'Lil Red

I haven't been a celebrate Hallowe'en kinda girl but I decided to throw caution to the wind this year and embrace the fun of it.

I went out dancing with friends & entertained the young & young at heart at work with my Little Red Riding Hood persona. I had fun!!!!

Trick or Treat

I took a chance on the Colinette Pallet Packs (now called Creative Packs)years back and wasn't disappointed so I think that I'll roll the dice & take a chance again.

Are you feeling lucky?

Watching TAR19 with Wannietta part II

Okay - we're starting off at 9:28PM with Ernie & Cindy.
Teams are on their way to Jarkarta Indonesia and take an overnight train to the tropical city of Yogyakarta.
Jeremy & Sandy are close behind at 9:36, Jennifer & Justin at 9:39. Ethan & Jenna are out at 10:07, Amani & Marcus at 10:15, Laurence & Zac at 10:22, The 'Boarders on their heels at 10:23.
Looks like there are no flights out until 8:45AM; the airport equalizes again.
Ron & Bill are off at 10:48, The Showgirls at 11:09, The Twins at 11:31.
Cathi & Bill join the Race at 3:57AM. Everyone professes joy at seeing them - some for less genuine reasons than others.
Justin & Jennifer are going to self-destruct at the airport ... forget Roadblocks!! They are hilarious talking over each other!!

OMG - people are riding on the roof of the train!!
Teams are scrambling for cabs & cabbies who know where they're going and can get their fast.
The Twins are terrified & holding on to each other for dear life.
At the Goa Jomblang Caves the teams will go spelunking, hunting for a javanese mask and indiginous dagger then scale a towering bamboo ladder and deliver the artifacts for their next clue.
For their Speedbump Bill & Cathi have to undo a massive knotted rope to get to a carabiner before they can do the Roadblock. Fortunately for them they have a slight advantage having arrived first.
Cathy is heading down into the caves along with Marie & Marcus. Bill is headed down too. They are all professing awe and excitement ... we'll see how long that lasts.
Jeremy, Tommy, Justin, Ethan, Kaylani, Zac & Bill are all going down.
It seemed so simple - the first teams down just grabbed the first mask & daggers on stakes that they found and headed to the ladder.
Bill is first up the ladder and on to the Detour with Cathi - way to go!!!
Shake Your Money Maker - one team member must learn a traditional dance while the other accompanies them on a gamelan. They need to earn 30,000 rupiah to complete the task.
Be A Ticket Taker - teams need to park enough motorbikes to earn 15,000 rupiah.
Then all teams need to travel to an orphange and donate their detour earnings to get their next clue. In addition, teams need to indepedently notice a sign telling them that they must give over all of the money in their possesion and then they will get a clue to help them find the next Pit Stop. This is a totally devious & tricksy Race!!!

Zac, Kaylani & Bill are the last three to get their masks.
The Twins are Shaking Their Money Makers!!
Bill & Cathi are Ticket Taking.

All of the teams are out of the Caves and on their way to the Detour.

Ernie & Cindy grabbed a Ticket Taking spot up from Bill & Cathi and snaked a lot of clients before they even got down to them and are now out in front again.
Amani & Marcus are Shakin'.
Justin & Jennifer and The 'Boarders are Ticket Taking.
Bill & Cathi and The Twins are on their way to the orphanage.
Ethan & Jenna are Shaking it.
Ernie and Cathy didn't notice the sign ... but are on their way to the Pit Stop.
Bill & Cathi and The Twins ... double ditto.
The 'Boarders and Justin & Jennier are off to the orphange.
The Showgirls, you guessed it, are Shakin' it along with Ron & Bill.
Laurence & Zac are Ticket Taking.
The 'Boarders didn't see the sign but then Andy noticed the sign at the last minute!!!
Ernie & Cindy tried to check in but have been turned around with the infamous Phil "however ...".
Having given up all of their money Andy & Tommy are hot-footin' it to the Pit Stop while Cindy moans & cries all the way back to the orphange.

