Shyla’s Big Day

Current Mood: Playful & Playful

As other ethnicities, religions have other new year’s (for example, pagans, chinese, etc).  Meff and I had a pretty good holiday season. We went over to my uncle’s house for xmas day. The food was amazing, the company fun, and the gifts were awesome. I made something for everyone! The girls all got scarves, but all different colors and patterns. My aunt got a revers 3  x 3 ribbing scarf in purple;her sister, who got me a l ot of acyrlic yarn, got a huge endless scarf loop about 4 feet around. Unfortunately, I forgot to put a border on it, so it kind of rolled itself up, but it’s still warm! One of my cousins just got a very soft regular scarf in rainbow suri, and then my other cousin I made a head kerchief for in turquoise. My uncle got a pair of fingerless gloves. One cousin’s hubby got a glasses case, and the other got a coffee cup cozy.

Now for mine! I got an Amazon gift certificate,a really need selection of spices from either zanzibar or tanzania (from my cousin, the explorer;she climbed kilimanjaro this year!), and timmy the monkey from thinkgeek.com!  Meff got dvd ram, and dvd’s,and a target gift card. Unfortunately, he was in the 3rd day of a migraine (which finally ended on the 27th), so he felt pretty funky and loopy.

On the 26th our friend, Caylin, came to visit from Washington State.She’s from Austin, and she spent 2 days here, we talked and cooked and hung out. She’s really pretty neat, and smart!

I’ve hardly had time at all to read, but I did read “Finn”, a book about Huck Finn’s dad.Wow, it’s really intense! Pap Finn is NOT a nice person. I also read “The Reader”, which is being made into a film. I”m still reading “A Year With Rumi”, which is a Rumi selection for each day of the year.

Tomorrow (?) I mail out packages! I am still working on a scarf for Meff’s sister. I wasn’t really sure if she would like anything that I make her, at all;but it doesn’t seem right for everyone else to get something, and not her.  I followed a good friend’s advice to put that border on a stockinette scarf, so at least that scarf won’t roll up. So if I don’t finish it today, then I guess Wednesday am mailing stuff out. Don’t worry mom and Roxy, stuff will get there.

Today we got three gold barbs. Not tiger barbs, just barbs.  Our gourami, who we thought was a dwarf, but is NOT (he’s about 4 inches long), is bullying them. But it’s only day 1, and he can’t chase them around forever. We hope that everyone integrates well.

Cold!!! It’s really cold today, it’s 35 degrees F. The wind chill has it below freezing. I’m pissed! I LOOKED at the 7 day forecast! Not one single day was it supposed to be below **48**, so I put the tree out Two days later–bam! The lemon tree is growing well, but is tired of the inside/outside routine.

Meryl wrote me a looooong email saying how she wanted to see me in person, on a regular basis, etc……and we both got really excited about it. And she fell through on that.  I tried not to get too upset/mad–I felt that she might do that, but I didn’t want to acknowledge that she might. Not sure what to do with her box of stuff I gathered for her;I can’t mail it, but might just send off the legwarmers I made her.

That’s about it, back to knitting! Take care all.

current song: “Going up” Echo and the Bunnymen

Argh I always mean to write a very clear and interesting blog when meff is asleep. However, I usually fritter away my time finding music to listen to, talking on bus, looking at you tube, etc. This time I searched for office chairs for short people, I listened to “tyler” and “possum kingdom” live about 3 times each, I looked for solution for how to keep a stockinette scarf from rolling up, and looked at cats on ican….sigh :P

Now I have 3 more minutes to catch everyone up. meff’s dad is in hospital, was doing bad, then ok, then back and forth;finally had minorly invasive surgery to drain an abscess in colon;will almost certainly be kicking ass soon! Knitting like crazy, not that much time left! Doing almost no reading of books. Meff changed dosages on psych meds, doing pretty good, actually :P I feel good, meryl’s car is fried and she has finals next week and her cell phone got turned off due to lack of fundage. We decorate for the holidaze on wed….oops times up! take care

current song: toadies “tyler”

Current Mood: Confused

Well, going back a bit, I’ve had to ration my antidepressant for over a week. I really did have an appointment to get it in time. The day before, I called to check to make sure the dr. was going to be there;it turns out that the computer “forgot” my appointment! And they made me an appointment for 2 weeks later, grr. I also got a letter in the mail that my next appointment was being pushed back 3 weeks too.  Anyway, I had to start rationing my meds, and I made the mistake of going 2 days without, instead of going down to 1 pill from the original three for a couple of days.

