Today in Tucson

A picture of the Santa Catalina Mountains this morning.  Yes that is snow in Tucson. Close enough to enjoy. Far away enough so that we did not have to shovel it.

Star Wars

Let me just say you have to go see the new Star Wars movie.. It was so good I had to tink my knitting twice. All I was doing was knitting a hat. You all know that I can knit hats in my sleep, but not during this movie.

Also when tinking in a movie, don’t tink during dark moments in the film.  Can we say dropped stitches.  Yes I am addicted to knitting.

Today

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season.  Since there are about 20 different holidays world wide between Thanksgiving in the United States and the end of January, I choose to make this a general greeting. So again Have a Happy Holiday Season.

Since we don’t celebrate Christmas, we spent the day cleaning and made remarkable progress.  Since everything was closed today charity runs will begin again tomorrow.

The one low spot of the day is that our newer Roomba is dying. It fell in to the hand wash sink a few weeks ago.  Just the electronics fell in.  It just does not pick up like it use to.  John had to use the upright vacuum. I guess I will have to research this, unless anyone has a fix for this.   By the way the sweater that I was washing at the time is fine.  I see a new Roomba in our future.

Family Time

I am really enjoying some much needed family time.  This first holiday season without Eric is a lot rougher than I thought it would be and I knew it was going to be very hard.  To alleviate some of the stress I have been cleaning and purging stuff.  I also have some extra help which is nice.  I see a few Bookman’s and Goodwill runs in our future.

I have also been working on the blanket pattern that got sidelined when Eric went into hospice. I am almost done knitting the “wings”. Then just 4 corner blocks and the crochet edging.  Figuring out the yardage. Pictures and typing up the pattern.

Since I did not sleep well last night, I am going to bed early.

The Impossible Dream

I have created the impossible dream.  I have zenned enough to make the guest room closet suitable for hanging clothes again.  Gone is the Fiber McGee closet*.  I swear that this is a true fact,  just ask Teri and John. I also have made 3 drawers, yes you read that right. Three drawers available for company after we pull the guest bed linen out of 2 of the drawers. I personally think that Teri and John never thought that this would happen.  

Yes I do find it very hard to get to this level of cleaning.  I made a personal vow to myself that I would never leave 60 year old boxes to be empty by someone else, unless of course it is a time capsule. So I challenged myself on a regular basis to let go of a few more things.  This process was compounded by the loss of Eric and moving faster than I like to go.  Progress is hard and painful at times.  A less cluttered house is better.

Progress must be made.  Always move forward and never backwards. If I look back too much all I will do is cry.


* For the younger set, Fibber McGee and Molly was an old time radio show.  Fibber McGee was know to have a closet’s so full that when a door was open things came tumbling out.  I really doubt that the millennial’s in my readership would understand because they move so often. The less things that they have the easier that the moves are.   If you can find an old recording it is well worth making the time to listen. I always found it fun to listen to.  Maybe some lager media company will bring them back.

The Transformation

Just yesterday night I was finishing up 9 dog pillows for the shelter which John dropped off for me today. Just 24 hours later the room has been transformed to a guest bedroom. I put away the sewing machine and supplies.  Put up the fold down tables. Then vacuumed. I forgot to dust or make the bed, I am sure my helpers can help with that.  After company leaves I might go through the books and thin them out a bit too.  I see more Bookman’s runs in my future.

Dog Pillows

I finished the 9 dog pillows for left over fabric. I sure hope that the dogs like Mickey Mouse. They are going to the shelter tomorrow.

Then I cleaned up the craft room. All I have left to do is vacuum. Lower the Murphy bed and make it.  Then the guest room will be ready.

Still Sick

I am still home sick. I am a little less tired, but the arthritis kicked in with vengeance today, so it was another slow day. I rested most of the day again.

I did manage to fill 9 dog pillows and they are awaiting their final seam. Maybe in the effort to declutter John will take them to the shelter for me. Unfortunately I still have more dog pillow stuffing. I really thought that 3/4 of a bolt of fabric was going to be enough with one or two left over. No such luck.  So after the holidays I will make the next batch of pillows. It is company season so I want to wrap things up by tomorrow. The craft room must become the guest room.

Is am working on a new blanket pattern.  I wonder if I can get the knitting, pictures and pattern done by Christmas? Will my hand hold up under the stress? Please join me in saying how much you hate arthritis too.

Well it’s time to call it a night.

Still Sick

I am still under the weather,  but I had slightly more energy than yesterday. So easy laundry got done. More things were moved out of Eric’s room. A few shelves have been finished. This is day 2 of the cold and I am so done with it. I hope that I wake up tomorrow feeling 100%

Under the Weather

Today I was under the weather in more than 1 way. At 7:30 am it was a balmy 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Not a good start to the day. I also don’t know if I have the virus Du jour or a  sjorgren’s syndrome flare up. I spent the day huddled under a blanket still freezing and sleeping most of the day. I ventured out only to get the mail. There was a thief roaming the neighborhood going after mail and packages. I found this out thanks to ring  It’s time to call it a night and hope that I feel better tomorrow.

Ethics

As I am cleaning out Eric’s old room, I find it simply astonishing what the people who cared for Eric thought that they had a right to. Examples included books signed by the authors that Eric had meet over the course of his life, thank goodness they left me a few to remember the good times.  Most of the Shalom Sesame Street  and Barney learns Hebrew DVDs were gone, I don’t recall ever having a Jewish aide.

Things that did not surprise me were the DVDs and books in Spanish. There was a period in time when it was impossible to get aides that spoke English. This was long before the google fish translation program.  So I always had the Spanish - English dictionary or Teri on hand. My Spanish did get better during that period.

Other random things that were taken included solar lights. They filed the box with rocks. Silverware. Eric’s diapers and medicine. Money from my purse, I never thought that I would need to hide my own purse in my own home. Used makeup, I can’t make this one up.  Liquid soap to wash hands with.  I am sure laundry detergent walked too.  I am sure that there were things that were nailed down that were also taken.

If you think it was all the aides, you don’t know the system well enough.  There was the special education teacher who stole the silverware we sent from home if we sent it matched sets, including Eric’s favorite Elmo set that he wheeled his chair with intention to and grabbed it, I had to buy it.  The same teacher gave away my buttons that Eric used for sorting so the art teacher could do a puppet project with the school. She obviously did not like sorting buttons with Eric, By the way this was part of his individual education plan.  As I recall she also stole all of the adaptive equipment that I made for Eric, so she could use it with her foster kids and at her next school. Is it any wonder that Eric faked seizures to get out of her class room. Another teachers aide used to give away Eric’s bibs. I think she was also the one who let Eric get soaked while she used his rain poncho. Can we say pneumonia for Eric?

I just wonder why these people think that when working with a sick child that they are entitled to anything they want of his.  I really don’t know how they can teach their children to lead an ethical life style if they themselves are so casual about stealing.  John and I taught the kids to lead an ethical lifestyle. You can almost never go wrong by being ethical.

