Welcome Ganymede to our Pride!

We brought home a kitten last Thursday, December 27th, from where Jupiter was born. He is a five month, one week old blue-point Siamese, a cousin of Jupiter, they were born two days apart. The little guy needed a good home where he get lots of love and can get expert medical attention for his eye, so he was offered to us. He had caught my attention with his elfin-like appearance in October when we went to bring Jupiter home. It was thought that the outer corner of his eyelid had been torn in a scramble to his mother's milk. It was clear that he needed surgery and there is a first class veterinary eye clinic just three miles from us.

When we arrived home, we put the kitten in one of our bathrooms with the carrier door open with a litter box, food, and water. He slept in the carrier on his blanket as if it were his safe cave, just as Jupiter had done when he first came to us two months ago. We were awakened by his meows about 5am the next morning. I held him in the bathroom and he snuggled and purred. Jupiter had been cooing at the door all morning. I decided to leave the bathroom door open to see what would happen. The two were instant friends! They spent the first half of the day exploring the house together like two velociraptors and then took a long nap that afternoon on our bed, cuddled together.


In both photos, Ganymede is in the top portion of the picture and Jupiter below. If I turn off the camera's flash when taking pictures, the photos are blurred, otherwise their eyes glow like lanterns.



We took both kitties to our vet that Saturday. When you face the two carriers together on the back set of the car, the two kitties are amazingly content. When we arrived, we made the decision to call the kitty Ganymede; the largest moon in our solar system and one of the planet Jupiter's 63 moons.

Jupiter gave a blood sample for tests in preparation for his neutering surgery in a couple weeks. The doctor looked at Ganymede's right eye and told us it was a birth defect. Underneath the lower lid, when pulled back, you can see a flap of skin with a few hairs. Ganymede is unable to blink because his eyelid did not develop properly in the womb. It does not appear to cause him any discomfort, although he needs eye ointment to keep his eye from drying out. He cleverly sleeps with his cheekbone against the bed so his lower eyelid closes. The condition is called eyelid agenesis. We got the referral to the eye doctor we wanted. I am so happy to be able to help our little Ganymede. Both Jupiter and Ganymede are as perfect as can be!

My Husband's Mom Left us this Morning

This morning, my husband's mom died at the age of 91 from septic shock. She had been admitted to the hospital only yesterday. My husband and I were both by her side as she took her last few breaths and her heart, tired from a long life, stopped. The photo above is from this past Thanksgiving when we broke tradition and went out for Chinese Dim Sum. It hasn't been the best year for my family.

It was my mom's birthday at the beginning of this month. She has been in my thoughts as I was decorating for Christmas, something we enjoyed doing together. I have a wonderful memory from many years ago, of my mom and her youngest sister drinking hot sake while sitting under the Christmas tree and singing Christmas songs. This below is one of my favorite photos of her that was taken last year around this time of year. She died seven months ago, also of septic shock.

Jupiter is Enjoying the Christmas Tree and Train

It was an exciting weekend for Jupiter as we set up the tree and Lionel train. We had the first chance in a long time to do some overall cleaning and neatening. Jupiter loves the train and Christmas tree. He enjoyed the visits from friends and family members who dropped by on Sunday just to meet him! I feel much more organized and ready for Christmas.

Sadly, my husband's friend and commute partner had a stroke this morning and my mother in law was admitted to the hospital. Only twenty-one more days until the new year; I hope 2008 will be a happier year. I am feeling that my neck and shoulders have tensed up from all this.

I am hoping to have the pink baby sweater assembled by next week for Annabelle. I will be so happy if I can accomplish that. It seems like such a luxury to be able to just sit and knit. The weather has been beautifully crisp. The squirrels are frantically burying the almonds I have been tossing out for them. It seems like the same four squirrels, I call the "Jumbo Clan", because they are looking quite robust. I haven't seen Mama Squirrel, our favorite. She has a twisted little tail, is hunched over, and blind in one eye. She has the sweetest face and is very trusting of us. I hope she is okay.

One Winter-Berry Baby Hat Completed

I did manage to finish a knitting project. This is a baby hat from the Ann Norling Fruit Hat pattern for baby Ellis with Rowan Pure Wool DK. I need to go visit the post office and send my package off. Next I will tackle the Magic Loop technique of knitting socks. It is probably the challenge that I need at this time.

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts about our Chloe. If we didn't have little Jupiter to delight us as he explores all that is new to him, the emptiness in our house without Chloe would be unbearable. Jup has been playing with a paper grocery bag for the last hour.

