All My Great (or not so Great!) Adventures

Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on...

2011-06-27T22:44:00.000-04:00

brah!... Lala how the life goes on... (with special thanks to the Beatles!)

And on it does go. I will soon be introducing a new blog featuring my Mom and our journey together through her ups and downs and the changing world brought on by her breast cancer and Alzheimer's Disease. I hope to chronicle the journey so others can find the joy of living, loving and care giving as well as the sadness and trials presented by these diseases. I hope to provide informative links, stories that might help, encourage you or at least make you smile. Watch for an announcement and a link that will appear in the sidebar.

Now, what life has been bringing me...

I sent off the elephants I posted in my last missive. They were well received. I am working on a few more to send somewhere else and on one for my young cousin. She helped knit the lightest color one in the pictures and really liked it. She wanted to keep it, but I told her it was destined for a child with no toys. Promised her one of her own and continuing knitting lessons if she (and her Mom!) wants them.

Stocked up on food and goodies for a family visit. My aunt is up visiting her big sister, Mom, for a week. We are eating well! Aunt heads back to sunny FL on Saturday and we'll be back to just me, Mom and cousin for a while, until mid-July, when a male is thrown back in the mix (younger son is away until mid-July and he'll be back). Cousin noted the other day - "Isn't it funny? You used to live with three boys (note: my husband and two sons) and now you are surrounded by three girls (mom, her and her mom!)" God does have a sense of humor and a great sense of timing. I can handle the girls now they are grown. I'm not sure I could have done that 20 years ago from birth to adulthood!

I was going to add something else here... but my mind has wandered.

Hope to see you around the new blog when it launches... and, of course, here when I remember to write!

Reviving, Reviewing, Reporting

2011-06-19T23:47:00.001-04:00

Hello, my friends and readers - if you are still stopping by to see if have written anything new. I've been busy with life and haven't taken the time to update. Perhaps I lacked the energy, or didn't have anything fun to report, and definitely don't want to whine at you. I decided to share a bit of what is going on and try to get back into keeping this blog going.

Since my last post, we've seen Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Memorial Day... many birthdays and family gatherings... lots of knitting and donating and worrying and caretaking and house cleaning and - you know, life! :)

I'll just start where I am, if that's okay with you.

My friend, BeLinda, known on Ravelry as KnittyBe, helped her daughter help Joplin, MO by starting a Facebook community page called Elephants Remember Joplin (hey, stop on by and LIKE the page! It helps!). Her 8 yo daughter has been knitting elephants to bring to the children of Joplin since Memorial Day. It has been a Knit-A-Thon of elephants and she made 12 during the stated dates (Memorial Day to June 17th), helped raise over $3000 for the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross, is going to Joplin to personally deliver her herd. She continues to knit on the lovely elephants and hopes to take at least 14.

To help with this endeavor, I also knit 7 elephants - 4 before Memorial Day (these will be carried to Joplin with the ERJ herd since I already mailed them to BeLinda!) and 3 more since, which I am sending to Little Hands Big Helpers - Empowering Kids to Make a Difference to be distributed along with bears, blankets and books they are gathering. My three will meet up with the ERJ herd and, hopefully, bring some joy to the children of a devastated town.

My little herd:

I watch the videos and YouTube and read the stories on various pages on Facebook and am humbled by the spirit of the people and the breadth of the volunteers. I want to give and give and go and help. Unfortunately, I am not in a position - financially or time-wise - to get there and do anything. So, I knit a few things, send a few blankets, and say a lot of prayers.

I am continuing the great clean-up in my house - I have a two year plan. First step, a great big truck (thank you, Got Junk people - 1-800-Got-Junk) came and removed all the broken, falling apart things that have been accumulating (futon frames, old picnic table, broken computers and monitors, a recliner and other huge things that wouldn't fit in my trunk!).

With the help of my cousin, cleared out my son's old room, painted, cleaned the carpets and moved her in! This will help on many levels. Provides a room for her, a place to call home, and throws a little $$ into the family budget. In addition, she'll be a great help with my Mom - keeping her company, having lunch with her when cousin is working from home... A good arrangement AND the bonus of a cleaned up room and bathroom!

There has been knitting as well. Besides the elephants, I made a shawl, a couple of hats, and several wash cloths. I also have a couple of different sock patterns in progress..

Unfortunately, this is smaller than I would like - so I'll be unbinding it and adding to it... but it is finished per the pattern!

I have another elephant on the needles, too. I just can't stop. I also will be making several hats to send to Japan. One is done, one is almost done and I plant to make at least three more. I am also working on a super secret project that needs to be done before the end of July.

My financial life is getting in order. Like the great clean-up plan, this is a multi-year plan. I am budgeting, reducing my spending, and paying off debt. I have long way to go. By following the Dave Ramsey plan, it is going!

All right, gonna go for the night. I had more to say, but I will save that for another day. It's too late to do justice to my deep thoughts... a light-hearted entry is a better re-introduction to the blog!

catching up with my knitting - a picture post

2010-11-16T18:49:00.000-05:00

Sunday: Synopsis of a Week

2010-08-29T17:43:00.003-04:00

With the best of intentions I refreshed and re-started the blog here. Then... things went you know where in a special basket around my world. Not as bad as it could be - but definitely wearing away at my creative and desire to update my adventures. I'm not going to apologize. I'll just say, I'll be here when I'm here!

I offer you a synopsis of my previous week to 12 days:

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2346840/August

Now that you're all caught up. What? Oh, you want some explanations.

Mom has been having in-home physical therapy to help her regain some stamina and energy and such. The visiting nurses discovered a pressure sore. I've been learning to care for that and taking Mom to appointments for others to keep an eye out. In the nursing arena, I've also learned how to give B12 shots.

When I was a young girl, first or second grade, I wanted to be a nurse. I outgrew that desire after many visits to hospitals, doctors, etc. Now, I'm a nurse - sort of!

I started coughing with a painful face and such a little over a week ago. Last Sunday, the voice had hit the Bass level and I turned into Mr. C ~~ and not the dad from Happy Days! My seasonal allergies often have me singing Bass and I'm generally mistaken for a man on the phone. Turns out this was not just (or, possibly, even) seasonal allergies, but bronchitis and sinusitis. On top of that, I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure. So, I've been taking new meds and getting used to this new regime for the past week.

My face feels a bet better. I'm still coughing and don't think the bronchi are completely clear. We will see what progress on Wednesday morning when I go in for blood work and an ekg. Time to take care of me - according to me and my new doctor!

Since I was feeling poorly and taking care of me and Mom, I didn't drain the pool cover immediately after the last two rain storms. Nobody was home to use the pool anyway.

I decided on Thursday that I needed to clear the water off the cover. I placed the pump on the cover and let it go for a couple of hours. I went out to adjust the pump's location and discovered hundreds and hundreds, nay, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of tadpoles on my pool cover!! Every rivulet of water not yet drained had this and many more tadpoles of various sizes swimming round and round.

I did not exaggerate on the thousands... my pool cover is 20'x40'... this little 6"x10" section has >25 tadpoles of various sizes.

After a major freak out - posting the picture and a little video on Facebook and Ravelry... I got my leaf basket/scoop net and scooped leaves and tadpoles and other stuff off the cover and into the brush behind the pool. Today - we are tadpole free.

Jungle taming came by hiring someone to tame the yard, the garden and the gutters. Peaceful, beautiful yard today. And I am grinning...

and still coughing....

and still knitting....

and still reading....

and still playing on the computer.

New paint on the wall and sheeeeeee's baaaa-aaack!

2010-08-15T14:22:00.000-04:00

I have been away from the blog for the summer. I've been busy and life has been hectic and I've not had much to say. Well, that's probably not strictly true, but I didn't really have time to say it!

Medical appointments for Mom, work and such have kept me hopping. It's been so darn hot all summer I haven't done a lot of 'memorable' things.

But I'm back, for now, and hopefully I'll be a more frequent updater than in recent days.

Here are a few things I've been doing:

Knitting:

My first Baby Surprise Jacket! Still needs buttons and ends woven, as well as the white buttons.

I also made a hat and a blanket:

Baby's Hat


Baby's Blanket

These are for Sean's Baby Boy - due at the end of August. They will be finished and in the mail on Wednesday!!!!

Another cousin, Ami, is due with her first child in October. Stealth knitting is going on for her baby girl. I'd show you, but my family reads and I'd like her to be surprised! :)

Other endeavors, mostly failed or barely executed, for the summer:

planting veggies - all died due to extreme heat and a late start
clearing the clutter - plans were made, plans were not executed, plans have been remade, hope to execute as the weather cools
debt reduction - plans have been made, budgets have been made and (mostly) followed. Long way to go, but I'm determined
Selling stuff - plans have been made, listing will soon begin, though I have sold a few things on Half.com while I'm learning the ropes of other venues. I will be selling the stuff I de-clutter; selling stuff I knit, crochet, paint, bead, whatever; selling books and DVDs and such. I'm learning the ins and outs of eBay, Craigslist, and Etsy!

Look for links in the future to the Etsy shop and my eBay listings and yard sale woes!

Glad to be back. Looking forward to recording All My Great Adventures once again!

Summer's coming!

2010-05-15T09:36:00.000-04:00

Today, 6000 gallons of water will be delivered to top off my in-ground pool!

Water delivery is scheduled between 8 and noon. I got up waaaaay too early for a Saturday and put the pump on because we had thunderstorms roll through last evening. It's now about 9:30 AM and the water has not yet arrives. I realize I could have slept a while longer. Of course, if I had slept in, the water would have arrived at 8 AM on the nose!

I dreaded rolling back the cover. The winter weather was the worst it has been in many years. Certainly the worst it has been since I've owned this pool. Surprise, surprise -- this was the BEST winter for the pool. Go figure! Very little debris inched its way into the water through the very narrow gap between the pool cover and the wall on the shallow end. I am usually scooping many, many leaves. Hardly any this year. This is a good thing, since the best scooper basket was broken by some helper over the winter.

Looks like we'll be ready for the pool company to come and get it set for the season on Tuesday!

In knitting news, I finished my Baktus, except for the blocking.

I need to figure out what to do next. With five or more babies expected in my extended family and friends network, you'd think I could pick some baby thing or another. Yet, I have not.

Instead, I am planning a Pampered Chef(r) Help Whip Cancer(r) fundraiser show for next Saturday. The Pampered Chef(r) has been supporting the American Cancer Society and their Breast Cancer Education program for over 10 years, contributing $7.9 million dollars since 2000. Last year, the Help Whip Cancer(r) campaign raised $875,000. The HWC fundraisers are regular Pampered Chef shows, with a pink twist. During the month of May, the guest specials are special pink and white products. The Pampered Chef(r) contributes $1.00 for every pink product sold and up to 25% of the total products sold to the American Cancer Society.

If you'd be interested in purchasing something to help raise funds for Breast Cancer Education, or you'd just like to see what The Pampered Chef has to offer, drop me a line and I'll send you the link.

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

2010-05-02T17:59:00.001-04:00

Mom was doing much better, so I took myself to the Festival today. Goal: Funnel Cake!

Scored the Funnel Cake and this lovely skein of Tess Designer Yarns Super Sock & Baby yarn. I took the picture at two angles to show off all the colors.

There are three babies being born in my extended family. One lucky baby will get a gift made from this fabulous yarn.

I traveled the Festival with Alex and Beth from The Yarn Garden. Alex owns The Yarn Garden and she placed an order for the yarn I'd like for a sweater I loved at Autumn House Farm. The yarn is called Blarney Stone and the pattern is Julie. Neither the yarn nor the pattern seem to be available on the website, but we just fell in love with it. Locals should look for both at The Yarn Garden in the near(ish) future! :)

While I only bought one skein of yarn, I have an order for a sweater's worth with my local yarn shop!

After mowing the yard yesterday and walking around the Festival today - I'm tired and a little sun-kissed... It was a great weekend!

This and that on a Sunday

2010-04-25T18:40:00.001-04:00

Last week, Mom and I took her first non-medical trip in a long time. We headed down county, across the too-tall bridge to St. Mary's County for a little retail therapy.

Mom had an Estee Lauder offer to redeem and some creams she wanted to buy. Younger son needed some new khakis and shirts and a tie for his job. Belk was having a sale and we had an additional 20% off coupon. So - off to California we went! California, MD, that is! :)

The pants I bought were too big. They were nice pants too. I was sad. :( Anyway, the trip was repeated today. This time I went solo.

I got a refund for the pants at Belk. I looked around and found some new pants in the right size. Of course, the sale was over and the coupon was long gone. I wasn't paying full price. So, I left.

Luckily, JC Penney is in the same shopping center and I got a $10 off coupon in the mail yesterday! Over to JCP I went. They had pants in the correct waist size, but either too long (34) or too short (32). B wanted 33x33 close to impossible to find. I examined the 33x32s and the hem was long enough to lengthen, so I picked up a pair of those, plus a GIFT receipt for him to exchange them next time!!

Score. Khakis, 33x32, on sale for $29.99, less the $10 coupon and bonus 'free tax day at JCP' - new pants were $2 less than the ones I returned! :)

SUPER BONUS! He tried them on as soon as I got home and ---- They FIT!

On the way back from the Great Pants Exchange, I stopped at Chesapeake's Bounty, where I discovered you can pick your own strawberries! That's not why I stopped, but I was happy to see that they do that! The only other place I knew closed a couple of years ago.

Today, I stopped to pick up some new annuals and perennials for the garden.

Older son and two of his friends cleared the weeds last week and it looked so bare.

It will soon be bursting with color!

Planted: Marigolds - big ones (yellow and sweet cream) and smaller one in disco (a multi-orange); begonias - one pink, one red; Astra Blue Balloon flowers; and Astra Osteospermum in yellow and sunset purple.

These lovely plants will join the irises and daisies and cone flowers and whatever else pops up from last year! :)

And - last but not least - I'm knitting myself a gift. I'm participating in a CPaAG C/KAL. Everyone is doing some version of the Baktus (link to Ravelry search results for Baktus) I am doing the Lacy Baktus (my project page on Ravelry; you can click that link and see the project page, even if you don't belong to Ravelry!)

Last, but not least - we are seeing the end of the treatment tunnel for Mom's cancer. Last infusion should be June 7th. There have been and will be more doctors for other issues as the cancer treatments wind down. Important for overall health. She had her six month mammogram and it was all clear. She'll have another next Fall. If that one is clear, she'll be back on the yearly mammo plan

She fell twice in March and fractured her L1 vertebrae. We are looking into Vertebroplasty. The compression fracture is significant (50-60% and a backward tilt). Doctor says she's a candidate and it is more indicated than not for this fracture at this level and severity. We decide tomorrow. If it's a go, we'll be heading to Annapolis on Friday -- getting out of the house before 5:30 AM for a 7:30 or 8:00 AM out-patient surgery.

I think that's enough for now! :) Hope to see you sooner rather than later next time!

Spring is sproinging!

2010-03-19T11:07:00.002-04:00

This winter has been pretty intense. Our area has had record setting snow falls and low temperatures. As we've been moving out of the winter weather, we've had rain and fog and cooler temps, with occasional warm bursts.

