A Crafty Day

Even though I am still tired from Eric being sick last week, I am starting to get my energy back. I managed to make 22 pairs of earrings, knit 2 full size wash cloths and 1 mini wash cloth.  I also managed to keep up with Eric's laundry. 

I am hoping for a quite week next week. Have a good week everyone. 

Exhusted

I have reached the point of exhaustion this week. I am at a place where I am so tired it is hard to fall asleep.  It is a place that I don't go to often, but none the less it is not a good place to be. Eric getting sick a lot has not left me time to recharge. This has left me fumbling all over the place.

I am trying not to do anything that I can really screw up. So no complicated knitting or writing patterns, knitting washcloths is about my speed this week. I am getting energy at odd times and just doing house work when the energy is there.  It is a good week to set freshly spun yarn, and spin art yarns. It might just be a bad week to label yarn or anything else.

John is being wonderful making his own dinner or bring dinner home for the both of us. I am so glad that he is my backup. I would be more tired, if that is possible if he were not here to help.

We are going through a lot of staff changes with Eric so I hope that I don't scare anyone off. This might be some of the pressure that I am feeling too. Well it is time to go set the next batch of yarn.

It's Official

I can say with out a doubt that I hate post viral asthma.  I was already to go to bed when Eric flared up.   Meds were give. Eric was cuddled. 90 minutes later he is finally asleep. So to unwind I picked up dishes, washed a pan and started the dishwasher.  I also started a load of Eric's laundry.  

I was also pondering the idea of making the parents who send their young adults to day program when they are sick, to be required to do the night shifts with Eric so I can get some decent sleep.  I know it will never happen.. It's always just allergies, even with a fever and throwing up.  If I had a nickel from every parent who sent their kids to program sick, but saying it was an allergy, I would have some real money for Local charities.  

The house is turning off the lights so I guess it is bed time.  

Breaking Cycles

I need to break this cycle of Eric getting sick. He is almost ready to go back to program. We just have one little hiccup, a thrush infection. Really!!! All he had was a fever and tummy bug. No antibiotics at all. I love Eric dearly, I just wish he would not get sick so often.

My body currently hates me. It is achy all over and tendon snapping seems to be the theme of the day. Flare ups tend to come more frequently when Eric is sick.  My body is telling me I need more sleep. My mind on the other hand is telling me that I need to knit, spin, weave, sew and make more jewelry for a couple of up coming charity events.

I think now that Eric is asleep I will give into my body and try to get a few hours of sleep.

Going Old School

Tonight we did something we have not done in a while. We divided and conquered. This might take a few lines to explain. Teri was home for a weekend visit and a good time was had by all. Eric did his very best to keep up with Teri, foregoing his usual sleep all weekend routine just to keep up with his friends in the Taglit day program Monday through Friday.

By this afternoon Eric was beyond tired, he was exhausted and his body said enough. All heck broke loose just as I was about to take Teri to the airport. Eric's tummy decided it did not want to hold down any food so he threw up in the shower. Hey, if you kid is going to throw up any where the shower is a great place. Did I mention it makes no additional laundry? It all gets washed down the drain. I will take care of a through cleaning tomorrow while Eric is home with me.

So I made sure they guys had things under control and drove Teri to the airport. Yes, I know that she has frequent flier status and can get through any airport in the world by herself, but I still did the mom thing and walked her to the TSA check point. Yes, as I write this she is now home safe and sound.

I drove through some Monsoon storms on the way home, I sure hope it got some dirt off the car. It was the first time in a long time that I have driven through rain at night. I decided not to stop on the way home so I will have to do a very early grocery run for Tide Boost, Pedilyte, bread, peaches and caffeine tomorrow.

By the time I got home, John had things under control. So all that there was left to do was take out the trash, empty the dishwasher, and laundry. As soon as this load is ready for the dryer I will call it a night.

Yeah!!!

Eric made it out the door today.  So I got a much needed break. I got to knit with some friends and they renamed my What Nots into Mini's as in mini washcloths and suggested that I raise my price for 25 cents to 50 cents a piece, I think that they had valid reasoning so I will consider it. I also got 50% of my to do list done.  

A Tired Day

After spending most of the night dealing with Eric issues, I was really tired today. Eric was home today also. So I spent the morning with my spinning wheel next to Eric's wheel chair.  I had a great day of spinning, except for trying to spin some felted roving.  I could not even coxes an art yarn from it, so it will be filling for a dog pillow. I spun 7 skeins of yarn today. I also washed my back log of hand spun yarn, so that I have 7 skeins of yarn drying in the garage and 2 that will get washed when I finish the rest of the batch of roving.  

I am finally unwound so I am going to stop before I fall asleep on the iPad. 

Sunday / Monday Morning

As I write this, I am waiting for the asthma meds to kick in for Eric.  I am hoping that it is only post viral asthma, so that I have time to clean Teri's room this week. Not to mention make a few rugs, some spinning and other knitting.  Possibly even weaving a few scarfs.  Maybe even a few errands.  

Today I almost finished one rag rug and was disappointed that I still have enough supplies for one more rug.  So I will warp the loom as soon as I get this rug off the loom. Hopefully I will be finished and deliver this project before Friday.  

