Tag: wip

Knitting

WIPW, KCCO and Books – Can It Get Any Better?

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THE WHOLE FAM DAMLY (ALMOST)

Last Reunion 2013 picture – I promise.

All Present and Accounted For Except for Policeman Jason, Who Was Keeping St. Louis Safe

NEWEST ACQUISITION

I went to Yarn Mart last week, just to see what I could see and look what I found in the back, in the sale bin!!  Two skeins of pink Shibui Sock, which pairs up great with the Poodle Skirt yarn that hasn’t decided what it wants to be yet.

Actually, this evening, the Poodle Skirt decided to become Kristel Nyberg’s Sunday Swing Socks, which are my WIPW offering this week.

ON THE NEEDLES

After much consideration and test knitting for the perfect sock pattern, Poodle Skirt is going to become Sunday Swing Socks, from Knitty Summer 2009.  I think it will go perfectly with the color changes in the yarn, showing to their best advantage.  I started them last evening.

Toes Complete, Ready for Foot

BY THE BOOK

I’m starting two books today, Anna Quindlen‘s One True Thing and The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers, books that I started a couple of years ago and then life intervened, reading time was reduced and I forgot about them.  In the process of cleaning out, donating and organizing, I ran across them again and decided to have another go.  If you like seeing what others are reading and knitting, check out Yarn Along.  It always give me ideas about what to read or knit next.

Begonias, WIP, Books and Josie

LOOK WHAT I MADE!

I’ve also started to occasionally link up with Frontier Dreams and KCCO (Keep Calm, Craft On) and get a ton of inspiration there.  Check it out, bet you’ll like it as much as I do.  I made this bracelet for my daughter in law.  It was so easy to do and she loves it!

Don’t forget to check Tami Amis WIPW blog, lots of great projects!

I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember.  I do and I understand.  Confucius

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Knitting

I Need a Tissue, For the Birds, The Good Life

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BOO HOO HOO

No FO Friday project to post today.  Several WIPs, just no FOs.  I just can’t seem to settle down to focus on any one thing; I’ll pick a project up, knit a couple of rows, put it down, pick up a different one, knit a couple of rows and on and on.  I suppose I need to tweak my outlook a little.  Instead of feeling unable to settle and work on one thing enough to make a big dent, I need to look at it as working on all projects, neglecting none.  Yeah, that’s the ticket.  I’m attending to everything.  Commence attitude tweaking now.  Ah, much better.

WOULDJA LOOK AT THAT

A pair of doves have built a nest and taken up residence on our electrical box outside, underneath our patio roof.  I’m pretty sure there are eggs in the nest, they’ve not left it untended since building it.  Us going in and out, taking pictures of them, watering plants, this all occurs within probably eight feet of the nest, but they seem unperturbed by the activity.  We put a feeder out in the yard so they wouldn’t have to range far for food.  I’ve seen a dove a couple of times at the feeder, I hope it’s one of the pair.

Under the covered deck – smart birds, I think

CAN YOU STAND TWO MORE?

Pool Fun, Reunion 2013

The Sprout says, “It doesn’t get any better that this.” and “Oh, Poolboy, bring me another bottle, straight up, room temp.”

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.  John Ruskin

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Knitting

Coffee Cup, Big Six and Book Love

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ON THE NEEDLES/IN THE KILN

My WIPs have been reduced the past couple of days, I wish I could say that they’ve entered FOville but, no, they’ve been frogged or otherwise put on hold, mostly because I just wasn’t satisfied with them.  Life’s too short, right?  I’m still working on an Olivia Petit sweater in a larger size, much larger and now I remember why I prefer to knit baby stuff.  I have to admit though, that it’s knitting up much, much, much faster than the original Olivia, due to, I’m sure, my finally figuring out the pattern and not having to knit and then tink or frog.

I decided to include a pottery WIP today, my first (sort of) recognizable object, a really, really big coffee cup.