This weekend, Spring is upon us and she brings the SPRING WEATHER! Yippee! I'll be able to go out and clean up debris that has been covered in snow and wet for too long. I'll be able to till the garden area and cut back the snow-broken branches and get ready for the new season to take it's rightful place.

Let me catch you up on my doings for the past few weeks...

I finished my Olympic Sock event socks:

I took a knitting break and have been crocheting little hats for several causes. I completed and sent off four for preemies at a NICU hospital. I have finished three for full-term babies, with a few more days to go before I send them off. Here's a sample (I keep forgetting to take pictures of things before I mail them off so there are only two in the picture - but the pattern is essentially the same for all. The size and turned-up brim are all that change!):

Tomorrow is my Mother's 74th birthday. She celebrated by falling - again! Luckily, she is just bruised and stiff - no apparent breaks or tears. Last year, she celebrated birthday number 73 with a fractured tibia! I told her she should break this habit of falling for her birthday!

She was supposed to go for her 6th month mammogram check today. I've rescheduled for April 2nd. While there are no breaks or tears, sitting in the car for an hour each way AND having a diagnostic mammogram are things that would tax her system too much today.

We are also supposed to go to the club for a dinner event tomorrow night - 150 Club - dinner and a chance for mom to win $1500. Looks like that will be a no-go for a reason similar to the canceled Mammo - an hour ride each way. We're playing it by ear. Mom doesn't get out and socialize much. She hasn't had the desire for a while, but she was looking forward to this event.

Enjoy your Friday, my friends. Hope the weather treats you kindly on this first weekend of Spring!

Sooo close, yet no gold medal!

2010-03-01T21:51:00.000-05:00

My Toe-Up Socks were my Knitting Olympics piece. As my previous post indicated, there was a set back.

After the set back, I recast the socks with fewer beginning stitches and continued with fewer foot stitches on smaller needles. I finally got going pretty well. A slow down occurred as I tried to figure out the heel and the wrap and turns and why I needed them and how to do them. Figured it out on one and quickly finished the second. By Sunday afternoon I was finishing heel flap number 2 and thought I could move right along on the legs of both. However, the fingers were tiring and getting sore. STR on 2.25 mm and 2.0 mm needles make for sore thumb and forefinger pads. I might even have a hole in my thumb, defintely have a callous!

Seems my confidence was misplaced. I got to anklet length on the leg of the sock (two pattern repeats on the leg) and I could have done a fancy bind off and counted them 'DONE' in time to win the Gold. But I had to be honest with myself and, in the spirit of the games, concede that I would simply unbind them and continue on to a more conventional leg length, as I did not want anklets nor would I wear them. So, I gave up my dreams of glory and went to bed.

Knitting continues, albeit without the Olympic intensity. The thumb and forefinger are getting a bit of a rest as I do knit a little at a time. I believe I'll be able to eke out five pattern repeats and some ribbing before I run out of yarn. I was afraid that 380 yards would not be enough for my big feet. It looks like I'll make it to a reasonable leg height before I run out.

I'm sad that I miscalculated and missed out on the Gold Medal. I learned a great deal, which is a fabulous thing. BUT -- have you seen what I missed out on?? Franklin designed a fabulous medal! Waaaahhhh!

Congratulations to all the Knitting Olympians claiming their Gold Medal!

As for me, there is always 2014! I'll have much to celebrate in 2014

Knitting Olympics

AND

RETIREMENT ! ! ! ! ! :)

A Setback

2010-02-21T22:21:00.000-05:00

The swatch it a lie - and my foot lies too.

I measured my foot five, six times - each time the circumference was 9 - 9.5 inches depending on whether I was measuring at the ball of my foot, or slightly back from that - trying to use the pictures and procedures outlined by Cat Bordhi and Wendy D Johnson.

This would mean that I should knit my sock at a circumference of 8 or 8.25 inches, right? Swatching had me go down several needle sizes from that recommended for the yarn to get 8 st/inch. The stitch count is 66, which would put it right between 8 and 8.25 inches.

I measured the stitches in several places and I was getting 16 st/2 inches—or 8 st/inch.

As I progressed, it seemed too wide. I, of course, continued anyway as any good knitter in denial would do. I am about 4 inches into the foot going from the toe up, but it still seemed too wide, I tried it on and – guess what? It.is.too.wide!!!!

I did all the right things.

I did a circular swatch. I cast on 36 stitches, joined in the round and started with 3.00mm needles. Knit an inch - measured, got 7st/inch. Went down to 2.75mm for an inch, still not right. At 2.5 mm, I got the gauge for the pattern I was using as my guide – 8 st/inch.

I measured my foot multiple times over the last week – multiple times on different days at different times of the day -- because (a) I kept forgetting to write it down and (b) I wanted to be very sure! At the ball of my foot where my big toe joins my foot and my foot is widest, it measured in the 9.5” area of the tape measure, every time. The area at the beginning of the instep, just past the ball part, measured 9". At 8 st/inch with a cast on of 66 stitches, my sock should be 8.25” - which should be enough negative ease to fit nicely. But it doesn’t. See?

(you can see the gaps on either side. :( I put a note on the picture in flickr)

So, I measured my feet again and – guess what I get? 8.5 - 9 inches.

How is it possible that my feet could lose half an inch or more in a day?? ACKKKK! The sock circumference is about the same as the circumference as my foot rather than being 10% smaller for a snug fit. Double AACKKK!

The sock pattern I was using to determine cast-on, stitch count, etc., showed numbers for 4 sizes – small, med, large, x-large. Based on my foot size (women’s 11W), I should have been making size large. However, based on stitch count and circumference numbers -- which I had measured multiple times! -- I went with the medium size. Apparently, this is the only area in my life where I am SMALL in something!

I am very sad. I really wanted to finish these during the Knitting Olympics. Starting over will not bode well for a 2/28 finale!

Ah well. Better to have socks that fit than to have a sniff Gold sniff medal and sniff, sniff Bobicus Maximus medals for socks and single skeins!

A rippin’ I will go. :(

Going for the gold, or the Bobicus Maximus, as the case may be

2010-02-20T16:43:00.001-05:00

I have completed my Aerial Unwind entry

and been awarded my Bobicus Maximus in the Aerial Unwind Event of the Ravelympics 2010:

I have completed my WIPs Dancing Entry

Knotty Gloves finally complete! And still in time to wear for the winter!

~~I should be receiving my Bobicus Maximum Medal in the WIPs Dancing Event within the next 24-36 hours.~~

Now, on to Charity Curling and Giant Slalom-ghan - two HAP Put-Together Afghans.

And to continue with the Gold Medal endeavour - two socks, toe-up, on two circs with STR Rare Gems Mediumweight... so far:

I wish my 2.5mm Addi circs were both longer than 24". Ah well, I shall soldier on with the handicap!

Olympics, Ravelympics, Knitting Olympics!

2010-02-11T19:11:00.002-05:00

I love the Winter Olympics. I'll be watching more TV in the next 2+ weeks than I've watched in the last 2+ months! When I watch TV, I knit or crochet. Helps keep down the desire to snack! To keep my fingers busy as I watch the athletes of the world compete for winter game fame and glory, I've joined a couple of Olympic events in the fiber world.

First, Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics!

I began my knitting career during Stephanie's inaugural Knitting Olympics in 2006. This event is near and dear to my heart. Over the past 4 years, I have amassed a stash of yarn and needles and books and patterns and other essential doodads, like stitch markers and measuring tapes and beads, that could take over my walk-in closet if I didn't have it spread all over the room! I have learned so much and created so many things and improved as I have gone along! I am ready to stretch myself a bit farther and win the coveted Gold Medal -- being designed by Franklin!

For this event, I plan to try a new (to me) technique - Toe Up Socks. I think I've settled on a Wendy D. Johnson pattern - Sunrise Socks (ravelry.com link). I plan to use new (to me) Socks That Rock medium weight yarn in a Rare Gems colorway that I picked up during their fairly recent sale. I may be one of the few people in the fiber world that has never knit with STR!

* * * * * * * *

Second, I joined TWO teams for Ravelympics 2010 on Ravelry.com.

I'm a member of Team Ooh, Shiny - centered in the Completely Pointless and Arbitrary Group Group. I shall be competing in the Events WIPs Dancing and Aerial Unwind.

In the WIPs Dancing event, I plan to finish my Knotty Gloves. I have less than half a glove to go to complete the pair. I just have to figure out where I left off. In preparation for this event, I will be tinking back a few rows to try and find an amicable starting place to carry on to completion.

In the Aerial Unwind event, I will be frogging my Monkey Socks. I have one completed and one commenced. Having learned quite a lot about knitting -- in particular, sock knitting -- since I started these, I realize they just don't work. I will be sad to unwind them. However, this yarn should have been knit at a tighter gauge. As knit, these will be loosy-goosy on me and will not wear well. More importantly, because they will be loose, I will not wear them. I haven't figured out a new purpose for this yarn, one of my first attempts at dyeing yarn. That decision will have to wait, so that I can accomplish the other tasks I have set before me.

For my second team, Team HAP, I will be crocheting together at least two afghan sets to be sent to our Wounded Warriors. I'm hoping to do three, but have set two as my goal. Given the other things I want to accomplish, three may be pushing it! The third will be done before the March Put-Together Event but, most likely, not by the end of the Olympics. They will be sent off to be washed, packaged and mailed to wounded soldiers, along with the afghans of others in the group.

* * * * * * * *

Starting tomorrow, cooking and cleaning will be taking a back seat to Olympics Watching, Knitting and Crocheting, as athletes from around the world - in the sports world and the fiber world - strive to do their best and gain the coveted medals of glory!

Neighbor is plowing a long driveway

2010-02-07T13:05:00.001-05:00

Neighbor is plowing a long driveway
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Neighbor is plowing his driveway with his John Deere with plow attachment. He hasn't made it to the road yet. Where IS the road??

Click the picture to see the February Snow set of pictures. I'm not sure of the official snow total - except there is TOO MUCH!!!

Looking out the Front Door

2010-02-06T14:18:00.001-05:00

out the front door
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

The snow is still falling. There is a band of "2 to 3 inches an hour" on its way to us from another Southern Maryland County. After that passes through, it should all start to taper off.

It will be hard to get an accurate measure of this storm. We still had a couple of inches on the ground (grassy areas and deck) from last weekend's snow. In addition, there were a few hours of sleet last night before it turned back to all snow.

Let's just say - TOO MUCH!!!!

And so it begins...

2010-02-05T12:43:00.002-05:00

SnowFeb5 001
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.
The Second Major Snowstorm (we've had a couple of 'minor' ones) of this winter season has begun. The flakes began to fall in my part of Southern Maryland just before noon. Latest guess-timates from the weather folks: 20 - 28 inches of snow before it is all over.

Looks like I'll be cooking and baking and knitting and cleaning for the next few days as my little neck of the woods turns into another winter wonderland!

(clicking into the photo will take you to my Flickr set. I plan to update periodically to capture the awesomeness of this storm!)

Good things for Haiti

2010-01-15T15:20:00.001-05:00

I belong to the Completely Pointless and Arbitrary Group on Ravelry.com. It is mostly completely pointless and arbitrary except when bad things happen to good people and they group rallies around to support their fellows. Besides personal help and the spreading of mojo, prayers and good vibrations for the group participants, certain CPaAGers wanted to reach out and help with the Haitian recovery efforts.

With the disaster in Haiti on everyone's mind and feeling the need to help in some way - KnittyBe dreamed up an auction to raise money to help.

Artists of every kind are donating their wares. Knitting to order, already knit items, home-made canned goods, jewelry, art, fictional writing as well as many lovely stash enhancers are being auctioned through the weekend to help raise funds for various charities that are helping the devastated in Haiti.

How it works: The offers have been made and the hosts have put them into a bidding order. Each offer is posted and bids are accepted over a 2 hour period. (Check post 2 in the thread to see what is coming up when). The offeror suggests a charity - like the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders or some such. The winning bidder than sends the bid amount to the charity. Sends a receipt for that donation to the offeror. The offeror then sends the item(s) won to winner!

Winners all around! Go check it out.

If you are a Ravelry member, check out the Auction and join the bidding war for these lovelies. DigitalDurga's homemade goodies fetched the record bid so far - $170.00!

If you are not a member of Ravelry, this is the perfect opportunity to join!

I have no funds to help and offers have been closed at this point. My participation includes cheering on the bidders and sending YOU to the group to join the fun and help as you can.

Because of the overwhelming success, and because more help will be needed with the news stories cease to fill our airwaves, this charity auction will become a monthly event for a while. If you are flat broke (like me!), remember to come back around Valentine's Day for the next auction. Offers are already coming in for that!

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T23:29:00.002-05:00

Hope you are all having a GOOD Friday. I have been knitting and care-taking and entertaining and cooking and baking and playing games on Facebook. Blogging? Not so much.

I wanted to start out the new year with an entry of good things. 2009 had a lot of negativity and I was ready for it to be gone. However, thinking about the negatives, I found some positives.

Mom did have cancer. But it was caught fairly early and, after some scary, life-threatening side effects from chemotherapy, she survived to radiation and now is on the down swing of therapy. Her hair is growing back. I was able to work from home for five months and will be working from home 2 - 3 days a week until she's really on the mend, or some other care-taking solution presents itself.

My older son seems to have found some direction in his life - finally. He'll be starting EMT training next week. He has already qualified as a volunteer firefighter and hopes to ride ambulance duty when his EMT training is complete.

I knit a lot of hats for Christmas - all were well received! Alas, I forgot to take pictures of every one.

Here is the Meret I made for my son's girl friend... she's hardly taken it off since she got it! And would like two more - one in purple, one in black!

I shall have to hog-tie the boys to get their hats photographed!

It has been a pretty good Friday. I hope to continue Shelly's Good on Friday posting this year. I'll try to find good outside myself as the year goes on!

Happy 2010, dear readers!

edited because I had grammar/spelling goofs. There may be more. I apologize to the grammar police in advance! :)

Dec 1 - a time to win!

2009-12-01T14:19:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is Mom's Radiation Graduation Day! Yay! Today was a win - the second to the last trip to Annapolis until the periodic follow up appointments (Jan, Mar and Sept 2010)!

And Today YOU can win - YARN. Denise is celebrating her 4th Knitting Anniversary with a little contest on her blog - Knitting in the Wild - Life on Clear Creek. To win, visit her blog, pick your favorite of the two yarns displayed and then leave a comment naming the yarn - oh, also, you need to spread the word. Easy-peasy. May the best namer win!

Me? I'm winning at a new hat design for my son for Christmas. He wanted a simple beanie in Navy with a Bright Yellow "7" on it. I wanted to knit in the round and intarsia in the round is somewhat difficult. Soooo, I'm designing an intarsia flap. The beginning of the flap (a 15 stitch by 20 row block) is connected to row 20 (or so of the hat). I made 15 extra stitches and put every other one on a DPN (picture below, I have since moved them to a stitch holder for ease in knitting the rest). Now I'll knit the the next 20 rows in the round. Pause the hat knitting to knit the flap, then join the flap stitches with the rest of the hat to finish it off. Using a mattress stitch, I'll join the side seams of the flap to the corresponding rows. Son gets the hat he'd like to have. I get to knit in the round! Win!