Ethan & Jenna have shaked enough but then left their clue behind & need to go back to get it.
The Showgirls are on their way to the orphanage.
Justin & jennifer, unobservant, along with Jeremy & Sandy and Amani & Marcus.
Phil has just turned back The Twins.
Laurence read the sign - good on him!!
The Showgirls totally saw it too.
Bill & Cathi have been turned back ... disappointed in the lack of observation skills in the teachers.
Ethan's ragging on Jenna for forgetting the clue.
Andy & Tommy are the 4^th team to try to check in but because they don't have to go back they are Team #1!!
Ernie & Cindy are back to the orphanage.
Ron & Bill are done Shakin' it.
Jeremy & Sandy have been turned around.
Justin is yelling at Jennifer to go faster and have been turned around.
Amani & Marcus are on their way back.
The Twins are back to the orphange for the 2^nd time.
Ethan & Jenna did not notice the sign.
Laurence & Zac go from the 8^th team to check in to the 2^nd!
Jeremy & Sandy are on the way back.
Ethan & Jenna have been turned around.
The Showgirls have gone from 10th with tears to 3^rd with tears of joy!! Phil is evil!!!
Teams are checking in for the 2^nd time.
Ron & Bill didn`t see the sign & have been turned back.


#1 - Andy & Tommy - a trip for two to Ireland
#2 - Laurence & Zac
#3 - Kaylani & Lisa
#4 - Ernie & Cindy
#5 - The Twins
#6 - Jeremy & Sandy
#7 - Bill & Cathi
#8 - Justin & Jennifer
#9 - Amani & Marcus

Good bye - Ethan & Jenna and Ron & Bill

Sara Douglass

It is a sad day - one of my favourite fantasy authors, Sara Douglass, has passed away after a long battle with cancer.

She wrote an excellent blog post/article a bit ago entitled The Silence of Dying. A worthy & thought-provoking read
The Silence of Dying

I will miss looking forward to her new books but will re-read & enjoy the ones I have.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Watching TAR19 with Wannietta part I

Wow - there are some really strong-looking teams this season!! I think that Ernie & Cindy, Justin & Jennifer and Liz & Marie have their work cut out for them. My early faves are Andy & Tommy and Bill & Cathi.

And Andy & Tommy are the first to find the TAI umbrella to complete the clue that their first destination is Taipei Taiwan.
The show girls "with it going on up here too" are the last and have an additional task to complete - a Hazard. Oh, and they drop a passport at the gas station and didn't notice.
Ron & Bill, Ethan & Jenna, Ernie & Cindy are the first 3 teams on the early flight along with Amani & Marcus, Laurence & Zac, Justin & Jennifer, Andy & Tommy and Jeremy & Sandy.
The Showgirls didn't find Kaylani's passport at the gas station so they took a chance that one of the other teams stopped at the same gas station & found it & brought it with to the airport. Is anyone else surprised that this didn't work out? Now we see the cracks in the friendship.

So Ethan & Jenna think that no one is going to know they were on Survivor and won?
Holy freakin' lucky!!! Some guy found Kaylani's passport, tweeted about it, got tweeted back about how he should take it to LAX and now Kaylani & Lisa are bffs again!!! <3
Once they land the teams need to find Ximendig Commercial District & "figure out" that they need to find a billboard that will reveal chinese characters that are their next clue. This is not going to be an easy race!!
And Marcus is deciding to skate the edges of truth & not reaveal that he was a pro football player.
"Everything here is race colours; the people working on the streets have yellow & red hats on. It's like practically the national colour here." Jenna. Yeah, think about it.
No one is cluing in on the red & yellow balloons on the billboard, especialy not Amani & Marcus who look right at it, comment on it & discard it.
Justin & Jennifer firgure it out first & are on their way to the the Confucius Temple.
Kaylani & Lisa think that it would be more obvious than the giant LED billboard.
Tommy doesn't think it could be the balloon billboard b/c "it's always stripes".
In this Roadblock teams need to dial 1-800-Confucius & memorize the Confucian proverb then recite it word-for-word to get their next clue.
Marcus thinks that all of the girls are doing the Roadblock b/c "all girls like phones". wtf?
Yeah, this is a lot harder than they thought!
Cindy got it first and she & Ernie are on their way to Daijia Riverside Park, followed closely by Justin & Jennifer then Jeremy & Sandy.
The Showgirls & Twins finally figure out the balloon billboard but Bill & Cathy are totally clueless.

