Yopping Update #39 - When in doubt knit socks

 

Well it has been a week.  And not in a good way.  

On Monday I went for a walk and was about 2 miles away from home when I got a migraine aura.  (Insert major curse word here).  I called my husband and he came and got me so the next 24 hours were spent medicating and sleeping and lying in a dark room.  Fun?  Not fun.  

On Tuesday I was so fed up with the cough, and lack of sleep that I decided to go get a CoVid test even though none of my doctors had suggested it.  It was negative.  So that was good. 

On the way to the Covid test I got a call from the hospital that they could do a repeat echocardiogram to see how my heart is beating since it has been a year since my last one.  They ask me all the questions about CoVid - cough...yes,  headache....yes, fatigue....yes, loss of smell or taste....no, but nothing tastes good, loss of appetite....yes.     Still no request from them for a CoVid test.  

So Wednesday morning I reported to hospital at 7:15am with negative CoVid test in hand (which they didn't seem to care about).  So early to be up and out, but at least no traffic despite the heavy rain that morning.  I was home by nine and back to bed for a few more hours sleep.  I will get the results on Tuesday.

On Thursday I called my GP and mostly cried on the phone to her about how crappy I was feeling.  She was sympathetic, but no real answers - just to keep on keeping on. 

Yesterday was very bad with the cough from 7am until about 4pm, when I finally fell asleep for a couple of hours.  Maybe I am over the hump (which I also said last week), but at least last night I slept from 12:30 until 10 with only a small coughing episode at 7am.  

Okay, whine over. 

Through it all I have found some solace in knitting.  Not a lot, but some.  The last clue came out for the Pescatarian Mystery sock and it was a 12 row pattern to be repeated twice on each sock before starting the toe.  I would do one repeat a day and then turn to more mindless knitting such as my Scatterby socks, or my Practical Magic Shawl.  

Last night I started the toe of the Pescatarian and did, in fact, run out of yarn but not to be deterred I continued so they would be finished.  I am quite pleased with them. 

I kinda like the speckled toe

I put off turning the heel of the Scatterby for a couple of days because it required a fish lips kiss heel which I hadn't done for some while.  I couldn't bear looking up and reading the pattern, but when I finally got to it I progressed through it quickly and successfully.  I am almost finished the leg and ready to start the cuff on the first Scatterby sock. 

the fish lips kiss heel does fit beautifully

I got the Practical Magic scarf/shawl up to starting the garter section.  I am going back and forth as to whether I like it or not - but the way my mood is I don't like much these days so I will continue to see if it grows on me.  

this might be frogged to become a sock - time will tell

So that has been my week.  Probably one of the lowest mental health wise.  I am just so tired of mri's, cat scans, echocardiograms, etc. etc. etc.  I am anxiously awaiting my turn for the CoVid vaccine but I think it will be at least another month if not longer for my turn to come up.  I actually qualify for getting ahead of my age group for medical reasons, but I have so many doctors I don't know who is responsible for reporting my situation to the government.  I do have a call into my GP for tomorrow to discuss this with her. 

I feel like all I am is an unwell person.  I feel like all I will be remembered for by friends and family are my health complaints.  I am just so tired of it all. 

On a more positive note a friend had a baby last Monday, a beautiful baby boy, and I went into my cedar chest and pulled out a baby blanket and sweater for him and dropped them off at her door on Tuesday.  She was very appreciative and I felt good about that. 

This week, and especially last night I was thinking a lot about how sock knitting is my salvation.  Despite how rotten I feel everyday I put on a snazzy pair of handknit socks - and after more than a year of living in my jeans and t-shirts - at least I can look at my feet and see some colour and fashion!

I also was thinking last night that even though I feel like I am not accomplishing much, or being very creative or helpful I can always turn the heel on a sock.  Sock knitting has always seemed more than magical to me - almost the philosophers' stone - turning something beautiful and useful from a ball of string. 

I wrote about the magic of sock knitting years ago.  You can read my musings here. 

I haven't been very present for either of my kids, or my husband, or my friends this past few weeks.  I just don't have the energy.  I am so glad they are not letting me slip away but checking in and cheering me on daily.  

My daughter recently regaled us with stories of my grand-daughter delighting in a giant puddle she found on their trip to the big city.  Apparently on-lookers were quite horrified my daughter and son-in-law allowed her the freedom to splash and carry on to her heart's content.  They are terrific parents. 

Wishing for all of us to find a moment of unapologetic joy in the coming weeks.

taken on my Friday walk

and my Amaryllis is re-blooming - so there is that.

Yopping Update #38 - Starting new things

 

It is Sunday so that means it is time for a Yopping Update.  Most of this week I was still feeling very poorly with the cough on-going, but finally yesterday - the first day of Spring - my mood lifted and my cough, although not gone by any means, is definitely less.  Last night I only woke up twice with fits of coughing which is a huge improvement. 

The doctor prescribed an inhaler that I started using Thursday night, and I also had a telephone consult with my naturopath on Thursday afternoon and I think things are turning around.  

I credit the pair of house finches I saw in my yard and at the feeder with cheering me up.  

Yesterday I was able to go for one of my regular distance walks of three and a half miles, and spoke with a friend on the phone while walking and I didn't cough once in the hour I was walking.  That is big progress. 

