The adventures or misadventures of trying to maintain the multitude of WIPs in various forms of needlework, while maintaining life with a houseful of 9 cats and 1 dog who thinks he's cat.
A certain feline took offence to me calling them lazy in Wednesday's post, so this is what I woke up to this morning. Out of my work bag. No that is not the culprit. That is the tattle tale.
This is our culprit. Ms. Bootsie Bitey, formerly of the Scottsville Biteys, aka Yarn Hoarder with a refined taste in only the best yarns. Silk and cashmere needs to be kept under lock, key.....
with an armed guard.
Yesterday, I cleaned the living room area in the morning. The refrigerator guy came and fixed the fridge. He and the manager tried to blame us, that we didn't know how to use a refrigerator. It was some Freon thingie that was faulty. Duane knows what it is. But yeah, we are 45 and 50 years and don't know how to use a refrigerator. I never had one break down on me until we moved here. I've lived in apartments for ten years at a stretch and never a problem. We will be looking for a new place to live, probably after the holidays. I wanted to wait until we had enough for a down payment on a house, but this place is becoming undo-able.
His new case manager came to meet us and do the the three month evaluation. He's on a new medical plan and this one has a Dr. that does house visits. A Dr. who make house calls, that's pretty cool. We didn't like the new Dr. he was seeing at the clinic, so we agreed to change. Because she is new to us, she's keeping everything else the same. I'm still his caregiver.
Remember the sweater I showed you on Wednesday? It now looks like this. I'll give you all a moment to get over the cringing.
I measured it yesterday and it was two inches wider than I wanted. Since, I was afraid of running out of yarn, I decided to rip it out and restart the smaller size. Hopefully, I won't have to spin more yarn doing this. I really don't have time to spin more, when you consider I'm away from the house twelve hours a day. Exhausted from all the walking. Plus, most of the housework, running errands on my days off. I will re-cast-on tonight in time for the bus in the morning.
Last night, I worked on the first pattern repeat of the Bellevue Cardigan. I'm using Knit One Crochet Too, merino/silk fingering in teal. Once I get past the pattern stitches and into the stockinette, I can add that to the bus knitting rotation.
Foto of the week: My rose bush must have felt bad about Sunday. Yesterday I noticed this little bud had shot out the side at the bottom. I hadn't noticed it there before. Then again, I've been tres busy lately. I'm hoping when my friend comes to take us to do our errands she will stop at Lowes so I can get supplies to make a sign for my planter. "Keep your damn hands off MY plants!"
My day includes, running all the errands, the weeks laundry and vacuuming the bedroom. If I can muster the energy, I might spin for a bit tonight.
Happy Friday for you. This is my Sunday and tomorrow is my Monday on a Saturday.
We interrupt this blog with a message from Dammit bunny.
Ahem. Thump. Thump. Is this thing on? There's no microphone? Ok, well then.
We are using old photos because Mom is too lazy tired to take new ones.
It has been brought to my attention that my many fans have been concerned about my silence on both here and my FB page, since my near fatal illness this past July. After my recuperation, I needed to busy myself with getting those minion cats of mine back in line. The little grey one had the nerve to stand in my room and yowl for several minutes, until I dashed out, pounced her and chased her out of the room.
That Bootsie cat, is the worst. She's been walking around here like she owns MY place. I have to pounce and chase her every time she gets into my hopping path. I used to scare them just by putting my ears forward and giving them The Look. Not so much since I was sick. Obviously, they need retraining. Damn minions.
This is The Look.
The other night, just when they thought it was safe, and I was feeling particularly spunky. I endeavored into my favorite sport. Cat bowling. They were all curled up in the bed, all cozy in their cat pile, sound to sleep. Then I leaped into the middle of pile and sent them all scattering. Pop came in just as the cats were running out and I was bouncing in the middle of the bed, laughing at them. Such fun. I've missed doing that.
Give the old lady credit, she took one picture this morning.
I have my own room that I share with my Betty. Excuse the mess. I won't let the maid (Mom) in to vacuum my fur off the carpet. It's sink room off the bedroom between the closet (Mom needs to clean that out for me) and the water room. That water room is weird. Mom takes off all her fur and stands in the rain that she makes come out of the top. She's a strange one, that Mom.