Andy & Zac are struggling; Ethan finally got it.
Ernie & Cindy are at the next Roadblock - rowing & beating out a stroke rhythm with a dragon boat team.
Amani & Zac finally got all the words right follow closely by Bill.
Andy and Tommy are finally on their way to the dragon boats.
I think that Sandy needs to pick up the beat a bit.
Ernie & Cindy are the first on the way to the sacred grounds of the Martyr's Shrine.
Jeremy & Sandy and Jennifer & Justin are heading to the pitstop.
The Twins aren't so good at the memorizing but the Showgirls are on their way to the Core City Pacific Mall to complete their Hazard; Kaylani is going to do the bungee jump.
Bill & Cathi are still struggling to find the billboard clue.
Laurence & Zac, Ethan & Jenna, the 'Boarders (snowboarders Andy & Tommy) and Amani & Marcus are putting the paddle to the water!
Bill & Cathi have the billboard clue figured out and if Liz keeps blowing the memorizing they stand a chance. Of course, Marie is being as supportive as the team member watching usually is. LOL!!!

50^th time's a charm!!
Cathi is doing the Confucius memorizing & unless they just edited it hard she totally nailed it right off!!
A non-elimination leg right off - BIll & Cathi live to race another day but will have to complete a Speed Bump.
And for the first time ever there will be a double elimination next week - they've got their work cut out for them but other teams have come back from behind.

#1 - Ernie & Cindy - they get the Express Pass
#2 - Jeremy & Sandy
#3 - Justin & Jennifer
#4 - Ethan & Jenna
#5 - Amani & Marcus
#6 - Laurence & Zac
#7 - The 'Boarders
#8 - Ron & Bill
#9 - The Showgirls
#10 - The Twins
#11 - Bill & Cathi

Wins

The Spiders won again!!! Our time of 5:53:34 was sufficient and a half hour faster than the 2^nd place team. Here's a link to the official results.






The Relay for Life was awesome - the weather was perfect, not overly cold overnight, not the dewiest we've knit through and experiencing it as a Survivor for the first time was very special. Thank you to all of my supporters - you were all with me in spirit!!!





Amanda has graduated from Grade 8! It was a lovely evening, she was (as if there was any doubt, last minute beauty emergencies notwithstanding) beautiful and her teacher made a wonderful DVD montage of the year for all of the graduates. I am so proud of her and can't believe that my baby is going to be in high school in the fall.







I am almost done the Wollmeise cami for Elise. I love how the straps are rainbow striping!!

I'm going to be at The Needle Emporium on the 9sup>th of July so if you're in the area pop in & say "hey".

Working ... Still, Again

Wow - time has been passing in a blur!!

I've been back at The Mighty Mart of Wal for 2 weeks now & I'm enjoying being back. I missed the people and the routines of it all. I'm really loving being a part of the front-end team; it's a busy hub of the store and the days pass by quickly.

Amanda's grade 8 graduation is coming fast - June 26^th!!

I'm looking forward to the Relay for Life next weekend - if you've been waiting to the last minute to sponsor me, we're almost there!!

The toenails are still hanging on but I think that the right one is infected - I'll have to hit up the walk-in clinic tomorrow after work; it's becoming distractingly painful.

Our softball team broke our losing streak with a tie game but we're back to losing again. I'm having a lot of fun though - I've been practicing & I'm hitting better - and I have a feeling that we're going to have a great 2^nd half of the season!!

I'm still working on scarves our Relay tent & a project for Elise.

Things are proceeding slowly on the domestic front but they are going forward as such things do.

Back to Back

Next weekend the Toronto Spiders are competing in the Int'l Back to Back Wool Challenge again. We will be going for the win at Black Creek Pioneer Village on Sunday June 5^th starting at approximately 10AM. We're hoping for an awesome sunny day & would love to have you come out and cheer us on!!

Untitled

My hair is growing in ... long enough to run my fingers through it. It's like Rosemary's Baby short but growing and I have to admit that wetting up my hands & drying them in my hair to style it has an ease that has its own appeal. And it didn't come back in "not grey" as I had hoped, but the grey is easily & colourfully remedied.

Chemo is the gift that just keeps giving. I had lost 2 toe nails during chemo from stubbing them. They've grown back in, but not quite the same (2nd toe on the left foot). The big toe nail on my right foot is lifting (and oozy), the one beside it & the big toe on my left foot look totally dead and I'm sure their loss is imminent. The "growth rings" are kind of interesting ... while I'm glad that I had my hands sitting in ice during the Taxotere treatments to help preserve my nails I really wish they had done it for my feet.
I've not really been one for pedicures & open toe shoes (the jobs I work at mostly) but sometimes I like to pamper my naked feet. I wonder if you get a discount on pedicures that don't require nail attention? Ah well, this too shall pass.