Chloe is Now With Pooh-bah

Chloe's doctor called Wednesday night to tell me her blood test showed abnormally low levels of potassium and sodium. She wanted me to pick up a prescription of potassium tablets immediately that they left for me at the 24-hour emergency clinic. I started to dose her immediately.

Friday night, after I gave Chloe her tube feeding, I held her as I always do to help her keep the food down. She completely emptied her bladder on me. I cleaned her up and changed into clean clothes and continued to hold her, which she seemed to find comfort in. By that time, it was almost 1:30am. I noticed that she was breathing rapid, shallow breaths, and every minute or so her body twitched. I got a flashlight and checked her eyes and saw they were dilated and had small movements side to side.

I woke my husband up and told him what was happening. We held her in bed together, then laid her down at the foot of our bed. A little while later I reached down to check her and she wasn't breathing. I lifted her paw and it was limp. Our sweet Chloe left us Saturday, November 24, one day short of eleven weeks after Pooh-bah left us. They are together, once again; the Dynamic Duo.

Chloe's doctor called the next day to see how she was doing. I told her the news and that I thought it looked like she had sudden kidney failure. She said that she had just discussed Chloe's case with her colleagues. They were all puzzled that nothing was abnormal in her blood work than the potassium and sodium, everything else was normal. We don't know what caused the drop in the level and then her death. Earlier in the day, she seemed to be walking a little better.

I know that my husband and I did everything we could. Her doctor at Veterinary Medical Specialists was wonderful and caring. Pooh-bah and Chloe had a wonderful life. We were so blessed.

Chloe is Doing Better!

We just arrived home from our follow up appointment at Veterinary Medical Specialists. Today Chloe's eyes are clearer and she is more alert, plus she is getting stronger. I was given Hill's Prescription A/D for her tube feedings. The stuff is awful. She smelled like she was rotting away. Yesterday I switched her over to our usual Innova EVO canned food. I dilute it and put it through the tube just as I did with the prescribed food. I feel so much better about feeding it to her; it is the very best available.

Chloe is very weak still and staggers when she walks (ataxia). I made the mistake of thinking she was getting enough fluids from the food and drinking water, although I had asked and the nurse said she didn't need fluids if she was getting enough from her food. When Chloe looked dehydrated yesterday, we decided she needed the subcutaneous fluids everyday until she is back to eating and drinking enough on her own.

Chloe had been stooping over, but is sitting more upright today. The doctor said that usually means low potassium. That makes absolute sense because after her fluids last night, the stooping went away. The doctor said she is making good progress. I am ecstatic!

An Update on Chloe

Just a quick update: Chloe has been in the hospital, Veterinary Medical Specialists, since Wednesday. She has been getting intravenous antibiotics and fluids. It is wonderful place and she is getting excellent care. They have determined through an echocardiogram that her heart is healthy and they may be removing her two infected molars that we all believe is the root cause of the illness. It is an upper respiratory infection but the unhealthy condition of having rotting teeth is responsible for her immune system being compromised. Jupiter is doing very well and misses Chloe.

Chloe Still Has an Upper Respiratory Infection

Otherwise, things are progressing with the two, as you can see in the photo of Jupiter and Chloe snuggled together in their thermal bed.



Chloe is not interested in eating at all, mostly because she has air in her stomach from when it is difficult to breathe, she swallows air. The baby strength simethicone is helping with that by breaking down the foam in her stomach. This afternoon, we are going to give her subcutaneous fluids. She is getting famciclovir and azithromycin, as well as cyproheptadine, an antihistamine that will also improve her appetite. This is all very stressful. I hate to seeing our girl so uncomfortable.

Jupiter is has toys strewn all over the living room. He is a playful little guy and is looking forward to Chloe feeling better so they can play together.

Jupiter is a Little Devil. A Cute Devil.

Chloe has had a bad cat cold. She sat under my Subaru last week in the cold in protest of us bringing home the kitten, Jupiter. We have been careful to give her a lot of love and attention. I took her to the vet on Saturday, which in her book does not constitute love and attention.

Part of Chloe's problem is her top molars in the far back. I knew she needed her teeth cleaned and possible extractions, but her teeth are much worse than I thought and need to be taken out as soon as possible. When we were at this veterinary clinic recently to get checkups for the kitties, the doctor was reluctant about using using anesthesia on a fourteen year old cat with a heart murmur. I was again unimpressed with him this visit last week, although Chloe is getting better.

I have found a holistic vet who does house calls. When we spoke on the phone, Dr. Mathias recommended that I take Chloe to the Veterinary Surgical Associates for dental surgery because they have human quality anesthesia on the premises. Siamese cats are very sensitive to anesthesia, Chloe had to have hers reversed back when she was spayed. I can't tell you what a relief this is to know VSA exists. My goal is to get Chloe healthy again and get her teeth pulled by them. She's our little sweetie.

Jupiter wants badly to play with Chloe. He is getting hissed at, but not as much as he was. Chloe of course is not in much of a mood to play being as sick as she is. She will sit and watch him now as if she is facinated. Jupiter can be quite a pest. I try to get him to leave her alone when she is eating or is in the sandbox. He thinks it is a riot to sneak up on her at these times. I am amazed that she is being as patient as she is. I can't wait until the day I see them curled up together. I know I will cry...

The Kitten is Pretty Happy Here

We have scratched the name "Xerxes" as it did not suit and are going with either Sir Galahad or Jupiter. He has decided to call it home here even though we have 5.6 magnitude earthquakes.

The Introduction of "Junior" to the World

Here is a photo of the cute kitty. I will take some better ones later. He was startled by the funny noises the camera was making, so it wasn't the best shot. I was looking at pictures of Pooh-bah when he was about the same age and they look so much alike. I got this kitten from the person who owned Pooh-bah's father. I was hoping to have another cat with Pooh-bah's same wonderful personality and handsome looks.

This afternoon, the kitten has been sleeping inside of what we call the "cat tree" or "cat stand", a floor to ceiling scratching structure that my dad made for Pooh and Chloe. Last night I had the kitten on my lap then Chloe got next to him on my lap. She did turn to him and hiss, but we were thrilled at the progress we have seen in just two days.



The kitten is not happy when I put him in the bathroom where his temporary bed, water, food, and cat box is set up. He screams for a good twenty minutes. It is horrible. I just don't think it is safe to have him wandering around the house alone at night. I haven't decided what to do yet. I may be frightening him to be locked up.

I also don't think he is eating enough. I am going to make up a batch of kitten glop tonight after I pick up some yogurt. I used to make it when Pooh-bah and Chloe were kittens and they loved it.

The New Siamese Kitten is Home!

He is such a beautiful little seal point Siamese kitten. His eyes are that bright purpley/blue color. I will take a picture when he is less freaked out. We don't have a name for him yet. I do like Jupiter. After he got lost in the house and we looked frantically under and behind everything. He went behind and under one of the nightstands next to our bed. I didn't want him loose in the house until he was settled in for a few days. I feel pretty bad. I now have him in one of the bathrooms with food, water, and sandbox. I made him a bed in the opened up cat carrier, so he would feel secure inside it, his own personal cave.

Chloe is a bit upset. They both met briefly under the bed and Chloe hissed. That is pretty standard for a cat. They are cats, not humans, and will hiss for a few days until the hierarchy is well understood by the newcomer. I know this, but I am still distraught. My husband and I are pretty stressed by all this and are knocking ourselves out making sure Chloe and "Junior" (his temporary name) are both feeling loved. If you have any advice, please leave a comment, I need some moral support right now.

I remember when Pooh-bah was about the same age that "Junior" is now, which is just over three months old, and Chloe first came to me at six month of age. Pooh-bah had already become accustomed to being the center of my life, then this saucy chocolate point entered the picture, trying to steal his limelight. After a few days, I went looking for them and I saw that they were both curled up in a shoe box together in my closet, I was overjoyed. That was almost 14 years ago.

Here is are photos showing the progress on my two projects: The Halloween pumpkin hat from the Ann Norling Fruit Hat pattern and the Filatura di Crosa cotton blend baby sweater.

The Cat Hat

I removed the slip covers from our couch to take them to green dry cleaners. I would rather have them off before finding out the hard way that our new kitten has used the couch as a scratching post. In the process I found out the seat cushions need to be repaired because the cotton covering them under the slip covers split. We have always had a heated lap blanket going on the couch for the comfort of the kitties. I think the constant heat desintegrated the thin fabric, so yesterday I bought a heated cat bed at Pet People in Los Gatos to take the place of the blanket. It never gets hot, hot, but the design of the bed is more efficient and cozy. If you are interested, khpet.com, has a variety of other heated pet products. Chloe loves it!