Glazed and ready for the second firing

GIRLS RULE!

I call this photo “The Big Six”.  Grown-ups are, left to right, our niece Julia, her mom and our sister in law, Patty, Mr. Iknead’s mom, Mema and my baby boy, Jordan.  Aren’t the matching dresses the cutest things??

(L to R) Lila, Mollie, Marin, Harper, Susannah and Annabelle

Right after this picture, Harper put a cigarette butt in her mouth.  Yuck x1000000000

BY THE BOOK

I’m currently deeply engrossed in Gwen W. Steege’s The Knitter’s Life List.  This particular book is from my local library, but I’m seriously inclined to buy myself a copy, just because I love its lists, pictures and fiber people profiles.  Off to stalk this book online….

Don’t forget to check out the Small Things Yarn Along.

Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being.  Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.  Albert Schweitzer

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Knitting

WIPW 04/17/12

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ON THE NEEDLES

I’ve been able to rein in my knitting ADD, at least for the moment, trying really hard not to veer off into the ozone with knitting projects.  I’m working on Knitty‘s Interlocking Leaves socks in the oh so pretty Shibui Poodleskirt color and I also started another Olivia Petit sweater, this one in a larger size.  Oh yeah, I’ve been knitting up dishcloths at Bigmama’s request and they’re a nice break from those long rows of Olivia.

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Interlocking Leaves

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Olivia Petit 2.0

In case you’re wondering, that’s a set of frosted glass windchimes that I was too lazy to put away this morning, thus their debut on WIPW 04/17/13

FIELD TRIP

Babymama and I, along with Babydiva, Bela the standard poodle and Josie Pug have plans to visit the dog park this afternoon.  I’m expecting it to be loads of fun, and am right now charging Mr. Canon’s battery (sounds kind of nasty, doesn’t it?) to document all the fun.  Look for pictures to be posted later this week.

Don’t forget to visit Tami Ami’s WIPW blog and check out all the neat WIPs!

Develop a passion for learning.  If you do, you will never cease to grow.  Anthony J. D’Angelo

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Knitting

Getting My Hands Dirty and Bread Love

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GOING TO POT

I’m still love, love, loving my pottery class and look forward to it every week.  Yesterday, we learned about building with coils and how to use an extruder, which is a really quick, easy way to make them.  Takes a little bit more upper body strength than I have, but by standing on a stool and leaning my weight on the handle, I can get the job done.  Here’s my pottery WIP from yesterday – with emphasis on the WIP!  I’m starting to feel more comfortable with the clay, catching on to how it feels when it’s too wet to add details (too wet clay is floppy and will slump and collapse) and then how it feels when it’s dry enough to hold the details or embellishments added.  Cool stuff, I think.

4-15-13

I didn’t get to finish this little pot, I want to flare the sides more and then narrow and smooth the top; since I’m in a class at the Art Center, I can come and go at the pottery studio when I want, not just at class time.  I may go later today and work on it a little more, maybe experimenting some with different sized coils and bases.  I love this!!

FROM THE OVEN

The Sundried Tomato Basil bread was such a success that I want to share it.  This isn’t my recipe, so to give due credit, the original was submitted by girlversusdough on tablespoon.com.  She has a baking blog, girlversusdough.com, one I’ve enjoyed following.

Sundried Tomato Basil Bread

1 cup warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp chopped dried basil

1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Add 2 cups of the flour and all other ingredients to the batter and mix with dough hook until just combined.  (I used the paddle attachment and it turned out fine.)

2.  Add remaining flour 1 tbsp at a time until dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

3. Remove dough from bowl and place in a clean, lightly greased bowl.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

4.  Punch down risen dough and shape into an oval, stretching from the top of the loaf to underneath the bottom.  Place shaped loaf in a lightly greased 8×4 inch loaf pan.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Once dough is ready, bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.  So good!

Thanks girlversusdough for sharing this recipe, it’s delicious!