I've gotten signed off on returning to work May 30^th. Yes, I am excited!! It will be nice to see my friends every day and get back into a routine again. I am lucky that I will not have to jump back into Dept Mgr duties and the associated stresses - I'll be working up at the front end; cashier and Customer Service. I love front end - I'm the first one up to a till when they call for "cash trained associates" during busy times - and am looking forward to it.
The HR Mgr has enthusiastically agreed to arrange for a "dress down" day for staff on the day of my return - denim & pink - and the money raised will be to support me & the DKC/Toronto Spiders Relay for Life team!! We'll probably get a couple more in before June 17^th too. Even more awesome?? Walmart Canada will match all of the monies raised!!! I know!!

I've been working on a new project for Elise - gorgeous rainbow-bright Wollmeise.

I've also started on Irish Coffee by BabyCocktails for Julie. The yarn is Naturally's Aran Tweed - gorgeously soft!! I should have read ahead a bit more thoroughly in the pattern; I was cruising along to the 9" armhole depth when I read the "switching from ribbing to cable & stockinette" instructions. Which I should have started 2.5" ago. It'll go quickly enough switching to stockinette.

Frolic '11

Wow - I daresay it was a record for attendance; it was crazy busy!!!
I got there a bit later than I had intended but still had time to peruse the Market and chat up friends I haven't seen in a long time (Denny, Veronik, Linda) & meet some new ones (Heya Wanda!!!).

I had a great time teaching my finishing class - I really love seeing knitters excited about finishing and talking about how they can go home and pick up projects and using what they've learned, finish them with pride!

Then I went down and went around the market again, trying to decide on what was going to come home with me. I have to say that at the Frolic and the KW Knitters fair last fall I kept going back to 2 booths - van der rock yarns & Viola. The colours of their yarns are so enticing and I really did regret leaving without some of their yarns last time so I wasn't going to make that mistake again. I know, but we all know how much more satisfying it is to buy yarn in person.

So after going back to their booths several times, mulling & pondering I decided on 4 skeins of vdr's super sock in Promethium. I'm going to knit Stephen West's Herbivore and I had it in my head that I really had to knit it in a green of some sort. Good thing y'all are used to my quirks by now!! Stephanie was awesome (you are too Peter!) and had introduced herself to me on my last trip back to their booth. We got to chatting and she gifted me a skein of super sock in Carbonite so that if I can find the Sweet Spot in Promethium I can confirm it in Carbonite. They name their colourways after elements which I thought was super cool! Yes, they are aware that Carbonite is not strictly a recognized element but it's recognized by those of us to whom such things matter. They could totally have a blast with some of the other fictional elements!!!

From Viola I picked out a skein of their sock yarn in dew drop. I had mentioned "jaded" on Facebook and a friend said that I'll be faded jaded soon. I thought that sounded like an excellent colourway & was on a mission to find just such a colour for my next pair of socks. dew drop is (to my eye anyway) a perfect "faded jaded"!!! Now I just need to find a perfect sock pattern ... I'll need something a bit more "more" than my go-to stockinette.

As I was checking out The Needle Emporium booth (always well put together!!), Julie called me over. She gave me a gift certificate that Linda S. had bought for me. I got kind of choked up ... Linda reads my blog and has found inspiration and encouragement in my experiences. That means so much to me - sharing my story has been a kind of therapy for me and I am so glad that anything that I was able to share was able to help someone else. Everyone's journey & experience with cancer is unique but there are so many little things that you didn't even know to ask about or expect through treatment and not everyone can get to a support group in their area (and really, you can't have to much support or information). Thank you Linda - for the gift certificate and for letting me know that I've been been able to pay it forward a little.

W, X, Y & Z are for

Wool
Wroth
Weak
Wait
Wounded
Wondrous
Worthwhile
Whistle - I can't but I wish that I could.
Waffles

Xray
Xerox
Xanthum gum
xXx

Yarn
YoYo
Young (at heart)
Y2K - tempest in a teapot
Yak - verb & noun
Yin Yang - I need to find my Yang and find my balance again.
Yeast - mmm ... now I crave fresh bread.
Yearn
Yawn

Zoo
Zamboni
Zebra
Zen
Zest
Zydeco

Zabaglione

T, U & V are for

Titanic
Teaching - It's Frolic time again!! I'll be enjoying the market, teaching and then more enjoying the market. Will you be there?
Tantrum
Tortellini
TV - I do love watching TV; it's the perfect partner to my knitting. I'm easily entertained and there are so many great shows on!

