Oct. 19, 2006 - Dishcloths to say "I wish I was there"
When we moved to Ft. Polk, Louisiana in 1998, we did what the army calls a DITY move. That means Do It Yourself, or possibly Divorce Immediately, You Two. You never know with the military acronyms. Our house in NC had sold and the lady wanted in there right away and we were so happy to have a buyer that we just flung stuff in boxes, flung the boxes into a big truck, and hit the highway. There was no time to wait for the military movers to do it for us, and you do make a nice bit of money if you survive the ordeal.
When we pulled up to our assigned quarters, we back in the truck and started unloading. We didn't know anyone and I had a 7 month old and a 2 1/2 yr. old to look after. As the day went on, people in the cul-de-sac came out and sat on their porches and watched us unload. No one offered to help, except one nice lady who kept an eye on my kids for a bit so I could help carry sofas and stuff. Finally DH went into town somewhere and found some guys who would help carry furniture for a case of beer and a few pizzas. DH was not impressed with our new neighbors. It's one thing to not help, it's another to sit right there on your porch and just watch someone struggle.
A year later, we see a moving van pull in to the quarters a few doors down. We see a couple unloading stuff by themselves. DH and I realized that we didn't want them to have the same experience we did, so we went to help them move their stuff in. That's when I met Angel and her family. She told me later how glad she was we'd come over because her husband had just returned from a year in Korea, all their stuff had been in storage for that time, and she was just feeling totally nuts. She was my best friend at Ft. Polk for the next year and a half. There's not a lot to do at Ft. Polk. The SuperWalmart is a really big deal there. Later, we went back to NC, she went to Hawaii for a while, we moved to GA, and she's back at Ft. Polk (bless her heart), and we've stayed in touch. She was such a blessing to me when my cousin was stuck somewhere in a shelter somewhere in Lousiana after the hurricane.
Her husband just left last month for a year in Iraq and I felt like it was my husband deploying all over again. I wish so much that I could be there with her to keep her company when everything feels nuts. To just hang out and fold laundry with her. To sit on the porch swings and watch the kids ride bikes. To go get pizzas with her and send each other emails from two houses away after the kids have gone to sleep. The best I could do was this:
I knit her dishcloths and sent her a bar of Shade Tree Cottage soap. It seems like we spent most of our friendship in the kitchen, so this works. She sent me a note telling me how much she liked them.
No matter what your opinion on current events, please send prayers and/or good thoughts to my friend Angel and her husband (who I won't mention by name) and their two kids. A year is a long, dangerous time. I've lived it and the support of others can makes all the difference when you are just getting through each day.
Comments
Nov. 3, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Your dishcloths are beautiful! Really pretty colors. The round one is almost too pretty to use, but I do know your recipient will love these forever and will always think of you when she uses them. I'll keep your friends and all of the other servicemen and their families in my prayers.
God Bless and happy knitting :)
hakucho
