News from the Hospital

Hi, as soon as I finished writing the post this morning I got a call from the hospital and Bob pulled out his breathing tube last night and while they were trying to reconnect him they realized that he was breathing well on his own! They were shocked that he could tolerate it!!!!! The liver numbers are still very bad , the highest and worst they have been BUT they are getting bad slower then before SO MAYBE he can last longer on that crummy bit of functioning liver that he has. He is very confused and showing a much higher level of dementia then before so it really is a trip trying to keep him in bed and keep explaining why he can't go home and what happened! All he remembers is falling off the bus. Today is Knitting in Public Day so I did my part and knit at the hospital ALL day!

Catching up from wed.

Hi, I have not had time to respond to everyone's individual posts and messages but as soon as I have time I will. I slept at a friend's apartment in Brooklyn Thursday evening, and I have limited access to email at work and none at the hospital. The news about Bob is that his current condition has not gotten better but it is not worse. His liver is in such poor shape that he would be put on the list for a transplant if he were eligible. He is the yellowiest man I have ever seen and so swollen that he looks like he is oozing fluids. They are trying to wean him from the respirator with very limited success and are talking about doing a tracheostomy to provide breathing support and allow him to be able to speak and use his mouth. The abscess between the spine and thorax is doing better and the infection in his spine is responding to the treatment BUT his liver is so damaged from his hepatitis C from when he was 19. The intensive care doctor told me that the liver doctors give him 6 months to one year to live with the current liver functioning. Liver doctors have been telling him at his liver is terrible for years so who knows how tough he really is! I try to spend as much time as I can with him BUT I can't be there all day every day. I am going to knitting on Monday night at Barnes and Noble and I'm going to my support group on Wed. Night. I realized that I was getting to tired to function when I tried to tell a friend how to turn a sock and I could not remember the directions! I am almost finished with one sock from the current STR club colorway but I didn't use their pattern. I was working on a gray, blue and black sock but I needed to look at bright and cheerful colors.

Holding his own

I spent most of the day at the hospital with Bob today. They tried to take him off the ventilator for a few hours in the afternoon and he did well then got tired. The Dr. will try again Thursday. Both of my kids came in form New Jersey to visit him . The hospital is not close to where any of us live and it makes visiting hard. I got a lot of support from my kids and in my heart I know Bob did also. He had a very sweet and caring nurse which makes it much easier for me to leave him there.

No Good News Today

I went to the hospital today and found Bob back on a ventilator. They lost control of the bleeding on his surgical site and had to put a pressure bandage around his neck! His liver is failing so he is not clotting well and his lungs have fluid in them. They are doing everything they can and the doctors feel he has a chance. His kidneys need to remain strong but I am very fearful and sad.

An update on what's going on with me

No new projects, no nice pictures. My time is being taken up with my husband who is in the hospital. Bob went into the hospital a week ago and was transferred to a different hospital and had emergency surgery on Sat. He is very sick but made it through the operation and has been taken off the respirator. He continues to be very sick BUT he made it through the first 24 hours which were the most critical! I would have thought that I'd be getting lots of knitting done as I sit around but I just have not had the concentration! If you believe in prayer please keep Bob in your prayers. He has osteomylitis, a serious bone infection in his spine.

Another quilt finished

I spent yesterday at a carnival at my school doing face painting so I had to get up very early to put the finishing touches on this quilt because the shower is at 12:30! I still want to make a handmade card to go with this and I bought an envelope template at the flea market sale yesterday so I can make a nice matching envelope much easier. Early Bird is finished, just one more Sat. Enrichment class BUT we are heading into the final planning for next year AND closing the school year craziness so I will have to struggle to fit in some quilting and knitting. I did get my new STR club pack yesterday. I love the yarn the pattern has to grow on me.

Just checking in

I keep meaning to write in this blog but somehow after I read everyone else's blog, think about what I want to post, work on my various projects, I don't get it done! I spend Mother's Day with my mother, grandmother and my two children. We went out to eat, then my daughter took us to see her new apartment. She is moving out of the dorm and sharing a condo with a friend. Very cute place and so neat. It seems that the roommate can get her to to be neat---something I certainly never had success with! There is a river and water falls behind her building with a tennis court and swimming pool. Not bad for a struggling college student. I wore my new shawl made from Blue Heron Rayon boucle. I love the way it feels and looks BUT it kept getting caught on my earrings! I finished the STR club socks and already wore them. I still need to take a picture of them. I already started on another pair in Koigu, just my generic toe up sock. I'm amazed about how much quicker I can work when there is no pattern just mindless knitting with the yarn doing the work. Now I need to ignore the socks and work on the quilt I am giving my friend for her wedding shower. It has to be ready for Sunday and still need to pick threads, and hand sew on the binding. I should clean up the threads as go but I never do.

Check out these slippers!