I am also hoping to have another cabinet mostly emptied sometime this week.  We are getting a little closer to getting the kitchen project started with each passing day.  We don't have the new cabinets and drawers yet, but plans are being made as to what each one will hold.  So my hope is that with more storage space and less stuff, I will become more organized.  

Since it is almost 2 am and Eric appears to be settling down, just maybe it is time for a short nap before I start my day at 6 am. I am not sure weather to say good night or good morning so take your pick.  

Expect the Unexpected

I am so lucky that John is bring home dinner. I has been a whirlwind around here for the past 2 days. A lot of unexpected has popped up. Not the least of which with in moments of me walking in the door last night Eric wild eyrped all over the place. I am talking about needing to change the bed and the boy. I finally finished that laundry at 5 pm today. I hope most of his sleepy time friends are dry, I have not check the clothes line yet. They wash well in the laundry but can not be put in the dryer. I am hoping the 105 degree day in Tucson helped.

I had hoped to finishing warping the loom today, then trying to finish the last charity project rug.  I am just too tired and achy to do that by myself. I just wish that I could figure out what is causing the current streak of not feeling well days with Eric. I have so many projects lined up that I want to/ have to get done. I also have to get ready for a visit from a very special person in our lives in about a week.

There is just so much to do and every time Eric gets sick, I fall further behind. Although I did manage to sneaked out of Eric's room when he started feeling better and got some cleaning done 5 minutes at a time. I just need more than 5 minutes at a time to get the crafting projects done.

Well I have about 20 minutes to get a little more done around the house. So off I go.

Is The Day Over Yet?

As I write this, I note that the time is only 11:30 am. I have been up with Eric since midnight. He had leg cramps and I did 1 1/2 hours of physical therapy to try to loosen the muscles and cox him back to sleep. He usually falls asleep during physical therapy, but not this morning. Being so tired after so much activity left me on the nauseated side. So it took another few hours to convince my tummy that all was right with the world. So I took a nap from 4:45 to 6:30 am.

Breakfast was on the run. A vegan scone from Whole Foods that I picked up yesterday. You really have to try the oatmeal one, it is so yummy, even better than the chocolate chip one and you know how much I like chocolate. I did not have time to make tea so lemonade it was. Somehow my tired mind decided that a scone and lemonade was a perfect breakfast.

Eric and I headed across town to a doctor's appointment. His g-tube is fine, but he has a killer headache, I think it matches mine. I wonder if it is from lack of sleep or the storms or both. So as per the doctor's advice, I gave Eric Tylenol and put him to bed to watch and hope that he sleeps off his headache. I will slip him extra water today too. We will also keep an extra eye on him too.

While all this was happening I managed to insult someone, because I did not have her direct line. I was never given her direct line. I am throwing my hands up with this one. It is too silly to deal with at the moment, I am not in the mood to stroke egos today, you need to look elsewhere for that today.

All this and the only cleaning I have managed today was sending roomba through Eric's room while we were out. I still need to put away laundry, clean the kitchen and dust mop the hall. I am really not sure If I will get all that done and my to do list too. I am doubting knitting or spinning time.

Well the boss a.k.a. Eric needs me so off I go.

Endorsements

The issue came up again this week.  Would I endorse a new product.  The answer today was no, because after trying out 3 different versions of the product, I could not get one to work for me.  Yes I did understand that it was a local artist who created the items and was already endorsed by another local artist. The item was very pretty but not functional for me.  If it had been functional one would have come home with me today.

What good would my endorsement be to you, if I endorsed everything that came my way. If I shilled every product weather I like it or not.  Even the biggies in business like HSN or your local retailer evaluate things before they put them on the shelves.  

The only products that I currently recommend are ones that John or I have purchased and we use on a regular basis.  I hope that this provides sufficient clarification on the matter. If you would like a list of items I currently endorse without payment from the manufacturer please contact me. 

Oops

It happens every once in a while. I will have a lot of days / nights in a row with Eric. I get really tired and move very wrong. It happened last night for the 2 am change out. My shoulder will be very sore for a week or so. I will work around it as much as possible. I will also dump extra chores on John and Eric's aides. They will have more laundry to fold and supplies to put away. Someone else can empty the diaper pail and kitchen trash. I will bring all the small bags to the grocery store so there will be no way to make the bags heavy.

I will work on gentle stretches and wake up John for the middle of the night changes outs when he does not have work the next morning. This will require something that I have very little of to fix, patients with myself. I will also try not to be too grumpy. I get very grumpy when I hurt. So please be aware it is me, not you.

Now off to make dinner. 

Monday and Repeat

This has been the second week in a row where I have gotten Eric out the door on Monday morning only to have an eyrpy young man later that evening.  I need to break this cycle. Last night I got to bed late and checked in on Eric every few hours. At least I slept in until 6:15 this morning. No, that did not make up for the lost sleep.

I broke my rule of thumb not to run the washer and dryer past 100 degrees today. I just needed to get all the eyrpy laundry washed, and the last load went in when it hit 108 at our house. It only got to 106 at the airport. I will put that load in the dryer before bed tonight.