Details and a pattern and more pictures will be posted at some point. I'm taking notes as I go. Hope the theory in my head works out in practice. So far so good!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T00:22:00.000-05:00

A fabulous end to a fabulous day! Hope everyone celebrating Thanksgiving had a marvelous time!

Vanity, thy name is Kathleen

2009-11-08T18:11:00.001-05:00

I started Weight Watchers in December 2008. I was consistent and steady with it until my mother got very ill and I could no longer make the meetings. December 2008 to May 2009, I lost 40 lbs. I was determined to maintain that until I could get back on track. Well, as of this morning, I had lost a little over 55 lbs.

I met up with some Ravelry friends in Annapolis and cropped myself out of the picture to compare me from last December to me today. I have a neck! Less of a chin! I tried on four pairs of slacks that were too big before I found a pair that would do!

Go me! :)

/end shameless self-promotion!

Finishing things, starting November

2009-11-01T23:03:00.000-05:00

Today is the beginning of EST - we fell back in time. Hope I found all the clocks that needed resetting!

It is also the beginning of November. I need to begin a number of projects, so I took today to finish some things that needed some final touches. This clears my plate so I can start some new ones!

I finished knitting my Forest Canopy Shawl in May. Today, I blocked it so I can finally use it!

And I finished a little gift for a wee little girl. This is a Preemie Set - sized for 5 lb baby. Just her size!

With these projects complete, I can begin present knitting -- and by 'present' I mean GIFT!

My sons have each asked for a hat - with specifics. One wants a grey hat with small ribbing throughout. The other wants a navy hat with a yellow "7" in it. They haven't wanted any hand knits from me. Since they now do, I will comply!

I purchased yarn in the appropriate colors, hopefully in the correct weight for the style they want, plus an additional skein in Oyster. I started the Oyster one as a test knit. I want to be sure I get the right size, drape, texture before I begin the actual gift hats. I figured if I goofed up on the size with this one, I could donate it or have it on hand as a ready-made gift in case we have a surprise guest at Christmas. The boys have been known to spring a single guy with no place to go on me at Christmas. If you are a guest in my home, you get a gift. It will be nice to have something available to wrap rather than figuring something out at the last minute!

Until next time.

This and that and the other thing

2009-10-22T20:24:00.001-04:00

I've been knitting and crocheting and such - with little to show for it because (1) most things are not yet finished and (2) I keep forgetting to take pictures. I did finish and mail this lovely lapghan.

I hope to finish the others by the weekend and promise pictures next time I post.

Mom's radiation treatments have started. She has 33 consecutive weekday visits with the Radiology techs. Monday visits include a visit with the Radiation Oncologist as well. These are very hard on her. It hurts her to lay down on the hard table she must lay down on to receive treatment. Because they have to take more time with her, we weren't given a choice on the time of day. We'll be visiting Annapolis every week day at noon until December 4th or 7th (depending on what they do for Thanksgiving).

The Herceptin infusion treatments continue every Monday morning as well. So, we'll be early to the local hospital and leaving right from there to head to the radiology place in Annapolis for the next 6 or 7 Mondays.

Send up some prayers, or good vibes, or mojo - whichever you choose - we could sure use it!

All is revealed

2009-10-07T18:19:00.000-04:00

I was away for a few days, helping my aunt in Florida. When I arrived at my home, a lovely surprise awaited me.

Ashley, my Secret Pal 14 spoiler, had sent my final package.

From Drop Box

A warm and cuddly hat in mmmm-Malabrigo, 4 skeins of Sublime superfine merino wool, a handy yarn requirements chart to carry in my bag - so when I run into a great sale I'll know just how much yarn to buy for that fabulous sweater! - and SOAK to clean up my knitting!

Thank you, Ashley. You have been a great spoiler.

Good for a Friday finish, and a new beginning

2009-09-25T16:26:00.002-04:00

I finished the lion I featured in my previous post and sent him on his merry way...

I have begun a new little project - emphasis on little - for a preemie baby. Born at 31 weeks, 15 inches long and 3 lb 5 oz. Such a beautiful little girlie needs a dainty sweater.

The pattern is Ray of Hope's Premature Baby Set (ravelry link). Size 3.25 mm needles, Pulcino Baby Wool Allessandra, a superwash merino, fingering weight (or 4 ply in British Knitting terms). Hope to be finished this weekend. This is a teeny, tiny, very little thing!

What I've been working on...

2009-09-19T19:16:00.002-04:00

Another sort of sekrit project - my first amigurumi!

edited to add another shot that I love:

A pretty pink hat for a lovely little girl. Except, this pretty pink hat is too big for the lovely little girl.

I might rip it back to make it smaller. Or I might make a new one with DK instead of Worsted and fewer increases. If I make a new one, I'll donate this one somewhere.

It turned out so darned cute. I wish it was the right size!

A Concert - September 12 2009

2009-09-13T13:40:00.000-04:00

Some Trace:

Some Toby:

Click into any one of them and be taken to my Flickr set. They do look better smaller though - using digital zoom, then optical to get the close ups, they aren't all that sharp.

We had a good time. Toby was a little TOOOOOO LOUDDDDDDDD, and raunchier than I expected. But I love me some Trace! :)

Finished and future and other good things.

2009-09-11T17:50:00.000-04:00

Good things and the future:

First on the agenda - ME!

Last December, I decided that I need to lose weight. Truth be told, I decided many times before December! In December 2008, I said, "Enough!" and joined Weight Watchers. While attending meetings and following the plan I lost about 40 lbs. My mother experienced a number of medical issues that needed my attention. My ability to attend meetings was hampered by the care and attention Mom needed and eventually, I ceased attending.

My original goal was 50 lbs by my 50th Birthday in May. Some of you might remember that I made it to 40 lbs in May. I maintained that 40 lbs for the Summer. A feat of gigantic proportions, I am told by my neighbor, a lifetime member of WW, as she would have ballooned with the stress of the Mother care and worry. I didn't balloon, but I didn't actively seek to reduce either. Maintaining was my goal. And I did it!

This morning, I decided to jump (well, gently place my feet) on the scale.

Down 51.5 lbs since December 2008!!!!! WooHOOO! So besides maintaining, I have also lost a bit more than 10 lbs!!!!

As a reward, I am going make myself a sweater out of some lovely, colorful, slightly shiny wool which has been marinating in my stash. I just have to figure out which sweater pattern will be best for the yarn. I'm leaning toward a top down Raglan with afterthought pockets. Afterthought pockets because few of the sweaters I have seen have pockets. The ones that do are too fiddly for the colorful yarn.

A Finished thing:

I threw down the gauntlet a few posts ago. Here they are complete.

Up Next? Trace Adkins and Toby Keith at Nissan Pavilion, Saturday, September 12!

Until next time.

All Wrapped Up

2009-09-03T21:13:00.002-04:00

All Wrapped Up
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

This package is all ready to send to IBOL to be distributed to the women in need of raw materials to support themselves and their families.

There is a deadline - Mail a package by September 8th.

See the Iraqi Bundles of Love blog for the details.

Click into the picture to see the layers of goodies in my bundle.

SP14 Package received!

2009-09-03T17:10:00.003-04:00

A lovely book of beautiful patterns and a great How-To resource as well.

MMMMMalabrigo Merino Silk in a lovely lavender shade. I've been scouting some lacy DK scarf patterns to make for me me me me me!

And a hint - DC stickers!

Thank you, Secret Pal, for the lovelies!

Until next time.

IBOL

2009-09-01T11:52:00.002-04:00

I found a cause that has a short deadline that some of my fiber friends may like to know about...

Stash busting via donations.

Check out Iraqi Bundles of Love

Mailing deadline this coming weekend.

Musical Theater is running through my brain...

2009-08-31T23:41:00.002-04:00

I've been feeling a little blue. Life has been a bit overwhelming this year. Money issues. Family issues. Mom's health issues. Friends experiencing some real trouble and injustice.

Some days I feel like a one-armed juggler just waiting for the plates to come crashing down around me.

I'm a pretty good (virtual) juggler. (In reality I couldn't juggle if my life depended on it - bad eyes) To keep my important plates up and in proper order, the lesser plates stay on the table, waiting to be worked into the rotation. Unfortunately, the lesser plate pile gets bigger as the same important plates get tossed faster and faster at a frenetic pace. The lesser plates never get incorporated and then I look at the pile and wonder why nothing is moving, nothing is done.

Today, that is what I'm feeling.

When I feel this way, music from the stage and screen begins to echo in my head. Without provocation, the filing cabinet in my brain pops up the appropriate song, thought, fact that fits the situation or that tries to FIX the situation.

Tonight, the sound track is trying to cheer me up.

Judy Garland is singing "Forget your troubles. Come on be happy..." from Summer Stock.

Dick Van Dyke is singing "Grey skies are gonna clear up. Put on a Happy Face..." from Bye Bye Birdie.

It's not really working.

I think I'm tired. I want to do things, but haven't the ooomph to get up and do them.

I need to step away from the computer for a while, and make myself scarce on Ravelry and Facebook and Yahoo. I have a feeling my habit of checking these sites frequently is a major contributor to my blues and my avoidance of the lesser plate pile. Previously, I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to step away. My fingers seem to have a mind of their own. Their habits are well established. They know the buttons to push and the sites to visit and the games to play.

I need to use the computer for business. I want to use it to avoid my life. I need to retrain my mind and hands to stick with the necessary computer use and severely limit the I Want Computer Time use.

Time to scale back. Time to step away.

Time to find a new direction, to find the drive to lower that pile of lesser plates and ease my mind.

Wish me luck!

Want to win a prize?

2009-08-27T10:29:00.004-04:00

Bloggers all over the place have contests. If I'm not a regular reader of a blog, I tend not to enter because I think the regular readers of the blog should get there shot at the prize.

But then I realized contests are sometimes used to drum up readers or followers or potential customers. So, I entered a contest today - and you can too!

At i heart handmade, there is a contest to win a lovely wristlet (small purse) from Maya's etsy shop. Drop by the post called Maya's Kalupi Giveaway and follow the steps to enter yourself! :) You have until Saturday, August 29 - noon MST.

Throwing down the gauntlet

2009-08-16T18:20:00.002-04:00

Details:
KnitPicks Gloss.
Size 6 beads - selected colors from the Mambo Mauve mix from www.beadwrangler.com - and they are lighter in person.
US2 (2.75 mm) KnitPicks Harmony DPNs.
US12 Steel Crochet Hook.

Robbyn's pattern - Glacial Gauntlets of the Wolf (ravelry.com link)

I made a pair for my niece in black and red (rav link to my project page). They were well received. I love the pattern, so I decided to do another pair for a gift I'll be giving. The project is moving along fast - I cast on at Knit Night on Thursday! I hope I have enough beads. If not, I hope the new order arrives before I get to the second mitt.

This and that and a little more

2009-08-14T00:20:00.003-04:00

So much I want to do - so much heat I don't want to do it!

While the heat and humidity of the last few weeks has not be record breaking, it certainly feels that way!

I'd like to knit - but it is so hot little progress is made.

I'd like to crochet together that last HAP afghan waiting for me. I can only do a little bit each night because the weight of the blanket makes me so darn hot!

I'd like to tame the garden. But the heat and humidity are debilitating when I step outside.

I hate to wish away my summer... but a little relief would be so sweet!

Defying the heat and humidity, I started my Feather Duster shawl (ravelry.com link) in Colinette Pariesienne. Mohair in the middle of August. I must be nuts! :) Again - I do a little and then have to set it aside to cool my clammy hands.

First repeat. I've gotten farther than this - more pictures later.

I've started a secret project for my downstream Secret Pal partner. I selected Gloss fingering weight from KnitPicks for this project. It doesn't seem nearly as warm as the other projects I've got in the works. Perhaps I'll have a finished object soon!

Mom is making slow progress. She has had a slight set back this week. The anemia has taken hold again. I'm watching to be sure she doesn't fall too far and require hospitalization this time. She was hospitalized the last two times her red blood count fell too far.

Physical therapists are visiting twice a week and seem pleased with her progress. Slow and steady. Now if I could just get her to eat more!

As Mom is improving, I can leave her for a few hours now and again - if I time it right. That meant I was able to go to my LYS - The Yarn Garden in Annapolis - for Thursday Knit night. I was glad to visit and just sit and knit. I hope Mom continues to improve - for her sake as well as allowing me to resume my Thursday night outings on a more regular basis.

Working on my stealth project, I was happy to show two knitters the crochet hook beading method I use. Neither had seen it before and wondered how it worked. Now they know! :)

Until next time.

August

2009-08-01T00:23:00.006-04:00

August is upon us. This summer is flying by. I am so glad to see July behind me. Wacky weather. Wackier health scares in the family, with a long uphill road ahead.

While the road will be uphill, it seems to be a better one than I would have supposed three weeks ago. Mom is regaining her strength a little at a time -- small steps leading to bigger steps.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I am mailing my first Secret Pal package today. I've been able to gather the goodies over the last few weeks, but haven't had the chance to package it up and get to the Post Office. Finally, I took the time to get the box packed, sealed and addressed Friday evening. I will take it and a few other things to the Post Office before it closes today.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Last Sunday, Mom's friend came to visit, so I was able to get out for a bit. My friends came down and took me to lunch in North Beach. After a lovely crab cake lunch at Thursday's Bar & Grill, we took a little stroll on the Boardwalk and watched the Bay and the sunbathers.

There had been a storm the day before and one expected that night. The water was a bit choppy and the tide was coming in. The breeze was blowing and the hot day seemed even bit cool. It was delightful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not much knitting has been done at my house. I plan to rectify that this weekend. I'm organizing my stash a bit, searching for some yarn I know I have. I want to make the Feather Duster Shawl (Ravelry.com link) by Susan Pierce Lawrence of Knitting as Fast as I Can. There is an August Knit Along starting in her fan group on Ravelry. Join us if you'd like!

In addition to starting this new project, I have two objects to block. One, a shawl I made for my mother. It's been too warm to wear it, so I haven't taken the time to finish it. I will this weekend.

The other ready-to-block item is my Forest Canopy Shawl (another Susan Pierce Lawrence pattern) which I completed some time ago and haven't blocked either. Here's the blobby picture:

This is made with yarn I dyed at the dye class I attended a couple of January's ago. It was a DK weight yarn and was dyed using acid dyes. A lovely mix of yellow, green and blue, if I do say so myself!

Blocking and/or blocked shawl photos to follow!

Hope you have a lovely cool August Saturday!

Until next time.

Saturday

2009-07-25T13:43:00.007-04:00

I need to clean. I need to do laundry. I need to go shopping for some essentials. But I need to be here when mom wakes up.

Mom needs to sleep.

This messes with my ability to clean and do laundry and go shopping.

So, I'm playing on the computer.

I want to make a gift for someone. I can't find the book with the pattern.

I want to knit, but my hands are too hot.

I want to run away - but I am too responsible for that!

Perhaps I should do what I did when my boys were babies, and sleep while mom sleeps and forget the rest!

