Randomness

Its been a rough week and rather then complain about all my woes in every post I am going to put them all into this post and ask for prayers, vodka and chocolate in that order.

1. Poor son Robert is having a rough year, while most of his story I am not at liberty to discuss I can tell you that he was in a serious car accident Tuesday evening, I thank God his injuries are minor but painful all the same, and that  none of the children were with him and that they were able to get his camera equipment out of the car before the fire started.  He has no collision or rental and it will be a while before the insurance settles, it was the other guys fault, and so he is borrowing my car for the meantime.   I miss going out to breakfast but I really don't mind being housebound and it is the least I can do. 
2. I am coughing again, it has kept me up three nights, this scares me----its the third bout with serious coughing this year.  Dr. thinks it is allergies but I sit in an air conditioned apartment all day, I don't know anymore and I am so tired. Mucinex, Nasocort and my asthma inhaler have become my steady companions
3. STOMPERELLA----My upstairs neighbor, I think she is nocturnal, all night long it is pacing back and forth, back and forth, she drives me  crazy, unless she drops something (which she does quite often) Tom never hears her, the joy of being partially deaf.  I am up more then half the night, I don't go back and forth, back and forth.  She has never gotten carpet and I guess she never will, we have complained to management but they don't care, nobody cares!  She also wears wedge heels, did I mention that???
4. My Moody Angry Husband----he left me this morning with the shot  That I am getting harder and harder to take care of, I wish he would look in a mirror.  He hates his job, he strongly dislikes his helper who takes constant advantage of him, he hates his commute, he hates that we can't buy a Toyota Tacoma or a Jeep, he says they mock him every time he passes one on the road and somehow I can't help but feel he hates taking care of me.  He has to do so much around here, I would if I could but its just not possible. 
5. Which brings me to my last little rant---PAIN, it is exponentially at the worst level ever, I hurt everywhere all the time.  Since I had the heart attack they took me off Meloxicam---it never felt like it did much until you don't take it.  I also can't have aspirin, NSAIDs of any kind and can only have Tylenol.   Tylenol does absolutely nothing so why bother with it at all. I have such deep waves of pain through my joints, ankles, knees shoulders, hips and wrists. Then there is the overall widespread achiness that fills in everything else.  In my dreams I am still vibrant and active and it is so sad to wake up and realize its just that, a dream. I have thought about alcohol but I am the child of alcoholics who for all I know may have been using their addiction to mask their own pain so I can't bring myself to do it but I would love to escape this pain for a while. 

So that is more then enough complaining from me, I will try to remember to counter balance this post with one about positive things next week.  If you stayed all the way through, thank you----I get lonely, my blog and my brunches with Ria are my chance to escape and say what is on my mind. 

KNIT ON! 

Maisie Ann

we met Maisie and her mama for dinner at Cheesecake Factory on Saturday night, Poppa had a ball chasing her around the mall, she really gets around now, and is definitely at that dare devil stage.  She claps when Gigi sings to her, which makes me smile!!

KNIT ON!

Ten Things I Love and Ten Things I Strongly Dislike

Dislikes First:

1. Being called Hon by someone so young I could be their mother.
2. Being called Gracie by someone I don't care for.
3. Asiago Cheese
4. Hot Spicy Food
5. Carbonated Beverages
6. Ice Storms
7. Heartburn
8. TV Commercials
9. Noisy Neighbors
10. Old cars

Like:

1. Being called Gracie by someone I love
2. Lobster
3. Shawls and Scarves and Winter Coats
4. Holiday Decorations esp Halloween and Thanksgiving
5. My Birthday, it is always special to me even when everyone forgets (its not for 2 months)
6. Hallmark Cards
7. Containers---any kind, purses, totes, decorative boxes like they sell in Michael's, baskets, even those nice sturdy shopping bags
8. Cookies    Just  my favorite snack unless I am treated to Godiva Dark Truffles or Popcornopolis Pop Corn
9. Old Christmas Movies, I love all of them even present day but the old ones in the 40's were the best.
10. New Cars--Tom is struggling with the idea of buying a new car but what he wants and I want don't match, even though I dislike my car I would rather keep it and no payment then to go with  what he wants, I think I am going to lose this one. 

