A-Z 2013 the letter K

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My grandmother lived with us. She was a good and kind person to her family. We, all her 17 grandchildren called her Nana. Nana could always be found in one of two place they were either in front of her Singer sewing machine sewing up a storm or in the living room in her easy chair knitting (which she did when she was younger up until her 70's) then she took up crocheting from then on until her death at 95.

I remembered a conversation I had with my son Matthew the over Easter weekend and I knew exactly what my K word would be.

My "K" word is knitting.

My cousins came up for Easter from Charlotte, my son was here from Richmond and my daughter, son in law and three boys were here from Richmond as well. One of the nights with all six kids sleeping in beds, blow up beds, sofas and sleeper sofas I had to pull out all types of sheets, pillows and blankets including one of the home made afghans Nana made.

Nana & Matthew

The next morning I asked Matthew whether that particular afghan was his or his brother Eric's since Nana made one for every grandchild and great grandchild; he couldn't remember. He told me he'd have to see Eric's and compare to remember which was his.

After company left I was putting the house back in order and as I reached the top step of the staircase I glanced at the bookshelf and my answer was staring back at me in a frame. It was Matthews for sure!

I got my afgan when I was about the same age as Matthew was in this picture. So as you can imagine it is well loved. It was also knitted unlike Matthew's which as you can see was crocheted.

I went upstairs earlier today and gingerly pulled mine out of the bag I store it in. The word threadbare came to mind since it has thinned it has more than a few holes and the lining that Nana so lovingly attached has long since been removed due to wear.

I remember the day she laid all of her yard out on the bed and had me pick my color choices then we rolled and rolled up skeins and skeins of yarn so she could begin her knitting.

Here's my 50 year old knitted afghan.

Knitted by my Nana and loved to tatters by me.

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my first pitcher wasn't beer

"K"

When I was a kid I didn't drink many soft drinks, did you? We mostly we drank orange juice, milk, water and when we were allowed to drink something sweet or wanted something refreshing with lunch after long hours on the beach we drank a kool, hint hint  fruit flavored drink beginning with the letter "K". 

Kool-Aid  Today's "K" word , currently there are over 70 different flavors to choose from!

I can remember mixing up large pitchers of kool-aid with sugar and cold water mixing and mixing it until the sugar dissolved.  If you drank the last bit of the pitcher in my house you were responsible for mixing up an new one which was a down side; bright side; we upon occasion used kool-aid and made ice pops- yumo! It was staple of my childhood kool-aid was always there in the fridge in a pitcher next to the milk.

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When I chose kool-aid as my subject I started to wonder about how long it had been around, things like that. It has been a product since before I was born, and indeed came to be in 1953. The smiling face on the pitcher was added to the round pitcher about a year later and the no sugar added mix was developed and began to sell in stores in the mid sixties. Apparently my parents opted for the less expensive add your own sugar option because that's all I remember doing.

Now for the funny part. As I was traveling down memory lane and sipping  my kool-aid so to speak I came across some new and interesting ways my old favorite drink is being re-made and used this newer and more crafty generation.

Kool-aid Jammers!This first way is pretty normal. Pouches of kool-aid premixed for the kids to have in their lunch boxes and to take on the go. Or what seems like the norm in my house to squirt on the floor and on furniture!

Kool-aid play-dough! Make it what ever color and smell you want. You like purple/grape or maybe citrus might be better. This way you can have aroma therapy when you're scraping it off your wool rug in the dining room or off the bathroom tiles.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
2 TAB cream of tartar
1 TAB oil
1 cup water
1 package Kool-Aid (whatever color/smell you want)

Cook over medium heat, mixing constantly until it forms a ball.  5 minutes tops. Cool on parchment or wax paper. Form into ball, will smell GREAT!

Seriously folks who thinks of these things??

And my own personal favorite since underneath all my hair dye there are many gray hairs and again I'm thinking grape!
Kool-aid for dying your hair!  Bet you can't wait to jot down there instructions for your teenager? For this little adventure first you will need: beer, preferably from  a Keg ( clever  how I worked another K  word into this!)


Ingredients
Unsweetened Kool Aid - 2 or more packs depending on the length of your hair
Petroleum Jelly
Hair Conditioner
Plastic Wrap

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Instructions
In a small bowl mix 2 or more packs of Kool Aid and a few drops of conditioner to form a paste. Add a little bit of water if needed. Mix until smooth.

Spread Vaseline or petroleum jelly around the edge of your hair line and tops of ears. This will help prevent the Kool Aid from staining skin.

Work the Kool Aid mixture into your hair. Avoid the scalp and skin!

Once all of the Kool Aid mixture has been applied, wrap your head in plastic wrap, or bag.

Leave in place over night if possible. The longer you leave it on the darker the color will be.

In the morning, wash your hair, condition and then wash again. Style as usual!

I don't know about you all but as much as I appreciate all of the effort and imagination that has gone into all these other uses, I rather like my kool-aid the old fashion way..... in a glass, grape of course! 

How about you?