I filled 2 large diaper boxes with Tupperware in preparation for our kitchen redo, being careful to match containers and lids. I did not finish packing up the Tupperware cabinet for 2 reasons. First I left out the things we use frequently and second I did not want to remove the base of diaper mountain, open and add the next 3 cases of diapers, then put the old diapers on top. My excuse is that I was tired and I am sticking to that.

I ran out of energy after lunch and am so glad that John is bringing home dinner tonight. I think that I will go back to knitting the wash cloth that I started last night.

The Small Things in Life

Sometimes it is the smaller things in life that I am most grateful for.  Take yesterday for instance.  We managed to get to the monthly local vendor fair at Whole Foods. We walked around inside the store and tried some samples.  Then we had lunch at the in store bar.  We got to listen to some great music while we were eating lunch.  

Then it was a little shopping and we headed home a lot more relaxed.   As I said before it is the small things for which I am grateful. 

Eric's Staycation

This was the second day in a row that Eric got up at a very early hour. Yesterday it was 4:25 am and today it was 5 am.  I am really getting tired of the early wake up calls. I think tomorrow I will let John get up with him.  We did manage to get out of the house for a walk and knitting today.  Eric and I got annoyed at the same person as we were trying to take our walk. She was whining about how bad my life was, because of Eric in her opinion , which was so uncalled for. Eric and I were enjoying a very nice walk, and I did my best to ditch her and go on with our walk.  Really if you don't have anything nice to say, just don't say anything at all. 

Eric was asleep before I finished lunch, so I took a nap too.  It was not the most productive day that I have had recently.  Eric only has 2 more days off before his summer vacation is over.  I think I am more than ready.  It has been a very long week. I am beginning to feel my age creep up on me.  Now I just have to unwind enough to get some sleep.  

So it's time to run the dishwasher, washing machine and dryer. 

A Tired Day

I was very tired today.  Eric is feeling better and I started him on a trial of formula at 5:30 this morning.  It went well.  By 8:30 we were both ready for a nap.  I think the nap was a better choice than a lot of caffeine.  By 11 we were ready to get a haircut for Eric. That was enough to wipe me out.  

My body has been tired all day.  I found it hard to pull the first batt off the carder this afternoon.  So on the the other 3 batts, I did not pack them as full which made it easier to take off.  I only spun 1 skein of yarn today, with nothing washed.  

I am hoping for more energy tomorrow.  

Eric is Sick Again

Last night Eric got eyrpy and it was a long night.  Today was not much better until after lunch.  Eric was in pain and very clingy.  I was too tired to do much around the house except the bare minimum.  The bare minimum was 3 loads of eyrpy laundry and a full dishwasher.  

The only thing I managed to do was spin a lot of art yarn.  As the day went on the yarn became more artsy.  I also managed to get 10 skeins of art yarn washed too.   Since it is raining tonight, I do not expect it to be dry by morning. 

John was wonderful. He brought home a warm dinner.  

I am hoping that Eric has a good night and sleeps tonight.  If he does we can start Eric back on formula.  Maybe if I get some sleep tonight I will be able to warp the loom and get some weaving done.   

A Productive Day

Today I had a very productive day.  I got through all my high priority items. I am also finding it harder to save more than 25% off my grocery bill. Everything seems stacked against the consumer. I find it amazing at how much work I can get done without a headache.  I ran until I fell asleep.  After a 3 hour nap I played last nights last skein of yarn. 

John and I cooked dinner together. Although I was disappointed that my favorite brand of goat cheese mozerella  is now lighter by about 2 ounces per package. I figured it out when I was shearding the cheese.  So we had less cheese on our pizza. I don't know why they did not leave the package the same size and just raise the price like they have done for the past few years.  

After dinner I spun 2 more skeins of art yarn.  Tomorrow I think that I will have a major change of plans.  Eric has an eyrpy tummy and is clammy. I was suppose to teach someone to knit and do a yarn pick up,for the guild. I will see what tonight holds for Eric and then make what changes that I need too tomorrow.  

Sorry about the scattered blog post, I have been scattered all day. 

Silk

I made progress on my spinning skills today. I spun 3 different kinds of silk on the spinning wheel today.  Tomorrow I will ply them. Pictures to follow.   

A Day Off

I like Thursday's , because it is my day off.  I took a slow approach to today.  After John and Eric left, I took a nap. John and I then looked at cabinet inserts and granite.  Then there was lunch at at Loving Spoonfuls on Campbell avenue, a Tucson favorite of mine.  They have some of the best vegan food in town. The owner Peggy also has her first cookbook that just got published, I am quite sure if you went in to buy a copy, she would sign it for you.  It is a nice book with wonderful pictures /recipes and would make a great gift.  John and my sister Karen joined me for lunch.  

Then it was off to spin at Grandmas Spinning Wheel. I managed to spin 3 skeins of art yarn today.  They have been washed and are drying in the garage. Karen had never been to the Thursday spinning group and had a good time, although she did unravel the blanket she was working on.  On the bright side she get to use the yarn again. 

