Celebrating Father's............

I am missing my Dad today as many of you are also.  I found this photo from October 2014 of Little Buddy and my Dad.  It warms my heart.  This little boy brought so much joy to my Dad in his last few years with us.  After my Mom passed away I swear this little one gave my Dad reason to stay around for a while.  I think he is still looking over him and making sure he is safe.  Love and miss you Dad!

Thoughts on a gray day.................

Someone is not feeling tip top today.  See the red under that cute freckled nose?  Well it is even worse now from all the tissue rubbing that has occurred today.   My little one has a cold, unfortunately caught from me.  Yes my friends we are sniffing and coughing together.  This is my fifth or sixth cold since Christmas. Can I tell you how much I am over it?  Little Buddy has been in his pj's all day and has watched a marathon of Paw Patrol and Cars movies.  And frankly if he is happy doing that he must not be feeling well.  

The skies are gray and we have had a wonderfully rainy day.  Just the kind you want to have when you are not feeling the greatest.  May was the hottest month on record in Florida, many days at 95 and 96 degrees.  I have never seen that in the 30 plus years I have lived here.  We have not gotten any rain for a month so today's rain is very welcome.  The weather is crazy everywhere.  Yet there is no climate change, right? Today is World Ocean Day.  Just read a few articles about the dying coral reefs, all the plastic and trash in the ocean and of course the melting of all the icebergs and you will be as sad as me.

Work continues on the Ete Cardigan from We Are Knitters.  I have been slow with this project because most nights this week I plopped into bed after work to rest.   These colds are ridiculous in how they zap your energy.  I wasn't sick enough to cancel patients, well I always cancel my heart transplant kids when I even have a sniffle, but the rest of the week was packed full.  

I am in awe every time I start a project.  Just one stitch or chain leads to a finished fabric that can be so many things.  The possibilities are endless.   I think that is why we all have a bit of startitis, it is the start of creating something that is so enticing. 

Hank and Bear are constantly at my side when I am home.  They are calming down just a tiny bit as they are now 1 1/2.  They still have incredible energy, they roughhouse and play like they are fighting and run wild inside and out.  They are so much fun.  Hank's job is to take care of everyone, and Bear, well he will always be the baby and try to get away with more than his brother even though they are exactly the same age. I can't even comment on Blogs without some help from my darling Hank.    

 My heart is heavy on this gray day.  Reading blogs where friends have lost beloved pets and a lovely blogging friend losing her life to cancer at the end of May has left me feeling sad.  You know this strange blog world we live in gets under your skin.  You start to care about people and cheer them on even though you have not met before.   I always grieve a bit when a blog I have read for years closes shop because there is nothing left to say, but they say loads on other platforms.  Or when they just stop blogging and months go by before you realize they are not there anymore.  You wonder if all is well with this person and with their family even though you have only read about them.  It is so strange to care about people out there you will never meet in person but I do.  I really do, and I know you all do, too.

  

When this little one heard that my voice was different on Tuesday morning due to my cold he asked me why my voice was always so scratchy.  He then told me he does not like scratchy voices and maybe he needs a new mom!  Any takers out there?  Free shipping and includes green dinosaur pajamas and a steering wheel which is a necessity when watching the movie Cars 3.

The Falling Blossom Shawl and some new yarn........

   

I have a finish my friends and can I just tell you I am in love with it?  The Falling Blossom Shawl might be one of my very favorite projects.  I just love it so much.  It was easy to make and the pattern was easy to read.  I think there was a few mistakes in the pattern but it has enough repetition in it that they were easily figured out.  I absolutely know I will make this again.  I used Malabrigo Silky Merino from my stash in the color #437 Pradera and a size I hook.  Approximately 550 yards went into this shawl, I only have a wee bit left over.  Before blocking it was just a bunch of squashed rows but after blocking the flowers just popped out.  I think I could have done a better job with the single crochet border but when this is on is anyone really going to notice that?  I don't think so.  So 550 yards of yarn left my stash but.........................

Some 900 + yards of new yarn found it's way to my house.

When I saw this ETE Cardigan on the We Are Knitter's email I received a week ago I felt like I had been slapped in the face, well in a good way.  I could not get this out of my head and frankly it has been a long time since I had purchased yarn for a new project just for fun.  I believe my last purchase was a year ago in June in New York with my sister, and in July in North Carolina with my friend Lynda.  