I can't remember who asked to see my Siamese version of the cat hat from Stitch and Bitch, so I took a picture of it and here it is. It was hard to keep a straight face, hence the goofy smile. I don't have much of a chance to use this hat. Where would you wear such a thing?



During my first year of knitting I had a flurry of hat knitting. The first one I made was not very successful because I used the horrible double pointed needles. Never again, I will only knit hats using two circular needles. Once I learned how, it was a breeze. The cat hat in the picture was one of my hat projects that year.

I am knitting myself a Halloween pumpkin hat from my fruit hat pattern by Ann Norling. It is my portable knitting project, everyone need something to knit while waiting for an appointment. We have been so busy this weekend, so I haven't had much time to knit. In addition to the pumpkin hat, I am assembling the pink baby sweater and beginning my next baby sweater project. We planned to get our new kitten today but decided to put it off another two weeks, especially after the couch incident making us both feel pretty overwhelmed. Instead, we concentrated on doing some organizing and kitten-proofing.

Chloe pays no attention to my yarn, but she loves to bat the ends of my bamboo needles while I knit. I wonder if the new kitten will attack my yarn?

A Kitty Update

Good news... we are looking at bringing home a Seal Point Siamese kitten when he twelve weeks old. If all goes right, that will be in a week. I will have a picture any day now that I will post here. We have had a lot of emotional ups and downs. Chloe has been very sad, she yowls a lot, especially at night, so we hold her and comfort her. I hope having a kitten around who looks like Pooh-bah will help her get through this. It might be a little stressful the first week, but I think she will be fine with little "kitten Akerstrom". We are not sure on the name yet...

My brother lost his beloved cat this past spring and has been looking for another black and white kitty. Kiwi was about a year older than Pooh-bah. There is a wonderful woman who rescues cats and finds homes for them. She had a beautiful female black and white bobtail kitty that he was interested in, but someone had adopted her. I have a bag of large cans of cat food I want to give her, since Chloe can't eat a full can of food. I am about to call her in a few minutes to see if I can go over there today.

The artist who was making a memorial stone for Pooh-bah just emailed me a picture of the finished stone. I had bought some lavender-blue Johnny Jump Up flowers to plant around it when the rock arrives next week. I enthusiastically recommend Michael's work at Let's Rock, Cusom Carved Stones. The engraving is done with sandblasting. I am very happy with it; exactly what I wanted!

Lush Cosmetics are Green, Mostly!

If you haven't tried Lush, they make wonderful bath products that are 100% Vegetarian, 74% Vegan, 66% Unpreserved, and 58% Unpackaged.

This is Lush's new bath ballistic, Geo Phyzz Ballistic, only available in the UK at this time. I need to bet me some of these.

Fast-fizzing, mineral bath for an explosively exciting skin treatment in a tub. Our new Geo Phyzz Ballistic is one of the most amazing sensations that Mo’s ever managed to pack into a bath bomb. It’s like the luxury of a spa treatment in a tub, what with its red Hawaiian sea salt, blended with a refreshing, green Ballistic mix. The salt is red because once it’s hand harvested, it gets a coat of mineral rich volcanic clay which gives it an interestingly sweet taste on your food and makes your skin feel better too. With the scent of seaweed, sandalwood and cypress, it’s like bathing in the warm sea as the breeze wafts through the trees on the shoreline.

Check out Lush's terrific video on GreenTV.



Ross Noble has a hilarious comedy routine about Lush: The Fairy Jasmine Story.



I hope you enjoyed that, now go take a bath!

I Love Knitting Lace!

Now that I am a whiz at the yarn over and psso stitches, the basics of knitting a lacy pattern, I am anxious for more. I googled "sheep shawl", because I had to know what the shawl in the book, Yarn Harlot looked like that Stephanie knitted. I found it: The Sheep Shawl, designed by Evelyn A. Clark. She is obviously the queen of lace. I think so.

While searching for the shawl, I found this wonderful blog containing reviews of knitting blogs, Sheeptoshawl.com Blogs.It is fascinating to hop around to various knitting blogs and see what is being knitted. The first item in Sheeptoshawl is about the new Evelyn Clark book, Knitting Lace Triangles. I think I must have that book. The search is on for the perfect shawl pattern!

The Annabelle Sweater, below.



As you can see above, the Annabelle sweater is being knitted at lightspeed. I call it the Annabelle sweater because I am knitting it for little Annabelle. I showed the picture from the Filatura di Crosa, Baby Too pattern book in my last post. I have the front finished and over half of the back. It looks crumpled now, but I assure you, after the pieces have been washed and blocked, it will be beautiful. I should have the back finished by tonight or tomorrow. It has a picot hem (yo, k2tog) around the sleeves, bottom, and neck that will be tucked up and slip stitched after I sew the seams. I pinned up part of it to show the effect, but it did not photograph well.

