Revelation

It's been the two peak pain days of the month. Friday night, Saturday and Saturday night have been a exhausting. Between the pain and the codein ... I'm grateful that I really had nothing on and my mgr was cool with me switching Saturday for Monday. Not that I'd've been able to work if she hadn't, but still.

I have gotten a lot of swatching done but then the swatches all ended up back in wound balls.

Nothing came of it, but it was restful and gave my hands something to occupy what little my mind could focus on. After that I considered some socks but couldn't arrive at a decision so I knit on Elise's linen shawl. It's hard to see progress as it's just more fabric, but my mind is at peace.

While at peace (or high on codeine ... not sure which) I realized that when my phone is on I'm thinking about Facebook and Instagram and the people that I text and message and every little thing that pops into my head I want to Google. It is challenging to be truly peaceful within myself when I'm so occupied and conflicted.

It was a very freeing moment when I put consciously put my phone into airplane mode and in silencing the rest of the world, I was really giving myself the loudest voice. I have turned my phone off before, but I didn't really think through why, beyond the obvious.
It is so much easier to focus on what I want and what will please me when I'm not even subconsciously considering everyone else in my contact list!  It is liberating to deal only with my concerns, if only for a few hours, without checking in on social media.

Ahhhh ...

I touched up my nail polish and changed the accent nail from orange to pink; much better!

Bedtime soon; need to be ready for work early, and it's going to be a long day.

Blur

This week has been a blur of pain work and migraine.

The APSGO meeting was good and I'll be continuing with it. Anyone who has reached out to a support group knows that it is sometimes easier to talk to other with similar experiences than those whom we love and/or who love us.

I had my winter tires taken off (the back two were nearly slicks!) and replaced with all season Matrix tires. I've not been able to find out much online about them; anyone had experience with them?
Now I have a few months to find 2 winter P195/60R15 tires and 4 15" rims. Any leads would be appreciated.
While this was happening I put the waiting time to good use and finished Romi's Mysterious Shawl!!


I love it and it just needs a solid blocking.

Afterwards I spent some time at the courthouse as a moral supporter, and swatched A Hundred Ravens. Totally found the Sweet Spot!! I'd forgotten how much pleasure I get from deconstructing a yarn like this.


I hope that they'll be at the Knitters Fair again so I can get more yarn. Though I will order online if not.

I am so close to starting the next chart on my Châtelaine Mandala.


I find cross stitch so restful in a different way than knitting.

The puppies have been with me for a year - can you believe it??


They have grown so much and not the least amount in my heart.

Lee had given me a gift certificate for Amazon.uk for Valentines Day and after waiting for Broadchurch series 2 to be released, I put in an order. They're here!!


SQUEE!! Tomorrow I'll be purchasing an inexpensive DVD player in the hopes it will play or have a hack to play 15 discs.

The Loft for Lee's Longfellow. Mmmmm - can't wait to start!!

Yesterday I tried pushing and working through a migraine. Not such a great strategy.
I had felt more human after I got home, took the Rx and had some sleep, but it was still not quite fine this morning and I was feeling quite off. Dizzyish and just wrong. And I laid off the T3's while I was taking the Zomig, so it's not that. I'm feeling better now, but my uterus is kicking off hard again, but at least that's a more manageable pain. Lol.

Ok. Early night, make sure I'm fit for duties tomorrow.


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Support

I have learned the hard way that I can't always just curl up and deal with stuff in my own way in my own safe place. though this is still my default strategy with its own merits
Gilda's Club was where I needed to be when I was in treatment and the support group that I joined there gave me the strength to get through that tribulation.

Now I need help again and through an unfortunate, but with hindsight, fortunate, crossing of paths, I have found another support group. APSGO. Strategies, successes, and support to get me, sanity and health intact, through another adverse time. It is good to know that you're not alone, that there are ways to manage the challenges, and to be reminded that you are strong enough.

No actual knitting today, but tomorrow will come and will offer its own opportunities.


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Whatta Weekend

My sweet girl needs your prayers and/or most positive thoughts/vibes/karma. She has gone down a more challenging and trialsome path than most anyone would intentionally choose. She is struggling and needs all the help she can get and then some.
It is said that God takes care of children and fools - I pray that this is true and thus she is the best hands possible.

