DEFCON 5

It's really weird to talk to the hospital as they give you pre-op instructions. "Take this medication, have a driver. Do not take that medication. No food or water after midnight the night before, but in the morning you can take this pill with a sip of water. Shower the night before and the morning of, using Dial or other antibacterial soap."

And from the doctor's office: "5 days prior to your surgery you're going to be doing a major antibacterial detox using Hibiclens showers once a day, and then the night before the surgery, scrubbing yourself with a special anti-bacterial wipe, and then do that again in the morning before surgery..." and they'll be scrubbing you AGAIN when they get you on the table. 

I was tempted to do the "hospital version," till a friend of mine said, "You know, the orthopedic surgeon is basically sticking a big metal and porcelain piece of equipment into your body. He's asking you to go DEFCON 5 so that you don't accidentally transmit any bacteria into the surgical site, which will go directly to the bone." 

OK. So we're going DEFCON 5. I've never felt so...sterile. Though it's a sink bath. Because I'm - quite honestly - scared witless of slipping in the shower; even though we have grab bars, a non-slip mat and there's a seat there, it's all in my head, and then there's the "get out" part. It's about 2" to step over and shifting weight onto the left leg at this point is an iffy proposition. My leg hurts. And it's kind of my own fault...

The other day, Hubby was out. I made lunch (which I could carry in a pocket, it was a sandwich that I put into a plastic container) and some chai. That was in a travel cup. I have a very small house, so I'm lucky enough (?) to have little waystations where, if I'm careful, I can move something, bit by bit, to my point of destination. 

I got careless. I was stumping along with my 2 sticks, thinking how slick I was, and I grabbed the travel cup wrong. The lid sprang off, the bottom (14 oz) fell to the ground, and chai went. All. Over. The. Place. It was on the couch. On the sewing machine. On the floor. On the dog. On me. On. The. Ceiling... 

To say I was dismayed would be an understatement. Hubby was not long gone, so I had no recourse. I stumped back to the kitchen, told Quinn to "leave it" (the last thing I need is a dog buzzed on chai and sugar). Grabbed a towel and a roll of paper towels and started to mop up. I sponged it off the knick-knacks on the sewing machine. Wiped off the legs - of the sewing machine cabinet and then my own legs. Got it off the couch, where I could see it. Then, the floor. Ice cubes and chai. Me on sticks. What's a girl to do? 

I got down onto the floor, on my knees (yeah, about as much fun as you'd think) and started to gather the cubes into the cup, and swab up the chai. There was no way I was going to be able to mop, but if I could get it up off the floor, at least that was something; Hubby could mop. 

Quinn just settled herself on the rug near the TV, well out of the way. 

I got it all up. Managed to get MYSELF up off the floor in a very wonky wide-legged downward-facing dog in reverse. It was not fun. I got myself to the kitchen and rinsed out the towel. Put the paper towels in a small bag and left them there for a bit. Sank into my chair and wanted to just weep. Ate my sandwich. Took a fitful nap and berated myself more than a bit.

And Hubby mopped after he got home. He and I didn't notice that it got to the ceiling till the other day... And that's cleaned now too. 

The Knitting...

I don't know why I'm dallying. Usually at this point, I'm whizzing along to get the sock finished, but I'm doing bit by bit on the toe of the first Petty Harbour. I know part of it is me being fidgety. I hurt, in my hip and in my hands (death grip on the canes). The surgery is this Friday (it's Tuesday as I type this). 

Tonight, I have a Zoom meeting, but before then, I'll try to get a few more rows in. Tomorrow, I'm at the office till late - the last office visit till I'm let loose by the docs, so I have several things that must be done. And that 12-hr day wipes me out. I don't get home till 7 p.m. and I can't do much for meals, because I'm careful of what I can carry in safely, since I probably -- if I had any sense at all -- would have planned to stay home like any normal person. 

The sock was started December 19. 2017...it's not like I'm in a hurry. Maybe if I can get this one done in the next few days, I'll feel better. 

I will look in the stash after the surgery to see what I might have to do another pair of these. I like the texture on the leg; and maybe the next pair will be pattern on leg only, which is my usual style. 

I know I'm not frogging the Long Sands till after surgery. I just figured that would be a good "between walks" project. 

Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll start the second Petty Harbour sock before surgery. Not counting on it, but one never knows. I just can't seem to focus on much right now. 

Random Picture...

This will be a very short blog, kids. Again - that lack of focus thing... This was Quinn yesterday.

Totally zonked and getting some of her "solid 18" in the form of a snorting, snoring nap in the afternoon. She even slept through several people walking across the street. She didn't even mind the little bit of blanket covering her nose, which normally would have bugged her. 

