Drats!  Saw this on the back porch the other day.  A robins egg that has fallen out of the nest.  It means that the birds are layin eggs in anticipation for the spring but unfortunately this won’t make it .  Lately I found that some of the xanga updates have been going to my spam box.  Hmmmm, so sorry to anyone I didn’t respond back to.  I even had some e-mails from Christmas that some people had sent that I didn’t see since they went into the spam box.  So now I’ll have to check that out every now and then to make sure I don’t miss out on the (GOOD) e-mails. 

Have a great day !  TTFN

C’mon lets go to McD’s and get a sausage mcgriddle  and a moca coffee.  Got up this morning and started laundry then got the critter all situated with her meds, food, walk and decided that I was in the mood for a sausage mcgriddle so off we went to McD’s.  I don’t usually get the mocha coffee but we were treatin ourselves today.  Then we went to the grocery store to get a real lemon and one of those honey bears to take a some chamomile tea to me mum.  We are going to have tea together and roll around the rehab center, LOL.  I’m bringing real mugs/cups, lemon and honey and we are going to have it out of something other than styrofoam cups, LOL.  Those are great but its even better in a mug/cup.  They have this area where ya can hang out and visit and play games etc. that has a drink machine, 2 computers, hot water and coffee and an ice and water machine.  So we will have ourselves a tea party, check e-mails and see who else is hanging out at the lounge. 

I’m sure gettin attatched to this critter.  Was talkin with a customer and she lives over where we do and told me that the place right across the street from where I go to the vet offers low cost pet vaccinations and heartworm pills.  Ya just have to show up on a sun and wait in line between 11 and 4.  Thats cool with me since I got suns off and don’t mind waiting in line since I’m a military brat, LOL.  Thats what you usually did when you were a military kid.  You would take a number and wait till it was your turn so I’m used to it.  Besides I’m on a budget and if I can swing caring for this critter on a resonable budget then I might consider keepin her around.  I just gotta figure out a routine with her before my mom gets home and may have to make other work arrangements.  She is great in the car and since its winter I keep her in her crate in the car and go out every now and then and walk, feed and visit with her.  But won’t be able to do that in the summer.  She’s fine since I wrap her crate in a huge moving blanket and she actually looks forward to going to the shop with me. 

Oh, todays vitamin was Kazoo .  I don’t ever remember seeing Kazoo in there.  Maybe that is a new addition.  Any who, who knew, GADZOOKS KAZOO

Well, its back to the laundry then off to tea with mom.  TTFN

Yes, its the simple things in life that can make ya happy .  Went to Costco to pic up my perscription and took a look at the vitamins and saw a mega bottle of Flintstones vitamins.  And they were the regular ones that are crunchy and you can see who is who when ya get one.  Todays Flintstone vitamin was Bam Bam!  I used to get these but when they came out with the gummy type I was like, EW, and couldn’t find the regular ones.  It was like they were trying to replace the old type with the new gummy version and they were everywhere.  Yes, adults can take these.  In fact if your a kid 2 & 3 years of age your only supposed to take half of one.  Adults and children ages 4 years and up can chew one tablet daily.  So me so HAPPY

This critter is sitting in my lap right now and taking a nap.  I’ve been sleeping in my scarf and hoodie so when I need to get up and take her out I’m ready to go.  She goes out and then I give her her anti-biotic feed her and then she likes to sit in my lap and snooze.  While she is eating I get my breakfast ready, put the phone near me, and the laptop so I can do what I gotta do while she is napping in my lap.  Ha, she is too cute and I’ll miss her when she goes but I just don’t see it working when my mom comes home from the rehab center. 

Okay, gotta get to work.  TTFN

Ya know its cold when your butter don’t melt, LOL.  I usually put the stick of butter (yes, good ole real butter) in the micro for 10 seconds to soften it so I can spread it on whatever but lately its been on some of the home baked goodies customers have given me during the holidays (pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, banana nut bread, humming bird bread/cake – OMG my favorite – I gotta get that recipie, and some fudge).  I love baked good sweets and I’ve been trying to be good so I’ll have my cup of coffee in the morning and a slice or two of something with butter (okay, I know that isn’t the healthiest choice but, I GOTTA HAVE IT ) so hence the softening of the butter in the micro for 10 seconds.  Well, that ain’t happening since its been so cold.  It’s taking 3 go rounds in the micro for it to soften .  My coffee doesn’t even stay as warm for as long as it used to in the mug and I’ve been wearing my scarf around the house (thanks Sandy and Sandies mom ).  So all I’m saying is hell to the no, YES ITS COLD!  I will be so glad when spring gets here.  It was supposed to snow last nite but we just got cold rainy drizzle.  I’ve been hearing these birds out singin in the morning so that is a good sign that they are moving back. 