Woah, I am sooo dizzy and hot and fussy and restless. But  Meff is being great about it, and when I felt too dizzy to stand he huggled me and said nice things so that I could feel better. I did, and I felt safer too.

So, I did get my meds on Friday. Before we went, we checked the mail, and got a letter that we have to go to a mandatory 6 week course because of our housing! This letter being 4 days before the course starts, or 6, if we go on Thursdays. There is no way we can juggle appointments around to commit to the same day each week for the next 6 weeks. Nope, not gonna happen. 2 phone numbers were listed to call if we had any questions–believe you me I had lots. In spite of having left 2 messages each for those numbers, we haven’t gotten a response. I guess we’ll show up for the Tuesday class, and find out. This is very inconvenient–they knew they were going to do these classes, they should have let us know a couple of weeks ago. AND, the only reason that we can take all the rides back and forth is that we bought extra ride tickets, so good call on that one.

Also on Friday, we got the 9 millionth call from some place in San Antonio. I finally answered because I was mad;the lady on the phone told me she couldn’t tell me what it was about until I verified my social security number. I told her it should be the other way around, she said no, so I told her we had nothing else to talk about, and to please not call back. They’ve called back 4 times since then;I am going to have the number blocked.

I started a hat for holiday knitting, and that’s going well;I haven’t lost the stitch pattern yet, although it’s just basic knit 2, purl 2. And I’ve been messing around with a pattern that I really like–it originally makes a diamond shaped dishcloth with a lace border. Then I made just half of that for a triangular head scarf for a friend of ours who is a Jehovah’s Witness. She can’t get gifts for holidays, so this is just because :)  Then, looking at the pattern, all kinds of ideas about what I could with just that pattern came to me. This is cool, and scary, and I’m nervous! My knitting group said to be sure to keep track of what I do so that I can do it (or not do it) again.

Meff seems ok, his testosterone patches seem to be helping. He has been hella sleepy for quite some time in the morning after taking his meds. My psych appointment didn’t take that long, so we asked the nurse about meff being sleepy after taking those morning meds. It turns out that it was his lamictal! He was taking it both day and night. AFter just one day of taking it all at night, no day time sleepies!! Yay!! He’s so cute.

Oh and he got glasses! He looks very handsome. The glasses have taken a few  days for him to get used to, but he says he wouldn’t read or play games without them now. Plus he just looks damn sexy with them on.

So it’s been a strange weekend. We don’t have to do anything tomorrow, so that’s nice. Thursday is his infectious disease dr. appt with the new doc since the last one left. And tuesday is that stupid class, but the rest of the week we can rest.

I’m off to wake up meff from an unexpected nap. Take care everyone!

current song: “Long may you run” Neil Young

Current Mood: Happy

Not much time to write right now, but lots of good stuff happened today and I am very happy!

Current Mood: Flirtatious

I finished my belt yesterday—with fringe! Can’t wait to get a digital camera, now we have to wait to finish the whole roll of film and get that developed. Anyway, it shouldn’t have taken that long, but I split my time between knitting, reading, Meff, cat etc. It’s about 50 inches long, in rainbow colors that self striped! They weren’t supposed to I guess it’s the pattern.

Anyway, I am also starting an mp3 pouch for Meff. My gf in canada just got a new one, so she is sending us her old one! Sweeet. So we’re gonna keep it with Meff for the most time, cuz when I go places I knit/read, and he doesn’t have anything to do. Oh, except etch-a-sketch! He does well on that. Anyway, he waits very badly, it drives him nuts. So this will really help. The yarn I’m using is called “boucle”, it’s a standard category of yarn, it has lots of loops and it’s reall fuzzy=hard to work with. I tried really hard to use the new cast on method, it’s *supposed* to be better, but I hate it. Maybe it will work on something else, but not on this. I ripped the yarn out 4 times, then decided that since I’ve been using backwards loop cast on on everything else I’ve made, it should work with this. And it did! Well, if it ain’t broke….etc.

Today we are going to a really excellent community center to pick up some fresh produce, pastries, bread. They’re really cool there, and they have a nurses station in case you need it.