Normally, if a cricket farts 3 blocks over or a leaf drops in the next town, she's going nuts barking. As a senior (she's 12 now), the sleeps are deeper. It's sort of melancholy to watch, because I know that she's getting older. Does she drive me nuts sometimes? Yeah. But. She's my Quinnie... 

50%

Well. Given enough time on my butt and enough "Bar Rescue" (don't judge...), the first sock is done. I can now move my ticker to 50% and I've started on Sock #2. I panicked for a moment, because for some reason, I thought I had less yarn to work with, being as I made such a rookie boo-boo on sock #1, but I'm pretty sure that I'll have enough. There may be less "left-over," which is fine with me. I feel like I have quite a good haul of left-overs for at least 2 pairs of scrappy socks. 

I will point out a few things; take them as a learning experience or leave them - if you've been a knitter for any length of time, I'm sure some sort of "knitting screw-up" has happened to you. 

As you can see at the heel flap and across the ankle, there's a line of purl stitches. That would be because, after an intense spate of baby knitting (see prior blogs), I picked this sock up after a long, long, long, LONG time. The yarn is easily 10 years old, Lorna's Laces, and I think the colorway is St. Charles. I remember because I had hopes of getting a job where St. Charles was concerned. And - as I recally, these were going to be a set of 4x4 rib socks, but I frogged them when I dropped a load of stitches (like an entire needle's worth) and got frustrated. 

Ahem. I digress. What I did here to create that lovely purl ridge, which goes all the way around, mind you, was to ... knit backward. I literally knitted from left-to-right somehow, not quite knowing what I was doing. 

Do I know why I did that? I do not. Why didn't I just frog it? I do not know that either. I think it was me being in a mood and saying something like "screw it, it's just a sock..." 

So I corrected course and started the gusset. And as you can see by the little raised spots, I totally grabbed too many stitches on the heel flap. Now, mind you, the heel flap is a whole 3" because I needed more than the 2" originally in the pattern. I find that somewhere between 2.5" and 3" is better for my heel. Anyway. The gusset went on. And on. And on. And on. I ended up taking k2tog several times as I did the sole, just to tighten it up a bit. 

Again - truly. No disrespect, but it's just a sock. Most of the stuff I screwed up will be in a shoe. 

But then there's the toe. The toe is, totally and completely, a thing of beauty. I believe I've finally found a star toe that I like. It's just perfect. I prefer the star toe mostly because it fits one's foot better. The rounded toe and the traditional "paired decrease" toe can tend, when I'm knitting them, to have "ears" at the sides, and I don't like that. To avoid it? Star toe. 

I have to say, I love the colorway. I love the even stitches. And the only odd thing to me is the really long gusset. I attribute that to the mess-up as noted above. As you see, I don't carry the pattern down the top of the foot. I don't like how it feels. Never have. My own preference. You do you. 

That's the beauty of socks. You can make them yours. 

I think that next time, I'll grab TWO sets of DPNs, and try knitting two at a time. How bad can that be? I mean, at least I'll get a pair finished by the time I'm 70. 

I did start Sock #2 right away. No sense faffing about. Get it going, deal with it ASAP. And hopefully, I won't make the same mistakes twice. I don't need these to match. Though I did play a bit of yarn chicken on the cast on. Gotta have some fun, I suppose. 

End of an Era...

Hubby has been on a cleaning kick. Not just "housework" cleaning, but Swedish Death Cleaning. The city is putting new water meters into the houses, and ours is in our basement. He got a bug in his butt to clean the basement. 

I've been nagging suggesting that he and I tackle that project for....years. We have stuff that's just archaeological by this time. 

So the basement is now 99% organized. There are boxes I need to go through, and holiday decorations to sort. But all in all, it's a done deal. 

Let's just say we'll have a lot of stuff for the upcoming church rummage sale!

Then he moved on to the kitchen. And we finally decided to put Tippi's crate out on the curb. She's been gone 2 years now. I still feel the hole in my heart, but it was truly time. I now have a small shelf there, with the dog treats, various kitchen supplies and a spot where I can stash my purse when I come in. 

Her crate was picked up rather quickly. I'm trying to be ok with it, and it may sound weird, but when you have a dog who's been a part of your life for so long, there's still an absence there. 

Realistically, we won't have another dog. Maybe we might foster, but that's not a decision we can make right now. But I have many good memories. 

Mother Nature...

Mother Nature is having a hissy fit of massive proportions. Yesterday, Hubby went over to mow the church. I texted, "Hey, it's bucketing rain here." Then I texted, "Hey, it's snowing." And then I texted, "Hey, the sun is shining."

