The Shawl That Grew in the Closet

 It may not seem like it at times that I am making progress.  In 2009 I started making changes to my diet and lifestyle.  I cut out aspartame and all artificial sweeteners. As time went on I made more changes like cutting back on sugar and carbs.  Recently I cut out red meat and most fats. I also started moving more.  The more I move, the more I lost and the more I moved.  It’s a very slow cycle.  I was trying to to do anything to make my arthritis better. I did a lot of reading.  I was not even trying to lose any weight.  At about the same time I knit this shawl in the largest size.  It barely fit. I used a small knot to hold it in place.  I was a size 4X at the time.  

Fast forward to September 2021, I am no longer a 4X.  Depending on the designer I wear any size from medium to XL. I am on a lot less medication and don’t have to take aspirin all the time. This was my main goal.  Everything else was just a bonus.  The shawl that just fit, well just look at the way the shawl fits today. It’s down at my hips.   I know that my face is a bit square today, that’s what my Sjogren’s  looks like during a flare up. So no smiles today.  

My First Webinar

 I went to my first webinar today.  The first 2 hours were great. I learned so much.  The 3rd hour was all scientific stuff way beyond my level of comprehension.  I am sure that this stuff was for the medical professionals and the scientists that were on line. The 4th hour was all about raising a special needs child along with 504’s and IEP’s, which was been there done that for me.  I have not had to do an IEP in over a decade.  I have to admit I did a little knitting during the last 2 hours of the webinar. I have to finish the current top before the next one is started. I have about 12 inches of the 21 that I need to knit before the shoulders.

I did get up and move around. John brought my Cubii2 and spinning chair in so I could get my morning workout done.  Which was a fantastic.  After sitting for 4 hours all I was up to was covering my back with ice and not moving until the pain went away.  I was to sore to do my evening workout.  

Dinner was great, we had filet of leftovers.  No cooking involved.  

A Typical Bad Body Day

 I had a very bad body day today.  It took about 3 1/2 hours to get semi functional this morning.  I really hate that. A scattering of chores were started , then just as quickly not finished.  Small bits of headway were made.  Things seem to be slipping out of my hands with regularity lately which makes more work for John.  I am truly sorry about that.  I guess I will have to figure that one out soon.  

The good news for today is that for a couple of chores, more made it to the trash or recycling bin than stayed.  I got a few rows knit on the hat I am working on and about 4 inches done on the scarf.  I am really trying not to over use my hands.  

On the Cubii2 front I found that as much as I love Neil Diamonds music, it just does not get me up to the pace I need for fat burn or cardio workouts.  Although it was perfect for my one workout today.  Sometimes my body and mind do not always agree on the same things.  

Taking Bets

 I started a new summer hand knit t-shirt in cotton a few months back.  When I started the t-shirt I took my measurements and started knitting to my then current size.  Even though I had the measurements perfect when I started the t-shirt appears to be growing.  It matches the first half exactly.   Will it fit or will it be too big.  If it’s too big shall I steek it or should I make someone else very happy? These questions will be answered soon.  I am almost done with the second half.  Then will block both half’s stacked so they are perfect. Then the sewing will commence.  

I have had this problem since 2009 when I started adjusting my diet.  The scale is steady for now, however the inches are departing. Even faster with the Cubii2.    What do you think will happen?

Risky People

 It seems to be becoming a very bad habit. After a mad dash through the grocery store. Yes today we masked up and went to Trader Joe’s.  I was like a crazy lady dashing around the store filling my arms with what we needed. Finding John and the cart and dashing off again.  We got stuff for dinner and a few extras.  I did however in the mad dashes forget the dates.  Oh, well there is always the next time  

My reason may sound as flaky as a croissant.  There is this thing that is happening in Tucson and as I tend to be a magnet for the crazy people, it happens to me often.  Unmasked and most likely unvaccinated come up to people wearing masks and tend to get as close as possible without knocking us down or shoving us.  I really, really hate this.  I really don’t know who raised this selfish, ill mannered people, but this has really got to stop.  Don’t they know after a year what a safe distance is. I find it hard enough to leave the house on a good day.  No, I don’t have a fear of being outside.  I have a fear of getting sick.  Yes, and please stop trying  explain to to me what an autoimmune disease is.  I think I get the picture on that one.  

Most of the time after the stuff is put away I tend to crash into a solid 2 to 3 hours of sleep.  Stress makes me tired.  I could have done so many things.  I hear it’s not going to get better any time soon the county health department said that vaccine rate for first shots has slowed to a dribble. With the stanch Opposition to both the masks and vaccines it is going to be a long road to recovery, not months but maybe years.  