OK, enough of my rant on ethics. Just lead an ethical lifestyle.

The Word of the Day is Zenning

As more stuff leaves the house, the house seems bigger to me.  Yes, the house is the same size, but there is less clutter.  We are now entering the less is more stage of our lives.  I am sure that this will bring great joy to Teri too.

I have found stores of odd things like toilet paper buried deep in the back of a cabinet behind swim towels. This was my before breakfast Zenning project.  I now have a bag of old but still usable towels that will make its way to the animal shelter.  I found 3/4 of a bolt of fabric for Eric projects that has been cut into dog pillows size pieces. Now to find the black thread and start making pillows. I think I have enough scraps for at least 6. After 6 I will have to go buy more poly fill.  I wonder if I can fill the whole center section of the van with pillows?

I have the next Bookman’s run ready to go.  I also have the next bag for Goodwill ready.  I think I need more large trash bags too.    I have a huge pile of books to go to Flowing Wells School District. The bibs are next.  That will make 1 whole shelf available for John.  I have a hard time reaching it unless I am in high heels.  I wonder why I waited so long to do this shelf.  No, not really.

Once I am through with this round of Zenning,I will start the major reorganization of the house. I will also get my hat patterns written.  Wish me luck.

Pure Joy

Today as I gave 2 of Eric’s Elmo’s to a friend’s grandson I experienced the first pure joyous moment since Eric passed. Ivan had the same pure joy on his face as Eric had when he received them. Ivan was a little afraid that I was going to take them back to Eric, it’s just something that 2 year old’s are not meant to understand. I told Ivan that his job was to hug the Elmo’s and take good care of them for Eric. He then hugged the Elmo’s as I left.

Ivan I know you are much to young to understand what you did for me today.  I hope that some day your mom will show you this.

Thank you so very much Ivan.

A Good Day - Kinda of - Also A Rant

I have made some personal progress. I don’t cry every time someone mentions Eric’s name. I am, however, beginning to get annoyed at people who give their condolences in one breath and the very next breath go into a diatribe on everyone that they have lost over their life time and want me to console them. Tell them how sorry that I am for their loss.   Expletive deleted, it has not been a month yet. How in the expletive deleted am I suppose to deal with these people. Is this supposed to make me feel better? Is this just because for some odd reason the nutters find me? Have they not read Miss Manners or Emily Posts chapter on the subject?

Just in case you failed to read either section on manners when giving condolences it is not OK to say you are sorry that I lost my only son and then go on to say my grief is not real or important. If I am not important enough to you to make a little positive comment about Eric, then don’t say anything at all.  There is a time and a place for everything. I know I feel very frayed right now. The fabric of my life has a huge hole in it that can not be mended. I have to find a way to reinforce the fabric without losing the essence of Eric. I just need people to be kind to me or ignore me. Trying to make me sit or stand through xx years of your losses is abusive.

I really try to be kind and caring. Right now I have no reserves left. I am exhausted and know that this is normal. It is a good night when I can sleep through the night. It is a good day when I can get some laundry done or do some errands with out needing a long nap afterwords.  I have a new normal to deal with. Please be patient, this is a difficult part of my journey in life. I don’t know when or if I will ever be my old self again or if it’s time to reinvent myself.

I did promise a bit of good day. So here it is.  Three loads of laundry got done. I delivered 29 pairs of socks from this weeks Zenning to Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank along with a bag from Barbara.  I did the dishes in the sink before I left for the day. I even folded laundry. So it was a good day.

Fantastic Zenning

Today was a fantastic Zenning day.  I now have enough in trade credits at Bookman’s to get 2 dozen more pairs of socks for my favorite charity project. Which is fantastic because they need more socks from little kids feet to high school size feet. My Zenning is on a roll.  I did not get much else done today. Unless you count a thee hour nap.  As you know I find the actual act of Zenning exhausting. It’s 9:30 and I am ready to call it a night.

Please consider sending a gift card to the Flowing Wells School District so the staff can fill in what is needed in the clothing bank. Target and Walmart gift cards work out well. Please include a note saying what you want the donation to go to.

Please mail to:
Flowing Wells Schools
Iola Frans Administration Center
Attention Superintendents Office
1556 West Prince Road
Tucson Az 85705-3087

Thank you in advance.

Sheri.

A Failure

Today I did something I rarely do.  I did a holiday craft show.  It was abysmal at best.  The best sellers were teething wash cloths, stitch markers and key rings at fifty cents each.   I was told that this was a high end show. So I spent the week weaving 2 scarfs and making 2 dozen pairs of earrings. The highest priced item to sell was one of John’s spinners, still under $10.00.  I did not even break even.  Please remind of this if I am thinking about doing a show in the future.

A Score

John and I went to Bookman’s today. We traded some of my Zenning  to replace 3 coffee cups that were stolen a while back. This was a hard to find item because they were from my first set of dishes I ever bought way back in the late 1970’s and were removed from the Cornelle line in the mid 1990’s.  I had given up ever replacing them.

We also scored 5 pairs of socks for the clothing bank.  Before bed tonight I refilled the Bookman’s bag.  Truth be told I only zenned for 5 minutes today. I am totally exhausted. My arthritis has kicked in with vengeance like I have not seen in a while. So a 2 1/2 hour nap instead of knitting was needed. I am also going to turn in early tonight. Tomorrow is going to be better.

A Little of This and A Little of That

Today I was all over the place in terms of getting things done.  This morning before lunch I wove about 25 inches more on the scarf I started a few day ago.  I did 4 very small loads of laundry, John and I don’t make much.  I think Eric’s washing machine is missing him.  Yes, we bought it, but Eric claimed it as his own.

Then it was off to knitting.  To help my student start her next block.  A nice lady with questions on a hat.  She did come to the right person. I also got to show a knit front, knit back, knit front in the same stitch for a bobble ( kfbf ). It’s not a stitch that I like but can demonstrate it as necessary.  I am also working on the pattern for 4 of 3 a shawl study.

John took me out for dinner and then we came home. I spent 20 minutes in Eric’s room and filled a bag for Bookman’s and another for Goodwill.  After all that I was to tired to knit or weave tonight.  Well it is almost tomorrow so it’s time to say goodnight.

Errands

Today I got out of the house for some errands. I managed to get to the library to return the equipment on loan from the Library of Congress, Services for the blind and disabled. The librarian knew he was supposed to take them back, but had to research were to send them.  He was really nice.

Then it was off to the Flowing Wells School District main office to drop off the hand knit hats, socks and a few school supplies.  They were very happy to receive everything. All 3 bags full.

Then off to drive across town to drop off a check and check out a venue.  I think the event will be inside.  That’s great because it’s supposed to rain on Sunday. Then I went shopping and headed home. A 9 hour work day left me exhausted. Did I mention that I started making earrings and stitch markers at 6 am and forgot to eat breakfast because I was so busy.

