Snowflakes

Some of what I've been doing recently. I'll add some descriptions and explanations later. Right now I'm feeling chilly.. lol.. wonder why?

I'd say 99% of these were made from free patterns found somewhere on the web. The other 1% were either made up by me or from a Harmony guide or some other resource. If the pattern is one I can link to (and IF I can remember where I found it.. I'll post it.) One more bit of info, except for one flake and one ornament, all of the below were made with DMC Baroque thread size 10. Not as high a grade as cebelia or opera, but I quite liked it for the snowflakes.

Now on to the snowflake pictures and descriptions.

These first two aren't exactly "authentic" snowflakes as they have 8 points instead of 6 or 12. I was going to frog and redo them, but as I got to looking at them I decided I was being too rigid and these were too pretty.

Whoever I chose to gift with these will surely enjoy them?

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/christmas/ornaments/make-a-crocheted-snowflake-ornament/



The above I think was the beginning of a doily. I just stopped when the loops got to be 12 in number and then put a picot in every other loop.



Below:
Experimenting with glitter. I don't think I'll try that again. Don't care for the effect.

#8 at http://www.sarahanns.com/crochetworks/snowflakes.html

#8 got the glitterati treatment because I missed a stitch when making it and didn't realize until I was weaving the ends in. So I thought a little glitter might help it's hurt feelings and perhaps hide the defect. Couldn't hurt now, could it?








The above simple beauty is #3 at http://www.sarahanns.com/crochetworks/snowflakes.html



Now that this one is photographed, I see one of the "arms' got a bit twisted. Back to the pinning board with you!!





http://www.bhg.com/holidays/christmas/cards/crochet-a-snowflake-gift-topper/


I call the next 4 (below) the Aussie "Gang of Four" Flakes.

The patterns are written in UK or British terms, so where it says DC, the stitch needed is really a SC and so forth. I made the first one not realizing the difference in terminology and had to completely frog it and start over. It was sad and very misshapen.

Also, they are quite large made with size 10 thread. Would've been better to use size 20 or 30, but I haven't gotten brave enough to try that yet. I still think they're pretty, just kinda on the gigantical side. :)

The pillow they're sitting on is probably about 12" square..so you can see how big they turned out. The pattern is here: http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=27469




Aussie#1
I really like this flake. I need to get some size 20 thread (maybe I have some in my stash? hope, hope) and try this one again.



Aussie #2
My second favorite of the gang.



Aussie #3

(taking the gazillion pins out of it made it get a little floppy. It looks more like a fern or a starfish than a snowflake. I also revised the pattern just a bit to make it easier. I joined each picot to it's corresponding opposite as I worked back down the "arm" of the flake instead of leaving them loose. I don't think it changed the look all that much and made it MUCH easier to deal with.)

I plan to restarch this one.. maybe pin it out first and then spray or paint the starch over it?



Aussie #4




The next one is made from Aunt Lydia's Bamboo thread. Lovely stuff, very soft to handle. Doesn't split UNLESS you have to frog it back more than about twice.. then it can be a problem.

That tendency to split under stress makes me wonder if it would be a good idea to avoid using this thread where it would get a huge amount of use. Something to ponder.



The above is also a pattern I'm working on. I don't think I've seen it elsewhere, but I'm sure I haven't seen every snowflake pattern ever written. When I get it tweaked to my satisfaction, I'll post it.

Some of the above flakes laid out on my dining table after Thanksgiving.



Pinned out on styrofoam board covered with plastic. Using mainly quilting pins. I'm using some old stiffy I found in my craft cabinet. It was left over from making string easter baskets back when my kids were in elementary school. Those kids are now in college and the stiffy is still good. Amazing. One of the bottles that had been partially used and the stiffy had seperated, but it recombined with a little stirring and is working great.



From a booklet titled Victorian Christmas Ornaments. It's supposed to have a ball and tassel hanging from the bottom. Those are made, but I haven't attached them yet.

Crocheted in an unknown ecru thread.

That's all for now. As I said before, I'll give links as I find them again.

I have a few more made with the Bamboo to get photographed and blogged.

Part 2... I'm just gonna tack onto this post cause I've already given the link out and don't want to overwhelm or confuse by giving out another link to another post about another group of snowflakes. whew.

All of these next are made with Aunt Lydia's Bamboo. I've decided to abbreviate it ALB. :)





I really like this one. It's inspired by an 8 sided motif I saw the other day . I will write this one up when I get it perfected. I think I'm going to call it Trinity snowflake for the 3 picot clusters.







I thought this was adapted from a Harmony Guide motif. WRONG. It's adapted from this pattern at Drops. (Hint: It uses british or UK crochet terms. Adjust for American) http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=99&d_id=30&lang=en

First time I've ever worked with a drops pattern. It is worded a little differently and maybe a step left out once or twice, but for free, I can't complain. I added the picots as usual.

Now that I've done one Drops pattern, I shall be on the look out for more that have potential for flakiness ::grin::



This one looks very familiar. I shall have to go hunt it down.



One of these two is the center from the snowflake afghan at www.artoftangle.com. I'm almost positive it's the one on the right. I added the picots to the pattern. I'm kinda disappointed that it turned out so small, but wouldn't be hard to do extra rounds.



Ice Crystal pattern from Harmony Guide with extended picots added.




From Coats and Clark website, but adjusted to have only 6 arms instead of 8.
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/Seasonal/WC1795+Crochet+Lacy+Snowflakes.htm


And last but not least.. a comparison shot.




These are basically the same flake, I just added some arms to the one on the left.

What's different about them is the one on the left is made with Bamboo and the one on the right with Baroque. I don't know if ya'll can tell in the photo, but the Bamboo isn't as "bright" a white as the Baroque. In most cases, it wouldn't be a problem, but something to keep in mind if things are going to be right next to each other.

Ok.. I MUST get off the computer so I can have some semblance of a normal life. Talk to ya'll laterz.

Celtwich Vintage Crochet Patterns

Another crochet website is gone.

Celtwich's Vintage Crochet has decided to remove themselves from the internet due to theft of their patterns (people were stealing them by selling on ebay what she offered for free).

I can certainly understand her frustration, but it's sad that it has to happen.

However most of the patterns and many of the pictures are still available here.

There are other things I'd like to say, but due to censorship and the possibility of being banned, I will keep those thoughts to myself.

Hope everyone has had a great holiday. I've been busy crocheting up a storm but can't post pictures until gifts are in the mail.

Washing machine is calling me.

A funny found on the interweb

Fellow Business Executives:

As the CFO of this business that employees 140 people, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barrack Obama will be our next President, and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way.

To compensate for these increases, I figure that the clients will have to see an increase in our fees to them of about 8% but since we cannot increase our fees right now due to the dismal state of our economy, we will have to lay off six of our employees instead. This has really been eating at me for a while, as we believe we are family here and I didn't know how to choose who will have to go.

So, this is what I did. I strolled through our parking lot and found 8 Obama bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will be the first to be laid off. I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem. These folks wanted change; I gave it to them.

If you have a better idea, let me know.

Sincerely,


John Smith
CFO

The Who's "Won't Be Fooled Again" should be played at the inauguration.