The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.  William James

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Knitting

WIPW 04/10/13, Yarn Along and Sock Pattern Lust

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ON THE NEEDLES

I decided to give myself a little break from fiddly stuff for a bit and have been knitting up dish towels instead, finally using some of that Sugar and Cream that’s been in the stash for lo, how many years.  My current favorite is the Yarn Over Cable Cloth from Dishcloth Boutique.  After just a couple of repeats, I’d memorized the four row pattern, a welcome relief from having to look from pattern to knitting and back to pattern.

I’m getting the sock knitting itch again, I just wound some new Shibui Sock from Yarn Mart and am pondering patterns even as I type.  I have a couple of ideas – Spring Forward or Kew, both from Knitty.  Love them both, maybe I’ll flip a coin.  Here’s a look at the new Shibui –

This color is called Poodle Skirt and how cute is that??

MR. CANON AND ME, WE GETTIN’ TIGHT

Beginning to feel much more comfortable with Mr. Canon and today, it took only about 30-45 minutes to remember and do what took hours yesterday.  Josie, Mr. Canon and I just may take a field trip tomorrow morning, especially if the weather stays as beautiful as it has the last two days.

Photobomb by Josie

BY THE BOOK

My Yarn Along contribution today is Stephen King’s Under the Dome, in preparation for the mini-series scheduled for sometime in June.  I’m still technically reading Annie Dillard‘s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but haven’t picked it back up since Monday afternoon at the library.  I’m planning to get started again this afternoon, the weather is predicted to be stormy and this seems like it would be a good book to cocoon with.

DON’T FORGET TO

Visit Tamis Amis’ WIPW blog for more WIP goodies and Ginny Sheller’s Yarn Along for lots more book and yarn love.  Prepare to be inspired!

The better part of happiness is to wish to be what you are.  Desiderius Erasmus

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Knitting

Goal Met, Sweet Sprout, On to the Next

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ON THE NEEDLES

Yesterday’s goal met, with pictures to prove it!  You can see that Olivia lacks a sleeve and some I-cord to be finished. Like I mentioned in yesterday’s post, this sweet sweater has been totally worth the hair tearing and project slinging but I’m ready to move on. It sort of seems like a waste to not go ahead and knit another since I seem to have gotten it down but honestly, I need a break. I’m thinking a simple pair of summer socks for Mr. Iknead. He suffered through my Olivia learning curve too!

Front, without buttons.  Anyone have button suggestions?

Back

Love that the color photographed pretty much true on this gray, rainy day!

THE GRANDS

Today, I’m putting the Sprout in the limelight, I think she may have been given short shrift with the recent birthday and Easter.  Her onesie says it all!

Don’t forget to check out Tami’s Amis WIPW blog for more WIP love!

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.  Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

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Knitting

Divadom, Birthdays and (dare I say it?), Triumph!

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GRAND DIVADOM

Babydiva’s first birthday was a complete success, judging by the fun that was had by all, even though it was originally planned to be an Easter egg hunt and having to move the venue inside due to rainy weather. She was (as always) gorgeous and carried her divadom like she was born into it, which she was. Great presents, great cupcakes, great company and great fun!

FIRST BIRTHDAY CUPCAKE

Photo

I’m positive I’ll have at least a gazillion more pictures, both of Babydiva and the Papoose and Sprout, just as soon as their mommies are able to slow down long enough to get them posted.

