Beach walk and a giveaway or two...............

This morning a took a walk on the beach all alone.  It was blissful.  The beach is only 25 minutes from my house yet I have not been there for a year and a half.  I am always saying I am so busy and frankly I am.  With working four 12-13 hour days in a row, taking Friday's for appointments and all those errands you have to do, private patients on Saturday and Sunday mornings, well there isn't much time for the beach.  Little Buddy also takes up loads of time as he should.  But today my private patient canceled and I decided to jump in my car and take a walk while I had the chance.  Oh my it was sooooooooooo beautiful.  The water is warm, the sun not to hot.  There were pelicans and all sorts of sea birds, and already at 10:00 way to many people.  Yet I tried to think of the positive, I heard foreign voices so I was happy people from around the world were visiting this beautiful area.  I saw parents lifting their kids out of the water and helping them look for shells.  I saw people of all shapes and sizes taking photos of this trip to remember.  It was really lovely just to listen to the gentle waves and smell the salty air.  Now to get back there again before too long!

Yesterday as I was working on a young woman in my office I felt so crowed and knew I needed to get some things cleared out.  I have a big therapy table right in the middle of everything, but it needs to be there so I decided to remove a small book shelf, consolidate some items, get rid of books and then I looked at my yarn.  I know moving yarn along somewhere new does not sound like much but to me it was.  I donated a few bits and bobs of yarn but thought that one of you might like the following yarns.  They are way too nice to give to the donation store yet I know after all this time I won't use them.  So here we go.

  

#1: Filigran lace yarn, 100% Merino, 1200 meters total and the book Golden Morning a spring collection of knits from 2015.

#2: Ella Rae lace Merino, 460 yards, 100% extra fine merino yarn and the book Knitting for Peace.  I bought this yarn in North Carolina because it reminded me of the mountains.

That is it. You can just tell me which one you are interested in or both if you choose.  No having to like my blog, or mention to a friend or post about this anywhere.  Just make sure I can get a hold of you if you win and that you check back next Sunday when I will post about the winners.  If you are not interested no worries, I completely understand not wanting to add to your stash.

Both yarns are lovely but apparently I will never learn not to buy lace weight yarn because it is not my favorite weight to knit with.  

And now I am seriously going to get back to using the yarn in my stash.  I need to lighten my load!

Hope you all have a great week.

A Thankful Sunday................

I am thankful for so much this week, things that are random but when added up are so important.  Only two bad headaches.........now that is an improvement.  I have a wonderful acupuncturist who came in to work on me on her day off because when she saw me last week I was in such bad shape.  She has made a world of difference and I am so, so thankful for her help and her dedication.

I am thankful that the bulk of my paperwork is done for the month.  Which allowed me to work on gathering years of information on Little Buddy that was needed.  We need to get him more help and to do that I need to get as much information on him as I can.  I am blessed to have a wonderful adoption advocate helping me to know what forms and evaluations are needed.  I got all of it done on  Friday and it will be on the way for her to review tomorrow.

I am thankful that tomorrow I get to start helping a baby I have been trying to get services for for two months.  Finally she has been approved and we can start to help straighten her out and help her feel safer in her wee little body.

I am thankful my two oldest sons are enjoying their jobs.  Mr. 22 is scaring people at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando and loving every minute of it.  You never thought you would ever receive a text like this, "Mom I love my job, I made a woman pee herself!"  And frankly be proud of your son for doing this!

I am thankful Little Buddy is still loving getting in the pool and swimming.  It is such wonderful exercise for him.

I am thankful I got to see two new blooms on my hibiscus tree.  They often bloom during the week when I am unable to get out to see them.  If you want to see something incredible please visit my friend Janice over at A Positive Outlook.  She took a photo of my hibiscus flower and turned it into a quilt.  I'm not kidding!  She is so talented you have to go over and see the amazing work she did.

I am thankful for a successful week three at horse therapy.  Some of you wondered how it helps Little Buddy.  It is an amazing way to relax the muscles in the legs, pelvis and trunk, all of which are tight on my little guy.  It helps with core strength and his anxiety.  The bond with horses is just amazing, they seem to know that a little one has special needs and they are so calm and still.  The child can bond with this gorgeous animal and feel safe.  It is incredible for all kids but especially those with delays, muscle issues and those on the autistic spectrum.  This horse is 20 years old and was abused, look at her now helping others. 

I was determined to get my latest baby blanket done this weekend.  I had the last grey stripe to go and boy did I work hard to get it complete.  It has not been my favorite project, to be honest I am over baby blankets after completing four this year.  And this is a big one, 40 inches by 40 inches.  Made with We Are Knitters The Cotton yarn in the color Pearl, which is gray/beige but looks really gray in these pictures, and natural.  I used a size J hook and almost 1,120 yards to make the blanket.  It will be mailed off to my new great nephew who is coming sometime in December.