Some fun

Turkey Taco Soup

This is really good.. better than it sounds.

Turkey Taco Soup

1 package Ground Turkey (the ones I can get come in 20oz packages)
1 onion, chopped (more or less to taste)
3 10oz cans Diced tomatoes w/ green chilies
2 15oz cans Pinto Beans, Drained
1 15oz can black beans, drained
1 16oz package frozen whole kernel corn
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 beef bouillon cube (optional)
1 cup beef broth or water (optional)
Non stick spray

Spray large frying pan (I used a wok style pan) with non stick spray. Add Turkey and Onion and bouillon cube and cook until Turkey is fully cooked and onions are clear or nearly so.. about 5 minutes.

Drain meat if necessary. Return to a large soup pot. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Simmer at least 20 minutes.. longer if you can stand it. The longer it cooks, the better it is.

This comes out very thick.. more stewish than soupish.

The original recipe called for ground beef and cream style corn and was rated at 281 calories/ 1.5 cups of soup. Ground turkey and whole kernel corn make it a little less calorie dense, but not a whole lot.

I like to add a little fat free sour cream.

In Mourning

Welcome to the Socialist States of America.

Who is John Galt?

Do It

VOTE!!

There's still an hour left to vote here in Texas..

Exercise your right..

VOTE.

Unfried Catfish (low carb, low salt)

This borrows heavily from the recipe you can find online as "Oprah's Unfried Catfish", but I changed it up according to my families needs.

(T = tablespoon)

4 catfish filets OR a package of catfish nuggets (usually LOTS cheaper and just as good)
Non-stick cooking spray. (lite variety is best)
2 T Garlic powder
2 T Blackened seasoning (read label and make sure it's no salt or low salt)
2 T Lemon Pepper (again, read label..some have salt, some don't)
1 T Italian Seasoning (original recipe calls for basil and thyme..we were out of basil at home, so used Italian seasoning and it worked fine.)
Paprika (? amt.. use to sprinkle over fish b4 baking) (ran out of paprika, substituted chili powder seasoning.. worked good too)
1/2 cup meal of some kind. We use Almond Meal or Flaxseed as DH is lowcarbing. Cornmeal is good if carbs aren't a concern at your house.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray baking sheet (I use a cookie sheet) 3x with Pam or other non-stick spray.

Combine all in a plastic 1 gal bag except fish and paprika. Shake a couple/three times to combine. Add fish and shake well to coat.

Lay fish out on sheet. Spray fish with Pam. Sprinkle with Paprika.

Place on BOTTOM rack of oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 and bake for 5 more minutes.

Remove, cool and enjoy!!

I'll add calorie estimations later. Right now I've got to go take mine out of the oven.

Back. Boy those are good.

Ok here's the skinny on the calories.

Oprah's Un-fried catfish is 171 calories/4oz serving.

I am estimating this at 200 calories/4oz serving as Almond meal has a little more calories than cornmeal..If you use flaxseed meal, the calories are so close to cornmeal it really shouldn't make too much difference.

AND considering that a 4oz filet of regular fried catfish is about 488 calories!!! This is a wonderful substitution.

I've tried this with boneless skinless chicken breasts.. good that way too. Next experiement, suggested by Opprobious, is pounded steak.

I have to add some salt to mine when I sit down to eat it (Lite salt only please), but other than that.. it's excellent!! Hope ya'll enjoy.

Worried Mom

Color me worried.

I have a 21y/o dd far away at college.

She has not answered her cell phone all weekend. She has not answered today. I've left messages, no response. I've written emails... no response. I've even sent her a text a little while ago (something I never do.. because it's an extra charge on our cell phone plans) and no response. This is after going through this same thing about 2 weeks earlier.

If I don't hear from by tomorrow, I'll be calling the police where she is and seeing if they'll go find her.

There is no phone in her apartment, and I don't know the cell #'s of any of her roommates. I've asked for her friends cells.. she always has an excuse not to give them to me.

Daughter Dear.. PLEASE contact me. You have no idea how scary this is. You are going to kill me with worry.


EDITED TO ADD: Finally reached her at 4AM. Same old story, didn't have her phone turned on. I'm so frustrated I'm about ready to stop financing her education if this doesn't improve.

Doctor Visit

I went and saw my bariatric surgeon today.

I had last saw him in June 2007, and was just beginning the process to get a lapband when the bottom dropped out of my world (found out I had cancer).

I called his office last month and today was the soonest they could get me in. Said since it had been so long, they advise that I start the whole process over again.

Good news.. my blood pressure was dead on normal. 120/80. Monday at the dentist it had been something like 150/83.. but situational hypertension I don't think is a problem.

Bad news.. I've gained about 10 lbs since June 2007. Yikes. I didn't really have any room to gain, but I did.

So, along with getting ready for surgery, I'm going to try to lose some weight preoperatively. I took the Dog for a short walk (I'm out of shape gonna have to work back up to long walks) and had the whole neighborhood of dogs all excited.

Our neighbor has a puppy that is as big as a pony and he had to come visit. Glad I took my walking stick in case someone decided to be aggressive.

I have to be evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist b4 this surgery. I'll start on that tomorrow.. and go check out curves and see how much a membership there will cost.

OH boy. Tons of fun.

History Lesson

My friend over at Opprobious recently made a post about "The Race Card". And after having some discussion in his comments section, it got me to thinking about various things historical.

That's one nice thing about growing older, is that you start to actually HAVE some history. And you can start to bore the younger folks with telling them how things "useta be". Oh, how I wish I still had my parents and grandparents around to listen to their stories once again. Since they're no longer living, the best I can do is to type out my own memories.

When I was coming up in the wilds of southern Georgia (aka as North Florida), we had a maid that came to work for us a few days a week. I think this was during the time that my grandmother moved in with us and Momma went to work to get out of the house because her MIL was driving her nuts. (good lord I can sympathize.. I never had my MIL move in, but I would've gone stark raving mad if she had.)

Anyhoo, the maid whose name was Cora, lived too far away to walk to our house and there was no public transportation where we lived and she didn't have access to a car. So Momma or Daddy would have to go pick her up. I'm not sure if I remember Mom picking her up, I think I do, but not 100% sure of that memory. I think she must've at one time or another. What does stand out in my memory was the times that Daddy would pick her up. And Daddy would never take the car to go get her. He'd always drive the Willys pickup truck. (Looked a LOT like this truck, only ours was Green. This truck was why my nephew called my dad Greendaddy instead of Granddaddy.. lol).

I loved that truck. Daddy used to let me steer (at about age 7 or 8) when driving down the old dirt roads (remember this was very rural areas with NO traffic, and he was controlling the gas and brake) and later when I was 14 or 15, it was what I had my first real driving lesson on.. again out in the country with no traffic. Worst I could run into was a pine tree. Wish it was still in the family, but when it got to the point where parts were no longer easily available, my sister and bil let it go (sold it?) to a man who could machine the parts. It was time, but I wish I had been in a position to keep it. Oh well. Back to my story.

The reason Daddy drove the truck to pick up Cora was that if he drove the car, she'd feel obligated to sit in the back seat. For various reasons he wasn't comfortable with her sitting in the back, yet in the customs of the times, it wasn't a good thing to be seen with her riding in the front seat either. So he solved the problem by taking the truck where there was only one seat. Pretty smart huh? And often he'd take us kids with him too, whether to just give us a treat or he enjoyed our company or to get us out of Mom's/Nanny's hair for a while, or as another buffer in the race/seating game.. I have no idea.

I remember Cora had a husband by the name of Rooster. He was sometimes not at home.. he'd be off in some northern city. Chicago maybe? I don't know much about that, but his name stuck in my mind. Kinda unusual.

I wonder whatever happened to Cora. She was a nice person, but I was a child and caught up in myself and never thought to follow up on her.

Now, my Dad didn't have to act that way, and considering he was raised with having a "nursemaid", I think it's remarkable that he was that conscious of others feelings.

The other story I have to tell isn't family history, but a reflection on how things have changed and in so short a time.

When I was growing up, it was common in polite society to call black folks "colored". It was only the uncultured and uncouth who used the N word. I'm not condoning the use of either word.. it's just the way it was. (and it's always bemused me the use of the word "colored" anyway.. if blacks are colored.. what are whites.. colorless??? transparent?? invisible??)

A few years ago, I was talking to one of our local orthopedic surgeons and he was telling me about having this older black lady in his office to get a cast for a broken bone (let's call it her arm for simplicities sake.. I have really no idea what bone was needing treatment). And he was talking to her about her choices.

She could have plain plaster cast or she could have a fiberglass cast. If she chose fiberglass, he went on to tell her, she could have a colored cast (fiberglass is available in many colors, red, blue, purple, etc.). She straightened up, indignant, and asked him, "What do you MEAN, I can have a COLORED cast?" She was mad thinking he was being discriminatory and offering her something just for her race. It took a moment for both of them to realize the miscommunication.. and they both laughed when it was straightened out.

I know that the doctor was careful to phrase things differently from then on.

Just goes to show how history invades every facet of our lives. As I told my dd the other day, she'll enjoy studying history a little more when she gains some of her own. As she's only 21, she has a ways to go.

Hope this walk down memory lane was enjoyable and perhaps thought provoking. It was not meant to offend anyone. Please feel free to comment if you like.

Retro Reading

I rarely talk politics on this blog. I don't like arguments and people do tend to get heated about their beliefs.

But with the two major choices we have for President, this year I will have to vote some other way. Maybe Bob Barr. It sure won't be the green party candidate.. Cynthia McKinney (who in their right mind would run her as a candidate, let alone vote for that nut???) In case ya'll don't remember, she's the representative from Georgia who tried to bypass Security and then cried discrimination when the guard stopped her.

But I digress from my original point. Which is I keep seeing our country slide into socialism and it scares me.

Maybe the old AVC courses should be revived in our high schools, or even better, make some of Ayn Rand's works required reading in English class. And have the students discuss the works. It would serve us better than having to read Beowulf.

I remember having to read Anthem. And enjoying it so much that I went on to read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead all on my own (I confess that I skipped over her multipage diatribes.. but the rest? pure nectar).

Save a Life

Save a life.. maybe even your own.

Ladies (and gentlemen, while this isn't specifically addressed to you.. you can pass this along to the women in your life.. wives, moms, daughters, girlfriends.. any female that you care about their health and well being).. please be sure and get your annual pap smear done.

If your monthly bleeding has become unusual.. more frequent or less.. see your doctor. If you're post-menopausal and start bleeding again.. see your doctor.

The doctor may tell you everything is fine .. or you may catch the beginning of a more serious process.

I have a friend who had a sister.. said sister had avoided going to the gyn for a number of years. Guess what? That sister died in 2006.. ON MY BIRTHDAY.. of a gyn cancer. A year later.. I had my diagnosis. I was so scared.

And I have a word for the gyn's and other doctors who do endometrial biopsies out there. I was seeing a doctor who would not give ANY pre procedural pain medication. After having two painful biopsies.. I quit going to the doctor for a couple/three years. This is when my cancer started to develop. IF the doctor had even given 800 mg of Motrin (Ibuprofin) before the biopsy.. the likelihood that my problem would've been allowed to develop into cancer is much much smaller.

Please physicians.. we ladies aren't asking for major pain meds.. just enough to make the biopsy tolerable. I'm still a bit angry over the mistreatment..but in a way it was also a blessing. If I had continued to see that doctor and cancer raised its head anyway... I wonder how callous she would've been treating the cancer??

Save a life.. get your pap smears done.

I try to have mine around the time of my birthday.. easy to remember. Pin it to a date that is significant for you. Anniversary, Graduation, Fourth of July, Halloween (you can go in disguise..lol).. just GET IT DONE.

:::stepping down off my soapbox::::

Some facts about Gyn Cancers

From Medical News Today


According to the American Cancer Society, each year approximately 82,550 women in the United States are diagnosed with cancers affecting the reproductive organs.

Here are facts on gynecologic cancers from the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation:

-- Every seven minutes a woman is diagnosed with gynecologic cancer.

-- Gynecologic cancers are caused by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells originating in the female reproductive organs, including the cervix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina and vulva.

-- Risk factors include smoking, aging, environmental influences, family history, failure to receive regular pap tests, not bearing children, infertility, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and estrogen use.

-- Gynecologic cancers warning signs and symptoms include unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge; a sore that does not heal; pain or pressure in the pelvic area; a persistent change in bowel or bladder habits; frequent indigestion or abdominal bloating; and a thickening or lump that either causes pain or can be seen or felt.

-- Gynecologic cancers can be treated by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and experimental treatments.

Ovarian cancer ranks fifth as a cause of cancer deaths among women and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

Uterine cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. It is estimated that more than 40,000 new cases will be diagnosed in 2004.

An estimate of more than 10,000 cases of invasive cervical cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2004. During 1992-1996, cervical cancer death rates declined by approximately 2.1 percent in the United States.

Vulvar cancer is a very curable disease. Treatment includes surgically removing vulvar lesions and the groin lymph nodes.

Vaginal cancer is very rare. It is usually diagnosed in elderly women with abnormal bleeding and treated with radiation.

Fallopian tubes cancer is rare.

Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month

September is national gynecological cancer awareness month. Think Peach and Teal (colors representing uterine and ovarian cancer).

I'm really unhappy with the program that was on all 3 networks this past Friday.. StandUp2Cancer. There was NO MENTION of any gyn cancer that I saw. They even had some actor simulate (or maybe it was real) a prostate exam.. not very tasteful in my opinion.. but if they were going to go that far.. why not talk about pap smears and how they can SAVE LIVES!!!

You can email StandUp2Cancer at:

http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/contact.php

or write to them at:

Stand Up To Cancer
1801 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90006

Be sure and praise them for taking a first step in getting the ball rolling.. but admonish them for leaving a whole section of the cancer spectrum out.

I just don't understand why the difference. Are we still afraid to say the words Vagina, Vulva, Uterus, Cervix, Tubes, Ovaries in mixed company? How are they so different that Prostate or Testicular? Except the later belong to men, and the former to women.. and have been sexualized.

In 2004 (the most recent year for which data are available), approximately 73,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with a cancer affecting the reproductive organs, and approximately 27,000 women died from some form of gynecologic cancer

We talk about Breast and Prostate and Colon cancer without blushing now.. why not talk about Gyn cancers too??

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/knowledge/

Some Squares to be given away.

These first 4 are going to someone who is assembling a comfortghan for a friend with ovarian cancer. The yarn is some millends I bought from eBay for the March 08 cancer square drive that I had left over. I don't know exactly what it is, but it feels and works up like Red Heart Soft.







The remaining squares are going to a group raising funds for Frederich's Ataxia.















The above 7 squares are half of my goal for the Greek Games at C'ville. I think I'm going to double my goal... things are moving smoother than I anticipated.

Gone Fishin with my hook

Made with Lily Elite Cotton (Red, White) and Speed Cro-Sheen (black). The Speed Cro-sheen is a lot different in size than the Lily Elite, but since it's mainly used for showing the separation of the colors, it didn't seem to matter much.

clickable

Will be giving it to one of my dhs secretaries who is retiring tonight. Made pic in a huge hurry.. I was on my way out the door to attend her retirement dinner.

It's a good size.. enough for a small wallet, lipstick, cellphone and not much else. I've already started another one (this one was supposed to be a xmas gift.. I think I have time to make another before then) and will get measurements on the next one.

The pattern is one that OldBagLady had posted on the 'ville a long time ago. It's no longer there, don't know why it disappeared. Hers were originally made with worsted weight acrylic yarn and were quite a bit larger.

Use it up

Being raised by Depression era parents, one of their mottos was "make it do, use it up, wear it out".

I'm using it up.

This is from yarn from my stash... Paton's Canadiana in School Bus Yellow, Deep Orange and Orange Salsa (discontinued variegated). Even more economical, all were bought on sale when Hobby Lobby was getting rid of their Canadiana. Too bad they no longer carry it.. I've gotten to love it.. it's a great yarn.




clickable

Stitches used:

Closed Shell (5dc), Wave, Star Stitch (also called Marguerite Stitch), Closed shell (6dc), Somerset Stitch, a stitch that I don't know the name of..kind of a spike stitch.., trinity stitch, forked halfdouble, Closed shell (5dc), Wave stitch, reverse wave, Catherines Wheel, a row to end the catherines wheel .. making an even row, star Stitch, two rows of sc, Odd forked Halfdoubles, a row of sc, then reverse sc around the edge and inside the handles.

Most of these can be found at various places on the web if you're not familiar with them. Others I got out of my Harmony Guides (300 crochet stitches and 220 more crochet stitches) books.

I'm still not quite satisfied with the handles on this one, but decided I'd go ahead and leave this and improvise something different for the next tote. Yes, there's another version of this brewing in my head.

What do ya'll think? Other than the bright colors.. hehehee.. can't miss this thing could ya?

I used about 1 skein of the yellow and orange and 1/2 skein of the variegated. I still have more yellow and orange and some green I bought on ebay.. a little more expensive than what I paid at HL.. but not much. Considering gas prices.. it was probably a huge bargain for me since HL is 40 miles away.

Yet another felted Waves of Color tote

Can you stand another one? I think I'm getting a little better at this. I'm beginning to learn how to adjust the stitches to get what results I want.... This one unintentionally turned out in a wedge shape.. which I kinda like!

All pics clickable of course.



stitch definition prefelting




Showing size of bag prefelting. (it probably shrank at least by 1/3..I need to get a pic with a sheet of paper to show the after size)



Post felting but pre shaving




After a Shave





The pattern is from one that was previously posted gratis on Crochetville.. however it's no longer available. At first just the pattern was taken down, but now, the whole thread where we discussed making of the bag is unavailable.

I'm hoping that this means that the designer is moving towards publishing. She's a very talented person and I hope that's what the disappearance of (all of her) patterns means.. and not something bad.

And I owe huge thanks to a couple of generous crocheters who sent me Paton's Leaf Green wool when I ran out at almost the end of the bag. THANK YOU LADIES!

Volvo in Crochet

No, that's not a typo. It's an inside joke. A friend is also considering making these and was overheard by another person.. and the overhearer wanted to know how my friend was going to crochet a Volvo. :D

As new readers of this blog may not know, I had cancer and surgery to cure it (hopefully) last year. Since then, I have become an advocate for women learning more about their bodies and how they function ie, what is normal and what isn't.

Through a board dedicated to women and cancer, I have met a woman in Australia who has been working for over 10 years on getting an International Gynecological Awareness Day started.

What does this have to do with crochet I can hear you thinking. Well, I recently ran across a pattern for crocheted Vulvas...and have made a bunch to send my friend in Australia as a teaching tool.

I have finally finished a whole skein of redheart baby pink making them and have pictures!! (click to see them larger)










The vulva pattern is here. She's a great designer and is offered to help with the pattern if I didn't understand any of it. She's such a great pattern writer that I got it right off. There is a small charge for the pattern, but it's very reasonable and she includes a great anatomy lesson with it.

The Uterus or Womb is here. It's also a very easy pattern. The only thing is that I wish there were ovaries included, but it shouldn't be hard to design some if someone wanted to do so. I think it would just be a couple of ovals (like tiny footballs).

There's another vulva pattern available on the web, for no charge, but it seems more difficult to create. The owner also used a slang term for it that I completely disagree with for educational purposes. We need to own the correct name and be proud of it. I will link to the pattern though, for those who cannot afford the small price of the first one.

I hope this will lead to others learning more about their bodies. I understand it can be a bit uncomfortable for some people and I respect that, but it is so important to know what we should look like so if (heaven forbid) an abnormality should arise, we can recognize it in time for early treatment and cure.

Thanks for visiting. I promise my next post will be more "normal".

This just makes me sick.

Anniversary

Today a year ago I got my diagnosis of Hyperplasia with atypia.

I remember sitting in the exam room with two ob/gyns and my husband and all 3 of them were planning my surgery for 3 days later.. and I was going noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. I felt like I was being hit from 3 sides. This is too quick.. you're not even sure I have cancer.... I have a house torn apart by a painter....I have a ds and dd getting ready for college.....

I did eventually have surgery, but on my schedule and with a gyn/oncologist.

Just a little sad today remembering the horrid summer it was last year and hoping hoping hoping that the cycle will begin to turn. I will have my first post-op pap smear in August or September.. we'll know more then.

Things I don't usually talk about that made the last year so hard.. A friends sister died on my birthday in 2006, from a gyn cancer. And I was 49 at the time of my diagnosis.. the same age as my father when he died.

Alternators, Eyes, Groomers.. what a week.

Last week was a busy one.

After Monday's excitement, I put Sasha on house arrest.. except for Wednesday she had an appt at the groomers.

See what they did with her? I'm very happy with the results:


BEFORE




AFTER








Only thing was.. I had us all ready to go, her in the car and it wouldn't start AGAIN. I was afraid to leave her in the car while I jumped it off.. with all the door opening and closing, she might just jump out and I not be able to catch her.

So.. put her in the little dog yard (small fenced off area that we made for her to go potty when we can't walk her) and worked on getting the van jumped off. At least this time I had a little easier time finding the hood latch.