All in about 4 hours. My friend in Alaska asked if Illinois got "break-up" and apparently, we do now. 

This was what I had on my radio a week ago. Today, I'm sitting here in a sweatshirt. 

I had actually put on the AC in the studio for class one day, because it was in the 80s in the practice area. Too hot for us!

Today, it's sunny, with a slight breeze, but still - in the low 50s. And next week, it's May. 

I have the sad suspicion that we had spring, about 10 minutes of it, and we'll whomp right into summer. I hate when that happens. 

It's going to be another week of freeze warnings here. And next week is May. In the midwest, we're being told that this is going to be the norm now. Joy. 

Random Picture...

One of the things that many people comment on in our church is our beautiful stained glass. It's in a really different style from many churches, where the figures are clearly depicted in medallions within the entire pane of glass. 

Behind our altar are the angels: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and one more, who I can't remember! I really love the colors of these windows, when the sun shines through - literally jewel-toned light bouncing around the sanctuary. 

The church itself is black walnut on the bottom of the walls (about halfway down) and plaster up toward the vaulted roof. There's a pipe organ. The church has "homely" creaks and noises. Some say it's haunted, and that's cool. When I go in there, I always mentally say, "Good morning, God and all the ghosts!" 

One organist friend of mine said she felt "someone" come up behind her when she was practicing. She hoped it was a friendly spirit, since she was new at the organ and "I know I was making mistakes!" 

You'd think the colors would be jarring. They look like they absolutely don't go together. But they just ... do. I can't explain it. It just works!

One Ugly Sock...

I've gotta say it: This is going to be one ugly sock. And I'm not really sure I care, because most of the time, my feet are in shoes. 

But I'll try my best to make the other one prettier. It doesn't help when you start the gusset the wrong-way 'round... There are rookie-style boo-boos in this sock, but again. I don't particularly care. I'm just happy to be knitting socks again. 

There are purl rows where there ought not to be, and there are some spots where I'm going to have to do some judicious weaving to close up some gaps. Not like me at all. And on top of it, the tension in this sock is SO TIGHT. I mean, it's like I know I've been under stress, and this sock is going to show it. I hope it fits on my leg and foot. It might not. This could be interesting. 

The yarn is Lorna's Laces, and I believe the colorway is St. Charles. I could be wrong, but this is deep-stash yarn, and the original ball band is...somewhere. Probably stuck in a notebook or in a project bag. 

The leg is my own design. I always do a plain foot, and a heel flap. Not sure which toe style I'll do this time. Crap - I may do something on the heel and toe entirely different on the second sock. Live large, right? As long as the legs match. 

I think I can say that I will never do an 8x8 rib again. What a pain in the rear end... Oh well. In the end, I will have another pair of socks, whether I'm in love with them or not. Just so they're wearable. 

The Heel Turn...

Turns out, a "heel turn" is a wrestling term, too!! Kid #2 wore a shirt that said something about "heel turns," and I asked where I could purchase "this knitting shirt." Well, after a few laughs, I Googled it. Apparently, it is a wrestling term as well as a knitting term. 

I find heel turns (the knitting term, I mean) to be magical. Here's a teeny-baby heel turn on this sock, and then a picture a few rows in, where you can definitely see the short rows at work. 

Which is also funny, because when I see a shawl or something that has short rows in it, I freak out. But I do them in socks all the time. 

And yet, there might be a sweater or something that uses short rows, and I just nope on outta that idea. I need to transfer sock knitting skills to other projects. I have a couple sweaters - or more like t-shirt things, not full-blown sweaters. They're in my to-do list, and I need to be courageous and just do them. It's only yarn. 

As you can see here, my technique is a bit rough. That's what I get for setting these aside for over a year. I have to share a pro-tip with you: Do your SSKs (slip slip knit) purlwise. Then you don't have that obnoxious little yarn carry-over. 

I've taken to writing myself notes to do that, because I don't remember, and then I'm half-way through a heel turn and I have a weird looking heel. Again, not that anyone notices, but I do. And it bugs me. 

Baby Knitting...

So the shower went ok. It was weird not having my sister there, since it was for her soon-to-be-born grandchild. They got some nice gifts. Mine, as usual, was the only one that was hand-made, and I'm not saying that to brag. It's just how it turns out. 

