Knights and the Like

Because there are so many pictures, I'm putting up a collage. You can click on it and browse at your leisure (if you care!).

We saw swordsmen and knights, wenches and beggars, and had a generally good time. It was a good way for the boys to spend their Fall Break and to distract their mother from The Wiz's BMB. It was fun to go with Grandma, too! All four of us survived the heat. And now we've had our fix of the Renaissance Era for another year.

And, we're back!

We had an eventful couple of days. We went to the Renaissance festival on Sunday (I'll write about that tomorrow). Today was the Wiz's annual BMB/BMA. A day he loves but that I do not.

It was a long, long day. We arrived at 9:30 am and left around 5:00 pm. There were a few glitches. He did very well, and only complained about being hungry about 50 million times. He ate his pizza and carrots, played with the Playstation, watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and had blood drawn. He doesn't remember falling asleep, but does remember walking into the room.

We are starting SCIG again as soon as we (the hospital, home health care company, and me) get everything together. It looks like next year we'll be starting in September and going through April. Oh well. (The Wiz told me he wants to be back on IG--he feels better when he is on it.)
His blood was like it always is. Low in some places, high in others.

I finished a good chunk of The Wiz's sleeves. Maybe it will be done by the end of the week!

I'm not freaking out

The title says it all.

On Monday, The Wiz is having his annual bone marrow biopsy and apiration. This is his 4th one. In some ways, I am appalled that he has already had 4 of these, but in others, I am so very thankful that it has only been 4. (I am also amazed and appalled at how many times he's been under general anesthesia--9 times, so far. He's 6.)

Usually at this point I am a wreck. I always schedule these things for my Fall Break, so that I don't have to try and find a sub for class. I spend the week before it happens on edge. But I am not this year. I'm not too worried about it, even though his last blood counts were off.

He, on the other hand, likes BMB/BMA day. Why? Well, he gets to have popsicles for breakfast. He gets to play with the toys at Hem/Onc all day. The nurses all love him (they are great with all of the kids) and let him have lots of stickers. His description of the biopsy is this:

"I have a blood draw. THOSE hurt. Then they let me take a nice long nap. When I wake up, I have a big bandage on my back and they let me order whatever kind of food I want! I get suckers and stickers and it's fun."

Yes, my kid thinks that bone marrow biopsies are fun.

Anyway, the boys and I are heading up to No. KY this afternoon after Game Boy's game. Tomorrow we will spend at the Renaissance Festival in Oxford, OH. Monday, the Wiz and I will be spending at Children's, while Game Boy gets some spoiling. Game Boy thinks of the Wiz's medical appointments as a treat, since the Wiz tells him how much fun he has. The Wiz is a serious optimist. He really does forget a lot of the bad things that happen. I am grateful that he does so well.

I'll see you all later. Have a great weekend!

Because it's October

we had bat-shaped meatloaf.

Calabera meatloaf is in our future.

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To those who like my Swiffer covers: I'm working on a third one. I have discovered that they do indeed work. : ) Next week, I'll type up the pattern(s) and post it. Theoretically, I'll have more time.

How to amuse myself when I can't ride my bike

This cold is just a huge PITA (ooh, she almost cussed!). This week has been dizzy spells and coughing fits, neither of which are fun on a bicycle. I've been doing lots of walking, instead. I have to find something to do, and I'm still putting off the finishing touches of the Fall II class.

So I made this:Any guesses yet?I bet you know what it is now! A Swiffer cover that can be used for wet mopping. I did this yesterday afternoon/evening and we haven't tried it out yet. I started another one last night that is all one piece. The first one I knit pretty much completely on the fly. I used garter stitch to make the pockets and something called a scrubber stitch for the scrubbing part of the cover. What I like best about this is that I can throw these in the washing machine, I'm not using paper products, and I might finally use up that cone of Peaches and Creme ombre yarn that I don't like. (I am not sure why I bought that particular color.) So it warms my I'm bored/I'm cheap/I'm trying to use fewer resources parts of me. There is also the aspect that it is a speedy project.I'm working on another one. This one is knit all in one piece. I'm using stockinette for the pocket, with a turning row, and then the long working piece is in waffle stitch. Here's a closeup of that stitch:I'll write up the pattern if anyone wants it. I won't take credit for the idea (Crazy Aunt Purl mentioned someone knitting one on her blog) but I did make up the pattern on my own. It seemed like a great idea to me!