Mom took these while I dictated this post. The bird seed is tasty. Hope Mom is remains too lazy, tired busy to vacuum.
Mom what are you doing laying on the floor?
Action shot. Me binky laughing at Mom laying on the floor.
Seriously, are you going to stay down there?
Mainly, why I wanted to speak to you today, is because I need your help. I can get the minion cats back into line, myself. The slave humans have been a problem, though. They are seriously slacking, lately. Sadly, if things don't straighten out I might have to put them up for adoption. The problem is, there is a serious lack of Zeppelin in this house.
I've tried the carpet chewing thing, that worked before. They just chase me away from the tasty spot and put something heavy on it.
Mom is suddenly gone most of the day and when she gets home at midnight she's says it's too late for Zeppelin to be blasted and flops into bed. Pop said, he wore out of Zeppelin way back in the 70's when his Pop played it all the time. So, he won't put it on for me. Can you imagine? Wore out Zeppelin. He's says I added to this!!
See this. This doesn't happen anymore.
It was great, back in the day when Pop would leave for most of the day and Mom would be home playing my Zeppelin. We would dance around the house. Mom never tired of the Zeppelin. But now, it's boooring.
I've put in several calls to Jimmy Page's manager, but they keep hanging up on me. Mr. Page would make a great replacement for the current humans. It would be great, I could listen to him play is guitar up close in person. Zeppelin all the time. Mom says Mr. Page would not like me chewing his expensive carpets and out I would go. Except, I wouldn't need chew his carpet as there would be Zeppelin ALL THE TIME!! Mom doesn't think so.
I need you to sign my petition down there at the bottom where it says comments. Zeppelin for Dammit! Not More Zeppelin for Dammit as there hasn't been any in the first place.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my plight.
PS. Mom says work went better last night, but it was still crazytown. Whatever that is.
Now, let's square dance. Everyone hop in a circle.
yet..... I've been meaning to post for awhile. Until this past week, I haven't much concentration for any fiberly. After last months, crisises I've been rather on edge and didn't want to sound whiny/whinging about things.
While trying to find needles to start a new shawl, I found them attached to an old project I started the summer of 2006. Dayflower Daydream, in some of my first handspun laceweight, two-ply merino. No idea of the yardage. I'm using size 1, Susan Bates circular Silvalume 16 inch needles and am quickly running out of room. I guess I'll add some size 1 double points as needed to finish.
The past few weeks, I've been filling out several job applications a day. A discouraging task. Then also helping the French lady across the way move to a new apartment at a complex close by. An interesting task, even though she had movers coming on August 1, we moved things by grocery carts almost daily for two weeks before. Then I've been reading, easier to get my mind off things. Most of the novels I've been reading are either during the fall or winter up North and with our heat, I find myself wanting to dive head first into a huge snow bank.
As I said, I've been wanting to post and have had some small things I could have wrote about. While I'm usually not superstitious, it's times like these I get a bit funny. I had just finished that mountain of paperwork and was about to celebrate when the next the manager brought that five day notice. I've been afraid if I start relax even for a moment, the gods or Murphy's people will come and take major crap right in the middle of my living room.
It's happened several times in the past. 1997 is one of those many times that come to mind. In January that year, my husband left us, my three children went off the deep end, and my father who had been out of my life for years came back into and was trying to take over and not in a good way. I told a friend back then, that I felt like I was living with a pack of dogs and everyone was fighting for the place of alpha. By summer, I had my father's visits to almost nothing, and the children and I called a truce. Things seemed to settle down and get better, I started to relax. Then one day in the middle of July, my daughter calls me at work saying the house we were renting was on fire. A whole new, big heap of crap to deal with.
Our boarder has been something else. While we are grateful to be able to pay the months rent, he comes with added stresses. A 38 yr old man, who acts like a whiny, immature 12 yr old. I can't stand it when people, even children talk in a whiny voice. GRRRRRR He's a nice guy and means well, but just doesn't think things through. I could go on an on about all the unnecessary annoyances, but I won't. Maybe I will tell the story later when I'm not experiencing it on a day to day basis.
