Tag Archives: health

rusty hinges and whirligigs

Posted on October 3, 2009 by Dawn

I had a breakfast knitting meeting with the ortho man the other day.

I brought my needles, he brought his.  I am getting these injections in my knees… the are derived from chicken combs, which is just disturbing first of all.  Then they HURT. LIKE. the HELL, second of all. I just finished my third week of one in each knee.  Now I am to wait another 4-6 weeks and hopefully they will bring me some relief from the pain that is my knees.  If anyone has a positive tale to tell me about Synvisc, I’d be happy to hear about it!  Let me have them!!  I am ever hopeful.

What you see above is about halfway of the most adorable little Whirligig Shrug from the Weekend Interweave Knits Magazine.

It is really fast and super adorable.  I am making it out of a merino/tencel mix handspun that looks like this–

I am really liking the way it is coming out… I expect to finish it this weekend.  I want to also make the Cottage Lace Cardigan in that issue as well– my plans are to try the Jacob fleece that is waiting to be spun and whip up a nice chunky single with it.  Here’s the cardi–  I think it will look smashing in jacob!

The big news today is an upcoming guinea pig wedding!!  That’s right– Panson is getting hitched. Tying the knot. Embracing the ole ball and chain.  Stay tuned to meet the gorgeous bride– Ms. Punkin’Pie and the coverage of their wedding.

ps– The girls are making the gowns– should be a day to remember!

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Help!!

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Dawn

Going on day 3 of “my back went out without me” fun.

Here’s what I’ve been doing…

Just looking at that.

NO knitting.  NO spinning. NO gardening.

I did manage to get out of bed a couple of times today… and even hauled my sorry self to the chiropractor.  I iced me back when i got home and that was the big activity for the day.:)

Hedwig came by tonight, starved for company.  I could hear her flapping up  the stairs.  Birds really are wonderful companions.

here’s a rare few moments of sitting up!

oh, and here’s my eyeball.

See that stripe?  It’s called partial or sectoral heterochromia.  Both girls have eyes characterized by central heterochromia which looks sort of like this up close–

odd but true.

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Knitting with the pharmaceutically impaired

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Dawn

The Baby Surprise Jacket….

One of those Elizabeth Zimmerman masterpieces.

This ravishing one is by Adrian at Hello Yarn and one of my favorites.  The inimitable  Brooklyn Tweed has one that I LOVE as well here with a baby hat pictured by BT here that would complete the baby-cuteness freak-out.

I am working on this for my upcoming Spring Cloverhill class.  I am making it in cotton and a riot of color.  I really like how the cotton feels after making past ones in various wool mixes . I am using Dawn Adcock’s totally genius sweater notes which makes it such much more straight forward.  EZ is lovely in all of her Zimmermanisms, but it is nice to have it all spelled out logically, with no space for  interpretation of her sometimes quirky instruction. That said, make no mistake that I LOVE her madly.  I love her Cowgirl-knitting sensiblitiy.  I love her no-nonsense simplification of pattern, knitting and life. Her forthright sassiness.  I love that she says things like–

There is no right way to knit; there is no wrong way to knit. The way to knit is the way that suits you, and the way that suits the wool and the pattern and the shape that you are currently working on. Show me any “mistake” and I will show you that it is only a misplaced pattern or an inappropriate technique. There are patterns that include dropped stitches and twisted stitches. There are projects which should be as tight as you can possibly knit; there are others where you have to relax to the point of lethargy in order to make them loose enough. I’ve not yet found a pattern which includes a split stitch; this is the only real mistake I know.

The BSJ is simple enough in its pattern to make it an easy knit, as long as you don’t mind counting.  It is also interesting enough in its brilliant origami construction and gauge versatility that it makes you want to make it over and over.  Plus, it’s just a damn fine sweater!

A Zimmerman pattern is so fun to teach in a class because it  provides an opportunity to think about your knitting. To think about Knitting ( the BIG K), in fact.  To loosen up your ideas about what is proper-technique and form, to push the conventional knittng rules with “it just makes common sense” wisdom.  To think outside of the usual gauge an row-count box.  Nothing like a little Zimmermania to breathe new life into your knitting.  Give one of her books or patterns a try if you haven’t. Be free!

Esme thinks EZ is the knitting Duchess as well.  While I have been recuperating, Little Ms. Prickles has been spending a lot of time hanging out on me as seen below.  She likes to hang-out in my knitting– to curl up in whatever I am working on.  She is very proprietary about it sometimes… grabbing it and trying to drag it away from me.  All those needles on her, it’s only right that she has a knitting fixation.  She’s getting big, right??

There is a gardening super-icon that I love similarly to EZ.  It’s just about time to start going on and on about things dirty and green, n’est ce pas?  I’ll sing praises of her and her wise ways soon.

xo.

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The knee bone’s connected to the pain-bone.

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Dawn

As promised, the details of my completely decadent surgical vacation.

Have you looked inside your knee lately??

My meniscus– the right medial one in fact– has been acting a little uppity lately.  Uppity, raging, horrid, nasty and mean.

I went to a really nice Dr. Buchalter ( orthomd), who after looking at my mri, described it as looking a bit like crab-meat in there.

MMMMmmmm.  For anyone still wondering, that is NOT. Good.  So I signed up for Meniscectomy Camp.

Just about half of my meniscus– I still have something there to work with.  Dr. B is confident that I did very well and that all will be back to nutty soon.

My potential career as a knee super-model is now ended before it even began.  Sadly.

The good news??  I woke up from anesthesia!  My Anesthesiologist was awesome.  Arlene the angel.  I have been pretty healthy in my life, but on the handful of occasions that I have been in the hospital, I am always amazed at the most excellent napping available there.  Life back at the gnomegarden has been a little like this for a few days…

*Ow.

Vicodin.

Zzzzzzz.

(repeat from *)

The girls and Jimmy have been very nice and great nurses.  I am thankful.

I have watched some movies and read a couple of unsatisfying novels.

It is feeling a bit better now as long as I–

1.)  don’t put any lateral pressure on my knee ( CRACK!  OWWWWWW!!)

2.)  don’t try to BEND my knee.  Nope, might never try that again.

I am hoping that it will be better in no-time and I can get out there and walk in the beautiful SPRING That must be almost here.  Tomorrow is my first day on my own.  Well, I’ll have Hedwig and Esme.  I have been teaching Esme to knit. Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Baby Surprise Jacket, no less!  Can’t you just hear EZ?  “Why it is so simple, even a HEDGEHOG could knit it!” More on that tomorrow.

While you are waiting, here is a WILDLY hysterical look inside of a knee.  I laughed out loud when I heard the soundtrack.  Pretty awesome.  No extra charge at all.

ps.  This is not exactly what went on inside my knee– but a valuable look at what someone elses similar procedure looked like.  Though we kept telling Dr. B that we were making a documentary– and that’s why crazy Jim had his iphone clicking– I was much too busy napping when the action started!

Posted in Home & Family | Tagged | 3 Comments

Thanks! and SICK.

Posted on February 17, 2008 by Dawn

A big THANK YOU! to all of those who have responded to my stitch marker post, and especially to those who placed orders!!! :) I really appreciate it. I am also very thankful to my friends who have been kind enough to tell others about my markers. I am very excited about this budding little business. Just Thank you, Thank you , Thank you!!

So, SICK. S-i-c-k. Siiiiiiiiick. (sik) adj., sick·er, sick·est.

    1. Suffering from or affected with a physical illness; ailing.
    2. Of or for sick persons: sick wards.
    3. Nauseated.
    1. Mentally ill or disturbed.
    2. Unwholesome, morbid, or sadistic: a sick joke; a sick crime.
  3. Defective; unsound: a sick economy.
    1. Deeply distressed; upset: sick with worry.
    2. Disgusted; revolted.
    3. Weary; tired: sick of it all.
    4. Pining; longing: sick for his native land.
    1. In need of repairs: a sick ship.
    2. Constituting an unhealthy environment for those working or residing within: a sick office building.
  6. Unable to produce a profitable yield of crops: sick soil.

n. (used with a pl. verb) Sick people considered as a group. Often used with the.

idiom:sick and tired

  1. Thoroughly weary, discouraged, or bored.

[Middle English, from Old English s?oc.]— answers.com

Aren’t you just SICK of it?

My kids were snortling and rattling again this week. And my dear sister who was coming to visit has another variety of sick in her tribe. And it’s just E-V-E-R-Y where, it seems. Jim sent me this last night, and I had to laugh. Click on here and you will go to the order form where you can admire such lovelies as PLUSHY versions of the common cold, flu, strep and yes, even BLACK DEATH. ( and there are maaaany others.)

giantmicrobes.gif

Right from their germ-filled pages—

Welcome to GIANTmicrobes!

We make stuffed animals that look like tiny microbes—only a million times actual size! Now available: The Common Cold, The Flu, Sore Throat, Stomach Ache, Cough, Ear Ache, Bad Breath, Kissing Disease, Athlete’s Foot, Ulcer, Martian Life, Beer & Bread, Black Death, Ebola, Flesh Eating, Sleeping Sickness, Dust Mite, Bed Bug, and Bookworm (and in our Professional line: H.I.V. and Hepatitis).Each 5-to-7 inch doll is accompanied by an image of the real microbe it represents, as well as information about the microbe.They make great learning tools for parents and educators, as well as amusing gifts for anyone with a sense of humor!

Yes…. Anyone with a sense of humor. I have lost that completely for SICK. I am not sure even a plushy– even the petri dish version–would save that. Perhaps I should start a germ knit-a-long on Ravelry!

I think a knitting update is on the pile for tomorrow, and maybe some family art. Stay tuned, and feel better to those dealing with sick! xo

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