Thank You Notes

"It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart."

-Author Unknown

We are heading into thanksgiving week. And I will soon be heading north to spend it with my father & step-mother in Michigan. It will be the first time we have had thanksgiving together in 20 some years. Now THAT is something to be thankful for.

When I was a kid, my mom made me write thank you notes. (Didn't everybody's?) And I hated it. I know...I'm a bad person.

I was very appreciative and grateful for what I received. That was not the problem.

It just felt so stilted and formulaic, as I wrote the feelings down on paper. Even today, I much prefer a phone call or, best of all, an in-person hug.

So sometimes I forget to thank the people without whom I would not be here, doing what I do. I am thankful every cotton pickin' day, that all of you are part of my life.

• my wonderful test knitters, especially Tami, who just completed testing Galadriel's Mirror: a quite complex set of written directions. They donate their precious knitting time to ferret out all the little whoopsies in my pattern directions
• my fabulous proofreader Elizabeth, who picks the finished product apart and finds all the typos, except fro for (see what I mean?) when I misread her corrections - sigh...
• my family, who eats out a lot more than they should because Mom/Grandma has been playing working
• my friends, who listen to my flights of fancy & pretend that knitting is the most fascinating topic in the world
• the independent dyers who provide me with so much beautiful inspiration, especially Laura & Kelly of Unique Sheep
• the retailers who carry my patterns and allow me the privilege of teaching in their shops
• the moderators of the KALs on Rav - the best peeps ever
• my buddies on plurk who share my joys & sorrows, never judging, always helpful & quick with a hug or an encouraging word when needed.
• Casey & Jess, because without the wonderful public forum that is Ravelry, I doubt I would be in business
• Al Gore, for inventing the Internet (snork!)
• the knitters who buy my patterns. without you, there would be no Sunflower Designs
  

And most of all, my wonderful husband, who critiques my designs, tweaks my computer, listens to my kvetching, cuts me slack when the dishes aren't done, and loves me always.

I love my job. It is a blessing.

And I could NOT do it alone.

Thank you...