Mr. Dammit is doing better. He holds his upright for the most part, but still has a tendency to tilt his head to the left. Most especially when we lecture him for being bad. He flops his head to the side, like a broken neck broken bunny. He's getting back to his old self, as he pounces my hand when I stick it in his cage to give him fresh food. Last night I was holding him for a bit after I gave him his medicine and he bit my finger to get me to put him down. Not hard, just a tooth scrape. Enough to let me know the next nip won't be quite as pleasant.
For some good news, please be sending "get the job mojo" asap. Out of all those applications, on Friday, I finally heard back from one. This Monday (tomorrow) I have an interview at a rehab center for dietary aide. Not a great job, but I'll take almost anything right now. I'm sending out the application for to take the CNA exam this week.
Duane wrote part two of his experience with this awful illness this week. For those of you who have been following along and might want to read about his side of things. His wireless mouse died a couple weeks ago, so we've sharing mine. It's almost as bad as sharing computer, but not quite.
I'll leave you with this song that came across my FB page this week.
I meant to post an update sooner, but this is my life and I've been running in circles doing many things.
Thursday, Duane and our border carried Dammit's cage into the living room and I put on Dammit's favorite Zeppelin DVD. As soon as Dammit heard the first few notes of Jimmy Page's guitar, he staggered over to the corner of his cage closest to the tv and tried to see better. His eyes had stopped rolling like he had a seizure at this point.
The weekend, he remained stable, holding his head to the side less and less. He is favoring his left front paw, and seems to stagger like it was weak. We checked it out thoroughly, his shoulder and elbow seem fine. When Duane touched the paw part, Dammit flinched and leaped into the air. We noticed it looks like his toenail is torn off on his pinky toe of that paw. We are now wondering if maybe he had gotten that nail caught on something and in the struggle to get free, sprained his neck and ran into a wall or something hard giving himself a severe concussion.
I've been calling the vet hospital. Thursday, they said it would take 2-3 days to get the results for the e.c.. Today, they said it would be 10 - 12 days. I've not had a call to check on him from the vet, even though the receptionist keeps saying the Dr. should be calling me.
Very un-Dammit like is that he lets me cuddle him for quite awhile, a several times a day. This is Sunday night. Shortly after this picture, we allowed him to hop around the bedroom for a bit to see how he would do. That made him very happy. He hopped pretty well, favoring his paw. The became really excited and tried running, his paw gave out and he rolled onto his back. Since he seemed to be doing pretty well, we opened the door and he followed Betty into the living room. Of course, I put his DVD and he hopped as fast as could over to the tv. Very happy to be free and listen to his music he attempted to run around the living room, like he was trying to dance. That darn paw kept giving out, fall, flop and roll.
Thanks for your concern and well wishes for our Dammit bunny. Will post for WIPW tomorrow with my lack of knitting and Duane's culinary endeavors.
If you've read my last two posts, then you know I'm having a stop the world I want to get off moment.
His prognosis looks good, only time and care will tell. They did a blood test for e.cuniculi. The vet seems to think that might be what it is, but the medication has side effects, even though they have never saw the side effects in other bunnies. She thought it might be an ear infection, however, she said he has the cleanest ears she's ever saw on a bunny. Then again it could be ideopathic wry neck, in that they never find the cause.
The bill was almost a month's rent. My friend sucked in her breath when she saw it. I had them take off one test that wasn't totally necessary. Thankfully, she said ok, but she wouldn't be able to help if our other bunnies get sick. If the test comes back positive he will need even more medicine daily for one to two months. They didn't say how much that will cost. Dammit just snuggled in my arms on his back with his head on my chest, like a baby.
(Betty and Dammit playing tag this past winter. )
When we came home, I cleaned his cage with bleach and put down fresh bedding and hay. He didn't care for the taste of all his medicines. He's in his cage now with his Betty. Betty knew he was sick as she had stayed by his side cleaning him. The vet said that was good as he would need a companion bun to help keep him clean, while his neck is like that. Which is going to be hard as I also need to watch that he is pooping and peeing. Hard to tell whose is whose in one cage. (sigh)
As I'm writing this I have Dammit's Led Zeppelin DVD's playing loud enough that he can hear them in the bedroom where his cage is. Tomorrow, during the day, I might drag his cage out to the living room so he can be closer to the tv to listen. I don't know so much about watching with his eyes all wonky.
