The Fairy GodKnitter

False Alarm

I prepared myself today in case I was told that I had to drop out of the clinical trial.  But instead, I was told that my tests only show slight and manageable problems and that I'm still in the running to become America's Next Cured Cancer Patient.  Really, my nurse looks a lot (and sounds a lot) like Tyra. 

And my Dr. (who just looks like herself) is very pleased because in the two weeks since the first dose, I've had less fluid build up in my abdomen and my lungs sounded better today than they have in years.  The bruises that scared us are being blamed on my clumsiness and a change in my steroid dose.  As far as she knows, there is no fast cure for clumsiness but the steroids were reduced again today.

And my contractors showed up earlier than they said they would. 

While I was out, they took the project from this:

To this:

The Mr. is already likening it to a battleship and the dog got spooked trying to come into the room, but I love it.  Here's the inside:

It's so big that I can't fit it all into one shot.

And the new wall for my desk:

They gave me both a cable hook up and a four way outlet.

Tomorrow they will mud the joints and after a few days of sanding, it'll get a coat of paint and the shelving. 

My architect friend approved of the project and is going to work up plans for the bathroom.  And since he and my contractor exchanged business cards, they should be able to give each other business in the future.

In other news, I've got two more rounds or 2766 stitches to go before starting the edge of Frost Flowers. I've resigned myself to living with half the house torn up and plan to do little but knit for the next few days.  Maybe that's the fast cure for clumsiness?  Of course I may break something in trying to find my size 5 dpn's.

Not a Happy Camper

The rain did not stop. 

The things he's holding in his right hand are were his socks. 

But as his Patrol's Cook, he did well, even if his hair still smells of smoke and bacon after a 20 minute shower.

The Mr. looked about the same.

But I stepped up and cleaned the tent.  The tents, which were pitched on mud and then tracked full of mud, go home with one of their occupants.  It's been a while since we've gotten stuck with one as I think the Mr. high tails it out of there before getting one whenever possible.

But I'm a terrific tent cleaner and our tent is now dripping in the garage.  If the rain clears out, I'll put the tent up in the driveway for a few hours so it will dry throughly.  It's a lot like blocking lace, you have to get it as wet as possible and then be patient about the drying.

So I did not get the full day of rest I expected.  But I did manage to knit a few thousand stitches of Frost Flowers.  I'm making no predictions for tomorrow, but I may be able to start the edging.  We'll see. 

I have the Dr. in the morning and then the contractors in the afternoon along with a little company.  My friend Barb is bringing her husband over to see the house.  Bob is a retired architect who helps friends make master plans for their property.  The bathroom will be the next big project but I also want to talk to him about finishing the basement and possibly bumping out the kitchen.

And while I'm here, I'll give you a peak of the next, next big thing.  After FF&L's and Icarus, a new Cookie along:

I swatched a few pattern repeats the other day when I was sick of knitting green.  It's the Large Rectangle in Leaf and Trellis pattern from Victorian Lace Today in Jaggerspun Heather 2/8 in Blush.  Cookie started hers today (after maybe finishing Icarus), I'm so glad she's back on pink.

Strange Saturday Sky

Funny sky tonight after a funny weather day.  It rained off and on with spells of sunshine in between.  I mistakingly sat on a wet porch cushion, thinking it was dry.  But that was fine because I was talking to a friend when it happened.

Today has been one of my most productive days in a long time.  I managed to clean two boy's closets, defrost the basement freezer, shop for new sheets, rearrange my sister's room so it doesn't resemble a dump anymore, put away all the laundry, rearrange my room so it doesn't resemble a dump anymore,  shop the sales at the grocery store - coming $.65 under my budget, begin organizing the stuff in the basement for a garage sale, and knit 4 rounds of Frost Flowers.

Since The Mr. and #2 Son are camping, their absence may have something to do with this.  Or it may be because my cold has finally cleared out.