Can I just say I am thankful for this little one and leave it at that?  Really what more needs to be said, he is my heart if that isn't too dramatic.

And of course these two, who could forget them?  They are way over due for a hair cut and are as crazy as ever even though next month they will be two.  

I am thankful for a car I have fixed up this past week with new brakes, spark plugs and a battery.  And they fixed my crazy key that kept getting stuck in the ignition.  I am thankful we have not all gone crazy with the news that bombards us daily.  I am thankful that next month the temps just might start to cool off here in Florida.  I am thankful for the latest Louise Penny book my dear friend Holly gave me to read.  She went on a trip and went to Louise Penny's home town and brought me back a lovely gift from the local book store, I will show it to you soon.  Oh, and I am thankful for raspberries, they are so delicious!

And my friends I am thankful for all of you.  Where would we be without friends to help us through life?

Have a great week.

A long short week.........

Even though last week was short for us with a holiday and a day off school because Dorian might have headed our way, it felt soooooooooo long.

I took Little Buddy to the mall to ride on four different elevators last Monday.  While there I asked him if he was hungry and he said, "You can eat at the mall?" with utter surprise!  So we had a little lunch and he was so happy.  He is an adorable lunch date. 

After a very long week of headaches, and an absolute ton of paperwork on top of regular work I took Little Buddy to his second horse back riding therapy.  He did so well although still anxious about the whole thing.  And the best news is this week we can move our lesson up an hour so it is closer to when he gets out of school.  I am so thankful for not having to waste an entire hour driving around.

So that is it.  I know so boring but each week can't be brilliant, normal life happens all the time here at my house.  And frankly after that horrible storm Dorian devastated the Bahamas I am just happy to have a house.

Have a good week.

Storm watch makes for a very long weekend...........

Hi my friends.  Here in Florida we are anxiously awaiting monster storm Dorian.  Not quite sure where she is heading, she seems to like to keep us all on our toes.  This past week made all Floridians run to the store for supplies and to fill up our gas tanks just in case.  The poor Bahamas are currently being hit with her relentless winds.  There will be incredible devastation and where she will turn next is anyone's guess.  It makes for a slow weekend, one I needed to be honest.  On Friday I canceled Little Buddy's horse therapy because the drive was just to far to warrant the gas use, at that time many gas stations were running out of gas already.  But now they are open for business but further east that is not the case.  I am not worried about us unless Dorian does some completely wacky thing and turns directly west, but I am concerned about Mr 22, his girlfriend and puppy who are in Orlando and frankly stuck because of work. Hopefully they will come home tomorrow before that side of the state gets high winds and rain.  I am praying she turns east and heads out to sea where she can fizzle out!  She has half the eastern part of the country in a panic.  Please just go away Dorian!

You would think being home would allow me unlimited crochet time, but you know me I am sorting things, cleaning things and trying to take care of more headaches.  Yup that supposed sinus infection that had no symptoms at all does not seem to be the reason I am getting an increase in my migraines.   I am still taking the antibiotic but really it isn't making a difference and I feel I am wasting my time.  I'll have to call back the doctor and see what she wants to do next but last week during storm prep was not the time to call and schedule anything. By the way this is another baby blanket for a new great nephew made with We Are Knitters The Cotton yarn. 

I made donuts yesterday.  These are so delicious that I am going to share the recipe with you.  You can buy a doughnut pan at Walmart if you don't already have one.  My friend Lynda in North Carolina made the chocolate version for me and I thought I had died and gone to Heaven.  I can't eat sugar or gluten so these were wonderful because I can eat them.

Lynda's Doughnuts

3 cups of rice flour (or any flour you want to use)

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of agave syrup

3 teaspoons of vanilla

3/4 cup of milk

6 Tablespoons of melted butter

* add 9 Tablespoons of cocoa if you want chocolate doughnuts

Mix all ingredients well the batter should be very moist

** add a handful of chocolate chips if you want chocolate chip doughnuts

I use grain sweetened chocolate chips and they are delicious

 Spray pan with cooking spray before filling with doughnut batter

scoop batter into a doughnut pan with a spoon smoothing out the top after you are done.

 Cook at 325 degrees until slightly brown around the edges

I put them in little bags and freeze them so I can have them for work

Enjoy!

This guy has been enjoying a weekend of slumber parties in my room.  He really wanted to have a slumber party so we have turned it into a whole weekend event.  We have played games, watched TV shows in mom's bed, eaten cupcakes and chips because apparently those are essential for a slumber party.  We have had a wee bit more iPad time than normal because Mom's head hurts and of course we have slept.  He told me there is no sleeping at slumber parties but I quickly put an end to that thought.  He is just so darling sometimes I can't stand it.