When he was a little Dammit, his neutor surgery devastated him so, he refused to eat for the vet. They kept him an extra couple days, force feeding him until he pooed. They sent him home with the force feeding and medicine. His cage at that time was in front of the stereo speaker. We put his Zeppelin cd on for him and after a short time he perked up, picked up a big kale leaf and devoured it.
Here's a video I took of him trying to clean the bit of medicine off his face. This is shortly after his pain medicine. You can see how his head keeps leaning to the left. His eyes also keep darting side to side, which is making him dizzy. Up close, it looks like he is having a constant seizure.
That is my main work in progress right now. Getting our Dammit bunny feeling better.
Update to my other home crisis. Our boarder was able out with half. The one person I e-mailed is between jobs and unable to help. Thankfully, a couple of kind blog friends sent some via Paypal and we are now only 90.00 short of the months rent.
To back track: We woke up Friday morning to the a/c not working and the temp got up to 116F. It was almost 90F in here when the repairman showed up at 5pm. The vet thinks that the distress of the heat might be what triggered Dammit's illness.
I called the director of that nursing home. He said they would hire me if I got my CNA, but ignored me about needing help with the $50.00 for the exam. He said he would ask the other department heads if they had any kind of job for me. I was going to call back today, but the crisis with Dammit took up my attention.
Tuesday, I called the AZ state board of nursing and the person in charge of CNA licensing said if I have a copy of my LPN transcript and send them $50.00 fee for the exam, I can get my CNA certificate for AZ. Before this I called Pima college nursing department thinking they might know the information I was seeking. They didn't know, but tried to talk me into skipping the CNA certification and giving them $1,080.00 for the LPN refresher course. She couldn't understand, I don't have that much money and want to work as a CNA to save for the other course.
Yesterday morning the manager came to my door and said, I needed to give him what cash I had, and to have the agency that has me on the waiting list for help with the rent, to fax his boss a letter stating I'm on the list. The lady that answered the phone wasn't the nice lady that called me back last week. She was sarcastic as to why I didn't call the other lady who is handling my case. That's because I didn't have her direct number. After being very nasty that they couldn't fax or speak to the landlord, I got her to give me the nice lady's number. I left her a message and she e-mailed me back that she wasn't allowed to contact my landlord until my number came up and I come in for an interview. That she would verify to me that I am on the list and should be called in 2-4 weeks and if approved they would pay back rent and utilities. She helped me through a back door. The manager had me forward it to his e-mail and he sent it to his boss.
I'm also putting in applications online for every job listing I see that I might be able to do.
I'm trying the best I can to hold it all together. I just want a decent job to pay our bills and save for my LPN to reinstate and then go to school for my RN. The universe seems to be poking me to be extra nasty. I'm yelling stop it, I can't take anymore, because I really can't take another thing going wrong.
This week Duane was able to walk a city block and half, with the PT following with his wheelchair. He sat and rested, then walked back. His O2 sat was again down to 80% when he returned. He thinks it would have been better if not for the heat of 110F with humidity as a storm came in. His endurance is improving slowly every week. Not fast enough for him as he is anxious to get back to work and help out. SSI should be making a decision in the next weeks. Pray that is good news. I told him if it is approved he should take the time to take some online classes at the local college.
As you would figure, it's been hard to concentrate on knitting. In two weeks I've gotten this far on my granddaughter's sweater due to be born the beginning of October.
I broke my promise to myself and started an HAED cross stitch pattern that I've had for a couple years. I've had pattern, fabric and thread for quite awhile, but kept telling myself I need to finish some WIP's first before starting this.
Bootsie did her best to try to stop me.
No progress picture as it is a very boring, small dark blue square that is stitched. Don't know what I was thinking to start this.
I'm also working on a stealth project. A little something I plan on sending to all the angels out there who have helped me during this long, wow, I don't know what to call it, these unending trials. Any way I'm making them all a little something to remember how they were an angel to someone in need.