Nah... back to book hunting and waiting for mom to wake up.

I'll leave you with this:

(Christmas Tree 2008)

Merry Christmas in July!

SP14 gift!

2009-07-18T23:25:00.002-04:00

KnitPick Surprise
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Beautiful KnitPicks Gloss arrived in my mailbox today from my SP14 spoiler. They couldn't have arrived at a better time.

Life has been a bit stressful here at Chez Radarkaty. Mom is in the hospital and is very ill. This lovely gift helped cheer my day more than a dozen roses ever could! :)

She also suggested and sent the gift of Jared Flood's Girasole pattern. When the weather turns a bit cooler and the stress level abates, I shall cast on and report from the lace department! :)

Thank you, kind pal!

Things.

2009-07-06T22:44:00.005-04:00

I want to deep clean and declutter. I want to unload unwanted stuff - either sell, donate or trash. First, I must figure out what I have, so that I can determine the appropriate categories.

To that end, I started to tackle the yarn corner. It is overrun with bags and Rubbermaid-style tubs and storage drawers and... well, you get the idea. No, I am not showing a picture! At least, not a picture of the corner. I did take a number of pictures of yarn. I decided to catalog what I have - pictures and ravelry stash update as I go along. I need new batteries in order to proceed. However, I was able to catalog a bit yesterday - before the batteries died.

Below is a collage containing a small sampling of what I found in the corner. Many, many, many... well, LOTS more to do!

My sister and a few hale and hearty young men are arriving next week to help me tackle the shed and the garage. No yarn (I hope!) in those locations, though pattern books and old magazines may well be found in the garage.

Must.conquer.the.mess!

Until next time.

Secret Pal 14 Questionnaire

2009-07-03T18:50:00.001-04:00

And so it begins! Three months of fun stalking and pretty presents! :)

SP14 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely not like?
I like smooth dk and light worsted best for non-sock things; I like alpaca lace and cashmere lace and pretty much anything that isn’t rough feeling. however I do.not.like. boucle, fun fur, funky lash, novelty yarns

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a zippered case for crochet hooks, the extras are in drawers and pencil cups and projects. I have a basket, a Nantucket bagg, and a bread crock for my knitting needles

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I have been knitting since the middle of the Knitting Olympics in 2006. I learned from a book, the internet and careful questions and observations at my LYS. I had cast on and knit one stockinette scarf 37 years ago, but had not knit since then until the middle of th eKnitting Olympics.
Skill Level? Well, I’ve knit socks, large and small lacy shawls, numerous hats, cabled items, mittens, fingerless mitts, a child’s sweater, gloves… I have not knit intarsia nor fair isle nor have I completed an adult sweater (in progress with this). I guess I’m intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes I do. I will be updating it during the July 4th weekend, as it is sadly out of date.

5. What’s your favorite scent?
Hmmm, well, for soaps and lotions a Vanilla or Cucumber Melon – subtle scents. I don’t really wear perfume. Candles can expand to the Fall and Winter scents, Apple Cinnamon, Pumpkin Pie, Baked Apple, rather than flowery, sweet scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Not much of a sweet tooth. Given the choice between Potato Chips and Dip and Chocolate Cake, I’d take the Potato Chips.
My favorite candy bar is a PayDay. A distant second on the list would be Butterfinger. Chewy, jelly-like candy and my teeth do not get along.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Knit and Crochet are the primary DIY crafts. However, I do have supplies for scrapbooking and beading. I also have been known to cross stitch, though it has been a long while.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Country is my first choice in music. I enjoy the 50s, 60s and 70s as well. Not a hard line rock and roller. I also count many musicals in my collection.

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
Favorite colors would have to be jewel tones – mostly in the red and blue families. Forest green is better than lime; golds and browns are better than sunshine yellow.
Neon and overly bright versions of any color are quick turn-offs for me.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
No pets. No desire for pets. Single mom to two young men - 21 and almost-19. We share our home with my 73-year-old mom who is currently battling breast cancer.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
yes, yes, yes and emphatically NO

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Hats are the fastest. Lace shawls give me the deepest satisfaction.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Gloves, shawl, hat, socks, lace sweater – all of these are in progress and get worked on periodically.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Of course.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular and/or dpn – depending on the project. Bamboo or metal depending on the yarn. Straights are my least favorite and plastic is right down there at the bottom of the list.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes to both, and a niddy-noddy!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Any knitting UFO is less than 4 years old. We’ll not talk about the crochet afghan sitting in the corner for 10+ years!

18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
I don’t really have a favorite holiday. I enjoy any day that I can sit at home and relax without the worry of work.
We do celebrate Christmas in our house, from a religious as well as cultural aspect. Over the years, I have found I get less enthusiastic as more of the ‘after holiday’ cleaning up and storing is left just to me. I’ve become a minimalist!

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Not really

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Not really, but I’ll add it to my Amazon list (see above), if something comes to mind! I have canceled all magazine subscriptions in my house.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
Does time management count as a technique? I think I’d like to master what I’ve got going this year and try new stuff as I feel like it.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I have made a few pairs of socks. I’d have to measure my foot. Secret Pal person, if you want to knit me socks, please ask for the measurements. I can tell you I wear a woman’s US11 wide width (usually, which end up being loose on the heal because my width is near the ball of my foot)

23. When is your birthday?
May 13

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what’s your ID?
I am Radarkaty. Come find me at CPaAGg (the Completely Pointless and Arbitrary Group group). I spend most of my Ravelry time there.

This and that

2009-06-28T19:06:00.003-04:00

It all started when Mom and I were invited to attend her sister's (my aunt's) 70th Birthday lunch. What could I possibly give my aunt as a gift? What does a 70-year-old woman need? Not much, really. I decided something hand made would be appropriate. Remembering the Party-Lite scented soaps I had on hand, I knit my aunt a wrapper cloth and included two beautifully scented bars of soap.

The Wrapper Cloth (ravelry link)

My cousins selected a quaint little waterside restaurant in Middle River, MD. The weather cooperated for our location - on the deck watching the water. After a lovely lunch, the CAKE arrived! A margarita for mama. Those girls, they know their mama well! :)

Delicious cake. Delightful company. Tiring weekend.

The youngest member of the family (she is 5) was enthralled by the river life off the deck of the restaurant. She watched the fish and the drakes and the ducks swimming by and was quite content. As we were all wrapping up the day, she pointed out the "...BIG WHITE BIRD over there. Look, Look, a big white bird. What is it?"

This is what it was:

Until next time.

I've been creative

2009-06-08T23:45:00.003-04:00

Socks for Soldiers (Yahoo! Group). Five inches into a 10 inch foot, then the toes and I shall be done with my first pair of socks for this group. In Olive Drab, Regia Stretch, Size 0 and 1 addi turbo needles (two at a time).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Forest Canopy Shawl. My own hand-dyed yarn. Susan Lawrence's pattern (ravelry.com link) You can find Susan at I'm Knitting As Fast As I Can. This picture shows the shawl still on the needles. I bound off as I watched the season 5 premier of the The Closer. I will present the finished piece for your delight when I have blocked it - hopefully later this week.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I also made two more medicine bags for Shelly's Medicine Bag Project, but failed to take pictures before I packaged them up to send to her. She may have all she needs, but take a look and see if you'd like to participate!

Until next time!

p.s. sorry if the pictures are huge when you click on them... I forgot to adjust them for web-posting.

My garden is growing

2009-06-07T19:49:00.001-04:00

Columbine2
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

and so are the weeds! But... If you click in this lovely Columbine photo, you should be taken to my Garden 2009 Flickr set.

I have taken some choice photos and share them with you!

Catching up with the blog

2009-06-06T16:22:00.002-04:00

Hello, my readers.

Life is bobbing along, occasionally being pulled under by the big fish, yet always resurfacing for gulps of good air!

Over Memorial Day weekend, we had a small gathering of family and good friends. My good friend Sue, made a delicious Peach Melba Cake and brought just the right number of candles for all to sing well wishes my way for my half century milestone birthday.

Doesn't it look scrumptious? It was!!! :)

~~~~~~~~~

I've fallen into the FarmTown rabbit hole on Facebook -- building a farm, harvesting crops, spending TOOOO much time there! When I am inundated with thoughts, tasks, driving here and there, worrying about my mom and my boys, it is a lovely escape! For when I am in that place, concentrating on knitting or thinking of things to write or responding to posts or blogging or even, sometimes, reading blogs, is just too much. But click clicking clicking of fake veggies and fake plowing and fully fruited fake trees is an unthinking task. You should try it sometime!

~~~~~~~~~

My older son had a milestone birthday this year too. On June 1, 2009, my first born turned 21!! How can that be???!! It was just a little while ago that he was eagerly heading off to his first day in First Grade!!!

He spent a few days in Ocean City with his good friend, collecting all kinds of firsts for his 21st. He went to the MVA to get the legal age oriented driver's license. Under 21 in Maryland, you have a perpendicular license, with a big red box around your picture - indicating you cannot buy alcohol. So that he could buy alcohol, he got that done first!

He had his first legal shot of Wild Turkey at the Purple Moose Saloon, pictures to prove it were shown to me. He bought a "Kiss me, It's my birthday shirt," and had people sign the back. He saved the coaster from his first drink. He bought a shot glass that says, "I am 21 now I can legally do everything I've been doing since I was 12."

He seems to have had a good time. If lack of money is anything to show for it, he had a GREAT! time!