And while doing homework yesterday Little Buddy said, "You are one of the greatest moms I ever had."  I take that as a compliment.  

Stay safe wherever you are my friends.

Possible answers, a finish and a little Little Buddy.................

Hello my friends, I have been missing you.  I think I might have an answer for all my headaches.  I went to the doctor yesterday after major headache number 7 in 20 days and she thought I had a sinus infection.  Of course I was not a believer in this as I had no symptoms but went and got my x-rays to be a good girl.  Sure enough she was right and now I am on antibiotics and steroids to help this go away.  I am exhausted if I am honest, they were coming so fast I could not keep up and when some occur while you are working on a special needs child, well that is just tough.  I am keeping my fingers crossed I will be headache free soon and will be able to catch up with all of you.  The computer is still causing me some visual sensitivity so I can only use it in very small doses, writing this post that has taken me much of the day to complete.

Last Friday Little Buddy started his horse riding therapy and he was so happy.  It had been raining for days so I wasn't sure we would get it in but we did.  Can you believe his insurance will pay for ten lessons?   I think it will really help his core stability, help loosen up those hips and legs, and help his trunk control.  Its is a very far drive but it is worth it to get him the help he needs.

I finished my second Ete Cardigan by We Are Knitters.  I tried a different sleeve on this one because the last one I made the sleeve was just too wide at the end, beautiful but wide.  Okay for a twenty something but not so great for me.  I tried all different combinations of stitches and finally went with a decreasing double crochet.  It ended up a bit wide at the top but still really works.  And best of all the sweater fits and I really think I will use it.  Well maybe when it isn't 92 degrees out.  I used almost the total amount of 5 skeins of  yarn.  I wasn't playing yarn chicken because I have three more skeins in this color I ordered by accident, still it was nice not to break into a new skein.  I made the L/XL with a size H hook, and We Are Knitters, The Cotton yarn in the color Wine.  Approximately 1,160 yards of yarn used for this sweater.  Number 3 will be started in a little while, I have a few other things to make first.

I thought I would show you the boys in my office while Little Buddy typed his spelling words this week.  I am going to start focusing more on typing because that will be necessary for his future success.  I bribed him with one grain sweetened chocolate chip for every word he typed, he loved it. We had some neruopsychological testing done this week and while he has made absolutely amazing progress in his life we still have a long way to go.  I was a bit overwhelmed with the information but now that I have had time to absorb it all I am in the planning stages to get him the help he needs.  I am always better when I have a plan.  The one thing the psychologist said was she was amazed he is even functioning at all with all the brain damage he had at birth.  She told me she had never in all her years of testing come across a child with this much damage that has rewired his brain this way.  I told her she has joined a club of all of us who are astonished by his continued amazing progress.  We have many mountains to climb with this miracle magic boy of mine, but I am betting on him and that amazing brain of his.

Hope to see all your news soon my friends and catch up on all your news.  Have a great day.

The first day of school, a quick post.................

This is a fast post my friends because migraine number 5 hit yesterday and my eyes are still having trouble with the computer screen.  I just had to show you these photos because they make me laugh out loud when I see them.  This is Little Buddy on his first day of second grade. He looks so big and ready for the day.  He was very, very excited to start, "sencond" grade which is how he says it.  I don't correct him as he says everything almost perfectly this is a rare mispronounced word. 

And the after photo........................

This is after I told him he had a word search to do with the names of the kids in his class.  Apparently it was a long day!

Hoping to get back with you all in a few days.

Have a great week.

A Luna visit and a wee break........

Luna my grand-dog has been visiting the past few days.  At first the boys did not know what to make of her.  She was a moving, growling toy.  But soon she felt comfortable and has been running and playing, jumping the gates, squirming through wee little places with Little Buddy's toys in her mouth.  She is a whirlwind of energy and fun.  The fur boys can't get enough of her.  As for Grandma, who let the tired parents go to the movies so they could get a break, well Grandma is tired, too.  Gate jumping 12 pound dogs is not what I am used to!  Still we have had a wonderful visit and I am sure the boys will miss her.  Hopefully she can come back and visit soon.

As for me I am taking a wee break from blogging.  After four migraines this week my eyes just can't handle the computer screen.  I have paperwork to do for work so all screen time will be directed that way.

I hope you are all well.  I miss you!  I will catch up with you as soon as my head and eyes allow.  Thank you for your thoughtful comments on my last post.  I will never judge what others blog about, and I sincerely hope I am not judged here.  It is just that last week knocked all of our socks off didn't it? It was just a terribly violent week in the history of our country, really with no end in site unless we make significant changes in mental health care, gun laws and general respect in how we treat each other starting at the very top of our government. 

See you all soon.