Tomorrow I've planned a chore free day although that may change if the campers are wet, muddy and cranky. 

I'll also be eagerly awaiting someone's big reveal, rumor has it she was wearing a new shawl today.  And since the end is in sight for Frost Flowers & Leaves (I've decided to go with design element on the color change for the edging - I swatched it and it looks fine), I'll be dreaming up plans for this stuff:

More Dream in Color Baby  Lace, 3 skeins in Gothic Rose and 2 in Black Parade.  I want to do a round shawl with the Rose and the Black is going to become this (after Icarus and and a few other projects are done).

Any bets on how long I can keep my hands off of it?

Right back where I started

Earlier this evening, #1 Son had to perform at a music festival.  It was held at the Island's public high school located just a few miles from here.  I decided to drive him over because we are strictly enforcing  Mom's no driving after dark rule.  The Mr. is away with #2 Son at Scout camp.

Just before leaving the house, I started the first row of the last chart (before the edging chart) of Frost Flowers and Leaves.  I started it while Mom was having a debate with herself over the wisdom of my driving 4 miles.  I'm not sure who won the debate but I picked up my keys, bagged up the knitting and grabbed a box of stitch markers. 

When we got to the very full parking lot, #1 Son asked me if I would prefer to just wait in the car rather than limp around after him.  Since I have heard him play Rondo in D more times than I can count, I decided to skip the walk and the listening outside a closed door and knit.

So I knit.  And I knit and I knit and just near the end of that first round of the last chart. I discovered that something was very, very wrong.  Further inspection found my error at the beginning of this long, long round - just about where I was when my mother started fretting.

So I ripped.  And I tinked and I ripped.  And I counted and I restarted the round just a minute before the boy appeared, finished with his performance.  This time I used the stitch markers:

#1 Son did a fine job with his music even though he said the appointment times were running over an hour behind.  His band director was there and he asked the boy if he had a ride home.  #1 told him I was in the car knitting.  Mr. Owens said "With the way the schedule is running, she'll have an afghan finished by the time you get back."  As if.

In other news, the closet now has it's wiring and two pieces of drywall on the interior ceiling.  I think they just put up those pieces so I would be patient over the weekend. 

Yesterday's blood work (the part that's back)revealed more than one issue, mostly with liver and kidney function.  I won't know until Monday if I will get the next dose of the clinical trial drug or have to wait until it is sorted out. 

I dealt with that news by weeding the garden this afternoon.  I even tackled the one planting bed that I never quite seem to get to:

I'm not quite sure why this section isn't as wide as the one on the other side of the doorway.  I straightened it out as best I could but I think I need this edge put back where it belongs.

And baby makes eight

First sighting:

I've been looking for them since Mother's Day and nearly missed them today because I had a very eager dog with me.

They had the pond to themselves and the day, which was cloudy and cool in the morning, managed to turn out a wonderful afternoon.

I'm still knitting Frost Flowers & Leaves, still trying to figure out my yarn dilemma. 

I helped #2 Son shop for provisions for this weekend's camping.  He will be responsible for cooking 5 meals for 7 people.  Over fire, in the rain or more likely mud.  This will still leave him time to hike the creek bed and play something called flour wars.  I don't ask. 

The Mr. will be there too but #1 Son has a music fest. 

I did have to see the Dr. today because my cold is still lingering and I woke up with dozens of unexplained bruises this morning.  My doc says the cold has to run it's course (my lungs are OK) and the bruises could be caused by the change in meds.  The blood work will sort it out.

The closet project is coming along.  By the end of today (really half a day), the framing was finished:

(sorry about the dog butt)

Tomorrow there may be drywall.  And maybe the last chart of my shawl.

Dilemma

Cookie says it doesn't matter.  And that know one will notice.  But since I have nothing (my neighbors are all behaving, my contractors aren't due for another hour) and since I'm heck bent on getting somewhere with this project today, I'll put it out there.

