Groundwork

Dear Mom,
Well, that was an unexpectedly long break from blogging. I never intended to be away this long, but I let things get in the way and as it turns out, unlike sugar, blogging is a habit that is easy to drop.
All is well here, and when I last posted, we were anticipating the cool temps of autumn. It is now April and we are still experiencing Sweater Weather. Yesterday we woke to find about 3 inches of wet snow on the ground and clinging, beautifully, to the branches.

 This morning we were awakened (and lulled back to sleep) by loud rumbles of thunder. Between the snow melt and the heavy rains I am looking out on a temporary creek and pond in the backyard. It seems everything is delayed in blossoming here. The trees have only just started to bud and there are no signs of blooms on the forsythia.


Most of my winter was spent helping dear Olive recover from TPLO surgery to her right knee. She finished off the canine equivalent of the ACL on Christmas and had surgery in January.

We had gates up through the house to keep her contained in the kitchen. No running, jumping or climbing for 6 weeks. And on leash for visits to the back yard. Rugs were purchased and strategically placed to keep her from slipping. It was all a bit nerve racking. But she bore the cone of shame with as much dignity as a black beast is able and was a good patient. I built a knitting nest for myself in the kitchen to spend as much time with her as I could.

Thankfully, restrictions have been lifted and her leg is getting stronger. The gates are put away and the rugs are rolled up and stored. I asked the surgeon what our odds of seeing him again are: 50/50. Better than I'd thought. I really hope we don't have to go through that again on the left knee. 

All that kitchen confinement restricted my time in Sweet Haven and Donna Reed (and blogging). I am making up for all that lost weaving time. I'd started a project in November-  Before The Knee Event. I think that project was doomed from the start. I acted on an idea without doing all my homework- rushed through the process. Ordered fiber, then had to order more because I'd not even ordered enough for warp threads. Then dressing the loom had to happen in fits and starts when I could make time. Once Olive was free to use the stairs, we settled in to weave. I was attempting to weave some linen napkins. I realized pretty quickly that ThingsWereNotGoingWell. I stopped to consider whether to carry on or trust my gut- which was telling me (shouting actually) that the napkin was about to be a table runner. I modified the Pattern and wove what I hoped would be 4 lovely natural colored linen napkins. I ran out of warp at 3 napkins. They looked and felt like burlap. Stiff, bullet proof burlap. Discouraged, but not willing to "throw in the towel"-haha- I threw them into the washing machine, hoping that a softening miracle would happen. Wrong. I threw them away and began questioning why I even have a loom. I let the wrong combination of project and fiber get to me. I won't let myself consider the time and money wasted. Lesson learned. I've successfully woven napkins in the past and will do so again.

The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.

~ E. J. Phelps

Bruised and nearly defeated, I decided to go back to weaving what I love best and the reasons for my wanting to weave in the first place- dishtowels. I am very happy weaving dishtowels and feel such satisfaction in the process, in giving them and in using them.  I sat down and took time to do all the preparation calculations, and started weaving 6 lovely lilac dishtowels. Followed by another set of cheerful yellow dishtowels, and last night I finished another half-dozen colorful towels to finish off some partial cones of cotton. All that is left is hemming on the yellow and striped sets. 

My weaving confidence is somewhat restored. My reaction to my failed project has me pondering.Why do I feel I must do more than "just weave dishtowels" without feeling like I am somehow failing.  I DO want to learn more- I'd hate to be a One Trick Pony, but is it really settling for less if I weave beautiful, useful towels AND I feel contentment and enjoyment doing it? 

For the past few years, MelissaWhoSpins and I have selected a WORD for the year. Something to inspire us or to focus on throughout that year. This year my word is GROUNDWORK. As evidenced by those bulletproof napkins, I often hurry through things I don't like spending time on (like math. or cooking dinner) and end up creating messes for myself and feeling harried. I know this rushed habit comes from my belief in Not Wasting Time. But I've come to realize rushing often is a waste of time, that feeling panicked and frustrated is not a good use of time or how I want to feel in the short time I have on earth.  I've decided to take more time for the Groundwork- taking time for the prep, getting everything ready before I begin, feeling a sense of calm when I start a project or start cooking, or whatever. It's working. Groundwork may be my best word yet.

I'll be back soon! I promise.

Love,

Kim

A Worried Dog

Dear Mom,
We've known for a long time now that intelligence is not Olive's strength. We make concessions and know that she is as smart as she needs to be. Like Winnie the Pooh, she has some fluff in her head. Olivia Patricia Winniefred. New things are big challenges for a dog with a simple brain.