All your positive thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated.
For more interesting WIPs, click the button below.
It just doesn't seem to end around here. We woke up this morning to find Dammit bunny experiencing wry neck, his tilted to one side and eyes rolling.
I made several phonecalls to vets and rescue agencies, while also researching online. It looks like he has e. cuniculi a life threatening illness to bunnies. My friend that has been such a life saver through the past few months has come through again and is taking us to the vet at 4:15 this afternoon.
Please send positive prayers and thoughts our for our Zep Bunny. Will update when I get home from the vet later.
We wish you all a happy Easter here from the nursing center. Dammit and Nippit came together for a visit.
A man and his bunny.
A man and his Dammit.
He's able to hold and snuggle with his little friends now. Both allowed two long sessions of snuggle time. He was afraid our pets wouldn't remember him. However, both rubbed his face and groomed his beard.
While he still isn't able sit up for very long needing to rebuild his diaphragm and lung muscles. He can flatten the bed and scooch himself up. No more lifting. The past two nights he was able to sleep on his side. We're getting there slowly.
Friday, I was up all night. Water pouring down from the ceiling fan and coming through the light switch. Called the manager every few hours to get his answering machine. I was tempted to pound on his door. There was no sleeping to be had with the constant sound of drip, drip, into the buckets three feet from my bed. I tried to put a towel in there, but after they were soaked it was the sound of splat, splat, drip, drip. I was scared of either the ceiling falling down or an electric fire. Both have happened to me in the past, so it wasn't paranoia. Yep, I've survived a fire and ceiling falling down my head. Thankfully, not at the same time.
Every time I heard someone walk around up there, I would go and knock, but they wouldn't answer the door. Six am the manager woke and came rushing over. He took one look at the mess and went upstairs. Had to pound and shout for about ten minutes. My neighbor said they finally opened the door when he threatened to call the police for a welfare check. Her toilet had stopped and she went to bed and left the thing running all night, water pouring. My neighbor said, how do you not just reach in the back and turn the water off the toilet. How do you not call someone to come fix it? The manager said the carpet was soaked all the way out to the middle of the bedroom.
I'm trying to soak up the mess still with towels and hanging them to dry on the fence over night. The lady who has been taking me back and forth all this time, asked tonight. So what are they going to do about your carpet? Nothing. I'll soak it up with towels. But it will go up the walls and mildew and they will have to replace the walls. Nope. Since the manager isn't hassling me about the rent during all this, I can't really hassle about the slum. Sadly. I'm just grateful to have a ceiling over my head, be that as it may. I'm sitting here at ten o'clock on Sunday night with all sorts of pounding above me. Happens quite often. Sounds like they are building a house up there. (rolls eyes)
Di had told me to go up and talk to her about the noise. I said, it would do no good. She said, maybe she's up there blissfully unaware she's disturbing anyone. I said, anyone who vacuums at three am isn't blissfully unaware, they just don't give a damn or are too stupid. Di finally realized after the toilet episode and said, You're right, she just doesn't give a damn about anyone else.
I'm just hopeful for the day when both of us are working again and save up for a nice house on a quiet street. Unless, my pipe dream happens and when he gets a lottery ticket for the mega-millions, and wins the thing. He never buys lottery tickets, but I think after all the rare bad stuff that has happened to him, karma should swing around and let a rare good thing happen. Then we'll buy a ranch and start a stitcher's retreat. You'll all will be invited to come down and escape the winter snow. After that, we'll find people who have fallen on hard times and anonymously make their lives a little better. Might as well, dream big for that dollar.
We hope you all had a happy and healthy holiday where ever you are. I want to thank everyone who sent donations to help me through. I'm eventually going to send you all a little something made by me as a thank you. I really can't thank you enough.
My mom always says give me the bad news first. I'll start with the ugly and work my way up to the bad and good. My neighbor took me up to the hospital last night. When I got there they said he's in total acute renal failure and they are waiting for the equipment to start him on continuous dialysis. The dialysis caused his blood pressure to get even lower and they have him on medicine trying to get that up. It was really low before the whole renal thing.
