Becky's Yarnin'
"The Spirit of Lockie on The Big Beach"
Posted: 29 July 2022
It's Amazing how a Ball of Golden Fluff can Change and Influence you life!
Our Beloved Golden Retriever ~ "Lockie" ~ His actual CKC Registered Name being "AmberCreek"s Lockeport's Sonny Daze". Born on Wednesday July 25th / 2012, passed away suddenly at home on Sunday May 24th / 2020. We were Devastated... never mind how his FurBrother "Levi" reacted.
Of course, most of you know that I have been a Self Employed HairDresser for Many Years. For more than 12 years, as a SideLine, I decided to start a "Simple Yarn Shop", that was only to supply a few of us "Local Knitters", with Good Quality Sock Fibres. Wellll... years later, it has taken over my / our lives. I eat, sleep, drink, think, and dream of Fibres. It can be overwhelming at times, especially when you have an overactive brain. From Creating Local Custom Wool Colors, Hosting Gatherings, Events, Markets, Festivals, Knitting Socks & Hats, and having "Woolen M'Ocean". It is now more than a "Simple Shop". Eventually, maybe someday, it will be Only "The Yarn Shop".
Before my Mom & Dad passed away, back-to-back in 2013, "Lockie" arrived on the scene a little less than a year before that, on Friday September 14th / 2012. Needless to say, He was a ball of energy. I was also very busy and on the go, between working full time HairDoing, and having a "SideLine of a Simple Yarn Shop". I was actively involved with all of My Parents Business... from A-Z. So everywhere I went, Lockie did too! Be it for Our Morning Walks, heading down to My Parent's Home on Church Street, here in Lockeport, or to wherever I needed to be for some reason. Lockie got to a point, where he could read my body language, as to what was happening next. He knew that when we went to Mom & Dad's (Nanny & PaPa's), depending on where the "Killer Kat" was hiding out, would he be heading in, or waiting in the vehicle, for me to return. People who knew "Tippy The Kat", would agree... She was a SpitFire at times. Lockie of course was young and thought everything was to play with... WRONG!!!! After Mom & Dad passed away, Lockie continued to be by my side, even more than usual. I think he felt My Grief from loosing My Parents. He was like a Sponge, constantly being by my side, trying to comfort me.
Lockie was always Front & Centre. A Real Attention Getter. If he seen you, he would make you took notice of him, or he'd do something so you would. And We made it worse by putting him on a pedestal. Then along came "Levi" in December 2014, so attention had to be shared. Lockie still remained Front & Centre, as far as being "My Dog". He was the More Dominant one of the two, but we did not know this until after His passing.
Lockie became The Mascot for My Yarn Shop, and Woolen M'Ocean. There was an Award Winning Hat, named after him, HandKnit by Laurie LeGrow of SpinDrift HandKnits in Newfoundland. His head wearing the "Lockie The Lobster Hat" is flanked on all sides of my Mobile RV Yarn Shop. He also had a Festival named after him... "The Lockie The Lobster Knitting Festival". There were also Pottery Mugs, Banners, Signs, Lapel Pins, Business & Rack Cards, and many more items with his name and head on to it.
Briggs & Little Woolen Mills in Harvey Station, New Brunswick, had previously Created 4 of My Local Custom Wool ColorWays, that all blended well together when Knit into a Single Project. Those ColorWays were each Solid Colors. They then created me a Blended Colored Wool from swatches of Levi's Coat. I had sent them clippings of the different colors that were thru out his fur and they dyed wool to match it. Then it was placed in one of their machines at the Mill called "The Picker", and then blown in to "The House", to create "Levi's Golden Locke's". Even though it was the Color of Levi's Coat, because they were brothers, 2 years apart, Lockie, who we sometimes called "Locke", had his name attached to it also! They were inseparable, to say the least. So the Blended Wool ColorWay had to include both names of Our Beloved Goldens. One of My Friends use to say to Levi... "Well Levi, at least you have your own Wool Color now... it's not all about Lockie". Ha Ha... but yet it still was...
After Lockie's passing, during the long Month's of The Covid Apocalypse, my brain cells started churning again. Anne Lucas of Foggy Rock Fibres from Cupids, Newfoundland, had already started a Colorway formula that was suppose to be used at Our October Festival in 2020, for a project named after Our Famous Big Beach. It never did materialize, as we all well remember, anything and everything got cancelled. So we talked a few times, early in 2021, about having the Fibres HandPainted by Her, but calling it a bit different name. All of Our Golden Puppies, (5 to Date), upon arriving to Lockeport to their ForEver Home, had their Little Footsies dipped into The SaltWater at The Big Beach, and their 1st "FootPrints in The Sand". Knowing how Lockie Loved The Big Beach, as Most Doggies do, We found it only fitting to Incorporate Lockie & The Big Beach together, for yet another Exclusive ColorWay to My Yarn Shop.. With Anne's Expertise in combining colours, 2 different Fibres were then HandPainted. There is a 100% Pure Wool Worsted Weight, and a Soft Merino / Nylon Fingering Sock Weight available, most times. They can be Viewed on this Website under The Online Store Category (call, email, or text to order). They were a HIT to say the least, and still are! I collected 6 different pictures of Lockie and Designed a Tag that shows His Love of The Big Beach with the Name of His Fibre on the back, that is attached to Every Skein and Cake of these Fibre's. Lockie had, and continues to be with me every step of the way during this "Yarn Shop Journey".
A Huge "Thank You" goes out to Anne of Foggy Rock Fibres for Continuing to ReProduce this Memorial ColorWay for My Yarn Shop!
I will Never Forget the Many Walks Me & Lockie had across the Big Beach. And Everynite having to hold his paw until he fell asleep next to me. I Miss Him So Much... We are so lucky to Live in a Beautiful Peaceful Area, with Our Beloved Pets by Our Sides...
RIP "Big Boy" ~ Lockie ~ 2012-2020 ~ Love, Your Mudder ~ Becky xoxoxo