Meff’s tooth is hurting him like #$%^&**. He has a good point about not going to the hospital, they’ll just put him on a week’s worth of antibiotics, and he goes to his new infectious disease dr. on Friday. Oh! yeah, his dr got him an earlier appt, so yay! The cellulitis is looking a bit better, but is still warm, painful to the touch. He also started back on his testosterone patches. the dr. said he should have tried them for 3 months! She never said that, now he has to start all over again;the first 2 weeks are really hard for him, with major mood swings, fatigue, etc. So I hope it really works for him this time. A good level can improve bone mass, red blood cells, depression, and energy! He actually does have a slightly low rbc count, now we k now that that might be why.

As for library, I plowed through “Sweetheart” , which is a sequel to “Heartsick” by chelsea cain. Whew, that was really intense. ON the other end of the spectrum, I have some sleazy stuff,  a book called “Ricky Ricotta’s Might Robot versus the Mech Monkeys from Mars”. It’s a kids book, but it looks really fun. I also got the Landmark Herodotus, which is really good, and big! When I tried to read Herodotus before, it was confusing, jumbled, there weren’t enough maps, and the timelines were all messed up. In this version, for every time the location changes in the narrative, there are *3* maps. A larger one of the area, a smaller one, with city names, and a smallerest one with specific locations. Also, there is a running line across the top of each page saying place in land and time (in the not too distant future…). So It’s fascinating, and big :P

Dat’s it. Have a good day stay safe and take care

current song: “crocodiles” echo and the bunnymen

Current Mood: Cool & Cool & Cool & Cool & Cool

Hurricane Ike is supposed to make landfall this weekend. The NOAA says that the storm will “bring certain death” to Galveston Island. Man, if I was there, I’d be getting the hell out of dodge. Some people are staying, and I don’t know why. Austin is receiving a lot of the evacuees. Oddly, I just finished reading “Isaac’s Storm” about the 1900 Galveston hurricane. That was with 6,000 dead. I don’t think that that will ever happen again, as the forecasting equipment that we have is so much more advanced than then–and, maybe as importantly, the ability to quickly tell people what is going on.

But, we’ll get rain here :P

Today I go to the library! I have books on hold there that I really want to read. I read the scariest, most horrifying story ever;entitled “The Rats in the Walls” by Lovecraft. Man, that gave me the shivers. 29 pages of true horror. Yay! But, I didn’t know it was so scary! I mean, I’d read Lovecraft before, but not that. The only thing I had on hand from the library that I had not read was “The Complete Short Stories” by Flannery O’Connor. Well, reading those would not have helped me have bad dreams, either. O’Connor is also in the gothic style, just not scary–although definitely creepy. I also had “Sandman Dream Country”. Again, no help either! I just can’t read that before bed–always very vivid dreams.

So, yay for sleaze! I reread a sleazy book by Nora Roberts. I talked to Meryl about this-how reading something silly like that before going to sleep would kind of balance out the scary. She agreed, and recommended someone even sleazier than Jackie Collins–Karen Roberts. Meryl said the sleaziest book she’s ever read is called “Obsession”, so I’ll see if I can find it.

Meryl and I had a really great talk Wednesday night. College is going well for her, but very busy. She loves her Rhetoric class! I think I would really like it, too. We also had a interesting chat about politics, prochoice (she’s even more prochoice than I am), and she likes Mccain/Palin. I like McCain, some, but DESPISE Palin. She’s a book banner!  NO no no no no no. And other things, too.

ONe thing Meryl is having a hard time is the weight of books she has to carry around. This college wants to use their specific recommended bible, because they will quiz you on the footnotes. She has her old bible, but she got that when she was in jr. high school, and it’s kind of age appropriate for that. Any regular bible would be very heavy, regardless of the interpretation you use. So I recommended that she find the wording she’s most comfortable with, and get an old, and a new testament. She said “Wow, mom, that’s great, thanks!”

Awww, my little girl is all grown up and buying her first bible :)

As for Meff,  his cellulitis does not appear to be as bad as we thought. He still goes to his dr. next week anyway, and we’ll see what she says. I am relieved that it’s not as red as it was. I really like him, too. With Meff, I feel safe and loved and pretty and happy. Sweeeet.

I learned the tricky double tail cast on for knitting. That should really help me with a good, flexible cast on. My method was called “backwards twisting loop”–which is just what it says, you make a loop, twist it backwards, then put it on the needle. Well, it was too loose, and would often twist around, and be poochy. With the new one, it’s none of those things. This weekend, I start on my friend Daniel’s hat again. Also, my Canadian friend Roxy (we luvs ya sweets) is starting Meff’s booties this weekend–yay!

And a shout out and major thanks to Meff’s parents, who are always awesome, and willing to help.

