We love Grammies, no matter to whom they belong.

mmmmyoungboysinuniformmmmmmm

Yep, a grandma by any name (like Nana?) is cooler than anyone. Just ask Adam. So glad your Nan is smiling now!

There are so many folks in homes in SoCal without family to care for them - maybe we could start a huge craft drive to make lap blankets?

LOVE FOOTBALL, especially HS football, it is so passionate. I hope your Grandma gets well soon. You have a lovely family.

You and your Grandma are so pretty in the photo.

Knitter's love Grandmas. Of course 18 year olds in football tights need love too. ;)

so umm .. how old is ryan? :)

Love the post -
Totally hung out at the games when my BF in high school was a player. what a scene!
Those of us who were not cheerleaders, but had friends on the team would get painted and loud for every game (called ourselves the 'Rowdy Rooters')
Haven't been in years, but still get sentimental when I see the field lights on at the local high schools.
and yeah... I feel real old when the 'not-quite-so-legal-yet' boys catch my eye.

I loved your commentary! It is so nice to know I'm not the only person on the planet that has a conversation with herself while she is taping something.

Glad everything is good, including your grandma. She looks so sweet.

As popular as you are with the knitters, you're going to end up with a blanket for grandma and everyone else in the nursing home. Which would be a good thing, no?

Oh, and about the football players, two words: Debra Lafave. Nuff said.

Glad to see your granny is doing better. :)

Just how big is the blanket going to be once word spreads across the internets...!

"That's my grandma!" (I was/am the oldest grand child & I am still reminded of this quote - I used it a lot with my younger cousins.)

Glad you had a good finale to your day at the nursing home. And yeah...cousin Ryan is a cutie...please tell us he's not underage!

I'm the same way with receiving gifts. Maybe it's an inferiority thing? You know and I know that we deserve them, but it's hard to grasp the fact that other people believe that too!

And knitters (and crocheters) are very generous people - just look at all the charity organizations that exist for donating handmade gifts! (I used to work at a crisis nursery, and we got regular donations from Project Linus, which makes baby blankets for children.)

Ryan is 36, and he has a twin!! But they're both married ya'll LOL...

Knitters are some of the most kind people I have ever met. Honestly, it's like a gift from God that I found knitting when I got divorced.

Ahhh...beer at HS football games, now that would make the booster's some real bank. Love the pics of your extended family, thanks for sharing.

... and the wife, she's in good health?

Just kidding. I have the best husband around. I'm asking for Tami.

Love you - love your Grammy & your mom and your very cool Aunt - you have one hell of a good looking family (I'm just sayin...)

My personal bet is that you get enough squares to cover Grandma, Mr. Hakim, and downtown LA. Having made that bet, you'd better believe I'll be making squares to go with it.

Hi Laurie:

You sound just like I imagined you would! And you look so much like your Mom.

Annie cracks me up!

Annie's cracking me up too! (Hmm...knitters looking out for me too, not a bad situation!)

LOL!
Oh Laurie, Honey, I'm with you there- but as a girl who grew up juuuust this side of what we Angelenos not-so-laughingly call "The Orange Curtain" I gotta tell you, we do grow 'em extra BIG and HANDSOME out here.
Consider- for the past century or so, every good-looking farm boy and midwest prom queen who had a yen to go into the movies has been migrating out here, and, when they didn't make it in the films, they STAYED either in LA or moved south to the O.C. and mixed into the genepool. Hence, some of the best damn' looking high-schoolers in the universe. As someone whose family came out either early as part of the wild-west migration or later for Aero-space-geeky reasons, it was really tough being average surrounded by all the hotness, I gotta say.
By the way--if you REALLY need alcohol at a high school game-- talk to the band. Hip flasks. That's all I'm sayin'.

I found an easy pattern for lap blankets on the Sept. 8th page of my KNIT BITS calendar. It's specifically meant for nursing homes too, especially for folks in wheelchairs.

Laurie, can I print the directions here? I don't want to go to the Internets' Prison. There's no knitting needles in prison....I'll never survive!!!

Love me some young boys in uniforms! They are my sons. I'm allowed. I will think of you at tomorrows game and Homecoming Thursday. Go Matadors!

I'm knittin' my square! Can we get the Angora bunny on something....a quarter, maybe?

Laurie,
YOU are so pretty. Definitely got some good genes in your family. : )

I've never knitted a thing in my entire life so I guess you don't really want me participating in the blanket making, but I do hope your grandma is better soon!

