FO- Baby Crossover Jacket!

We interrupt the uncomfortable silence on this blog with a knitting update....(yes she really does still knit sometimes).

Debbie Bliss Baby Crossover Jacket

Source: Debbie Bliss Simply Baby

Yarn: Lionbrand Cotton-Ease in blue and yellow-green

Needles: Size 8 Addi Turbos

Started: November 20, 2007

Finished- November 26, 2007

Recipient: Andrew, my friend's soon-to-be-hatched kidling

Yes, my friend is having her first kidling. He is due in January and we are all really excited. (If you remember the Sheepie Blanket a little earlier this Fall....also the recipient).

Like I said a few posts ago, I was a wee bit leery about a luxury yarn for something that will be puked, pooped, drooled, and peed on so we went with practical. She is allergic to wool, acrylic, and would shrink this puppy to fit a Ken doll because well, she is just not a "hand wash only" kind of gal. I get that. So you see I am rather limited here. She is wanted to use hand knits for their purpose and be well-loved like a Linus Blanket drug around, tattered and deeply loved. I like that idea very much because that is the intent. Lionbrand Cotton-Ease will do. In fact, I must say this has got to be the most practical yarn for a baby abet the Fun Fur. I would not consider myself a yarn snob with baby's in mind because my friend is practical and not delusional wanting say a cashmere baby blanket.

Disclaimer: Opinionated yarn comment about to come out of my mouth. Close your eyes if you don't want to read.

Fun Fur. I possess a major aversion to the stuff. I just don't get it. It looks like multi-colored cat yak and I can't figure out why people go ape shit for the stuff. Ahem. Ok, boy I do feel better now having gotten that off my chest. My family thinks my aversion for Fun Fur is rather humorous. I suppose at least I can entertain.

Oh and I scored me some of these. Aren't these just darling?

Ok I'm off to get my Saarjte booties done before next Friday when I leave for the shower. Wrap bought items and then I'm off to Iowa.

I am -ery, -ery -exed to be missing my - key

Confuse y'all? No I'm not speaking in any new language. This is what happens when you turn on your computer to find that your T U "yes this key" W X Y Z decided to crap out. I kid you not. Now, I am in the clinical research biz, so all day long I am forced with using some industry-standard -erbiage. Yeah you get the picture right? Ahem. "Source document -erification". "Monitoring -isit" Needless to say, I refuse to commute to my base office in Cranford, NJ and join the meeeeellion commuters on the parking lot known as the Garden State Parkway the day before a holiday. Oh helllll no. Fugetaboutit. Nope, it ain't happening. So I will without my T U blank XYZ key until Wednesday when I come back from holiday and go see my IT guy. I *heart* spellchecker.

On the knitting front, I appreciate all of your compliments regarding my Tilted Duster both on this blog and on Ravelry. I did start on another baby shower project called the "Crossover Jacket" from Debbie Bliss Simply Baby. (thank you again my beloved spellchecker). My friend is horribly allergic to wool and she's not a "handwash only" type of gal, so we went with practical. I don't mean practical in the sense of costly Debblie Bliss yarn that will be peed, pooped, and puked on. I am talking about old ironsides, Lionbrand Cotton-ease. Hands down, it is extremely practical for baby stuff.

Hello. I am soft and washable. Baby puke does not scare me.

I did forget to share one really important detail with you about a major purchase and commitment I made about a month ago. I was actually waiting until my package arrived to show you, but the next day all hell broke loose in the family (assorted issues, trust me), then Cartman's diagnosis, surgery, and by the time that was all said and done, I just never got around to posting it.

Check out my beauty. I am officially the proud owner of a 44 inch Celtic lever harp. The knot work is so pretty in person. In all my years of dabbling with various Celtic-related instruments and the piano, the harp was the one that always held a special place in my heart. I start lessons after Thanksgiving. I've been told all those years of piano will finally pay off. We shall see.

With that, I wish you all abundant blessings of health, family, and happiness this Thanksgiving. I know I am fortunate to have a roof over my head, more sweaters than anyone person should have, and food on my table. My prayers are with those who may not be so fortunate this holiday season. I have so much to be thankful for, especially in light of the most recent family happenings and dear Cartman's positive prognosis. Good tidings (and eatings) everyone.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Blogger Comments Issue

My issue has been fixed now if you had tried to make any comments to the blog earlier. Don't ask. Blogger was being fussy I guess. Sorry about that.

FO- Tilted Duster

Finally some knitting content. I know. I've been a little sparse with the knitting lately. But look-a here look-a here! I present my finished, totally wearable Tilted Duster. Folks, I love this sweater.

Pattern: Tilted Duster by Norah Gaughan

Source: Interweave Knits Fall 2007

Yarn: 5 skeins of Berocco Ultra Alpaca in Purple

Needles: Size 9 Addi Turbos

Started: September 2007

Finished: November 17, 2007

Modifications: The word on the street is the sleeves run small so I increased an extra 2 stitches at either end and only kept with the same amount of decreases. Overall this pattern is creative and well written. Norah Gaughan is my personal hero for my pattern-loving self. Oooh and Eucalan soak works wonders for further softening the alpaca. I am completely sold on the stuff now having been a skeptic. That, my friends, is a shit-eating grin on my face. I am ecstatic with this one.