Got it jumped off and her to the groomers.. and then when I was ready to go home.. van wouldnt' start again. Oh dear... after a 20 minute drive, the battery should've charged itself if it was going to.. so took it to the auto shop. Yep, my alternator was going bad. Not one in stock...so they ordered one.

Told me it would be in at Noon. So, we talked and decided that I would take my van home and put it on the charger overnight and bring it back in the morning. And ds could pick up Sasha from the groomers. I would've left the van if the alternator had been in worse shape.. but they said it was on the verge of being bad. If I had left it, I would've had to call my dh to get a ride home and while he would've done it.. it really throws a kink into his schedule, so I try to avoid bothering him when possible.

That was Wed. June 11. On Thursday, I get all ready to go.. even down to my shoes (I'm a barefoot gal) and think.. hmmmm.. maybe I better call and make 100% sure the new alternator is in. I call, nope, it's not there. Call back around 10. Well phooey.

It eventually arrives around 11:30. I decided I didn't want to drive in at noon with a shaky alternator.. if it should die, I'd rather be stranded when it's relatively cool in the morning.. rather than 90+ at noon.

I finally get it taken care of on Friday. The brakes have been squeaking a bit, so I ask them to take a look at them. They are beginning to get worn.. should be OK for our local traffic, but they said to get them replaced before a long trip. Since August is my trip to Houston, I guess I'll be getting new brakes in July.

I also stopped by the Opthamologists office to try and get my glasses repaired (the ear piece came off Monday.. it pops back on, but it's not secure) and the person who works on my style of frames had that Friday off. I now have an appointment to get my eyes checked later this month.

I also need to get my annual mammogram done.. fun fun. I hope this week is much calmer.

Manic Monday Morning

Well, I have had an exciting start to the week. We've just started letting Sasha outside without her leash because it has been 3 weeks since she started showing signs of being in heat and everything I read said that 3 weeks is about how long it lasts.

Well, this morning, she took off.... last I saw her was runnning across the front yard headed for the wooden fence that seperates our yard from the field.

I went out with treats, walked all around the house and down to the road (we have a long driveway.. about a football field or so long) and back looking for her and calling and calling.. no response. Oh dear. Ok.. time to get in the car and go find her.

Get the keys.. I have a dead battery. With gas prices, I don't drive much anymore and my battery goes dead because of this. About this time, I realize it's Monday and today is the day the trashman comes (country service.. comes once a week in a big pickup truck). Now I'm panicking.. because this trashman has ran over one of our puppies years ago. I know Sasha is somewhat afraid of cars, but she still might be stupid. Trashman is due around 8am and it's already 7:30 when this is happening.

Can't get the hood open. Dang it. Can't find the inside latch to the hood. Call hubby and ask him where IS it. And tell him about the Dog. He says just do the best you can. I go back and finally get the hood open, put the charger on and jump the van off. Whew... go and close the front door that I had left open hoping Sasha would come back on her own.. grab some doggy treats and go looking for her.

As I'm driving slowly down our road calling her name out the window.. I hear a woman call out.. "Are you looking for a dog?" I say "I sure am.. I'll be right there" and get turned around and drive down to her house. Sasha had gone visiting. The lady had called the Pet Finder number on her tag, but they wouldnt tell her where I lived. All they could do was call me. I didn't get the call because I was in the garage trying to jump off my van!! LOL

Evidentally Sasha has not finished her heat.. the ladies pit bull was trying to mount her! Oh My. I think we'll be making an appointment to get her spayed very soon.

I've had my excitement for the day... All of this happend BEFORE 8am. And I was driving down the road in a thin caftan type robe sans underwear of any kind. Good Grief! what our loved ones put us through. And here I was thinking I want another dog.. I should have my head examined.

AlphaPillows

A long time ago (has it only been 3 years?) I made these for my dd to take with her to college.






You can find the patterns (not the whole alphabet unfortunately..) here.

Felting completed

Finally got the bag in the washer, but I think I left it too long. Oh well.. so it goes.









As you can see, it turned out slightly longer than a sheet of paper, and about the same width.

It is very fuzzy, I am considering giving it a shave with a disposable razor. The one I got free in the mail should do the trick!

The prefelting pictures are in the post below the Crockpot Chili post.

Crockpot Pizza

I saw this described in an email the other day, the cook said they just layered pizza ingredients and pasta and let it cook for several hours. I was intrigued, so gave it a try and it was delicious.

Here's my version:

2 cups of ground beef browned and drained.
1 onion, chopped and cooked with the ground beef.
2/3 box of Penne Pasta cooked and drained. (we use dreamfield's pasta .. low carb pasta)
80z (or more.. more would be better.. 8oz wasn't quite enough for our taste) of grated Mozzarella cheese.
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
Pepperoni (to taste)
2 jars Pizza sauce ( we used the Kroger store brand and they came in smallish jars, about 8 or 10 oz.. adjust to what is available in your area).

Layer in the order given

OR.. if you to be fancier, you could divide the ingredients in two or three and make lots of layers.. but I went the easy route.

Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

I didn't get started till late, so I put it on high for an hour then put it on low for 2 hours and then back on high just before we ate.

Serve with a green salad and bread (unless you are low carbing)

I want to try it again, but start early in the am and don't cook the pasta before hand. I think it will cook in the crockpot if given enough time. I know lasagna can be fixed with uncooked pasta.. so I think this would work too.

ENJOY!!

More felting to be done

I made another "Waves of Color" tote. I'm felting this one too, but the washing machine is currently in use, so all I can post right now are the pre-felting pics.








I have some Lionbrand Moonlight Mohair in this too, which I have no idea how it will felt, so this will be an awesome experiment.

As long as I'm sharing pics.. thought I'd share some of my doggies.

This is Fancy, psycho dog. She's very sweet to us, but goes absolutely bananas if strangers comes around. Picture Cujo with dripping jowls.. that's Fancy when she's upset. She has gorgeous blue eyes, but I couldn't get her to look at me at the right time.





Next is Tux, Fancy's sibling. He's a big TeddyBear.. all love and cuddles and tummy rubs. He looks scary and will bark, but if a stranger tries to approach him, he'll either back away or lie down and roll over. :)




Last, but not least is the newest member of the pet parade, Sasha. We adopted Sasha from a family that couldn't let her come inside anymore.. and I'm so glad we did. She's a riot. Funny and smart and we love her immensely. In this picture, I had just given her a bone and she's licking her lip cause it tastes so good!!




That's all for now.

An Old Photo

I know I haven't blogged in a long long time. Nothing wrong, just haven't felt like doing it.

I thought I'd share an old photograph today. You really need to click the photo to get the full effect.

This is a scan of an old picture that I finally got my dsis in Florida to email to me.

This is my great great grandmother, her name to my Dad & Grandmother was Dani or Danny (a corruption of Granny?) Her real name was Eliza Scott Hall (I think. I've not done my genealogy in quite a while..) She was from Troup County, GA. I'm not sure if Hall is her maiden or married name. I need to go dig out my genealogy books.