Hope it is all out of his system now.

~~~~~~~~~

I have knitting to show - when I take pictures. I have flowers to show - when I take pictures. I have a deck top garden that is growing great! the sun refuses to shine long enough to give me good light for good pictures.

So, I bid you adieu - until next time!

Wednesday - What can I say?

2009-05-20T00:23:00.002-04:00

Apparently, subscribers only stick around when you take the time to actually write something for them to read! :) I had 18, now I have 8. Ah, well, dems da breaks!

Life has been rather full and hectic here and my adventures have been mostly non-bloggable because they involve other people. And, really, I'm not going to exploit the exploits of others.

My role is caretaker. My mom is going through some rough times and I am called upon to care for her. No blog fodder there... at least not so far.

I do have some rants to share. Would you like to hear?

Wheelchair accessibility - sucks. I think many of us are unaware of how inaccessible many places are and how inhospitable the average person can be to a person in a wheelchair. With a non-weight bearing restriction on her right leg, Mom is wheelchair bound. Due to many other things, she doesn't venture out much, but does go out for doctor appointments.

I think I am more relaxed and non-ranty about the accessibility struggles at the store. Most parking lots have quite a number of handicap spaces that allow for wheelchair-bound persons to get into and out of cars with ease. The stores are a bit difficult to maneuver, but not impossible. The law is on the side of the wheelchair for the most part.

However, there are two doctor's offices that we visit that you would think, given their specialties, would be more wheelchair accessible.

One: The Orthopedist - no automatic door opener; door opens out; narrow hallways and a waiting room full of chairs (the only wheelchair ready area is the kid's toy area and if mom is there, the kids can't get to the toys!) It is so difficult to maneuver Mom into and out of this office and this is the office that deals with bones and ligaments and orthopedic surgeries and people who may be temporarily wheelchair bound.

Two: The Physical Therapist... I can't even begin to describe the issues of a wheelchair in this space... oh my. It was so cluttered, so full of furniture and file cabinets and boxes and - oh my. I can't go on.

It amazes me - that these two places, where it you are more likely to find someone on crutches or canes or in wheelchairs -- are so archiac in their design and/or cluttered beyond the ability of even an able-bodied person to walk without having to dodge some obstacle.

End of the rant. Nothing I can do but try to make the best of it as I move Mom through these visits.

I have been knitting... and crocheting... and cooking... but I have not been taking pictures.

Hopefully, I will do that tomorrow! I finished two hats for Mom and am about 1/3 the way through a fast moving dk weight shawl... and I finished Mom's shawl except for the blocking.

Until next time.

Hooked on Snapfish

2009-05-19T08:51:00.002-04:00

Shelley is Hooked on Snapfish and you can be too. There is a $50 Snapfish gift certificate on the link.

All you have to do is:

Click into the link
Read her review
Leave a comment

... before June 13, 2009.

Great picture gift opportunities abound! Think about the Dads and Grads and the special folks in your life and go forth and picture gift them!

Flowers for my Birthday!

2009-05-17T17:55:00.001-04:00

MP From the Top
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

My sister sent me this lovely bunch of roses and lilies. My cousins sent me a bunch of beautiful tulips. Click in the picture and look at the set!

WooHoo! Love cut flowers!

The Big Five Oh

2009-05-13T00:25:00.003-04:00

That's me today - the big 5-0! :)

Fifty years ago today a little girl was born to two lovely folks in Philadelphia, PA. She was the second born and made her presence known a whole month early. Weighing in at 7 lbs, she was pretty big for a 'preemie'!

She's still pretty big, but she's losing it. The goal of 50 by 50 was not quite met. Perhaps it is 40 by 50, the weigh in is Thursday. The rest will come off as it should and as time goes by, and all will be well in that department.

Mom's health is not the best, so there will be no big shindig for this 5-0, unless plans are afoot of which I am unaware. At least, I have made no plans -- for now. I have been told I should celebrate! I'm really not much on celebrations. At least not celebrations that center on ME. If I do decide to commemorate this auspicious milestone, it will be later in the summer, when Mom's chemotherapy has ended and with the hope the weather might be more cooperative for a pool party/picnic/cookout in July or August.

Have a great day! That's my plan!

Until next time.

May Day! May Day!

2009-05-01T00:15:00.002-04:00

That looks like a panic attack, but it's not -- it is really is May Day!

Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.

~~ Guenevere in Camelot

May is a good month and it is good that it begins on a Friday. This allows me to be part of Only the Good On Friday with my friend, Shelly.

As many of you, my dear readers, know, my mother is battling breast cancer. Fridays are her infusion days. This may lead one to believe nothing good can come of Friday. However, the infusions will help her beat her disease in the long term, while causing some discomfort and rude side effects in the short term. Hence, it is a good to be Friday.

What I really want to share on this good Friday is a wonderful resource found for me by my friend, Sue.

Mom is in the midst of one of those rude chemo side effects - hair loss. I needed to search for a wig resource. Mom has great insurance and it pays for a prescribed wig. Her doctor wrote a prescription and we needed to find a place to buy one. Hampered by the fractured tibia, getting to a wig shop was going to be problematic. Added to that - all the shops I found on my internet search were at least 40 miles away.

Sue to the rescue! She found one that comes to your home! Crowning Alternatives is a wig store on wheels! After talking with me on the phone about the style and color that Mom might like, Sharon made arrangements to come our home. She brought samples to try and explained the care and use and picked the appropriate color and - wow, it was great! Mom has a large head (as do I!), so the wig needed to be ordered. It should arrive next week - just when Mom will really need it.

Sharon will come back and style it and cut it, if we think it needs it. She bills the insurance company, so Mom didn't have to pay for the wig and wait for reimbursement.

It was a pleasant and easy afternoon. Sharon is engaging and caring. What a wonderful experience for my mother.

I hope if you or your family need such a service, you can find someone in your area that offers this special touch. If you live in the Washington/Baltimore area, click on that link up there and give Sharon a call.

Now, you go and have a good Friday!

4.12.09 - Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T19:27:00.003-04:00

Easter!

Busy day here at the homestead.

Mom is doing well with the chemotherapy that started on Friday. She didn't get 'slammed' today as the nurse indicated she might. Yay!

Mom is doing better with the fractured tibia. She has mastered the wheel chair and the walker and can get around pretty well inside the house. Getting out of the house is another story. To get out of the house, she has to step down from the doorway (where she fell in 2007 and broke her wrist, so she is tentative) to the porch. From there, she uses the walker across the porch to the first step down. She is less tentative and fearful at this point because she has the porch rail and column to hold as she steps down. She then moves to the end of that wide step, to the edge, where she has to step down with just the walker to reach the sidewalk and the waiting wheel chair. By the time she accomplishes this feat of escaping the house, she's pretty exhausted! So, she has only been out for doctor appointments and chemotherapy since she fell on March 19.

She wanted to get to Mass last Sunday for Palm Sunday, but she just couldn't face the exit strategy. Today, Easter Sunday was going to be (and WAS!) way too full of people for her to be comfortable in her wheelchair. Plus, finding a parking space and getting her out of the car and to the Church was more than she felt up to trying. So, Father Dan made a special visit to the house this afternoon - for a blessing and communion.

We knew Father Dan was coming today and mom was feeling she needed to spruce up for company. Because the chemo is the hair-losing variety, she didn't want to go to the beauty shop and spend a bunch of money on her hair. Enter Kathleen - apprentice hairdresser! I bought her color yesterday and this morning her hair was transformed into a lovely light golden brown - L'Oreal Excellence -- because she's worth it!

We were running out of time to get it set before I had to leave for the noon Mass. Being an apprentice, I'm neither quick nor skilled, so I only got about 1/2 of the back done. Mom finished the front and sides herself.

Fr. Dan said he'd be by at about 3 PM. We figured at 2, she'd be able to keep it set for another 30 minutes until it was good and dry. No such luck! Fr. Dan called at 2:15, having overshot our neighborhood, to get more guidance from his location. He's a bit directionally challenged (self admitted, so I can say it!) even with good directions! This was such a blessing today. Otherwise, he'd have arrived without warning - an hour early - and Mom would have been mortified to have her hair still in curlers! We pulled out the curlers and fluffed up the 'do and she was well-satisfied that she looked presentable.

I'm so glad we took the time to get her fixed up today. While the process wore her out a bit, she feels much better for looking a little more together.

Fr. Dan took his leave. Then, Mom and I had a small bit of lunch, after which we adjoined to our separate areas. She to nap a bit while watching tv; me to clean up my desk to pay bills later.

For Easter, I planned a ham dinner: spiral sliced honey ham, au gratin potatoes, crescent rolls and a veggie. A Big Sunday Dinner! Unfortunately, the gathering was small for our Big Dinner - me, Mom and my younger son. I'm pretty sure we'll be enjoying our Big Sunday Dinner all week! :)

Mom keeps apologizing for all the extra work she sees me doing, wishing she could help make dinner or clean up. I keep telling her it's okay. I don't think she believes me.

In knitting news:

I am almost finished her shawl -- about six inches left to the end - pictures to follow a light blocking. I'm also half done with a lovely cotton angora twist rib hat for when her lovely hair leaves her head and she needs a covering to keep her warm.

I'm itching to cast on for something else ... but I am resisting - until I finish her shawl. I don't know what I want to try next. But it will be something that will give me a bit more instant gratification than a 6 foot shawl! :)

Hope you all had a lovely day! Alleluia!

Until next time.

4.3.09 - stars, for the heck of it

2009-04-02T23:23:00.002-04:00

3.27.2009 - (mostly) GOOD on Friday

2009-03-27T15:58:00.004-04:00

Good things I'm doing:

I spun a little yarn - about 20 yards.

I belong to a Ravelry group that is collecting six inch squares for a baby blanket. I've finished 2.5 so far. I think I'll be able to complete four with the skein of yarn I am using.

I am half an inch from the heel flaps on a pair of Socks for Soldiers (link for the Yahoo! group) and finished a beanie.

I am making a few baby blankets for a couple of good causes: a hospital in Las Vegas through my Friends group on Yahoo! and Alexandra's House via the Knitters Cherish Life group on Ravelry.

GOOD (and a little not-so-good) Mom update:

The scans I spoke about in my last blog post were completed and came out CANCER-FREEEEE! Her heart is in great shape and will be continued to be monitored as the Herceptin treatment starts.

Her bones are cancer-free, though showing signs of advancing arthritis in many joints and her back. This we already knew, so not really bad news.

Her organs (kidney, stomach, liver, etc.) that are places where her type of cancer may have spread are cancer-free!

The original chemo/radiation/medication protocol will be followed.

The 'when' is the only not-so-good fly in the ointment.

You see, she celebrated her 73rd birthday (last Friday) in a wheel chair in pain from a nasty fall the previous night. She hit her right knee hard and the knee was too swollen for a good look at the damage. Today, the new x-ray shows a healing "Non Displaced Lateral Tibia Plateau Fracture." The Oncologist will have to decide whether chemo starts during the 4-6 weeks of "no-walking on it" healing or wether to hold off until after April 27th when the knee will be x-rayed again.

Until next time.

3.14.09 - blogger unsilenced

2009-03-14T18:13:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the blogger silence. Hope I haven't worried anyone. We've been having a kind of hectic, down, crazy month here and I just wasn't up to sharing bad news, nor up to taking pictures to share creative news. So... let's catch up, shall we?

So far, Mom has Stage IIb breast cancer - Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Cancer was found in one of 14 lymph nodes tested during the breast conservation surgery on Feb. 12. The results of the 'margin' taken from around the removed lump came back clear for the invasive ductal carcinoma. However, Ductal Carcinoma In Situ was also found in the tested tissue. She is ER/PR positive (good thing) and HER2/neu 3+ (bad thing).

She will be receiving radiation treatments on the affected breast. Before she begins radiation, Mom will have some form of chemotherapy. To determine the exact medications, her doctor ordered a battery of scans this week: bone scan, MUGA scan and CT scan of her organs. The results of all these tests will be made known to us on March 23. At a minimum, the chemo will be once every three weeks for a six session series. However, the final chemo recommendation will be determined by the results of this week's scans.

The MUGA scan was to get a baseline of her heart health. The medication she needs to combat the HER2/neu issue can affect heart health. This medication will be administered intravaneously, once a week for one year - as long as her heart stays healthy.

The bone scan and CT scan were to see if they cancer had spread anywhere else.

Following chemo treatments, Mom will have radiation therapy as well. Length and frequency has not yet been determined. This will required a 90 min round trip ride because there is no radiation therapy group in our County.

At some point following Chemotherapy, she will begin taking an oral medication. Tamoxifen is the one her friend took. The Oncologist indicated that Mom would not be taking that one, but something similar - once a day for five years.

This next week, Mom and I get a break from doctors and hospitals and medical tests and such. No appointments scheduled. No required activities. I may even get to work every day! It'll be a nice change, I'm thinking, for both of us.

On to Knitting!

A shawl to keep Mom warm:

Cherry Tree Hill Siken Mohair. It is a mix of colors. I bought a mill end skein at Stitches East. I just fell in love with the color and feel of the yarn. I began the pattern, Quilt in Stripes, and realized I wouldn't have enough in the one 424 yard skein for a shawl as wide and as long as I'd like to make. I went 'net shopping! The mill end did not include the color name, but I found a similar one called Martha's Vineyard. It is a little paler than the skein I bought at Stitches, but the colors are very close. To mask the dissimilarity, I decided to knit up half the unnamed colorway, then all of the Martha's Vineyard, ending with the unnamed colorway. I think that will work.

I also bought another colorway, Gypsy Rose, which Mom really loved. I might make that into a crocheted lapghan.

Now, I need to find some lovely, soft, wool and non-wool yarns to make some caps and other head gear, as Mom will be losing her lovely head of hair. :( She'll need the warmth for the chemo sessions and air conditioning. The weather will be getting warmer around here by the time she needs the caps, so I need to find some pretty and soft cottons for her too.

Until next time.

3.1.2009 - Comes in like a Lion

2009-03-01T15:52:00.002-05:00

March is coming in like a Lion...

Looks like a good day for knitting and crocheting!

2.28.2009 - the last of February

2009-02-28T14:16:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, our high temperatures reached the mid-60s. Today, we are at 41F and apparently, that will be as warm as it gets because the cold front is on its way. Sunday into Monday, the current prediction is 5 inches of snow. Sheesh!

In knitting news:

Look, Ma! 2 socks on 2 circs!

Also, a Cascade Fixation Leisure Beanie almost complete:

and there has been some stealth knitting and crocheting. When the recipients acknowledge receipt, I shall share that with you, dear readers! :)

Until next time.

2.17.09 - knitting report

2009-02-17T17:26:00.003-05:00

Socks for Soldier sock number 1. I completed the first 8" and moved this sock to the smaller needles for the next 4 inches, following the pattern provided at the Yahoo Group. I have started sock number 2 and will try my hand at two socks on two circs when Sock #2 reaches eight inches. The yarn is Regia Stretch in a specially-dyed for Socks for Soldiers, Inc. colorway of Olive Drab.

Socks for Soldiers members knit beanies for our deployed troops -- in regulation colors, to be worn while in uniform, as well as 'leisure' colors, for other times. Cascade Fixation is one of the approved yarns for this endeavor. I happened to have six balls of Cascade Fixation, three black (can make regulation beanies with these) and three of this variegated blue colorway. This is the first of the leisure hats I will make with the blue.

I've finished a couple of other things and continue to work on still more things. My knitting ADD is in full force!! Pictures of the finished items will have to wait until the gift recipients receive them. Pictures of the Works in Progress will have to wait until I feel like taking pictures! :)

Until next time.

2.16.09 - I'm an absent bloglord

2009-02-16T19:57:00.002-05:00

I've worried my friends long enough. Time for an update.

I have been an absent bloglord. Actually, I suppose I'm actually an absent bloglady! :)

Mom's surgery went well, as surgeries go. She still has follow up doctor appointments to keep. She's home and resting and waiting for the doctor appointments. We don't have the biopsy results to tell us what stage the cancer is. She has a drain that will be removed on Thursday, unless the drainage stops faster (it hasn't) or keeps draining (which means she'll have it longer). Either way, she gets the stitches out of the incision area on Thursday.

I'm guessing we'll get the biopsy results then. This doctor prefers to talk with you face-to-face rather than over the phone. Post-op appointment will tell us what the next step is.

The lymph nodes were more affected than he thought they would be when he suggested that radiation and Tamoxifen would be the probable follow-on treatment. Chemotherapy seems more likely. But, again, biopsy results will tell. And actual treatment regimen will be decided after a visit with the oncologist.