Have a lovely weekend, I get to see Maisie tomorrow so mine is already exciting, and we are going to the Cheesecake Factory, good things all around!

KNIT ON 

Randomness

My boy and his beautiful daughters and flowers from our gardens.  Tomatoes are arriving rapidly too, now if Tom would remember to buy some miracle whip!!!

KNIT ON! 

would it still be wednesday if I didn't post knitting?

snagged the master blocker into a couple more blocked shawls.  I think he is only 9 behind now, but we are improving. 

The top one is Boo Knits---new beginnings, it was the first KAL of the year but I did not do it then, our KAL for the beginning of July is the Boo Moon, it had to be BLUE, so I used 5 different colors of Knit Picks Palette to make this, and ICE BLUE triangle beads on the lace edge

The giraffe is for Maisie in her nursery colors, so quick and simple   Like Ria, I also got her the book Giraffes can't Dance to go with it.

The bottom shawl is Kirsten Kapurs Mystery Shawl, knit in an unlabeled rust colored sock yarn and finished in Opal Sock, A truly lovely knit  I did change the final border and i am happy with it.   

Both shawls are huge! On the needles now ---Noro Circular Shawl, The Chasing Rainbows Shawl and a scrap mitered square blanket.   With the beauty of a well air conditioned apartment knitting has not had to be put on hold. 

KNIT ON!!! 

Ten on Tuesday

Today's 10 on Tuesday is supposed to be about American Artists, I am willing to admit I am not truly artistically savvy and other then Charles Wysocki and Thomas Kinkade there are few I really really like, so I am making my own Ten---and that is Knitting Designers I knit over and over again! 

1. Boo Knits---her lovely shawls speak for themselves, you feel such pride and accomplishment when you finish one. Her patterns are written beautifully, both words and charts and so easy to follow, when you finish one you sit there and say   DID I DO THAT?
2. Rebecca Danger---her take on children's toys and monsters intrigues me. I have knit her entire Big Book of Monsters and Most of her other patterns too, Children all over the country have toys I have made from her patterns. 
   
3. Kirsten Kapur----I like her shawl patterns a lot and love to take part in the Summer Mystery every year. 
4. Helen Bingham---she too is a shawl designer and likes mystery kal's, I have made most of her shawls too! 
5. Cecily Bostwick Hope---she publishes patterns in Taproot magazine, and her work is perfect for me
6. Laura Aylor,  I like her projects too--usually more substantial then the lacy shawls but a very nice change of pace
7. Ruth Kindla--- I have not made any of her patterns yet, but they are wonderfully colorful and I have lots queued to make
8. Kay Meadors----we met through a competition held by Little Knits many years ago and then she designed a fantastic Breast Cancer Awareness shawl that had a section knit by one knitter from each state, I was NJ's representative and it was such a wonderful project to take part in.
9. Alan Dart---another very clever toy designer who brought us gnomes and many many other adorable detailed toys. 
10. Nora Gaughn---this lady has a knack for bringing the 21st century into her projects, I have not knit a lot of her items, a couple of shawls, a hat and a scarf but I do enjoy her projects. 

who do you like to knit?   KNIT ON! 

Lunch Out

last friday was my second al fresco meal in two days, met with my handsome son for a bite to eat on Friday  and to deliver gifts for two of his children's birthdays' WE went to the new panera in parsippany and it was yummy as always. It took me 25 minutes to get home and I live less then 5 minutes away---the traffic was horrendous.

Our visits are few and far between but I hope he gets how loved he is!!! 

KNIT ON! 