This is a worried dog.

She is separated from her Mama.

Santa brought me a Braava robot to help sweep and mop the floors.  (I've named her Florence) Don't worry, I'll still do it the old fashioned way, but Florence lets me get other stuff done while she tends to the floors.

What that really means is I have more time in Sweet Haven. (Imagine streamers and party horns.)

So, this afternoon, having thrown the sheets in the washer, I started Florence to work in the foyer and headed upstairs to gather the towels for their turn in Mr. Bosch. On a typical day, Olive is my shadow, but with the Young Lady home for winter break, Olive has been dividing her time between us. I was not concerned about my absent shadow until I heard short little distress barks. Turns out our Big Black Beastie was downstairs and the Young Lady and I were upstairs. And Florence was between us.

This is Florence.
Florence is not very big.
She is not loud. She moves slowly.

Obviously, if you are Olive, Florence has an impenetrable force field surrounding her.

It took a dog treat and me escorting her to get Olive past Florence and upstairs with her people.

At times like this I can only imagine how our other dogs would have reacted. Bumper would surely have Not Cared. And Patsy? She would either have Killed Florence or figured out which buttons to push to get her sweeping, mopping, or stopped.

“When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.”

A.A. Milne 

Winnie-the-Pooh

Love,
Kim

Hot Tub Time Machine

Dear Mom,
Over the last winter, when our hot tub coughed up its last breath and My Hero decided it wasn't worth fixing or replacing, I immediately started plotting out what I would do with the space while trying not to look too pleased to be rid of the thing. Not that I minded having it- we had lots of fun with it- I just didn't enjoy the view of it out my kitchen window.
My Hero loved that hot tub after hockey games and on winter days.

Our Young Man and his friends filled it to capacity and over-flowing on occasion,

and we will never forget the harrowing episode when the guinea pig escaped and hid out under the hot tub.

And Patsy jumped in and enjoyed some spa time, too!

Once the hot tub was hauled away, My Hero took apart the deck underneath. I was expecting to see a network of chipmunk tunnels and a warren of rabbit nests, but the dirt was black and ready for planting.

I decided to clear out the overgrown and undesirable perennials I had growing in the space between the house and the hot tub and start fresh. And I had the inspiration to ask for your expertise to help me plan the space.
My Hero and I relocated the bird feeder into the new garden spot. Now I'll be able to bird watch from the kitchen and porch. I planted nasturtium seeds in the planter around the base. And I've rescued all the surviving hopscotch stones the kids and I made all those years ago to use as paths to the hose spigot, bird feeder and across the garden. (I'll need a way through to cut and tend all the flowers I am imagining!)

The area was finally cleared on Sunday afternoon, and on Tuesday we were ready to plant. The weather was perfect.

You alerted me to the fresh delivery of perennials to our favorite nursery and we stocked up on Foxglove, Delphinium, Tickseed, Shasta Daisy and English Daisy, Forget-me-nots and Hollyhocks, Cranesbill and Pincushion Flower and snap dragons. 

I moved a Stella Daylilly and left the Peony and Sedum where they were. We planted some of the zinnia and marigold seeds I'd harvested from last year's garden and added some purchased 4 O'clock seeds to fill in some gaps. My plan is to add some spring flowering bulbs this fall into the spots occupied by annuals.

It took us several fun hours of team work to get it all planted (we imagined ourselves a surgical team) and cleaned up.  I am looking forward to watching this garden mature and envision masses of cut flowers in the house.

When I got up this morning I was almost afraid to look out for fear that all our tender plants had been eaten down to the nubs but the rabbits, or carried off in great clumps by some wicked perennial-eating vulture. Happily, all is well and looking invigorated.

Between demolishing the deck and prepping and planting this garden, My Hero and I could use a long soak in a hot tub.

Love,

Kim

It's Always Something

Dear Mom,

Just as we are clearing the post op hurdle on Olive's left elbow (her surgeon was very, very pleased, by the way) (I KNEW he would be!) - bald patches started developing on her sides about 2 weeks ago. While we were visiting with Dr. Spah on Monday, I asked him what he thought about them.
"You should have your regular vet look at these," he said. "They may be a sign of a thyroid issue."

Great.