On the knitting front it was quite a week.  Clue three of the Pescatarian Mystery Sock was quite involved and although turning the heel was easy-peasy, the gusset chart was quite something for me to decipher with my sleep deprived brain.  I finally got it figured out on Wednesday, and just as I was finishing the last row on the first sock I got hit by a migraine.  Hmph.  Adding insult to injury I say.  

Everyone is posting their socks on Rav so I think it's ok to post my progress here

Once the meds and headache had cleared I started the second sock and finished it much more easily and without the migraine embellishment. 

I then picked up my Sweater of Many Colours and as of last night I have finished the shaping on the back and need to knit another two inches before I start decreasing for the arm holes.  

I needed another pair of socks on the go and so last night I started these:

Scatterby by Amy Stringer

I also seem to be itching to cast on another shawl so I have picked out the pattern and the yarn, and will probably cast on this evening.  

I received two Simply Knitting magazines this week.  One of them had these cool mitten blockers in the package.  

Now I have to knit some mittens I guess

I will leave you with this bird condo I saw on my walk yesterday.  Some people are so creative in their gardens.  I hope it will be full of birds this Spring. 

I especially like the trailer at the bottom of the picture

I must be feeling better because after doing the dishes and putting away the groceries this morning, I put together a Thai chicken curry in the crock pot.  It should be ready in a couple of hours.  I haven't had much of an appetite the past two weeks, but I am looking forward to dinner tonight. 

I hope you are all keeping well and celebrating the fact that Spring is here.  We Made It!

Yopping Update #37 - Still Painting, but mostly coughing

 

It has been quite a week.  Mostly downs.  A couple of ups.  Life on life's terms.

I had the broncoscopy on Monday morning, and spent the rest of the day sleeping.  Tuesday I started coughing and I am still coughing as of Sunday night.  This makes sleeping for more than a couple of hours in a row difficult, but I am hopeful when the doctor calls tomorrow with the results he will have some solution to the cough/sleep problem.  Hope springs eternal.  

Speaking of Spring - I did get out for a walk every day except Monday (and today) and the flowers, mergansers, widgeons, and pussy willows are everywhere.  I even saw a cherry tree beginning to blossom yesterday.  Spring is Hope eternal. 

I finished clue two of the General's mystery sock knit - a very complicated cable pattern which required stitch markers every ten stitches and colour coding the chart to keep straight the eight different cable versions.  

The pattern recommended using three chart repeats on each leg, but I opted for two as the leg is almost seven inches which is long enough for me.  Apparently clue 3 is even more complicated so we shall see how I fare with it tomorrow. 

Since this is a mystery knit there will be no photos until the end of March. 

I did make quite a bit of progress on the sweater of many colours.  It is about 21 inches now, and only four more decreases until I start the armhole decreases.  

The clocks 'sprang' ahead during the night.  I finally fell into a more-or-less restful sleep at ten am this morning and slept until almost three this afternoon.  No walk for me today - just as well it was pretty cold and rainy out there. 

sign at nursing station Monday morning

I will leave you with this picture of pure joy.  I wish such joy for all of you this coming week. 

Yopping Update #36 - Painting with yarn

 

I have finished clue 1 on the Pescatarian Mystery Sock KAL, but no spoilers here until sock is complete.  I have knit both socks cuff and start of leg.  So far so good. 

I have been working on my Sweater of many (many) colours and I am following Kaffe's method of keeping the balls of yarn intact which means having to unravel the tangled mess very few rows.  

As Kaffe says about colour choices - "when in doubt add more colours"

I am not really following my original sketch, but instead choosing the colours and the increases and decreases as the mood strikes me.  I have to say I am quite impressed with the progress so far.  It will definitely be a Sweater of Many Colours and my friend and I think I may be giving Stephen West a run for his money with this project.  I do feel like I am painting with yarn as I go, and it feels very creative and freeing.

I have been walking everyday - my longest being almost 5 miles as I tackled a new to me loop through the parks and neighbourhoods of my city.  It is called the Green Necklace, and I wouldn't say it was totally green as I was walking sometimes beside traffic (but I think that is because I lost the trail for a few blocks), and it was a challenge as the last twelve blocks were a steady incline, but I did it none-the-less. 

and found pussy willow trees in the last mile

The next day however I was knocked over by two very large dogs who came running into me at full speed.  I wasn't hurt, just shocked and shaken, and so cut that walk short to just under a mile.  Just before the spectacular fall though I had seen nine herons on the river which was such a special treat. 

I had a CoVid test on Friday (negative) that was needed before a broncoscopy I am having tomorrow at the hospital.  I am anxious about it all but the fact everyone going into that part of the hospital needs a negative CoVid test within 72 hours of their arrival makes me feel a bit better. 

Spring is definitely on its way as this lovely garden of crocuses and snow drops proves.

more pussy willows yesterday

I will end with this lovely shot of my granddaughter sleeping with her sweet kitty.  I can tell by the little bit of cuff that she is wearing a sweater I knit for her.  I can't wait to hug her.  One day.  One very fine day.

I got a new app called Gaia gps  which shows all the trails in my neighbourhood.  I am off to explore a new one before the rains fall again.