Of course, the afghan is to the left. It was with yarn held double. The afghan and the smallest hat were Bernat Baby Softee. The striped hat and the sweater are Cascade 220 Superwash. I biggened up the sweater, so I think it's going to fit by the time the kid will need it. The baby is due in early May, so while it's my "usual" pattern, it only goes up to 6 months and if the kids are bigger, the sweater will stretch a bit (garter stretches nicely) but it would be a one-time wear... 

The pompom maker worked out well. I did tassles on the smallest hat, and the pompoms on the bigger one. It's not my usual device, because, of course, that one is stuck somewhere in a project bag in the depths of the stash closet. I bought a new one, with two sizes, because maybe you might need a bigger pompom, right?

It took me a hot minute to figure out how to use this one, but once it was in process, it was pretty easy. I was probably more anxious about trimming the balls, because I wanted to make sure everything looked perfect. 

There was an aunt of my niece-in-law's who was inspecting VERY closely the stitching on the afghan. Go for it, sweetie. The kids loved the items, and I was glad to get them done. I hope they got the care instructions (everything's washable in cold water and warm dryer), because it's easy to forget when you're a sleep-deprived parent.

Funny story: My nephew said, "We were told that they may want to induce, so we've had this plan, and a date in our head." I looked him in the eye, and said, "You know that the word 'plan' is now irrelevant, right? I mean, you're gonna have no control over anything for the next 18 years, at least." My mom was snickering, he looked a little abashed, but he also laughed. I told him it was my duty as his aunt to tell him straight... 

Sad story: They made a speech at the end about "people who should have been here, but who are no longer with us." That caught all of us. 

I think that's why my sock is so messed up (aside from just all the other crap going on in life right now...) -- going from size 8 needles to 1.5? Yowza. 

Art or Porn...

Oh dear, the State of Flori-DUH is once again in the news. Apparently, art is now porn. Just as books are "woke," Michelangelo's "David" has cost a school prinicipal their job, because one parent (yeah, one parent) complained that their child was "damaged" by viewing a picture of this statue. 

Yeah. It's not 1540, though since this statue was so well-received in the era in which it was created, that's pretty progressive. But wait. In 2023, some poor little flower saw a naked guy carved out of stone and was shocked. Or something. 

Yes. It's a naked man. No, it's not pornography. It's art. It's a magnificent sculpture that was supposed to be in a cathedral (remember David & Goliath? This is THAT David... who was said to be "...ruddy, handsome, and strong." In the bible. 1 Samuel 16:12, if you care to look. It's in a museum. Nuns, children, old people -- tourists of all stripes -- visit and take selfies. 

It's bad enough that Flori-DUH wants to ban books such as the history of Rosa Parks because white kids might be "upset" that racism is an ugly, ugly thing  -- that still exists "loud and proud," if you will, right here and now -- and parents don't want their kids exposed to certain subject matter. 

Well, that's cool. But what YOU want for YOUR kid doesn't mean that it has to apply to MY kids unilaterally. If YOU get to make decisions about YOUR kids, then -- logically (and I know this may come as a shock, so take a deep breath) --- I get to make decisions about MY kid. 

If parents don't like the education system, there's a quick solution to that: homeschool your kid. There is a small (yet noisy) minority which loves to complain that teachers are indoctrinating or grooming our kids. That same minority thinks that, because they went to school, they can teach at school. Um. No. 

So if they're so dissatisfied, they can take their kids out of school and home school them. Oh, that's inconvenient to you because you work? Well. Then you have a decision to make. Get your head out of your keister and realize that teachers give a large part of their lives, and generally suffer economically compared to other professions so that your kids learn things. Learn to think. Learn to communicate. Learn to work together -- you know, all those "adulting" things that one has to do when one works in the grown-up world. 

Don't like the books in the local library? Here's another easy-peasy pro-tip: DON'T CHECK THEM OUT. Nobody is forcing you to read the entire freakin' library. Though I do agree with Stephen King when he says that when folks want to ban books, kids should run to the library to read them ASAP so they know what they're going to be missing... 

The Hip...

Well, PT is going ok. I'm working on loosening up my hip flexor. I'm finally able to go all the way 'round on the recumbent bike, after a few minutes of loosening things up. I can only do 1-2 minutes all the way, but that's ok. It's a work in progress. 

I'm able to have further PRP shots, and I'm hoping that I can rehab this hip back toward normal. It'll never be "back to where it was," just because of age, arthritis, etc. But I would like to ditch the cane, ride a bike, do my yoga practice, and muck out stalls again. Oh, and walk without pain. That would be nice. 

One of my favorite "exercises," if you want to call it that, is lying on the massage table with my feet hanging off (like just toes and tops of feet off the table so they're not extended so far (even though I can do that comfortably), on my stomach. Eventually, I'm supposed to get onto my elbows, which is a classic "Sphinx" pose. I'm not there yet. But I'm getting there. 