I have about 24 rounds to go on Frost Flowers and Leaves before starting the knit on edging.  The knit on edging is 12 stitches wide so that's kind of like knitting another 24 rounds since it takes two rows of edging to attach to each body stitch. 

I've used nearly 3 skeins of my yarn (Dream in Color Baby Lace - color Good Luck Jade) and have two more.  None of this yarn appears to have dye lots so there is some variation between skeins.  The one I'm finishing now is darker than the one used before and I'm fine with that.  I thought that (in the skein anyway) the two remaining skeins were lighter and I want to use the lightest skein for the edging.  But the other skein (that I should be using next to complete the body of the shawl) is not lighter, it's greener.

See, it's the one in the middle.  And it's worse in real life.

What would you do?  In the grand scheme of things, it's only lace - we'll make more.  And maybe once blocked into the 5-6 foot square that it is, it won't be a big deal. 

I don't think I can handle alternating skeins in this pattern as there is no good place to twist the strands and I'm not buying any more of this yarn (at least in this color - I may be over green for a good long time).

So can we call it a design element? 

Just Ducky

I really like the pictures that I can take while standing in my kitchen doorway.

I'm feeling better as the day goes on.  I slept well last night and was spared the morning send off because #2 Son still had a fever and sore throat.  All I had to do was roll over and call his school and then it was back to sleep for another hour.

By midday, he was nearly cured and a little upset by my refusal to let him go out and play:

I wouldn't let him go further than the porch and he felt boxed in.

The beautiful day had the neighborhood hopping with activity.  By late afternoon, I had officially become the cranky oldish lady on the block.

Doesn't every block have one?  We had Mrs. H. on the block where I grew up.  Cross her lawn and you may or may not live to regret it. 

Here's how I earned my new rep:

I was on the porch knitting.  #2 Son was inside, the dogs were crated (one inside, one in the garage) because the contractors were working upstairs.  I glanced up and noticed three two year olds, a stroller with a baby and a wagon with yet another baby coming my way.  They were loosely accompanied by two men and one woman.  I say loosely because the "adults" had their heads together in conversation and the toddlers were on foot, well ahead of the parade.  The toddlers were busy picking dandelions - not a task I would discourage - but they, being tiny and untethered, did not keep to the sidewalk.  They gamboled back and forth into the yards without correction.

Well I saw them coming and nearly held my breath.  Would the so called parents (who had full view of me) keep them in check?  Well, of course not, what was I thinking?  As they reached my driveway, the little ones spied my garden and since my garden looks more interesting than another dandelion, they flew right towards it.  And did I just sit and watch?  No, I didn't, I stood up and that did not stop them and before I could think of what to do, something inside of me kind of snapped and I shouted "Stop". 

This did not work at all on the children (it has been awhile since mine were this small but I think they knew "stop" when they heard "stop") but it did rouse the adults.  In the blink of an eye, I had three now offended parents dashing towards me, all ready to set me straight.

And you know, I really enjoyed this part of it.  I had done nothing wrong.  Unless you call trying to save small people from themselves wrong.  I calmly explained that I had dogs, contractors, bumblebees and a large body of water on my side of the walk and while I didn't think the toddlers knew better, I would appreciate someone supervising better for everyone's sake.

One of the men tried to tell me how stupid I was, the other man looked guilty and the woman said something I'm still thinking about.  She said, "when you move into a neighborhood with small children, you have to make allowances". 

Huh?  First of all, I'm reasonably certain that whichever house she lives in wasn't even built when we moved here last year.  And what about allowances for cranky oldish ladies who don't want their gardens pilfered or other peoples children injured? 

Really, is it just me?

And that got me thinking about something I been hearing from a few of my neighbors.  They (and this is not everyone but a few who are loud about it) are upset about our pond side duck and geese population.  They string out little barriers (that the geese fly over) and are now spraying some sort of goose repellent on their lawns.  I don't mind the geese at all.  I knew when we moved here that the fowl came with the water and I enjoy them immensely.  And if the price for this is picking up a little goose poop, then so be it. 