Umbrella
Ubiquitous
Ungrateful
Unappreciated
Used
Understanding

Very
Verified
Vicuna
Velour
Vow
Villified
Volatile
Vulnerable

S is for

Sock - I finished a pair of socks today! They've been way too long in the making but done is done & I'm not going to berate myself. Sorry ... Top Secret so no pics. I'm looking forward to knitting them again in the Noro Taiyo.
Survivor
Scarves - I'm still working on those fun mitred triangle scarves. Relay for Life is coming up so I'm trying to get a push on to have a good contribution to decorating our tent!
Sister - I love both of my sisters. They are both strong, determined and making a difference.
Success
Smirnoff Ice - I love this stuff!!
Smile
Summer - I'm so looking forward to summer, it's my favourite season!

R is for

Re is such a lovely prefix!

Renewal
Rebirth
Rediscover
Reevaluate
Reflect
Ravelry
Radiation
Ramie
Reflexology
Reprobate
Reprehensible
Rhathymia
Riddikulus
Read

Q is for

Quilt - This is the quilt that Roxie made for Amanda. I've got another picture of it but it's on the other drive. Amanda does love blankies and this is just a perfect snuggle-hug and the colours are springy & cheery. Mischief loves it too. She's sending one for Kyle too ... I know!!! MWAH!!!
Quitter
Quintessential
Quiver (the verb, not the noun)

P is for

Percussion
Pie
Pretender
Pack rat

O is for

Oligarchy
Optimistic

N is for

New
Normal
Neanderthal
Namaste

M is for

Mother
Marriage
Mischief
Poor Mischief - my sister visited yesterday and brought her new puppy Doodle. Mischief had no idea what to make of the tiny little thing and was truly scared off by the tiny ball of fluff!! Mischief had to climb up on a chair or run down the stairs to feel safe! Mischief got brave when Doodle went to sleep though and took the opportunity to smack her a few times ... until Doodle woke up and Mischief ran away again. It was very entertaining!!!
Mayhem
Melifluous

L is for

Lace

Daniella sent me a set of their circular needles to knit Fiddlesticks Flirty Ruffles Shawl. I knit this for a client a number of years ago and have been wanting one for myself. I have had the most gorgeous Sundara Silk Lace maturing in my stash just for this project and now that I have all of the components for a perfect project ... I did this in 16 days as an Olympic project so that will be my goal again. Knitting TV will be Heroes & The Tudors I think. I love TV on DVD!!!

Cut My Losses
Love
Laughter

K is for

Knitting

I've lost a bit of my knitting mo-jo lately.
I swatched the pink Kid Classic but just wasn't feeling like knitting Marsha so that went back in the room.
Still have a scarf on the needles.
I'm onto the leg of the socks for Elise and am getting excited to be close to done & starting another pair. Noro's Kureyon sock has been discontinued so I'll be doing another pair in the Taiyo sock. Hmmmmm ... what colourway?

Kill Bill

My favourite movie(s) when I've had a bitch of a day. Line up the drinks and hit play & in a few hours I'm feeling much less rageful.

J is for

Justification
Jilted
Jackass
Jaded



Japanese Maple
Jasmine

Jell-O
Joy

I is for

it·er·a·tion

noun \ˌi-tə-ˈrā-shən\

Definition of ITERATION

1: the action or a process of iterating or repeating: as a : a procedure in which repetition of a sequence of operations yields results successively closer to a desired result b : the repetition of a sequence of computer instructions a specified number of times or until a condition is met — compare recursion

2: one execution of a sequence of operations or instructions in an iteration

3: version, incarnation iteration of the operating system>

Examples of ITERATION

1. iteration of the same piddling complaints is wearing thin>

First Known Use of ITERATION

15th century

icon·o·clast

noun \-ˌklast\

Definition of ICONOCLAST

1: a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration

2: a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions

— icon·o·clas·tic \(ˌ)ī-ˌkä-nə-ˈklas-tik\ adjective

— icon·o·clas·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See iconoclast defined for English-language learners »

Examples of ICONOCLAST

1. iconoclast, that music critic isn't afraid to go after sacred cows>

Origin of ICONOCLAST

Medieval Latin iconoclastes, from Middle Greek eikonoklastēs, literally, image destroyer, from Greek eikono- + klan to break — more at clast

First Known Use: 1641

These words just sort of roll off the tongue and there is nothing like a good iteration for the imagination!!