I think she is beautiful and that my daughter has some of the same facial features. I wish I had my dd's permission to post a pic of her face so the resemblance could be seen, but I don't, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Do you see the lace fingerless mitts? How lovely. And the bracelet or watch halfway up her arm? My dd wears her watch like that.. she's so slender that she often can't find a watch that will stay on her wrist.

Pulled Pork

I almost lost my "so simple it's sinful Pulled Pork" recipe.. so decided I'd better post it here so it won't get losted again.

(I've tried doing this in the crockpot and it just is NOT as good. The oven is the way to go.)

you take the pork roast and place in large pot or baking dish with lid with 1 stick butter (melted) and 1 cup cider vinegar, cover tightly and bake at 250 for 4 hours.. turning every hour.

At the 2nd turning.. if the cider/butter mix is really low and meat is starting to fall apart.. add another stick of butter, another cup of vinegar and turn heat to 225 and continue baking for 2 more hours. If meat is NOT starting to fall apart.. don't turn heat down.

when done, remove meat to large serving dish and pull apart with fork. pour 1/2 of sauce (recipe follows) over meat and serve rest on side ... (we've decided we don't like to pour sauce over the meat.. we just serve all of it on the side.. but this is because there's only 2 of us now and takes us a long time to use up the seasoned meat).

Sauce:

3 drops Green Tabasco sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp Black Pepper
2 tsp to 2Tbsp BBQ spice or rub (adjust amount to taste)
1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
1 Tbsp Lemon or Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 C Brown Sugar (we use splenda)
1 C Ketchup
1 C French's Style Mustard
1 C Water
1 C Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix all together in sauce pan. May need to use whisk to make it combine well. Heat till it thickens slightly. Enjoy!!

We have the pulled pork with coleslaw and bbq or baked beans. yum yum.

I'm off to start one for supper tonight (it's 6am here.. think it will be done in time?)

Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup

Are you hungry? NO? You will be after you read this.

Homemade, from scratch, Creamy chicken and potato soup. Yum, yum.

Chicken Stock:

2 stalks Celery
2 or 3 boneless Chicken breasts
10 whole peppercorns
Bay leaf or leaves..
1 onion, quartered
6 cups of water


Combine all of the above in large pot or dutch oven. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer, COVERED, for a couple of hours.

When done, strain broth and reserve for the soup. Save chicken to dice for soup. Throw out the limp celery & onions. (I suppose you could chop them finely before using in the stock and use them in the soup itself.. I haven't tried that yet).

2 med. all purpose potatoes (about 1 lb.)
1 med. onion
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. flour
4 1/2 c. chicken stock. (at least 4 1/2 cups....add water if your stock came out short)
1/4 tsp. black pepper, ground
1 1/2 c. cooked chicken (about 1/2 lb.) (use cooked chicken from stock)
1 c. broccoli florets (I used a small pkg of fresh broccoli, cauliflower & carrots)
1 1/2 c. milk
1 (16 oz.) package frozen corn.

Melt butter, saute onions in butter till almost clear. Add flour and stir until well combined. Add chicken stock a little at a time (1/2 to 1 cup at a time) stirring to combine with each addition.

Add potatoes, frozen corn and ground pepper (if using the carrots & cauliflower like I did.. chop them up and add at this point, save broccoli for later). Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

While potatoes are cooking, dice chicken and cut broccoli into bite sized pieces.

Increase heat to medium and when soup is again boiling, add chicken, broccoli and milk. (I also had some leftover campbells cream of chicken soup that I threw in). Cook until broccoli is tender and chicken is heated thoroughly.

Serve and enjoy. Most of my family felt this needed salt added.. but as one of my family members has high blood pressure, I don't add salt while cooking... you may need to adjust for your families liking.

Of course, you can use canned chicken broth and canned corn.. ..but fresh is best!

Tag, I'm It!

I was tagged by 2Kute, so now I guess it's my turn.

Here be the rulez:


1. When tagged, place the name of the person and URL on your blog. Done


2. Post the rules on your blog. Done Did.


3. Write 7 things about yourself. Keep Reading


4. Name 7 of your favorite weblogs. Only 7? otay.


5. Send an e-mail letting those bloggers know they have been tagged. What.. I have to reveal??



So here are 7 things about me:


1- I have a new schnauzer named Sasha. She is just precious and dh and I have fallen head over heels in love. She's so smart and is learning new tricks.. like how to shred the yarn labels.. LOL


2- I am badly homesick for family and have been for 25 years.


3- I am on the road to being a cancer survivor.


4- I love crochet, chocolate and coffee. Not necessarily in that order.


5- I have two children in out of state colleges. Yikes!!.


6- I am descended from two different branches of religious dissidents, Huguenots and Salzburgers. Is it any wonder I'm a contrarian?


7-I am more in love with my husband than the day we married (April 17, 1981).


I am tagging the following 7 people:

Sue

Nancy

Cris (Surprise.. a non-crochet blog.. and Cris.. get a REAL blog would ya?)

Theresa (she hasn't posted in forever, maybe this will encourage her to start again)

Kathy

Tracy

Jimbo (again, not a crochet blog, but a hooking on the porch blog. I don't know how Jimbo will respond.. but it's worth it to draw more attention to his blog and to his charities.)

Ok.. now go forth and multiply.. I mean, tag some other folks. :)

Chikezie

So sad that Chikezie left AI tonight.

Day of Silence

I just received an email from AFA (American Family Association) with the headlines:

Homosexual "Day of Silence" coming to Texas High Schools
Your child's classroom may be disrupted by gay activism..

Well, that piqued my curiosity, even though I no longer have kids in HS.. so I did some investigation.

I eventually found this:

What is the Day of Silence®?

The Day of Silence (www.dayofsilence.org), a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is a student-led day of action where those who in which concerned students, from middle school to college, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students and their allies. This year’s Day of Silence will be held in memory of Lawrence King.


Now, I don't think Gay is the way to live a life.. but I really don't know how it is to be Gay,so I try not to be judgemental. I definitely reject bullying, name calling and harrassment for ANY reason at all.It seems to me that a Day of Silence is a quiet way to protest and drawing attention to the need for tolerance. A student who chooses this method of participating should be allowed (provided they don't have an assignment due that day that requires oral participation).

I expect this to be a controversial post. Like I said, I don't personally approve of gayness, but I abhor anyone being mistreated for ANY reason, whether they be gay, fat, have skin of a different color, etc.

Some links to check out.

http://www.dayofsilence.org/content/getinformation.html

http://www.rememberinglawrence.org/

http://www.rememberlarry.com/

DaVinci Hysterectomy

I just found that there is a video of the type of surgery I had on Youtube.

Embedding is disabled, so I'll just post the link to it. It's a looooong Youtube.. 63 minutes, but very cool. And it's not hard to watch. I was afraid, thinking it would bring back memories of all I went through, but it wasn't hard at all. And it's not gross or disgusting with bloodiness either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ5snlmUuxc


Alleluia! Christ is Risen.

Christ is Risen indeed. Alleluia!

*******************************************

Someone read the above post about DaVinci hysterectomy and never bothered to read the other parts of my blog......

Dear reader,

I am very aware of female anatomy. I do not need to be referred to where you wanted to send me and I won't refer others there. I do not chose to approve your comment because I don't want others misled.

