I don't like Tuesdays.

Most people don't like Mondays (tell me why!), but around here, it's Tuesday. None of us like them. M doesn't because we don't let him go play with friends, because it's unfair to L. It also isn't fair to M, but what else can we do? The rest of us hate it because it's SCIG day. L's doing very well on it (we haven't visited the ped since he started it), and it's going much better since we started using his thigh for the infusion. (See the picture--that lump is the IG. He refers to that as his Incredible Hulk leg. And yes, that's his upper thigh, not his knee!)

I hate that we have to do this with him, but I do think that it's worth it. L's not as upset about it since a couple of brothers who also have to do it, but it is still really hard for a not-quite 6 year old. We let him watch TV and he gets a sucker for the actual stick. It all works, but it's just not a normal way to do things.

On the bright side, he eats like a pig afterwards. We're pretty sure that he's the only child in Madison County that asked for 2 helpings of curry for dinner tonight. Tonight, we'll have B&Js after the boys go to bed (they are having dessert now), and relax for a week. (Only 3 more months and then we're off for the summer. Yeah!)

January in Kentucky

Today was the last Saturday in January. We were going to use the gift certificate B's sister E and her husband F gave us for the movies to try and see Charlotte's Web (which is, of course, not showing here anyway), but I went outside at 10:00 am and discovered that it was warm. As in upper 50's, lower 60s warm. Yes, early spring like temperatures. We couldn't waste a day like that at the movies!

So we went down the highway to Indian Fort Theater and went hiking/geochaching. We hiked up to the East Pinnacle, which is pretty high up. All of us made it with no real problems, including L. He also kept up a running commentary about everything he saw. Of course, he saw quite a lot. Plants, rocks, dogs, trees, beautiful views (his words), the river, boats...

The hike is amazing. There are lots of overlooks (similar to the Gorge), which of course I won't go out and look because I do not like heights. At all. But the three boys did go out and look, and no one fell off. I did take a lot of pictures. We didn't find the cache at the top, but we did find the Consolation one. Actually, B did find the cache, he just couldn't get to it. (NO, I am not telling where it is.) There were lots of people out today too. It's nice to know that we aren't all lazy in this county.

Then we went home and I made homemade spring rolls. Yum. I'm leaving with my favorite shot of today.

Knitting While Waiting

I am waiting for yarn to arrive. I'm part of a swap, you see, and the person I'm knitting socks for wants knee highs. That's fine, but I need to have yarn. Oh well, I have yarn for other things.

I have two projects on the needles right now. One is for B. I'm working of the back. It's pretty easy knitting. I haven't gotten too far on it yet, as it's also boring knitting, and I cast on 122 stitches. But it will be a nice sweater, and B isn't likely to outgrow his sweaters, unlike some I can mention. The color is even pretty close. We have SUN today.
I am also finally knitting a pattern that my SP from KnittyBoard SP 7 sent me, Giotto by Anna Bell. I'm using yarn that my Spooky SP from KnittyBoard sent me, Opal mit kostbarer Seide (Opal Silk). It's fun to be able to do a project from different items that my SPs (both from the Netherlands) sent me. I have about another inch on the leg before I start the heel.
Here's a close up of the cuff/leg.

Just the Facts

We have been busy, but not with much that's interesting.

1.) I've been cleared to do all normal activities, after the de-sinusfication. Details about the surgery are really interesting. He basically destroyed my sinuses. I now have open, airy air spaces in my head instead of the dark, dank sinuses that captured mucous and got infected. I apparently have no sinuses at all any more, just a nose. (As far as I am concerned, good riddance!) Of course, I'm going to have more allergy/asthma symptoms now with no filters, but considering the humdinger of a headache I had all of 2006, it's a fair tradeoff.