Party On, Papoose

GONE TO POT

Yeah, it’s corny but  I couldn’t resist.  Yesterday was my first pottery class and I have to admit, it was the coolest thing.  The class, Beginning Handbuilding, is combined with another, way advanced class, Independent Study and it’s really neat to check out what the more advanced students are working on.  The basic class is very small, four people and a teacher, two ladies about my age, me and a young guy (they’re all young guys now), a 25 year old self employed furniture restorer.  I’m beginning to believe that creativity is a thread between some people, maybe like calling to like, because one of the first things we did after meeting each other was show off and admire tats.  Three of the four students had them, probably not that unusual, it just struck me as interesting.  Then, later in the class, the instructor saw my tat and asked me if I was a knitter, especially since it happens to be a ball of yarn with knitting needles.  I told her yep and here’s the coolest thing – she said “me too”, another of the students said, “me too”, and two of the advanced students said, “me too”.  Now, tell me that’s not awesome.  Out of eight people total in the room, five of us were knitters, mostly hardcore too.  It’s a thread, I tell you.  Oops, sidetracked, we learned to make pinch pots, took a tour of the pottery department and learned a little about the different clays and different glazing techniques.  I made a couple of butt-ugly pots, but hey, it was my first time.  Next week, we learn more about glazing and how to use the slab technique to make a coffee cup.  I can’t wait!  Sorry no pics, too busy and distracted by all the stuff going on.  Next week, promise.

ON THE NEEDLES

I’m aware that tomorrow is WIPW and not today, but I finally got a handle on the Olivia sweater, and lack only the sleeves in finishing it.  I’m not ashamed to say that this pattern totally had its way with me, slapping and kicking me around (see Yarn Harlot‘s blog post for today, I totally get it), but finally I gained the upper hand and like a bully, once I showed no fear, it slunk off to sulk and get over itself.  And, OMG, it was totally worth it, every second of every frog, tink and the blood, sweat and tears it generated.  Here’s a peek at the back –

                                                         

What did I say?  Totally worth it, right??  Even so, the next time I get a hare-brained idea like, “of course, it’s just a month before Easter but three sweaters for the grands is totally doable”, I’d appreciate a good smack to the back of the head, just to snap me out of it.  Unfortunately, most of us knitters are also enablers and I can already hear a chorus of sures, absolutelys and totally doables going on in background.  Meanwhile, today’s only goal is a sleeve.

There are some things only intellectuals are crazy enough to believe.  George Orwell (1903-1950)

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Knitting

WIPW 3/13/13, A Bump in the Olivia Petit Road and Library Whimsies

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ON THE NEEDLES

I have a couple of things, as usual, in the process of knitting up, frogging or time out.  The first one up today went through all three stages yesterday, the Lolita vest.  Here’s what went down – Rewind to Monday evening.  Happily knitting, patting myself on the back for doing such a good job of staying on Task Lolita, even when the new yarn on the block, Knitpicks Comfy Sport in Honeydew, was calling me out to get acquainted and get started on the   sweater(s) I had planned for it.  Final pat on the back and then to bed.  On inspection of my progress yesterday morning, I noticed that somehow I’d gotten a few, surely not more than three or so, stitches off in the pattern and now part of the openwork was wonky and didn’t match up with the previous openwork.   Tinked back to correct, fixed – still not right, tinked back and tried again – still didn’t suit me, tinked back one more time, reknit and finally produced something I can live with.  Since it’s knitted side to side, at the moment it’s just a wad of knitted fabric, but the spring sunshine was too great to pass up this morning and I took a pic anyway.

I’ve hit a pothole in the road on the sweet Olivia Petit sweater and haven’t been able to figure out what’s going on.  I cast on, did the set up row for the neck and raglan increase, so far so good, worked the next increase row and that’s where the wheels came off.  Too many stitches when I went to count.  OK, operator error, frogged and started again.  Same thing, too many stitches.  Must have misread pattern.  Frogged and started again after going over the pattern with a fine toothed comb, counting and recounting, reading and rereading.  Still screwed, went to bed.  I’m knitting the smallest size, so I’m thinking maybe going up one pattern size will work.  Please.  Will frog one last time and start again.  If no go this time, I’m swallowing my pride, taking it to Yarn Mart and letting them figure it out.  Frustration overload.