I feel we should do what parts of Europe are doing. No vaccine equals no dining out, no theater, no travel, no in person shopping and the list goes on.  The only exception to the rule are medical requiring a doctors signature and paperwork to back that up. No religious, political party affiliation, or hair brained excuses. We have to work together as a world to solve this.  Please be part of the solution.  

Life with Sjorgrins

 I am a little shocked that none of my older friends have had a 3rd dose of the COVID19 vaccine yet. Nor are they currently eligible.  I really feel like the odd woman out. My goal is to be as healthy and active as possible. To push the limits where ever possible.  I know it’s not always possible.  Just the fact that it was recommended makes me feel a bit fragile. I really don’t like to feel weak in anyway.  “I am woman, hear me roar”.

Yet here I sit at the kitchen table after midnight waiting for the aspirin to kick in. I know I should have taken it with dinner, but I wasn’t in any pain then.  My left shoulder is sore, the one I got the vaccine in.  All the while thinking as long as I am up I should be cleaning.  My other inclination is to go knit, but it’s past bedtime.  But what I really want the most is to be in bed sleeping.  I am starting to get sleepy so it is off to bed with me. I still hurt but the pain is getting duller.  

P.S. I did manage to get in 2 30 minute workouts today. 

My COVID19 Booster and more.

 I woke up at 4 am with an achy body.  My arm was to be expected. What I did not expect was achy joints in not arthritis pain.  The headache seemed to comeback too.  So I went to my comfort drink, chai with vanilla soy milk hot.  I added a few Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers and a few Deglet Dates, I figured this was a better choice than going after junk food.  When the pain goes away I will go back to sleep.

After breakfast I went back to bed with a heating pad   I was achy and miserable most of the day. I spent most of the day sleeping or out of it. I was not that hungry.  Although after dinner it was like a switch turned of and I was feeling better.  I was also hungry so that meant we had our nightly popcorn early. 

I did manage to get 2 15 minute workouts done on Cubiio2.  I also put the tension back down to 2.  Tomorrow will be better. 

In knitting news I am beginning to wonder if by the time I get the summer hand knit tank top finished if it’s going to be too big because of all the inches that I am losing.  If so, someone is going to get a nice top.  No I will not make it again.  I think I will blame the pattern for not anticipating my loss of inches.  As a knit ware designer this sounds very reasonable to me.  Just don’t expect it in my patterns.   

Well I have a day of catching up to do tomorrow.  So it’s time to call it a night. 

Lifting Weights and A Booster

 Yesterday I lifted weights for the first time in like forever.  I kept it reasonable at 2 pounds for each weight. I kept the workout short, under 10 minutes.  With only one rep of 10 for four upper body workout exercises. Then why in heavens has my body taken this opportunity to wake me up at 3 am to yell at me?  Every muscle in my rib cage is screaming out in pain? I have taken aspirin and am waiting for it to kick in. Then I will go back to sleep. 

I did not get much of a sleep in.  I had to get up to go get my COVID19 booster shot.  All you have to have is one of a long list of illness or a stupid autoimmune disease.  Lucky me.  I did not really feel anything until just before bedtime when my arm got sore and my head started hurting. I think my laundry folding binge and knitting helped keep my arm moving. Aspirin has been taken and it should kick in in a few minutes.  Just because I got my booster shot does not mean I can spend time at the mall or do a leisurely shopping trip to the grocery store.  It’s dash in and out   Also order shelf stable items for home delivery. Also go very early. I am still staying home most of the time.

I fell short on using my Cubiio2.  I did not do my morning 30 minutes because of the booster shot.  By the time I got to my first session it was well after 3pm.  I did not have time to recover from the afternoon workout in time to do a 7 pm workout.  I was also a little bit sleepy. I promise I will only do 2 workouts tomorrow.  I won’t over do.   

More laundry tomorrow and maybe some crafting, or if it’s a bad night sleeping.  

Sleep

 I think my Cubiio2 has an added benefit of me sleeping through the night.  That is leading to a reduced level of pain.  I knit today for almost an hour with no pain.  So all in all a great day.  

10,000 Plus Steps.

 For the 3 rd time this month I got more than 10,000 steps.  With very few exceptions I have done 2 - 30 minute workouts on my Cubiio2 every day.  Plus additional walking. 

I did not post during the first have of the holidays because I was having a hard time.  I found out that I am part of the group that will need a third COVID19 vaccine because of health issues with one of the forms of arthritis that I have.  I am not able to gather in large groups and need to wear my mask in public. That lead to some very down days.  