Yesterday the air conditioning compressor and motor blew out on the van. John did manage to get the parts ordered and they will fix it tomorrow.  It's a four hour job, grumble, grumble.  I think this is good since John said Eric was not a fan of 440 air conditioning.  440 is when you roll down all 4 windows and go 40 mph to cool the car. I am glad that I was not driving to see the pouty face that Eric was making.  Then when he got home he had to sit under the fan to cool off.  

Look for new listings this weekend in my Etsy shop. I have to make room for all the kitchen stuff and could use the space.  If you have a special order in mind please let me know.  

Formula Everywhere

Today was a good day for spinning.  I have a lot of yarn drying on the line. I got 3 skeins spun, 2 of art yarn and 1 skein of Shetland.  I have almost finished another hat too.  

My sister Karen and I went to the Tucson Museum of Art today.  They had some pretty neat Pre-Cloumbian spindles.  They were so thin and and light.  No wonder yarn and thread were so precious back then.  It must have taken months to spin enough yarn or thread to make anything.  The lace was pretty neat too.  

Tonight we had a formula leak. Everything had to be changed.  So at 8 pm I started another load of laundry.  So Snoopy and a whole load of laundry are running.  Eric is much happier now that he is dry and I am doing more laundry.  For some reason Eric likes it when I do laundry.  

A Day Off

I had a very good day off filled with a few chores and lots of naps.  In between naps I did the finishing work on 2 rag rugs and spun 3 skeins of art yarn. I did not find time to rewrap the loom for the next rag rug. 

Tomorrow I plan on hanging around with my sister KK who is visiting from Los Angeles. So far it has been a good visit. Today she enjoyed relaxing at Starpass.  

Unusaly Good

Yesterday was an extraordinary day in my Etsy shop. I have sold out of all of my hand spun yarn. So last night I started spinning more. It will take me a few days to restock. I will be making skeins with more yardage, so if you have a color preference please let me know. Also let me know if you want some art yarn, as the majority of the skeins that I have spun never made it past my Tuesday knitting group.

Things have reached a new level of crazy and will get crazier around here. We are redoing the kitchen. The memories of the last remodel project 6 1/2 years ago is fading. So we are taking the plunge again. This time I have a bit more time so I will be decluttering the kitchen as I pack it up. I hope to get rid of things that I do not use or don't know why I have them. There will be some exceptions of course like my grandmothers grinder, I have good memories of her using it. My cake decorating supplies will also be off the chopping block for the most part. I still do make an occasional cake. I just wonder what I have hiding in the backs of the cabinets after 21 years in this house. Just maybe with more cabinets and less clutter everything will fit into my cabinets once we finish.

I need to go get ready for tomorrow.

Cleaning at a New Level

This morning I have taken my cleaning to a new level. Over the years I have ended up with bits and pieces of fiber left over from other spinning projects and samples that I just did not know what to do with.  So this morning I got out my Ashford Art Carder, so appetly named I think. I am taking many little bits and pieces and mixing them up together to make one of a kind mini batts to be spun up into you guessed it more art yarn.   Here is the batch of 7 batts that I made this morning.

I also managed to spin 1 art skein too.  It was a very crafty day around here.    I had friends over working on projects too.  Amber managed to make 2 bibs from scratch and appliqué Elmo's on 4 bibs.  Amber also finished a twin sized blanket for a gift. I taught Lisa how to use her new to her spinning wheel and she made some great art yarn. We will have to do this again.  

A Great Day

Today started out at 4 am with Eric.  The bad pat about that is that I did not have time for breakfast until after 9 am.  That lead to me over buying breakfast items.  I did not over eat them though.  On the great side before noon I managed to get the van fixed, a case of formula delivered to the  Tucson Community food bank and 2 blankets delivered to the Tucson V.A.. By 11:30 I was ready for a nap.   

On the fiber front I knit 1 scarf, spun 3 skeins of art yarn and wound 4 skeins of yarn. Washed  5 skeins of yarn. Pictures tomorrow. Then finished weaving a rag rug.  The rag rug will come off the loom tomorrow. John fixed the Louet spinning wheel with the help of Lisa's dad.  This means that I have to figure out how much I want to sell the Lendrum ST for.  I spent a lot of time restoring it. It spins very well, but I like my Lendrum DT better.  It is time to thin the heard a bit. 

I also made a baby step in de cluttering the kitchen.  The Mr. Coffee and all its filters left the house.  It is finally in the home of someone who loves coffee.  

It was a very busy and productive day.  I hope for the same tomorrow. 

Busy as a Bee

I think that I have too much on my plate right now. I feel that I am burning the candle in too many places at once.  I think that this had made it difficult for me to get a really good nights sleep.  Which in turn has made progress fall behind schedule. 

We are also looking at redoing the kitchen. Just the wood choices are enough to drive me crazy.  At one place alder wood is the lowest cost wood and at another it is the highest priced wood.  Most offer fiber board cabinets with wood exteriors. Some offer solid wood cabinets and doors.  The pricing makes no sense to me.  At least I have the oven and dishwasher picked out. Picking out wood is like picking a new fridge, there were less choices 21 years ago when I picked out the last fridge.  