Our First Tomato of the Season

it found its way with american cheese for grilled sandwiches and declared delicious by me, poor Tom can't eat tomatoes any more. 

KNIT ON! 

simply thursday

My husband broke my heart yesterday and it was about my knitting, I just can't believe him sometimes, (lately it seems like most times)

Today I had brunch with Ria----she tends to think my problems with Tom are funny, hmmmm. We went to Pot Belly and sat outside on a perfect day with low 70's and low humidity, it was the most content I have been in a very long time.  We were both knitting fingerless gloves. 

This was our view, which she took for me and emailed to me so I could show you! 

KNIT ON~

and even more knitting

More charity hats and a giraffe for Maisie, but knitting right now is bring me no joy, I just can't coax Tom into blocking for me, he refuses to let me use the bed, and the dining room table is way to small, My heart wants to keep making beaded shawls but if they aren't blocked they look like beaded puddles. I have paid for professional blocking twice, a crocheted tablecloth for Jeanne and a Irish Cable Sweater for Maisie but I can't do that all of the time.  Just wish I had my old master blocker back.  On the needles now  a blanket (ironically for him), a  mouse, and the edging for the circular Noro shawl.  Have plans for a fox, raccoon, hippo, mouse and cat too.  Maisie will have quite the menagerie! 

KNIT ON!

Ten Favorite Flavor ice Creams

1. no bones about it CHOCOLATE
2. believe it or not vanilla
3. Peach
4. Butter Pecan
5. Vanilla Fudge
6. Coffee Fudge Ripple
7. Friendly's Milk Chocolate Almond with Swiss Fudge Sauce
8. Chubby Hubby
9. Bunny Tracks
10. Rocky Road

I don't eat a lot of it but if I could these would be the flavors I would indulge in.  With Tom's limited diet we seem to only by Vanilla  which is okay with strawberry topping of Hershey's Syrup but I would love some of the others!!! 

KNIT ON~~

Breakfast on Friday

I wasn't feeling well this morning, but I knew Mary Ellen (waitress at the Diner) is going to see Jen (my friend who is ill) this afternoon at the rehab center and I wanted her to take a shawl I had made for Jen, so I went to breakfast. 
There is a woman there that no one really cares for, and she wanted me to teach her to knit.  She is such a negative person with many problems that I just don't care to do that and I managed to avoid it for a long time, this year I told her it was a passing whimsy and I just don't do it anymore so she has dropped it.   I was concerned she maybe there this morning so I was very careful about wrapping the shawl up, but she had already been and was gone for the weekend.
As I was having breakfast a couple probably around my age came in,  this woman was not local, she just wore sunshine all around her.  She was a large woman wearing very comfy roomy white pants, red flip flops, a gauzy multicolored blouse, she had short cropped pure white hair and red glasses and she carried an Anuschka bag.

She exuded happiness and confidence.  It turns out the fella she was with is her brother and he is a local, she is visiting family members via train across the US and lives in California.
During breakfast I got one of those darned aggravating and extremely painful muscle cramps in my abdomen that goes straight through to my back.  I could not get comfortable, jumping up and trying to walk it out,  They were concerned enough to question me about it and we got talking. Their engaging me in conversation helped take my mind off the pain and I was finally able to go back to my breakfast.  He even offered to google my discomfort to find alternatives as to what to do but I told him I have done it to death  with no luck. 
 She was telling me that several years ago she could not walk, arthritis and other problems kept her stumbling through life and she started water therapy joining gyms and the local Y to give her access to pools and says its been a blessing to her.  She now travels alone and can go anywhere and everywhere but still finds the money to continue her aquatic exercise. I wonder if I can start a Kickstarter of Go Fund Me page just for gym dues.  But I probably still would not go because I would not want to go alone. 
 They made my day and I wish I could be just like Her when I grow up.