I am looking forward to my next baby sweater project. This baby is due in November and the rumor is, he's a boy. The pattern is another Filatura di Crosa baby pattern and I am using the prescribed yarns, but not in the orange color that they had used. Two of the yarns are cotton, which I know to be painful to my joints. I will have to pace myself on this one, but I have plenty of time to finish it. That is going to be a cute sweater!

Confetti Baby Boy "M" Sweater, below.



My book of the day is a recent find. I have an analytical mind and the Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques by Nancie M. Wiseman is perfection for analytical perfectionists. I have a deep need to know the best way to do something and have it explained well. The book really isn't just about finnishing techniques, she goes into various cast on methods and which one is best for each particular project. Casting on is beginning, not finishing, I know, but it is good stuff to know. Most patterns will tell you to make a buttonhole, this book will tell you how to make all of the different types of buttonholes and of course tell you which is the best for your project.

Another Tragedy

Pooh-bah was our seal-point Siamese, who's kingdom consisted of a culdesac with nine houses. He strayed outside of his domain when presumably a younger cat chased him into a busy street, two blocks away. He died instantly when struck by a car and lied beside the curb. Sunday morning he was missing from his usual place at the foot of our bed, I looked around the house for him. I waited, expecting him to burst through the cat door any moment, loudly announcing his entrance. We began to get concerned and started the first of several searches around the the neighborhood.


By that afternoon, I was frantic. My husband and I started knocking on doors to ask if he had been seen that day. It wasn't long until a neighbor reported that Pooh-bah had been seen on the busy street, in front of the bank. I knew instantly what that meant and I broke down in anguish. We quickly headed down two streets until we saw him lying by the side of the road, peacefully as if asleep. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Could he just be asleep? The crazy things that were going through my head. We carried him back home to bury. Pooh-bah wasn't just a cat, he was an intelligent, amazing, majestic feline with whom we shared our lives with. We loved him so very, very much!



Two weeks later, we are doing alright. Chloe beginning adjusting and although she is missing his love and companionship, we are making sure she gets more than her usual amount of love from us.



I know I have been a bad blogger, but I am back. I promise I will be more consistent. I have made great progress with my knitting. I will be back soon with an update on the pink baby sweater with the lace pattern I have ever knitted. Yes, photos soon. This is the pattern from the Filatura di Crosa Baby too book. I am knitting with Cashsoft Baby DK Pixie.

Note to Self: Yarn Shops are Closed on Mondays

Yes, all three!

Yesterday I knitted the 2x2 ribbed neckband onto the blue baby cable knit sweater. Before binding-off, I looked it over carefully for anything not quite right and found something very much not quite right, of course. To fix it, I yanked out a rib column, re-did that rib with a crochet hook. Now it is worse. It has a hole.

I don't think I can explain it in words, but I'll try. The one bind-off stitch underneath the rib stitch in question also ripped out. I don't know how that is even possible. This afternoon I packed up my project off to my local yarn shop, ready to say, "I'm exasperated. Please help me."

What, all three are closed? It is surely a conspiracy...

Back to the drawing board. I am going to sit down and try to figure it out. My husband will tell you how when frustrated, I can do a perfect imitation in Golum's voice saying, "I hates knitting!"

Feeling Sad This Week...

The Silver Swan
The silver swan, who living had no note,
When death approach'd, unlock'd her silent throat;
Leaning her breast against the reedy shore,
Thus sung her first and last, and sung no more.
Farewell, all joys; O Death, come close mine eyes;
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.

Based on the madrigal by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) and recorded by Qntal on their recent Qntal V: Silver Swan album.

My Bathtub is Calling Me...

I found this on YouTube, just now. It shows exactly what I am about to do in a few minutes. If you are unfamiliar with the Lush bath bomb experience, watch this video and be enlightened.

The Big Blue bath bomb in this video is one of my favorite. It smells heavenly, exactly what the ocean should smell like, and it contains little stringy bits of seaweed to condition your skin. The Lush loving videographer, Lushbubbles, who made, this is brilliant!

I'll be in the bathtub...

Tonight: Meerkat Manor!

I just can't get enough of this Mozart the Meerkat commercial. Hysterical! Mozart is alive and well after being banished by Flower. We all thought she had died. It is very difficult for a lone meerkat to survive, but Mozart isn't your average meerkat.