On the knit horizon is still more pattern swatching/experimenting and I think I’ve injured my thumb joint.  LOL, the joint where my thumb meets the hand is so sore.  So maybe I better slower it down some or use less enthusiasm when making my stitchs, Ha.  Well, here’s the latest swatch called the Dew Drop pattern.  Oh, by the way, I’m getting most of the stitch pattern info from those Barbara Walker stitch pattern books.  I treated myself to one each time I went to the MSWF for the past 3 years.  They are pricy (30.00 bucks is pricy to me)and I bought one each time I went so now I got 3 .  I think there are 4 volumes that she did.  Anyway, they are LOADED with stitch patterns.  I like to just thumb thru them at nite and see what can be done with yarn, its so cool.  Okay so here’s the dew drop pattern sample:

It’s an easy pattern repeat and it doesn’t curl in on itself.  Wouldn’t this be cool in orange

Okay, off to go fluff a blanket that has turned into a ball in the dryer and then take the dog for a walk and get ready for work.  Then tonight I’ll see mom and do her toenails.  TTFN

LOL, I’m glad the dog bed I bought at pet smart was on sale (11.99) since its probably not going to last very long .  The critter is scratching, clawing, chewing and running around and diving into it like is a boggy board.  Too funny to watch.  Here’s a pic of her in the bed with some of her toys.  An pair of old socks, a chew bone and a cupcake or icecream cone thing that has this really funny squeek to it. 

Oh, and she is wearing her new other sleeve to the felted sweater since the other one is getting ratty and she now uses that as a chew toy too.  Here’s this thing which I think is supposed to be an icecream cone with a spike hair do, LOL.  

I bought this at the drug store since it squeeks when ya sweeze it and thought she would like it.  I was waiting for my perscription to be filled and there was a two hour wait and I decided to mosy around in the store while waiting for it.  It was too freekin cold to go back outside.  So now I know where every freekin thing is and if I need something I’ll know exactly where to go to get it, LOL.  Well, when I brought it home she just turned her nose up at it.  She acted like she was scared of it.  So it just sat there.  Then one day she decided to show it who was boss and tore into it and shook it around as it squeeked at different octaves, LOL.  So now she puts it in her bed with her and tears around with it in the kitchen.  I’m not sure if it was the smell of it when she first saw it or the colour or what.  Any way, its on her chew hit parade list. 

Here’s what the pansy’s look like due to this freekin freezin weather we are having. 

They are all drooping and FROZEN.  The interesting thing is that they look like they are dead but if and when it warms up they all of a sudden perk up.  I’m just not sure how long they can take this type of weather before its not fit for anything even them to have gone thru it.  Well, I wonder what happened to global warming?  Hmmmmmm, maybe not this year or was it because of the double full moon (blue moon) this month. I’ll take a picture of them when the weather gets better if they make it to show ya.  The dirt is just frozen and dry.  It’s supposed to snow tonight and in the morning from what the weather person says.  They are saying about an inch of snow that wont stick.  Haven’t seen any yet but still gotta take the critter out for her nite time prowl before bed so who knows. 

Went and saw my mom tonight for a bit and she looks so much better.  She said, they are wearing her out in physical therapy and she is looking forward to the weekend.  The girl in physical therapy is going to help give her a shower tommorrow and I’ll do her toe nails tommorrow nite.  I bet that will help her feel better too.  

If this cough I’ve had since my mom fell isn’t gone by the weekend then I’m going back to the doctor.   Now two other sylists got it and we all sound like Brenda Viccarro wanna be’s.  LOL. 

