Half-Way week 26

 

So hard to believe 2024 is almost in the rear view mirror.  I am ready to face 2025 head on.  Are you?

My knitting this week has solely been on my shawl.

There have been a total of 29 rows of the 6 row pattern completed.  I need to do 7 more of the 6 row pattern repeats before I get to do the final rows and bind off.  This pattern is addictive.  It must be as this is shawl #4 and I have the yarn to make #5.

I did run into a bit of a problem last night with it.  Stitches were just jumping off the needles in the middle of the lace work!  So, today, I unknitted 4 rows to get the stitches all picked up, straightened out and then was able to knit it back to where it was before those naughty stitches acted up.  This yarn is similar to mohair and a real pain to unknit.  But after 2 hours the 4 rows were undone.

The family had a great Christmas last week.  We had our gathering at Josh's house.  We had decided last year, not to have a big meal for the day.  Instead, we all pitched in and brought our favorite finger foods to share with everyone.  It was a very stress free day for us.  As for gifts............we decided not to do white elephant gifts this year.  We all drew a name and then were in charge of buying that person a pair of slippers.  The funnier the better.

This was so fun.  Lots of laughter ensued from this one.  Not sure what we will do next year to top this one.

I have been busy getting ready for the new year to start.  I have my new daily planner/note taking book as well as my new daily journal set up and ready to go.  Hm, when did we start calling them journals when in actuality, they are just like the little diaries I kept as a teenager back in the dark ages.  Hubby asked me what I was going to do with all the journals I have.  Good question!  Maybe, when I am long gone, my grands or great grands will enjoy looking at a day in the life of their ancestor.  But, I am not holding my breath for that one.

Enrique gave me a bit of a scare this week.  He started refusing food and was walking with his back arched, like a cat.  I got him into the vet immediately.  Pancreatitis!  Luckily, it was caught very early and is treatable and curable!  His diet is changed for the next two weeks and then we will have him rechecked.  Little stinker.  He is enjoying his new diet.  It is all wet food and he gets fed 3-4 times a day.  But, he is worth it.  He is my little buddy that follows me everywhere I go.  He is never more than a few feet away from me all day.

This was this morning after he had breakfast.  All curled up and snoring away.  And I mean he is literally snoring................LOUDLY!

That is it for this week.  This coming week is busy once again with transporting Josh to and from appointments.  I also start PT this week.  Good thing too.  I took a nasty fall this week, in the house.  I had a horrible time getting up off the floor.  My legs are not what they used to be.  That is what the PT is for.  To strengthen them.  Oh, as for the fall, I am ok.  A few bruises and a nasty scrape on my knee, but thankfully, I did not hit my head.

Here is my weekly humor.

Until Next Time..................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't Faint! Week 25

 

This is going to be a little long, but I really need to post today.  I have had the past couple of weeks to sit back, relax, reflect and regroup.  Regrouping is still an ongoing process but I am ready to post a bit about all of that.

But before I get into my deepest feelings today, I want to show you, I have been busy with my needles.

First up.............toe socks

Last time I posted, these were in progress.  Since then, they are completed as well as another pair.  This is such a great project to take along with me while sitting in waiting rooms.  I have enough of these socks now, so will start back to making some RCR for myself.  Also, great waiting room knitting.

I had a request from Tiffany for another Azel poncho

This is the third one I have made for her.  Working with fun fur and size 13 needles is not for the faint of heart.  However, I did enjoy doing the striping on this.  It is knitted in one piece other than the cowl neck. Super easy.  

The buttons are so hard to see with all the fur.  But she really wanted buttons with bling.  Sewing these on was a challenge too.  Not thinking I will be working with fun fur anytime soon.

It looks like a blanket when folded up.  I will say, my legs stayed nice and warm while working on this.

I found something at Costco right after Thanksgiving that gave me great joy.

A puzzle Advent calendar!  Each little puzzle is only 50 pieces so perfect to work each day.

Remember the sea turtle blanket?  Remember how I did not like the puffy turtle?  I fixed it!

I simply used the bottom of the turtle for the top shell.  Easy peasy!  And , here it is in all it's glory.

I don't know where the work 'throw' got put on this pattern as this fits my daughters queen sized bed perfectly!  I really enjoyed making the blanket portions.  Making the appliques was not too bad either.  Sewing them on.............not my favorite project.  Will I make another one?  Probably not.