KNIT ON 

Wednesday is for Knitting

 This is Boo's New Beginnings, done for the Boo Moon in July KAL in Knit Picks Palettes in Blues, of course it is unblocked but will be even lovelier then

 This is a scrap baby hat I made playing with lots of colors, way to much weaving in but it was fun and is my first charity hat for July

Another KAL this was Through the Loops Mystery KAL done over a 6 week time period, I joined on week 4 and caught up quickly but I have to admit I read clue 6 which had a knitted on edging, I just finished a knitted on edging on the round baby blanket, and I have miles of knitted on edging coming up soon on the Noro circular shawl so with  my ever present desire(need) to change things up I did a crocheted shell border which will come out in the blocking.  I am happy with it, I am not entering it for the prizes Kirsten gives so I don't think it will matter that much.  I wish I could tell you the yarn but it was a gift without a tag, and the multicolor on the edging is Opal Sock that matched almost identically, but with different textures. 

so now my needles are full with over 600 stitches on the Noro shawl and I have 5 rows to go before starting the border, which will take another 1200 (albeit much shorter) rows to complete. Hence the baby hats in between and I think Maisie needs a giraffe and a fox, right Ria???

KNIT ON! 

Ten Things to Do On A Staycation

since our vacation to alabama has come and gone, if we get another this year, it will not be planned and will not involve a trip so what should we do if Tom finds himself off from work

1. Take a ride to the shore and see the progress since Sandy
2. Maybe go to the Botanical Gardens in NY if we can get a wheelchair there
3. Knit outside under the umbrella
4. maybe a long drive into the mountains to see if it is any cooler
   
5. Try to hook up with Jeannie and Maisie if she can arrange it
6. Go to Starbucks and people watch
   
7. find a new to us farm stand and buy lots of fruit and veggies
8. finally fix the air conditioning in Tom's van
9. catch up on Star Trek Voyager
10. maybe visit some family we haven't seen in a while! 

Nothing exciting but I guess the important things is that we do things together!    KNIT ON! 

What is Going oN!!!

Here’s what’s happening for me, right now.
watching:  Under the Dome, I love this show~ and of course my stories
reading: Purl Up and Die by Maggie Sefton
knitting: well we covered that yesterday
On the Radio:  Q 104.3
Drinking:  Water and Tea   this never changes
Planning:  Its a big secret, right now
Remembering:  Our Saturday visit with the Coleman Family--good times, smile so much our faces hurt 

Eating:  Fish Tacos, shrimp tacos and fresh fruit 
Growing: Roses, Pansies, Marigolds, Glads, Dahlia's Herbs Peppers and Tomatoes
Wishing:  For a shore vacation but that isn't going to happen anytime soon 
Dreading: The holiday weekend, we have no plans, tom is already off and we are already bored. 
Celebrating: The holiday weekend, we have no plans, tom is already off and we are already bored---yes it is a conundrum  

KNIT ON ~~~

Knitting on Wednesday : It is all about Boo!

Believe me I don't know how I guilted Tom into blocking for me this past weekend but he did block two of my completed Boo Shawls----that still leaves 9 shawls to be blocked, but its a start.  My dining room table is very tiny ---it only seats two and doesn't have enough stability for me to put enough foam blocks on it for me to do it myself and the bed is just way to awkward.  MY knees do not bend and my legs cramp badly if I have to get on the floor so I am at his mercy. 

But here are my lovelies for this week. 

The black Morticia is made from Rowan fine lace with purple beads, I made it for Tom's sister Gail who will be 60 this year. 

and the Red one--Temptress, doesn't have a home yet, maybe it will stay here---It is made from Posh Delilah Lace--color name  ITS A RED LIPSTICK DAY  and assorted size 6 and 8 red beads. 

Currently on the needles, is the Noro Circular Shawl which is becoming quite large, The Through The Loops Mystery Shawl and New Beginnings for the Boo Moon KAL.  It is turning out to be a very shawly summer. 

KNIT ON!