Just some reading

Books read since December 15, 2011:

6.  Agony of the Leaves by Laura Childs
7.  Threadbare by Monica Ferris
8.  Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich
9.  The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
10. The Cat Sitter's Pajamas by Blaize Clement

Just Checking In...

February 1st already!  How did that happen?  I think with all of the events of the past three months that I have gotten very disorganized and lost track of time and things.  I need to do something about that. 

Update on the knee.  Well, still doing physical therapy, but down to one day per week.  I am going to the gym and riding the bike, and then walking 4 laps, and trying to jog 2 laps and repeating that three times.  My speed is definitely slower than pre-surgery, but I am getting better.  I will be happy when I am off of the coumadin hopefully later this month, because it has caused swelling in my feet which makes it had to exercise.  My therapist thinks I will be skiing this season, but I think I am going to give it a pass.

Work, well it is going well I think, but working full time again is a drain.  But, it is for a good cause and I just have to look at it that way.  I have questions every day, but my boss thinks I am catching on quickly.  Hmm.

Knitting, no new finished objects to report.  Haven't had that much time to knit this past month.  I am trying to get some projects finished, so hopefully this month there will be some progress.  Most of my time is spent knitting on sweaters, but I did finish one toe-up sock, well, it needs to be bound off, so almost finished I guess.

Books read since December 15, 2011:

2.  The Litigators by John Grisham

3.  The Bible

4.  Unraveled by Maggie Sefton

5.  Skeleton Letters by Laura Childs



Happy New Year!

2011-12-29 22.20.35.jpg, a photo by Mountain Purl on Flickr.

I meant to post yesterday, on January 1, 2012, but one thing led to another and here I am a day later.  So Happy New Year!  And start as you mean to go on...

This baby blanket is my last Finished Object of 2011, the Sleeping Baby's Castle Blanket   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sleeping-babys-castle-blanket.  I knit this for my niece's new baby girl.  I knit it out of Caron Simply Soft in the color Lavender Blue.  This yarn is very soft to knit with, but it might not have been the best choice for something with so much detail, as the cables tend to pull the blanket in after I took it off of the blocking board.  Nevertheless, I think it turned out rather nicely and I gave it to my niece on New Year's Eve.

Knitting wise, I didn't finish a lot of projects this past year.  I have so many projects on the needles but not a lot to show for all the knitting time.  This year I really have just two goals, get organized and finish what I start.  I also am continuing my goal of reading at least 26 books during the year, as counted from my birthday.  So,

Books read since December 15, 2011:

1.  Flowers on Main by Sherryl Woods

Knee Saga.  Well, I had to go into the hospital on December 22, 2011 and they put me under and forcibly bent the knee.  Yep, as awful as it sounds.  My knee was stuck at 110 degrees and now there has been improvement to over 130 degrees.  Physical therapy sucks, but I am off the crutches as of a week ago.  I want my knee back to normal.  There won't be any skiing for me this season.

I started a new job on December 27, 2011.  I am now working as an Investigative Case Manger/adjuster in Worker's Comp for a major insurance company.  My co-workers seem really nice.  There is a lot to learn and a lot of government regulations that you have to be aware of.  I am enjoying it so far and like my boss.  I guess that is all you can ask for.

So I think it is time to sit and knit.  I cast on Kingscot on New Years Eve,  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kingscot in some Navy Berroco Pure Merino DK.  I don't have any blue sweaters so this will be a good addition to the wardrobe.

Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday to me!

Another year older!  Boy, where did the year go?  I had some firsts this year.  I had the garden in the open space and enjoyed the fruits of my labors.  I learned that 9 tomato plants are too many and that I needed more time to harvest corn.  I also learned that acorn squash and I just don't have a good relationship!  My best crops were the squash, tomatoes and cucumbers.  Next year I will also plant zucchini and maybe try some greens.

Reading, well only 38 books since my last birthday, compared to 48 the year before.  I really enjoy reading, but I don't read as much as I used to because I watch and listen to many podcasts and television shows.  So, starting the annual list, books read since December 15, 2011 - none.  I will finish the Bible again this year as I listen to the Daily Audio Bible.

Knee update, well, another set back.  The knee had to be drained again this morning for the 4th time and I am back on crutches.  Sigh, Happy Birthday to me!  But hey!  It sure could be a lot worse!  I start physical therapy on Friday and if they can't get the knee to fully straighten or bend beyond 110 degrees, I get to have the surgeon do it while I am "sleeping."  So either way it's going to hurt like blue blazes.  Here's to finally getting a working knee back.

Christmas, well, I haven't done any shopping, we don't have a tree up yet.  My goodness.  See what happens when a surgery issue occupies your time for the past 35 days?  I think the internet is going to be my friend and there are going to be some late gifts this year.  I don't even want to think about Christmas cards.  Maybe we will do New Years cards this year.

