UPS, DOWNS and SIDEWAYS

What a strange few days. I was riding the high (UP) after the good heart news. SLept all week-end, result of medicines and stress relief. Monday got up with a killer lower backache (DOWN) from sleeping in the recliner, bed, computer chair, porch chair, etc. I kept falling asleep anywhere. But because of backache, John gave me the heating pad and about 30 minutes later I started itching. Itched Monday, Tuesday, scratched Wednesday and Thursday broke out in a rash and started ripping skin with my fingernails and backscratcther (BIG DOWN). Saw my Gp who thinks I might be having a reaction to the dye in the procedure and either of the medicines I normally take. I'm wondering if it is the Zocor since the American Diabetes Assoc has recommeded diabetics take a low dose of a statin drug for cholesterol as it appears diabetics are prone to plaque build-up. The Zocor is new and could be the culprit. However I look like someone deranged as I itch literally allover. From knees to the top of my head there is not a pore of skin that I have not scracthed, continually. Friday returned to GP and said "help now!". Got a cortisone shot and 2 more medicines, with the 3 from yesterday I am now taking 6 different drugs including prednisone, Zantac, Allegra d, Atarax and more, UGH. Now it is Saturday, Gp called this morning, no change, Blood tests at least show it is all external and no internal organs have been bothered. Good kidneys, Good Liver. Ice packs and cold showers help. He will check in with me on Monday.

I have done A LOT of knitting in an attempt to keep my hands busy at something other than scratching!
I had successfully finshed my last charity knitting for the great Pirate Party Megan organized for FOR KIDS. They cleared 180K (big UP). I made another ladybug hat, a bumblebee hat and a tiny pink cloche with flowers on top. Photos are the pits due to lack of time and John did something to the camera. I'll reknit and rephoto later (SIDEWAYS)

I'm knitting a darling hooded sweater for a 12 mos size. The pattern is in this book "BABY CASHMERINO" by Debbie Bliss. Very navy blue and gold as his Daddy is in the NAVY. I can't get the hem to lay flat. In all the knitting I have done I have never blocked anything. I guess it is time to be a big girl and get a more professional look. I love the metal needles I found in my stash, Long narrow points that glide with the yarn. I dropped one yesterday on a tile floor and blunted the point end. I was ready to cry until John said he would sand the point smooth. Metal? Sand? Well, he sure did and now a piece of sandpaper lives in my knit tool kit. You can not tell the point was ever damaged. Sure is nice to know!

Christine, I have decided what I will do with my JOY yarn. It is a special project just for me. I'll post as soon as I have finished. Hope you will approve.

Heart Happy

I am still groggy from the medicines BUT if I remember correctly Dr. Mahoney said my heart was OK. The nurses in recovey were so happy for me. The procedure went through the artery in my right wrist rather than my groin. Dr, Mahoney thought with the state of my knee joints and an old back injury that lying prone for 6 hours after the procedure was too much. So I had to be still for 2 hours but I could be elevated. No knitting for three days as I am bot supposed to bend my wrist. So I'll read pattern books and my new KNITTERS magazine from my SP.

I had so many messages on my phone and e-mails. Your prayers, your well-wishes, warm thoughts and reiiki all worked for a very easy day. Thanks to you it appears I can reschedule my knee replacement. Oh happy heart news!!

Memories of childhood

My SP10 hostess, Kery asked us to post our favorite flower. Little did I know what memories that request would invoke. Thank you, Kerry!

Do you ever see something or smell something and be immediately transported in memory to another time and place? Whenever I smell roses I am in the warm Key West summer sun at The Convent Of Mary Immaculate in an un-air conditioned classroom. Due to the island makeup of coral in the soil only the roses on the old Cherokee root stock flourish. They had the scent that so many of today's hybrids have lost. Every morning we would pick the island roses fresh with dew, wrap them in waxed paper and bring in to lay at the Virgin Mary's feet. During the day they warmed up in the heat and the scent was so powerful.

This is a hibiscus blossom and in Key West there are hedges of them in every color, singles and doubles. http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/ is a link for just a sampling of the colors. This one is at my front door and has been grown into a tree. Like many it is a lovely orange in the morning that fades slightly by afternoon. The blooms last only a day and remind me always to live each day for its own joy and perfection. I remember each family member by their flowers. My grandmother loved the bright yellow singles the size of saucers, my Aunt Crissie had pink small singles. My Aunt Nora had small red ones and my Aunt Florence had so many different ones. My brother loved a large white single with a blood-red center called a Delores del Rio and my mother loved the large red ones. I think of each of them as I wander the nursery. One year I had one called a Rum-runner than went through a color range of about 6 different hues from morning till evening. Just looking at it was like seeing all my family again. How lovely that a single bloom can bring back such intense happy memories. I wish you a flower of your own memories.