Well. Thankfully, not.
We saw the vet yesterday and after close examination under a magic light and microscopic evaluation of tissue samples to rule out any creepy crawly stuff that made my scalp immediately start itching, Olive is either:
1. Allergic to something. Doubtful, but she is taking a daily dose of Zyrtec just in case.
2. OCD. Obsessively Compulsively licking the spots. Or- given the weather- Compulsive Obsessive Licking Disorder, aka COLD. Somewhat doubtful- we have not witnesses any licking, chewing, or scratching and the skin is not at all red or irritated. However, she could be doing the licking while we are not home to witness it and while she is bored and crated. For this, we have a powerful anti-licking, bad tasting concoction to sprinkle on the targeted areas. Like that thumb sucking preventative, but worse. I guess. I've not tasted either and don't intend to.
or…. and this one gets my vote….
3. A response to stress. The vet was quick to clarify that this is not a stress from last week sort of response, but a stress that may have occurred MONTHS ago…. Like 2 surgeries in 6 weeks? Yep. (And considering THAT, it is a wonder my hair isn't falling out!) The fact that the patches started to appear during a week that I was gone more than usual and Olive spent more time in her crate (missing her mama) makes me think this the more likely option. And for this, she gets a daily dose of Melatonin to wake up the exhausted, stressed out hair follicles.
Olive is going to need her own medicine cabinet. She is taking more supplements than I am! But, hey! If MelissaWhoSpinsButDoesNotKnit can have a whole closet for her cats, then I suppose a medicine cabinet for Olive is nothing.

I don't know if the flat screen tv's make it easier for dogs to watch or if Olive is just special, but we've noticed that Olive watches tv regularly. And by watching, I mean intently focused.  But nothing like she has the past two evenings during the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. There are nose prints on the screen. Several ! times she jumped up and trotted right up to the screen to investigate the dogs during the judging and then followed them as they skipped along the runway.  I tried taking video, but was successful only in taking photos.

Closer inspection of these photos reveals the thinning patches.

Frankly, I am not even sure these are spots she can reach to lick or scratch.

In addition to watching the dogs, the Purina Pro Plan commercials kept her riveted. Especially THIS ONE. (Although, I liked THIS ONE better.) If it were in her power, I think she would be purchasing some of that brand today.

Hopefully that beautiful black coat will be thick again soon. She is just such a pretty dog. I hate to see this.
Love,
Kim

Winter Weary

Dear Mom,
Okay. We've all had enough. I've lost track of how many school days need to be made up. I think we can probably count the number of FULL school days in January on one hand. And I am not sure that any of those have happened consecutively. I hope the Young Lady's Sophomore year ends before her Junior year starts.
The thought of double digits sounds warm. Strike that. The sound of temps above zero sounds warm. Double digits might feel tropical at this point. We will not be discussing wind chill.

At least the sun is shining. And snow is sparkly.

In the meantime…..

THIS is THAT Sweater is on the needles. I have my iPod loaded with good books.

I wound a warp and started dressing Donna Reed with a new ( and hopefully more successful) napkin project yesterday.

Fresh flowers were delivered over the weekend, from a thoughtful friend….

and My Hero brought more home last night to celebrate my birthday.

For variety's sake, I have a shawl in the works with some handspun yarn. This is pure comfort knitting.

My first needle punch project is back from the framer. I was unsuccessful in finding a new project at any local shops. Very discouraging. Especially, after calling my NOT FAVORITE quilt shop (name withheld to protect the guilty) and was told "Yes, we have needle punch" only to drive the 30 minutes ONE WAY and discover that they literally had the punch needles and NOTHING ELSE. As if THAT makes any sense. I should have asked if they had needle punch projects. I drove back home all disgusted and fuming mad. Needless to say, I am Not Going Back There Again. I ordered three small kits online, and they've arrived, but don't have the nice Valdani floss that this first project had. Still, I like the change of pace this needlework offers. I'll work on these and keep my eyes out for more kits.

I received a new tea cup and a new tea pot for my birthday, too. Isn't that cup pretty? The colors are perfect in my kitchen. They are "me" colors.