One of my knitting girls has been working on these slippers every morning. She finally got them finished this morning and boy was she proud of them. The pattern is very simple but comes out totally cozy. I am a few rows away from finishing my STR club socks. I really want to finish them before I get my next club shipment! I'll post a picture as soon as they are done.

Knitting Hands

I have not been posting much BUT this is what I've been doing. I've been working in Early Bird Knitting and teaching an Enrichment Sat Club at my school. I love it BUT this work is cutting into my free time. Commuting into Brooklyn one extra morning is such a drag! The Sat. Club is really fun. We have a small but steady group of girls. I teach knitting and quilting and another teacher teaches dance. I work with the girls on their projects but I also show them mine and in spare moments work on my stuff. We are working with all donate supplies and I'd like to thank Southwest Trading for their generous donation of yarns. The pictures here show most of the girls working with their cottons.

24 questions about myself for my secret pal!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?I love to knit with wool, mohair or wool blends. I hate to knit with plasticy acrylics. 2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?I have needles in pottery crocks, a drawer in a storage unit, my pocket book, various tote bags etc. 3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?I was taught as a young child by my grandmother but didn't really knit much until I was in college. I am 54 now so I've been knitting for a long time! I would consider myself an advanced intermediate knitter. there is still lots for me to learn. 4. Do you have an Amazonother online wishlist No 5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Patchouli, karma, lemon verbena 6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I love candy, and especially chocolate. 7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I play around with spinning but I have not had a working wheel for about 20 years. Sometimes I do spin a bit with a hand spindle. I love to quilt, hand piece and do red work. I also make cold process soaps, lotions, creams and scrubs. 8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I love classical music, folk music and I don't even know what a MP3 is! 9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? I love blues, greens, yellows, red. I'm not a brown or orange lover. 10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I'm married with two children, a son 23 in college, and my daughter is 21 also in school. My husband is retired on a disability. We have two cats and dog. I'm the cat lover and my husband is the dog person. 11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear hats, scarves and mittens. Ponchos I leave to the younger thinner set. 12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I LOVE to knit socks! 13. What are you knitting right now?Right now I am working on a pair of socks, the club pattern for SocksThat Rock and a tank/vest from black chenille yarn and Blue Heron Rayon Boucle yarn 14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, I do! 15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Addi Turbo circular OR Bryspun straights 16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I own a winder not a swift. 17. How did you learn to knit? My grandmother taught me. 18. How old is your oldest UFO?about 20 years 19. What is your favorite holiday ? Christmas 20. Is there anything that you collect? Boleslawiec Blue Polish Pottery, silver bracelets, blue wedgewood, fat quarters. 21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Right now I'm getting Spin Off. I've let the other subscriptions lapse. 22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? backwards purl 23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am an addicted sock knitter.My foot measures 9 inches around, 10 inches long and 6inches from the tip of my toe to my ankle. 24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 08/05

I'm back!

Well, I've been very busy quilting, knitting, reading but not blogging! With work, getting ready for my craft show and everything else I've neglected this blog. Here's a little quilt and matching bag I just gave to a friend as a baby gift. I have two I Spy quilts tops and a queen size quilt top ready to be sandwiched and quilted. I need to do one more I Spy quilt then all my shower gifts are at least started.
I finished the shawl I did in Blue Heron Rain Forest Rayon Boucle and am almost finished with the hand dyed mohair shawl. I'm crocheting a trim on it and I hate crocheting! I hope I finish it on Monday night.

This week

This week has been a very slow week for knitting for me. I was VERY busy at work, the Math tests are finally over. I just need to do the make up tests for some students and package them for scoring.
I'm still working on a very boring pair of socks. I like the way they fit and I like the pattern BUT the yarn is very boring. You could just buy these socks. I love using yarns from Socks That Rock, Koigu, and other colorful ones. I got this yarn on sale and it knits up nicely and they are warm useful socks but they just are tedious to look at!
I ordered a few knitting books and they all came this week. Now I own, Not Just Socks by Sandi Rosner, Confessions of a Knitting Heritic by Annie Modesitt and Knitting Over the Edge by Nicky Epstein. I also got another order of WOL and a tote pattern to felt.
I've done very little knitting this week and weekend. I went to a play, The Rabbithole and out to dinner on Sat. Then to the Sugarloaf Craft Fair on Sunday. I've also worked on more soaps and now I am finally soaped out for my Spring shows, now on to wrapping and making creams, scrubs, lotions, whipped butters, lips balms. OH just the thought of it makes me want to run and knit even if the socks are boring.

Gotta medal !

Here's my medal. I love the socks, they are enough of a reward. warm comfortable and they match my favorite shoes!

