Thankful for the Smaller Things in Life

At least it’s not Monday night. At least I stocked up with good stuff to eat today while Eric was at his day program. At least I got to knitting today. At least I got to chat with friends today. You may be wondering where I am going with this. This is just my meandering way of saying that Eric is eyrpy tonight. Eric is also in making lots of eyrpy laundry, the wonderful people at P & G makers of Tide* should be very happy about this.

Eric and I will be home tomorrow. I wonder if I will get more laundry or knitting done. Does anyone care to guess.

*P & G makers of Tide did not pay me to say that I use Tide for my laundry. I have been using various forms of Tide since the mid 1970’s when one of my high school chores was doing the family laundry. Although I do love when I can get a good coupon or sale on Tide. Even with the super big LG washer I still do at least 15 loads of laundry a week. Which is much better than 25 or more loads. So I do use a lot of Tide.

A Good Day

Eric made it to day program today. I have also found that when Eric comes home he does not mind sitting by the kitchen table while I knit. So I worked on the new pattern. It is much easier to work on at a table. This took the tedium out of afternoon programing too. The new pattern has past the 100th row. it is about a third of the way done.

This left me to work on other UFO's while watching television tonight. The switch has made knitting in the evening more relaxing. The rest of May will be UFO month. I have a few bags and a basket filled with UFO's. I would really like to fill the basket with a new project, but I will finish the UFO's first.

I spent some time cleaning today. I have recovered one whole kitchen counter. This means that tomorrow I have to clean and polish it. This is the dominoes effect of cleaning. I think this applies to knitting too. Summer has come early to Tucson, this is the second day of 100+ temperatures. This means that I will need to change up my laundry routine to start earlier or put more loads on later at night.

Time for a Change

I think I need to change things up a bit. Some of my friends who also design knitting patterns can design anywhere at any time. I have given it a try. Unfortunately it does not work for me. With the latest shawl pattern that I am designing, I tried to take notes and knit while watching television in the evening. after 15 to 20 rows I seem to loose focus. I am also on the 3rd revision of the pattern. So I think it will be back to the yarn store or coffee shop to do my design work. Maybe even the kitchen table.

With that decision made, I am going to make a small bowl or basket to knit hats while watching television at night. It is easy mindless knitting for me. other pluses include playing with color. Making more kids happy. Using up more yarn to get out of the house. At the end of summer I will post a picture of the hats knit so far this year and a count. Then off to the Flowing Well School District Clothing Bank they will go. I REALLY ENJOY making hats for the kids. 

The fall fundraiser that I usually do for Eric's day program is iffy this year. It has been a rough year so far for me. Returns on the fundraiser are going down instead of up yearly. So in the next few weeks I will be deciding what to do with the stock on hand. To sell on EBay? Facebook? Have a garage sale? If there is anything you have been eyeing from, rugs, shawls, earrings, hand spun yarn, blankets, necklaces or hand knit items please contact me. The items that have been give to me for the fundraisers, the money will still go to Eric's day program when sold unless you would like them back. Please let me know. Thank you for your understanding.

Way Under The Weather

I have been sick since Saturday night, bronchitics , laryngitis, sinus infection, allergies and asthma. A little more than a perfect storm.  Eric got eyrpy on Sunday night. Herein lies the problem. Eric will not sleep when he is not feeling good, so Eric has been up since Sunday morning. I need my sleep to rest and feel better.  I am grabbing naps when ever I can, even in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. Even though naps are good, when I am sick, they should not be my only sleep.

I want to thank Lisa W. at United Cerebral Palsy of Southern Arizona for getting me extra help on such short notice. She is the reason that I have gotten my naps. As you may have guessed from the company name we live in Arizona. The state has been very good at underfunding services for the elderly, school children and disabled. We have been in the news lately. This includes UCPSA who provides services for Eric. If you would like to thank Lisa W. for helping us this week consider making a donation in her honor so that UCPSA can continue to help families like ours.

Thank you. I will write more when we are feeling better.

The New Shawl Design

I just froged the new shawl design for the second time. Even feeling as awful as I did today, I just did not like the design. So try number 3 has been cast on. This time the yarn is really telling me what to do with it.

Both Eric and I are both sick right now. I have a feeling that his eyrpy night was do to breathing issues. My allergies got so bad that I lost my voice for a few days. I now sound like a frog. I also went to Urgent care on Sunday and have a bunch of stuff that is suppose to make me feel better.

I am really hoping againt hope for some early rain to cut the pollen levels. Until then we will be indoors as much as possible. Breathing is good. High pollen levels and particulate matter are not.

Disappointed - A Rant

I am currently very disappointed at our Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. He currently seems to present the attitude that it is more important to give cash to big corporation's than to fund social services in the state.