Sometime before Christmas, my dear Brown Betty suffered an accident when something- I can't remember what- threw itself out of the cabinet and landed on her. I thought we'd escaped tragedy when I saw no obvious damage. Unfortunately, over the next few days, I noted a slight incontinence issue with Brown Betty. In denial, I convinced myself that the puddle was just a little overflow from brewing and steeping the pot, and that it was all my fault. I told myself this story more than once and kept Betty on duty. She is was? my favorite teapot, after all. Sadly, I could not continue this fairy tale and on closer inspection saw a hairline fracture under Betty's handle. She would have to be retired- but not thrown away. Betty deserves a quiet, dignified retirement after all her faithful service. I can always line her with a cup and use her to display flowers. I am sure we will come up with fun things for Betty to do. Hearing of Betty's disability, you, My Mother Dearest, so thoughtfully gifted me with a new, bigger, 8 cup Brown Betty for my birthday.
Big Brown Betty and I have become fast friends. Don't tell the other Brown Betty, but Big Brown Betty's spout is actually better. It stands straight up so I can fill her to the brim and she doesn't spill over! I need to knit a new tea cosy for Big Brown Betty because the cosy I have is too small. There are LOTS of tea cosy patterns out there to peruse. ( More distraction from the weather and from the housework I should be doing…..)

Fresh flowers work miracles.
Especially on winter weary days.
Keep warm. Daydream about digging in the dirt and planting vegetables, and about Branson and Mrs. Hughes, and smocked dresses on little girls, and windows open to warm breezes, Olive laying in a sunny patch on the patio, reading in a comfy chair on the screened porch……
Those days are coming. Hang in there, everybody!
Love,
Kim

Favorite Things Friday

Dear Mom,
I don't know where November went. It was lost in a flurry of airport runs, family visits, a very bad cold,  Thanksgiving here which involved a whole lotta much needed long overdue house attention, and a blissful long weekend away, in a cabin in the woods, with my 3 dearest of knitting friends.

I have lots to catch up on….

But first!
Favorite Thing on This Friday- Two Hour School Delay!

Oh, how we love 2 hour delays! For me, they are better than snow days. We get to sleep in, our mornings are more leisurely, and I still get a good part of the day to myself! Added bonus- the roads give me all the reason I need to stay home and snuggle in.
I'll pull some Roasted Tomato Soup out of the freezer (made from the summer's tomatoes) and we will have that with grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner tonight.

I took advantage of the snow scene this morning to take a Christmas card photo, featuring Olive. Despite my intentions, I never got a photo of the family or of the kids during the Thanksgiving Break and decided on a clever use of Olive.  What a dear, patient, dog she is- especially when Milk Bone Dog Biscuits are involved.
Earlier in the week- before inspiration struck- I took a series of photos like this one ( inspired by something I saw on Pinterest).

Total Sweetness.
Yes, Santa, I have been a good girl.

Olive and her left elbow are doing well. We can't let her get too wild, but she is a dog who likes to chase squirrels. She's had Rimadyl evenings, but not many. We've done as much as we can for her, surgically. She gets a daily dose of Glucosamine/Chondroitin and fish oil.  Rimadyl on the days she needs it. And there are further pharmaceutical options if we need them, but I am hoping not. She won't be a marathon runner ( but then neither will I!) but not a long walk dog, either. This makes me a little sad, but she is such a good dog and the best sort of snuggler that I willingly give up walking her just to have her with me. She is my car-riding companion, nap-time buddy, and curled-up-at-my-feet or next to me on the couch faithful friend. I've loved all my dogs, but Olive has been a gift.

In November, I did knit a bee sweater for Bonnie.

The rest of my knitting has been gift knitting and therefore, secret.

I've tried some delicious, healthy new recipes over the last weeks and I'll share those later.

The past few evenings I settled in with my knitting and started re-watching Downton Abbey from the very beginning. I will never tire of looking at the hats, beautiful dresses, aprons and the lace edging on Mrs Hughes collar. I'd forgotten how much happens in those episodes and how much I did NOT like Mary in that first season. I watch and want to wear Mary Poppins-ish shoes and long skirts with thick warm tights. And aprons. And hats.

So for today, on this snowy day, after catching up here, I'll be drinking hot tea, puttering and tending to the house and laundry, with hopes of spinning and weaving and knitting, too. Thankful to be warm and with nowhere to go.

Love,
Kim

This is embarrassing

Dear Mom,
At least someone finds my Halloween decorations scary!

Love,
Kim

Where There's a Will.....

Dear Mom,
In a desperate and unusual display of willfulness, Olive ignored all the impediments in place and climbed onto the couch.

And while it is clear that she has had enough of what she considers unnecessary and silly physical restrictions.....

She does know to be ashamed of this rash act.

But then.....

Boredom and pent up energy made THIS happen within hours of the previous photos:

This was the new cushion in her crate. 