After dinner I got in some weaving time on the new scarf. I even managed to empty a shuttle.  I am almost at the splash of red part.

It’s 10:30 pm and I am so tired that my body is saying go to sleep. I really don’t know how I managed such long hours with Eric. I guess I am a mere mortal now.

In A Rut

I have to admit that I am still having a rough patch right now. Although going away for the Thanksgiving weekend to hang out with Teri and Tej helped a lot. I loved their new couch.  As soon as I sat down I was sleeping. I am sure I needed the sleep as the general comments were that family members have not seen me sleep so much in years.

I am still trying to deep clean the house 5 minutes at a time. I need to do another Bookman’s run. I have a whole lot of errands and all the time in the world, but none of the energy. People tell me that this will take time.

I did get the loom warped tonight..my only plan for the design is to use up the yarn currently on the shuttle’s. I got a little over 3 inches woven tonight. I also got the bead out to make some earrings.

The Enchanted Couch

I have found an enchanted couch. It is fabulous.  I just sit on it and wake up 2 hours later fully refreshed. I tried it twice today. All I can say is that I love it.  Do to my love of the enchanted couch I will not disclose its location.  I don’t want to share it..I don’t want to have to wait in line for it.  The couch is calling to me again and I must go..

A Bathroom Makeover

Eric had chosen the shower  curtains and towels for his bathroom. John and I decided it needed a makeover. So today I found the time and energy to go shopping for a new shower curtain and accessories. I started at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Even though they had a huge selection, nothing appealed to me. So I went to Kohl’s and found the perfect shower curtains and accessories. I was very lucky that every thing I wanted was on sale. So the bathroom redo including towels is less than $80.00. I might try to find a second bath towel later to complete the set. So when John has time he will hang up the curtains, because no one around here wants me on a ladder hanging things up. John is lucky that he can stand on the floor to hang shower curtains. Then I will do the rest and post pictures.

Speaking of tall people.  Have you ever noticed that your designated top person leaves the house just moments before you need something from the high shelf. Sometimes the grabbers are just not the right thing for the job.  

More Zenning or Walking

After dinner I got the brilliant idea that because I needed about 1,200 more step to reach my step goal, I should clean out Eric’s 3 travel bags.  Which lead to a full trash can, 3 bags for Goodwill, more things for Taglit and a small pile of towels for the humane society.  Did I mention the 6th load of laundry for the day? This left me emotionally exhausted, but I did reach my step goal for the day.

I wonder if I can fill one more bag for Goodwill before I drive all over Tucson dropping things off.  I am not sure where the day went, but I should try to get to sleep before to comes in 7 minutes.

The Vulture

I am going to start off by saying that since Eric’s passing we as a family have gotten a huge out pouring of kindness from around the world. To this I am very grateful for everyone taking time out of their busy lives to send a note, give hugs and bringing over food and flowers. I also want to take the time to give a special thanks to those who helped us through the first hours of grief with your visits. I just don’t have the proper words to express how grateful we feel as a family. You are the people who will be shocked by this blog post...

I got a call yesterday and this is boiled down to the basics, not word for word.  You will understand the title of the blog after you read this..I want to Reiterate to those mentioned above that this does not apply to you. The call went something like this as I remember it.

Hi, I am the Vulture ( I can’t remember  her name), I heard your son died. My partners and I want to buy your house. How soon can you be out.

I replied that the house was not for sale.

Really how soon can you be out of the house.  Sorry for the noise I am feeding my dogs.   When are you moving?

I replied not for another 20 or 30 years.

All right I will call back then.

No where in the call did she give the name of the company that she was associated with. Not once did she mention the broker who supervised her.  At no time did she say I am sorry for your loss.  She was single minded in her goal to get us out of the house just 9 days after Eric passed.

This just brings out the angry mom in me.  I have her telephone number and can track her down and find out where she works and let their corporate office know that this is unacceptable behavior.. Then to work with the governors off to make sure other grieving members don’t have to deal with these calls.

Most of all I would like to wish her karma.

A Pleasant Weekend

My younger brother and his wife came out to visit us this weekend. It has been a very nice visit. A little eating,whom am I kidding a lot of eating. Some nice walks. Also some shopping. A visit with the Konecky’s and Mary Gavin. We also picked out gifts for my nieces, they are both great girls so how could I not want to spoil them.

The house is still too quiet. I also did exactly 5 minutes of Zenning.  The old 5 minute rule is great. You would be surprised if you really try.

Eric’s Bed

Most people who have been to Eric’s room or saw pictures of his room since he was 12 always saw a bright cheery room. His bed was always decorated in bright cheery colors.  The guard rails were padded and covered with custom made covers, 5 different sets in all.  There were almost always a few stuffed friends scattered on the bed, except when Eyrpy.   I did this for everyone.  Like it or not hospital beds always look drab. They are designed for easy cleaning and easy of use.  Not for years of home use. That is why I need to show you what his bed looked liked before I went wild at Joann’s Fabrics. No one should have to live with such a drab bed.  Always add as much cheer to all rooms of your homes.

Today the bed left the hose to go to its next job.   I am happy to see the bed go.  It will be going to a family who can not afford to spend money on a bed ,but need one.  

Small steps =  big changes. Yes, I am catching up on laundry. It seems really weird to have to wait a week to have enough laundry to do a load.  I guess that I will be buying less tide.

Why Knitter are Great Friends

Today was spent with a lot of my knitting buddies.  We cried together. I got a lot of healing hugs. We laughed together. We remembered Eric together. We even knit together, although truth be told I personally did not get a lot of knitting done. I was given yarn to help in the healing process.   I mostly tried to be in the moment and take in all the healing energy that surrounded me. Yes, I was very distracted.  I did finish knitting a shawlette that still needs to be blocked.

I also managed to get 2 loads of laundry finished. Read a huge stack of condolence cards. I also need to write thank you notes.  I have started the next bag for Goodwill. When it is full I plan to store it in the van to get it out of the house. Also I will not have to take out a lot of full bags later.   There is so much to do that it seems a bit overwhelming.  I just have to remember that I don’t need to do 3 or 4 things at once now. I just need to do one thing at a time and stay in the moment.

Below is a picture of the shawlette before blocking.  Yes, it was knit with my own hand spun yarn.

Changes

Life after we said goodbye to Eric have been strange and at times overwhelming.  Today would have been Eric’s  birthday.  We would normally wake up early and wake him up with the birthday guy singing happy birthday and then start the day. We would play the birthday song as much as possible during the day and the last time at bedtime.  Today John and I knew we had to play the birthday song.  I finally got the courage about 8:00pm.  We played the song for Eric and cried.

Going out to eat is different too.  We do not have to decide what to eat before we get to the restaurant.   Then order as soon as we sit down. We can actually look at the menu and possibly try something different. There have been times when we look at each other thinking that we have to hurry up and eat so we can take over Eric care.  Then it dawns on us that Eric has said his final goodbye to us.  We take a deep breath and comment on how strange this all is.  Then relax a bit.

Another time I  remembered how I used to knit scarfs while sitting on a rock at the end of the driveway.  Thinking about how much Eric loved to ride the bus with Don, the bus driver. That memory left me smiling for hours.

Also I  don’t know how I managed it but I kept to my eating plan while Eric was in hospice. I managed to exercise and eat right.  Now I am down another size.  I will have a lot of clothing going to Goodwill. I do not have any pants in the next size down and will need to go  shopping.  Thank goodness I have the technology for that. I just need a good body day.

My need to create is slowly coming back. I have a hand knit shawl with hand spun yarn almost finished. I also have a scarf on the loom, that is also halfway done. I hope to work down my back log.

I could have not done any of this without you and you support. So a huge thank you.

Goodbye

 On Friday we said goodbye to our much loved son and brother, Eric. Eric was diagnosed with ML4 at a very young age, but we never let a diagnosis define our son or our family.  Instead we choose to teach Eric and his older sister Teri to embrace life and live it to the fullest.

Living life to the fullest for us meant exploring and enjoying the world, no matter what. And it meant finding things we all could enjoy as a family. It meant exploring museums where Eric could roll around freely without limits. And while he couldn’t always make out the details, Eric always loved being surrounded by the rich colors and sounds.

It meant family trips to Disneyland where Eric loved celebrating his Birthday. Eric loved birthdays so much. But above all else, at Disneyland we could be like any other family and enjoy the rides and deserts together.  Eric especially loved the rides where he could roll right on in his wheelchair. 

Eric also loved food, particularly pancakes.  Eric and his grandpa Al loved going to IHOP for their pancakes.  Grandpa Al would hand us his cane and take charge of Eric’s wheelchair so that they could get the perfect pancake table.

Eric’s favorite place by far though was in the pool, particularly the Hilton hotel in Phoenix because of the pancakes and the lazy river. In the pool Eric could move freely. The warm water always felt good to him, and he always disliked getting out. Actually that was true for both of our children, and John and I had quite the job wrangling both kids unhappily out of the pool. 

However, as hard as we tried, over the years Eric’s world became smaller, and he lost the ability to do more and more things. But he never lost his incredible smile or his innate ability to make the other around him feel better. He even collected tabs for Ronald McDonald house to help out other kids who were sick. We will continue to collect tabs in his memory because he had not yet reached his goal of collecting a million tabs. Tabs can also be dropped off at 2155 East Allen Road in Eric's name. And he was always there for his friends to hold their hands and help them.

Eric was an incredible son and brother, and we all feel so lucky to have had him in our lives. 

If you would like to do something in Eric’s memory, we ask that you consider donating to the ML4 Foundation, the Taglit Special Needs Program at the Tucson JCC or the Ronald MacDonald House. If you can’t donate, please consider just doing something nice for someone else.

A Good Day

This is a good day to get the walkway repaired.  We probably should have done it sooner, but it will be finished today, hopefully.

Filing My Circular Knitting Neddles

This was the mess that had to be filed by size this morning.  Yes, this is the pile of knitting needles that I have used since Teri’s last visit.  I usually drop them in the front of the drawer or on top of the filing box.  I am usually so interested in starting the next knitting project that I don’t always fully put everything back in place.  The job took less than 20 minutes and will not have to be done any time soon.

All my current projects are in bags with patterns, knitting needles, yarn and the kitchen sink.  I wonder if John can 3D print small kitchen sinks?  Just a little more sorting and a few things left to put away.  Then it will be dust, polish and vacuum time.  Then my craft room will become our guest room.

Feeling Better

I am finally feeling better, but will take tomorrow slow.  The cold has left me stiff with that clogged up feeling.  I am hoping a few minutes of late night yoga will help get things loosen up and able to sleep.

I was sick for 3 full days so I expect to be behind for at least 6 days.  As my dad use to say “Don’t worry everything will get done when it was meant to get done and not on your schedule.” I think I will follow his  advice this week.

Please stay safe and try to have a fantastic day.

Still sick

I spent the day trying to sleep off this cold. I got more sleep today than in an average night.  This cold is leaving me a little light headed so I think I will skip driving tomorrow unless I feel 100% better tomorrow.

I did manage to gather some laundry and do one load but that was exhausting today.

To tell you how hard this cold hit I have not picked up my knitting needles or gone through withdrawals from not knitting.  I think that I will try to get more sleep now.

Not Thrilled

Right now I am not thrilled with the person who was out and about with a cold and sore throat.  I would like to say thank you for screwing up our week. It is very rude too leave the house when you are sick.

My personal Public Service Announcement. If you are sick please stay home until you are feeling better.

I can not do my job of taking care of Eric when I am sick, he is a little to fragile for that.  I can not get my errands done either. I am basically in a holding pattern until I feel better.  Eric will also not be able to get mommy hugs and kisses either.

Weird

Of all the weird things to walk away is the remote control to the new bed.  I could have sworn that I left it in the middle of the bed this morning.  This means that I can’t adjust the bed until I find it. I wonder who taught it how to walk?

I just found it hiding under the bed, at 3:30 am.  I guess it needs a remote cozy.  Look for a new pattern soon.

Not 30

I am not 30 anymore.  I can feel it after 4 very bad nights with Eric. Besides being tired my hands feel numb and my skin hurts.  It has some very big downsides not being 30. So tonight I hope Eric sleeps.  Goodnight all.

Knitting

A lot of knitting got done today despite Eric having a bad night last night.  Hopefully a whole lot of knitting will leave the house tomorrow.

Busy is the Word

We have been very busy around here. I have been so tired that I have not had the energy to post much before bed. A lot has been happening and here are a few things of note.

Eric brought in 40 more pounds of soda tabs to the Tucson Ronald McDonald House bringing his life time total (the past 10 years) to 150 pounds. He only has to collect 639 more pounds to make 1,000,000 tabs collected to make it on to the wall of fame.

I have been busy spinning and knitting. a few new patterns are in the pipeline. I have taken the zenning of the house to a whole new level that I thought was not possible for me. I have almost finished filling a giant bag of charity knitting and sewing with some socks added for good measure. It also takes the temptation of using the Bookman's credit for more clutter.

John is graciously bringing loads to Bookman's and Goodwill for me.

I have also been replacing batteries on smoke detectors and remote controls, funny how the work better when the batteries are not dead. . My clothes also seem to have gotten bigger over the summer. So I will have to add shopping to my list.

I am off to do more chores.

Projects 176 to 177

I forgot to add these hand woven scarfs to the last count. 

Projects 166 to 175

I made it to the 175th project of the year.  This batch includes 2 bibs not for Eric and 8 hats for kids in Tucson.  

It’s All About The Tink

Sometimes when designing a new pattern way outside the stitches per inch on a different size knitting needle things can go terribly wrong very quickly.   I am using U.S. size 10 knitting needles on a fingering weight yarn.  I knew my first guesstimate was off so I doubled the amount of stitches that I cast on.  It looked pretty good until tonight. Let’s just sat after knitting 12 rows I know I am way off.  Not wanting to do the math involved tonight it will wait for tomorrow.  Then I will begin again.  I will also have it finished by the Birthday Celebration at Grandmas Spinning Wheel here in Tucson.  Yes, I will be on hand to help you select the perfect yarn for you.

In other news Debra showed me her latest knitting project. She took my Count1-2-3-4 shawl pattern and cast on 81 stitches for a narrower shawl.  Even better she is knitting it in 100% silk yarn in a sports weight.  The drape on the shawl is fantastic.  If you have some spare silk yarn in a sports weight give it a try and post the picture on  Raverly.  P.S. the pattern is on Raverly or your local yarn store.

De Stash

This is today’s de stash project. All these magazines are going to a friend who sells vintage.   A lot are over a decade old, this is vintage in the knitting world where the yarn companies try to bring out new yarn every 3 months.  A lot of them I bought before I knew how much I disliked knitting socks.  Others because I no longer need a pattern to knit hats, blankets  and scarfs.  Some of the styles will not a look good on my older self.  So out they go.  I decided not to count them, but I did put them into a box that I don’t have the lid for.  If I give the box with the Magazine’s does this count as de stash too?

On ward with more deep cleaning.  Zen on.

Weaving Loom Repairs

Why has no one ever told me that I would need 2 - 1/8 inch thick dowels to repair my loom.  Really is it to much for someone to say what supplies I need to keep on hand? Well off to the temptation store tomorrow morning.

We are now taking bets on how many things I actually buy.

More Inches Gone

It is that time of year again. As I am getting ready to change to my fall and winter wardrobe I am finding that some clothes have grown in size over the summer. I really don’t feel any thinner, but my clothes say otherwise.  Of the pants I tried on today 2 out of 3 pairs are now resting half way up my rib cage, in just what seems a very few months they grew too big. Darn I really liked on pair of pants.  So I will be going through my closet and trying on pants, shirts and skirts.  The items that are too big  will be going to Goodwill.  I really hope some of my favorite clothing will fit again.

Then once I have a good idea what I need, I will be scouting out the sale racks to see what I can find. Wish me luck in both shopping and good body days.

Projects 150 to 165

Including 1 scarf  for sale, 2 skeins of yarn for weaving. 3 hats for charity. Lastly 10 bibs for charity.

Project 149

Hat number 56 of 2019.  I almost feel like I am slacking. Some days it is too hectic to get anything done this year.

Projects 147 and 148

Two more charity hats.  I now have 55 hats finished for the year and the next 3 are on the knitting needles.  I just might make 60 hats this year.

6 Inches

I managed to find time to weave 6 more inches tonight on the very special one of a kind shawl for my sister in law.  Here is a small peak.  I know the lighting is not very good at night.  Once the shawl is off the loom and the finishing work is done, it will not be so see through.

146

The next hat.  Hat number 53 of the year.

Projects 134 to 145

The next 11 projects are 11 skeins of hand spun art yarn for my older sister. Hopefully these will leave the house tomorrow.  Unfortunately I did not count the yardage.  Each round on my Knitty noddy is 2 yards long. Since she is an engineer I think that she can handle the math.

Projects 129 to 133

5 hats.  3 for a demo and 2 for charity.

Another Busy Day

It was a busy day around here. I walked almost 9,000 steps without leaving the house.  I finished weaving a scarf tonight,I had just enough yarn to finish it. I wound lots of yarn for plying and still have a pile to go.  I did not manage to even come close to finishing my to do list, but there is always tomorrow.

Eric had a good day and managed to con us in to staying up late.

The picture below is what yarn looks like when the yarn goblins invade.

You. Can’t Have It All

It was another lazy summer day here in the Old Pueblo. I slept in late.  Did a few loads of laundry and other chores. I did not have the energy to do all the knitting, weaving or spinning that I wanted too, but the house looks cleaner.

The Next Challenge

My next Spinning and knitting challenge is to take these 2 tubs of lace and fingering weight yarns and reaping them to make a worsted weight yarn for charity hat and scarf knitting, and scarf weaving. There was a phase in my knitting where I actually thought I could find the perfect time to knit lace work.  After adding bits of lace to some projects I found that lace knitting was not fun and not for me.   To compound the problem well meaning friends gave me a lot of wool to knit with.  I just don’t knit with those weights of yarn.  

So the first part of the challenge will be to sort the yarn between super wash and non super wash wool.  The super wash wool will be plyed to make charity hats and scarfs.  The non super wash will be plyed to make woven scarfs.  The reason for this is that when a scarf is woven and washed there is a certain amount of shrinkage that goes along with the finishing process.  So I don’t have to worry that it will shrink. The shrinkage would be a major problem with hand knit hats and scarfs.  

The first photo is how the yarn will look like after it is replyed the second picture is the first stage of the challenge. Once this is finished I will move to odd balls of dk weight yarns. If you are a spinner and want to learn how to do this and just happen to live or visit the Tucson area just call Grandmas Spinning Wheel to schedule a class. I can schedule a class with anywhere from 1 to 5 students.  If your spinning group or guild would like to learn just contact me.   It is a great stash buster.  I even make art yarns with plying.

Bits and Pieces

I came up short on steps by 2020 steps. I think I will let it go today. My nap was more important than walking.

I started my sister-in-laws shawl. I finished the warping and got the first 5 inches woven.  The picture is earlier in the weave before the color change.  I am using the 24”wide loom which is harder to weave on than the 15 inch wide loom.

My Favorite Hat of the Day

This is my favorite hat that I finished today.  I hope it is well loved.

Small Steps

I make some progress today. I finished 2 bibs and 1 hat for charity today.  I am still tired and frazzled.  Eric is done with the current round of extra medicine so I get to sleep tonight with out setting an alarm to wake up and give the every 6 hours dose. Since Eric is asleep I am turning in too.  

Getting Back InSync

I have been a little out of sync this past month.  I am trying very hard to adjust to my new normal. I am trying very hard to play catch up.  I have managed to finish knitting  a hat and scarf in the past 2 days. I am knitting up a new sample for a pattern and editing it as I go along.  Hopefully it will be camera ready soon.

Tomorrow I hope to tackle a pile of sewing projects.  I figure the more I get done the closer I will be to getting back in sync. Also the more charity work will be leaving the house next month. . Wish me luck in this endeavor.

A Rest Day

i took a much needed rest day and kept the chores light.  I even found some mindless knitting to do.

Weaving and more

I have decided that I like highly engerized hand spun singles for weaving scarfs. It makes a nice light scarf with a lot of body.  After I am done spinning up a custom spinning order of art yarn, the rest of my Tour de Fleece 2019 will be some highly engerized yarn.