A little back round may be in order. In the last state elections the vast majority of those voting, voted to increase the minimum wage. With Arizona being a right to work state and a historically low wage state, I can personally see how this happened.

Everyone expected the Governor and the State houses to add additional money for the social services, to increase their budgets to keep wage parody. They basically said that they did not want the wages to increase so they gave a ONE TIME extra allotment of money to help with a temporary stabilization of the non profits.

What has happened in Eric's world, is that group homes have been closing. Respite services are no longer being offered. Eric currently has 9 out of 14 shifts currently not permanently  staffed. With the question coming from people trying to fill shifts of asking us to accept a 30 to 40 minute shift instead of 2 to 3 hours, just to get the bare minimum done so that they don't get dinged by the state.  Care for the elderly is decreasing do to lack of staff. This is a major problem in Arizona. We have lots of people that move here to retire with no family ties. When things get rough, non-profit social services have to step in to replace the lack of close by family. This also cost money. The work is never easy. The days are long for all involved especially the primary caregivers. I have first hand knowledge of this.

If you live in Arizona, please call the governor's office and ask for more funding for social services. Tell them your friends and family members are exhausted. That we need more help. We need more funding.

If you know anyone who is looking for a job or a job that pays,  that just  might help with medical school admission have the call UCP of Southern Arizona, Let them know that Sheri sent you or use source code 301.

It is now past 11pm and Eric is asleep. I have been up since 6 am. I am going to grab a nap while I can.

Cleaning When Tired

With Eric sick all of last week, I am exhausted this week. So today, I alternated cleaning and napping. I have to say that I got everything done on my todo list plus a little bit more.

I reworked the new knitting pattern today. I am now 10 rows into the pattern. I think this version will be fantastic.

Oh Well

19 rows into to a new design. Absoulte failure. So I tinked it and am trying plan number 2. Off to cast on.

Date Night

I just love date night when John and I can get out for more than 90 minutes at a time together. Tonight John and I were able to go out to dinner, take a walk around University Avenue and see Trevor Noah's comedy show at Centennial Hall down at the U of A. We really enjoyed the show and John got seats in the 3rd row from the stage. They were really great seats.

They almost did not let my hat knitting in Centennial Hall. The rent a cop thought that the knitting was dangerous. I explained that I would only knit while waiting for the show and put it away once the show started. Also that I was allowed to bring it in last weekend. What the heck is so dangerous about 16 inch circular knitting needles? Or hand knit hats for kids?

When we got home around 9 pm, Eric was still awake. He had a good night, but needed to see mom and dad before bedtime.  Of course he needed suctioning, and a gunk clean out, a diaper change and positioning. Then of course it was time to clean the suction machine, I lost the race so it was my turn, not the most fun I have ever had, but it has to be done.

It is 11:30 pm and I just changed and positioned Eric again. I am still waiting for him to go to sleep. I really hope that he is asleep before tomorrow. I really need to get my sweater done. Both sleeves are almost to the elbow. I also need to add the front placket. It has to be finished by Thursday morning. It is my first me size sweater that I have knit. All the other hand knit sweaters have been for Elmo.  I can not follow and alter a pattern when I am too tired to keep my eyes open, that's what hats are for. 

Here is hoping beyond hope that Eric is asleep and sleeps until at least 6 am.

Seven

All knitting was stymied for want of two U.S. size 7 x 16’s at knitting today. I found just what I needed when I got home and checked the table next to where I knit. It was just one of those days.

I Have Been Busy

I have big news. I have spun, knit and woven through my entire stash of yarn. All my sewing projects are caught up too. Now I can go play with some jewelry making.

It Is Going Around

Eric shared his cold. I have slept for most of the day. The worst part of the cold besides loosing my voice is that my arthritis is flaring up. The best part is John is taking care of both Eric and myself.

I am sad that I missed a chance to teach people about spinning today. I choose to stay home when sick and not spread germs. I like to think about germs like glitter, once germs and glitter are out of the jar there is no way to contain them.

Weaving

Todays weaving. Each ball of yarn weaves about 1 foot of fabric. I am almost 2 feet into a 6 foot project. My arms are sore from warping this loom. I am sure it is because of the width. Each color stripe is 1 inch wide or 10 dents per inch. For the matching fabric for the skirt I will need a helper to warp the loom.

John made an adjustment to the loom which made it easier to weave. I had been thinking about the problem for 6 hours. He said that I was on the right track and had the adjustment done in less than 15 minutes. The loom is nowset up for a short person.

Eric is also feeling better and back on formula.