Flo...

So the students at the yoga studio named our new (well, inherited) ficus, and her name is Flo. We repotted her, and while you can't tell in this picture, she has blue Christmas lights on. I was going to remove them, but the students want her to keep them. 

I need to rearrange her lights, because as you can see, she's topping up toward my one pendant light. I might have to add another string of lights to her, as her canopy grows. 

She must like it there; she hasn't dropped leaves like she did at first, and she seems to have lots of new growth at the top. 

Soon, it will be warm enough to get two pots of plants replaced: I'm working on a snake plant, which will be in a lovely pot near the corner where its vertical lines will look really nice. And then a spider plant, on top of the cubbies, because even though it's not going to be a hanging plant, it will still look nice on top there. All of the plants in the studio are there for their ability to clean the air. We do have top-of-the-line air filters in our HVAC system, but it's always nice to have some green in the studio.

Random Picture...

Quinnie seems to like cheek skritchies... I caught this photo quickly, because when she sees the camera, she looks away. Stinker. 

I can tell she's slowing down a bit. She still barks like crazy, but at times, we can have someone walk past the house and she doesn't hear them. She sleeps that "old lady sleep" where it's pretty deep. She loves her pets till she's done with you and then she's done. 

Her face was once fully black. She had a classic Elkhound dark face, with "eyeliner" around her eyes. There's a lot of grey on that muzzle now. Her eyes are still that beautiful liquid brown and can be quite expressive. Especially when she's begging for food...which is always an Elkhound trait. 

She has a hot spot on her tail, thus the Cone of Shame. I can only take it off her when I'm in the same room and have my eyes on her. 

Heartstrings...

So it was a bit of a wild ride... I was expecting things to go smoothly. I've really gotta be better at managing my expectations. 

I went in for the transesophageal echo on Monday. I've had those before, so no big deal, right? Well. The doc comes in afterwards and says, "How have you been managing with the heart inefficiency?"

Huh? "Your heart is functioning at 30% capacity." Well, before y'all get all flusterpated, the average person with a healthy heart has a functional capacity of 50-60%, so there's that. I'm apparently not functioning at full capacity (which some people I know would agree with...) and I had no idea. 

"I have no idea - I didn't realize." Well, the doc says, we have to find out if there's a blockage. And then, if we need to toss in a stent or two, we can do that. Or, the worst case scenario: open heart surgery and bypass. Okey-dokey. 

To figure all that out, I needed an angiogram, which they wanted to do right then and there. But they couldn't. I'm allergic to the contrast dye. Like, "I stop breathing" allergic. So they had to send me home, with a protocol to prevent anaphylaxis, and I was to come back at 6 a.m., have the angiogram then -- and if everything was peachy, or if they had to do a stent or two, then they'd proceed to the PVI. Otherwise, we'd go to Plan B... Which I was hoping would never happen. 

The protocol was a bit of a farce; the pharmacy screwed up (luckily, I've done it a couple times before so I knew what to expect: 3 Bendaryl and 9 prednisone). I take 1 Benadryl and 3 prednisone 13 hours before, again at 7 hours before, and bring the last dose to take an hour before the angiogram. Except the pharmacy gave me ONE Benadryl, which was marked, "Take 1 at 6 a.m. for insomnia." What? And 12 prednisone. Yeesh...

So I told the doctor when I got there; he was none too pleased, and they dosed me up with IV meds to make it work. I had the angiogram and they said, "You won't be aware of a thing." 

Ok, well. I'm there on this table, wrapped like a burrito because it's freakin cold in there, surrounded by machinery and very nice techs. I glance over at a big screen to my left, and I think, "Oh, wow. It's a heart. Isn't that cool?" I look at it a little more till this gigantic lightbulb goes off in my head, "Oh. My. God. THAT'S MY HEART!" 

Whammo. I know nothing till I'm back in the recovery room. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to be THAT awake. So, no clogs, no blockages, everything ok, and the PVI went well. 

I was in the recovery area when a nurse came in and said, "Well, we're going to let you go home." What? That wasn't the plan. I was to spend the night for observation. I had two puncture wounds right in the creases of my hips, 2 IV lines, and a puncture in my right wrist. And I've been given blood thinners. I have pressure bandages on the parts that didn't have an IV in them. 

I said, "No, that's not what I'm told; I need to be here overnight for observation. It's not medically safe for me to go home and expect my spouse to get up every 2 hours to make sure I'm not bleeding to death." 