I am still tired from yesterday, I think I need more than 2 hours of sleep to have a jammed packed day.  After all I can honestly say that I am not 30 anymore and have to make adjustments to my life. Whom ever said that you need less sleep as you get older was wrong.  With that in mind I am calling it an early night.

Super Powers

We all have super powers. Each and everyone of us.  We all don’t have x-ray vision like Superman.  Can I give a collective thank goodness for that. Stopping a speeding train or lifting up a bus, who really needs that? What most people don’t realize is it’s the small things in life that make us superheroes.  Giving a friend a hug when they need it is an awesome superpower. Opening a door for someone pushing a stroller or for someone in a wheelchair, again an awesome superpower. Wishing someone a good day is an awesome superpower.

Today my awesome superpower was repairing Eric’s Wheelchair.  Some how the crossbar had come loose.  So before I ran off to Ace Hardware I did a bit of trouble shooting at home.  It turned out that a screw had come loose and only needed to be tightened.  This involved turning the chair on its side. Pushing the lower half of the chair up to meet the connection while lining up the screw. I took the Allen wrench otherwise known as the Hex Key to tighten down the screw.  Yes, it is as hard as It sounds. As long as the chair was on its side I took off the rear wheels, cleaned and oiled the axles.  I then sent the chair off to be cleaned.

So my superpower today is Wheelchair repairs.  It took me all of 15 minutes and Nick 20 minutes to clean the chair. I would like our health insurance company to know that we saved them an awful lot of money today.  I did not even charge for a home based Wheelchair repair service.

So I would like to know what your superpower is.

Stress Management

If you read my blog on a regular basis you might have noticed that I am doing a lot of cleaning and Zenning lately.  My inner circle knows what all the stress is about.  For right now that is what I am comfortable with.  I am stressed to the point that my creativity has dried up, so new patterns will be on hold for a while. I still need to keep busy.

So I have been turning the house upside down. Digging into the back of closets. Trying to be realistic with my cleaning.  I am never going to get back into my pre kids clothing, so to Goodwill the clothing went.  The Tupperware that was being stored in the garage went to a friends daughter. I have been dropping of delivery’s to Goodwill at least once a week.  If a magazine is a few weeks old it will go to Eric’s day program for the young adults.  Today’s results are 3 empty boxes of paper that at one point I had no time to look through.  I filled the recycling bin to the top this week.

I have also been doing a lot of walking.  My daily goal is 8,080 steps a day.  Most days I leave that number in the dust.  It seems to be helpful.  The only hiccup has been my Knitter’s elbow.  Right now it is one week without knitting, my elbow is better but not good enough to start knitting again.
I hope that it is better soon as I have a hard time finding  the right time to warp the loom.

More Deep Cleaning

I got my Zenning done before breakfast. I now have another rag tag group of bags to go to Goodwill. Teri and I will never be able to fit into them again.  Teri, because she has almost 6 inches on me. Me because I will never be my high school size ever again.  The 1970 and 80’s are long gone. If by chance I do get back to that size they are not classics that stand up to the test of time. Although I am sure some  rebellious teenager will buy them just to drive their parents crazy.

The best part of this is that I have freed up enough hangers so I will not have to ask the sales clerks for hangers for quite a while. I wonder if I will be able to part with more before my next Goodwill run?

Weaving

I have started a new weaving project on my small loom.  This is so I have a portable project to take with me.   I am letting my elbow rest so that my knitting elbow will heal faster. I am using left over Anne yarn from a yet to be published pattern for the warp.  I am using a single spun during last years Tour de Fleece for the weft.  Even though the weft is lace weight yarn I do believe that this will weave up fast.

Since it will be over 105f all weekend we will be keeping Eric home.  He gets to supervise all my projects this weekend. This weekend I will have John cut some warping sticks down to size for my larger loom and warp the shawl for my sister in law.  It will be a purple shawl with as many purples as I can add.  The bonus to the higher temperatures is that everything will dry fast.  

Here is the start of the scarf.

Extreme Zenning

For the last two days I have been in the extreme zenning mode. Yesterday it was a closet. I have filled three bags of clothes that will be going to Goodwill. There is actually room in my closet now, not much but a little more. Unless I find the time to ride about 100 miles a week on my now nonexistent bike.  Swim laps for 90 minutes a day, six days a week and rock climbing a few days a week these cloths will never ever fit again. I am sure that some very skinny person will love these retro clothes.  As mom to Eric that level of fitness is never going to happen.  I am lucky on most days to walk 8,000 to 10,000 steps, just a small fraction of the steps my younger self took. As a grownup, I do not have as much time as my teenage self to get all that movement in every day.  

The Zenning continued today with old paper work that no longer needs to occupy space in my closet. Eight bags of shredded papers from the 2010’s  made their way into the recycling bin.  I managed to fill it up half way.  We have a 90 gallon bin.  I need to save the rest of the bin for every day recycling. As a bonus I found enough none expired coupons for a free case of diapers.  This has inspired John to find more old papers for me to shred.  

Even though I took most of the day off from knitting to let my knitting elbow rest, the rest of the world knows this as tennis elbow. Let it be known that I no longer play tennis so , therefore I can not possibly have tennis elbow.  I have decided that I must start finishing projects other than hats, which seem to fly of my knitting needles. I am really great at starting projects. Not so much with finishing.   Speaking of knitting needles, I might give some more away to a young mother who home schools her kids and teaches knitting to the next generation.  More space. I need more empty space in my closet. 

Well it is getting late and I need to try to rest, ahem I mean sleep.  

Projects 129 to 134

This weeks projects include 6 hats for the Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank. Two are super wash wool and four are a soft cotton.

Knitting

I had a day of knitting. Two hats were finished and  considerable  Progress was made on two more. Pictures to follow when I have better lighting. It’s a little dark for using natural light.

I did a lot of walking to reduce my stress and ended the day with 14,896 steps which is about 4.68 miles. Noe to call it a day.

Me Time

I am not quite sure why but lately me time involves a 2 to 3 hour nap.  Which in turn messes up my plans for the day.  Although I have to admit that I feel a whole lot better after the nap.  I still did manage to get to 2 grocery stores and get most of the house restocked.  I even managed to find a turkey breast to cook for dinner.  The leftovers will be tomorrow nights dinner.  A turkey salad with pecans, celery and cherries served over a nice salad.

I did not manage to catch up on the laundry. My prediction for this weekend will be knee high.

I even managed to finish knitting a hat and cast on the next.  For the bonus points I emptied a knitting bag.  Tinked two half finished wash cloths. I do not need any more wash cloths, I have a few dozen in a storage tub if anyone needs some.  The yarn went into the hat bag. The extra knitting bag now very empty went into my closet.  The knitting needles will be put away tomorrow.

John and I started binge watching Highlander tonight.  We got through season 1 episodes 1 & 2.  So far it is fabulous.  I am wondering if some of the actors were also in The Game Of Thrones?   The  scenery is wonderful too.  I like all the costumes.