Frances

What I've Been Doing

This has been a very hectic week at work for me. We are in testing season and it is the Math test that is coming up this week SO I've been doubly hectic.
I spent most of Sat. wrapping soap to get ready for my Spring and Summer shows But I did manage to sneak in a bit of sock making this week. I am trying a new to me sock pattern http://www.needletrax.com/toeupon2circulars.hmt This pattern has the heel flap under the foot and I think would be especially nice to use with a pattern or cables. The socks I'm working on now are pretty boring but I have some nice new more interesting yarn to use.
I got some Koigu on sale. The colors are nicer then show up in the pictures AND I joined the STR sock club and should be getting my first shipment some time in March. I can't wait!

Vacation just sailing away!

I'm on Winter Vacation from work right now. I've been relaxing, knitting, eating out and just went to see a play last night. So for a totally unscheduled vacation I've been pretty busy with enjoyable things. First, I did finish my Olympic pair of socks. I used my usual pattern BUT my challenge was to finish them within the time limit. I didn't knit on anything else while I was working on them and I've found I don't like to be monogamous to a pair of socks. Was pretty monotonous! Well, I've solved that! I started working on a new project ~ a pair of fingerless gloves for my daughter. So far both of us are very happy with them. I may just go back and make myself a pair of gloves WITH all the fingers! Am I getting socked out?

Back to real life!

I spent last weekend quietly knitting through the snow storm. I missed Monday at work due to the snow but the next four days at work more then made up for the extra day off. In New York City where I work the children are taking a math test in early March. We are on vacation for a week, come back for a week then BANG the test! As Math Staff developer for my school, this really felt like crunch week. BTW, almost ALL the snow is gone but it is now bitterly cold!

So now I have a week to clean my house, knit, visit with friends etc. Hmmm , wonder which I'll concentrate on?

I also worked on getting a swap ready for a soap group I belong to. A friend of mine helped me finish it up and now it will be mailed off on Tuesday. Lots of nice soaps, lotions and other bath treats are on the way out.

Snow Storm Productivity!

We have had a record amount of snow in NJ and NY this weekend SO I've been in the house and busy. I finished the heel and am almost up to the ribbing on my first Olympic sock . This Olympic challenge had really kept me on track. Every time I start to stray to another knitting project, just thinking of not finishing brings me right back to the project sock! I have also made six batches of soap, five rebatches and one new one. Here's a picture of yesterday's soaps. They need to cure for a day or so then I'll cut and trim them. In a few weeks when they are wrapped I'll post another picture. I've also made something else but I'm going to send a few to my swap sister so I'm not going to mention what it is!

1st day's progress from Knitting Olympics

Yesterday, I attended a Cast Off Party to start my knitting Olympics projects---socks! I'm using my usual pattern, toe up on two circs, with an after thought heel. My challange will be finishing them within the time span of the Olympics. I've made such good progress so far, that right now it does not seem too difficult! While I was at the cast off party I did more then knit I made a convert to toe up two circ knitting! I helped a fellow knitter cast on and start her toe! I've been knitting so much that I have not done much with any of my other hobbies. I just added a picture of a piece of redwork I did a few years ago. This morning I need to make soap and lotion bars. More pictures on Sunday!

Restocking and trying something new

I sold out of every cream, lotion and scrub that I make shortly after Christmas. Last weekend I did scrubs and a few lotions today was the start of restocking creams, tomorrow I'll start tackling the whipped butters and make at least one or two soaps or I sneak off to the movies or if I have the energy do both! Now I have my least favorite task to do, label, seal and shrink wrap all the stuff, it's worse then weaving in ends or seaming up pieces! I did try something new today I worked on felting soap. I took wool roving and covered soaps with them to make soaps with a felted layer, soaps in a sweater. I saw a demo of this this fall at a soap gathering and I 've been planning on doing it ever since. I ordered the roving right away then realized that I didn't have time to play with these until after the Christmas rush so I decided to make them my swap project for my annual Ringing in the New Swap. I host a swap on Soapnuts every year to try something new. This is my contribution this year. They were kind of fun to make but pretty time consuming so I don't know if I'll ever sell them. I do like the wool roving around a face bar as a very nice way to use facial soap.

What I've been doing.

I'm lost two days this week to not feeling well. I actually did not pick up a knitting needle or book from Wed. evening through to Friday morning. Friday morning I went to the Dr. & had a shot which helped with the nausea and then spent the afternoon comfortably knitting. So far this blog has been about one of my main passions in life BUT I have another hobby which takes over my life. I make soaps, lotions, creams, scrubs and other pampering products. Today I had 50 pounds each of palm and coconut oils, boxes of shea, cocoa and mango butter and jugs of specialty oils like cherry kernel oil delivered to my house. Soon I'll be turning these into soaps, lotions and creams. I want to experiment with more body butters and hand balms. I think I'll use my knitting groups as testers! I'll post pictures on Sat. Of some of my finished products as well as the latest Lucy bag which I am determined to finish by Sat morning!