No treatment will begin until she heals well from the surgery, though results and decisions will take place as soon as possible.

Waiting is nearly as bad as knowing...

In the meantime, I have been knitting, but not taking pictures. Two things have been completed. But they are gifts. No pictures can be posted until they are sent to the recipients.

Also on the needles - a pair of Socks for Soldiers and a beanie for the group. Socks for Soldiers, Inc. is the organization. If you want to donate, click into their page. If you want to knit along with me, consider joining the Yahoo Group.

I'll take pictures of progress tomorrow, during daylight hours, and show you how that is going.

Until next time.

2.8.09 - 95 years

2009-02-08T23:18:00.003-05:00

Mom and I went to a Birthday Party today. The Birthday Girl turned 95 years old yesterday. She is sharp as a tack and has a firm handshake. I hope I am as aware and strong and well-loved when I am 95! Heck, I hope I make it to 95!

Granny, as she is lovingly called by all, is my Aunt's mother-in-law. The house was filled with family, extended family, and friends. And, so all could enjoy the multitude of porches, one off of just about every room of the house, the weather was delightful - reaching almost 70 degrees. Apparently, the warmth and sunshine show up for Granny's days frequently. The day they celebrated her 90th birthday was sunny and 70, too! :)

2.6.09 - Good on Friday

2009-02-06T23:28:00.002-05:00

Good things this Friday:

My aunt stopped by to visit with my Mom today. Aunt drove up from Florida for her MIL's 95th Birthday party on Sunday. Mom and I are going to the party, too. But it was nice that my aunt could stop and visit with her big sister on the way.

My sister is coming to visit for a few days the week after Mom's surgery. To visit with Mom, help her out and to give me a break from nursing duties. I can't wait to see her!

My other Aunt is coming to visit for a week in March. If all is going well with Mom's recovery, this visit may coincide with the beginning of Mom's radiation treatments. This will help us all, as my aunt would be able to take Mom to some of the treatments and I'd be able to put in full days at work. Mom gets a little stressed when she thinks she is usurping my leave time. I have it to use, but she doesn't want me to use it on her!

My younger son came home to help with the housecleaning. We'll be spending a lot of quality! time on Saturday, culling and rearranging the storage areas in the basement, so that we can move things that are hanging around the dining room and second floor landing into newly formed storage areas in the basement.

The cleaning weekend is to prepare our cluttered 'public' areas for the Merry Maids to deep clean on Monday. Mom will be less stressed by a totally clean house. We anticipate a number of visitors to our home that may have never been here before... Mom would be worrying about hidden dust bunnies and clutter and such if we didn't prepare now and worry and stress are two things she doesn't need affecting her recovery.

Older son is taking steps to help himself get out of the rut he's been in. This is a good, good thing.

I've started a pair of Socks for Soldiers. It's really a swatc, to be sure I'm using the right needles, but I started as if it were a pair so IF I get gauge with the needles I'm using, I'll be well on the way to sock #1. I find that my gauge swatch has to be in the same size and style of knitting to be accurate. If I had done a 4x4 swatch I would have been knitting flat rather than in the round and my gauge is different with each method. I've gotten about an inch done. I think I need two inches or more to measure accurately, though I've done some spot checking on this one inch and it seems to be right so far.

The frigid temps of yesterday and earlier this week are giving way to a warmer weekend. Mid-50s are expected on Sunday. So, Sunday after Granny's party I can actually do a little work on the front garden to make the outside of the house a little more acceptable than the cold weather has allowed up to now.

Until next time.

2.5.09 - Thursday

2009-02-05T23:09:00.000-05:00

Thursday is weigh-in day. Down another 2.6 for a total of 19.6! Yippee!

Thursday is knit night. I spent a delightful 2 hours knitting and chatting. I took a look at all the yarns in the store and went back to sit and knit! :) When they were ready to close the cash registers, we were asked if anybody had any purchases. My response: "Nothing jump into my hands and said 'Buy ME' tonight." Yippee for restraint.

Thursday is also the day before Friday. Boy, howdy, am I ever ready for FRIDAY!

Until next time.

2.3.09 - taxing

2009-02-03T22:14:00.003-05:00

One tax return down. Three to go.

Younger son worked only one job last year. His was the easiest to do. TurboTax offered free Federal e-filing. Federal is filed and State return will be mailed on Saturday. He is chomping at the bit for his refunds. He has been unable to find a job at school thus far and could really use the money.

Mom has some dividend income which is, in theory, taxable. It rarely is because it is a bunch of little annuities and the total ends up being below the amount that requires a tax payment. She doesn't get any back, because she hasn't paid any. She doesn't owe any, because the income is too small. But she has it, so she has to report it. Hers will be next. Once she remembers where she put all the envelopes.

Older son worked two or three jobs and lived in two different places. We are still tracking down the W-2s sent to his former address. I'd really like to see them because I can't do mine until I see his. If he made less than $3500, I get to claim him as a dependent. The one he has received here covers the biggest part of the year. I'm hoping the one(s) from earlier in the year added to this one come in under $3500 -- because I have definitely been providing greater than 50% of his support, whether he made more or not... Obviously, the IRS doesn't care how much it really costs to support someone.

Truth be told, I really wish he made enough to support himself. But he didn't -- so, it would nice for the total to be such that I can claim him this year, all the while continuing to pray that he makes much more this year and can support himself!

I am also waiting for my last bit of information. I thought it would arrive today. But today's mail was only junk mail. Soon, I hope. Because I could use my refund too! :)

Ahhh, the joys of tax season.

Until next time.

2.2.09 - Ground Hog Day

2009-02-02T23:13:00.002-05:00

I would say "Happy Ground Hog Day" but apparently the little furry rascal has predicted another 6 weeks of winter. Of course, by the calendar, there really IS another 6 weeks of winter. BUT, it would be nice to be mild for the rest of that time.

Up to this point, my winter has been mild compared to others. However, I am not.in.the.mood for winter!

Joke's on me. Snow is predicted for tomorrow after a high today of 59F. Sheesh. If it must be winter, stop with the yo-yo temperatures already!

Until next time.

2.1.09 - February already

2009-02-01T22:50:00.004-05:00

Hard to believe today is the first day of the second month of 2009 - already!

Sue and Mike gave me a lovely Christmas present- Dinner and a Show! I got the card in December and it was redeemed this weekend!

Saturday morning, I headed to their home. Early afternoon, Sue and I set out for the Lincoln Theater to see Arena Stage's production of I Love a Piano - a lovely musical filled with the words and music of Irving Berlin. A cast of six performed the songs of Irving Berlin in a series of themed segments as they followed the life of a 1910 Piano -- beginning with the sale of the piano to Alexander's Music Shop in 1910 through the show stopping There's No Business Like Show Business. It was a lovely piece of musical theater.

Following the show, Sue and I headed to Union Station and dined at a fabulous restaurant - B. Smith's Restaurant. The Creole, Cajun and Southern cuisine offered at this historic location offered something for everyone. Sue had the Swamp Thing and I had lamb chops and we were treated royally. I would recommend it to anyone wanting an elegant menu with down home flavors served by the attentive and friendly wait staff.

Bright and early (for me anyway!) Sunday morning, Sue and I headed over the 22nd HAP Put-Together. We had a hand in designing a few of the 287 afghans laid out to be crocheted together and sent off to our wounded warriors. See the HAP link in my side bar for more information on this wonderful group.

Heading home, I found my family room occupied by a few young adults hanging out to watch the Super Bowl. I offered up the standard game fare of wings, cheese sticks, chips and dips of various sorts. The college guys did their laundry while chowing down and watching a great game. I helped put out the food I brought home and then retired to my sanctuary to check in on my e-mail and favorite websites. I ventured to the family room for the exciting last few minutes of the game.

College guys have gone back to the dorm. Their friends have gone home. The young adult that lives here has retired to his sanctuary. I can hear the familiar strains of some car chase video game emanating from the closed door. At least he hasn't cranked up the bass of the surround sound because Mama Bear is about ready for my slumber and that would annoy me immensely!

Not much crafting was accomplished this weekend, but that is okay. It was a wonderful weekend filled with fun and friends and fine food!

Just a note to my commenters ... thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers for my Mom and me. I appreciate your care and concern. We'll have some rough days, but I think Mom is feeling as positive about her prognosis as she can feel and we will get through.

Until next time.

1.29.09 - C C C C

2009-01-29T22:41:00.003-05:00

Cruise? Canceled. Cancer? Crud!

Mom and I had planned a cruise. Paid for said cruise. The Constellation will leave Ft. Lauderdale without us on February 13th.

Mom's biopsy results show the lobular lump she found in late December, had mammo'd and sono'd and pushed, prodded and biopsied over the past two weeks is cancerous.

Surgery - lumpectomy and some lymph node work, called Breast Conservation as opposed to mastectomy - is scheduled for February 12th. It would be February 5th, but she has a cold and has to recover from that first.

Doctor ix-nayed the idea of waiting until after the cruise. We were sort of crushed, even though we both felt it was inevitable. One bright note, we don't lose out completely on a refund. (we didn't buy insurance... last time I make THAT mistake) By canceling today, we get a 50% refund. I figured were were out the $$, but getting 50% back makes Mom and, I must admit, me feel a little better.

If they get all the cancerous cells during the lumpectomy and lymph node process, radiation will follow about a month later. If they find cancer in the surrounding cells or spread farther in the lymph nodes, she may face another surgery before radiation. She'll be on follow up medication - Tamoxifen, I think.

The prognosis is good. The lump was found while it was still small (though I don't think 2.5 cm is small myself!) . The doctor, while stating it is aggressive (it has grown a bit in 2 weeks), feels confident that it has been caught in time.

Until next time.

1.28.09 - ice, ice baby

2009-01-28T23:18:00.003-05:00

That's what we had all over the place this morning.

I tried to go to work. Really, I did. I got dressed. Packed my bus bag (knitting, crocheting and reading material). Walked up the side of the driveway, in the ice-crusted snow. I had parked my car at the top - in case the driveway might be too icy. It was. I started the car and the lights shown brightly on the skating rink that was my street. They hadn't plowed or sanded or salted yesterday and it rained and snowed and rained frozen rain overnight. Not sure the salt or sand would have helped at 6 AM.

I went back inside. Fired up the computer and saw "Liberal Leave" and decided to take it!

So, I was home from work today, and didn't work from home!

I didn't go back to bed - though I wanted to snuggle back in the warm covers. I did some knitting and crocheting to finish two projects I want to mail tomorrow:

I answered a bunch of e-mails. Took care of some business for my son. Made a hot breakfast for me and Mom. Not necessarily in that order.

Noon came and I was sleepy. I decided to take a NAP. Slept for 4 hours! Unbelievable. Guess I really needed the rest.

Now it is almost 11:30 PM and that nap has messed up my sleep pattern. Instead of being sleepy and getting ready for bed, I'm listening to my iTunes playlist randomly play the 588 songs loaded in the Country genre. I'm sorting papers to be ready to do my taxes. I'm alternating between paper sorting and crocheting some squares to send to various folks putting together afghans for a number of different causes.

Some of this sleep disruption and project hopping may be due to the fact that tomorrow Mom sees the surgeon to get the results of her biopsy. Perhaps I am worrying internally. I'm not really worrying consciously.

Until next time.

1.27.2009 - ask and ye shall receive

2009-01-27T11:25:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I expressed the desire to have more "working from home" days in my week.

This morning, I awoke to this:

View of the street
You might notice grass still sticking out through the snow.
Last lawn mowing did not occur in the Fall, so the grass is longer than it should be.

View of the Driveway
Notice no plowing of the road, nor clearing of the driveway

That might not seem like much to many of you. However, this would make for a treacherous trek to and, especially, from work. I have to cross bridges. They freeze first. It is supposed to change to an icy mix later in the day. No thanks! So, I am working from home again today -- YaY!

It is pretty, as long as I'm viewing from my window!

1.26.2009 - Monday, Monday

2009-01-26T21:52:00.003-05:00

Today is Monday. I work from home on Mondays. My family occasionally doesn't quite understand that - which leads to some stress. Today? My son understood that if he wanted to be picked up - it had to be after working hours. Yay! Progress!

I had some packages to mail here and there. (MP - stole is on its way!) I got them to the post office during my 'lunch' hour. One of the reasons I love to work from home one day a week. It is hard to get a mailing off in the limited Saturday hours and dragging boxes and bags to work to mail from the P.O. near my office is difficult, to say the least.

I have bills to pay that are due later this week. Can't really do that easily during my work hours. I'll be doing that as soon as I post this.

I want to knit, but I have to remind myself that I have other obligations before I head off and knit during the time I need to be working, or cooking, or paying my bills!

I love being able to work from home one day a week. Saves my sleep, money and gives me a few more hours to do things around the house because I don't have to gird myself for an average of three hours of travel time - to and fro. But I have had to develop a discipline, or I'd fall into the pattern of my family - Mom must be able to help me with this, this and this. After all, she's home from work today - rather than she is working from home today. There is a very real distinction!

I wish I could work from home more that one day a week... but I think that would be too much of an adjustment for my family and for me. Also, I do find it hard to call into a meeting. I'd much rather be there in person.

So... Monday is gone. Tomorrow, I will be up bright and early to catch a bus into the city and walk in the frigid morning air from the bus stop to my office. It is only about 6 blocks, but really I am not looking forward to it. Especially since we may get our first real wintry mix tomorrow.

My nice warm computer area beckons me to stay and work here.

I must resist!

Until next time.

1.25.09 - or so

2009-01-26T00:57:00.004-05:00

It is after midnight - again - yet I'm calling this Sunday because I am still awake!

Busy day here at Chez Radarkaty.

Younger son headed back to college today. One semester down and many more to go! He got himself all together, packed and ready to go. With a hug or two, I sent him off to new adventures.

After I sent him on his way, I went to a friend's house. She is a crocheter and she wanted to learn to knit. We spent a few hours working on garter stitch baby booties. I left her working hers with the promise to come back and help her with the next step, as well as a pointer to www.knittinghelp.com in case she wanted to proceed without me.

I went home and finished the one I started at her house and then made the second. All the knitting is done. I'll be finishing the seaming tomorrow. In the meantime, I've cast on for the matching hat. Hope to finish the hat and the seaming tomorrow so I can send the set out to the sponsor of the January Project of the Knitters Cherish Life group on Ravelry.

Have you joined Ravelry? Why NOT? :)

1.24.09 - good medicine

2009-01-24T16:39:00.002-05:00

My friend, Shelly, over at This Eclectic Life needs your help making and filling good medicine bags for the children of Camp Sanguinity.

The bags need to be about 4" square, with a loop for hanging around the neck of a child taking a much needed vacation from cancer treatment, or a child taking a much needed break from their sibling's cancer treatment. Last year, Shelly and her minions (400 people) made enough squares for the 140 blankets of 48 squares each, one blanket for each camper. She received such an overwhelming response, the hospital received a bunch of blankets as well. This year, the minions have shrunk - considerably - to a total of 8 as of today. Shelly has received only 44 of the 140 bags needed.

The bags don't have to be fancy - unless you want to be very creative. The 4" size is just big enough to hold three charms and hang around the campers neck to let them know we are out there supporting them. They do not have to be knit or crochet. They could be fabric or leather. So, if you quilt or sew, you could make a little bag and send it along to Shelly! Or you could knit or crochet a bag or two and send them along to Shelly.

Besides the bags, tokens are needed. Little things you probably have hanging around your house. A little figure. A foreign coin. A shark's tooth or shell. I sent some Mardis Gras coins. Shelly needs three items for each bag - so she needs 420 little tokens to fill the bags.

Won't you help, just a little? Many hands make light work! If you step up, Shelly can reach her goal of many different hands helping the campers - rather than doing it all herself - and we can all spread a little sunshine to a bunch of campers really in need of a lift!

Stop by This Eclectic Life and check it out!

Until next time.

1.23.09 - good on Friday

2009-01-23T20:38:00.002-05:00

First - Happy Birthday, Sue!

Second - it is good just to BE Friday!

Even though this was a very short week, or maybe because it was a very short week, I really needed today to be Friday. How accommodating for it to be so!

Until next time.

1.22.09 - victory

2009-01-22T23:31:00.001-05:00

The stole was well received by all that saw my creation today. Everyone is sure my sister will love it, even though most of them encouraged me to keep it for myself! :)

3 lbs down!!

Total weight loss since December 4, 2008: 16 lbs! WahoO!

It has been a good day!