Knitting, well, slow is the name of the game.  There are lovely things that I want to finish and two KALS that I am participating in, one that is starting December 26, 2011 and one that I am moderating and starts January 1, 2012.  The first one is the Takoma Cardigan http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/takoma which is a lovely stranded cardigan from Knitty Deep Fall 2011.  Mine is going to be in shades of grey, natural and turquoise.  I really am looking forward to wearing this cardigan and as it is knitted in Cascade Eco Wool and Eco + it should be a quick knit.  The KAL is one I am hosting in the Black Water Abbey group on Ravelry.  We are having a cardigan knit along, but if you want to knit a pullover, that's okay too.  I will be knitting Trillium http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mountainpurl/trillium in the colors of Bracken and Ecru and I think it is going to look very nice.  You have four months to finish your cardigan in this group.

My goal this year is to Finish what I start.  Now I know I have numerous projects on the needles, and I want to finish many this year.  There are just too many pretty things that I want to wear before they are out of style.

My birthday knitting this year will be the Sheep Heid hat/tam. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sheep-heid.  As a knitter and a spinner, how could I not knit this hat?  The stranded work will keep me interested, plus it's just too cute not to knit.

Crochet.  I had started on my Rowan jacket, but it is slow going as I need to ensure that the squares are uniform.  There are 4 different square patterns for a total of 96 squares.  When I did the original 4, 2 came out a little bit larger than the first two.  So, I am going to crochet patterns 3 and 4 first and then make sure the other two patterns come out the correct size.

Well, that's about all.  I start my new job ob December 27, 2011 and I am looking forward to learning something new.

Happy Birthday!

Christmas Cactus

2011-12-04 07.12.42.jpg, a photo by Mountain Purl on Flickr.

Aren't they pretty? I don't know how they know to bloom in December, but my Christmas Cactus always seem to know.

Update on the knee - after a long three and a half weeks, I think I might have had a turning point this weekend. I have had to have the knee drained three times since the surgery, and the last time was Wednesday morning. The knee kept swelling above the knee cap, which in turn shut down my quad muscles, so basically all I had was dead weight.  For a week I had a splint from upper thigh to ankle to immobolize the knee and control the swelling.  I have kept off of it (yes, I am SO sick of crutches, been on them for 3 weeks now) and it doesn't appear to have filled up. Yeah! I am walking on it a wee bit around the house and I am hoping that this is the end of this ordeal - except for the Coumadin for 3 months, and I can work on strengthening my leg.

Knitting - working on a baby blanket, a cowl, and a sweater. I hope to soon have some FOs to share. My knitting mojo had left during most of the knee ordeal, and now I finally feel like knitting again.  Looking forward to knitting during the Bronco game later today.

I applied for a new job and was given a job offer.  I am going through the background check process now, so when that is done and everything is finalized I will be happy.

Reading, well it's almost my birthday, so I need to update the list:

Books read since December 15, 2010

37.  Finger Lickin 15 by Janet Evanovich
38.  Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons by Blaize Clement

Cross Stitch and a Clot

2011-11-19 18.41.19.jpg, a photo by Mountain Purl on Flickr.

Multi-craftural. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed other crafts besides knitting. So while I have been home recuperating I decided to pull out some cross stitch. These get tied over a pillow as part of holiday decorations. I have one more to complete - a cute Christmas one.

As for the clot. Let's just say an unwanted complication after my surgery. A blood clot in my calf.  So I get to have shots twice daily in the stomach and take coumadin for 3 months. And I need to be careful. Could be worse....

Hmm, what craft next?  Probably crochet.  I love the Rona jacket in Rowan 46.  Hmm....

Nice Knee!

2011-11-16 08.03.17.jpg, a photo by Mountain Purl on Flickr.

Like the knee? That's 7 days after surgery. At least my toes aren't swollen any more.  I go to the surgeon this morning to get the stitches out.  And see if I get to ski at all this season. I was doing okay until last night until it started swelling above the knee cap.  You see, I fell during skiing in March and messed up the knee and the collateral ligament and didn't get it checked out until 6 or so months later.  I thought - I can walk, how bad can it be?  Yeah, should have checked it earlier.

Speaking of getting things checked out - do you get bone density scans?  Are you around my age then you should.  I had my second one in 2 years 2 weeks ago.  Well, let's just say - guess who will be starting osteoporosis medicine next week?  They are almost positive it's heredity and that I just don't absorb calcium.  So there you go.

One thing about having surgery, you have a lot of knitting and reading time if you don't have to take serious drugs.  So I have been knitting and reading a lot lately.  I should soon have some finished objects.

So books read since December 15, 2011:

32.  Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

33.  Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich'

34.  Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs: a Dixie Hemingway Mystery by Blaize Clement

35.  Cat Sitter among the Pigeons: a Dixie Hemingway Mysterys by Blaize Clement

36.  Hiss of Death, A Mrs Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown