It's coming!!

The KW Knitters Fair is just two more sleeps away!! SQUEE!!!! One of the premier and knittingly-exclusive shows in Southern Ontario, it is not to be missed if you knit!!

I will be going with Helen. She is my Keeper and Head Nurse these days. Her status as Protector is trumped only by Petey.
I'll be at the Needle Emporium booth for a bit - who could resist?!? Check out Julie's blog for a heads up on what she'll be bringing with.
If you're going and want to meet up in the AM, text me or FB message me.

My Stitch Surfers have stalled; I've been diligently working on the Mock Cape. Body pieces are blocking.


I love the smell of wet wool!! Seriously.I'm targeting having it done for the Fair, and you know about me and deadlines.

I am still napping () most every day unless appts interfere. The puppies are still in mosey mode with me.
The pain is seriously so much better!! I still have crampy days; things are still healing/settling and any kind of abdominal effort - too much walking, sneezing, not knowing how much something weighs - can kick off spotting and pain. So I see, feel, and obey.
I just started driving, (being given the medical permission), and am being sparing with that as well since, as I drive a standard, the clutching does put some stress on my abdomen, so carefully I go.

I have booked a hair cut through Canada Cuts for Gilda's. There are various salons participating throughout the GTA, supporting Gilda's GTA & Gilda's Simcoe-Muskoka.
Get a great cut at a special price for a great cause. Help me keep the promise that no one faces cancer alone!!

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Ugh

I have been doing not much.
I had a few days off of my flute, and it showed in my practice yesterday!! But I set to with a passion and it all started coming back.
I find that the mouthpiece gets slippy rather easily, so I went with a trick that Myrelle mentioned - a piece of envelope sticky.


It serves as an oil/sweat absorber - brilliant.

The puppies got a bath. Petey hacked up something that he felt needed laying, and if one is getting wet, might as well do both!


They are funny, grooming each other afterwards!!
And they like Helen, acting as if I pay them no attention all day long!!


Petey is a sucker for a belly scratch!!

I have made it to the heel shaping on my Stitch Surfers!!


My Soxyzz told me so, which is just as well, as given the stitch distribution and being at the instep, it is almost impossible to try on my foot with any remote hope of accuracy.
I love this gadget!! It's portable, durable, and esthetically pleasing.Throw in that it's less than $15 Cdn and, more importantly, it's a Canadian indie shop, click that link and get one for yourself!!!

I helped Helen string beads Friday afternoon - I find the process of using a bead bowl much more fun than she did.


Helen was chasing the jumpers!!



I am working the fronts of the Mock Cape at the same time.


I find that the pattern is not as well written as could be hoped, so while I'm making notes, this ensures symmetrical accuracy.

I am knackered. Utterly exhausted. The Allergies are in full effect. The sneezing cannot be good. Given that lifting more than 10lbs is verboten, sneezing is clearly off the charts!!
I had no bleeding at all the first week. It has since started and increased, along with an increased degree of overall discomfort abdominally, along with some shaper pains, even at rest. Given that in really doing nothing more than increasing my walking distance/duration, (though not the gait), I'm chalking this up to sneezing.
I'll call the surgeon and my family doc on Tuesday to see what actual doctors think, and see if I can get some stronger/more effective symptom meds.

I hope that you are all enjoying the long weekend!!



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Adapting. Kind of.

I am not a sit about and do nought kinda woman; I'm constantly in some kind of motion, even when I'm sitting, I'm knitting.
This post-op business has me well and truly knackered.
I slept well enough last night, Petey let me lay in until 9:30. Bad pain this morning. I think there's still gas needing working out, but my entire abdomen is just tender and delicate. Walking is ok in the shortest increments.
We got up, sorted out the puppies, coffee and did a bit more on the Stitch Surfer sock


, started the Sublime Mock Cape


, and then I was back in bed by 4:00 for a nice 3.5 hour nap. which is less of a nap really, and more of a proper nap repeat of the AM - feeding, walking puppies a couple hundred feet, (they are so good! I normally walk at a brisk, energizing pace and the puppies are trotting along. But now, they keep pace with my deliberately dawdling lack of speed without issue), making something to eat. very much focusing on protein intact to aid in physical recovery These 20-30 odd mins on my feet, perhaps especially at the end of the day, have me utterly done, pain not insignificant.
This is going to be a long, slow row to hoe. I am listening to my body, but it's frustrating.
Amanda's been helping out, but she's back to her life this afternoon. Chica was so happy to see her again, it did my heart good as well.
Helen is being amazing; I am grateful for such a friend.
And all of you - chatting me up on FB, texting, and calling; I'm in the best of hands.
Mostly I go to my bed to nap, but yesterday I just tipped over, the puppies found their places that don't hurt me,


and we dozed a bit. I am currently watching Dr Who (new series) which keeps me thinking.
Tomorrow is a new day; looking forward to it.