I believe this pattern is screaming my name.  The kit came with four or five balls of yarn, the pattern, a hook if you chose to purchase one, a needle to sew in ends and these super cute stickers.  Is there anything better than a yarn treat in the mail?   I am starting this today.  There is that pesky Longline Cardigan on my needles but nothing on my hook at this point.  Yay, me!  I get to start a new project with brand new yarn.  The pattern looks pretty straight forward and I love the chart and written directions to suit whatever works best.  The only thing I think I have to contact the company about is the description they use to get gauge.  They say to knit looser if you gauge swatch is too small or tighter if it is too big.  First off this is a crochet pattern and second that is crappy information.  If you were new to this craft you would think that is correct.  How about going up or down a needle or hook size?  That makes a lot more sense.

I will leave you with gorgeous Little Buddy who is having the time of his life with a old calculator his Dad brought home from work.  He told me he had never had such a great calculator in his whole entire life, not even years ago when he was a baby.  This boy makes me laugh.  Thank you for laughing with me especially about the dinner conversation I wrote about in my last post.

Wishing you a wonderful week my friends.  If you have a positive thought to spare please send one each to my older boys.  Mr 25 has a job interview tomorrow and Mr 22 is taking his LSAT test.  They need all the positive mojo they can get.  I understand these are minor things compared to the assault on women's rights, yet another shooting with 12 people dead, floods, tornadoes and politics that constantly feels like a flood and tornado, still they deserve a little help if they can get it and the more positive thoughts the better.  

Have a lovely week.

A much needed long weekend and some tech issues......

Last weekend was a much needed long weekend for me.  I was kept  busy with two private patients and some work paperwork I had to get done for the week ahead.  I tried so hard to post last weekend but had trouble with my photos.  Since I got my new computer there are a few things that need to be worked out.  Unfortunately my computer guy Andy can't come back to visit until mid June.  My oldest son helped me yesterday to create a temporary file for photos so at least I can get them to my blog.  Thus the late post talking about things that happened a week ago.

Mr. 25 and I found a way to mount Little Buddy's super cool elevator button sampler on the wall.  We screwed it into this wood left over from my bathroom renovation and screwed the whole thing into the wall.  He can only play with it if he stands up with no crutches.  That is hard work my friends. After he used it the first time he said, "This elevator is really fast!"  That made me laugh.

Although I worked a lot last weekend around the house and for the therapy I do we had lots of time to go in the pool.  My little fish is getting much better at using both arms and legs when swimming.  We practice walking across the pool with our body upright and stepping up on the bottom step with one foot at a time while keeping our balance.  You know me everything has to be therapeutic.

Monday morning we headed off to the splash park for some early morning fun before it got too crowded.  We got there when it opened and Little Buddy spent the next 2 1/2 hours running around and having a wonderful time.  It was great to get home before it got too hot out.  After lunch and a rest we went in the pool for another 1 1/2 hours.  Believe me Mom was tired after all the activity even if Little Buddy wasn't.

I now officially have an in between first and second grader.  I simply won't allow him to be in second grade until the first day of school.  I just can't take how fast he is growing up.  I mean look at those big boy teeth!  He made it through the year with flying colors thanks to the help he gets from his assistant Ms Rachel.  She is by far the best thing that has ever happened to him.  She fought for him to get a full time assistant again next year.  We had to have another IEP meeting to reword his goals and skill levels.  He sounded better on paper than he actually was and there is just no way he can handle school without someone standing by him all the time for safety, for speed, for directions and to maintain his focus.  I feel so blessed that I walked into that IEP meeting with people who understood his needs and fought to get them for him.

Now here is a funny conversation we had at dinner last Sunday.  All my boys were home and my oldest son's best friend.  The big boys were all talking about football and Little B was talking about elevators, which he tends to do non stop until out of the blue he asked me if I went potty out my Venus.  Believe me all conversation stopped and I asked him what he said which he repeated again.  He then stated that he is a boy and he goes potty out his winker dinker and I am a Mom and I don't have a winker dinker so do I go potty out my Venus?  Well we had a short very basic lesson on women's anatomy and that was that he went back to talking about elevator's.  My older boys could not contain themselves, they laughed and laughed.  Yes I know winker dinker is not the best name but it makes me laugh and when we got him I used it and it stuck.  My older boys were brought up with anatomically correct name use, but for this little one winker dinker works for me.

So that is your laugh for the day my friends.  Be back soon with some yarn news.

Some new and some old...........

