Life At The Moment

The well is up and running again. The contractor showed up Monday late afternoon and finished fixing it. When I paid him, I also gave him a big hug and told him he's my hero. He worked on our project on his own time, not company time. You don't find someone that nice very often. It's so good to be able to flush the toilet again. I made it through the whole ordeal. The Porta Potty was picked up today. I'm so glad we were able to rent it. 

It occurred to me that I mentioned in June that my husband was scheduled for heart surgery and then I didn't say anything else. Well, that surgery was cancelled because in preparation for said surgery they did a cat scan and a chest x-ray and thought there was a blood clot in his heart. Surgery was immediately cancelled.

He since then has had some more tests and they found it wasn't a blood clot. Just an anomaly of sorts, so the surgery is rescheduled for July 11th. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will happen.

I have been stitching like crazy on the train. I got all the cross stitches done on the coal car. I've started the front engine now.

In knitting, I've mostly been waiting for yarn I ordered for the socks. 

I ran out of the green yarn just as it was time to start the heel of the second sock and could not find another. I was sure I had two skeins of it, but I was wrong. I couldn't find the ball band either, so I guessed on which green it is (Knit Picks Stroll). I guessed wrong. I searched some more and finally found the ball band and ordered the correct green. It arrived yesterday. The dyelot is different, of course, but not off enough to cause a problem, thankfully.

In the meantime, I've been working on the Snowflake afghan a little bit.

I am enjoying it very much. The stranded squares are just big enough to enjoy but not feel impatient to "get to the end, dammit!"

My African Violet is blooming! A few months ago I divided it and repotted both. I had two plants in the pot and they got way too big for it. Both are blooming. Just a pic of one though.

Weather-wise, the remainder of last week was very comfortable. I enjoyed it very much. It's super hot today. 97F degrees at the moment. I'm staying indoors so as not to set off the asthma. Things are supposed to cool down later this week.

That's the news for now.

Live long and prosper. \\//

WIPs Update

 I'm currently working on the following 3 projects regularly.

The socks. Unfortunately, I have run out of the green yarn just as I'm ready to start the heel on the second sock. I thought I had a second skein, but I don't. I ordered some more, which arrived last week, but I ordered the wrong green! I've ordered the right one this time, and it's just a matter of it getting here.

I started another afghan. I'm hoping I can get it done in time for Christmas. It's knit in panels with fairisle squares and textured squares in 3 different colors. So far, so good.

I have also finished the cross stitching on the passenger car of the Train. Just the back stitching is needed for this one. I started the coal car last night.

I haven't had much time to do more than this. It is helping to keep me sane. Especially the cross stitch. I have to completely concentrate on it so I don't think about other stuff. I've been able to spend time out on my deck too, which makes it all that much better. I love my deck.

Saw my lung doctor last week. I told him about my cough going away after seeing an ear, nose, and throat doctor and why, but about 2 weeks ago it came back. He was surprised that the problem was a mild form of pneumonia and inflamed vocal chords. He ordered an x-ray. No pneumonia but something is definitely going on in there. More tests may be coming. In the meantime, I've been given a prescription for a medication to help with inflammation in the lungs and my vocal chords, which are still very swollen and angry looking. It's already helping.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Feather and Fan Afghan

 I finished this a couple months ago, but it's been difficult finding time to take pictures. I finally got it done.

Pattern: Shaded Ripple Afghan by Melissa Leapman

Made For: Myself

Size: 70 by 65 inches.
Yarn: Mary Maxim Maxium Value
Content: 100% Acrylic, Worsted Weight
Colors: White, Light Violet, Medium Violet, Dark Violet

Needles: Circular size US 9 (5.5mm)

Started: January 8, 2025
Finished: March 28, 2025

Comment: I love this afghan! I love the colors and the yarn I used for it. I loved working on it, which was a huge surprise because the last time I knit a blanket it was not fun. It's so snuggly wuggly! I used Melissa Leapman's pattern because it was the first one I ran across that was free for me. I can't remember where I found it. Maybe Google? I used 4 colors instead of 3. I just needed to know the basic stitch pattern.

I really like the Mary Maxim Maximum Value yarn. It is very similar to the Big Twist yarn from Joann's. It was my favorite Joann's yarn. I'm hoping another company will take it. In the meantime, Mary Maxim it is.

Feather and Fan has been around forever. It's a well known Shetland pattern. Sometimes it's called the Old Shale pattern. Officially, they are two different patterns. The difference is Old Shale has a 17 stitch repeat. Feather and Fan has a 14 stitch repeat. It is also called the Ripple stitch or Chevron stitch. 

The back is all purl stitches and every bit as pretty.

I have it here on our California King sized bed. I blocked it on my bed.

I'm going to enjoy warming up under this.