Knitting is still iffy.  I still have to talk to the doctor, but want to get the 3rd vaccine first.  My hand is doing better with rest but still troublesome.  

And life goes on. Que Serra Serra..What will be will be.  

A Warped Warp

 There are times I can tell a weaving project is a no go.  What I mean by this is that there is a structural problem with the warp.  I have been making scrappy scarfs with odds and ends.  Yes after 22 years of knitting and spinning, I have lots of odds snd ends.  If paired right these odds and ends make fabulous one of a kind scarfs.  They in turn are used as holiday presents for kids who go to the clothing bank I support.  

This scarf turned into a problem child.  I suspect that one of the 100% cotton warp yarns was mislabeled.  My personal guess is it was a cotton rayon blend.  Rayon does not hold up to the tension I put on the yarn when adjusting the loom after each section is finished.  I started having tension problems with the right 1/3 of the warp.  Most of the time it is a little hiccup that disappears in a few inches.  This just kept getting worse. This just seemed to be getting worse. I could have just cut out the bad part, then pulling out the bad warp yarn and put new yarn on. That’s a lot of work so I just cut it off the loom. Dumped the scraps into the next dog pillow.  Then I will start a new warp for the next scarf.  Sometimes a clean slate so to speak is the best solution.  

10,000 Plus Steps Again

 Despite waking up to a bad body day, things went as smoothly as could be expected.  I fought with my body all day long.  I still managed to get laundry done, go through my craft books to decide which books need to go, I had some duplicates too.  When I got to tired to move I had an 18 inch pile of books to go. I Will try to get them listed tomorrow. I managed to get the 12 inch pile of new knitting books off my dresser too.  I also started organizing the books.  That will take more time.  I will probably destash more books through this process. 

We went out to lunch today.  Then shopping at Bryn Walkers 70% off sale.  If you have not tried their clothing line everything is made for comfort and made in The U.S.A.   So I go 2 pair of pants in a smaller size, 1 skirt, 1 top and 1 jacket for less than $200.  I love a good Ganga.  

I said I was going to save my knitting for after dinner. Boy did that backfire on me.  By the time I was ready to knit and watch television, my hands were to tired to move.  Well there is always tomorrow.  

10,000 Plus Steps Today

 Today I accomplished something that I have not done since way before my surgery in December.  Between walking and using the Cubii2 I recorded over 10,000 steps today.  I am too tired tonight to explain the math formula. Tomorrow I will include it.  

I also knit for the first time in weeks today.  To be honest though I ripped out most of the back because I found a big boo boo. Then I managed to knit back an inch.  I did not push it.  I also knit very slowly. The funny thing is that when I knit slowly I am prone to make more mistakes.  Go figure.  My hands don’t feel to bad. Only a smidgen of uncomfortable.  I will know more in the morning. 

Day 2

 Today is day 2 on my Cubii2.  I have what I think will be a good routine.  I am trying to do 30 minutes in the morning and evening.  I have noticed that it is easier after dinner.  I have also linked the Cubii2 to my Fitbit.  With the data, I find that as long as the music is upbeat and at least a 4/4 beat or some piano rag the 30 minutes fly by.  I think I will have to add more piano rag to my music play list.  I can easily get into the fat burning range easier than walking, and it does not hurt my back.   I added 3,445 steps using the Cubii2 that I would not have gotten otherwise. I also burned 151.51 calories.  

Then there was the usual stuff.  Laundry and shopping for dinner stuff.  I got some chores done.  My mind wanted to do more cleaning.  My body said it was rest time.  My body won.  I guess the rest helped. I was able to lift the Le Creuset 7 quart casserole pan into the oven by myself.  It was the first time in about a month.  I will take any small victory.  It’s time to call it for the day.  

Something New and Exciting

 Some times it takes a while to buy something new for the house. Yesterday’s delivery was case in point.  I saw the Cubii when the first version was released.  I read reviews. I went back and forth. I bet you thought that John was the only one that did this.  Fast forward to yesterday.  The Cubii2 was delivered. With all the boxes it came in we thought it was going to be huge.  No, we just played the box game.  You know the one. You open the first box only to find another box, only to find another box.  Just like Russian Nesting Dolls.  John assembled it while I read all the paperwork.  Then we put it on the charger for 6 hours.  