So, I’m off to borrow a plunger and then go to get meds and books. I hope everyone stays safe, and be good to each other.

Current song “Enjoy the Wait” Morcheeba

Current Mood: Confused

Yesterday I went to the regular dr., I wanted to talk about headaches and bloodwork. I got the bloodwork done, and I’m excited about it-but not in a weird, creepy way. I am hoping that my blood levels are good. If they aren’t, that might explain the headaches. Hypoparathyroidism can sometimes equate with headaches, regardless. But I hope the levels are ok.

Anyway, with me steadily losing weight, the only things that fit for public wear (boxers aren’t that publicly acceptable) are a pair of blue jean shorts, and a pretty blue skirt. Everything else can fall straight down to my knees-and has! That’s fun. Anyway, was tired of the shorts, so wore the skirt. Well that means finding a nice shirt, and I wore sandals, and a really pretty butterfly pin meff’s mom got me. I felt pretty. Meff said so! Anyway, the bloodwork lady was passing by in the hallway at the dr’s office. She stopped, backed up, and said “You look really pretty today.”

I beamed Meff said I beamed :P It’s one thing to have your hubby tell you, he’s supposed to! Plus I do believe him, and it feels nice. But to get independent verification!

Anyway, we got the bills paid. And we can almost maybe squeak by till about the 17th? It seems really stupid to sell hardware again, too. We keep trying to build a system for me, and then end up selling parts of it. And trying to get it back, lather, rinse, etc.

Ooooh, but I did get a drugstore gift cert from mom! I got lots of cool pamper me stuff that I almost never ask for. I feel kinda guilty, but Meff’s mom told him that she would be so pissed if I used it for like,  soap or trash bags, or whatevers. The Mr Bubble will be awesome though.

And we are sure Meff’s celluitis is back. He was supposed to go to his infectious dr in August, she rescheduled for Sep 17th, and now she’s left the practice! Her RSD is too bad, I guess-she was taking about 70 pills a day she said for that.So he doesn’t have an appt till Oct 2nd, but he needs to go now. I just know that this is going to end up costing us money that we don’t have. ARgh! The infectious nurse wants his gp to treat it! She says they can call her and ask for help.

Yeah, right. Like she’ll know if he needs a picc or not? Or the right drugs to give? The dr did say that  it will eventually come back. And I guess it has.

So think good thoughts for us? I’m off to drink my tea, and then work on my knitted belt.

current song: “kathy’s song” apoptygma berzerk

Current Mood: Happy

We had a really nice anniversary, and cheesesticks from Gatti’s–w00t! Lots of snuggles, and then I went and stuck my foot in my mouth by saying exactly the wrong thing, and started a stupid argument. Fortunately, meff is very patient and forgiving. ARgh! I start out trying to say something in a nice way so that we don’t fight, but then I say it in such a way so that we do. I can’t believe he’s put up with me for 7 years–here’s to eleventy more.

Meryl is doing well at school, her roommate is really nice, and majoring in poly sci–certainly a very interesting time to be doing that. As for Meryl, she has already had to draw up a lesson plan to go and teach middle school students in a couple of weeks, and it’s only her first week! Wow that moves fast. She really likes her rhetoric class, and says her blanket is soft :)

I think I will knit another blanket, but maybe in squares? If I can get the mattress stitch down, it would be very interesting, and much more portable! In stitch and bitch, there’s an example of knittting a square in purl, and just using garter stitch to “pop” up a design. Very interesting!

Nothing new in book land, finished “The Sugar Queen”, and loved it.

We got $45 worth of steak at the store for $15–four huge over 1  lb t-bones. Now I just need to buy some A-1, salad stuff, and stuff to make brownies and we’ll be good. We’ve re-discovered creamsicles! Woohoo, especially since it’s so hot. They were  buy one box get one free today, so I’m happy.

I went to the ob/gyn for my yearly, and an ultrasound cuz I’ve had some left ovarian pain for a while. The ultrasound went great!! No worries there, or with my yearly. But when we were talking about getting pregnant, she was so mean! She was like “Well, if you’re not willing to do these (several thousand dollars worth) tests, then I can’t help you”. So, she is definitely not by dr. anymore. Not just because of what she said, but how she said it. And it’s always sucky to search for a new dr., grr.