H is for

Hallelujah

hal·le·lu·jah (hl-ly)

interj.

Used to express praise or joy.

n.

1. An exclamation of "hallelujah."

2. Music A composition expressing praise and based on the word "hallelujah."

Wiki link.



Thanks to Judy for suggesting this H word. It totally trumps happy for expressing my thankfulness & joy at coming through the other side of cancer & treatment as well as I have!!

I know I missed a day but April has more than 26 days so I figure that allows for some grace.

G is for

Grumbling - Stop it!!! Grumbling is just counter-productive. It's whiny and self-pitying and generally unhelpful. If you must, then complain to someone who can do something about your issue(s) or offer a resolution. Better yet, be proactive and find a solution or move on to:

Gratitude Seriously a little goes a long way!! I really think that as a society we have become so accustomed to coveting more - keeping up with the Jones' - that we forget that maybe we are the Jones'!! New & better come so fast & furious that it's impossible to keep up ... wait a minute ... do we really need to keep up? I remind my kids that instead of looking at their friends who have what they perceive to be more and/or better than they do & feeling hard done by, perhaps they should look at their friends who don't have what they do & feel lucky that we've been able to provide them such things.
I admit that I love a new gadget probably more than the next girl and I do love my Bluray player & wouldn't trade my iPhone 4 for anything, but I waited a long time to trade up to that tech and will make it last as long as I can before moving on. Maybe it's because I was raised with very little such things, or because I hate learning how to use new tech or I'd like to believe that I really have enough sometimes and grateful to have what I do.

I'm not against buying new things or having a passion for something(s). Lord knows that would be the pot calling the kettle black!! It's about slowing down sometimes and asking why. Are we looking for the things to fill a hole that things can't fill or expecting happiness from something meant to entertain? Sometimes it's not about the "what" but the "why" and taking the time to find out.

Also, Gertrude, green grass, garnet

F is for

Friends - tried & true, far & near, virtual & in RL.

Fabulous - I got my nails done again (9 of them anyway) and it's amazing how much it lifted my spirits and made me feel fabulous again!!

Freezing - I was always the cold one in the house but since the chemo I've nudged the thermostat from 68 to 69 to 70 and I am still freezing. I have a hot water bottle under my feet, hot drink in my hands, afghans around my legs & an extra sweater on. And I still feel deep down cold. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever really be warm again?

And then there's my favourite F-word (and it's many variations). I try to use it less but sometimes it's just the most perfect way to express the moment.

Simplicity

So I am back to knitting on socks - my thumb is sufficiently de-sensitized and mostly just numbish (still swollen & unsightly) to return to regularly scheduled knitting. I finished the first sock and am onto the second one. The 2nd sock always goes faster for me ...

While I couldn't knit on such fine needles (and when I say fine I mean 2.75mm tiny & Damn Fine Signatures!!) and even now to give my thumb a rest, I have been knitting on scarves. I really do love the simple beauty and ease of garter stitch and I love the way Iris Schreier's mitered scarf turns stripes on their sides! I'm going to be saving them up to donate to the DKC Relay for Life team. I've gotten some masculine colours ... can't wait to bang more out!!
Sometimes though, a miter can take a wrong turn. I can't believe that I finished the whole triangle before I realized what I had done!! LOL Back on track though with a healing laugh for good measure.

E is for

Effervescence

intransitive verb

1

: to bubble, hiss, and foam as gas escapes

2

: to show liveliness or exhilaration

— ef·fer·ves·cence \-ˈve-s^ən(t)s\ noun

— ef·fer·ves·cent \-s^ənt\ adjective

— ef·fer·ves·cent·ly adverb

Origin of EFFERVESCE

Latin effervescere, from ex- + fervescere to begin to boil, inchoative of fervēre to boil — more at brew

First Known Use: 1784

I think that it's such a fun word that sounds just like what it means - light & bubbly! It makes me think of the Canada Dry slogan - "champagne of ginger ales". My dad was always a die-hard Canada Dry guy & I have to say that it's my favourite ginger ale too. Here's an interesting history of Canada Dry.