In February I mentioned that I thought the horrible chronic cough I have had for at least 8 years might be gone? Well, it is! It wasn't the bronchitis though. The cough came back. A few weeks later I caught a cold that was so bad my doctor asked me to come in. A combination of a sinus infection and very irritated vocal chords turned out to be the problem. Apparently I have had that sinus infection for years. It took catching a cold for my doctor to notice it. A very strong antibiotic was the solution. I haven't coughed like that since. It's so nice to lay down and not start coughing and feeling like I'm going to drown in my own mucus.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Current WIPs

My plans to post last Wednesday were overruled by life, so I will do it now. I have two WIPs to present today. First is the sock I'm working on . 

It's been going a little slow, partly because I'm not in a hurry, partly because I'm writing down every step as I go along so it will be easy to write up as a pattern when I'm done. I'm using the Mock Short Row Heel in this pair and found that no one has actually written up instructions on how to do it. Just video tutorials, so that will be part of my pattern. I might publish the heel instructions separately as a tutorial here too. In the meantime, the prototype will be a Christmas present. I'm starting extra early this year.

The second project is a Christmas stocking for Zoey. 

I'm not sure why I chose this one for her. The snowman is just so cute. I am having a problem with it. The ink is bleeding on the white pieces. I've never had that happen before.

 This kit is fairly old and out of print. I found it on Ebay for a very reasonable price. Apparently they used this brown ink way back when and it is known to run. It's all over the thread as well as on the white felt. I've done some Googling and found out this is "normal" and I can easily wash it out when the stocking is done. I found washing instructions on the Bucilla web site too. I'm happy to say they don't use the brown ink anymore.

I did not notice there's a fold in the middle of the stocking until I saw this picture. I will steam it out before going any further.

So that's what I'm working on.

I had an excellent Mothers Day. We went to Giorgi's for lunch, then took a nice drive. Usually we go up into the National forest to see the wild flowers, but I didn't want to do that because it was supposed to be a rainy day. My husband wanted to drive the Prius. I said "No off-roading". We decided to go over Thompson Pass. We took a northern route to highway 202, then east to a small town in Montana, then turned for home and drove over the pass. I've never been on that drive in the spring. It was incredibly beautiful! The fields in Montana were so green. The grass is short too. It looked like all of the state had just been freshly mowed, and the wildflowers! They were fantastic! On our way home, we stopped at a convenience store to use the restroom. When we got back in the car, hubby pushed the Start button and all hell broke loose. Warning bells rang and messages flashed on the screens, accompanied by the Check Engine light. There was a message that told us the hybrid system was malfunctioning and to contact our Toyota dealer immediately. Well, they weren't open at that time, so we chose to go ahead and try driving home, stopping at Applebee's for dinner on the way. We made it just fine with no problems.

This morning I woke up and there was a new text from Toyota on my phone. My car had texted them that something was wrong with the hybrid system and would I like to schedule an appointment? I called them. My appointment is on the 20th. I've been reassured it's okay to drive the car, so it can't be too serious. I am feeling a little bit weirded out that my car is sending texts to Toyota without consulting with me first though.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Update on WIPs

 Life has been rather difficult for me of late. I'm struggling but getting through it. My cats have been the worst. Merino is not using the litter box. He's been violating all the furniture. In concern, I've taken him to the vet several times and spent hundreds of dollars on tests only to be told he's healthy as a horse. The consensus is it's Anxiety. He's being bullied by my other two cats quite a bit, plus winter. My cats hate winter. Merino has stopped going outside entirely. So he's been started on Gabapentin. My couch is covered in aluminum foil to keep the cats off. So now he's going all over the floor, his beds, and any box he can get himself into. I'm so glad we got rid of the carpet in this house and installed bamboo.

On one of the trips to the vet, he peed all over my daughter IN THE CAR! It took 2 upholstery cleanings and 2 thorough sprays of Clorox Scentiva (fabric sanitizer), but I was successful in getting the smell out completely. The house, on the other hand...ugh. I am soooooooooo tired of cleaning up cat messes. The Gabapentin better work or I'm going to have to take drastic action because this is not something I can live with.

When we got home from the vet that day, he was soaked in pee. I had to give him a bath. I've never given him a bath. I prepared myself for possible dying by blood loss, filled the kitchen sink, and pushed him in. Oddly, he didn't struggle or scratch me! He succumbed to the attack and let me bath him. However, he made the most horrible sounds I've every heard from a cat. He was very very very pissed off and told me that in no uncertain terms. I told him if he's gonna get himself pee soaked, he's gettin' a bath. It's his own fault. I'm thankful for the lack of blood loss too.

Between that and what's happening in our government, I've found myself fighting off Panic Attacks. I'm pretty scared right now. I never thought I would be on the edge of living in a possible dictatorship ever in my lifetime. Our own government has turned on it's people. It's shocking!

That being said, I'm steadily working on 2 projects right now. They're actually keeping me sane. The feather and fan afghan is over halfway there. I have actually started on the second skeins of yarn for all colors.