Anyway, people on my knitting group have been really supportive! It’s mainly about knitting, of course, but I’ve had a huge show of support! Yay knitting! As for that, I really was confused about a hat pattern, and they explained it, and I am doing it right, but thought I was doing it wrong. I’m working on it DJ :P

OH, and I have a motherboard for my computer, yay! We’re slowly building it, and I’m really excited.

That’s about it, time to go wake up Meff :)

song: “You got a killer scene there man” QOTSA

Current Mood: Happy

Heh, I want to find a book called “getting started knitting socks”, but the library doesn’t have it. Then again, I’ve lost a few things in the last couple of days, including my glasses-hince, getting started finding my ass.

I am trying to figure out “Knitting Sensational Socks” but the terminology eludes me. Short rows, gussets, heel flaps etc. But I did get a series of mysteries by Lee Child. Also, I loved a book called “Garden Secrets” by Sarah Addison Alle, so checked out her new book “The Sugar Queen”. Otherwise, a glow in the dark  book on the constellations and “The Discovery of Dragons” by Graham Base, I Like the pictures.

Meryl is at her first weekend at college! I am soo proud of her. Go Meryl!

I feel good today, and I feel pretty! I cut my hair about shoulder length, and I can fit into my favorite shorts! I think I lost ten pounds. Man I love those shorts. So I set out to the library wearing them cuz my upper legs are so so so so white.

Meff is sleeping right now. He’s been helping with scanning some pictures, and is sleeping much better now with his new pain meds. I go the the dr. in a week or so for migraine meds, and then the ob/gyn for yearly *meep* and an ultrasound, and some fertility stuffs. If they want to run some tests, they have to write the bloodtests down on a prescription pad, and I take that to my regular dr. to get them done. Isn’t that weird?

Well, off to read and listen to Morcheeba.

Current song: “look inside your mind” morcheeba.

Current Mood: Playful & Playful

Had lots of good sleep, with meff beside me for most of it! That’s amazing as we normally have different sleep patterns. So I felt amazing after that, with good dreams. Yay!

I am reading “to face the fire” a silly romance book by roberts. “the other” by guterson (he did snow falling on cedars), “savage grace”, they made the movie out of that book, and..um…a silly  irish-catholic romance “irish tiger” by greeley. and oh yeah! “brokeback mountain” by proulx. This weekend I pick up at the library “getting started knitting socks”.

I really hope that I can make socks. I really want to! Part of what I envisioned when I started knitting is making socks and stockings and booties and so forth. So wish me luck!

Holiday knitting has commenced! And I am challenging myself to do that just with the yarn that I have. I know I have to get a bit more yarn, but maybe just $20 or so. Meryl reallly really loves her blanket! W000000000tles forever. She said “Oh, mama! It’s so soft and pretty.”   Well, send me to heaven, cuz that’s exactly what I was hoping she’d say.

Meff has been really sweet and helpful. We scanned a bunch of pics for a photo thingy we’re putting together. He takes care of the fish and plays wow. I told him if he plays a game everyday this week for 30 minutes he gets out of doing chores! Great incentive! So far….he’s playing the games, poor guy :P He’s been taking care of me cuz I’ve been kinda achy for some reason. Maybe it’s old age? I would rather it be that then getting sick. He just made me a bubble bath, so I feel all nice and rested and happy. Damn, he’s sexy, and I love him muchliest.

She leaves for college on Thursday *sniff sniff* so is really busy getting ready for that. Meff’s aunt had a bypass surgery last week, and that went really well, praise gods! My stepmother had an aneurysm surgery last week, and praise gods, that went well, also. However, she’ll have to go back for another surgery where *they drill a hole in your head*  meep! But I’m sure she will come throught that one fine, too. My dad has recovered completely from his double hernia and colon removal operation! He is finally eating fried chicken, so good for him, yay!

It is so so so so hot here. Over 30 days so far of 100 F plus tempertures. However, we have a cool front this week. Normally, at 9 pm it’s still 90 something, and it’s 75, so sweet! Meff and I went for a really nice walk, no heat, no humidity, no sweat. Just holding hands, looking at trees and flowers down side streets.

The cat is 4 now, and getting very very chatty and demanding about what he wants. He runs and fetches toys just like a dog, he brings it back, you throw it, repeat. Our fish are ok too! We have 2 gouramis and 3 tiger barbs. Next month we add a tank heater, and then we can get a red tail shark. (We had 2 barbs and the shark not make the transfer well, and they went to the great fishbowl in the sky).

Lots of cool weather and slushies for everyone! Have a blessed day.

current song: “half jack” dresden dolls