A local H.S. cross-country team has started their annual practice of running down the grassy median of one of our parkways, and I always feel like a leering Mrs. Robinson when I drive by them after work. But some of them :must: be of legal age.... le sigh, le pant. :)

I'm sorry. What? No beer? How in the holy hell did you survive? I am so, so sorry. To express my condolences, I will commence knitting when I get home from the office. Because they frown on the knitting & working here at The Bank.

Laurie, you look sooooooooooooooo young and cute yourself! And your family are lovely too.

I teared up at the office! I had to fight it! As soon as I read how your granny's face lit up when you told her about the blanket I saw the picture coming below and had to breathe because I knew I'd tear up again when I saw it. I used to work in a nursing home. Laurie, you are so good to your grandma!

I would have loved to hear exactly how you explained to her that people all over the country and possibly the world are knitting for her. I doubt my grandmother (who knits, but isn't really up on the innernets) could truly "get" that.

Of course, I'm knitting a square myself--only one, though, because I'm getting ready to move, and simply must get ready!

Add me as well to the list of those who went *sigh* over Ryan. *Sigh*

Oh good lord, Laurie, it hasn't been THAT long since highschool. You should remember that you have to sneak alochol in to the games! Rum or Southern Comfort always worked for me.

I know what cha mean about those high school boys

I go occassionally to HS football games to watch one niece cheer and the other one in the band. It is amazing that those boys are so young. I think they started putting something in the water after I graduated!

Love LOVE the picture of your grandmother! Can I borrow it for HER blanket blog?

I must be getting old(er). The college-aged boys are starting to turn my head - and believe me, they did not do so when I was college-aged, about fifty gazillion years ago. . .

BTW, I *love* the shot of the OC Princess looking all peeved that you dared to capture her likeness on film (digital?) Reminds me of my HS days in Mission Viejo. URGH.

yes Kristy of course :)

and monkey... the OC is so different from what I'm used to here (a.k.a. The Hood)... I kept saying, "Orange County is so... CLEAN!" LOL almost missed the shopping carts and tagging. almost ;)

Laurie -- I love seeing photos of your beautiful smile and your family, but do you realize that you are ALWAYS in the exact same position -- over the right shoulder of the other person. It should be like in the bedroom -- change positions every once in a while. Spice it up! Stand over the person's left shoulder!

Neil: dork! I just emailed you a pic of the love den btw.

AND, sir, I'm always in that position because these are self-portraits and that's the only way I can get the shot to turn out right. See, it's not my inherent borningness ruining the pics! It's my LOVE of SCIENTIFIC accuracy in self-portraiture!!!

Lots of Grandma Purl love out on the internets!

Keep smiling CAP!

Your Grandma is beautiful. Those blue are so gorgeous!

And I hear what you're saying about those jail-bait boys. Mmmmmmm.

Your video cracked me up. I love your cute little Southern accent, and how you have no idea what's going on on the field. ;-)

But your observation about the concession situation is spot-on. Wonder why there's no beer? Parents & relatives of the players/students would be of age to drink, and think of the money that beer sales would bring in!

Glad Nana's so excited about the blanket. Which reminds me: I need to get started on a square!

WEEHOO
I am so excited.. I am (I know don't hate me) going to dust off the needles and knit for Grandma.. what a fun project. So far the list is up to 79 people at about 2 squares each.. this is going to BE HUGE..hopefully we can make blankets for everyone in the home...

Grans are special in my book - I can't wait to do a square!

I now know the real reason you live in LA -

its because Texas kicked you out. Because no self respectin' southern woman (especially those from Texas and Alabama) would be allowed to grow up not knowing a THING about the football.

girl, don't you know the number of marriages cancelled on account of football here in the south?

grin.
great to hear a voice to go with the prose. glad gram is rockin'.

Cousin Ryan's a hunka man. And a twin too? Secret love nest fantasies abound in my head!

Do you know where cousins come from?

No?

Aunt holes, of course!

I just can NOT believe that I said that on the internets.

And they don't sell beer at High School Football games? Isn't that un-American! Next time bring a cooler.

I'm going to start on my squares tonight!!! Especially now that I'm done with all the baby stuff!!!

xo

So sweet to see you and your grannie -- I had to go get the last sweater my grannie knitted for me and put it right on, who cares if I'm broiling. Wonderful that you and Mom and Aunt Pam are taking such good care of yourselves and your family members.

You are just so sweet, but stay away from those high school boys. I wouldn't relish reading about your bail fund, rather than the knitalong.