The nurse walks out and says basically that, and I get the OK to stay overnight. Apparently, they're overrun with Covid patients (a/k/a "Covidiots") and they're getting pressure to cycle people out. Well, not me, thanks. I've been on this ride before. I guess it's true that you have to be your own advocate. So speak up... Don't let them railroad you into something that's not safe for you. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the only reason you haven't gotten a vaccine yet is because Fox News told you not to? Then you can stay home when you contract Covid. I'm done. My empathy bucket is empty. There really is no reason to deny science, and no - I'm not posting a bunch of links. Here's the information on how and why "the vaccine was developed so fast" -- because IT WAS ALREADY IN THE WORKS... Either you're going to believe it or you'll believe nothing that I post. And that's normally your right till your rights infringe on everyone else's. 

Anyway, the guy next to me heard that whole conversation, and he said, "I'm a widower; I can't go home now, because I have nobody else at home." He had had a PVI as well.  What was funny was that some woman bustles in to my hospital room and tries to explain that "your insurance won't pay for this observation stay, you know," and then hands me a Medicare form. I try, in vain, to tell her I'm not on Medicare (anyone over 60 -- assume much???) but she's not having it. I must sign this form. Okey-dokey... I sign the form. Good luck finding me on Medicare because I'm not there yet. 

I got home the next day, rested, and all the puncture wounds are healing. I have another week till I can practice yoga, so I'm just giving it till after Christmas. Back to the office this week, and things will be back to normal. So far, thankfully, my heart has remained in sinus rhythm. They believe they've fixed the problem and I should have no further issues, God willing. 

The Knitting...

So as I was sitting here resting, I whacked out 2 cowls, and I figured I'd start to finish some
socks. I had them on the needles and while I couldn't exactly find the pattern, I figured out what I was doing, and I'll just do my normal "Doris Heel," and take the pattern down the leg. Maybe it'll go over the instep; not sure yet. It's a large ribbing pattern, and it's kind of fiddly, but it looks good with the yarn. The yarn is Lorna's Laces, and I don't remember the colorway. I think it might be St. Charles, but can't swear to it. I'll have to find the original project bag - good luck with that right now. 

It's an 8x8 rib, with a regular 1x1 ribbed cuff, and my *patented 6-row knitted roll at the top.* Helps with my "biker calves." 

Because I had some technical difficulties with my pictures and Blogger, I will have to get you pics of the cowls later. And hopefully, next time, I'll have more sock progress to show you. 

My goal this year was to finish all the mates to the singletons. Well, I think that since this one had at least the cuff started, it counts as a "thing to finish." I've also been re-reading the Yarn Harlot books. She's been my inspiration to finish this stuff up. That, and the fact that I need to make some room in my office to make it more conducive to yoga for right now. And I'd like to get nearer to my sewing machine than I am currently able to. 

Not that the room is a mess. But it's ... shall we say, charmingly chaotic. And I need less chaos and more charm right at the moment. 

The Christmas...

(figured a holiday color change was in order) We decided that Christmas would be a bit more subdued this year. Kid #2 is traveling, so that's one kid missing. Kid #1 surprised me and WILL be home for the holiday, but I didn't know that till just 2 days ago. I was pleasantly surprised (read: THRILLED) and while that didn't change our decorating plans, it will make this holiday a bit nicer. 

Hubby went down into The Pit of Despair basement and found some decorations we haven't seen in lo these many years. A bunch of snowfolk. About 90% of them are salt & pepper shakers that I honestly can't tell you when they came to live with us. There are 13 salt/pepper shakers (not sure how they're odd-numbered), 1 doorstop (the guy in the back there, holding the wreath), one glass one from a glassblower friend (out front, as the "soloist"), one candle (the one with the shovel) and the "choir director" on the right, the tall one with the cut-out tummy. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if #14 was in another box somewhere. Instead of the Advent Wreath that normally goes on the shelf under the TV, he and I put together a Snow Choir... We have a small Holy Family on the table by the picture window, my Granny's ceramic tree on the dining room table, and a bunch of Christmas trees on the old sewing machine, with a basket where all our Xmas cards are (for which hubby is grateful, since I usually tape them to the inside of the front door and that drives him nuts). 

The plan is to spend 2021 going through stuff, more of the "Swedish Death Cleaning" thing; getting rid of things we don't use, calling the kids to take what's theirs. Reshuffling the holiday stuff so that we use what we have, rather than finding the "newest thing" in the store, only to put it in a box and forget about it for succeeding years. 

Most of the packages are wrapped. The kids basically said, "Please cut down on Xmas gifts, thanks." So we did. 