Well I will try to sleep tonight.  

Feeling Better

Today was my first productive day in a while. I finished 2 loads of laundry before I took Eric to his day program. I was on the go until 2 pm, when I finally got time for lunch. I managed an hour of housework before everything stopped for percussion.  We were a bit short handed this evening so I did part of Eric's nightly routine. Not very surprising to me was that I hit my brick wall at 5:45 tonight. I was even to tired to finish the fingerless mittens I had been knitting. 

Tonight Eric was in a laundry making mode. So I started 1 load before bed and I will deal with the rest of it tomorrow. I think it is time to call it a day. 

Meet Judith Knight in Person

My good friend Judith Knight has published a cookbook. For those of you who do not have the pleasure of knowing Judith in person, here is a chance to meet her and sample some of her baking. I always look forward to my monthly Old Pueblo Knitting Guild meetings because I know Judith has baked or cooked up some special treats for us. I would put Judith's skill sets as a baker right up there with an early mentor of mine Frances Kuyper - The Cake Lady. 

Did I mention that you can get a signed cookbook if you ask nicely. This would make a great gift for the baker, college grad or newlywed in your life. So here are the details. Please call the store for the time. 

Judith Knight,

 author of The Knights at the Round Table 

Life’s Funny Moments and Eclectic Recipes to Match!

Saturday, June 27 

11:00am to 3:00pm

For a Book Signing,

 Treat Tasting & Chat at Barnes and Noble Bookstore

Barnes and Noble Foothills Mall 

7325 N La Cholla Blvd., Suite100 

Tucson, AZ 85714 

(520) 742-6402

Judith Knight simplifies home cooking and entertaining with her delectable, easy to prepare recipes. Laced with humorous tales; recipes of all kinds, from appetizers through desserts; and helpful tips—this book is guaranteed to fill your home with love, laughter, and satisfied appetites.

If you are not able to attend the event but want a copy of Judith's book there is a link to Amazon.com on the side of my blog. 

Found Yarn in Progress

Last year I thought I could manage the house, Eric and an on line class called The Journey to the Golden Fleece. I was very wrong. Eric got sick and I just put everything aside.  Yesterday when I was doing some cleaning I found some of the yarn that I had spun on drop spindles and was going to ply.  I spent yesterday and part of today plying what I had already spun and trying to finish spinning and plying the rest of the basket of rovings and batts.  I have some great art yarn that is way out of my comfort zone.  

I know even though I missed the deadline for the class, I need to finish the project for me.  I also need to finish the weaving portion of the class.  So this yarn will help with that.  I still have to wash the yarn too.  Here is a pre washed picture of the yarn. 

Happy Summer Solstice

I just love summer. This summer is no exception. I am keeping way to busy with too many projects going at the same time. Spinning, weaving,sewing and knitting projects are getting finished at a good rate.  I am really enjoying my creative streak. 

We have hit a real cool down in the summer heat.  I think our wonderful days of 110f are gone for a while now.  There might even be rain in the forecast. 

My next deep cleaning project is going to be the kitchen.  It is going to be a real treasure hunt.  Who knows what will land up at Goodwill.  I think I will start off simple and just demagnetized the fridge, I bet I can fill a large Tupperware container with just the magnets on the fridge. 

I think that I will either spin or clean house to unwind right now. 

Lace Weight Yarn

I don't know about you but as a newer knitter I got caught up in the lace weight yarn, anyone can knit lace craze.  After all it looked so pretty. Did I mention how soft the yarn was. How the colors looked so pretty.  All you have to do is yarn overs and knit 2 or 3 stitches together. Just follow the chart, yes I did learn to read charts. So I got something out of the craze.  But and this is a big but, nobody told me it could take hours to knit a row without interruption.  If I did get interrupted I would need to rip out part or all of a row, or worse yet have to go back to the life line. Whom ever came up with lace knitting oh so long ago never had a child with the needs of Eric. 

Fast forward to 2015. I have a solution to all my lace weight yarn that I can not seem to resell.  Hats, yes hats.  I found by accident that if I wind the yarn into cakes and pull yarn from both the inside and outside of the cake and knit with U.S. Size 6 knitting needles.  It is a perfect light weight winter hat for climates such as Tucson.  

Here is the first hat in progress.  

A summer Sunday

The most remarkable thing about today was the 9 loads of laundry that I did.  The last load is waiting for the dryer at 10:15 pm.  This takes into account the 3 loads that were air dried. I guess since I left the laundry room with out any loads to do after my 2 loads yesterday, this was a bit overwhelming even for me.

I did find time to get to the grocery store, but left my list at home.  I think I will have to start putting the list in my phone.  I always take my phone. I still have not found the list, but I hope that I got everything we needed. 

Eric has had a runny nose today along with a low grade temp. I am hoping that he goes to program tomorrow. If not I will still have a busy day. I am hoping for no laundry, but your guess is as good as mine on that. I will also be looking at refrigerators and hope to narrow it down to the one. 