Where ever you are, whoever you are here’s whishing you toasty toed tea toddling moments  TTFN

Okay, I’m calling all this knitting and frogging and just Evelyn Wooding my way thru yarn like I’m a speed knitter or its like yarn, gotta have it, knit-erby-gibit.  I just want to knit and keep busy.  It’s like when your facing things that aren’t uncertain or that you just feel overwhelmed or things are all whacky, I just want to knit and keep my hands busy.  At nite its me and the critter and its FREEKIN COLD, (did someone say global warming was supposed to be happening) and I just want my tea, Public radio – Prarie Home Companion and some knitting to help me relax.  Knitting really is like therapy.  I mean its challeging enough to keep your mind focused, you can take it with you just about anywhere.  When the credit union line was 20 some people deep I was hoping I had my knitting so I could do some while schlepping along in the line.  Not sure if I’m brave enough to do that yet, LOL.  Any way, not that I needed to start another stitch pattern but I did with all the others that are in my bag and I just keep jumping from one to the other to keep me busy.  I haven’t watched a day of t.v. since my mom went into the rehab center.  I just haven’t been interested.  Instead I’ve been listening to the radio and catching the morning news and then at nite the differnt shows that public radio has to wind down the day.  So here is the latest stitch.  Called the indian cross stitch.

I’m diggin this whole wrap stitch kinda knitting.  It’s sorta like knitted architecture.  It also kinda weird that people figured out how to twist yarn around that way.  Gives new meaning to, YOUR TWISTED, LOL .  These make some cool textural knits that work really well with this red heart yarn.  I like the red heart yarn because it is plyed to where it is a really round yarn that holds its roundness kinda like a navajo plyed yarn would be since it is triple ply.  Any who, it shows up patterns well.  The solid colours are great for the textural stitches since the stitches are whats doing the talkin here.  I’ve also been experimenting with the butterfly stitch in hot pink yarn, WOWZERS .  Orange and hot pink are some of my favorite yarns to knit with since they are just happy colours to me.  Then there is the hoopskirt pattern that is really challenging and I trying to decided which colour to do that in.  I tried it in a blue but it just didn’t seem to be the right colour for it so now I think I’m going to get some bright red for it. 

In critter news.  I had taken her yesterday for her first vet visit and her first shots etc.  Well, she only weighs 4 1/2 lbs.  So she got two shots and some worm stuff, some science diet food and off we went.  Well, we got home and she was lethargic and wanted to sleep so I messaged her back where they gave her the shots like the vet said and she slept a good while.  Then she was wantin to poop a lot and had an accident in her doggy bed all over her toys (probably because of the worm meds) so while cleaning that all up the tomatoe soup that I had forgotten about being on the stove boiled over and then had that to clean up.  Then she had to go out again.  This time I noticed some blood in her stool so thought well that probably when they check her temp and from the meds and she’ll be alright.  So got everything cleaned up and we ate our dinner and then off to bed.  She had to go out 3 times and had like squatting motions like she wanted to poop but didn’t seem to be able to.  So then in the morning after her breakfast I took her out and she pooped and then kept going around and like squatting like she had to poop but coldn’t so I was like well maybe the medicine was making her do that since it makes em poop to get any worms out if they got em.  Then I bring her in and she squats again and I’m like, HUH , and some drops of blood come out so now I’m worried and call the vet.  They tell me to bring her in again (saying that is not normal) and off we go.  So had to cancel my morning appts. and got her there and the vet put her on a bland diet saying that all the trama from the visit, the shots, the worming, getting her temp taken, etc. probably got her system all upset.  I just wanted to make sure nothing was majorly wrong.  So then I pointed out AGAIN the scaly dry stuff on her ears and asked if she thougth it was okay to let the critter sleep with me.  She said sure and the only reason she would object would be if I were a heavy sleeper and rolled over and smushed her.  So any way I mentioned that I was wondering if the dry stuff on her ears was something that a human could get because I noticed I got these little dry red marks on my wrists and my mom had them on her legs.  So now she decided to look at her ears under a purple light and then took a sample to see if its ringworm, ARGH.  So that take 3 days and more money later we will see what is up.  So cross your fingers for her if ya get a chance .  Any who, I like the vet a lot.  I just wish I could find a doctor like her for me. 

