Another Shawl

This is going to be my last major knitting project for now. I have to get working on some quilts and some Christmas ornaments for a swap. It is a comfort shawl for a little girl who will undergo surgery in August. Her aunt asked me to knit a shawl for her.

Finished!

My Traveling Woman is finished.

Garden Things

Lesson Learned

When planning on knitting in the hospital waiting room while your husband is undergoing surgery take a simple project. I just frogged most my Traveling Woman because there was a boo-boo in the pattern somewhere and I am not very good at picking up stitches in a lace pattern. I am now down to the setup rows again and ready to re-start the lace part.

Good News

Del had his post-op appointment today and we got the final pathology report. They were pleased with how well he is healing, all the nasty things that were still in his body came out and the report was good. We are in the clear for now and hopefully for a long time. It was organ contained and had not spread. He will go back for his next check up in three months and then regularly every 3 to 4 months in the first year, every 6 months in the next and so on. He will be able to drive again in a week, is not allowed to lift more than a gallon of milk for another 5 weeks and we will see when he is good and ready to go back to work.

Right now I am very relieved and very tired. The "C"-word will always be a part of our life but hopefully a part that keeps getting smaller with each year that passes.

Take care everyone and women - tell your guy to get a check up, the earlier it is caught, the better.

The Longest Day

I just came home from the hospital. Del's surgery went very well, the doctor said it could not have gone better. They had him up and walking already and he had solid food for dinner, he has no pain, just feels very dry and thirsty. He will be coming home tomorrow.

Miss Kitty is spooked by all the strange happenings around here. Yesterday she freaked when she saw a bowl of jello jiggle and today there were strange people coming into the house and then I came back without her daddy. She looks very bewildered but I am sure she will come around soon.

I am extremely grateful for friends who spent the whole day with me at the hospital, an excellent surgeon who knows his business and the very nice and friendly staff and volunteers at the hospital. And for all the prayers and good thoughts that carried us through the day.

New Dishcloth

Deb over at homespun living shared the pattern for her Aunt May Dishcloth on her blog. Of course I had to try it. ;) I think it is really cute and easy to do. Thanks Deb!

Morning

My favorite time of the day.

Weekend Project

Had some cotton yarn left over from a project and that little purse has been tickling my fancy for a while. Started yesterday, finished today. Good yarn therapy. :) My traveling woman will travel with me to the hospital on Thursday.

Pattern: Catherine Purse by Louisa Harding from the book "Knitting Little Luxuries"

Now I am off to watch Cats on TV.

Garden Things

My garden is not growing as well as in previous years. It is probably a combination of cheap seeds, lots and lots of rain and the fact that we are a bit pre-occupied with other stuff that is going on in our lives and don't take care of it as we should. Grass, weeds and bugs flourish, the veggie plants not much so. The zucchinis have finally decided to get going, the cucumbers have died, all but one and the radishes are going into bloom without forming anything edible. The strawberries on the other hand are taking over the world and I have to come up with something to keep them from swallowing up the raspberry plant. The peas are starting to form pods and the beans have reached the clothesline and are now starting to bloom. The tomatoes seem to be the only ones that are doing well, they did not come from the cheap seeds. The weather is hot and muggy and I think all the humidity has encouraged the development of ticks in the area, I found several on the cats, one had not yet bitten the other one was full and had fallen off. Gross!! I love country living, too bad we actually live in the city. :)

I fought with the bumble bees this morning to get some lavender for drying.

Yarn Therapy

I saw on Jackie's blog that she has started this project - Traveling Woman - and decided to give it a try. That's how far I have come.

Long Weekend

Rain, food and a bit of gardening.

Sunflowers (this year in a different location, used liquid fence to keep the cats from sleeping on them and it seems to have worked, much better than last year).

Lavender (and bumble bees)

The first pepper.

Roses (did not have as many as in previous years, we cut the bush back a little and one part of it had died).

My first hollyhock (I loved them when I was a kid, planted some last year a little too late in the season, this year they are growing).

Homemade vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate-orange brownies.

Grilled shrimp with salsa, sour cream and mandarin oranges on tostadas.

Lettuce from the garden (almost 1 lb).

Del has his pre-op appointment tomorrow and my stress level is off the charts today. I think I go and get myself some yarn therapy. I do so wish we were on the other side of all this already.