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.

.  

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.

Happy Easter............

 

Happy Easter from my bunnies to yours!

An action packed day and a cardigan finish.....

Little Buddy and I had an action packed day today.  We started off at his gardening club.  He attends on Saturdays in the Fall and Spring, it is to help with socializing and gives him something very fun to do.  After that we went directly to an open house at one of our local fire departments.  It was so much fun.  He had to walk a long way to get to the firehouse and it is super warm out so that was the only draw back of our adventure.  While we were there he got in an ambulance, looked at different types of firetrucks and rescue vehicles, and saw this wonderful remote control ambulance.  He could not figure out how it moved!

We also got to see the Bay Flight ambulance/helicopter.  It is teeny tiny my friends.  You can barely move in it.  Little B was about as tall as the compartment they treat the patients in.   

Right after we looked inside it they had a call to go rescue someone.  It was exciting to see it take off and get to work.  

There were wonderful volunteers that helped the little ones do all kinds of things including spray water with the fire hose.  

One of the firefighters that works in the woods and on the lakes and rivers brought his boat and a friend to pet.  I am not sure this little alligator was all too pleased with the attention.  The young man holding her kept saying never pet an alligator in the wild.  No worries there, even though they live behind my house in a little creek area.   I stay away from all alligators!  

After this excursion we went to my dear friends open house at her business.  It was technically her grand opening although her store has been up and running for several months.  We talked to a good friend of hers who works with elevators.  He was amazed at Little B's elevator knowledge.  He showed Little Buddy all sorts of photos of hydraulics engines, cables and such.  Little Buddy was in heaven.  Little B even identified an elevator by the control panel even though there was no name anywhere in the photo.  Let me just say Mr Mike was completely amazed.  He offered Little Buddy a job as a sales rep.  Now my very busy little elevator man is taking a rest so I can write this post.

I have another finish my friends.  My second Slouchy Crochet Cardigan is officially done.  I finished it this morning and I am so excited with it.  I started this back in December and then had to stop working on it to make all those baby blankets.  It would have been done earlier this week except I had to completely redo the second sleeve.  You see I knew I was off count yet continued to keep crocheting, not listening to the voice in my head that told me to stop.  I mean who listens to that voice when they can keep crocheting in denial somehow hoping it would all work out.  I ended up with three extra stitches per row, times 40 rows which makes about 120 extra stitches.  Believe me when I say a sleeve can not handle 120 extra stitches.  I ripped it all out and started again.  And wouldn't you know when you count correctly the sleeves actually match!

Made with Jeans by Lion Brand Yarn in the color Vintage.  It was the only color that my local Joann's had seven skeins of.  You know me I am a gray fanatic so now I have a lighter gray and a darker gray in this same sweater pattern.  

I used almost all the yarn in my seven skeins, minus what you see below.  The little ball is the difference 120 stitches makes in a sleeve.  It was what was left over when I made the sleeve correctly.  I used a size J hook to make this sweater and that is that!  I love it, it fits, it is big and snugly as it is 100% acrylic, not something I usually use but it worked for this.  And now that it is 86 degrees out today I will put it away for cooler weather sometime in the very late Fall.

I wanted you to see the boys all freshly bathed with their haircuts.  This photo was taken after I got them home last Saturday.  They are looking much more curly and out of control now.  They smelled so wonderful and were clean for about one night, by the next day they were back to normal.  Ah well, I enjoyed their soft, fluffy bodies for a short time anyway.

Hope you all had a wonderful week.  Stay well my friends.

My thoughts today............

This is what I came home from work to on Wednesday evening.  Poor Little Buddy was not feeling well at school and got picked up early by his babysitter.  I was about an hour away so I could not get to him fast enough.  He started off the day with a slightly runny nose and ended up like this, simply pathetic.  Here is where I am going to get pathetic myself.  When my older two were little I didn't work, or I saw private patients when they fit into my schedule.  I was always there for them when they were ill, for field trips, volunteering at school and such.  I am not with this little one and I have some mother's guilt about it.  He is well cared for by people who love him when I am away, still I feel bad that I actually have to work and that it is a priority.  I do not get sick days or holidays as I am a contract employee.  So any time off I do not get paid for.  He still gets loads of attention and love from me but it isn't the same as it was with my older two.  I usually am okay with it but when he is sick I just feel awful I can't be with him all the time.  His sickness is still going on although he is loads better.  Just coughing a lot.  We have spent all day Friday and today together so that helps.

We got all of his homework done yesterday afternoon and this morning.  He is all caught up with his assignments from missing two and a half days of school.  I also had his IEP at school yesterday.  All of you teachers out there know how emotional they can be.  I am blessed he is in a superb school with so many dedicated people working to help him to be the best he can be.  Still it is hard to hear how much he still needs to do to get caught up to his peers.  He does not test well on standardized testing and that is always frustrating for me as he is much smarter than those tests indicate.  His brain works very differently than a typical child.  He is a work in progress my boy.  I have to remind myself that he was born dead, actually dead and 13 weeks early.  He had two grade IV bleeds in that wee little brain of his causing so much damage, along with massive seizures, well when I think about it like that he is doing just fine.  You know I think he is a miracle, I am just a bit emotional about the whole week and I have a bad headache so that always makes me a bit more sensitive about everything.

  

Bear and Hank were very concerned about their brother when he was not feeling well.  While he was sleeping on the sofa they kept coming to check on him.  They do love this little boy.  They are off to the groomer this afternoon.  I am not even sure they can see anymore with their faces so full of fur.  I wanted to show you a before photo because by 7 pm tonight they are going to look completely different.

Now that I am finished with all those baby blankets I have returned to my Slouchy Stripe Cardigan, without the stripe of course.  I stopped working on this to get those three blankets done.  I have one arm and the collar to go and this project will also be finished.  Hooray!

I saw another flower on my beautiful hibiscus plant this morning.  This plant might flower twice a year with only one or two blooms, so I have to take as many photos as I can to savor their beauty. 

Okay, I am off my friends.  I am wishing you good health, peace and love.  Have a good weekend.

A late March finish and the freckles are back.....................

It was my goal to get this baby blanket done a long time ago.  But when things were not working my way, I thought at least I could get it done by the end of March.  Well my friends I squeaked it in.  I spent hours working on it yesterday at appointments for my oldest.  I waited out in the waiting room and crocheted away with my audio book on.  Then today as soon as I was done running errands and Little B was out with his Dad I sat my behind down and got to work again listening to my book.  And yes, it is warm enough for shorts here.  

Bear wanted to help. 

Hank did, too!

Actually they helped a little too much!

Then I convinced this little one to go into the pool so I could sit near him and finish the last two rows.  It worked.  And I got to see his beautiful face popping in and out of the water and hear all his silly talking.  Look my friends, his freckles are back!  Between those freckles and eye lashes he has it made.  I swear I could eat him up!  I actually try but then he informs me he is not food!

So here it is finished but not blocked.  Hooray I am done!  Again I used Berroco Modern cotton to make this blanket.  Three skeins of #1623 Tilverton and two of #1629 Brickley.  Approximately 1,000 yards of yarn was used and a size I hook.   Again it is your basic 14 stitch ripple found anywhere you look on the internet.  I started baby blanket #1 on January 11, so lets just say I am thrilled to be able to concentrate on something else.  But they are easy and don't require a lot of brain power to make so that has been a bonus these past busy months.

Here they are all together before I start to pack them up and ship them out.  I am so happy to be done.

And just for fun these beauties are blooming in my front yard.  They are probably in most front yards in Florida because they are very durable little flowers.  Thanks for coming to visit wee little Irises.

Hope you all have a wonderful week.