After all the 'commissioned' items were completed, I pulled out my shawl

Oh, how I love this pattern.  It is the perfect shawl for our Arizona climate.  This will be my fourth shawl in this pattern and I have the yarn to make a fifth one when this one is completed.  I wore one of them yesterday during Mass.  It kept the A/C from blowing down my neck.  Yes, we still have A/C going here with our daytime temps still getting up near 80!  No, this is not normal!

I have done a small amount of decorating for Christmas.

The little mice are new this year.  They make me smile each time I walk by them.

The tree is up and decorated.  And, that is all I did on the inside of the house.  Hubby has decorated the front yard but no photos of that to show.

We did have our front yard landscaped after Thanksgiving.  We added 2 trees, 6 lantana and 10 bougainvillea.  A watering system was added too, to make life a bit easier for my husband who goes out and waters our bushes every couple of days.  When spring hits and our front yard is in bloom, I will take a photo and post it for you to see.  I am so excited to finally have lots of color added to my yard.  We now have 'curb appeal'.

Now, on to my personal life news.  If you do not want to read it, that's ok.  But this will give you a bit of insight as to why I have slowed down on blogging.

Jaxon is doing quite well.  Her skin graft it healing nicely.  She is going to have some nasty scaring on her leg, but at least she has her leg and her life.  The same can not be said about her boyfriend who accidently hit her with his motorcycle. RIP

I was able to increase my injections for my RA!  Since I have been infection free for over 9 months, she has allowed me to up my injections to every other week!  What a difference that has made in my mobility and pain.  She has also prescribed physical therapy to help improve my lower extremity strength, mobility and balance.  I start right after the first of the year.  Believe it or not, I am really looking forward to it.  It has been way too long since I have been able to get on the floor and back up again.  Or even get off of some sofas that sit too low.  Climbing stairs is also an issue.  I am just a hot mess when it comes to some of my mobility.

An now, for the news that is not the greatest.

Josh had another MRI this past week and there are 2 new spots on his brain.  Until there is a biopsy we will not know if they are a recurrence of his cancer or radiation necrosis.  This was not the news we wanted to hear the week before Christmas.  Or anytime, for that matter.  Thankfully, he does not have any new symptoms which gives us a little hope it is from radiation.  But, with the type of cancer he has,(Glioblastoma) it could well be a recurrence.  There are a couple of new trials he is eligible for if this is the returning of his cancer.  This gives us hope.  The last trial he had was last year at this time.  It totally slowed the growth of his tumor down and even has extended his life past the time normally expected.  It breaks this mama's heart to see her first born going through all of this.  Watching his wife and daughter dealing with the fact his life is eventually going to be taken by this dreaded disease is gut wrenching.  Seeing his siblings gathering for family days and photos worried it could be the last milestone for them to witness, hard to watch.  This has all been heavy on my mind and heart.  There are tears being shed in private as I try and be strong for the rest of the family.  My faith has not waivered but there have been a few times where I just want to scream "why him, God".  We just lost a very dear friend at Thanksgiving to this dreaded disease.  A good man.  A righteous man.  A man of great faith.  It all hit way to close to home.  Yet, each day, I wake up, put one foot infront of the other and carry on with the life I have been given.  A wise person once said, we only die once but we live each day.  And as Josh keeps telling me, "I am not dieing of cancer but living with cancer".  A wise son I have raised.

Our family Thanksgiving day photo.  Love this family of mine!

And now to lighten the mood a bit...............................

I will be making Snickerdoodle cookies today for our Christmas gathering.  Luckily my dog is to darn short to be able to reach them.  LOL

Until Next Time.......................Happy Crafting, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah etc!

WEEK ???

 

Hey there blog people.  I am only dropping in today for a quick little update.  I do not have any projects to show you.  Yes, there are things that have been finished and items on my needles being worked on.

I am going to take a break from my blog for a little bit.  Don't worry, nothing major is happening to make me want to take this break.  Josh is still doing well, Jaxon is well on her road to recovery, hubby is fine, my health is very stable, the rest of the family is well also.  I am just a little burnt out with all that has gone on over the past year.

While this blog has been great to express my thoughts and feelings, I have never really exposed my inner most thoughts and feelings here.  I try to keep things lights and positive at all times on here.  The world has enough Debbie Downers and I refuse to contribute to that.  I have just reached a point where, I need to just be for a while and process.  I am greatly blessed and have great gratitude for everything I have been blessed with.  I just need some time.

I am not closing my blog.  Heavens no!  I will be back.  I also still enjoy reading other blogs and getting ideas for projects and books to read from them.  So, while I am not going to be writing for a 'few whiles".  I will still be reading all y'all's blogs.

Until Next Time.................Happy Crafting!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, if I am not back before 2025......................Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!