A-D

Thanks Rox - I'm nothing if not a highly suggestible lemming!!
I have decided to join the A-Z Blogging Challenge to get me back into the habit of Daily Blogging. There might not always be pictures but we'll see what I can do. There may even be days where I blog twice if I can't work my knitting/life into the letter of the day.
I don't think that there will be a theme - the word that I chose may be a quality that I have, wish to cultivate, admire in others, a word that makes me happy or one of those words that makes no sense at all. There may even be words that are names.

A is for Acquisitions
With a move in my future I have been taking stock of just how much I've acquired. Whether it's been purchased, traded or gifted I'm trying to make decisions on what it means to me. I'm a sentimental person and I love the memories that a lot of my things evoke but being an avid Hoarders watcher I am mentally planning a lot of culling. The yarn & books will be quite safe, but even there I have room to pass on love.

B is for Blame
I loved reading the Berenstain Bears and the Blame Game when the kids were little. It probably wouldn't hurt to keep reading it for them. So much time & energy - whether it's at work or home - is spent wasted trying to not take the blame, finding ways of making "whatever" someone else's fault instead of working out how to fix the problem or compromise towards moving forward. Sometimes there just is no blame, shit happens and it's time to get to the resolution of the issue and stop trying to find more faults.
It's similar to what Dr. Phil calls it "right fighting". I don't mean not fighting for your rights, or not advocating for yourself just to be agreeable, but right-fighting just to be the "winner" of an argument. It's the mentality behind it that is exhausting & self-defeating; arguing for arguments sake with no value added.
Lesson: Is it worth it? Pick your battles.

C is for Children

How could it not be? My children make me so proud. They push my buttons, drive me crazy and totally act their ages but they are amazing. They balk & butt heads but they are they for each other (and me) when the chips are down. They are both so smart and beautiful, I can see the potential that they have and I know that they'll get anywhere that they want to go. I just love them.

D is for Dexterity

As knitters (and crafters in general) we need a fair amount of fine-motor dexterity; more than the average person. We don't think about it, we just do it. I've thought a lot more about it since the surgery on my thumb and losing a significant amount of that dexterity.
An opposable thumb separates us from lower forms of life. It provides both power & precision to our hands and everything has been a challenge - knitting, zippers, buttons (buttoning buttons & pushing buttons on remotes), holding a cup, handling money, turning keys, learning to push the space bar on the keyboard with my left thumb, holding a pen ... it goes on & on.
But I'm determined (bonus D word!!!) and adaptable and even though it's been about a month I'm still missing & looking forward to the return of full dexterity!

Celebration

Thank for all the support & - it seemed like it was going to be such a long journey back in July and now that treatment is over it seems like it's been a whirlwind! Now I need to adjust my mind set from "getting through" to "moving on" and while this will be another long/short journey I know that I will be equal to this task as well ... with the support of my friends!!

I met up with my friend Joan on Saturday for lunch and a knitting afternoon. She surprised me with a "Celebration Scarf" from the Toronto Spiders Back to Back team!! Everyone contributed - spinning and/or knitting - to a scarf that I can feel the love in. There's a square with a bit of sparkle, awesome variegated sections with fleece that was donated by Louet and OMG - check out the bottom LF square (or RH as you're looking at it ) ... yes, it's a spider!!! You ladies rock - we've won & lost the B2B title together and now we're winning the battle against (breast) cancer together! I'm especially looking forward to our Challenge & Relay for Life this year ... no matter how hot it is I'll be wearing my Celebration Scarf. Thank you my friends!!!

Are You Ready to Frolic?

It's getting to be that time of year again - the Annual DKC Frolic. I'm happy that I'll be teaching again - my favourite subject, Finishing!

There are a lot of excellent teachers & the vendor list is enticing ... put it on your calendars!!

What Am I Now?

Today was my last day of treatment for breast cancer!!!

I am happy.
I am hopeful.
I am recovering.
I am discovering.

I am no longer a Cancer Patient - though that seems to be a bit of a non-PC term, I felt like I was a patient while I was in treatment. And believe me, the term "patient" is apt considering how much waiting there was to be done. Though I have to give a shout out & props to the staff at the Radiation Clinic at RVH. They were all awesome - always a welcoming smile, care, concern and they made me feel cared about & for.

I am a Cancer Survivor. I have survived & I will continue to survive & thrive because of and despite what I've had to overcome.