The Cookie List got a bit  a lot smaller. I'm not quite sure why, but we really decided to trim this year. We're going to my mom's and since the heart procedure(s), I have been ordered to "sit your butt down and knit." Oh, I can do that! My brother is ordering from the local chicken place, we did do potica the weekend before my hospitalization, so we're all good there. My one niece is bringing the baked beans; just really simple stuff. Chicken, biscuits, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans and cookies. My mom wanted super simple and this is about as simple as it could get. 

The list included:

• Crescent Cookies (a/k/a The World's Fiddliest Cookie)
• M & M Cookies
• Snow on the Mountain (chocolate crinkles?)
• Lemon/Cherry Cookies
• Coconut Macaroon Kisses (like peanut butter only not)
• Jewish Honey Cookies

I made single batches of everything, except I did double the crescents. It was kind of weird not to have at least 6 more cookies on that list. 

I read about how many folks are "Extra-ing" this Christmas, but I'm really not there yet. It's still too Covid-y out there. There are still issues where we don't feel comfortable in larger gatherings. 

Maybe next year. 

Random Picture... 

I did a thing... This is my latest collaborative project. I'm co-author of "The Ultimate Guide to Self-Healing, Volume 5." I've been a busy author and editor. I helped edit a couple of the Brave Healer books, but also, this is my latest book project. 

I've also co-authored "The Ultimate Guide to Self-Healing, Volume 3" and "Wholehearted Wonder Women 50+" -- and I have signed copies available for those in the US. If you want one, drop a comment here, and let's arrange it. The books are $22.00 and I'll either sign it or inscribe it to someone in particular and ship it to you. Postage (US only) is on me. I can take PayPal. My other contact information is below. 

These books are written by real people who are experts in their fields. The stories are varied - some make you laugh. Some make you cry. Some are so vulnerable you'll need tissues. And each author gives you some sort of tool,whether it's an exercise, a breathing practice, or visualization -- and there are a lot of tools. The Ultimate Guide books are generally 25 chapters. "Wonder Women" is 22 chapters. 

What I love about the books is that you CAN read them cover-to-cover. Or you can do what I do: scan the table of contents and see what leaps out at you. Read that chapter or those chapters first. Then make your way through the rest of the book. 

You'll find some things that absolutely resonate. And you'll find stuff you can't use. But there are nuggets in each book. I always learn something new, whether I'm editing other authors, or writing in an edition myself. 

All of these books are Amazon best-sellers; so go there and purchase if you prefer. Check out all the Brave Healer books; there's bound to be something you'll want to read. 

Want yoga but there's no studio near you? Want to practice but don't want to do group classes? We can help. 

www.just-breatheyoga.com

Private Zoom and in-person sessions (Covid protocols followed in-studio). Small group classes (via Zoom or in-person). Private group classes for a birthday, shower, friends-night-out. Subscription service at two levels so you can do yoga on your own schedule!

All tailored to your specific needs. 

(815) 546-2770 (text/call)

info@just-breatheyoga.com

Check us on Facebook, Twitter @JB_Yoga, 

Instagram at patperrieryogawithatwist 

It's Not the Sushi...

Yeah. Not the sushi or the poorboy. Seems like there's something long-term and uncomfortable going on here. I see the doctor next week; yeah - enough so that I want to actually see a doctor. 

I'm not tossing my cookies, thankfully, but it's like every time I eat - anything I eat - I need to run to the bathroom shortly thereafter. And for a couple of hours after that. 

That can't be right. I'm dreading being told it's some variety of IBS - my sister has that and her life is one long commute back and forth to the bathroom. No thanks. Not like I have much choice, but I'm hoping that perhaps it's stress-related. 

So if things calm down soon, which they should, now that The Vicar is here, maybe life will get back to normal. Or what passes for normal around here. 

I have not, in case you're wondering, done "the google" or WebMD. I don't think that's wise. It only makes you nuts. I'll wait on the doc. 

Maybe I'll actually lose a few pounds... 

How to Use Your Turn Signal...

There's actually a wiki on this. I'm serious. Here it is. Maybe some folks will need this. The issue I have is that I drive up to Lisle sometimes, and it's incredible that people don't know what that knob is on the left hand side of their steering wheel.  

There are a few more rules of the road that I really, really need people to pay attention to. For your perusal, I'll outline them here. 

1.  Use your turn signal. Obvious. Use it. 

2.  Use your rear-view and side-view mirrors WHILE using your turn signal. Come on, you can probably text and walk, so you can surely flick on the signal, and check to see if someone's occupying the space you wish to occupy. Physics - you've gotta have an empty place because two vehicles that occupy the same space actually is an accident...