A Milestone

Today at knitting I was able to track down a pattern everyone was sharing from a supposedly out of print magazine.  I did not have the name of the pattern, only the designers name.  I then went to Raverly to find the name of the pattern and to see if I could buy a copy. The pattern was not available for purchase on Raverly, but it gave me the name of the 2012 knitting magazine it was in. 

So off to the publishers web site to find the pattern.  I first check under the free patterns, but no such luck.  So I went under the tab for old magazines. I did not find a hard copy but was able to find a digital copy for $1.75. So I bought a digital copy of the magazine. I got the pattern I wanted plus 19 other patterns for less than the cost of most patterns without denying a designer and a publisher of their money. 

In this age of the digital magazine, I would like to urge all my readers to check with reliable resources when looking for old patterns.  Please use places where you know if a designer chooses to try to earn a living selling patterns, that they have a chance. Not everything in life is free.  They have bills to pay too. 

This was accomplished all from my cell phone. A first for me.  It only took 10 minutes for all the research. Then another 5 to figure out their check out cart. I want to assure my readers that I was not hooked into the malls wifi, so I am hopeful none of my personal information was stored on the mall server. 

When John is available, I will down load the magazine to the computer and possiably the pattern to my I-pad.  By the way I also finished 2 hand knit items today.  It is time to put the last load of laundry I the dryer and head to bed.  

A long night

I am not quite sure what to make of last night.  I spent from 10 to 11 pm helping Eric clear his lungs. Followed by a complete change out, which resulted in a full load of laundry started just after 11 pm. Yes, if I have a full load I will start it any time of the day or night. I got back to Eric's room just in time for a seizure that seemed to last forever,but in reality was only about 2 minutes long. I helped Eric through the seizure aftermath and stayed with him until he feel asleep. 

I was able to get to bed by 12:30am, which turned into a short nap for me. At 3:15 am I was up with a very noisy and uncomfortable Eric. I started out with physical therapy, which helped a little. Then it was time to try to figure out what else was bothering him.  20 questions followed by a meter reading for O2 levels, normal, followed by temperature with a reading of 100.7. I found the problem. Then it was Tylenol followed by holding on to Eric until the Tylenol started to work and he calmed down.  

I got another nap at 6 am and I feel just like Eric and Elmo look, in need of a nap. Then again there are so many things to do today.  I may find time for a nap later, in the mean time it will not be a good idea to get between my caffeine and me.  

Have a great day everyone. 

Birthday Month Freebies

I do love June for the birthday month freebies.  This is what I scored today.  I would have done more shopping, but I find it hard to carry much when I am in a flare up. Yes, it is the post Eric being sick flare up. He was sick for 2 weeks so I should be flared up for at least that long.  But I digress , I got samples from Origians, Clinique, Aveda and Shephora.  So a big thank you to all the companies that made this day possible.  Most of these are based on e-mail, Facebook and frequent buyer clubs. 

I was not paid by the above companies for this blog post. All offers are open to the public when you sign up for the programs.  

Fun Hats

I am getting to the point in the knitting of next winters hats that all I have are a couple bags of bits and pieces of yarn.  I like this kind of knitting because it challenges me. I want every hat to look like something my own kids would wear. They have to have a nice look and texture to the pattern. Most of all the color must flow so the hat looks well planned.  I even throw in bits of Hand spun yarn leftover from other projects. I like to go from this to that. 

Turning The Corner

Eric made it back to his day program today.  This gave me a nice down day.  I had no laundry or other chores that needed to be done. I finished weaving one rag rug and re wrapped the loom.  The good news is that I have enough of the dinosaur sheets to make a second rag rug.  I also finished another hand knit hat.  

I I spent the day fighting that nauseous feeling. Just eating crackers and sipping liquids.  I am hoping that I am just exhausted from Eric being home sick for 2 weeks and that I did not pick up his cold.  I know tomorrow will be a better day. 

An Update

I have used the time that Eric is home sick to catch up on cleaning and making things. Nap time is a perfect time to cut up old t-shirts and sheets for rag rugs.  I did not buy the special rag rug cutter as I feel that between my scissors and rotary cutter they do the job. After I finish my rag rug series, I will be creating a series for the Taglit Program at the JCC, I am hoping that they will go in the fall fund raiser, but I don't know for sure.

Knitting is getting done in bits and pieces, mostly while I sit with Eric. I am finding after a full day with Eric I am too tired to knit more than a couple of rows a night. I am hoping that Eric will go back to program on Monday. If he does, then I will spend the whole day on me and things I want to do. Two weeks of Eric being at home sick is enough to tire anyone out.

Well yesterday was the 1st 100 degree day at our house so its time to go get the laundry started so I can give the appliances the afternoon off.

Secondary

Eric has a secondary infection after last weeks tummy bug.  He was in good form at the doctors office, he not only coughed up crud, but also threw up on the floor. He had to prove to every but me just how lousy he was feeling.  We stopped by the pharmacy on the way home. Once home Eric went back to bed. He has started his medicine and slept all afternoon which gave me a chance to have a nap after being up half the night with Eric. 

I got the loom partially wrapped. Then I cut up some more t-shirts. Starting with clean old t-shirts the fabric balls came out much better than the bits and pieces I used on the last rag rug.  I am also cutting up,some old sheets which will be in the next rug.  