This morning despite waking up with a headache, I spent 18 minutes working out after breakfast.  The first workout  was not bad, but some adjustments needed to be done.  After dinner I did a 25 minute workout after one adjustment.  The workout was even better than the morning one.  I am not sure who thinks that you can not get a good workout with something like the Cubii2, but after this evening’s workout I needed to towel off and change clothes.  Best of all no back pain at all while using it.  

John did the research after I book marked it.  He bought it for me in hopes it helps my fitness levels get better.  It seems my fitness level drops after every surgery.  I still have not gotten my stamina back after December’s surgery.  This is easy and fun.  My goal for right now is twice a day for 15 minutes or so. However once the music starts and I get in the groove I just keep going.  I hope that this is really going to help.  

This post was not paid for. John bought the Cubii2 for me.  These are my personal opinions.  

Unintended Cleaning

 I was so tired that all I wanted to do was take a nap.  Instead I organized my tea cups and tea.  I wonder if I could really justify a couple of me Pawley tea cup in the 30 ounce size? This is just a thought.  I gave the plants some of the expired tea. Plants that are not native to the Sonoran Desert need a boost of caffeine a couple times a year,  I am sure that there are other things that they like in the tea too.  By the way coffee works just as well if you don’t drink tea.  I was left with 2 bags of recycling, 2 bags of trash, 1 1/2 shelfs of newly freed space, no tea cups on the counter, tins for an art project and a lot of happy plants. 

On the me side I got 3,000 steps while cleaning. If I thought I was tired before I started, we’ll after I finished I was just to tired to move.  I still feel it hours later.  I hope tomorrow is a good body day, I could really use one about now.  

Decluttering

Today I filled the back of my car with the 3 newly made dog pillows and dropped the off at the Southern Arizona Humane Society.  The have new drop boxes for donations.  The were over sized dog houses.  They were very cute. My only problem with them is that they were not quite arthritis friendly.  The lids were very heavy and hard to lift.  I found this sad, because a few dollars of hardware would make the lids easier to lift.  

The next stop was Goodwill for 2 boxes and a bag.  I thanked the gentleman taking the donations and said that he was aiding in cleaning my house.  As a treat I stopped at Brugger’s bagels and got 3 Rosemary bagels for a job well done.  

My next deep cleaning task is go go through my knitting books to see which ones I will be keeping and which ones I will be listening on eBay.  I have one book currently listed and have lined up 5 more to list tomorrow.  My goal is to have my books sorted by project or craft type.  My second goal is to have all my books fit in the bookcase and not stacked around the house.  I am hoping that this is doable.  I am listening most books with a 99 cent beginning bid with the buy it now price 50% of retail at the time they were published.  I will put links on my Twitter and Facebook feeds. Some are in nice enough shape for gift giving.  I might even have some out of print books too.  Did I mention that I listed a first edition of a Noro book today.  It is only a 7 day listening so hurry over.  

Thriving Me Nuts and more.

 I just finished the next 3 dog pillows.. All I have to say is thank goodness dogs can’t see in the green range, because I had 2 pillows that were the same pattern but different colors.  No, I am not ripping out the final seam.  At least something is finely finished. I am so use to finishing multiple projects a week.  This not using my hands is driving me nuts..

I guess my sewing is done for the day.  I see lighting is the distance. Unlike my old Kenmore mechanical sewing machine which ran in any weather, my newish BERNINA does not like static discharges. It just messes with the programming. Not to mention it can fry the chip.  Newer innovations are not always better.  

Something else that is driving me nuts is the weather forecasters and the National Weather Service   They have decided that 100 degrees is a heat emergency. I live in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.  Did anyone bother telling them in school that it gets hot in the desert, it’s not unusual for the temperature to stay above 100f for weeks at a time. We usually only used to keep track of days above 110f.    I can really see setting it at 110f or 115f  or above for a heat emergency. I am the 3rd generation of my family to live in the desert. My grandparents came when swamp coolers we brand new technology.  The swamp coolers did not work during the monsoon season, which is our rainy season. For those of you who are not familiar with swamp coolers, they are also called evaporative coolers. The equivalent of blowing air over a bowl of ice cubes to cool off.  My point is that if you don’t like the heat don’t move into the desert because you like our winters.  We just don’t have enough water..

We have always known that we did not have enough water in Tucson. My dads 1st job after graduation from the University of Arizona in 1956 was with the Better Business Bureau to tell people not to move to Tucson, because there was not enough water.  Fast forward to 2021 and low and behold they were right.  We are 20 years into an Epic Draught.  One good year of rain is not going to fix this.  Growth is not always good.  