2.) Because of #1, I have started biking again. It's just inside on the trainer (I have to be really careful about temperatures now), but it's a start for the goal: The Horsey Hundred in May. A century ride on Saturday in Georgetown, KY, and a shorter, fun ride on Sunday. That's how I am spending Labor Day weekend. So far this week, I have ridden 120 minutes. On Friday, I'm hoping to make another 120 minutes. Unfortunately, the trainer is boring. I make myself ride during television.

3.) I'm getting better with my new pedals. <--That's what they look like. Maybe I won't fall over when I take the Dolce outside for the first time this spring.

4.) L's IEP meeting went pretty well, although they seem to be thinking about some "new" issues that no one is admitting yet.

5.) M's Academic Team (he's the Captain!) has a record of 2-1. They lost to the semi-private school.

6.) I cast on for a new pair of socks for me. The yarn for my swap hasn't come yet, so I'm hoping that will help it come faster.

7.) B's at a diocesan budget hearing in Corbin. It's the first evening I've had alone since last December. He'll have a few more that he needs to attend, but once Convention is over, those will be over.

8.) The boys and I are reading Peter and the Shadow Stealers. It's a good book, but M really misses Gregor.

9.) Maisie asks to go outside by ringing the bell that hangs on the door knob of the back door.

The ice storm

Well, that ice storm and snow we were supposed to get?
That was going to shut down the bluegrass?
That was finally going to give us a snowday?

It didn't happen. We got rain, instead. Lots of it.

I'm telling you, we have two seasons here, Mud and N0t-Mud. And sometimes, we don't have Not-Mud.

More Mittens

Somehow, both boys lost their mittens. (They are naughty kittens, and they shall have no pie!) So, what else could I do? I knit them both new pairs. So, I started M's new mittens on and finished them on Thursday. L's were started on Thursday, and I finished them today.

They were knit using Ann Budd's mitten recipe. I used size 2.5 dpns and leftover Dale Heilo yarn. The yarn was leftover from my Norwegian socks. I still have some yarn left over. I've used up nearly all of the dark red, but still have quite a lot of the off white left. They are pretty cute mittens. I like that they are the same colors, but very different from each other.

I am officially sick of mittens. These are the last four mittens I am knitting for the winter of 2006/2007. I have knit 6 pairs since mid December. That's enough. I'm going back to socks (and B's sweater).

Ha!

I've actually finished two, count them, two projects this weekend.

On Friday night, I finished my clapotis. It's not very big, but I can wrap it around my shoulders and knot it. I wore it to church today, but have not taken pictures yet. It's just right to add color to my usual boring black dresses. (Well, I look good in black. Pale skin often does!)

When I finished my clapotis on Friday night, I cast on for another pair of Fetching for me. I finished one during Christian Formation this morning (the boys go, but since I miss over 1/2 of the classes, it's hard for me to go), and cast on for the second one right away. I was able to work on it during the discussion at the annual meeting. I made it through the cabled cuff and then worked on it this afternoon and evening. Now, they are finished! I'm not giving this pair away, even though several people indicated they would love a pair. I am wearing them right now. It's not too cold right now, but it's supposed to start becoming cold on Tuesday. I love fingerless mitts because they are so flexible. The picture with both mitts is to prove that there are two of them. Of course, the cables do slant different directions, but that would be hard for you to see. The second picture shows the colors better.

I'm going to cast on for the back of B's sweater next. I'll probably start another pair of mittens for M, who lost his, and a pair of knee highs for my sock swap. I'll have time to work on M's mittens because I have to wait for the yarn to come in first (and I can't order it until Tuesday, anyway).

I feel like I've been doing pretty well knitting-wise--even with a surgical layoff and classes starting.

I hope that you aren't in the path of The Winter Storm. We aren't really, yet.

What we had for dinner

Meatloaf makes another appearance: Edited to add: This meatloaf looks odd because I "frosted" it with mashed potatoes. So, I cooked a meatloaf, frosted it with mashed potatoes, decorated it with ketchup, olives , and a carrot. B's contribution is there too, but I'm not mentioning it!