Geese are easy to figure out, they fly, they swim, they eat a little grass and then they poop.  They are as predictable as two year olds.  What I can't figure out is the people who should know better.

And I'm not going to let anyone mess with this:

P.S. - Closet Day #1:

In their defense, it was only a few hours and all the lumber (which is piled nearby) had to be lifted through the front window - 16 feet off the ground.

Germs

My head cold has taken a detour to my chest.  I slept little last night and paid the price for it today.  Tonight I plan to sleep sitting in a chair.  And by tonight, I mean any minute now.

Even though I was sleep deprived, I started out alright today.  My contractor called early enough to let me know that the supplies could not be delivered till Tuesday, so they are starting then. 

I mentally started a post around this picture:

The post had something to do with geese and woodpeckers.  At least I think it did, but I don't exactly remember now.

You see, my day was soon filled with barfing (no, not barking- barfing) dogs, kids turning up in the nurse's office (in the proper shorts) sick, jerk neighbor's spitting on my sidewalk (yuck) and calls from my mother's doctor breaking in on calls from my own doctor. 

And while I dragged myself through much of that without folding, the best was yet to come.  Somehow between yesterday and today, my boys managed to do or download something that had me dealing with a very sick and nearly dead computer.

Four hours and many phone calls to my sister later, I've got it running again.  I still have a major pain in the kiester ahead with my iTunes library (which is everywhere but where it should be) and I may never remember what I've actually lost or how I actually found what I've found.

I think I may have done a little knitting today too:

I think the good news is that I have 32 rounds to go before starting the edging.  And I think that's the bad news too. 

Geese and woodpeckers?  What could I have been thinking?

Mom's Day

I sat my mother down this morning and told her how worried we're getting to be about her driving.  I expected her to be defensive but she listened and eventually agreed.  She's waiting for surgery to replace her left knee and other medical circumstances have caused her to change the medication that has helped with the bad knee's pain.  Walking (and driving) with a leg on fire isn't doing anyone any good so she's agreed to call her Dr. in the morning to discuss this and get a little Physical Therapy before it gets any worse.  And she's agreed to let us do the driving whenever feasible and sit things out a bit more until after her knee is fixed.

Of course I have trouble getting the Mr. to carry the vacuum cleaner upstairs when I need it. 

And I'm going to see if her surgery date (now July) can be moved up at all.

Our Mother's Day has been nice.  The weather turned windy and cooler so I didn't last long on the front porch.  That was fine because I had a few chores to finish inside.  I finished moving everything out of the way for the contractor who is supposed to start building my new closet tomorrow (or the next day).  The space looks like this:

This end of the room (the wall is about 25 feet from the short end to the door) will have an 18 foot long (and 11 foot high at the peak) wall built about 7 feet into the room.  There will be a door centered on the new wall and inside will be about 32 feet of hanging space in the three usable walls. 

I'm ready, most of the closet organizer stuff has been delivered and I picked out the lighting for the new ceiling:

The only hitch is with the Mr., he wants to know why I'm only allocating six feet of space for his wardrobe.  And I thought I was being generous.

 

Ponds, pets, plants, parks, and panic

Ponds:

The waterlilies are starting to spread out.

Pets:

The dog named Lilly enjoyed a little pond side birding.

Plants:

For Stacey - my wee little hollyhocks:

Parks:

Our local amusement park, Fantasy Island (the near site of my birth in it's inaugural year), opened for the season today.

Panic:

I didn't stay at the amusement park, instead I went to the grocery store with Mom.  Not the on island grocery store, the big one in Niagara Falls.  Panicked all the way there and back over her driving, only to arrive home and see that she left the front door unlocked, the garage door wide open and her purse sitting in full view.