My mind has been on her and while I have been desperate for distraction, my heart was not fully on baseball and I had poor games on both Friday night and this afternoon. Fortunately the teams pulled through with a win and a tie respectively.

I made some visible progress on my Châtelaine mandala.


It was restful stitching. Almost ready to start the specialty stitch flowers!

I have also managed to get near to finishing Romi's Mysterious Shawl, especially while doing an epic laundry this morning.



I have had my Under Armor slides for going on 5 years; they owed nothing.


Sportchek had a sale on sandals, so I went in to see what was on offer. The young man who offered assistance suggested that Nike and UA might not be incl in the sale. "Seriously??? Given that 2/3 of your sandals are Nike & UA, what kind of sale is this?" Needless to say, my 2^nd pair was indeed 50% off. Then I had to have them refund the difference of $34.99 to $29.99 on my Fitbit Flex bracelets. It was my day, monetarily anyway.

Lee made burgers and I've been having some lovely drinks. Tomorrow morning may be a struggle.

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End of Clue 4

I'm way behind the pack on this one, but that's ok. I'm thoroughly enjoying each stitch.
Have I mentioned that this is my first Wollmeise project? I had stashed a number of her skeins and nothing seemed quite special enough until my first Romi knit came along.




Petey loves it at Lee's, not in small part because Lee leaves socks all over and Petey brings them to me like the most precious gift.


Chica doesn't bother with these humble offerings, but Petey is persistent, much to Lee's chagrin. But not so much chagrin that he picks his socks up!!

Rough day for pain; had to go to the higher dose codein, but I am grateful for the relief.


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Yes!

So, thanks to the neighbourhood chainsaw enthusiast I was up early (for a holiday). The puppies were pleased, and I didn't really mind. I don't like messing up my early rising schedule over much; it makes going back to work that much more difficult.

So after sorting out the puppies and getting a coffee made, I approached the Magic 8-Ball with humility and hope.





So I stitched some more Honeydew on my Châtelaine mandala.

Then a nap, during which Petey, like the other men and children that have shared a bed with me, managed to gain more than his share by disguising it as snuggling.


Truth be told, he's a very good companion. He generally stats in his bed, but when he doesn't, his warmth is welcome.

After the puppies and I arrived at our country retreat, I set to on Romi's Mysterious Shawl.


Still deeply enraptured by these colours!!

A lovely and productive Victoria Day. I hope you all enjoyed it as well.






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Title

I don't know what to call today.

The crab apple tree in my yard is in full effect - I love it.


The fruit it bears is paltry and useless, but it blooms like a Boss!!

Amanda had her wisdom teeth out today. They've been giving her pain for some time now, but they have finally been extracted.
She was quite swollen and incoherent when I dropped her off with many liquid provisions (and prescribed drugs). We'll see how she does ... she's a tough little nut, I'm sure she'll be fine.

Magic 8-ball was quite adamant today that I work on neither my Châtelaine cross stitch or my Romi shawl.





So Secret Shawl again it was.

This afternoon was spent clearing, sweeping, washing, scrubbing and double waxing my kitchen floor. I'm waiting right now for it to dry so that I can eat. Though I considering walking to Crabby's for a burger because I'm ravenous!!

I've closed all the doors and windows and turned the volume up a bit to mask the fireworks going on. The puppies don't seem so much afraid as just worked up. Which works me up.

Hey - don't forget to click on over to the CCS and support my Relay for Life this year. If all of you have just $5, I'd be well over my goal!!


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Keepin' On

No matter what is happening, I keep on knitting. More or less, but always with the yarn going through my fingers.

Lee put up a small 5.1 surround system in my little living room. It's great - perfect for my cozy little setup.

I have finished one sleeve on the Moss Cardigan and just started on the 2^nd one. It's been awhile since I have needed more yarn than a pattern called for! I had to text Julie and request a couple more balls of the Liberty.


But it's looking good; can't wait to block it!

The Magic 8-ball nixed both my Chatelaine cross stitch and Romi's shawl, so I'm working on a Secret Project that needs finishing.


Nothing taxing, which is just perfect.

