Seattle

Our trip to Seattle was good, if exhausting. The Wiz has decided he likes the hospital, even if he's mad about having two blood draws. (More on that later.)

We drove through the desert and saw Yakima. We saw Ellensburg. Then we went over the mountains. The Wiz was impressed. The mountains here are quite impressive. Then we went down and then we went up, and all of sudden we saw TREES! The Wiz thought that was good. He knew that other people thought that Washington was wet and forested, but he didn't understand why. Now he does.

We made it into Seattle at around 5:30. Exactly the wrong time to arrive. The traffic was horrendous. It's quite confusing, too, because you need to be in the left lane now then all the way across 5 lanes to reach the next exit or interchange. However, we made it with only one wrong turn, and that was because Google maps didn't actually say which way to turn off of the interstate.

We made it to our hotel, and went for dinner. I'd forgotten how busy it is around the University. There were all sorts of restaurants--unfortunately, most of them were Chinese or Japanese, so I couldn't eat there. We found a place to eat, and went back to our hotel.

This is what the Wiz thought of the hotel.:
We eventually went to sleep. The next morning, we got breakfast and went to the hospital. Seattle Children's is also a really great hospital. There is a lot of PacNW art in the hospital, and it's quite kid friendly. The Wiz thought the waiting areas weren't as good though.

We met the new Hem and we like her. She wants us to also see an immunologist, an endocrinologist, and a neurologist. I can't say that I'm thrilled, but I am happy that she is thorough. He also got his flu shot. He had to have it in his leg, because he's too small now for the arm.

We met someone I know from online who has sort of moved to the Seattle area. It was good to meet her and to meet her sleepy daughter.

Then we got his blood drawn. You know you are in for a bad one when there is concern that he doesn't weigh enough to draw all the blood needed for all the labs. For the first time ever, The Wiz REALLY freaked. I've never seen him do this before. He screamed and tensed and blew the first vein. So the phlebotomist had to use a different one. This time, we had him blow bubbles while drawing the blood because you can't scream and hold your breath if you are blowing bubbles.

We took pictures on the pig bench.

Then we started home. The trip back had two delays: a wreck in Seattle at the I5-I90 interchange and at the eastern Pass in Snoqualmie for helicopter testing. Helicopter testing is for avalanche control, if you don't know, which I did not.

It was a good trip, because I feel that he'll be in good hands here. It helps with my stress levels. :)

When Someone Goes Away

Game Boy apparently takes this to mean go damage yourself.

As you probably know, on Wednesday the Wiz and I headed for Seattle. I left a bit later than I wanted to leave but we left at a pretty decent time. When we reached the west side of the Tri-Cities, I had a text message. I ignored it.

Ten minutes later, I had another one.

A minute or so after that, another.

I was getting a tiny bit worried. The only person who texts me is The Collar (and Game Boy, but he was at school so I knew it wasn't him), and he knew I was driving, so it must be something pretty bad.

When we stopped at a rest area to use the restroom and get snacks (there weren't any machines there), I checked the texts. #1. The nurse from Game Boy's middle school called and he needed to go pick him up. #2. He hurt his right pinky. He was going for x-rays at 3:00. #3. A picture of the swelling. I called The Collar to see how he was.

While we were doing all of this, the Wiz and I were admiring Mt. Adams and Mt. Ranier. As we started toward the car, we saw a bus with very skinny windows pull in to the rest area. We watched as prisoners came off the bus to use the restroom. The Wiz was quite impressed with the whole process. He wanted to know why they did things so badly that they had to be shackled. I told him I didn't really know.

We get back into the car and go on. About 4:00 we stop again, and I call. Game Boy has not broken his finger, but he has sprained it badly. He was in PE and was trying to catch a football when he had to dodge a stray volleyball. He shrugged it off, and went to a couple of classes to see if he'd be fine. Finally in math class, he showed his teacher and asked if Mr. R thought it was swollen. Mr. R told him to go to the nurse, right now. Nurse taped it and called Dad, which is why I started getting text messages.

Now we know that Game Boy doesn't just wait for the Collar to leave. He damages himself when either of us are out of town.

Our lives are just too exciting.

10 Things

I've been really busy lately. We thought that once we finished with the Installation (or the screwing in as our previous Bishop referred to it), things would calm down. That didn't happen.

So here are 10 things that are going on/we are doing/random thoughts.

1. The Wiz went to the allergist, who thinks his chronic hives are autoimmune.
2. We found a Wii after only looking for one for 2 years or so. (We got the Wii Fit software too. It's all still cheaper than the gym membership.) So our real Christmas present finally got here.
3. I'm teaching 9 credit hours now. 6 hours are short term classes. EEK.
4. My 3 sections of class next semester (108 slots) filled within 48 hours of enrollment opening. I have a job next semester, for certain.
5. Facebook can be a huge time-suck.
6. The child who supposedly can't read has read three books in the last two weeks. Chapter books, no less.
7. The child who hates language arts (different from #6) is making an A+ in both reading and language arts class.
8. The Collar wants a vacation. We didn't get one this year. (See Great Trek West.)
9. I still haven't worn a the hat I made for myself. Why did I even knit it? I KNOW I hate hats.
10. One more week, and the campaign calls will stop.

Tomorrow, The Wiz and I head for Seattle to see the new hematologist. We're staying in a hotel (he LOVES hotels) and we're driving over the mountains. I saw snow in the webcams in the pass. Snow in October?

I Has a Hat

My head's been cold when I'm walking the Wiz to school. I don't have a hat (mostly because I hate hats) so I made one. Here's the hat on my head. (Picture courtesy of the Wiz.)Here it is flat on the couch.This is what was left over from 1 skein of Knit Picks Merino Style:
Project Specs:
Pattern: Lacy Beanie by Helene Rush (found in 101 Designer One Skein Wonders)
Needles: Ancient Size 3 needles (I bought them at a thrift shop)
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style 1 skein (Crocus--no longer available)
I used nearly all of the skein. Very little was left.

It was pretty easy to knit, although I pretty much messed up the lace pattern. I don't think it matters. Who is going to notice on the 7:40 am walk to school? Besides, since I messed up every lace row, it's just a design feature. :)

A Halloween Gift

Thank you, caflygrl. It was a great package to open, and I'll (we'll) have lots of fun with it.