Gail's story

Early in 2005 I decided I wanted to learn to knit. A friend told me about the Grove and we signed up for a beginning class. Little did I know the road I was headed down. It is impossible to meet Susan

and not succumb to
her charms. Her joy is infectious. She zapped me with the knitting bug and I must say, it was not long before I was hooked.




I met Judy when she brought in the most amazing freeform afghan I had ever seen. I had to make it! I met Val at the Grove when she started helping me pick out yarn for the gorgeous afghan. I think the process of making that huge lovely is when I really learned to knit and along the way found Judy and Val.














Scarves turned to hats and then ponchos and tank It was not long before she had me making baby clothes and animals for my grandchildren.




I met Marcia when she wandered into the shop one day looking fabulous and carrying the most amazing colorful felted purse I had ever seen. I started screaming and begging her to teach me. She started with a felted wallet class, and moved onto the Mobius purse class that we all attended. The bond happened there and has just continued,

In October of 2006 my husband was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric cancer. My world turned upside down and everything was put on hold to care for him. I really dropped out of the picture for more then a year. I sent emails updating our friends of Joe's journey, but that was pretty much it for outside world contact other then family. Susan had sent me to the hospital with the most beautiful knitting project. A cocoon coat in all the most yummy yarns and colors. The yarn was meant to make me happy and keep my hands busy. Unfortunately, I could only focus on Joe and the bumpy road we were on. Knitting really got put aside. Then in the fall a year later I picked up the coat and commenced knitting, sitting in our living room with Joe in his hospital bed passing time. Just as I thought I had finished it, in time for birthday and Christmas, I tried it on and saw it was hopeless. I left it in the shop and headed home to lick my wounds. Upon my return Susan said she was done trying to fix and handed me the shop sample which has been mine ever since. Every time I put it on I can feel Susan's embrace and I feel warm and loved all over.



As I slowly started to re-immerse my self into the world my girls were there gently holding me up and surrounding me with a body of strength. Along the way we made an amazing discovery, and bond connecting us in so many ways. We have marveled at our luck, inspired each other, supported each other and shed a few tears together. It is our safe place. Together.

We made pumpkins together for Halloween and one of us even turned into a witch.






















We celebrated good times at the Grove.
















We celebrated birthdays even though we could not all be together.

























We celebrated with Louisa Harding at The Grove and strutted our stuff.

We missed and missed Marcia celebrated her brief visits back as much as possible and kept in touch every day through mail for the entire year. We celebrated her return last month. For good this time! And I think along the way in our daily writing we all learned a lot, especially about what is really important in life. I can't write any more for now, my eyes are kinda flooded.
Love my girls ,Gail