I am off to the pet store to replenish our Kong supply. ( But NOT to buy a new cushion!) I'll be keeping peanut-butter-loaded, frozen Kongs in rotation. 

A good knitter suggested some mental activities to keep Olive occupied, and emailed me a wonderful list. Unfortunately, Olive would only focus on the treat in my hand and get so excited and wound up about FOOD, that the purpose of engaging her mentally in hopes of wearing her out without wearing out her elbow was defeated. I haven't given up. I think the only way she will learn a new trick is to add it to the string of tricks she already knows! She sees the treat and immediately (and without command) sits and high fives.  Sometimes it is sit, high five, sit, stand, sit, high five and lie down. And all I really was trying to get her to do was focus on my nose. 

I am not complaining. I have had a really smart dog. And even though I miss that trouble maker, I am very appreciative of my sweet, if not-so-smart, Olive.

Love,

Kim

Feeling a little TOO good

Dear Mom,

Between the pain pills and puppy-hood, Olive had a sudden burst of wildness last night at 7:30, and before I could stop her, she did a dangerous high speed figure 8 through the dining and living rooms, which ended in a loud YELP. It was all over in about 6 seconds. And on the eve of suture removal. Needless to say, The Limp was worse and The Surgeon Would Not Be Getting a Good Report.
I iced her elbow for as long as she let me, which was about 5 minutes, maybe less, during which time I considered duct taping the ice pack to her elbow and around her chest. Instead, I put her in her crate and had 2 glasses of wine.
So here we are, back home, sutures removed, inflatable collar deflated, with continued restrictions to her activity. Despite last night's misadventure, the surgeon is pleased with Olive's progress. I declined the offer to refill her pain meds. I think they have her feeling a little Too Good. Thankfully, today is the last day for those. As it is, I worry that she may have an addiction to cheese and pain killers and before I know it I'll be looking for the canine equivalent of The Betty Ford.

We return for a hopefully last post op visit in 4 weeks.

Love,
Kim

One more time

Dear Mom,
The end of last week had its share of emotional gut punches. After a 6 week recovery, Olive's limp had not improved significantly. On Friday morning she had a second surgery to release a tendon and hopefully alleviate some pressure on that joint. While he was in there, the surgeon discovered the cartilage on her humerus bone had been worn away. Olive may always have a limp. We will know more as she recovers over the next 6 weeks and after that we will have to monitor her activity to insure that she does not over-do it and inflame the joint. Her tetherball days may be over. Fortunately, she is not a dog prone to high energy levels, and she lives in a house with "mature" family members. She loves car rides and the rabbits and squirrels in the back yard will be enough entertainment. She just won't be a long walk dog. I've grieved. I accept. I am hoping for a miraculous recovery. And it may be the pain meds, but she is walking better already.

Facing a second surgery was not happy news, but the thought of 2 more weeks of That Blasted Cone of Shame was just about enough to make me come unglued. I decided to spend the extra bucks and try one of those inflatable collars. Assured that I could return the collar should it not work for Olive, I purchased size XL (Olive has a rather thick neck) and brought it home. I inflated the collar, slipped it onto Olive and smeared peanut butter to the inside of Olive's elbow near the site of the previous sutures. She couldn't lick it off. Next, I put Olive with the collar and the peanut buttered elbow into her crate. She and the collar fit. She could turn around. She could lie down. HOOORAY! I left her for about 30 minutes and returned to find the peanut butter still smeared on her elbow.  No more Cone. I can sleep in my own bed rather than on an air mattress in the dining room with the cone-headed dog and the back of our knees will go unscathed. Sutures will be removed on Oct 7.

If surgery weren't involved, I could almost add the Inflatable Collar to my list of Favorite Things Friday!

 Not only am I learning more than I ever thought I would about the anatomy of a canine elbow, I also learned that dogs can get suntanned. (And I suppose get a sunburn.) Olives leg, of course, was shaved again for surgery. This time they shaved a bit more of the upper arm/shoulder area. In the photo below, you can see shades of black to light gray to medium gray. The black, obviously, is Olive's fur. The lightest area is the freshly exposed skin, and the medium gray is the area that is also freshly shaved but had been shaved 6 weeks ago and has been exposed to the sunshine! A tan line!

I know it seems silly to ask, especially when there is so much more important stuff to worry about, but keep Olive's recovery in your prayers. God knows I need her.

Love,

Kim