Kinda Cranky Today

I thought I would post seeing as how the counter has registered 1,000 hits on my blog!  Cool.

Feeling a little cranky today — out of sorts — got the blues.  You get the picture.

I went to an orthopedist Monday and I have a pinched nerve and at least one ruptured disc in my back.  He gave me pain medicine that ended up making me sick.  I had an injection in my back Tuesday afternoon which was not a fun procedure, and now I am to go to physical therapy for two fun-filled weeks of pelvic traction and exercise.  Oh, the joys of aging!

The injection has caused my face to break out with a rash — flushing, they call it — and some insomnia.  So last night, while I am trying to sleep, at midnight I can hear the fashionista talking on her cell phone in the downstairs family room.  I lay there for awhile thinking that she will either end the call or go to her room.  No such luck.  So I get out of bed and get to the edge of the stairs, and she walks out of the family room.  I say, Who are you talking to? I can hear you in my room and I’m trying to sleep.  Her response — MY FRIEND, Nosy!  She then realized her mistake and kept calling Mom as I went back to my room.

We also have had lovely snowy weather today which has not helped improve my mood.

1,000 hits is the only perk I’ve had today. 

DishCloth Swap Question — Week 2

There are many people who ADORE receiving hand-knit or crochet items; but there are just as many who have no appreciation whatever of how much love, work, and time goes into a hand-made item. Share a story of a hand-made gift you gave to someone and how it worked out – good, bad, or ugly!

I love knitting for other people.  I am fortunate in that those I choose to knit for always love their knitted items.  My mother loves the handknitted socks I gift her with once or twice a year.  My aunt loves the red and white dishcloths I knit that match her kitchen theme.  My youngest daughter wears each scarf I knit for her.  I have knit sweaters for the infants of the young couples I know well at my church and they are always appreciative.  I also have adopted soldiers that I send letters and packages to and I usually send each one a black wool knit cap.  The knit guitar straps I gifted to two high school boys at church were also well received.  I love to knit socks, but am pretty careful about who I knit them for — you know you are a very good friend if you have a pair of my handknit socks!

Onto a different topic — I took some photos this weekend of the Whitby socks and the rib scarf I am working on, but they didn’t turn out well, so no photos for the blog — yet.

I took a vacation day on Friday and got some projects done around the house that needed to be done.  Emptied out some boxes in the basement and sorted through stuff.  I filled up quite a few large bags and made a trip to the donation drive thru at the Goodwill.  It was great to get that done.

I baked more bread.  Went to the library.  Ate lunch at our fave Lebanese restaurant/deli — the special was lentil pilaf with fattoush salad.  It was very good.  Met friends for coffee in the evening.

The rest of the weekend was spent working on music, knitting, reading, walking at the park, and some cooking.  I made a Shepherd’s Pie for Sunday lunch.  And I cooked two batches of chili — one that I brought in to the office for a soup day.

Last week I got the results of my MRI and now I have an appointment this afternoon with an orthopedic specialist.  Not too thrilled about it, either, but as with all things in life, I will do what I need to do.

It’s Tuesday

These three books are the books I am currently reading.  I am nearly finished with Deep Economy and then it is on to The Uncommon Reader, which looks to be a quick read.

Yesterday we had a mini ice storm — travel home was rather treacherous.  Took me over an hour to get home.  And I was supposed to meet a couple of friends for coffee — but we postponed to Friday, so that was a very good thing for me.

The fashionista made a pan of lasagna Sunday evening and baked it yesterday, so I had a nice large piece for dinner. She added one of the bags of frozen roasted grape tomatoes that I fixed at the end of summer and they were a great addition to the sauce. I was going to make a Shepherd’s Pie this evening, but I think I will wait until the weekend.  Instead, I saw an appealing photo over at the Enchanting Juno blog — a spinach feta tomato pie.  I have all the ingredients — may need to get some more feta, but I think I will make that instead.  It just looked very tasty.  Instead of fresh tomatoes, I will use another freezer bag of the roasted grape tomatoes — it should work.

My mother has requested red socks for Valentine’s Day, so I browsed the stash and came up with two skeins of Baby Ull that I have had forever.  Next, to choose a pattern.  I finally decided on Whitby from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush.  I am about 3.5″ into the first sock.

All of a sudden I have knitting deadlines!  Red socks for Valentine’s Day.  A baby cardigan that should have been finished before now — which is still sitting on the dining table.  A cupcake scarf due in late February for a 10 yo’s birthday.  The 2×2 rib scarf needs to be finished pretty quickly so the recipient can wear it while the weather is still frosty.  Dishcloths for a swap — but those go pretty quickly — not worried about those.

Sunday afternoon the fashionista and I went to Borders for coffee and to browse.  We spend a couple of Sunday afternoons each month there reading and browsing.  I was looking at a few craft magazines and wishing I had a lot more time to work on things.  There are so many things I would like to make — hand stitched music stationery, kitschy little knitted things, fiber-y art-y projects, jewelry, collaged journals — the list could go on and on.  I could probably find more time if I was willing to give up some other things — the knitting I have now keeps me busy enough.  I have made a couple of collaged journals — one for a knitting swap and I was very pleased with the way it turned out — and another for a birthday gift for a good friend of mine. It is a matter of priorities, I guess.

I made the decision to focus on my music in 2008, so the crafty pursuits will be when I have extra time this year.