The Magic 8-ball is an app (I'd love a real one) and if we ask the Magic 8-ball, we abide by the answer. Amanda was always torn when she was younger as to whether or not it was worth the risk. lol
Lee picked out Longfellow from the recent BT Men Vol 2. Yes, nothing fancy or complex - I seem to attract men with simple sweater tastes - but it is what he wants. After much discussion about colour, he decided to "live a little" and we're going with Embers.
I have decided that we are in more of a committed relationship than merely dating, so this will hopefully not be a Curse Sweater.
I also have a scarf to knit for him in United colours.


He has a 1960's style bar scarf that he wants it styled after - similar to this one.


Fortunately both his birthday and Christmas are both very attainable deadlines.

I received some spirit-crushing news; my surgery is more likely to be in Oct/Nov. The surgeon has not been given as much OR time as he had anticipated. Sigh. But I did agree to be put in the cancellation list, so hopefully I'll get something earlier. Until then, it's day-to-day, band-aiding the pain as best I can with the codeine.

Oh. And speaking of the Men's issue - I can reveal that I knit Véronik's Carbon!! I had forgotten exactly what project I had done, so I was especially excited to page through the issue. Véronik always blocks and finishes the piece so I never have a finished picture in my head. That and the way that Jarod's photographs always take the project to a higher level than I remember it make it a thrill to see again.



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Relay for Life

It's that time again. I'm especially looking forward to this year as it is my 5 year Survivor-versary!!! What better way to help me celebrate than with a donation that supports the research and people who made my treatment so successful and those who work to make early detection better.
Click. Support. Save.





Thank you my friends!!

Mother' s Day

Being a mother is a gift, but it is a bittersweet one. Joy, tears, triumph, heartbreak, pride, disappointment, late nights, early mornings. Through it all, a mother's love never wans or waivers; nothing a child says or does can change the surety of that love.
Yesterday was all of these things; what more fitting way to mark the day.

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'Tis the Season

Spring really is my least favourite season. The weather is so volatile and my poor head/body pays the price.
I have a crushing migraine. Took Rx at 6:30, crashed and woke up again at 11:30 feeling like I'd been drowned and rescued several times over. Not that I've ever had that happen, but I feel like this is what that would feel like.
I had such a fantastic day yesterday - energetic and productive - that this is an especial blow.
The meds generally take care of the migraine itself, but I can feel effects of the medication all over and it takes about a day to feel like I'm myself again.

But I have made progress on the CEY Liberty Moss Cardigan. I think that they may have named it after the colourway as there is no moss stitch.





Almost time for the sleeves!!

The puppies (I'll likely never stop calling them that!!) and I enjoyed the lovely weather on Thursday in my cute front stoop.





I bought a small planter at Costco - I just love gerberas. They are such a simple flower, but like a garter or stockinette stitch, the simplicity is what makes them so beautiful.
And there is just no me without music! The knitting was easy under these circumstances.

Okay ... more nap now, the better to knit later.

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Test

Test


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Rough week

Inventory prep at work kicked into high gear last week and over the weekend. Of course this coincided with me period. I felt like calling in just wasn't an option, so I doped up on all the Rx and zombied my way through. Monday was a migraine - same story.
But I got through, the store was ready, but the numbers were not good. I'm sure that there will be a game plan by the time I go back on Thursday. I've had today and tomorrow off for putting in my time on the weekend.

I've been making decent progress on Romi's MKAL. I am *so* much more pleased with this colour and now that I've added in the 2^nd colour - I'm just giddy!!


The thumb is good. It was warm for a few days, but nothing was infected; it's scabbed over and perfectly serviceable.



Today was a lovely day to be off work. I did errands, hung my laundry to dry, then sat outside for some all natural vitamin D.


I was sitting downwind off the clothesline - it was relaxing to just sit back to the scent of clean wash.

The SmartSilk people were at Costco today. I've been pondering a duvet for a few years now and had narrowed it down to silk or wool. I took the plunge and purchased one, spent ages finding a duvet cover at Bed, Bath and Beyond - Lord have mercy!! I was intimidated and a bit frightened by that place!! - and will give it a go.


(Yes, that's Petey's bed. He sleeps with me when Lee's not here.)
Lee is a fan of down, but he can't possibly dislike silk more than he likes my penchant for layers on the bed.



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