Eric spent most of his day sleeping.  That about sums up today with the exception of steps. I got over 12,000 today.  I am trying to  exercise away the stress.

Family Time

We had a great weekend with Simiglen of Instagram fame and his family.   Yes, my younger brother is great barbecue chef.  If enough people ask him, I bet we could get his secrets for a perfect steak and fresh grilled salmon.  By the way he is just as good with grilling vegetables.

I was able to give his kids new water bottles to help their quest for a better future for our planet. I was a little disappointed that we were not able to find Tucson sweat shirts, just because we have summer temperatures in the 100’s  does not mean that visitors don’t want to bring home a sweat shirt.  Oh well, I will just have to look for them and mail them.

Eric did enjoy the company but did a lot of sleeping.

Projects 121 to 128

The next seven projects include 5 hats and 2 scarfs.  I hat snuck out of the house without a picture being taken.  I bet you did not know that hats could be camera shy.  These remaining hats and scarfs are headed to The Flowing Wells School District Clothing Bank.

Find My IPhone

I lost my iPhone earlier this evening.  I used the iOS app Find my iPhone.  It found the section of the house down to a few feet, that is really fantastic. The app find my iPhone has one major flaw as far as I am concerned, it will not tell me if my iPhone is under a pile of yarn.  Really, I know that there are a lot of great software engineers out there.  Can’t one of you write a program that will find an iPhone under yarn or in the case of younger parents in the kids toys.  I am sure that they all know people who lose their phones in purses or briefcases too.

As you can tell it has been another long day at Casa Karobonik.  I am hoping that the leg/foot massager will work a miracle tonight.  I also pray that we have no headache inducing pressure changes tonight. I also pray that Eric has a peaceful and restful night. This is not happening so far. Here I sit in Eric’s room waiting to give the second half of The Tylenol.  Send Justin’s cashew and peanut butter cups in dark chocolate please.

Now to get in some knitting while I wait.

Crazy Busy

It has been crazy busy around here lately. Today was the first day in almost a week that I could knit. I have been spending my knitting down time plying very thin yarn into a heavyweight yarn to knit with. I tend to get a lot of bits and pieces of lace and sock weight yarn that I am given for hats. I generally prefer to knit charity hats on larger sized knitting needles.  So I ply the yarn on bad hand days. 

I have also been Zenning more and Teri helped for a few hours last weekend. Sadly the space she made is almost filled. It has been a long day. So night all. 

More Spring Cleaning

I spent the day spring cleaning with an emphasis on going through everything and getting rid of what I don’t need.  This included going through the fridge and freezer and having one of Eric’s aides taking home all the high carbohydrate foods that would get me in trouble.

The craft room is now clean , dusted and vacuumed. Although at times like this I am jealous of the author Stephen King, because he has a dedicated work space and can close the door when company comes over.

I found something interesting about my new Fitbit Inspire HR model.   When I am cleaning and madly dashing around the house it thinks that I am running.  I did not know that I walked that fast.  It also did something totally unexpected.  It buzzed me and told me to take a rest. I took this to mean that my Fitbit wanted me to knit.  Why it just did not say it’s time to knit, oh well.  I also found that the larger band fit my wrist better.  I do have to admit that about 10,000 of the 12,000 steps taken today were with out leaving the house.  I did manage to get out for a walk around the block after dinner.

It’s time to call it a night.

119 and 120

I have spun 1 skein of mohair and silk yarn and knit the 30th hat of the year.

Projects 109 to 118

The next nine projects include 6 charity hats and 3 skeins of yarn that I am keeping.

Busier Than Usual

I spent my day recovering from a whirlwind day yesterday. I had one meeting all about Eric, which left me exhausted.  Eric’s aide had an early appointment so he had to leave early.  I missed seeing my Friday friends.

So today was spent spring cleaning. Guess what I found out today? John loves getting rind of bags of junk and will even carry it to the recycle bin.  John also volunteered to drive to Goodwill when I fill up my boxes. I also managed a 2 1/2 hour nap. Did some spot decluttering in Eric’s room. I just have 3 major areas to finish tomorrow.  As long as I sleep tonight that should be possible.

I also finished a visit from my older sister today.  Maybe a little less very rich food will help me feel better. Some how with my family it’s always over sized meals and not enough walking.

At this point it’s hard to call it an early night.  But if Eric let’s me I get to sleep in tomorrow.

The End of May 2019

My day started off at full speed ahead this morning. I had 2 loads of laundry finished before breakfast.  I had all the laundry for the day done by 10am.  Some how Eric hijacked my day. All forward progress came to an immediate halt.

I felt with my frustration by going to the grocery store and wondering the aisles looking for low carb treats. vegan doughnuts came to mind but at 65 carbs per doughnut it was a no go. I don’t even want to think about how many carbs a scone has, but I am guessing more than a doughnut. My treat landed up being a couple of pieces of fresh fruit and a hot lunch that I did not have to cook.

My timing was so bad I missed an opportunity to get out of the house to knit.  I did manage to get dinner with my sister tonight. We knit after dinner.

I did manage to get a little more cleaning done before Eric decided that the afternoon was all about him.  I am a bit tired and way behind, but there is always tomorrow.

Spring Cleaning

Now that everyone is feeling better and 2 rooms of carpets are clean, spring cleaning shall go forward in earnest tomorrow. My goal is to have the craft room finished by Saturday afternoon.  I will also be  decluttering counters and polishing cabinets. The floor boards are also over due for polishing.  My expectation is that I want to be finished by Wednesday.  I, of course will leave the windows to John.  Wish me luck.

Eric is back on formula tonight.  So this makes me very happy. I have a busy day tomorrow so it’s time to call it a night.

Exhaustion

Exhaustion has set in. Eric is almost over P, but to do that we have a medicine that is given every 6 hours. That with extra suctioning and laundry on top of being sick and getting over a very bad cold.  Yes, the one that gave Eric P.  Today I slept through knitting with friends. I layed down for 20 minutes and woke up 2 1/2/hours later.

To unwind tonight,I spent 2 hours spinning. I finished a small bobbin for teaching plying. Then there was a 4 ounce blend of silk and mohair, it is in the sink ready to be washed. I also got the second plying spin on some lace weight yarn that I was given to make hats with.  In my very humble opinion it turned out gorgeous. If I can leave Eric’s room tonight, I will take a picture. See below., the lace weight was first Z plyed and finished off with an S ply.  Next it will get a hot bath to set the twist.

Now I am just waiting for Eric to settle in for the night. I have already filled the suction machine a 1/3 of the way up.  John emptied it before he went to sleep.  At this rate it will need to be emptied soon. Also the later I stay up, I get hungry.