Until next time.

1.21.09 - random and not so

2009-01-21T18:06:00.003-05:00

Click into the picture for the whole Flickr set. The color on the folded part to the left is the truest I could get. It turned out great!

* * * * * * * * *

Mom had her biopsy today and will have the follow on doctor's appointment next Thursday. I really really hate the wait! We have a cruise paid for and ready to take in February and the longer it takes to get results, the less certain we are about going. We didn't buy insurance. I hope and prayer her results are benign and we can sail away to the Caribbean for 10 days.

* * * * * * * * *

Younger son got a new laptop to take back to college. He didn't get one in the Fall, when he started. He thought he could get by with his desktop, but (a) the desktop is kind of dying, slowing down and giving him fits; (b) the desktop isolates him from the roomies (4 guys - 2 in each bedroom with a center sitting area; the others have laptops and sit in the sitting area, younger son has to go to his desk in his bedroom); (c) he can't take his desktop to class for note taking and research; and (d) he feels like the odd man out being the only one he knows without his own laptop.

Older son is jealous. But, as I told him, he as almost exclusive use of my laptop right now. He doesn't need one. He just wants one. His use is pretty much limited to Facebook and MySpace and some kind of chat room he visits, as well as the occasional Google.

I'm jealous because younger son's laptop is nicer than mine! :) It has the full keyboard including the number pad. Mine is just the qwerty pad with the numbers across the top. It is also thinner, lighter and, of course, newer! Oh, and it cost $500 less than I paid 4 or so years ago.

* * * * * * * * * *
I've been waiting over two years for a promised promotion. With President Obama tightening the belts of his staff, it looks like I'll be waiting a while longer. I'm not sure, but it's a pretty good bet that this belt-tightening will trickle down to me, too. :(

1.20.09 - done, well almost

2009-01-20T22:30:00.002-05:00

My post of 1.16.09 included a list of things to be accomplished over my four day weekend. I did pretty well by finishing over half. That was about what I figured even though I included everything. All the things need doing. All the essentials and some of the fun are done. The rest will be done a little at a time, here and there, when weather permits! :)

I've blocked my first large project. I have never blocked anything bigger than a swatch or 6" square. This was quite the work out because I had to work on the floor - and I haven't lost 100 lbs yet, so I kept getting in my way!

Bad light pictures presented for your viewing pleasure. Better light pictures tomorrow:

1.19.09 - progress

2009-01-19T23:31:00.003-05:00

I've made some progress on my planned activities for the four day weekend. I don't think I've progressed three days worth and tomorrow is day four. Ah, well, progress is progress!

I've done some knitting on Mom's sweater. Back is nearing completion.

Christmas decorations are all boxed up and ready to go back to the storage area. Half of the boxes made it downstairs today. The other half are awaiting the other son to venture down the stairs. Tomorrow, everyone is off - so they have no excuse!

Double batch of Garden Vegetable Soup - my zero point menu filler - was made yesterday. It is good, but I think it needs a little zing. I'll be experimenting with different veggies and different spices for the next batch.

Cookies were made for the boys and Mom (and a couple for me, still in my points range!).

Shopping for food accomplished, but will need repeating. The never ending process of keeping our bellies filled.

Five loads of laundry down. Two or three to go. Another never ending process. But I'll be good for a while.

Secret knitting commenced and will be completed tomorrow. I have made plans for easy crochet projects to take to Mom's appointments this week. Will be weaving in the ends of some HAP afghans during the Inauguration watching tomorrow.

Progress, not perfection, is the mantra of the day!

Until next time.

1.18.09 - a little less

2009-01-18T22:39:00.002-05:00

On December 4, 2009, I signed up for Weight Watchers - again. I have been successful in the past on this program and just as unsuccessful when I stopped following the common sense eating patterns I established while following.

I have tried doing this on my own; on-line only; and the traditional meeting method. My biggest successes were achieved when I had to go to a meeting and step up on the scale and have someone else see my progress or lack thereof. With the promise of a $10 Dress Barn gift card and free registration, I decided I should join, before Christmas, before it could be considered a New Year's Resolution.

This was, and is, a journey for me, for my head, my body, my heart. I need the accountability of a meeting. I need to listen to the struggles and successes of the others taking their own similar journey. While each of us has our own path to walk. Our own goal in mind. Our own level of fitness, sound nutrition and weight to lose - we are all walking together.

I have been trying to make better choices and plan. That is the first part of my journey. I have done fairly well. I do not always plan wisely. However, when I fail to plan, I am making better choices given the options available. I've taken breakfast and lunch foods to work to have available when I run out the door in the morning because I am late and need to catch the last bus and don't have time to make something fresh to take with me.

I keep some frozen meals and treats to help me when I have to run around and don't have the time or take the time to make a nutritious filling meal in the evening.

I am tired of being 100+ lbs overweight. No matter other people can't believe I have that much to lose. I do. I just carry it well.

At my last weigh in, six weeks into this lifelong adventure, I had lost 13 lbs.

My slacks are feeling loose. I am amazed. I never thought 13 lbs would be enough of a loss to affect the feeling of my clothes. It does. And it is good!

I still have over 100 lbs to lose, but now I have 13 less of them!

My interim goal is to lose 50 lbs by my 50th Birthday on May 13th. 37 to go!

Until next time.

1.17.09 - swatch blocking

2009-01-17T19:57:00.003-05:00

Mystic Star - Swatch with Malabrigo Lace in "Azul Bolita"
(the yarn is actually a deeper blue than pictured)

Mystic Star is a new KAL sponsored by Anna of Knit & Knag.

It is the sixth Mystic pattern she's designed, and is one of a series of KALs that Anna has run. One or two of the Mystic Patterns were offered for sale, rather than as part of a KAL.

The swatch pattern I used is available to members of the Mystic Star Yahoo! Group. When you sign up on Anna's blog, you'll get an invitation to join the Yahoo! Group. The first clue will be released on Monday, January 26, 2009 and each Monday thereafter until February 16, 2009.

If you are interested in a circular lace mystery knit along, click into Anna's blog for more details.

I generally can't keep up with KALs, but I love starting them! In this case, I'll be away when the last clue is released. I just might have time to catch up on my cruise, so I can start the last clue when I return.

My swatch is a little smaller than the one posted for the pattern, but I'm okay with that. I like the fabric. I already have the yarn. Gauge isn't as important for a shawl or stole as it is for a sweater - unless it is WAAAAY too big or WAAAAY to small. I have the right proportions, even though I'm off by about 1 inch. I may try one needle size up and see if I still like the fabric, but I'm betting this US3 Addi Lace circular will be the one I use for this adventure!

Until next time.

1.16.09 - relaxing

2009-01-16T22:16:00.002-05:00

It is Friday. The work day is done. The boys are all home. No more rides here or there for another day. I get to sit and relax and look forward to my four day weekend! Yippee!

I have big plans for the weekend. I intend to be busy about my house.

Cleaning (many rooms)
Laundry (a lot)
Sorting (yarn)
Knitting (on one of my many projects)
Cooking (regular meals)
Storing (Christmas, clothes, books)
Disposing (torn, tattered, unnecessary stuff)
Sorting (financial papers)
Shredding (old financial/personal papers)
Sorting (kitchen cabinets)
Knitting (on one of my many projects)
Cooking (extra for next week, soups, proteins)
Knitting (on one of my many projects)
Filing (paperwork requiring retention)
Sorting (stuff to sell)
Knitting (on one of my many projects)
Blocking (finished objects)
Crocheting (HAP afghans)
Shopping (for cruise clothes in my closet!)

My actions do not always match my intentions - but I plan to give it the old college try.

Tonight, I am relaxing in between my prep for tomorrow... I emptied the laundry baskets of clean clothes; sorted the laundry to start tomorrow; cleared a path to the clothes in the closet; and put the Diet Pepsi in to chill!

Hopefully, I will remember that an early bedtime will ensure an early and fruitful start to the mega-list above and will take my own advice to retire at a reasonable time... rather than looking up and realizing - Oh, No. It's 1 AM!

Until next time.

1.15.09 - mid-month

2009-01-15T23:53:00.002-05:00

Winter has finally taken hold. We haven't got the snow, and we aren't as bad as Chicago, or Minnesota, or Iowa - but 10F going down to 5F is the coldest it's been in this area at this time of year in over 14 years! The forecast says the low tonight is supposed to be 11F, but since it is already 10F I guess they are wrong. Imagine that. The weather prediction is wrong. :)

I hope all the travelers heading to the Inauguration bring their long johns, hand knits, fleeces, hand warmers, thermoses and more... because it is going to be COLD standing out for the parade and the ceremonies. Of course, there appears to be a warming trend, yet 30F doesn't sound too warm either! see note on previous paragraph on the possibility that this trend holds true.

I finished the third pattern repeat for the back piece of Mom's sweater. I seem to have hit a good rhythm and may have it finished tomorrow night. WooT!

Until next time.

1.14.09 - progress and a prize

2009-01-14T23:44:00.002-05:00

I've been working a little on my mother's sweater. Here is a close up of the pattern so far:

and a not-so-close up:

And I won a prize. Ravelry is funded by advertisers and partners, mostly. The users run a donation prize give-away periodically. I donated in the last go round - $11 on 1/1 - and my name was entered in a drawing. I WON! nuttnbunny (rav link) sent me some her beautiful handspun yarn -- pictured below. This "Silk Squall" is a mixture of wool and silk; about 271 yards. Now to find the perfect pattern to use it!

1.13.09 - hustle and bustle

2009-01-13T21:46:00.002-05:00

Today had a bit more hustle and bustle than I anticipated. My list of yesterday was unfulfilled in several aspects.

Shelly's bags got sent off. While later than I promised, I'm sure they'll be there in plenty of time for their need.

The stole is still unblocked because the only room I can block it in is blocked with boxes I was too tired to fill and store last night and today.

Today has been a little stressful as well. Mom found a lump in her breast before Christmas. Saw the doctor Jan 5. Had mammogram and sonogram on Jan 7. Met with the surgeon today who will be scheduling a core biopsy as soon as there is an opening at the Imaging Center. We'll know by lunch time tomorrow when that will be. It is all moving a little faster than I anticipated based on the experience of others.

The lump is definitely NOT a cyst. It is not filled with fluid. The doctor said the tumor was 'lobular' in appearance. The lobes clearly defined on the sonogram. It presents as a pretty hard little lump. We won't know if it is a benign fatty tumor or a not-so-benign cancerous tumor until after the biopsy.

Therefore, it is good that it is moving faster than anticipated. It's just a little unnerving!

I take the knitting along, but now I need to find a few straight knitting projects. The lace and the cables are too intense for waiting rooms and the up and down of answer questions and going from this office to that room to yet another office. I'll be looking around for a hat or two that can be mindless worked until the decreasing rounds.

Thanks for stopping by!

1.12.09 - slow progress

2009-01-12T23:36:00.002-05:00

I am working on several things at once, as usual.

I am working through the cable pattern on glove #2 for me.

I am working on the back of the sweater for Mom - one complete set of rows and repeats, beginning second set. It measures about 2 inches, so it looks like 6.5 sets before I start the arm hole decreases.

I am working on socks for me. I have four pair. All misfitting. I am trying a size US1 for the newest pair and think (hope? pray?) that will take care of the "too bigness" on the feet of the last pair I made, which came the closest to fitting right.

I am working on put-together afghans for HAP (see sidebar for what HAP is!). I have finished 2 of 5, except for the weaving in of ends. I hope to weave in tomorrow and get these two to Deborah. Then work on the other three over my four day weekend! :)

I will be blocking my sister's Guinevere stole tomorrow at lunch, and at the end of the work day - hoping it will dry by Thursday morning so I can take it to show and tell at my knitting groups (lunch group at work; evening group at The Yarn Garden).

Pictures in a day or two of whatever is finished when I have good light. :)

Thanks for dropping by!

1.11.09 - Sunday

2009-01-11T22:03:00.005-05:00

Not wanting to miss out on a day of blogging, here I come with little to say!

I look about me and see so much that needs to be done, yet have no energy, nor any desire to accomplish these many things. My house is in dire need of organization, culling, cleaning, fixing, and more. Yet, I have done little to effect the necessary changes.

I have, however, accompanied my mother to lunch. Shopped a little for some much needed additions for her bedroom that we hope will help her sleep a little better (egg crate style mattress pad and a new pillow). Returned a too small Christmas gift. Had lunch at On The Border.

We generally like that restaurant, but today was not up to par. Service was slow, though the restaurant was not busy. The food was over done and brought in stages. Mom ordered fajitas. The grilled (burnt) chicken and veggies were sizzling hot, but the tortillas had not been made and hence had not been delivered with the meal. She complained a bit to the waiter, but didn't want to involve the manager. She just decided she wouldn't eat there any time soon and never again on the weekend. (She and her friends gather there several times over the year, normally on a weekday.)

When we got home, I turned to my crocheting. I made two medicine bags for Shelly's Medicine Bag project. Shocked my son by finishing the last one in under an hour! :)

I joined Mom in the family room to watch the Golden Globes. Less than halfway through I announced I had had enough. I didn't know most of the movies, knew only about half of the nominees and didn't really care for the presenters. I must be getting old.

Perhaps it's just the day. Today would have been my 23rd wedding anniversary. Hard to believe. I always think this day will have no effect on me. After all, before I was widowed, almost 10 years ago, I was separated and heading for a divorce. But, almost always, I am affected in small, sad ways - thinking of the what ifs and what might have beens.

1.10.09 - Feeling Froggy

2009-01-10T20:09:00.002-05:00

I've got sneezes and wheezes and a deepening voice - winter cold coming on! :( I'll be froggy-throated for a couple of weeks. :(

The sweater I began so smartly and showed off in the previous post has hit the frogginess, too.

To begin, I cast on 148 stitches. Or so I thought. On row three I realized I had missed one stitch. I fixed it instead of frogging. Using a crochet hook, I picked up a stitch from the cast on and created stitches on each row. Vóila - 148 stitches.

I continued to knit and, at about row 9, I noticed a missing cable. I isolated those four stitches. Raveled down to the necessary spot. FIXED the missing cable with the help of US4 dpns and continued on.

Two major errors. Fixed without frogging. I was so proud!!!

Then, about 4 rows after fixing the cable, I missed another. While trying to determine where, I realized I had been repeating the pattern incorrectly. The instructions tell me to work one edge stitch then begin at the appropriate size and repeat the pattern across the row. From the appropriate size start column to the end of the chart there are 33 stitches. The pattern repeat section is 21 stitches. I was do the entire 33 stitches as the repeat, instead just for the first section of the row! AACCKKK!!!

Frogged to begin anew.

Thankfully, I'd only gone 13 rows and not the 13" to the armhole decreases!

1.8.09 - beginning Lin

2009-01-08T23:41:00.002-05:00

Begin Lin
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

I am making a lacy cardigan for my mom for her birthday in March (or whenever I get it finished!). I cast on tonight and am quite pleased with myself for getting through the initial direction!

NaKniSweMoDo #1
Seasons of Lace - Winter '09 #1

I'm itching to continue and too tired to do so. Lace and sleepiness do not go well together. So, I shall bid you adieu and pick the needles up again tomorrow!

1.7.09 - Missing Missive and then some...

2009-01-07T20:23:00.004-05:00

Well, all I can say is - it's a good thing I signed up for the "75% of the year" group when I tried the blog every day thing! I realized last night (or, rather, early this morning) at about 12:40 AM that I had missed my Tuesday post. Since I didn't really have anything to say, I just didn't post anything!

Today, I have a little to say. Or perhaps a lot to say, depends on where my fingers and thoughts take me.

In my family, we are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease. It is the early stage of the disease, where you are almost not quite sure that is the issue. Then things happen that remind you - yes, indeed, AD it is.

I've been reading a bit about it. Whenever the vision of things to come gets too great, I 'cave' for a bit and pretend it isn't there. Yet it is. I think it is okay, at this stage of the disease, to play the ostrich a bit. I hope by caving, by hiding my head a bit, I'm storing up the patience and perseverance I will need as the disease progresses.

Today, sneaking in from stage left, the specter of cancer has entered the scene. A lump felt was reported, then pushed and squeezed at the Women's Wellness Center, who pointed to the mammographer and sonographer, who pronounced a biopsy is needed.

Tomorrow, new doctors will be called and a biopsy of some sort will be scheduled (hopefully, SOON). Then we await the outcome. It could be nothing. It could be something. It is certainly scary. And I hope there is a cancellation that can be filled and have the verdict rendered sooner rather than later.

The Wellness Center was able to get her in the day she called because of a cancellation. Mammograms can take a week to be scheduled. She was taken the next day. Probably would have been the same day had they been open when she got out of the first appointment. I hope the biopsy happens as quick.