This blog post is a bit rambling and disjointed.  That is where my mind is now.  The rising COVID19 numbers across the country combined with a very low vaccination rate , means that I probably won’t see my family until spring. But to end the blog on a good note, here are the dog pillows.

Just Maybe?

 I am slowly getting back the use of my right hand.  It still gets tired very easily.  I did manage to fold one load of laundry today.  Most of the day my hand was to tired to do anything. Tomorrow before my hand gets tired, I will try to sew up 3 seems to get the dog pillows out of the house.  

I think I have a lot of small projects that can be finished with the sewing machine. This means that I just need to guide the fiber and let the machine do the work.  

I am still bored.  I need a new hobby. One that is not so hand intensive.  

Boredom Has Set In

 I have gone to the doctor about my hand.  I got 3 shots.   If my hand is not working in 2 weeks we might try something different.  Meanwhile, I am board to tears.  I can think more clearly now that the pain level is down.  

I finally figured out that I really crave sweets and coke made with sugar when the pain level is high enough. Oh, I did not go out and get a coke, the COVID19 numbers are rising in Pima County.  I also managed to keep surgery foods to a minimum too.  It was just to much work to wake up very early, find a mask, get in the car to drive to the store. When I get there are there too any cars in the lot.  What about other people wearing masks? To the massless I just want to scream that there is no ME in PUBLIC HEALTH.  It’s very exhausting, the snow birds are so judgmental.  I had one following me around the supermarket today,  I wonder if she thought that I had to many fruits and vegetables in my basket.  You know the type, dresses up to the 9’s to go to the grocery store.  Looks down on the rift raft who don’t meet their standards.  Oh well at least she did not say she was 50 something and shove her way ahead of me in line, because I was younger.  Many reasons to avoid the stores.

There is still no knitting, spinning or weaving going on.   I have been doing puzzles of all kinds on my pad  .  Thank goodness I found jigsaw puzzles at the App Store   I have been doing a couple a day, I can’t imagine what John would think of the mess of cardboard puzzles   I have also been play card and word games. Today I even managed a little cleaning until you hand stopped working.  I am still board. I would like to be board at a coffee shop so I could at least people watch.

 

A Small Repair

 My first reusable shopping bag got a smallish fix this afternoon.  I bought this bag at my then local natural foods store and restaurant, Follow Your Heart in Canoga Park, California.  I bought it just after I moved into my first apartment.  That was so last century, before John and I were even engaged.  Follow Your Heart had the best vegetarian burgers and shakes.  Oh well the whole truth was everything was wonderful and tasty.  Milk free donuts in the 1980’s awesome.  Carob everything to my heart’s content.  I was not allowed chocolate, nitrates or nitrides back then.  I still skip the nitrates and nitrides, they cause so many migraines.  They also have a wonderful cookbook to make things at home.  

But I digress.   I got my first reusable shopping around earth day, I got my second on my next payday.  Yes, I still have both of the bags.  They are a bit faded now.  One is starting to show some age with the beginning of fabric breaking down.  I patched the bottom with a piece of curtain fabric, leftover from dog pillows.  I am not sure if I should quilt the bottom.  My main problem is I forgot how to program the memory on my sewing machine.  I guess I will find the manual to morning.  My handy work is below.  

A Busy Day

 I had a very busy day today.  I ran errands until my lesson.  I transferred my students knitting from 14 inch straight knitting needles to circular knitting needles , in the process I knit one row.  All I can say about that is ouch.  

My big failure of the day was trying to write a lace pattern with just a pencil and paper.  I tried making a chart. That was an erasers heaven.  Then I tried visualization of the pattern in my head and tried to write it out long hand better, but I could not figure out if the knit 2 stitches together should be in the middle of three stitches or right before the yarn over. The shawl is on hold until I can knit again or figure out the knit 2 together thing  

I think I will look around my yard for inspiration on a washcloth patterns.  No yarn overs to place.  I was thinking of sitting outside and playing with cactus, no not literally. Rather with graph paper and a pencil.  Maybe even a small cottonwood tree.  

I have to find away to end my boredom.

My Day in a Nutshell

 This just about sums up my day today.  Yes, they are two different shoes. Both from Finn Comfort.  Similar but different styles and different colors.  I did not realize I had mismatched shoes on until we came home from lunch. Thank goodness that the skirt grew in the closet, so my shoes and feet were covered.  Yes the shoes are very comfortable. I have several different pairs that my husband who indulges my comfortable shoe habit buys.  

No money was received from Finn Comfort Shoes or their agents for this blog post.  I just like how comfortable they are and my husband buys them for me.  I hope this covers all the bases for regulations worldwide.