Taking It Slow

This morning the laundry room was knee high. Still being in the recovery mode, I choose to take  it slow.  Of course Eric’s laundry came first, he had 2 overflowing baskets.  I still can’t figure out how he makes so much laundry all by himself.  Then since it was Sunday, I washed the sheets, just because they take up so much space when they are dirty. This still leaves 3 loads of laundry for tomorrow,if Eric does not make any more tonight. The truth is he has already made a good start at filling his basket.

Most of the day was spent resting.  I would do 15 to 20 minutes of work then rest. It seems the older I get it takes me longer to recover. Tomorrow will be spent resting and doing a little spinning research. I think that Eric has settled down for now so I will take this as my cue to get more rest.

I will leave you with a little yarn porn tonight. I don’t think I could have gotten much more yarn on this bobbin. The spinning wheel is a Louet Victoria on the art bobbin. It went slightly over the edge.

Feeling Better

Tonight I finally started to feel better.  After a few days of napping and being a couch potato I really wanted to spin tonight. Since I was not up to much, I plyed some sock yarn to make it more suitable for charity hat knitting.

Eric and John are feeling better too. We fell line dominoes with this cold, first Eric, then John and because I was exhausted I got it too.  I hope to have my voice back soon, right now it is very spotty. Some times I have it and sometimes it is gone.  Although I think we will be staying home until our regularly scheduled activities next week.

I expected the laundry to be knee high tomorrow.  I do not intend to get caught up for a few days.  We will e on minimum work and maximum rest for a few more days.

Projects 101 to 108

The next 7 charity hats.

The Sick House

I am not sure whom shared with whom. Even if we have the same bug.  All I know is that we are all sick. It got bad today because I am sick.  We usually can manage if I don’t get sick.  I am not sure which is worse for me, being dizzy or sleeping almost all day and still being exhausted.  We are calling it an early night although I still have to get up twice to give Eric medicine.

Beware While Driving - Staged Accidents

Please be aware that a new/old scam has hit the streets again.  This has happened to me twice this week. It happens every so often. The cars are usually full of passengers, all the seats are full. They like to dart from parking lots or side streets without regards to traffic conditions.   Usually a driver will cut you off and come to a dead stop even when the traffic ahead of them is moving.   These cars usually have rear end damage already. They seem to get really angry when I did not hit them as they had planned. Yes they did flip me off.  This is dangerous for the entire community.  

Their  goal seems to be to get hit so they can soak you and your insurance company for everything that they can get.  They usually work with an  unscrupulous medical clinic and lawyer.  If this happens to you please call 911 or the emergency number in your area.  The only way to stop this scam is to get the lawyers  sanctioned  and the clinic operators charged. 

Be sure to take lots of pictures of both the car and all the people in the car.  Sometimes if there is not enough damage to the car or the people. In this case they rough up the people to make the injuries look worse and  crash the car again to make the damage worse.  If you have good pictures of both the cars and the people in the car, your insurance company will  handed the accident over for prosecution.

I avoided hitting both cars and with the grace of G’d I did not get rear ended.  Both the brick and I are fine. For those that do not know me well, I call my car the brick, because it looks a like brick and is as aerodynamic as a brick. 

Please drive defensively.   

The ISP

After being up with Eric a lot last night the last thing I wanted to do was prepare for Eric’s ISP which is short for an individual service plan.  Better understood by parents as the  quarterly we want to annoy you and tell you how you are not living up to some silly  bureaucrats idea of how we should be living our lives and that our kids are not making enough progress. Can you tell how much I hate the process? Every few years they decided to revise what they want and this was the year.  So instead of taking a much needed nap, I went through 42 pages of regurgitate questions.  Before I even got there to look through the questions, while eating breakfast, I was the very annoyed recipient of 16 robo calls in 32 minutes. I do not pick up calls when I don’t recognize the name and instead let it go to voicemail.  Yes, all 16 calls during breakfast went to voicemail and did not leave a message.   This did not make for a calm start to my day.

I did manage to make a good friend very happy with a box of gluten free cupcakes and a half a loaf of bread.  I also introduced her to goat cheese sandwiches.

With all that was going on today, I forgot about my step count and had to walk 5,000 steps after dinner to meet my daily goal. Well Eric is asleep so wish me luck tonight. I hope I get a full nights sleep tonight.

Bits and pieces

Today was all about making a lot of progress on many different projects and completing none. With any luck Eric will sleep tonight and I will have energy tomorrow.

Zenning and gifting

I was able to zen the house and gift all at the same time, awesome right!  I gave a younger mother of 4 my electric carder.  I gave her daughter a Spinning Wheel that mother and daughter can work on together. I know the Wheel is going to a good home and will be loved.  I also gave a few bags a fiber to go along with the carder and spinning wheel.  My daughter would not be surprised at my request as part of the young spinners commitment to the Spinning Wheel was to learn about the new to her Wheel and do a few minor repairs. This should help keep her busy over summer.

I got the benefit of 3/4 of an empty shelf in my craft room and more room in the garage.  The guys seem very happy too.   I got all this done despite my flare up and sleeping for 3 hours after dropping Eric and staff appreciation treats dropped off.  My gifts from Mothers Day. Well it is time to call it a night.

Project Number 101

Project 101 is a hat. The 16th hat I have knit this year. 14 of the hats have gone to my favorite charity project. Yes, the next hat has been cast on.

Eric has been giving me very little sleep.  I really hope that he sleeps tonight.  I am so tired that my skin hurts. So I close with a picture of project number 101.

My Watch

My watch started losing time today. It was behind a whole  half hour by pick up time today.  So I did some research tonight. I learned that crystal quartz watches need a near constant temperature to function properly. The human  wrist is almost perfect. There was a cool equation on Wikipedia that I understood most of it, yes I am just as shocked as you.  So I reset my watch and put it on. It has not lost time since I put it on.  

I think I will have to add back one on the links that I took off 11 years ago when I got the watch or just get a new band. I think I keep taking it off because my wrist is a bit larger than it was 11 years ago.  Imagine  that. 

Apparently my watch needs more Sheri time to.  I think I need a sign up list for who needs my time.  

What to Do With Lace Weight Yarn

For those of you who know me well, you know that after 20 years of knitting I still don’t have time to knit lace or socks. This should read that I usually need mindless knitting.  So I decided to ply my lace and sock weights yarns into yarn for charity hats. 

An elegant solution to having too much lace weight yarn.  I took 2 skeins of lace weight yarn and did the 1st spin in an S ply. It was still to thin to knit hats with. So I wound the yarn into a cake and Z plied from both the inside and outside together. Tomorrow I will skein it and give it a hot bath to set the twist then track and hang dry. Below is a nicely balanced 4 ply yarn. The sock yarn will only need to be plied once. 

Normally I do my plying on my Louet S15, but in this case I used my Louet Victoria for the second round of plying because it was easier on my right leg.  The S15 is a single treadle Wheel, while the Victoria is a double treadle Wheel.

Project 100

Another charity hat.  Project 100.  Off to do more knitting.