During the night, they started having trouble with his oxygen levels again. They have a second machine brought in to give him nitrous oxide, I think, with the oxygen. It's supposed to open his vessels in his lungs so they can absorb more oxygen. His chest x-rays are a little worse today, than yesterday.
The wee bit of good news is, his fever finally broke and he started making some white blood cells. So they are hoping that his immune system is finally kicking in.
There was a different head Dr. on today and he actually spoke to me during rounds. The previous guy just let the underling Dr's and the medical student talk to me. This new guy seems like he could be Dr. House's cousin or something. My neighbor Di, suggested last night that they call his work and see if someone has been out of the country or is out with something similar. Because when he became sick on Friday, he couldn't get any time off with half the employees were out sick, as well. Since it's a call center, and he doesn't have an assigned desk, he has to go to whatever station and phone is open when he gets there.
This Dr. said that was good information and he wanted the numbers right away. It's an atypical pneumonia or virus. They thought for sure he had to have traveled out of the country. Nope, I wish we could afford that.
Momma says, I got a fan.
I'm sitting here waiting for my friend that I met on Ravelry and Plurk last year. She's up in Phoenix. Last year, when we almost were homeless, she was going to house our pets for us, so we wouldn't have to worry about having to lose them. She wants to meet the infamous Dammit, Led Zeppelin bunny. People who aren't on Ravelry are really missing out, such a great place.
Over Christmas, Susie was shocked at the lack of Christmas Cheer we had around here. No Christmas pud, no mince pie, stale fruit cake that nobody eats they just re-gift for decades. So, she mailed off a package. After two months traveling, it finally arrived today, looking a little worse for wear. I messaged her on Ravelry and she said she was just thinking this morning, watch it show up now after sitting in customs for two months. Just when I didn't want or need it. Actually, I do want it. I'm just glad to know a customs agent didn't make off with our bit of Christmas Cheer. I'm going to set it aside for when D gets out of the hospital and we can use it to celebrate.
Dammit says, Man that really stinks. Christmas has been so lacking every year. As an English Spot, I was hoping for a proper English Christmas. Now, I have to wait some more for my pud. Pop hurry up and get well.
Last night, I was sitting here checking messages and I heard a familiar cricket sounding little peep. One of the eggs hatched. She wouldn't let me see it. Last time we had waited a few days to peek. It's soooo small, the head is no bigger than the tip of my pinkie. I have very small hands. It's that small pink thing in the middle of the photo, right near the Mama birds head.
Last night, Di and J had me over for dinner. She bought alien eggs (Brussel sprouts) as the vegetable just for me. D hates them, so I hadn't had them in years. J had asked her, "How the hell is Denise eating over there? D does all the cooking." (He does most of the cooking)
She answered, "She told me that Thursday night she stood if front of the refrigerator and asked it how the hell do you cook for one?"
That's why he does most of the cooking. He knows how to cook for one or one and half. I'm the half, as I eat like a bird. You send me in to cook something and I will come back with huge pots of stuff enough to feed half the neighborhood. I'm used to cooking for my sons. What can I say.
The other bit of good news, I'm getting quite a work out, walking up and down hallways and stairways. My sciatica and FM pain has not flared one bit. (Knock on all the wood.) D was the one walking four to five miles a day from the bus stop to work and back again. I think I'm about up to that now. When me moved down here, I said, if I could get walking good again, things will clear up for me. That's what happened before, years ago, when I started working at the pizza place. Until that one bad winter, when I fell on ice and slippery tiles several times. Of course, they refused to write it up.
Oh well, my friend just called she's been stuck for hours in a traffic jam between here and Phoenix. There was a bad accident from the dust storm. The winds are terrible today. So we rescheduled for next week. Hopefully, she'll get free soon and get back home safely. I'm going to head back up to the hospital. If there is anything new to report, I'll write another post tonight when I get home.
I played with my comment settings so they come to my e-mail, hoping that I could respond to you. The return address is to noreply@blogspot.com grrrrrr. That didn't help much. Anyway, yes, I'm drinking water through out the day with my coffee. I just make sure to drink a couple cups right away in the morning after going a whole night without fluids. It's really hard to sleep drink.