A saving grace in our drama? The patient is still in the early stages of the previously named disease and is still cognizant of her surroundings and things she needs to do. Indeed, she felt the lump, albeit several weeks ago, and called the Wellness Center herself on Monday.

Lists and notes and verbal reminders keep her on course. Some new ideas stick easily. Others get twisted up on days and dates and times. The lists and notes and verbal reminders help keep them untwisted.

Please offer up a bit of prayer or good thoughts or whatever you do to wish people well. We'll be needing every bit of everything you can send our way!

I don't think I can cave on this one.

(PS - I am not the 'she' in this story, in case anybody thought I might be!)

1.5.09 - Special Olympics

2009-01-05T23:30:00.002-05:00

Delft Blue and White scarves were requested for the Special Olympics, using Red Heart Super Saver. The Coats & Clark site put up two patterns. I chose a different one from a crochet book I have.

When I googled before, the Coats and Clark site was the only one I found specifics on. Today, while looking for the link for the blog post, I found the "History of the Scarf Project" at the Special Olympics site. They disagree on size.

The Coats and Clark patterns yield the following sizes: Knit Scarf: 5¾" wide x 60" long; Crochet Scarf: 5¾" wide x 64" long.

The Special Olympics site asks for 4 1/2" wide x 50" long.

Mine is closer to the Coats and Clark size. I hope it is still acceptable. I'm sending it anyway.

If you want to participate, they'd like to receive the scarves in Idaho by January 15th. So, you better get cracking!

1.4.09 - End of long weekends

2009-01-04T23:25:00.002-05:00

...for a little while! In two weeks, I'll have another 4 day weekend (Martin Luther King Holiday and Inauguration Day). Three weeks after that I'm off for a two week vacation (Feb 11 - 24). March and April are going to be rough after all this 'off' time in December, January and February!

Today was laundry day. And cooking dinner. And finishing a HAP afghan.

I didn't accomplish even half of what I wanted to get done over the past two weeks of more days off than days at work. Instead of the knitting, cleaning, organizing, crocheting and other much needed household chores, I fell into a few books I received or that I have had on my bookshelves beckoning me to read them and absorb their messages. I've been reading more these past two weeks than I have in the past three, nay SIX, months!

The books that called me:

Amazing Grace for those Who Suffer, edited by Jeff Cavens and Matthew Pinto. An inspiring collection of essays written by people that found great Grace while going though amazingly painful life lessons. None of the stories is my story. None of them are just like me. All of them have touched me in an indescribable way.

Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, the private writings of the "Saint of Calcutta", edited and with commentary by Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C. Mother Teresa has long been a favorite of mine. What an inspiring life she had and what great suffering she endured as she answered the call to "come be My light." I'm only about halfway through this one, but I look forward to the rest of the journey.

Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith by Kathleen Norris. Another fabulous book showing one woman's journey of faith and conversion. Each chapter or story deals with a word or a concept that she had to figure out in order to move forward, to accept her faith. It is a fabulous book. One that I will re-read, a bit at a time, as I live through my own journey. Each segment could easily be a stand alone topic for meditation and reflection.

Each of these books has touched a need for something in my life. I am so blessed to have them.

1.3.09 - Socks for me

2009-01-04T00:36:00.001-05:00

Regia Gray Black k2p2
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

It is still the 3rd to me, even though it is after midnight here in Maryland... so my 1.3.09 blog brings you - SOCKS for ME!!!!!

1.2.09 - Special Olympics

2009-01-02T20:39:00.004-05:00

Lightning Bolt 1
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

I read about the Special Olympics drive for knitted or crocheted scarves to be given to the participants of the 2009 Winter Games quite a while ago.

For a time, the Delft Blue was difficult to find though I found some last October. Even though I found it three months ago, I waited until today to pick it up and do something with it!

Looking through some of my old magazines as I was cleaning up, I found a neat pattern in the October 2003 Hooked On Crochet! magazine -- Lily Chin's Lightening Bolt.

This afternoon, I began a Delft Blue and White version of the scarf.

It needs to be mailed on Monday, so I better get crackin'!

1.1.09 - and so we begin

2009-01-01T23:11:00.003-05:00

And so we begin a new year. Full of promise. Full of hope. Full of fear. Full of change. New years are always so full when we start them. We want to do everything at once. To realize the potential and finish what we start. Then, when the instant gratification of easily realized potential or things that finish fast fade, we realize that we have that full year ahead to do the rest.

Some of us rise to the challenge. Dig into every new adventure. Push through the pain and misadventures.

Some us just bob along like that little red and white bobber on the end of a fishing line, just floating along waiting for the fish to pull us in.

Some of us do a little bit of both. I think I'm a bit like this last category. My best of intentions often end up bobbing along the water's surface waiting to be pulled toward my destiny. Other times, I figure it out and do it, do it, do it!

This year, I'd like to "do it, do it, do it" more and bob about a little less.

This is my list (so far) of things where I believe I need to apply the "do it, do it, do it" philosophy.

1. I have some research to do, plans to put in place and a whole lot of praying about Alzheimer's Disease.

2. I have sweaters to knit and lace to block and heels to turn.

3. I have 6x9 rectangles to crochet into 7x7 rectangular blankets for our wounded warriors. Designed and delivered by HAP (link on the side bar)

4. I have bills to pay. Things to sell to help pay off the bills. Things to donate to get them out of the house.

5. I have food to plan and prepare. Healthy food. Food that will enable me to be healthier - which will lead to weight loss and lower blood pressure.

6. I have a house to organize, to cull, to pare down, to ready for eventual sale. This house will be too big for just Mom and me. It is also a bit far from the doctors and resources Mom will need and the friends she remembers.

These are not resolutions. This is a list of things that have been bopping about in my head that needed to be written out to make them clear to me. And, really, all of these are just topic sentences for much longer chapters in the book of my life. Definitely not resolutions. More like my abbreviated "to do" list.

I'm off to a good start on this first day of 2009: 1.5 afghans are crocheted together; two 6" squares are finished for Dan; 3/4 of a sock cuff is complete; 1/4 of the second glove is complete; the stole will be blocked and photos taken tomorrow (blocking pictures)and Saturday (dried and beauty shots).

Tomorrow is grocery shopping for good food. Most of the holiday junk is gone. Time to bring in the new! better! best! food. :)

Over the weekend, the budget will be drafted. All the bills are in hand and the new spreadsheet will be set up. Dave Ramsey, here I come. Well, a modified Dave Ramsey until after the February Cruise!

I have a number of books and websites picked out to begin my AD research.

I want to journal, note the changes, the successes, my reaction, my analysis of my reaction.

Finally -- Prayer - beginning and ending each day in silent reflection and/or organized prayer - a decade of the rosary; a plea for sanity, for patience, for love. Continued prayer when I need an extra boost through the day! I think these midday needs will be greater than I can even imagine at this moment!

If you pray, send up a little missive for me and my Mom and my boys. There is a long road ahead of us.

Until next time.

12.31.08 - the end is nigh

2008-12-31T20:46:00.003-05:00

2008 is coming to a close. Couldn't happen to a better year, I say!

Some bad news headed our way this year that will play out over the next who-knows-how-many years to come. I think I've accepted it. Only time will tell.

Good news came our way as well. Younger son graduated High School and started college. Older son seems to be getting his life in better order.

In general, we are healthy and warm and full and that counts for a lot.

In the knit blog world, I see many folks mentioning all the things they created this year. I lost count, so you won't see that from me. I did finish a lot. I also started a lot that I didn't finish!

In the general blog world, I see many listing their reading for the year. I started many and finished only a few books. My ability to attend to the reading I wanted, needed, felt I should do seemed to wander away under the weight of the bad news early in the Summer.

I have been easily distracted. I hope and pray I am on a better track these days.

My sister gave me a wonderful book - Amazing Grace by Kathleen Norris - for Christmas. She knows me well and this book I started reading almost as soon as I received it and have nearly finished it. I will re-read as time goes on. I think I will always find something new in its pages for me to enjoy, employ, embrace.

May your 2009 truly shine!

Until next time.

12.30.08 - the end of things (durn near!)

2008-12-30T22:49:00.000-05:00

I finally finished my Guinevere stole for my sister. Well... I finished the knitting anyway. I will finding a place over my FOUR day weekend to block it and get it ready to send to Chicago.

My first major lace. It is gorgeous, if do say so, my biased self!

Things due by year's end were completed today.

A six hour work day tomorrow leads to the four day weekend referenced above.

whispering, for fear of a drastic change: All is right with my world.

Until next time.

12.29.08 - Practicing

2008-12-29T22:23:00.002-05:00

Practicing for daily blogging in January.

I don't have much to say today. I've been working for the last two days on getting some on-line classes completed for work. I've done it! One more on-site thing to do tomorrow and I will have completed the certification courses required to keep doing my job! :)

I've done the vertical rows on a HAP afghan tonight. I will do the horizontal rows tomorrow evening. If I start early enough, I may also do the border. If not, I'll finish that on Wednesday. I have a few to put together by the middle-to-end of January. More people are needed for this task. Click into the project button on my left sidebar and sign up to volunteer if you like crocheting rectangles together to make afghans!

As 2008 is winding down, I am catching up on last minute things -- hoping to have a clean start for the new year. I have projects I want to start, but I need to finish the current ones before I do. I'm not sure I'll make it by New Year's Day. However, finishing by the end of the first weekend of 2009 should be doable.

Until next time.

12.28.08 - 300

2008-12-28T21:10:00.001-05:00

My 300th post! Woo Hoo.

I spent most of yesterday

-- reorganizing my stash
-- repackaging yarn in ziplocs and Rubbermaid containers
-- putting like yarns with like yarns
-- identifying the projects to begin and the yarn I plan to use
-- As I ran across pattern pages, they were placed in the pattern binder I started.

in between bouts of yarn sorting

-- I uploaded over 50 CDs and put the CD and the jewel case inserts into a case I bought for that purpose, recycling the actual jewel case and freeing up a lot of space in my desk area

-- I did three loads of laundry
-- I did a brief bit of grocery shopping
-- and I started a sock (three inches into the cuff of #1!)

I also started a list of things that need doing around my house. I have a compiled a list jobs - big and small; from vacuuming to house painting - that will take me at least 1/2 of 2009 to complete. I hope I can do most of them myself, though there is a bit of electrical work that I'll need to hire out.

As I type my 300th post, I find that I have more than 300 things I want/need to do in 2009. These are not resolutions. I am no good at keeping resolutions. But, rather, a list created to help develop an organized plan for success. I really need to do most, if not all, of the tasks on my list if my current future plans (how's that for an oxymoron) are to come to fruition. I feel it only fair to note -- to you and to me -- the list would be much smaller if I had done things as I noticed them rather than waiting to be sick and tired of the undone things.

I hope I have the stamina!

12.27.08 - Traditions

2008-12-27T01:14:00.003-05:00

I missed posting this on Boxing Day. I spent the day with some friends, then watched a couple of movies with my mom. It's now after 1 AM, and I'm waiting for #1 son to return home. Not really waiting, but doing a bunch of things and, since he is due home soon, I might as well be up! :)

To the topic at hand. I grew up with a number of Christmas traditions. Some good, some not so good - but traditions nonetheless.

One good one is pictured below.

Mom was given this statue more than 30 years ago she may have bought it, but I think she got it as a gift. Every year, poinsettias accompany the placement of the statue on a tall stand/table. It used to be a marble-topped plant stand. It's current perch is a plant stand, but all wood.

Mom usually buys several small poinsettias to place around the statue. But, it was Christmas eve and she still hadn't gotten even one to place by the Kneeling Santa.

On my way home from work on Christmas Eve, I stopped at the grocery store for two or three last minute things I had forgotten the previous day. This lovely plant was begging to come home to accompany Santa as he gave homage to the Christ Child.

12.25.08 - Our Christmas Visitor

2008-12-25T21:04:00.002-05:00

birdie4
Originally uploaded by radarkaty.

Mom called to me, "There is a little something on our porch for Christmas."

I thought she meant someone had left a little package rather than ring the bell. But we saw the cutest little bird perched on our step. I quietly grabbed my camera and from a distance in the hall, I zoomed in on the Christmas visitor with my telephoto lens.

It is a lovely little birdie. To see the other few shots I took, including one after the bird was disturbed and flew to the wooden rocker... click on the picture. It should take you to my Flickr where you can see the whole set.

Hope you had a lovely day!

The photos are taken through the side lights on our front door, from about 8 feet into the hallway.

12.25.08 - Unto us a Child is born...

2008-12-25T01:16:00.002-05:00

Wishing you all the most blessed Christmas season!

12.21.08 - Another good that could be on Friday

2008-12-21T12:41:00.003-05:00

On my left sidebar as you scroll down, you see a number of projects and people I support or have supported. I've added a new one today:

The support can be casual or highly involved. It's hard to order them in a way that my readers can see ALL of them, so I hope some of you scroll down and click into a few that reside a little further down the line.

Near and dear to my heart are causes that support our soldiers. I don't personally know any soldiers among my family and friends, but I felt a need to offer my support, to the deployed, to the wounded, to the families.

There are many, many groups that can help you connect to a service member in need of a lift. A couple that I found and joined are in my sidebar links - Soldier's Angels and AnySoldier.com. These two organizations help connect you to a particular service member or a group or a team or a cause. I wrote about Soldier's Angels on my Halloween Good on Friday post. But, it has been a while since I mentioned AnySoldier.com.

Over the course of a couple of years, before adopting individual soldiers via Soldier's Angels, I sent out care packages to individual soldiers I found on the AnySoldier.com list. On this site, service members sign themselves up, offer some brief information and, sometimes, suggest things they need or miss or would like to have sent to them.

I responded to a request from Rick Simmons who flew MEDEVAC missions in Iraq. He was looking for supplies to help spruce up a coffee bar that he and other soldier were setting up to offer an oasis in the desert; a comfort zone in the war zone.

They wanted decorations, games, coffee, flavored creamers, and all the other things a coffee bar might have. I sent a box or two. I remember finding some Java-themed wall art at JoAnn's and some other things, besides coffee, cups, and creamers and sending them out. Apparently many people helped because the pictures showed a great place for the MEDEVACs and the other area personnel to relax. The Original Java coffee bar was left in Iraq for the next unit serving in that MEDEVAC area when Rick and his fellow "OJ" founder, Pete Huggins, came home. I hope there are many supporters to keep this oasis available.

Out of their Original Java experience, a stateside business has evolved - an e-commerce coffee shop - The Original Java. Donations from your purchases are made to Operation Dustoff. From the website:

Project Dustoff is a program dedicated to helping wounded service members and their families as they reintegrate into life at home.

The Original Java offers mailing to APO/FPO addresses. So, if you are like me and don't drink coffee or eat anything flavored that way, you can send 5 lbs bags of certain flavors to deployed service personnel. If you don't know a deployed service member, but would like to offer your support in this way, The Original Java knows plenty and would be happy to ship your order to someone they know.

So, drop by the coffee shop at The Original Java.

12.19.2008 - Last "Good On Friday" before Christmas

2008-12-19T19:15:00.004-05:00

I don't have any great new donation plans or places. I just want to post some good things!

-- I've been on Weight Watchers for two weeks and have lost 6.6 lbs. Yay me!

-- My immediate office went out for a Holiday Lunch today and I ate the right foods!

-- My supervisor gave us all a lovely bottle of wine. Mom says it's a good brand. I have no idea, but thought it was a nice touch.

-- I have successfully limited my intake of all the lovely cookie gifts arriving at our office.

-- I am finished my Christmas shopping for the most part. Everything I have is wrapped.

-- Both of my boys shopped by themselves for family gifts, with their own money and without my pushing them, reminding them, shoving them out the door!

-- I am on the last few rows of the stole I have been making for some time... Sis may see it before New Year's (due to blocking time, probably NOT before Christmas).

-- Everyone I dealt with today was exceptionally pleasant. The goodness is out there. Seek it and you shall find it. Spread it and it will multiply!

12.16.08 - Gifts

2008-12-16T19:59:00.002-05:00

Almost all finished and/or bought. All I have are wrapped. Almost in awe of myself! ;)

I do have some small things to get for the boys. They've grown up from cars and yo-yos to razors and shaving cream!

And I have to pick up two things that are in someone else's possession and wrap those.

Then, mail one more box after my mom finishes her wrapping/card-writing.

DONE!

And Christmas is still a little more than 8 days away! Wow.