I've had to move the project into a large "temporary" bag that I bought from Ikea because it doesn't fit in any of my knitting totes now. I have 3 of these bags. They've come in very handy.

I've also been working on Choo Choo Santa. Man, are there a lot of tiny pieces to deal with! I don't think I've had a kit with this many pieces before.

It's been fun, though. It's going to be so cute when it's done.

We had some pretty cold weather since my last post. The new furnace has turned out to be very good. Our winter power bill is considerably less that last year. Now a warm period is moving in. Since last weekend we've had temps in the upper 40's and lower 50's. The coming Sunday is supposed to be almost 60. I can hardly wait. The snow is completely off the deck, so sitting in the sun is on my mind.

On Saturday, we're going in to our local Toyota dealer to talk about that blue Prius we've been talking about purchasing. They've had one on order for several weeks, but it arrived in the US this week. It's in port on the Oregon coast waiting to get through customs. I'm hoping to put a payment on it so it's mine when it arrives here. I've contacted the dealership and let them know I'm wanting it.

I took this picture this morning.

For the first time, the sunrise was coming in the house through the window. Zoey enjoyed it so much.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Catching Up

I'm going to catch up on the needle crafting first. Current WIPs.

I am making good progress on my Feather and Fan afghan. It's been a joy to work on.

It's been a very nice break from the really complicated stuff I've been knitting. I really like the yarn too. It's very good quality. It is Mary Maxim's Maximum Value.

I ordered a Bucilla Felt Stocking kit to make for my daughter-in-law. It occurred to me that her stocking has Frank on it, instead of her new name. So I've set Zoey's stocking aside for the time being. The new stocking is a picture of Santa riding a train. It's pretty cute. Here's where I am with it. 

This is the first kit where the name comes first. I find that interesting. There's a lot of tiny pieces in this kit too. It's going to take some time.

Next is the counted cross stitch project I'm making for Christmas.

The picture is 24 by 9 inches in size in 14 count, which is rather large. The train, though, doesn't have a whole lot of detail so it should go quicker than my usual projects. The fabric is a pale gray. I gridded the fabric, as you can see, using leftover thread from the finished stocking of last month. It took me 3 days. Worth it though. It makes counting the stitches so much easier.

I have good news. Hubs and I decided to apply to start collecting our Social Security and we both have been approved. I got my first payment 2 weeks ago. Yay! Yarn money! We're talking about buying me a new Prius and using my SS to pay for it. 

There have been a lot of changes in the Prius the last 3 or 4 years. It's now a fancy sports car and they go for $40 Grand. I don't know if I want to spend that much on a car. 

In the meantime, my car needs some minor repairs. A couple sensors have gone out. Doesn't prevent me from driving it, but if I want to keep it that way, I need to get them fixed. By the way, if we do get a new one, it won't be red. I want blue. So far, our local Toyota dealer has only had silver, grey, and dark grey ones. Last week they had 12 in stock, all in those colors. Ugh. They sold quick.

Looking around town, I have to say the economy is doing better than the media and government have been saying. There's lots and lots of new cars on the road. I can't believe how many Tesla's are around now.

Remember when I was sick around Thanksgiving and ended up with a cold and a cough? I had just found the solution to the chronic cough I'd been living with for 8 years. I had all of what? 3 weeks of peace? I kept hoping the cough would go away, but it only got worse. Last Monday I saw a doctor. I have a bad case of bronchitis so he's given me antibiotic, cough medicine, and prednisone to help with my breathing. The cough is going away. I'm looking forward to it being gone.

I got myself a new plant, which is living on the bathroom windowsill. It's an Echeveria "Perle von Nurnberg" which is a succulent that will get purple as it gets bigger. Right now it's just a baby.

The weather is cold and snowy. Winter started snowing on us about 5 days ago and we've got almost a foot out in the yard. It's been snowing all day long. The days of the coming week are going to drop in temperature. Highs in the low to mid 20F's and lows to -7F. Now we'll find out if the new furnace is worth it.

That's it for now, except I took a selfie. Yes, that's me.

Live long and prosper. \\//

WIP WEDNESDAY 1/8/2025

I'm trying something new today. I have installed the Blogger app on my phone. It's supposed to make composing posts on my phone easier. We'll see.

I've been working on Clapotis. I have actually finished the knitting and woven in the ends. Blocking is next. I took this silly picture with it draped over my arm.

Tonight I'm planning to start the ripple afghan. 

I got a surprise this morning. 4 inches of new snow fell during the night. 

Got up this morning to much pain. My left knee is hurting almost as much as it did when I came home from the hospital. I don't know what is causing it. It's been doing pretty good for the past few weeks. Maybe I slept on it funny? I managed to do the grocery shopping and some house cleaning despite it. I'm staying off the feet for a couple hours before I start dinner. I am frustrated. 

Live long and prosper.\\//