Mail call!!

A treasure arrived in the post yesterday! If there is a better secret pal I do not know who it could be. My secret pal sent YARN.. oh lovely, lovely yarn, and she knows ME because she sent the patterns to use for each of the yarns! I am in love with the blue, green ELLA RAE. it's 100% wool from Romania.
It immediately went outside to look at the pool. like colors call to like, right. Actually the colors will always remind me of the water around my family home in Key West so it was perfect.
The LINIE 194 SOLO has been requested by my daughter IF I will knit the ruffled scarf pattern shown here in green. We saw this yarn on the Yarn Harlot's site in a much brighter color (too bright for me) but this color will be great this fall. Now, I have these yarns and patterns
AND an autographed copy of CAST ON, BET'S OFF, a kniting mystery! I did not know there was such a thing! and this great magazine that will accompany me for the heart catheterization Friday. And she wasn't through YET. I also found and I needed so badly a small project bag, just right sized for socks or childrens hats and she made it! in my favorite colors! AND when I opened it, look what was inside The photo of this yarn does not do it justice. It is Trekking pro natura, 75% wool and 25% bamboo. I will get to knit bamboo! What fun! she also included the right sized needles and they are the 5" size I have wanted to try.

If you look at the patterns ( note they are each encased in a plastic sleeve ready for putting in my notebook - how thoughtful can you get!) you will see the pattern for the Waterlily Socks. It calls for some very small beads to be inserted in the cables and tucked under the ball band was a small container of glass beads in the perfect color. Go ahead look close, you will see them.

Oh you beautiful, beautiful secret pal. You are so kind and so thoughtful. All the things I have wanted to try and been a little timid about. It is such a wonderful, wonderful day. I have been knitting charity hats and Duduza dolls and hats for friends children and Now . . I will be knitting for me. First is this great scarf that Megan wants. I'll cast on tomorrow . . for now I just want to look and think great kind thoughts of the lovely person who put so much time and effort into pleasing me. I hope it pleases her to know how much she did. Thank you, secret pal! Thank you!

Mothers

See the reasons for my Mother's Day happiness! My husband has sent me cards thanking me for being their mother. I am thankful to be their mother. They bring me such joy and delight. They are as different and yet as alike as can be. In this day of dysfunctional families, they love each other and are there for each other, and they love their parents. We are blessed. They each have a close group of true friends, a rarity in this day. Megan is a tiny feisty ball of energy who believes in people and tries to keep love alive in people with her helping hands. She does not know "NO" and sees the world as one people all as one. People seem to be infected with her cheerful helping ways. Shep is a handsome guy who has always wanted to change the world in some way. He travels extensively whenever possible and would like to mean something to people. He expressed it when he was younger as wanting to be a "superhero" that would come in and save a town. With his intelligence and computer knowledge he will. He is a force for good, looking for a place to happen. Both of them have a wide range of acquaintances but when you become a friend you are a friend for life.
I remember my Mother today who taught me my love of books and learning, my Mother-in-law who taught me a love of cooking especially French dishes and entertaining, my god-mother/Aunt who impressed upon me the joy of serving in my church, my great aunt who was never a mother in one sense but all her life cared for a younger sister who had scarlet fever at age 5 and remained at that age for another sixty years, and my grand-mother who taught me to look for good not bad, to be joyful not sad, to remember that while I put up with others they were putting up with me and through her example taught me about God and the beautiful world He gave us.
I hope you all had a happy Mother's Day.

SP10 package

I just read a post from my SP, you
know the one who said she would spoil me!
SHe said she sent a package yesterday. She kept finding things to add
and finally just had to send it. WOW! I am so excited. This is my first secret pal
and I have had so much fun with Kristen, the one I got to spoil.
Stay tuned for this excited receiver! I squeal! Loudly!

new found pleasures!

I have been mostly house-bound due to complications awaiting knee replacement surgery and have relied on my spouse for so much. He is a treasure and a great pleasure! But a new found pleasure is the luxury of organizing. Since I have difficulty walking, standing, etc. I sit alot and go through drawers, shelves, stashes, etc. Things that piled up for the past 21 years that I was working are outta here! As a service brat then wife I was used to moving every 2-3 years. You clean house often and pare down to meet your weight allowance when that happens. . I remember those times fondly. We have been here 40 years! As I look around at the accumulated "stuff" I am horrified at how fast it piles up.

But now (please imagine great smile on face) it is on the move OUT.

