Although Grandma Staley and Kivrin did not have the opportunity to meet each other, several people saw me holding Kivrin at the visitation and told me stories about Grandma showing them Kivrin’s newborn pictures when they visited her. Read Grandma Staley’s obituary in the Belleville News-Democrat here.
Grandma Staley – the originator of the yarn stash, the woman who taught me to crochet. Coupon cutter, piano player, windowsill gardener and birdfeeder. Prolific correspondent with grandkids, missionaries and just about everyone else she ever met and liked. A watcher of tv game shows and spoiler of babies. When I was a little girl, I didn’t know if I liked red apples or green apples, because I had never seen the skin on the perfectly sliced apple pieces that Grandma would give us in small margarine tubs.
Kivrin will most definitely grow up hearing stories about her Grandma Staley.
Kivrin Anne 
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September 12, 2008 at 2:36 am
Meghan
Oh no! Is this the grandma from the codeine story? That’s so sad. I’m very sorry to hear about your loss.
September 12, 2008 at 9:41 pm
lissa
Meghan -thank you for the kind words, and yes, this is the grandma from the codeine story — which I guess I better include here before people start imagining something scandalous!
When Meghan and I used to teach crochet workshops at our library, I would always bring in the first project I ever crocheted, and tell people how my Grandma Staley taught me to crochet for about an hour the afternoon before I got my wisdow teeth removed over winter break my freshman year of college. I woke up from the anesthesia and went home all chipmunk cheeked and picked up the practice yarn she had sent me home with and started crocheting a blanket. Of course, since this was the first time I had ever crocheted, my stitches started out looser and uneven at the beginning and gradually got consistent and neat looking over the next several inches. And, of course, since I was drugged up on codeine while recovering from oral surgery, I didn’t notice the difference in my stitches until the blanket was halfway finished and then I realized that the beginning of my blanket was 5-6 inches wider than the rest of the work!
I always bring that blanket in and tell that story to people just learning to crochet because it serves as a warning to them not to run out and buy a lot of yarn and start their first blanket the day after they learn to crochet — whether they are all drugged up on codeine or not!
Thanks for reminding me of that Grandma Staley story — it’s a classic!