Finally, Other Stuff

Good Stuff:

L's SCIG went well yesterday. No crying (from me either!), no leaking, no blockage alarms, and it went smoothly. Thank goodness.

I have finished the very stockinette sleeves for B's sweater. Did you know that he has freakishly long arms? Now I have the back and the two front pieces, but they have some interesting knitting in places at least.

I am decreasing on my clapotis. It's fast now, because every row has fewer stitches.

My nose feels better every day.

The sun is brightly shining.

Weird Stuff:

Lulu seems to know when Murfy is going to have a seizure. Weird.

I'm having really strange dreams. Maybe it's the codeine?

My online class sometimes disappears. It's come back so far, though.

Bad Stuff:

M has lost his mittens. I'm trying to decide if I should make some for him, or if I should make some for me, first. (I gave away my fingerless gloves, so I am torn about this. If I make M mittens, he's getting leftovers from my Norwegian stockings.)

L's male classmates said his new mittens have pink, not red. L was mad, but told them that colors aren't for boys or girls, they are for everyone. Good job for L! That's not too bad for a kid that will only be six in one month and 9 days!

And to end, a random picture from Christmas. L dancing with Boogie, his Robosapiens. M's on the floor in the background playing with one of his new gameboy games.

How to recuperate

1. Get a teddy bear from your 5 year old.
2. Take all the medicine you are supposed to take.
3. Watch lots of TV that you don't let yourself watch usually.
4. Take naps!
5. Drink lots of fluid.
6. Read notes from your 5 year old.
7. Let the dog sleep with you (she's warm and when she snoozes, she is nice to have around).
8. Ignore the phone.
9. Read sometimes.
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I am doing better every single day, but I'm still so tired. I definitely feel like I have a broken nose (which I do). Apparently the septum was causing my headaches. If this works, I will probably be better than I ever have been before.

Tomorrow the gel comes out. I will be feeling even better.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate them.

Recuperating

Well, it was all over yesterday at 3:30ish in the afternoon. I dozed off and on all the rest of the day. I felt better this morning, took some more pain killers, and dozed off and on all morning. Then I ate lunch, and took more drugs, and went to sleep. My only question is why is the phone ringing all day long? Who is Debbie, and why have I had strange men calling my cell phone all day? Okay, three questions. (Yes, I finally turned it to silent mode.)

Any way, I now have a shaved down septum (apparently it was too thick and was a big part of all the headaches) and newly opened up left ethmoid sinus. Apparently it healed shut after the last surgery. I won't say I feel great, but I definitely am feeling better

I'm in my pink pajamas with skulls on them, drinking tons of gatorade, and putting this update online so that I don't have to call everyone.

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. Hopefully this is the last surgery for me.

Surgery tomorrow

It's tomorrow--I have to be at the surgery center at 10:30 am.

No breakfast or lunch for me. Hopefully B will have both.
Wish me luck.

Things I knitted

Well, I have been doing lots of knitting. Tons, but much of it I've given away. Even something I thought that I had knitted for me. Obviously, that item had other plans. : )

I knitted a couple of pairs of house socks, which were for B's mom and dad. His dad's socks were knit on size 7 dpns using bulky weight wool-ease. Mom's were knit on size 7 dpns also, but over fewer stitches. Instead of wool-ease, they were knit in cascade bulky weight. The acrylic/wool blend works great for house socks that aren't worn with shoes. They should last forever.

I knit a pair of fingerless gloves (Fetching from Knitty)with a few mods: I used Bearfoot Mountain Colors in Lupine on size 3 needles. They fit me, and my sister. Her hands get cold in her house, so I thought that she needed them. There is enough yarn that I can make a pair for me too. I started them before we left for KC, and finished them in the car.

For Christmas, B gave me a swift and yarn winder. L can even wind yarn now. What's really nice is that now I have nice, neat balls of yarn that don't sit flat and aren't bouncing around any more. It will make knitting a bit easier now.