3.  This should actually be Number One: Put down the phone. Put. Down. The. Phone. There need be no other addendum to this. 

4.  Be aware of what's around you. I'm going to let the semi truck in - he's bigger than me. I don't appreciate you ramming your way past my front quarter-panel. Seriously. Take your turn. 

These are simple rules that will keep all of us safe on the road. 

Knitting Process...

So I think I may have a new process here. Well, it's not new but it's new to me. I had an epiphany the other day. As I turned the heel of the Green Sock, I realized I was kind of buzzing on with that and I knew I was having a problem with Second Sock Syndrome. I have the Petty Harbour, the Bigger on the Inside, the Soul to Soul... All singles. 

I need to make a PAIR. So I came up with this thought. How about I finish this one, and then pick one of the others to finish? Then I finish the next Green Sock. Then I finish another one of the "complex" patterns. 

I can always have a Vanilla sock on the needles. I keep the "complex" (anything other than a simple ribbed leg) ones at home. 

In between, I finally decided to finish off the Before And After scarf. It's been my "travel project" for about 5 years now, and it's time to wrap it up. At least the peacock colored part. Then I start on the chartreuse one. Again - not sure why I liked that combo - I look horrible in yellow. I can only hope that the peacock colorway overshadows the chartreuse. I mean there's chartreuse in the peacock part, but I want it all to balance out. It's a double scarf - two layers. So I think it's going to be lovely, but it's also my first attempt at a provisional cast-on, and beading. This could be interesting. 

I have heard that other knitters do this "alternating socks" thing. Nice to know that it's not just me. 

How My Garden Grows...

So my lettuce is done. The romaine did its thing, and it's time to let it go to seed. The basil is done. The dill is dried. And remarkably, the parsley is back! After the caterpillars ate it to the nub? It's back. Beautifully, if I may say so. 

The flowers are now looking ragged. The hanging pots are just about done. The hummingbirds have found the new feeder, thankfully, but the hanging pots - somehow, lately, they don't last the season, in spite of our watering them every day. 

The tomatoes? They're coming along nicely. I've gotten a nice bowl of the large cherry tomatoes, and as you can see, they're still producing. I'm hoping they'll go into the fall, but you never know. 

The larger tomatoes are ripening, too. I have a red one. And I think I have a yellow one, but I haven't seen them yet. We have lots of green ones, but we have to wait. I think the yellow ones take a bit longer to ripen. 

Hubby just asked what I'm going to do with them. Well, none of them are good for sauce, so I'm going to be the "Crazy Tomato Lady," and give them away. Let's see how many people take me up on it. 

Hubby has dreams of BLT sandwiches. I admit, I do too, in my own way. Heaven knows, if we play this right, we'll have enough tomatoes. I've got lots of uncured bacon in the freezer. I'll be using romaine lettuce, and wheat bread. And homemade mayo. 

Man, I'm drooling as I type this!  Speaking of which, lunch lately (and sometimes dinner) now includes the cherry tomatoes. 

When I come home from teaching, I don't want a huge meal. I want something, though, because I don't want to be munching on my pillow in the night! Usually, a sandwich does the trick. 

This wasn't after class, but it was a late lunch. Turkey on rye with Swiss, a handful of "veggie chips," and a handful of lovely cherry tomatoes. It really was pretty good. Satisfying, and I was not feeling "bloaty" like I do when I eat something heavier. 

See the beginning of the blog... 


Random Picture...

The parsley... As you can see, it's come back so beautifully! I'm always excited to see a lovely pot of herbs. And this is the best I've grown in a number of years. 

I think the herb pots will stay here next year. They love the afternoon sun, and it works well, even though I lost a batch to the caterpillars. 

I believe in sharing, so it really doesn't bother me to lose a batch. And especially since, if we're lucky, we'll get Swallowtail butterflies? And heck, the parsley grew back. 

So share. It's not a big deal. 

With this bounty, I think it's time to whip up some pesto. I have walnuts in the freezer, and I can blitz it up nicely. Adding the cheese after I thaw it and get it ready for use. 

So you add the parsley, a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a couple cloves of garlic. Blitz. Add some walnuts for texture. Blitz again. Freeze it. 

When you thaw it, you can then add the shredded parm. Parmesan doesn't freeze well in pesto, so you don't want to add it till you're going to use it. 

You can also freeze the whole thing in ice cube trays. The oil won't freeze solid, but it'll get kind of there. I like to use bags; snack-sized zipper bags are my favorite. Put the snack-sized ones inside a larger bag and grab what you need. 

How do you use an abundance of herbs?