I really appreciate you all keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. I'm sure when D gets home he'll appreciate the support you're giving me, as well.
If you've read this blog for awhile, you are aware that Dammit is an unsocial bunny. So the past few weeks we've been plotting any discussing how to give him a much needed mani-pedi. The opportunity came the other morning while Dammit was chasing a cat from behind my chair.
I blocked one side with a knitting book, while Duane came in from the other side to nab him. After much scuffling and jumping up and down, Dammit was subdued. The funny thing is that once he's caught, he doesn't continue struggle but goes into hypno-bunny mode.
Post manicure he got much snuggles and kisses. To mark the occasion Duane took a picture. Here we are plotting his demise together.
This post probably resembles my mood the past few days. I've been trying to keep busy, however, free floating anxiety has me running in circles from one thing to the next.
Here are the mittens I finished for Duck. Hopefully, she'll be the mood to model them and the hat. I'm in the progress of writing the pattern for them.
I finished spinning and plying the cat spit SW BFL for Mom's leg warmers.
Duane and I think we have worked out something to rig up a way to wind thread on spools using my sewing machine. Tonight, on our way to weekly grocery shopping we stopped at JoAnn Fabric for supplies. While heading to pick up the couple things we need some bolts of fabric attacked me and forced me to bring some home.
I wish I could have afforded to get the whole bolts of the last two to the right.
Finally, a picture of Dammit being good and looking happy about it.
Like most of the North, this is what I woke up to this morning. Actually, there was more when I first woke up, this is several hours after the sun played peek-a-boo. I'm not ready to deal with the cold this year, not ready for shorter and shorter hours of daylight.
I was a bit quicker and smarter today, and got a picture of the merino/tencel while the sun made a brief appearance. First spool is finished, two more to go. Quarter is added for scale, the single is about the thickness of a 2/20 strand. I've switched back to finishing up the last spool of SW BFL.
Plurk was acting up today every time I tried to bring it up, so I was able to get some dying done. All the 2/20 tencel I skeined over the weekend is dyed and now resting comfortably, curing in there little plastic wrap cocoons. I'm anxiously awaiting til tomorrow to find out how they will turn out.
Yikes, I almost forgot to post. That would have been bad, since as of today I've made it farther than two years ago.
Today, was full of blog post fail.
I was going to take a picture while the sun was shining of the merino/tencel I'm spinning. How was I to know that when the sun popped out it was just saying a quick hi and I should have made a mad dash for the camera. Fail.
I was then going to bake you a cake, but then realized I'm out of eggs. Fail.
Not much progress on the knitting front today either. Fail.
Who ever says knitting socks is boring hasn't knit socks from the top down. Remember the lovely blue SW merino sock I bought at Rhinebeck to knit my mom socks? I cast on, on the way home, only it had been awhile since I made socks and cast on too few stitches. Almost the whole leg finished and I had to frog and start again.
Then a few nights ago, in fit of insomnia, I stayed up and finished the sock, except for kitchener stitching the toes closed. It was getting suspenseful have way down the foot when I had the equivalent of the approximate size of those super bouncy balls found in gumball vending machines, maybe a good sized jaw breaker's worth. Every couple rows, will I have enough, will I have enough. Top down sock are adventurous, not for the faint of heart.
Here is what looks like an almost finished sock, waiting for kitchener, with it's marble sized yarn ball stuck to the end of the needle. Well, it's about to be frogged, again.
What!?! What went wrong now? You ask.
I read on a post on Ravelry that SW Merino acts like silk and stretches. The problem, my mom and I wear the same size shoe, but her calves are bigger than mine. So, I knitted the sock a little loose for my leg. It should fit her well, except if the yarn stretches. I confirmed this with my helpful Plurk friends.
Then the mind debate began. Leave as is. Cast on smaller. If cast on smaller, how many fewer stitches. The mind boogles.
Well, just have her try it on, silly, you say.
Two things. First these are a surprise. Secondly, she comes over once a week to take me shopping and when she gets here, she's ready to go. The whole take off shoe, sock, try on, take off, put original sock and shoe back on, too much hassle.