Aw, you have the best blog stalkers in the world! That Kristy is a big ol' sweetheart!! I've signed up, and am knitting a square or four, cuz I picked up knitting after my own gramma died and she'd be so pleased that I was knitting. So, I'm knitting for your gramma for my gramma!! I hope she likes it. I've even volunteered my super seaming skills. BTW, cousin Ryan IS hotttt. Yes please. XO

Hi to Laurie's Mom and Grandmom!!

Wheee!
If I could knit, I would knit something for your grandma...I would indeed as I have no grandmother's of my own to knit for.

Marissa - Funny that you mention that you picked up knitting after your grandma died. I picked up crochet in memory of my grandmother. I wanted to be able to crochet the lace snowflakes she always made for my teachers. (And now I can make them - not for teachers though...I've been out of school a while)

Your grandma is a cutie-pie! And so is your mom and your cousin and YOU! :-)

Were you at a Brea High School game??? I once found myself in that exact spot watching a distant cousin kick the ball ONCE. It was very exciting and I can't agree with you more--the situation called for Beer.

OK, I started reading your blog back during the "snakes on a plane" posts. Since then, I have been reading your archives. Girl, you make me laugh and cry all in one post. You *so* are deserving.

As for those high school boys, yeah, they don't make them like they used to. Not that it would have made a difference because I was such a nerd in HS (Ok, maybe I still am).

You should have been up here in July. The Giants had a knitting day. Folks were encouraged to bring their knitting to the game and if you bought a ticket for the special section, you received a tote bag.

And high school boys? Shoot. You should see some of those 8th graders. They made me feel short and I'm 5'10". But I'm not trying to go to jail or anything. That's why I only date those who are 21 and older. They've gotta be able to buy their own drinks.

Now that you've added your voice to some of your blog entries, I can actually HEAR you while I read!!

Glad grandma is doing better and I still think you are da bomb for being nice to the others at the nursing home.

I know what you mean about the high school boys - when I went home from college to watch my little (ok, he's 6'3") brother play, I was amazed to see his friends had all grown up and gotten hot :)

To further along the football theme, I'm actually in a (charity) fantasy football league, and I actually get into debates about football now. And I'm in a college pick-em thing where I pick who's going to win college match-ups every week. This can't be good.

And I feel compelled to tell you this, even though its weird, you have the BEST looking skin. It's all peaches and cream, luuuuck-y.

... If knitters ruled the world.

I have some friends who used to belong to the "Ponte Alto Sewing Circle and Terrorist Society." They got that name because they would sew/knit/cross stitch, whatever and gossip during meetings. It was the gossiping part that struck terror into the hearts of others.

How can all these people knit squares for a blanket? You didn't say what size squares to knit. And if you'd mentioned a color scheme, it might help.

OK, if everyone else is knitting a blanket, how about a shawl? What is your grandmother's favorite color?

Usually when I read someone's writing and then hear them for the first time, I'm surprised at how they sound, but you sounded exactly like I thought you would! :-)

Wow! You have a real family resemblance between the 3 generations. I'll definitely be checking out the knit-along. I take it the extras (I am sure there will be extra afghans) will be going to Grandma's fellow patients?

I'm so joining up and going to knit your granny a square or two or more!

my grandma taught me to knit. # 16,807 reason to love /knit for a grandma.
It amazing that a wee bit of yarn can hold all that love.

I started my square but forgot to watch the video when I got home. The evening flew by as I knitted and had a glass of wine or two. I hope it meets square requirements.

I don't know how to knit, but I'm sending love for your grandma anyway.

xoxo

You're adorable. Literally.

yes, i agree with drew, you are indeed adorable.

your grandma is going to have the biggest blanket ever.

and i don't run into too many highschool boys, but i certainly see plenty of college freshmen. and it's kind of creepy to lust after guys who are young enough to be your sons.

when did i get this old? and why is it that my head doesn't know about this yet?

I love it when you put videos on! You are so fun! I am totally a lurking blogstalker, but I just wanted to comment for once and say thanks for the video -- and I am SO going to crochet (I don't knit yet ... ) a square for grandma purl. Can't wait to see the results ... I'm sure you will have enough blankets for the rest of the grandmas and grandpas too! Thanks for always making me laugh, cry, and generally brighten my day. You are such a cutie.

Oh my, is that really you talking?? You sound so southern. Not at all what I expected. Oh and I am so with you at those football games-I have no clue what the hell they are all doing and I even dated a big football player in high school. Oh well.
Big hugs for your grandmother.

you sound like britany spears.... only better and less trashy...