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Whatta Thursday

Nice easy pre-op physical - I'm relatively fit and totally hot. not going to argue with a professional ;)
Dropped of some stuff by Amanda, who is making her way, slowly and on her own terms, but she is doing it and learning a lot.
Then a lovely drive out to The Needle Emporium. I miss seeing Julie, touching the yarns and seeing the colours in all their glory!! I spent a lovely afternoon knitting, chatting and picking out all sorts.

I'm made marked progress on the Secret Project, but have had to go back a bit, (silly mistake), but I'm back on track now.

The Manos del Uruguay Alegria that I had purchased on the last couple of yarn crawls had been whispering to me. After going through Julie's stock of Alegria, I knew I had to answer its siren song.



Yup - Sweetspot. I am very pleased and can't wait to do an Alegria Strip!!




A Namaste BYOB to make toting my Knitter's Pride set easier.


A couple of magazines that had projects I want to do.


A Mountain Colors Perspective gradient kit for a yet undecided cowl.



I was utterly smitten with this new colour Hummingbird in Satchel by Mrs Crosby. I set to finding a shawl pattern and after much fancying about in Ravelry, selected Chevry as the winner. Hollywood Cerise was selected as the companion colour, also after significant study. Crème Fraîche, Spicy Habanero, and Icebox Watermelon were all contenders.

I also picked up a project to work on after my surgery. I know, but I don't want to run out of something to do.


Stockinette, but shaping to keep me mindful.

On my way home yesterday my rear wheel bearing seized on the passenger side. Could've been a disaster on the 401, but fortunately I had control of my car, was near an exit and was able to ease into a garage. Active Green + Ross, while they were able to find a wheel drum that same evening and do the repair, fucked me hard on pricing.
But I am going to count the multiple of blessings that kept me safe and got me back home to my puppies, who held it long time!! *\o/* yeah for crate training!!!

Today I scored the remains sets in the BSG (new) series


for $30!! and found myself a new creative outlet. My teacher, who is also a friend and a knitter bonus, was impressed with my quick study and sent me home with an extra note (beyond the beginner three) to practice on. Clearly I'm a natural


The puppies weren't sure what was going on, but ignored it soon enough. (And yes, a seriously unflattering pic of my arm!) This will give me something to occupy my fingers & mind whilst on my convalesce. Not that knitting can't do it, but I am expanding my horizons.

Whew - it's been a busy couple of days, but I am feeling quite content within myself. This vacation came none too soon!

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Labour Day weekend

So I went to Julie's with Joan & Amanda yesterday and picked up the yarn to knit another Patrick for Julie. I looked at so many new things that I started feeling a bit numb and was easy prey for Amanda who is going to get a cute little shrug from Sirdar. We're going to use the purple Denim Tweed DK (it's #634 and despite being called "blue wave" it's purple).

I dropped off the Hydrangea Lace Scarf. It will be at the KW Knitter's Fair this Saturday if you want a closer look. Julie will have the chart that I made for the extra leaves that I added. BTW - I will be at the Fair as well - for the first time in about 10 years!! I usually work at the store, but Cathy will be there so I lucked out. Apparently it's crazy-busy, but if you see me make sure to poke me or something & say "hey"!

The neighbour is taking the "labour" part of Labour Day very seriously. They have been doing the roof since early Saturday morning. It is not a quiet kind of job. I don't fault them for this effort at home maintenance, but it isn't endearing them to me either.
The constant noise may have contributed to my less than stellar knitting performance yesterday.

The following image may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

This is what a mitten looks like when it "was a mitten" but "is no longer a mitten". I spent Saturday knitting this up with a cable pattern that I had agonized over knit up the back of the hand. To be fair, I wasn't really feeling the love for it while I was knitting it, but I persisted. I have been previously diagnosed with "Wishful Knitter Syndrome". The dominant symptom is knitting past a point of certainty; knitting on, hoping and wishing that it will be okay and when it's not, wishing that I hadn't kept going. I think that the noise from the next-door roofing was obscuring the noise that the cautious side of my brain was trying to make.
I utterly snapped when I couldn't get the cable centered for the top shaping for all 3 sizes that I'm designing it in. I had so carefully planned the ribbing to flow into the cables, written instructions for the right & left hand so that they would be perfectly mirrored and graphed the chart - by hand and with S&M Maker. No, I don't believe in doing anything by half measures. So, there be Saturday's knitting.
I started over again today and I'm very pleased with what is coming off of the needles. Again, complex enough that I'm writing RH & LH instructions so I don't want to jinx it by showing it before I've done the RH at least - knock on wood, I should be finished it soon.

I also stopped to pick up another copy of the Brazilia Stop and Go pattern that I'm making I've been making for months now. I went to pick it up a few days ago and the pattern was nowhere to be found!! I really want to finish this for Amanda so I just bought another pattern. Having the shrug in the wings is great incentive to get this one done. Finally.