Well, measure her leg and say it's for those leg warmers she wants.
Yep, thought of that. Except, my DD (not dear) borrowed my tape measure last week, and when it will resurface my possession is questionable. Yes, I could and should go buy another one, but, I just want to get these damn socks finished.
An answer came to me when I read Close To My Heart's blog post. Blueberry Waffle socks in fewer stitches, would be snug yet the stitch pattern would be stretchy enough. What better than blueberry waffles for blueberry colored yarn. This will feel like a whole new sock instead of redux times trois.
After another insomnia episode last night, I'm now this far.
I've been pretty depressed and anxious lately, as I have some stuff going on and about to have a whole lot more really crappy stuff happen soon. Nothing I can share on a public blog. It's a lot like watching a snow ball roll down hill and there is nothing I can do to stop it.
For part of my night, I started spinning the merino/tencel from Rhinebeck to chear and distract my mind. I had said, I thought it would be like the merino/silk I've spun before. This is far slipperier and I wouldn't suggest an advanced beginner to try it for fine singles. It would probably be much easier for a thick single with much pre-drafting prep in advance.
I took this picture with flash. Way shiny. I will try it again when there is sun, and no flash.
This should be a very light fingering 3 ply when finished. I think it should make wonderful lacy stockings.
That title thing, thinking up a good one, I'm not so good at. I think I was doing pretty well there for awhile, but the daily posting is getting a bit of burn out. Not even at the halfway point of NaNoBloPoMo, but I will persist. I just hope I don't bore you readers in the process.
I really need accomplish a goal right now. So that is why I signed up, to challenge myself and reward of the satisfaction that I persevered. That is the reason for the title, it's how I'm feeling today is just plodding along. It's kinda like the way little Lexie hops.
My connection is getting better slowly. I was going to call complain today, but then remembered all the schools are off today. So, I figured they would use the increased use as a reason. Fingers crossed that they were just doing work nearby and it will continue to improve.
As a reward for doing such a good job at posting for me, Bootsie received a container of her favorite sparkle balls. She wanted me to tell all of those who commented, "Thank you."
As you can, the clan had to come for inspection of Bootsie's booty. Not their favorite toys, she was left to have her fun of destruction.
Dammit has been really, really bad with the carpet lately. He loved Trisquits as a treat, then tired of them and moved on to Wheat Thins, now he's pretty much tired of them. Why, oh, why won't he tire of snacking on nylon? So, I bought him some tiny bunny corn cobs. The fascination lasted as long as the video. Sigh.
Led Zeppelin fan? Yes or No. I believe some are skeptical. He was so bad last, switching from the carpet, get sprayed, climb the bookcase, chew my magazines, get sprayed, rinse and rapidly repeat many times. So much so, I was to just throw the spray bottle at him. Instead, I put in his Zeppelin DVD and he ran over to his area by the door. Did a leaping and binky dance to Black Dog until my hand touched the camera. He flopped down mid-leap and quietly lied there listening to the music the rest of the night.
I'm up to the second fair isle stripe on the "not Christmas knitting" sweater. The pattern called to change to color 1 immediately after the lace. I felt it would be too much of a stark contrast and continued on with the pink. Just as the second color started right after the first three repeats, my happiness is that the pink did started right at the finish of the second repeats.
The colors are a bit subdued than shown in the photo. I think it's starting to look like something that could be found in a boutique.
This is Bright Eyes, and Mommy's baby. Duane says she is me if I were a cat and visa versa. Just like me she has a hard time keeping her eyes open for pictures. I'm feeling high anxiety tonight, because she woke up from her nap hobbling, not putting weight on her right hind foot. I picked her up and attempted to check out, but she whipped around with her left front and almost tore my face off.
Later, I was able to pick her up in a towel, but Duane took her from pointed with feet pointing away from the light. Yeah, that's ok, I can just use my laser beam eyes. So when he turned her around, she wriggled partially free, scratched him good, and made her escape. She's now hiding under the dresser. Hopefully, we will be able to try again tomorrow. I'm hoping it's just a splinter, and a good amount of salve will help work it out. I'm hoping.