When I was foundering about with my CANCER diagnosis I did contact them. They recommended a couple of procedures that IF I had followed ... I could have worsened my condition.

PLEASE read why someone has gone through a procedure rather than just having a knee-jerk reaction.

My hysterectomy was not performed lightly or for frivolous reasons, nor was it performed by a gynecologist as your comment inferred. It was to SAVE MY LIFE from CANCER!!! And it was performed by an ONCOLOGIST/Gynecologist.

sincerely,

The blogger whose cancer was caught very early and now has a 97% survival rate.

That's where I sail

Is this true? If the article is.. for SHAME. If it's not.. Shame on the reporter.

Crybabies

I was watching Greta tonight, well, actually last night and she had Joe Francis of "Girls Gone Wild" on there again, crying about his treatment in the Panama City, FL jail.

He said they treated him worse than the prisoners in Abu Ghraib. Oh come on now.

While I reluctantly support Mr. Francis's rights to fair treatment under the law... because if I don't support his rights, who will support mine if I should find myself in trouble?.... he really needs to acknowledge that while his business might be legal.. it is HORRIBLY distasteful to many of us, and if asked not to film in a certain town..he should move on down the road.

It's not like there aren't plenty of other towns near the beach that would welcome him.

They should've kept him in jail a little longer. I don't think he's learned his lessons yet.

Snow in East Texas!

Click any picture to see it larger.












The blurs in this picture are the snowflakes falling.

Felted Waves Of Color Tote

Waves of Color Tote

Literally, this is just off my hook. Finished and woven in the ends, but not yet lined.






Made from some of the scraps from the Diagonal Hues Afghan shown in an earlier post (G hook and "I Love this Yarn" from Hobby Lobby).

I plan to try it again soon, but in cotton.

Here's the pattern link, if someone else wants to try it.

Scars

Last Sunday, Feb 24, 2008, there was an essay in the Dallas Morning News called Cancer's Scars by Karen Blessen. It was talking about the emotional and physical scars that women with breast cancer bear. I urge you to read the essay if you have time.. it's quite good.

(March 13, 2012: It's no longer available at DMN, so I've tried to change the link to a different site that has the essay, but I can't seem to get it to work. So sorry. You can find a pdf for it if you'll google "Cancer's Scars by Karen Blessen")

(I'm going to stop right here and say I have a real ambivalence about breast cancer and all the attention it gets. Yes, it is horrid and I'm very glad that there is so much attention and focus on breast cancer so that it will be funded and maybe a cure found.. but what about those of us with gynecological cancer? Are we lesser sisters because our cancer is in a more "taboo" part of the body? Or because our cancer is hidden? You can remove ovaries, uterus, tubes, cervix.. even the vagina or vulva..[and yes, there is such a thing as vulvular cancer] and the results won't be immediately noticeable. Remove breasts and you can tell there's something different right away. Ok..off my soapbox for the moment, because I really want to talk about scars.)

The essay was very touching. Brought tears to my eyes. This is the part that got to me:

For centuries, many indigenous cultures in Africa, such as the Nuba, have been connoisseurs of scarification. These "beauty operations" are both ornamental and functional. Scars are proof of courage and evidence that one can endure pain without complaint. They represent stages of maturity, how many children a woman has borne or family lineage. They are regarded as appealing and erotic to touch. In some tribes, a scarified woman is seen as sexually demanding and therefore sought after.

In ancient India, warriors proudly showed their scars – if they were on the front of their body. Frontal scars were the mark of a fierce survival of battle. ....

I want my scars to be beautiful.

I know the chances I will ever again wear a two piece bathing suit or hiphugger jeans and a midriff top are very slim.. but if I were to.. it would soothe my soul to know that my scars would be looked upon as a sign of courage.

No one will ever know the courage it took for me to go into surgery. I came so close to turning around at the hospital. If I had not had my husband with me, I would've left.

I would like to feel whole again.

I was tagged!!

My friend Nancy gave me the above award last Monday.

Here's what she said about me on her blog.. Life's A Stitch 4 Nancy:

Compulsive Hooker ~ Lisa, bless her heart, has been through some really rough times this past year. I love hearing her adventures as well. She's a say-it-as-it-is person and I totally respect her for that.


Hmmmmm...well, I have been through alot last year, with the nest becoming completely empty and finding out I had cancer.. and dealing with the realization that I am mortal after all. But I've never thought of myself as a "say it as it is" person. In real life, I'm very shy.

But.. I think having cancer has made me outspoken at least here on my blog. I don't want anyone else to go through what I went through because of lack of knowledge. I might not be able to be a public speaker in front of a crowd.. but I sure as heck can type my opinions. :)

Thank you so much Nancy for the award. It was unexpected and greatly appreciated.

Next week, after I get DSL setup, and after I get back from seeing my oncologist, I'll see about spreading the joy.

Diagonal Hues in Blues

Made with "I Love This Yarn" from Hobby Lobby. Reds are Aubergine, Cranberry & Hot Rose. Blues are Royal, Medium & Light.

Pattern is here.

Madchen

1/2 Chihuahua, 1/2 mini-schnauzer and ALL HEART. Loved Fried catfish and raw baby carrots. Was not afraid of anyone or anything, except thunderstorms.

We love you, Madchen.

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Found a bit more trivia (true or not?? can't seem to find any corroboration) that explains why Kate Hepburn was so excellent in portraying Eleanor of Aquitaine in the movie "The Lion in Winter"

Supposedly, Miss Hepburn was descended from Eleanor via at least two lines, from Eleanors marriages to both King Louis VII and from her marriage to King Henry II.

Maybe I can find something to back this up.. the website only states it, gives no references.

Old Movies and CT Scans

Been watching classic movies all yesterday on TMC. Katherine Hepburn is greatly missed. I got to see African Queen, Rainmaker, Pat and Mike, Woman of the Year and The Lion in Winter.

I love the movie "The Lion in Winter". Not only am I somewhat of an Anglophile (lover of things british), but I also enjoy history and the interplay of people. I had always wondered what the "Aquitaine" mentioned in the movie referred to, this morning I finally took the time to look it up. Turns out the "Aquitaine" is a large bit of land in France, about 1/3 of current France.

In looking at some of the websites about Eleanor of Aquitaine, I found this quote: "No one ever mistook Eleanor of Aquitaine for a saint." I LOVE it. And no wonder Katherine Hepburn played the role so well. The part in the movie where Eleanor talks about going on crusade with her first husband (King Louis VII of France) dressed as an Amazon is true!! That sounds very like something that Kate Hepburn would do.

While I am too much of a homebody to want to have such adventures myself.. I do enjoy reading and watching others exploits.. even ones from many hundreds of years ago.

*************************************************

Tomorrow I go in for a CT Scan to follow up on my cancer. First time I will have to have IV contrast. Hope it doesn't nauseate me.

Dogs and Friendship

Madchen (the sick doggie from the previous two posts) is still at the vet. When I called yesterday about 4pm, they said she was still having seizures, but at the moment was resting comfortably. They're trying to get the seizures under control.

I'm so afraid that she's dying.