In the no good deed goes unpunished area.. My finger nails have started to crack and split all over the place from the 3 weeks of working with the polyester towels. This seems a bit odd to me, because my cuticles are starting to heal up very nicely. So until they stop cracking and splitting I will have very short nails.  

I have the Lendrum spinning wheel up and running, so tomorrow I plan on taking it to Grandmas Spinning Wheel for the afternoon spin in.  I am still learning all about the wheel and getting to know him.  Yes this wheel seems like a him to me.  So I will be taking small bits of fluff and making some very artistic yarns tomorrow.  If you want to see my new to me wheel bring your knitting or spinning and join us from 1 to 4.  

Now I just need to unwind from a very busy day. 

A Sensory Pad

Today I spent most of my free time gathering materials which took about 3 hours and sewing which took about 45 minutes making a sensory pad for a friend of Eric's. Since he likes the sound of Velcro pulling along with music, I incorporated those things in the pad. Along with a few things to play with. The smile and happy noises were well worth the time spent. Let me know if you want directions. Here is the finished project.

I am still very tired from Eric being sick over the long weekend, but I hope to catch up on sleep soon.

Sick Boy

Eric is sick again. There seems to be a very bad tummy bug with a high fever going around Tucson. Eric is holding on to the baby Elmo that Candy knit for him, it is the only thing besides me that he wants.  

Eric is now on Pedialyte. He seems to be tolerating it at 20 ml per hour. I wish I could get it higher,but I don't want the eyrping to start again.  As soon as he is asleep, I will try to get to my bed instead of sleeping in the rocking chair tonight. 

I did not finish the rag rug. I did however finish a hat that is was being knit on size 6 knitting needles. I also cast on the next hat and tinked it because it was not big enough to turn into a mobis scarf.  I am now about 1/2 inch into the brim.  

If Eric is feeling better tomorrow, more will get done. 

My random comment of the day is, if you want a fast check out at the store, don't get behind the person with the full cart and stack of coupons. By the way, I saved over $45.00 with coupons today and my friend Lisa saved even more. 

Exhaustion

Exhaustion and pain hit hard and fast today.  Thank goodness Eric was in a nap mood today. 2 naps latter and all I can say is my pain level is down. I am not sure why exhaustion and pain seem to go hand in hand for me.  I am hoping for a better day tomorrow.  My semi grand to do list was only half way done. As John says there is always tomorrow. 

Clarfication on Today.

This is to clarify that Blue is not a type of fiber but a color. Any farm girl should know that, no matter how tired you are.

If you reek of cigarette smoke don't cram yourself into a full elevator, just wait for the next one. You left Eric and I gaging. You were also lucky that no wild eyrping went on because of the smell.

I can't figure out where the time went, but my best friend / love of my life and I have been married for 31 years as of today.

It is possible to design a hat pattern in 48 hours and have it typed up too. Pictures take longer. Where are all my models at midnight?

If you find yourself weaving all over the road, just maybe you should put that phone down.

Not everything gets finished in a timely manner when a big and urgent project lands on my sewing table.

A Senior Recital

I have been lucky enough to be invited to Brianna Finkelstein 's Senior Recital at the University of Arizona Holsclaw Hall.  I have know Brrianna since she went around on her mothers hip. It does not seem possible to me that she has graduated from the U of A.  This is her last performance in Tucson before she heads off to grad school to continue her studies in oboe.  

The program includes Oboe Sonata in G Minor, S 1020 with Allergo, Adagio and Allegro, Attributed: C.P.E. Bach.  Overheard on a Saltmarsh by Erin Goad.  three Romanzen, op,94 by Robert Schumann, Nicht Schnell 1 and 3. Finishing off with Fantaisie on Flotow's Martha, Op. 23 by  T. Lalliet 

I really enjoyed the piece Overheard on a Saltmarsh.  The only way I can really describe it was that the music flowed like silk in amazing colors of sound.  The English Horn played by Rachael Kamradt added a wonderful layer of texture to the music.  

Meily Mendez was wonderful on the Harpsichord and Piano.  She showed mastery and passion in her music. Although I do have to say that Brianna stole the show.   Brianna showed both mastery and grace while playing the Oboe.  She coxed a full range of notes from her Oboe.   All in all it was a very enjoyable evening.  If you ever have the opportunity to hear Brianna, Meily or Rachael in concert please take the time to enjoy a few hours of wonderful music. I am quite certain that Brianna will make the world a better place where ever her life leads her.  

Spinning Styles

I was taught to spin by the wonderful Kathy Withers and I really enjoy spinning. I aspire to be as creative as Kathy someday. I learned even more from the Journey to the Golden Fleece, I learned to get more creative. Although typical me, I did not finish the paper work. The yarn I learned to spin is gorgeous.

I really enjoy playing with fiber and seeing what develops. I find it calming. I find spinning relaxing.  I enjoy creating new yarns. I enjoy weaving and knitting with my handspun yarn. I have even mastered lace weight yarn on my spinning wheel, not just the drop spindle.  