Stay tuned for more knitting samples.  TTFN

Lately with keeping up with my mom in the rehab center and keeping this puppy on a schedule and as cold as it has been by the time the sun starts to go down all I want to do is get home and have dinner and some herbal tea and knit myself to sleep.  The great thing about this critter is that she likes to sit in my lap and curl up in a ball and nap or chew on one of her toys.  So while she does that I knit.  So I try to get the phone, dinner, tea, and all my knitting stuff over near the chair were in so I don’t have to get up, LOL, this critter is spoiled.  As long as I keep her on a schedule she does so well with the potty training .  I went and got a new crate for inside the house so I don’t have to keep taking one crate in and out when I take her with me.  It has made things so easy.  LOL, I do ride with her in my lap sometimes and she does so well in the car and she didn’t even mind the blowdryer when I bathed her the first day she came home.  I haven’t bathed her again since her skin has been so dry.  Today after going with mom to her doctors apt I ran by the vets to see if I could get her an appt for her first shots.  Woo Hoo, I was able to get one for tommorrow.  With all that has been going on I just haven’t been able to get her to the vet and she really needs her first shots to protect her from all the cooties out there. 

Went to the doctors appt. with mom today.  The surgeon who did mom surgery so it was good to see what exactly he did.  The rehab center arranged transportation for her in this van that has wheel chair capacity and it was great.  It was just freekin cold.  Of course we get to the orthopedics place and there is all this paper work they want you to fill out.  The rehab center gave us all the info they needed in a large envelope but they want you to still fill out the paper work which is like just redoing it.  But I guess it was all good since there were several errors with the info they had like her accurate birthdate .  As well as the fact that she was listed as retired of which she is not etc.  Anyway, the doc showed up and I was glad to meet him and he was really nice and then we all looked at the x-ray.  Whew, a long nail as they call it from hip to almost the knee and then two pins that go thru the nail, one into the top of the femer that goes into the hip and one just above the knee.  Then the doc went into describing how he had to reem out the bone to put in the long steel nail and I felt like someone took their fingernails and was dragging them down a chalkboard.  He said that the type of break is one that takes a long time to heal and it could take as several months to as long as a year.  After seeing the xray my mom was like, no wonder why I hurt like hell.  Whew, you know if we didn’t have todays technology people with breaks like this probably wouldn’t have made it.  I went with her to physical therapy before we went to the docs and it was packed with patients.  She did some hobbling with the walker and some toe and heel raises while sitting down.  They still don’t want her to put any weight on it for another month and then we go back to the doctor and see how things are and go from there. I don’t think she liked hearing that it would take a while for things to heal up.  I told her we will just take it one day at a time and go from there. 

As far as knitting goes I’ve been really antsy and have been trying all kinds of different knitting stitches out.  I went and got a bunch of the redheart yarn in all kinds of fun colours so I can just take it with me and experiment with different patterns and frog them if I don’t like em.  Red heart yarn may not be the greatest yarn but its affordable and ya get a whole crap-load of it in a skein for just under 3 bucks.  Thats what I call economical knittin .  So here’s a pic of one of the stitches I’ve been working on.  It’s a knitted stitch that resembles broomstick lace which is usually crocheted but this is knit and you don’t use a large needle or broomstick to make the loops.  It’s fun to do and I had to play around with needle size to get it to look the way I liked.  A friend found this stitch one Knitting on the net I believe.  She was trying to figure out how to do it and I was like WOW that is like broomstick lace but its knit so we sat down and tried it out and are both like all about knitting it for now.  So here it is:

I think I’ll just keep knitting on this till it turns into a scarf, LOL.  Spinner mom had a great idea to knit a bunch of swatches and then sew them to the outside of a bag and put all your knitting stuff in there.  Since everyone is always askin me how do you do this or that with knitting then I can just show them and have it all there.  She said ya can get knitting needles outta the thrift stores and then have them and just give-em away to people when you show em how to knit.  I think that is a great idea.  And with the red heart yarn I can just keep some different coloured balls of it wound up and in my bag and then they can pick which one they like.  I think I’m just gonna stitch the samples to one of those fabric grocery bags and have that as the sampler.  Will take a pic when I’m done with that. 