BY THE BOOK

I finished an absolutely, positively wonderful book yesterday, I started it Monday and couldn’t stop listening until it was finished, An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11 Year Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny, by Laura Schroff.  Goosebumps though the whole thing!  Incredible heartache, incredible joy, incredible book!

AT THE LIBRARY

I’m a huge library fan and not just for the books; it’s a favorite place for me to sit, knit and people watch for an hour or so whenever I can and I’m always excited to check out the collections on display.  This week was a particular treat, with a collection of pottery.  Surprisingly, my iPhone pictures through the glass turned out really well.  I’m disappointed that there was no artist or artists mentioned but that didn’t cut the cool.

Library exhibits 3-11-13

Library exhibits 3-11-13
Library exhibits 3-11-13
Library exhibits 3-11-13

Library exhibits 3-11-13

Love the paper pumps but Birthday Cake Grandma is my all time favorite.  I’m crazy for her skull purse!

Don’t forget to head to Tami Amis for more WIPW stuff!

To study and not think is a waste.  To think and not study is dangerous.  Confucius

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 3-6-13, A Slight Disappointment and What I Love About Sock Knitting

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ON THE NEEDLES

The first Spring Pools sock is off the needles and, I have to say, is a disappointment – not in the yarn, not in the pattern, but in myself because I know that nine times out of ten, a busy, colorful yarn and an intricate pattern don’t work together.  This is something that I reminded myself over and over during the knitting of said sock and since I wanted them to work together so badly I just kept whispering sweet nothings into my ear, sweet nothings as in, “the pattern will pop more when they’re worn” and, “yeah, it looks a little tweedy but as soon as I get it finished and blocked, the pattern will jump out and really show itself”.  Sound familiar?  Well, the long and short of it is that neither of those statements are true and if I’m truly honest with myself, I knew it all along.  This brings me to share “What I Love About Sock Knitting”.  What I love about sock knitting is 1) you always get a second chance on the second sock and 2) I don’t think the patterns necessarily have to be the same on both socks and in this instance, the first sock’s pattern is Spring Pools, the second sock’s pattern (so far) is Fascine Socks Or…a surprisingly simple way to braid without cables.  I think the Fascines will do justice to the yarn, showing off the vivid colors to their best advantage.

First Sock

Spring Pools

Second Sock So Far

Fascine Socks

The next WIP today is one I started yesterday, Imagine Knit Designs Lolita, using Rowan Purelife yarn in Revive.  I like the fact that this yarn is made of 100% recycled silk, cotton and viscose.  Just trying to do my part saving the planet and if I can combine saving the planet with knitting, well, what’s not to like???

Lolita

FYI, the cake keeper belonged to my grandmother, I can remember seeing it in her house most of my life.  When Mr. Iknead and I went to clean out my parents’ home last summer I came across it again in the back of a cabinet.  I think it lends itself well to picture taking, don’t you?

Don’t forget to check Tami Ami’s for more WIP goodness.

We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.  Kahlil Gibran

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 2/27/13 and the Setting in of Antsiness

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WHAT’S UP

Me, that’s what.  Today’s the first day I’ve really felt nearly back to normal, at least as close to normal as possible being only a week out from major (from what I’ve been told) abdominal surgery.  Yeah, every once in a while, mostly when Josie needs to be more comfortable, my belly reminds me that it’s been much put upon in the past week or so and that perhaps I need to give up being the official recliner/throne/bed of the Empress, at least for an hour or so.  All things considered, I do think I’m doing well, but I’m getting restless, not really bored, but I want to do a bunch of things Mr. Iknead has made me promise not to do for a while and, well, I try to keep my promises so today I had to be satisfied with piddling around in the kitchen but not baking and making a grocery list, but not shopping.   I’m sort of embarrassed to complain about things like that, just being retired and learning to be a SAHW, but I love taking care of my home, my husband and my family.  There.  I said it and I’m glad I did.  I’m a closet housewife and proud of it!