One of my found pleasures today was a book I got for Christmas from my son. He finds the most extraordinary presents. One year at a holiday in Key West he took pictures of all my family homes, schools I had attended, anything with sentimental value, put them all in an album and surprised me with it under the tree. What a treasure it was and he is! This book is an explanation of kitchen science. If you are an Alton Brown (TV Food Network) fan you will enjoy this. Can you really fry an egg on the sidwalk? Does belching contribute to global warming? These and many other mysteries and myths are explained. Virginia Purl you would like this, I bet! So while I wait I am de-stuffing. I'll bet George Carlin would be proud of me.

I am also knitting Duduza dolls. What a neat way to use of little bits of yarn!

No daffodils

The cherry tree in my backyard bloomed late due to our strange winter. The blossoms began to drop immediately. Then winds blew them off and away, This is from the previous year. The prevailing winds blow toward the camera so the pool often fills with the blossoms and looks like Cleopatra's bathtub. We do not have a picture because we are always too busy unclogging the drains! Why don't we cover the pool, you ask? Because I like to look at the water from my windows.
I was born near water, always wanted to live near water and refuse to pay the outlandish home and insurance prices to do so! The pool and deck were designed by my daughter and have been a summer delight for all. Extra wide steps provide places for kids to play and nap. The tree shades the table and the stoves are in an alcove next to the house than can be closed off

from the children with a gate. Our rottweiler Liebe stands guard and greets one and all. The house is on a corner and she runs from side to side gleefully barking Hello to all who pass. In midsummer the tiny Clematis began to bloom and continued until cold temperatures came. I don't think it will reappear this year. We will look for another one as we all enjoyed it so much. There were no daffodils in my yard this year. We went from hot to cold to hot too many times and I think they all gave up.

Healing Thoughts

I have been very concerned about my SP, the one I spoil!. I had a very brief e-mail early in April and she had hurt her leg. Time went by and I did not hear anymore until the last week of April. Her injury was quite serious. She fractured her leg and injured tendons when a load of lumber fell on her. She is very, very nice and very appreciative of the Easter basket I sent her. (see April 6 entry) SHe wrote that the color of yarn I used as grass was the perfect shade for a project she had wanted to knit. How lucky can that be!

Kristen has a problem healing as I do and has had quite a time of it. It is difficult to accept that I heal so much slower than others. A cut on my finger, a bruise on my toe, any injury takes ususally twice as long. I have had to really work on not feeling guilty that I cannot do as I used to do and focus on the future when I can again. John has become my personal shopper and while that is nice, I am itching to go.

Kristin has to keep her leg elevated for quite some time yet so I see knitting in her future. When one is as housebound as I have been it is deeply satisfying to bring a little joy, however small to another. I’m sending some knitting books to her today and hope to cheer her as she heals. Keep her in your warm, calm and healthy thoughts, please. I know only to well how good that feels!

As for my saga. I saw the cardiologist yesterday. My daughter's medical friends picked him out for me. He is very patient, kind and reassuring. I have to have a cardiac catherization (run a snake with a camera up from my groin and take pictures). I asked if I would be awake. He said he would give me a " 3-4 martini lunch" and I would not remember a thing. I also received a call late in the afternoon from my G.P. asking about the appointment. How blessed I am to have such caring doctors. I slept well.

Thank you for all the e-mails and good wishes. What a treasure bloggers have turned out to be. I love you all!!

He's not 75!

This past weekend was my husband's 75 birthday. He rides with a bicycle club 3 times a week and on Saturday we had a huge cake with this picture on it and OJ and bananas and bagels. All things the riders like. He had a silly hat with a propeller on top that said "I don't want to grow up". I just love the man so much! Sunday we had a back yard surprise with a diverse age group of friends that also love him.I've made arrangements to get him a new Smith and Wesson target pistol to replace the one that was stolen. He also picked out a new teak round table and chairs to go on the deck. He loves to sit out there and read. Happy Birthday my love!

I have recently read (again and for the third time) the historical fiction novels of Inglis Fletcher. She was such a firm believer in extensive research and so committed to accuracy that she steeped herself in details of everything from historical events to what people ate and wore. I have actually traveled the pathways of some of her novels and can pick out the scenes she wrote about. Her characters and their descendants reappear from book to book, take part in intricate plots, adventures and love stories that blend with actual past events and personages. I read of English and Scottish settlers that walked the very grounds I live on and I can feel their presence. She definitely makes me appreciate those early settlers that helped to give me what we have today. The books were all written in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and are definitely not the novels of today. No titillating sex scenes, but beautiful command of the ENglish language depicting 200 years of Carolina history told in a compelling style that makes me always want more. I have my Mother to thank for the recommendation when I was much younger, i reread them when we moved to the area in the late 60’s and now I am enjoying them again. In you like historical fiction grounded in real events try these, you ‘ll like it!

Tomorrow I see the cardiologist and we will finally start things moving. I look forward to that!