Busy happenings at my house this week.  We got the exterior of our house painted.  It is the exact same color we painted it 18 years ago, I still like it.  Our roof is gray so I think this sort of beige/pinkish color warms it up and makes it more welcoming.  The last few weeks my oldest has been mulching, cutting back plants and such to get ready for the painting, my husband has been doing a lot of prep work, too.  I think it looks so nice and fresh.

The Longline Cardigan is still on the needles.  Time restraints have interrupted my progress.  Still there is no hurry.  It is 89 degrees out today, not sweater weather.  I am sure I will finish this in time for cooler weather in the late Autumn.  I am nearing the neckline on the back of the sweater, hopefully I can start the fronts soon.

  

I realize I would be much further along on my sweater if I hadn't started this new project, but to be honest I could not resist.  This is the Falling Blossoms Shawl.  When I saw it I just knew I had to make it.  I had this beautiful Malabrigo Silky Merino yarn in my stash so I started last weekend.  Sometimes I just need the ease of a hook in my hand, other times it is two needles working together that soothes my soul.  This way I can switch between the two and do what I want.

I now have a laptop!  I know I am really slow at all this tech stuff, I just never really felt the need for one before.  However, I find myself at my desk top so much on the weekends doing work when I could at least be near Little Buddy.  And I have been not using my time efficiently when I know I have a patient cancel, so now I can take this along and do some work instead of stopping to run an errand.  The files will update automatically on each device so that will be really helpful when working away from home. The beautiful lamp in the background was a Mother's Day gift from Mr. 22 and his girlfriend.  Isn't it beautiful?  You can find it at Cracker Barrel if you are interested.  

I also have a new desk top.  Not the screen or keyboard just the desk top.  Mine has been dying a slow death for about six months.  There was no storage left and I could not turn it off or it might not turn back on for days.   My old one was ginormous and really, really old.  We have a wonderful man who comes to fix our computers.  I called him up a few weeks ago to get this new one and the laptop.  He brings just what I need so I don't have to figure it all out.  Then he comes in and gets it all set up.  He has to come back this next week to tweak a few things, like my lost photos that are on my phone that didn't transfer, and my email contact list, but he will be able to do that with no issues and I won't have to tear my hair out trying to figure it out.  I am extremely bad at tech stuff.

And just to make things even better I had a small chair rail put up behind my desk to prevent all those cords from yanking the paint off my walls.  Actually I was just going to paint the wall but could not find the leftover paint.   We made a trip to the hardware store yesterday, my husband stained it today and my son helped me install it this afternoon.  For $10 I have no more worries about cords damaging the wall, a simple solution to something that has bothered me for a long time. 

We have been sprucing up the back pool area.  My husband is staining our cedar paneling, I have been moving plants and cleaning.  It is so nice to get things looking clean and updated.  We have given our left over pavers to friends who want to create a path to their backyard.  I have recently donated about 10 bags of items to those in need, it is great to get things moving out and moving on. 

Of course these two have been very helpful.  They love to get in the way when you are trying to work.  I have to say I do stop what I am doing so they get all the petting an loving they need.  I mean who can resist this much fluff?

Okay my friends I have a pool date with a sweet seven year old.  When he came home after an adventure with his Dad, (a 27 floor elevator ride in a hotel in Tampa) I told him after lunch and a quick rest time we could go in the pool.  He replied, "You don't have a headache?"  No, I don't but I feel bad that that is what he thinks of before we can do something fun.  Ah well, hopefully when he is older he will remember the fun times and not the headache times.  

Have a good week my friends. 

All work and no play, and Mother's Day...........

I have been working a lot.  I mean a lot, as when I am home I have been writing many progress notes and such.  There has been no time yet again to visit you.  As much as I would like to that is just the way it is right now.   So bear with me a while longer as I get things in order for work, at home and well in life.  As I work on my computer I have these two visiting me in my office.  They jump up on my table and lay there while I type away.

Of course I have visitors of the human kind as well.  No wonder I don't get much accomplished!