NEARLY OFF THE NEEDLES

The Rio Wrap is nearly finished.  It’s been measured and remeasured, examined and reexamined and finally, bound off.  The joining together will be done tomorrow (I hate the mattress stitch), blocking will begin and I hope by Friday will be finished and ready for show and tell.  Here’s how it looks unfinished but off the needles.  Boring, I know.

Today, A Pile of Stockinette

Tomorrow, Hopefully an Etched Rio Wrap!

THE GRANDS

Not as much contact with the babies as I’d like, with us all passing around a nasty upper respiratory thing and the hospital, but here’s a recent favorite –

Isn’t he handsome and isn’t she gorgeous??

Don’t forget to check out Tami Amis for more WIPW 2/27/13.

By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist, we create it.  Nikos Kazantzakis 

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Knitting

WIPW 2/13/13, Whew, Slight Case of Nerves

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BYE-BYE

I think I mentioned last week that we finally made the decision and had our landline removed.  Mr. Iknead and I finally had enough of those super annoying robocalls, telemarketers, wrong numbers (a misprint on some kind of card gave the whole world our phone number, area code and all)  instead of the correct number for Holy Redeemer Credit Union in Costa Rica.  I swear, I’m not making this up.  People would call our number (the misprint) over and over, getting angrier and angrier when they were informed that “No, this wasn’t Holy Redeemer Credit Union” and “No, I don’t know the correct number for Holy Redeemer Credit Union” and eventually, “Don’t call this number again, I will have you reported to the police and charge you with telephone harassment”.  Been cussed out in Spanish more times than I can remember.  So, as of Monday evening, we no longer have a landline phone and are basking in the peace and quiet of home.  Still, when Mr. Iknead called to set up whatever had to be set up to remove it, the guy told him that we’d had the number since 1977, 36 YEARS!  You can understand why I have a little nostalgia mixed with my relief, can’t you?  I get emotionally invested, what can I say?

ON THE NEEDLES

Etched Rio Wrap

Fifteen of the required 28 repeats of the pattern are finished, over half the way through, the end is barely in sight and I’m still loving this.  I’m happy to say that there have been no yarn barf crises since Sunday and I’m watching the yarn like a hawk, knowing now that it likes to misbehave.  If you missed the pics of its previous misbehavior, take a look at last Friday’s blog entry, titled  %#$%^&*(, for the full effect.

WHAT’S COMING UP

I’ve really not blogged about it too much, other than just a mention now and then, but I’ve had ischemic colitis for years and coped with it pretty well.  Now, though, the attacks are becoming more and more frequent and more and more severe, putting me in the hospital twice for a week each time, in the past nine months.  My GI doctor defines it as “pretty much a heart attack” in the colon, with damage and scarring, which sets me up even more for another bout and on and on.  After much, much thought and just as much research (doncha just love Wikipedia?), I’m scheduled to have my colon removed this coming Tuesday, February 19.  My surgeon has promised that I’ll have enough colon left to hook everything back up, but if I have to have an ostomy, I’ll just count that as part of the cost of no more midnight ambulance rides, all night visits to the ER and hospital admissions.  I’m a little nervous, after it’s done, there’s no going back, but now the pros outweigh the cons and I’m ready to get it over with.  I told Mr. Iknead that he’d have to step into my blogging shoes for a couple of days (he thought I was kidding) but hope to be feeling well enough to take over again before too long.

BY THE BOOK

I finished the The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yesterday and it was wonderful.  I couldn’t listen fast enough, it was an audiobook and I kept up the pretense of “As soon as this chapter closes, I’m going to get up and do XYZ,” knowing full well that I had no intention of doing that and just kept listening.  Loved this book!  I don’t have any definite idea of what next to read.  Any ideas?

Don’t forget to check out Tami Ami’s and Ginny’s Yarn Along blog.

Creativity comes from trust.  Trust your instincts and never hope more than you work.  Rita Mae Brown

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