Here and there: a few favourite things

This is a rather blurred photo of a lovely little ornament that was the very first thing the Young Philosopher bought me by himself, when he was away camping with the Beavers, which was the first time he had been away without me. 

This is the dishcloth I am currently knitting. I don't knit anything very complicated. I am coming to the conclusion that you need the kind of mathematical, logical mind that I haven't got, in order to knit and crochet well. I am happy to knit scarves and dishcloths and the odd tea cosy. I like easy, repetitive patterns, I find it one of the few things that calms down my grasshopper mind, painting is another. 

These are mementos that the brother of a dear friend gave me after she passed away. We worked together many years ago and used her dictionary when we did the crossword together, at work and then in later years when I stayed with her. I bought her the fridge magnet and I now have it on my fridge.

This picture is of my two lovely Aunties. I am very lucky to still have my Auntie May on the right, but sadly we lost my Auntie Doris several years ago. I love this picture, when I look at it I can hear their laughter. It brings back memories of past family Christmases. 

The bench which used to be in Auntie Doris' garden and now is my favourite place to sit in my own.

The ribbons that were used in our handfasting. They were wrapped around our joined hands and tied in the knot you see in the photograph. I plan to frame them and display on the wall with our wedding photograph.

During our wedding day, unbeknown to us, the Best Woman was interviewing friends and relations, asking them to comment on what they thought of the Prof and I. She used some of their words in her speech, and just recently gave us the sheets people wrote on. It was a lovely idea, and a wonderful keepsake.

My grandmother's engagement ring, which she gave to me when I was 19. I have worn it ever since. It was secondhand when my grandad bought it, an unredeemed pledge in a pawn shop, and is about a hundred years old. I always wonder about the first woman who wore it and what her story was. 

Also in this photograph, the engagement laptop. It was a standing joke between the Prof and I that when we got engaged, he would buy me a ring, a laptop and a cow. I don't even remember the origin of the joke now, or why a cow, but there you are. The little stuffed cow he bought sits on my bedside table, and I use the laptop every day and love it. I use it to store information and photos,  to blog,  to shop, even to search my library and reserve books, and it has enabled me to make friends all over the world, including you. I am very grateful for that.