Box o' love

I always say that one of the reasons that I learned to knit was so that I can make gifts for people. I like to cook, but unless the person lives locally, food gifts aren't particularly practical - 'sketty and meatballs don't travel well through the postal system!

So I really like that I can now knit small gifts. One of my dearest Ravelry pals is facing some scary surgery next week and because she lives in Michigan, I can't exactly pop over to her house and help out with the children or cook comfort food for her. What is the next best thing, perhaps? A care package!

The first item in the package was a beanie for those post-surgery bad hair days:





The pattern is Lavender Lace Beanie by Lorna Miser, from the book 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. I knit it out of ever-luscious Malabrigo Merino yarn in a gorgeous blue, although the colorway is officially called Emerald. I was concerned that the beanie looked small and had no way of knowing if it would fit the head of someone I have never met in person!

I also included one of the felted heart coasters that I made back in February, a pair of spa socks, and some Reese's peanut butter cups, her favorite candy. I put the items in a small box that I covered in adhesive wrapping paper with a funky flower design, then securely packed it in a shipping box.

Just in case her postal carrier leaves packages at odd doors or tosses them in the yard, I sent her a message that simply said to watch her mailbox mid-week. I sent the box on Monday via USPS Priority Mail and it was delivered to her home yesterday. And...she likes it! And it fits! She sent the kindest, most thoughtful thank you message, taking care to mention each item in the box.

Sigh - a good sigh. Knowing that I made her smile is almost as good as placing a plate of hot 'sketty and meatballs in front of her.

Thank you, Al

The Internet is truly an amazing invention and I had first-hand evidence just last week.

When I arrived at home from getting oh-so-cute axle boots for my car, I discovered that the parking lights would not turn off. In a dark garage, it was easy to see that the parking lights stayed on no matter what I tried. I turned the lights switch off and on several times, and fiddled with the dome light switch, although why I thought that would be involved, I don't know.

Puzzled, I went online and googled "parking lights on lights turned off Legacy" and in many different places on the 'net was the answer: there is a toggle switch on the steering column that allows the parking lights to be turned on without putting the key in. I ran downstairs, found the switch and sure enough, it had inadvertently been flipped while at the dealership. Problem solved, without me having to call the dealership and sounding like an idiot!

Now if Google could only tell me why my neighbors park in the front yard instead of on the driveway.