Yesterday before I took her to the vet, she was doing strange things. She tried to walk into the pantry.. never did that before. I took her into the bathroom with me while I was getting ready because I was worried about her. While in the bathroom she tried to walk into the shower.. and she HATES the shower. She was walking into walls and into things. She also peed on me as I was carrying her to the car, which is not normal for her.

Last night I dreamed of her, healthy, happy, ready to play. I don't know if I will get that happy dog back from the vet. I'm so scared. I think I'm experiencing anticipatory grief.

Well, on to happier subjects.

Two of my sisters had birthdays this month, I finally got their gifts in the mail, so now I can finally post pictures.

The first one is for my oldest sister. It's called a Celtic Knot Shawl and the pattern is at www.friendshipshawl.org

I know the picture is dark, sorry. There's a better picture on the website. I'm hoping I can get my sister to model it after receipt.






I made it out of Caron Simply Soft in Dark Sage. The picture on the friendshipshawl site shows it in soft sage, which is ok, but I liked the dark better. I didn't measure the shawl, but it seemed to come out very large. I think if I ever remake it, I will try it with dc's rather than the trc's that the pattern calls for.

The next one I call a Seashell Shawl (quite a tongue twister, no?) and it went to my youngest sister. Very apropros I think as she lives not too far from the coast.

It's called Seashell, because that is the color name of the Caron Simply Soft I used. Which I believe Caron has discontinued. Me and my luck with Caron.. sheesh. Seashell doesn't look impressive in the skein, but when it's made up, it just glows!!






The pattern is also available at www.friendshipshawl.org

Update on sick dog

The Vet thinks her heart failure just got dramatically worse for unknown reasons. He's keeping her today to start her on some injectable Lasix to help her pee off the fluid. She's put on almost 2 lbs of fluid in 2 weeks. He might keep her over the weekend.

He thinks the heart not being able to pump well enough because of too much fluid has caused the increase in seizures.

While this isn't great news, it's better than what I thought would happen. I thought they would tell me it was time to put her to sleep. Prayers are working.

Sick Doggie

I was just about to go to bed at 2am this morning.. when my little dog walked into the kitchen.. lost her balance on her back legs, regained, walked a little further then fell down and had a seizure. Not a bad one, but was incontinent of bowel and bladder. Poor thing. So I stayed up with her a little, gave her the antiseizure and her heart meds a little early.. and was about to go to bed at 3, when she had a grand mal seizure. 3 limbs thrashing and a 4th drawn up tight against her belly. She was also showing her teeth, making chewing motions and eyes wild looking. when the seizure was over, she had foam on her lips.

This was her 3rd seizure in less than 24 hours (she had a mild one at noon yesterday). She's also got some abdominal distention and has not had a good appetite since Tuesday. Right now she's walking around and walking into things that are below her line of sight... like walking right into her dish and the cats dish. that's not normal for her at all. I'm going to call the vet when they open and see if they can pretty please see her today. Heck, if they can't give me an appointment, I'll just go up there and sit and let them work us in. I think she's too sick to make it through the weekend without some help.

I'm so afraid that the vet is going to want to put her down. I'm not ready for that. She's been with us since about '91 or '92, I'm not sure if dd was in kindergarten or first grade.. but it's been quite a while.

I guess in a little while I'll take a shower and give the dog a bath at the same time, so at least she'll smell pretty for the vet. If so inclined, pray that they will have other remedies than putting her down. I don't know if I can do that without the kids here to tell her goodbye.

Immorality, Wyeth and the FDA

Have you ever heard of BHRT? Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Bio-identical Hormones are made by compounding pharmacies, bypassing the drug companies, and therefore affecting their profits. Many women and their physicians find that bio-identical hormones are much more effective with less unpleasant side affects.

Wyeth, a major drug company, manufacturers Premarin and Prempro, both hormone replacements. Premarin and Prempro are both made from Pregnant Mare's Urine. Pre-Mar-In (get it?). Since it is an animal and not a human hormone, Premarin isn't utilized well by the human body, and people who are allergic to animals really have a problem with it.

The Women's Health Initiative, a clinical trial for Hormone Replacement Therapy showed that long-term use of progestin and estrogen may increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, and breast cancer. Following these results, Wyeth experienced a significant decline in its sales of Premarin, Prempro. This was in about 2002.

Two years ago, Wyeth lobbied the FDA to regulate the production of BHRT. 40,000 individuals wrote to complain about Wyeth's action. The FDA didn't move immediately, saying that the issue was too complex.

Last month, January 2008, the FDA came out with a statement saying that it will “halt” compounding of medications containing estriol, an estrogen produced by the human body. Estriol is one of the most widely prescribed hormones and is regularly compounded with other bio-identical hormones pursuant to doctors’ prescriptions for women suffering from symptoms of menopause.

I smell a rat. I think Wyeth has had an attack on their bottom line and are trying to force women to have to use their less effective products, Premarin and Prempro.

So far, I am not on HRT.. and I will NEVER take Premarin or Prempro... not only do I object to Wyeth's actions, there's a familial tendency to have bad reactions to animal products.

I don't object to Wyeth making a profit, drug companies need profits to fund new drug research, which is very costly. But I do object to the immorality of Wyeth's and the FDA's actions to prevent women access to something that WORKS.

So count me as one who is boycotting Wyeth products when possible. I will no longer buy Advil, Advil PM, Robitussin, Dimetapp, Alavert, Caltrate, Centrum, ChapStick, Dristan, or Preparation H. There are many other alternatives or generic versions of these items available.

Mad as I am about this (or madder?) please follow the link and write or call your congressional representative.

www.savemymedicine.org

Interested in learning more about this issue? Here are some links to follow:

http://www.iacprx.org

Facts Don't Fit

Fight brews over natural versus synthetic hormones

Compounding Facts

FDA Asserts New Policy to Restrict Women’s Access to Bioidentical Hormones

Organizations supporting Wyeth..and how Wyeth is supporting the organization (can you say collusion?)

Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.

I'm disturbed by the ignorance regarding the origins of Valentines day. It's not just something invented by retailers to get us to spend money.

Valentine's day has many origins, probably replaced a pagan (ie non-Christian) celebration of some sort. Many Christian holidays are timed to replace a pagan celebration to help the local populace to accept the new (at that time) religion.

There's a good discussion on this website:

http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine/viewPage?pageId=882

Personally, I think that it doesn't matter what the basis, it's a good time to have some sort of celebration, February often being a dreary month.

I have some other rants to make, but will save them for another day. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. (or something like that)

Back from Christmas

I haven't posted because of being so busy with christmas. I have been very very productive.. to the point that I haven't had time to make pictures or even get things into the mail.

Here's a couple of things I've been working on.. more pictures to come later.

A baby blanket for the grandson of one of the women my husband works with. Pattern is the "Little Victory baby blanket" pattern available at www.lionbrand.com. I reduce the starting chain to 66 when using babyclouds (like this blanket).






And a blanket I made for my son in his favorite colors of red & black. (had to have the gray to tone things down a little).






He's under the blanket..that's why it looks lumpy. This pattern is from the "40 favorite ripple afghans" book. Accidentally made it in exactly the same colors the pattern suggests.

The red & white at the bottom left is a different afghan that is in progress.

I'll try to get more pictures up in a few days after ds goes back to college.