Home Today

With Eric sick, I was home today. My day consisted of finishing the eyrpy laundry, taking care of Eric. Finishing the scarf on the small loom,. All I have left to do on the scarf is tie the ends and wash it.  Starting a direct warp, that is 7 feet long and 22 inches wide on the big loom. The next time I do a warp so big, I think it would be prudent to have some help. It is a very hard solo project. Yes, it is on a rigid heddle loom. You can see part of the small loom in the back round. Here is where I am leaving off for tonight.

The Dismal Trifecta

Dinner at our usual Monday night place was dismal at best and the restaurant shall remain nameless for this blog post. Although I will tell you if you ask me in person. Because of spring break we sat in the bar area, not optimal seating for dinner, but it was not the worst part of dinner. 

We ordered our complete meal when the server came to take our drink order. This is usually done in order to speed up the process and get home in our time frame.  It did not work tonight, sigh. John’s iced tea with lemon came without the lemon, not good, but not the first strike yet.

Thirty minutes later our food came out. John’s had the wrong meat and potatoes, which took about 15 minutes to correct. Strike One. My avocado toast came out so burnt that John could hear me take a bite across the table. Mine was sent back to be remade. Twenty minutes later they offered me a complementary dinner salad and an apology for the time it was taking the toast to be remade. Ten minutes after that my dinner came out correctly. Strike Two.

Strike Three was after dinner in the ladies restroom there was only 1/2 of a roll of toilet paper for 4 toilet stalls. Really!!!! Where is Chef Ramsey when you need him. 

Maybe it is time to find a new Monday night dinner spot. 

Busy and Productive

I am zenning the house on a smaller level now. Today I found a box of business cards that use to go in a Rolodex, now I am inputting them into my contact list on my phone. At this point 5 cards at a time are enough for one day. So this will be a multi week project. I am also spending a few minutes a day going through other things too. I have 4 bags that will go to charity tomorrow. 

I have also found a really good use for all the cotton crochet thread that I received. I am weaving scarfs with the crochet thread as the warp and using up small bits of sport or fingering weight yarn for the weft. The plus side of this, is that I can weave a scarf faster than I can knit one. It will also give my hand more time to heal while I speed through a lot of fiber. I hope that the kids who get them will like them as much as the hats that I knit. Below is the scarf that I started weaving tonight. I am on the 4th color change. Every color change on the weft is a partial ball of crochet thread. 

We also have a new lamp for one of the bedrooms do to a failed science experiment. I had John pick out what he liked and he came back with the same type of lamp that I would have picked out.

The Laundry Room Won

The score is 6 for the laundry room, 0 for me. So I started a load of laundry after dinner. I really hate doing laundry after dinner when Eric is not sick.

I also scored a copy of Mitch Albom’s book The First Phone Call From Heaven. I can’t wait to start it. There is a big however to this. I don’t get my new glasses for 2 weeks. With these glasses I. can only read clearly with my left eye, because my right reading lens needs a new script. The only other solution is to read the book upside down and backwards. What choices.

I am finally feeling better following the hand surgery earlier this year. I am starting to get more things done around the house. This week I finished knitting hat then started a another hat. I finished weaving a child's scarf and will start another one when I warp the loom again.

Trust

People can be so disappointing at times. I know it is an age old problem because it is even one of the Big Ten in the Bible, "Thou shalt not steal". What is so hard about "Thou shalt not steal" if you have ethics? I guess the big thing there is if you have ethics.

I had gotten a special bracelet for my friend Lisa. When we went to her cup this morning where leave things for her, it was gone. This is just so wrong, stealing a gift meant for another person. If they had wanted one I could have told them where to buy it. By the way if you absolutely need the measuring tape bracelet that I wear just contact Grandmas Spinning Wheel and they can get one for you.

I guess that goes along with stealing coupons for free packages of diapers. That was $300 stolen from Eric. I wonder if they will return them now that I put it in my blog. One can only hope. Talking about screwing up someones budget.

I guess as long as we need help in the house everything will have to be under lock and key. Know I understand why the estate and larger households that had help, had one person that inventoried and kept track everything and everyone.

Now I am off to start laundry and put everything under lock and key.

Cotton Thread

I think that I have an idea for all the cotton crochet thread that I was given. It does involve a loom. The loom is warped for the sample.

P.S. I am using one of John’s creations in the process.

Fun, fun,fun. Until the the loom runs away.

A New Thing

I learned to spin cotton this weekend. I think my spinning will get better when my thumb and pinky heal from the surgery in 6 months or so. But you guys know that I love to push my limits as much as possible.

I also managed to sell the 3rd spinning wheel in the house and am now down to an art wheel and a regular wheel. Everyone is happy.

Life

Still on hold.

Alrhough I can highly reccomend sleeping through a dental cleaning. No drugs involved, just sheer exhaustion.