I have learned to wash, card and comb my fiber from raw fleece.  I love to pull out my drum carder to create special batts to spin on occasion. I found that I prefer to send my raw fiber to Spinderella's Fiber Mill.  I do not need to process my fiber from fleece to yarn for every project. They also have a special needs adult child at home that requires full time care like Eric. I feel it is right to support those in my community that keep their children home like John and I do. 

That is why I don't like the trend by some in my local spinning community to master every spinning style from worsted to silk thread. Don't get me wrong I find learning something new everyday is essential.  To buy the raw fleeces, skirt, wash, and do everything including dying the fiber.  Then to do this with every project. It is not that I am lazy, but have a finite number of hours to play with fiber.  

Its not that I don't enjoy learning new things, but the constant push is just to much sometimes.  I do not feel the need to take classes on a weekly basis.  I do not need to become a master spinner. I am not going to become a professional teacher.  I prefer to be an artist. My need to create and relax are my priority.  I hope that this is the right track for me. I wonder what my fellow spinners feel about this.

Please feel free to use the links that I have provided to find some wonderful fiber people. The opinion's are my own and I have not been paid to include these links in my blog. I trust and like these businesses. I have also not asked for permission to include these links, so if you see blank spots in the future, it is because I have been asked to take down the link. 

My Fitbit

For those of you who know how much I love my Fitbit, you will understand why I was upset when I found out this afternoon that the battery died sometime yesterday.  I never received notice on my email that the battery was running low. 

Even though my numbers don't show it today I did a fantastic 55 minute workout today with biking, stairs and rowing. Well there is always tomorrow's work out. 

Have a great weekend everyone. Try to stay dry and safe. 

What Makes Us Good Mothers

With Mothers Day just over in the United States it brings yesterday's encounter even more revelant.  It always amazes me that whenever people learn about Eric and ask if he has any siblings.  When I say yes, the look I always get is should I ask her about her other child?  Some people start out by asking if they are in the same day program. Other just want to know if she still lives at home too.  Yet all are stunned to find out that Teri is a Copyright Attorney in California.  Like how is this possible?  

Motherhood gives each mother a unique opportunity to interact with each child as an individual. I have found that both my child are very unique. My children are polar opposites.  My job as a mother has been to help Teri and Eric each reach their unique potential in an optimal way for their learning style.  

Since Eric was about 6 months old I have always stressed to Teri, that Eric is her brother and not her responseability.  I have always stressed that mom and dad are responsible for the care of both Teri and her brother.  That Teri's job in life is to be the best possible Teri possible, even if it meant leaving Eric behind at times.  In that endeavor Teri has exceeded what I thought was possible.

Each child has made my life so much better in their own unique way. Eric has helped me learn patience. Teri has help me learn to dig deeper for the answers, although on technical issues I am quite sure she hates the line "wait until your father comes home".  Eric has helped me find the time to knit 100's of warm winter items for kids in need. Teri has taken me to England and Italy, which were life time dreams of mine. I would still like to go again and explore some more.  It is not possible now.  Eric has taken me to our nations capital and explore all the history, something that I have dreamed of doing.  Yes each has given me so much. 

I guess in my own meandering way I am trying to say thank you to my 2 increadable kids. They along with John have made my life so rich. For that I am very thankful. 

The Last of the Week

As I write this post load number 30 of the week is in the dryer.  I am thankful that this week of sheer laundry madness is almost over.  I am also thankful that I did not run out of Tide Unscented this week. Just to let you know the wonderful people at Proctor and Gamble did not pay for this blog post and all the opinions are my own.  However, I am grateful for the Tide coupons in my Sunday Arizona Daily Star and the sales on Tide that occur about the same time. 

I know with Eric being sick, that I had a few extra loads of laundry this week. This is a picture of just 2 days worth of laundry for Eric when he is feeling good.  Yes he did go through 5 night time t-shirts in 2 days. That is just Eric. Also if I did not wash the dozen bibs, I would have had a whole lot more laundry to do.  Every bib saves me from washing 1 additional outfit. 

I hope to do a few less loads of laundry next week and spend more time creating. 

Over 800 Yards

I just finished spinning and plying over 800 yards of Merino, Alpaca and Silk today.  Now what should I do with it?  

25

Today is only Wednesday and I hit the 25 loads of laundry mark. I know part of this was do to Eric being sick, yes he made 4 loads in under an hour on Monday night. So I asked Eric if he could possibly slow down his laundry production for the rest of the week and all he did was laugh at me. I think that he is taking his job of being the chief laundry maker a bit too seriously this week.

You would think by the amount of laundry that I am doing this week that I either had a larger family of a small washtub. Sadly neither is the case. There are only 3 of us at home and I have the largest washtub in my machine that Whirlpool made 20 years ago.

On a lighter note Eric is feeling better and is back on formula. His fever is also down below the 100 mark, the 1st time since Monday night. With Eric feeling better I also took the time to clean the stove and the kitchen like I should have done before Passover. Better late than never.

Well I think that I am finally unwinding form my busy day and week. So I think I will try to get some sleep.  It will be time to get my day going again in a little over 5 hours.