Well, where ever you are and whats going on in your life I hope your safe and well and looking forward to a ROCKIN NEW YEAR!!! TTFN

I guess I could say the new year started out with a bang, LITERALLY .  I had just hung up the phone at around 11:30 and the dog had settled down and we were both headed off to La La land when at the stroke of midnight as you might have guessed it, MY FREEKIN NEIGHBOURS, set off these LOUD ASS, fireworks and screamed and yelled happy new year.  The dog got all scared and riled up and didn’t want to go to sleep then.  It ticks me off because fireworks arn’t allowed in the neighborhood.  These are townhouses and the parking lot is full of cars and there are all these trees.  It’s just stupid.  I like fireworks but not out in the parkinglot next to my car and a whole lot of pineneedles.  Last year this neighbour was setting off fireworks in the parking lot around everyones cars, really smart.  Then if you say something about it your branded as the bad neighbour.  These type of fireworks are meant to be out in an open area not next to houses, Just Stupid I say.  Go get some sparklers will ya.  .  Despite the cracker show I’m looking forward to a wonderful new year.  The year of the Tiger, Grrrrrrrrr-owl, HAPPY 2010!!!! 

Here’s wishing everyone a safe newyears eve and a prosperous, healthful joyous NEW YEAR !  I’m old school and New Years arn’t the same any more to me.  My favorite new years were the ones I spent watching the Johnny Carson Show with my cat Pheonix.  We would stretch out on the couch and watch the new years eve show and then I’d fall asleep and Pheonix would wake me up meowing to tell me it was time for bed.  He would meow at me and look at me from the hallway until I’d open my eyes and look at him then he’d run into the bedroom.  He would keep doing that, since I wouldn’t budge at his first MEOOOOOW, until I’d get up and get into bed, LOL.  Wha, I miss that critter.  He was golden with orangy red stripes and these big gold eyes.  Well, right now I got Mitzy in my lap and have been on the Lion Brand site scouting out patterns and ordering their latest catalog.  2009 was the year of the Ox/bull and 2010 will be the year of the tiger I believe.  Its been foggy and misty and rainy off and on here today but I did manage to see that the full moon was still visible thru the misty hazy sky.  Its supposed to be a blue moon.  It did look kinda blue thru the hazy sky but I don’t think that is what they mean by the blue moon.  Went by and saw mom at the rehab center tonight after work and she was about to go to sleep.  We sat up and talked awhile, wished each other happy new year and called it a nite.  We were both tired.  Her room mate went home and it was kinda sad to not see here there since i’d chat with her when I would visit.  But it did make for a more quiet room so hopefully mom will get a good nites sleep tonight.  She didn’t have the greatest day today but she looks so much better.  Well, TTFN and Cheerio

Had dinner with mom at the rehab center and it was yummy .  We wern’t sure what dinner would be since they don’t tell you.  My mom is diabetic so they have a dietician that makes up the meals.  Well in came the trays and we lifted them off and laughed when we saw baked spaghetti and sunshine salad.  I thought now that is cool.  I love baked spaghetti and always remember it was my favorite at the school cafeteria.  It just wasn’t what we were expecting for Christmas dinner.  But it was just fine with us.  Sunshine salad, or thats what I call it, was lemon jello with bits of pineapple and some shredded cheddar cheese, and some celery in it.  I’ve had it with nuts in it too before at Picadilly.  There was also a garlic bread stick, a little green salad, and some iced tea.  It was all nice and hot, the rehab center is kept warm, sometimes too warm, but it was all nice and cozy that nite since it was really cold and rainy all day that day.  My moms roommate had family visiting and the staff had on their santa hats and it was right festive.  I gave my mom a pair of earrings and she liked them.  Then she cryed due to the fact that she had to be there and told me she had been counting her blessings earlier.  I agreed that its a wonderful thing to be able to have blessings to count.  She looks so much better but has a while to go before she can start walking again.  So far she has gone to therapy 4 times and sits up in a chair for longer periods of time each day.  She’s had some issues with them having to adjust her medications (diabetes and blood pressure) but other than that the staff is really nice.  Heck, she may not want to come home, LOL, just kidding .  Thanks for the well wishes and the tips on the osteoporosis.  Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful New Year!