The obligatory "fat ass" photo. This blog would not be complete without one.

My little man is recovering nicely. He had a few bad nights where I think the pain meds. weren't enough. He doesn't bark or whimper. I mean, his noises are pretty limited to snorting, snoring, sneezing and farting. (What? You didn't expect that last one? He's a freakin' bulldog. All they do is sleep, snore, eat, poop, and fart). So anyway, last night I was shocked to actually see tears rolling down his face. Tears, one after another, rolling down his face and his nose was running. My husband and I couldn't believe it. We've seen dogs eyes water but never cry like this. It was the most pitiful site and heart-wrenching at best. We increased his dosage back up to a full tablet because the vet said we could decrease to a half a pill now. My suspicion is that it might not be enough. He is, thankfully, back to his farting, snoring, snorting self today. We go to get his stitches out next Friday. *crosses fingers* The pathology report came back and it was barely a stage 2 mast cell tumor. They stated it is not likely to reoccur. Let's keep our fingers and toes crossed.

Life is good again. Finally.

A heartfelt thank you for all of you who sent your prayers and well-wishes to Cartman.

I can breathe now

My sincerest gratitude to all who kept Cartman in your thoughts. I appreciate your comments both on this blog and on ravelry. I am so thankful for the friends I have found in each of you. I can't tell you how much this means to us and this little guy.
I dropped Cartman off at 6:30 this morning for surgery prep. From that point on I was a ball of nervous energy until noon. I honestly ended up cleaning instead of knitting because I have discovered a have a tendency to make a train wreck of what I am working on when I am that nervous.

So by noon, I called over to the vet and as planned, he was in recovery. The tumor was removed and he has about a 3 inch incision behind his left front leg. The mast cell tumor was at least a large marble from swelling with fluid following the aspiration to do the biopsy slides last week. A chest X-ray was performed and was unremarkable. So if we have no mets than that means no systemic disease which is what I wanted to hear. Hopefully, this was an isolated tumor. I suppose we'll know once we get the results of the post-op bloodwork.

So we were permitted to pick him up at 5:30 tonight. They said he had a very difficult recovery becoming very ill from the anesthesia, which isn't a surprise. He came out groggily and I guess when he focused, he could see us kneeling on the floor waiting for him. That big 'ol piece o' bologna for a tongue was out and completely slimed us in mere seconds. I was actually quite thankful for the sloppy bulldog sliming.

Poor Cartman was like the walking drunk all night. He walked out of the door and slammed his big noggin into the blood sample deposit boxes on the porch of the office. Poor thing. So from that point on, all 55 lbs of solid muscle was scooped up and carried to the truck. Thank God this dog has a hard head people. I almost wanted to make him a padded suit. So it took hours to settle him. We were allowed to give him ice chips but no food which broke my heart. I could tell how hungry he was at that moment. It was so pitiful.

So he's resting and I suppose we'll see what tomorrow will bring. For now, I can go to bed and be thankful for a good prognosis and all of you. God Bless.

-Sharon

Dear Friends, my heart has been officially ripped out of my chest

Friends, this family has been plagued in the last month with issue after issue. It's been a really rough go of it at Chez Knitballs and extended family of Chez Knitballs lately. Today topped off the emotional rollcoaster.

I received some hard news this morning friends. That little lump that my dear friend and Cartman's weekly groomer, Darlene, found last week is not so little after all. Darlene, is an angel people. Had it not been for her finding this lump, I would not know today that my baby boy of 6 years has cancer. There I said it. It hurts just as much as the first time when I made the first call to my husband of six years, Roland.

Our trusted family vet of 30 years called this morning to let me know that the lump was in fact Mast cell cancer. Stage 2 according to the pathologist. The good news is we may have caught it early before it metastasized to the lungs, which this type of cancer typically does.

He is scheduled for surgery and a chest X-ray to rule out mets. on Monday morning at 7:30.
Dear friends, please send your good thoughts and wishes to Cartman. He has been with me since I was married in 2001. He sat on my lap and consoled me through watching the towers fall on National Television on September 11th. I only had him for a week at that point. He gives me unconditional love. He makes me laugh. He's always been there for me. He reads my emotions and sits in my lap when he senses I am upset. He spends his days sitting at my feet while I work in my home office. He is my baby, my friend, my trusted soul and I love this dog with all my heart. He is part of my family and his doxie sister Annie loves him dearly. That's her man and protector.

Writing this post is tearing me apart. I'm trying to be positive as he sits at my feet snoring away and acting as he normally does. Therefore, I am reaching out to my dear friends in blogland to please send some positive thoughts our way. We are distraught with the uncertainty of his conditon. Monday seems like years away right now.

The biggest baddest witchy hat EVER

Is this hat not badass or what?

(click to enlarge)

Taken at my friend's Twisted Fairytales and Bedtime Stories Pary.

I am the Wicked Witch of the Southside (southside of St. Pete that is where I spent most of my time staying at the Hilton and working over at Bayview Hosp.)

Told ya I wasn't messin' around about my witchy hat. 28 inches high to be exact. I slammed into ever doorway in my friend's house.

Oh and running ceiling fans are a no-no.

:-)