Am I Cancer-Free? No, I can't use that one.
Because the surgery got all of the tumour & there was no cancer in my lymph nodes I got asked a lot why I had to do the chemo & radiation. There is no way to seek & destroy an individual cancer cell free-floating around your body; for me the chemo & radiation were precautionary & preventative. It's different for each person who has been diagnosed based on cancer type and other risk factors for recurrence but for me it was definitely necessary weighed against the risk of not doing them.
It's kind of like being the President of The United States; even once you're no longer the current President you are entitled to be addressed appropriately as "Mr. President". I still "have" cancer. Or maybe you could just call me Madam President! Even after 5 years - during which I will run the highest risk of having a recurrence of breast cancer (though not necessarily in a breast) - one is not considered "cancer free". My surgeon said that I'll not be considered "cancer-free" until 30 years of non-recurrence.

No worries, I now have a new anniversary. March 22 will be my first day of non-recurrence and it will be an anniversary that I will look forward to celebrating for a lot of years to come!

Change of Body Part

Enough of the thumb pics - it's still kinda gross, swollen, still a bit of oozing & a bit warmish. I only have one more dose of the Clindamycin so I will be giving Dr. D a call first thing tomorrow morning to see if there should be another course of antibiotics. I'm not sure if it just needs more healing time or if the infection has not entirely cleared up. I'm just a Dr. Mom but my experience is leaning me towards the latter.

I have been knitting a bit, mostly worsted weight. Yesterday I started back into the sock for Elise in between swatching for Rowan Marsha (Ravelry link) out of Rowan Kid Classic in Pinched (a discontinued pink) which is close to Lipstick. I'm still not knitting nearly as much as I would like to be nor enjoying it as much as I should be. I need to pay too much attention to not poking the sensitive spots on my thumb and then there is the shooting pain that is completely unpredictable.

Monday will be my last treatment!!! After 32 of 33 radiation treatments I am totally dark, the skin that had been raw & sore has dried - though it's still sensitive and itchy. It's healing nicely though.

Improvement

It's okay now Holly - I think that I've got you pretty much desensitized to the mutant thumb pictures.

By the end of day 4 of the antibiotics there is a significant decrease in the pain in my thumb/hand. Thank God!!! There is still, however a significant amount of swelling, redness & visible infection along with a definite relief map of the infection. Varying shades of red and accompanying numbishness and sensitivity tell the story of how far & deep the staph infection went. It feels like some sort of a slightly stiff sheath over my thumb, which if I could just lift off would reveal a perfectly lovely, normal thumb underneath.



I got the stitches out today! The rest of the thumb nail will be forfeit - I can tell that it's coming off soon.
I spend some a lot of my time lancing and draining infection pockets. I really believe that it will help the healing proceed faster and it satisfies an OCD compulsion.

The Dr. was satisfied with the healing and while he would not commit to how long it would take for my thumb to totally heal he said it was looking good - that must be totally relative!!! - and to call if I had any questions.

I made the mistake of Googling about staph infections in surgical wounds. I know that it's only day 4 of a 10-day course of antibiotics but now I'm thinking about that MRSA that the nurses always ask about when you check in at a hospital. LOL!!! As long as there is visible,daily progress I'll be fine and won't obsess over the more dreaded possibilities. It seems silly but thinking about how icky the skin peeling will look once the blisters heal seems trivial compared to the real grossness of the lack of a thumb nail!!! The nail will take 2-3 months to grow in.

I am going to take mmy friend Dr. Paddy's advice and get plenty of rest ... as soon as I finish my mojito.

Worth the Price

Holly - only a slightly disturbing picture today.

Dr. Dickie just called. My first thought was that he was just following up on the infection, but no ... the pathology report came in & instead of waiting until my appt Monday he called. The sweetest words that a man has said to me in a long time, "No melanomic indications."

Relief!! Peace of mind carries a high price this time but it is totally worth it!! The infection will clear up, the nail will grow back and an acrylic "reinforcement" will cover any resulting imperfections but I will not have to wonder what that line was.


The redness & swelling have not gone down yet but it's only 24 hours in so that's okay. I've been going old-school & low-tech - soaking it in salty water, keeping it covered and icing it a bit to try to relieve the swelling and "fever". Percs are keeping me from crying and I'm knitting a wee bit to keep from going right 'round the bend.

I'll still go see Dr. D. on Monday to follow up on the (better be healing) infection and get the stitches out.