Last Sunday I got a last minute invite to my friend Georgette's house.  Her friend, Mr. Mike of elevator fame was there for a visit.  He brought so many wonderful elevator related items for Little Buddy, I have to say I was just so touched.  A hat, cell phone bits and bobs, a real Danger Elevator Closed sign, a work-persons vest, a rules and regulation book for elevators, a wheel that holds an elevator cable, and these amazing elevator buttons.  The bottom one is for Parking Level one and the big one can be plugged in and it shows different types of elevator buttons.  These light up and well you can only imagine how happy my little elevator man was.  We are going to hang this up and when he wants to play elevator he will be working on standing balance, no crutches or walker allowed.  See, I am always making things therapeutic if I can.  Mr. Mike was as delighted as Little Buddy if that is even possible.  How fun to have a little one so interested in what you do.  It is so nice to see how wonderful people can be out in this mad crazy world. 

As soon as we got home Little B wrote a thank you note to Mr Mike.  I am guessing Little Buddy is the larger person in this drawing.  I hope Mr Mike understands what an incredibly special thing he did for this little boy of mine.

Mr 21 blew into town with his girlfriend on Monday just in time to become Mr. 22.  We had a birthday dinner out with him to celebrate on Tuesday evening.  We celebrated both of their birthdays as she will be 21 in the beginning of June.  These two have been together since they were 14 and 15.  They still adore each other and are so wonderfully supportive of each other.  

Mother's Day is quickly approaching.  This envelope came home in Little Buddy's backpack yesterday.  And as it says I will not open it until Sunday!  That face is a little scary, no?  Although he does have a smile.

This lovely flower came home with Little Buddy when he went to physical therapy this week.  Isn't it cute?  

Actually it is so cute I thought Little Buddy could wish you all a Happy Mother's Day with it.  Our gift to you for being the wonderful, caring and supportive women you are to us and to all those around you.  You know I feel funny about Mother's Day.  I much prefer Women's Day, because as women we have to collectively support so many around us, it has nothing to do with being a mother, it has everything to do with being a woman.  So here is to you!  Thank you for all you do to make your families, friends and community a better place.  And that includes this space right here.  You are the best!

A nothing new week........

I was struggling to think of anything to say in a post this week.  Seems like I am always saying the same thing.  I work too much, I don't have time for anything and well nothing is new.  But then I took a look around and realized I do have some new things to chat about.  Last week I bought this brand new hibiscus tree.  The flowers are not as dramatic as my other hibiscus but I do think they are pretty with their ruffly petals.  I planted this outside in a pot that I am keeping off the ground with bricks to make it taller so the deer don't eat it.  Deer LOVE hibiscus plants!  So far, so good.

Last weekend I took out my dead annuals and planted more plants.  My oldest helped me to mulch, cut down dead limbs and trim a huge white bird of paradise tree in front of my house.  Today he trimmed two small palm trees and pulled out dead azalea bushes.  He will plant new ones tomorrow.  He really is such a big help.

 We are right in the middle of gardenia season here at my house.  I have a row of bushes and one huge bush in my backyard.  My outside area smells so wonderful I wish I could bottle it up and send it to you.  

The boys have been up to their usual antics.   They chewed up the corner of my family room carpet this week.  So glad I had decided not to get a new one for a while.  My oldest and I had to move it around so the chewed up edge is under the sofa.   They are still puppies after all!

I started a new project, well an old one I have restarted.  This is the Longline Cardigan made with beautiful Malabrigo Twist.  I won this yarn from Eat Sleep Knit several years ago when I had a scratch off card for $100 dollars!  Whoop, whoop!  I spent it all on this yarn but have not had a great pattern to use with it.  I did try this cardigan a year or so ago but when I decreased as stated it screwed up the pattern.  This time I am simply not decreasing until I get to the underarms so I can keep the pattern in line.

Every time I go on an elevator I have to take a picture of it for Little Buddy.  Of course the people in the elevator ask me what I am doing.  I went to my neurologist on Thursday to get my round of shots for my headaches and rode up to the fourth floor on this baby.  This is a Thyssenkrupp elevator and if you would like to know all about them or any other elevator just give Little Buddy a call.  By the way Elisha Otis is the inventor of the device that prevents an elevator from falling.  We can all be thankful for him when we are inside one.

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And here is my darling boy actually looking at elevator videos on his iPad this week.  He looks so much older to me these days.  Gone is the toddler face and even the little boy face.  He is going to be 8 very soon and won't let me keep him at 7 even if I really want him to stay just like he is.  Still he is very innocent, likes very simple shows to watch, no fighting or meanness.  He still loves to be teased in the simplest of ways, like me pretending he is the pig we are reading about, or that I can't find him under his covers in the morning.  He is just darling and loved so much.

Okay, my friends I miss you all.  I hope to visit you soon.