Nail Biting Time

I just heard from my brother. My dad is having a pacemaker put it this morning. They moved him to CCU and the procedure is scheduled for 9 this morning. Of course that doesn't mean anything. Menachem was on the way to the hospital when I spoke to him and he will keep me posted. I'm a nervous wreck. I knew he needed the pacemaker but I wasn't expecting it so soon. When Menachem gave me the update yesterday he said they couldn't do it yet because they needed to wait for the pneumonia and UTI to clear up more before they went ahead and did the surgery. Now he's having the surgery this morning. That's a change I didn't expect in 24 hours.

On the home front, Paul has been battling a cold for over a week now. He went on course last week and got sick the first day. Because he was taking a course he couldn't take any time off. Tuesday he told me he thinks he needs to see the doctor. That's a sure sign he's really not well because he never wants to go. He went to the doctor yesterday and she said he has sinusitis and put him on antibiotics. He was barfing like mad in the middle of the night and I don't know if it was a reaction to the meds or not. He's home today and I'm at work. I hate that because I would rather be home making sure he's alright. Having said that, he probably is better with me at work because then he could just sleep and that's what he needs most right now.

UPDATE: I just heard from Menachem and he said the procedure went well. The did it with a local instead of putting him under and he's awake, hungry, complaining, and eager to go home. That's always a good sign.

Thank Goodness For Diversions

The phone rang at my place very early Sunday morning. Whenever the phone rings before 9 I always worry that something bad has happened. My brother called to tell me my dad was taken to the hospital. I am not quite clear as to when but it was sometime between Saturday and Sunday morning. All I knew was that my SIL had preformed CPR to save his life. Needless to say I didn't leave the house at all on Sunday so I could be around to get more information. I live in Toronto. My dad lives with my brother in Monsey, NY. Dad's health has been iffy for quite some time now but I have never been this worried before. I still haven't had a definitive answer as to what is going on. They never did, to my knowledge, get the test results on Sunday. My brother just said "well it's Sunday," like that should explain it all. It's the last time I want to hear my brother make fun of the Canadian medical system. I get the feeling it is much worse in the U.S. and it costs a lot more there too. Now my brother is telling me dad might need a pacemaker. Whatever it is I can't wait for him to go home. I spoke to dad for about a minute (he never talks longer than that these days) this morning and he is hoping to go home by Friday. I certainly hope he does. Prayers are always welcome.

There was no way I was going to be able to concentrate on the lace project I am currently knitting so I decided to do some spinning instead. I finished the first bobbin of the Purple Club fibre and started the second. This is the completed first bobbin. I've started the second but I won't be spinning again until Friday. I think I need to get some knitting in now so I will try and get back to the test knitting for a few days and see how close I can come to a finish.

Muggles Just Don't Get It

Every Friday I can basically wear whatever I want to work since it's dress down Friday. (Not that I dress up during the week) However, I don't usually wear a t-shirt with writing on it, but, yesterday I decided to finally wear my Ravelry t-shirt. When Joseph saw the shirt he said "Swatches? What's that?" I tried to explain and he just didn't get it. When I got to work my boss asked me the same thing. Needless to say, he didn't get it either. That's alright. I love the shirt and I look forward to getting more as they become available.

On the knitting front, I am still working on the test knitting I am doing and I can't really blog about it. However, I needed a break and what better way to take a knitting break than to start spinning. I decided to start spinning the fibre I got from my sp11 pal Penny. The fibre is 100% Superwash Merino from Lorna's Laces and, because Penny knew how much I love purple, the colour is called Purple Club. I want to try and finish the first bobbin today. So far I am very happy with the way it is coming out. The true test will be in the plying. I love Lizbeth. She is just a dream. Treadling is effortless and it is a lot easier for me to get a fine single. Now to get back to spinning.

Charlie Bit My Finger

I mentioned this You Tube clip last night at our Snb. Maggie and Shannon said they had not seen it, so Maggie, Shannon, this is for you.