Tonight is the second episode of the third season. Don't forget to watch it on Animal Planet.

A Lot of Talk and Not Enough Knitting

Little Gregory's sweater is under way, once again. There really isn't a whole lot more to do, finish the neckband with rib stitching and weave in the ends. The goal is to finish it this weekend -- I can do that.


The pattern is from the Filatura Di Crosa Baby Too book. I used Filatura Zara extra fine merino wool. This was my first time knitting cables. I really thought cables were going to be heinously difficult, but it was easy and a lot of fun.

I really fancy bamboo needles. I don't think I would enjoy knitting at all if all there was were cold aluminum needles. The bamboo feels so nice in my hand as I knit. I was just admiring how beautiful they are in their quilted needle snuggie, so I thought I'd take a picture. I have a lot more needles somewhere and a huge number of circular needles. I knit hats with two sets of needles. If you have never tried that, it is the only way to knit hats. Seriously.

My Lush Golden Slumbers bath is waiting for me, my neck is hurting and a lavender bath is very soothing before bed. The best medicine!

Qntal - Von den Elben

This is a song from my favorite Qntal album, Qntal V: Silver Swan.

I Seriously Must Get to My Knitting

So, if I am ever to knit again, I must to organize all my knitting stuff. The ten or so knitting books I have collected, okay fifteen, all need to be together in one place. There is nothing like snarling with frustration while trying to find the right book with the perfect description of a stitch and not being able to find it because it is under the bed. The Curse of the Were-Knitter!

I found the last remaining scrap of apricot-colored Cashsoft Baby yarn, leftover from the sweater I made for my friend's baby last year. This was my first ever sweater. Up until then, it had only been hats and scarves.



The pattern I used is the Elly sweater from Rowan's Classic Babies, Book Four. The lacy edging is crocheted, which my mom taught me to do when I was just a kid, but this was more complicated than anything I have ever had crocheted before. I had to rip it out three times before I could live with it. The sweater pattern itself was pretty tricky, the folks at Rowan assume you know what you are doing. I have only been knitting for two years.

Soon I will be getting back to knitting the pale blue cable knit baby sweater. It just scares me to take the shoulder seams out. What if I screw it up as I pick apart the stitching?

I have a toothache tonight. It was painful enough that I had to take half a Darvocet left over from my knee surgery. I wonder if it is the tooth with the temporary crown. Why would it hurt so much and so suddenly?

So Sad...

I couldn't sleep last night so I got up and watched coverage of the Minneapolis 35W bridge collapse. I grew up in a north suburb of Saint Paul. Interstate 35W is within a mile of the lake I lived on and I have been on that bridge many, many times. I am really sad for the families waiting to hear news of their missing relatives. Just horrible.

No, I didn't knit last night, too busy watching the news and putting the third coat of tung oil on our box project. What is the box project? Do you really want to know? My husband and I are making a box out of bird's eye maple as an alternative to a memorial urn for my mom. Actually, my husband is the woodworker, I took part in some of it, like participating in the design and finishing. He is an artist, my mom would be have been please to know whe had such quality and beauty as her final resting place. Maybe she does. It will be a comfort to my family to have a gorgeous focal point to reflect on. I will take a picture.

Not Just About Knitting!

My fanatical knitting the last couple of years has dropped off a cliff in the last few months. It is time to snap out of it and I am hoping this will help renew my interest. I have two baby sweaters to finish; one is nearly completed and the other just barely started. The first one, the pale blue cable knit, has been a source of anxiety for me. The shoulder seams need to be let out to make the neck hole larger, then I only have to knit the ribbing around the neck and wrists. What a relief that will be to see it finally finished.

I need to tend to anything that has been pushed to the side for a few months that is literally gnawing at the very fiber of me.

Here is the story of what has been going on. Last May, my mom died from complications of Alzheimer's disease. It has been a sad shock for my family. The reality has been... unreal. Anyone who has been there themselves knows what I mean. I don't really feel like getting into it today, but the reason I mentioned it is, since she died, I haven't been able to get to my knitting.

Satellite television has been my crutch. Such a comfort it has been to flop down deep into my couch and let the TV take over. But we don't watch junk at my house, no. We watch mainly the Discovery, Learning, and SciFi channels. I can't bear to miss my favorite shows, Eureka, Meerkat Manor, What Not To Wear, and Dirty Jobs.

That's it for now.