 80-plus P&C employees who will be laid off come February 25th. Last night I whipped off 5.
First, a set of 3 heart-shaped ones based on Grandma's favorite dishcloth pattern:

The color is called Cherry Pink (might as well archive this info for posterity).
Next, Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth itself, in Faded Denims:

One corner is a little off, because I was knitting in bed (I have the cold plus sinus infection from Hades) and was too lazy to check how to end this thing on my computer. One day I'll have an iPad...
Last but not least, the Double Bump dishcloth, also in Faded Denims:

These 5 were completed in a matter of a few hours. Now they are packed up, ready to be mailed to the group mod (if we ever get dug out- so far no traffic moving on our street).

In somewhat happier news, a fellow researcher at the VA got wind of my grant rejection. He looked over the nasty comments and advised, "Appeal. Appeal directly to the program director at the VA. It won't go back to the reviewers. They had the facts wrong anyway so they are not trustworthy." Appeal is due March 25. An entire committee is supposed to help me with this process. Maybe I'll win, maybe not, but it helps to do something (other than job-hunt, which is depressing).

Last, I want to thank everyone who left a comment in consolation over my recent bereavement. It helps to know that folks are thinking about me and wishing me solace. Next week I'll be flying to Israel (February 6th). My camera will certainly go, as will lots of extra batteries. I have a shopping list from the DDs and DH. Not sure if I'll bring knitting, only because I think I'll be too excited and busy and sad to knit.

Stay warm, stay dry, and if anyone has a cure for head colds or cabin fever, send me a line, OK?

May you be comforted

Jerusalem Hills, Israel

"May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."

How often I heard those traditional words this past week. They are the valedictory Jews utter upon leaving a shivah house, a house wherein dwell those in the first seven days of mourning.

DH and I arrived in LA 11 am last Tuesday, the 11th. By noontime we at my parents' house. My mother had been in cardiac arrest several times during the past several hours. Lala, her head nurse said to me, "She is waiting for you and your other brother." My other brother was in fact en route. And for the next several hours, my brother and I sat with my mother, crying, praying, and administering medicine to alleviate her pain and ease her breathing. At 5:40 pm, my other brother called-- he was stuck at Miami International Airport due to the snowstorm DH and I escaped. While other brother was on the phone, my mother passed away. She would have been 84 next month.

Chasidim (religious Jews who worship G-d through spirituality and mysticism) say that many years ago, a chasid passed away and was brought before the Heavenly Court. But to his vast relief, not one accusing angel was in sight. Instead, a chorus of joyous shouts greeted him. "Baruch Haba! Welcome!" shouted throngs of gleaming angels. This tale is told of an ancestor of mine, but it could well be told of my mother. Robbed of her parents, her childhood, nearly of her life by World War II, she came to this country, met and married my father, had me and my brothers. Let me tell you, after what she went through and what she saw, that took courage, and a faith I believe few have.

My mother was buried in Israel, in the Jerusalem Hills. I didn't go to the interment, so as to be with my father, who could not travel due to a blood clot in his leg. My brother noticed on the return flight a reddening in the sky. He nudged my sister-in-law and said, "See that? That's my mother's turn before the Heavenly Court." I don't believe she's done yet and won't be for a long time.

Leaving for LA

Yesterday my brother told me my mother's time is short. So DH and I will be on the first flight out of Newark, remaining in LA as long as necessary.

It's 2011

The last week of 2010 was pretty awful. First, the news about my mother moving to hospice care threw me. Then after the snow cleared and I returned to work, I found out that my VA grant was not renewed (more on this later). This means I will be out of work by the end of July. And if these two blows weren't enough, my Pap test came back with cellular atypia. That's a type of abnormality sometimes considered pre-cancerous, sometimes not. Because I had borderline melanoma ten years ago, any cellular abnormality is a big deal finding. Do I need all of this? Does anyone?

As for the VA grant, normally, I'd take the critique to heart, revise the proposal, and resubmit. Not this time. The comments I received were nasty, spiteful, and mostly the kind that can't be answered. What do you say to a critique that basically trashes the journals you've published in-- when you published in the major ones for your subfield? The reviewer called one journal barely acceptable and the other unmentionable. Are we in middle school again? Shock is too mild a word for what I feel. And that's one of the "nicer" comments on the critique.

So my new job in the interim is finding a new job. I just got off the phone with a technical recruiter who told me how my research experience works against me; I should eliminate or downplay it on my resumé. Fine, I'll revise and resubmit that.

On the knitting front, Friday is dear SiL's birthday. I'm knitting him a scarf out of a Louisa Harding wool/cashmere/microfiber blend I picked up on sale at the LYS:

As of last night it was more than 75% done. Yep, that's a DNA helix you see winding its way up the scarf. Fun knit. Free pattern, in case you've a mind to knit yourself a double helix too.