Meet Lizbeth

I received my new Suzie Pro on Monday. I didn't really have the time or the will to put it together during the week. Paul and I took it out of the box on Thursday and finished putting it together last night. I've named her Lizbeth and I just love her. I spun up the little bit of alpaca Miko gave me on Saturday. There wasn't much there and I was only playing around so I decided to navajo ply the single. Since I wasn't really trying to be even, and I was just trying to get the feel of the wheel I am happy with the results. It's the first time I've navajo plied and not have it come out totally over plied. It's also the first time I was actually able to spin alpaca. ALL of my attempts in the past have been a dismal failure. I tried the Joy and the Victoria and even the Little Gem but I couldn't get it to work. This isn't perfect but at least I was able to spin it up. Now I really have to get some of the Alpaca With A Twist fibre when I go back to the Purple Purl.

Tomorrow is snb night. I thought so and mentioned it to Paul earlier today. He said no it was last week. I knew we had met before Valentine's day for he really had me going. I was beginning to wonder if he was right. Then I checked my email and there was the invite so I was right all along. It's good to know I haven't completely lost my mind!

Catching Up

I know I've been silent of late. I think this is the longest I have gone without posting. Work has been getting to me lately and I just didn't feel like blogging. Add to that the fact that when I went to see the urologist last week I was told the cells were worse this time than the last time I did a urine test. So he's told me to go back to taking the antibiotics twice a day and I have to go for a test March 19th. I was so depressed on Monday I hardly even had the desire to knit all week. I've been on the antibiotics 8 months now. The doctor switched me to a different antibiotic in November and told me to take it twice a day for 2 weeks and then once a day. Now he thinks I started taking them once a day too early.

A few weeks ago I went up to Maggie's with Shannon and Kimberly. We had a great afternoon of spinning and carding. It's impossible to leave without getting something new. I came home with this lovely fibre and.... this pencil roving. I haven't had a chance to spin any of it yet since I haven't touched the wheel since that day but I have off tomorrow and I am hoping I'll get some spinning time in.
We played with Maggie's drum carder and I just ordered the Louet roving carder. I was amazed at how much the batts expand when you take them off the carder. Since my space is limited I decided on the roving carder to save space. I don't think I need the batts to be as wide as they were when they came off the regular carder.
Just look at all the wheels in the living room. Oh to have the space to have a spin in at my place. That won't ever happen as long as we are still in our apartment.
Yesterday I went spent the day at The Purple Purl. There's nothing like spending a day there to help you get out of your funk. It was a bright cold sunny day but NO SNOW!!!! We have had way too much of the white stuff around here this winter and I am just SICK OF IT! I spent the day yesterday knitting, laughing, chatting with friends and knitter's I've never met before. It was just rejuvenating. I had a blast. I didn't come home empty handed either. I bought this lovely merino/seacell pencil roving and...
this Indigo Moon sock yarn. The colour is called Mountains in the Moonlight and I just couldn't leave it there. I don't think I have seen a colour I don't like. I have to constantly resist not getting more of this stuff. I keep telling myself one at a time. Next time I think I am going to get some of their Alpaca With A Twist fibre. It is so soft and I've resisted it a few times when I was at the Purl but the next time it is going to come home with me! I wish I lived closer to the place but that would be both good and bad. I would like to be able to get there more often. Once the better weather arrives I want to try to go to their knit nights on the off nights for our regular Snbs.
One of the reasons I went to the Purl yesterday was to sell the Ashford Joy spinning wheel I had there. I know she went to a great home. I didn't really need 4 wheels and some difficult choices had to be made. The Joy was the one I decided to part with. Now I'm down to 3 wheels and I'm getting the drum carder with money from the sale of the Joy and I can get more bobbins for my Woolee Winder. I'll still have enough left over to buy fibre and other wonderful things.