Cone Free And Getting Back to "Normal"

Dear Mom,

In my head, I say "Cone Free" to the tune of Born Free. Every member of this family is thrilled to be rid of the Cone of Shame. With the hope of warding off future surgery (because there is a slight possibility), The Cone came home with us and will be stored away. I figure if I have it, we will never need it again. Olive is still limited to her leash in the back yard, and may not use the stairs. She is not supposed to run, jump or spin around. She may not look like it, but technically, she is still a puppy. She WANTS to run, jump, and spin around. Especially when feeling new friskiness and cone freedom. I've yelled "No Running" as she darts past me from family room, through the kitchen, looping around the dining and living rooms, back through the kitchen and into the family room. I sound like an elementary school marm. I'd consider leaving her on the house leash, but all that remains of THAT is a 3 inch nylon stump attached to the metal clip.  We  She remains on these restrictions for at least 2 more weeks, at which point we may introduce "easy 5 minute walks" to build up her strength/stamina in the joint. At this point, I just want her to be able to go outside by herself before winter arrives. We go back for a re-check in 6 weeks.
Olive is on a regimen of Cosequin and Rimadyl. The anti-inflammatory Rimadyl makes her elbow feel better, which is good, but that makes her want to do all the stuff she is not allowed to do, which is bad.

BUT! Best of all, without Cone, Olive can now fit into her crate. She has been a big, brave girl, and is spending her nights, downstairs, alone, in her crate. I've been able to sleep upstairs, in my own bed. I was afraid I would need to summon up my Tough Love self and listen to some whimpering, but no. As I said, she is a big, brave girl. 

And another giant step to getting things back to normal around here- Mr. Campus Man is back on campus. We moved him back last Tuesday. 

After the move-in, and after feeding several move-in helpers, My Hero and I investigated a new (to us) yarn shop - well, I investigated the shop. He tested out the shop's sofa- and then, keeping with the tradition we started last year, stopped at Oliver Winery on the way home for a little wine tasting/celebrating.

Chickadee is finished and awaits buttons and blocking. I will post some final photos when I have them to share. And after what feels like MONTHS of uninspired knitting, I have two original designs on my needles. One a basic cowl, the other..... defies simple description. But if it works! I may have a new favorite on my needles..... 

Love,

Kim

Favorite Things Friday

Delicious hot or iced.

Every Day.

The Things We Do For Love

Dear Mom,
Olive is well. I've decided she is the only one in this house who appreciates me. It could be that I am sleep deprived and emotional. But then again, she may be the only one in the house who deserves my efforts. Or perhaps I am not All That I Think I Am (or all that I should be) and the combination of Post- Surgical Dog, First Day of School, and getting Mr. Campus Man ready to leave all in the same week is just too much for me.

Olive on her first day home. Notice the shaved leg.
The Young Lady says the unshaved part of her leg looks like her socks are falling down.

I brought Olive home last Tuesday afternoon, with a bag full of drugs and a long list of restrictions. No running, no jumping, no stairs. On leash at all times. She left the hospital wearing The Cone of Shame.
After I loaded her into the car and got myself in and the door shut, my poor, dear, sweet Olive started crying. As if she knew she didn't have to be brave any more. And knew it was safe. And to tell me how awful the whole thing was. I cried with her.

We are those people who allow the dog to sleep with them. To be accurate and honest, I am that person. My Hero....notsomuch. I take great pains to keep Olive on my side of the bed. Anyway, with stairs being restricted and those same stairs between Olive and our bedroom, my plan was to use Tough Love and crate her each night until stairs were back on the menu.

However.

Olive, wearing her XXXL cone, will not fit in the crate. Well, she FITS, she just can't turn around, move, or lie down. And we've invested too much money in The Elbow to risk removing that cone and giving her access to the sutures. Sooo, for the past week, and for one more week, I have been sleeping on an air mattress in the dining room with an 80lb lab wearing a cone. Yes, perhaps I am a little sleep deprived.

The things we do for love.

Twice now, I've emerged from my morning shower to find Olive on our bed! Somehow, she found her way through what I thought was a pretty secure blockade, CLIMBED the stairs and JUMPED on the bed.  I now have a baby gate positioned at the foot of the stairs.
The sutures come out on Monday the 26th.
At 9 am.
Hopefully some of her restrictions will be lifted, but even if they are not, the Cone will go when the stitches come out. And that means no more Dining Room, Hello Crate!

On Wednesday morning being slightly distracted, and tired, I nearly forgot the obligatory First Day of School photo. Plus, after 14 years, the bus stop changed. So, much to her mortification, I took a photo of the Young Lady at the bus stop in front of her friends. And then, just because, I took another one as I drove past on my way back home.

I think she will think twice before asking me to drive her to the bus stop.

And, finally, to keep a grip on what threads of sanity remain.... a little knitting.
Chickadee is almost finished. I love this sweater. LOVE. Can't wait to wear it.

Proper photos and details when she is finished.

Love,
Kim

Update: The Limp

Dear Mom,
Olive's surgery went well, with no surprises. I will get another call in the morning after the doctor checks on her and I'll know then when she can come home.
How horrible is it that I miss my dog and cannot wait to move Mr. Campus Man (formerly known as the Young Man) back to school?
Love,
Kim

The Limp

Dear Mom,

My dear, sweet Olive will be having surgery tomorrow (Monday) to correct what started out as a quirky little strut and is now a full blown, impossible to ignore, limp. Our vet checked it out at her annual visit 2 weeks ago, and last week we consulted with a veterinary orthopedic specialist. Examination and radiographs suggest an Ununited Anconeal Process. From what I have learned, failure for this bony process to fuse can occur in large, rapidly growing dogs, and Olive is definitely one of those.

Arthroscopy on Monday will confirm and correct the problem. To do nothing would guarantee a lame dog.  As things are, there is already evidence of arthritis in the joint. Fortunately, Olive is still a young dog and her prospects for a full recovery are excellent. Let's just hope there are no surprises when they get in there to take a look and remove that piece of bone.

I cannot bear the thought of anything happening to her. Say a prayer for Olive and her doctors.
I'll let you know how she does.
 
Love,
Kim

Favorite Things Friday

Bread and Water could so easily be

Toast and Tea. 

  

Alexandra Stoddard

                                      

Observations After a Day at the Amusement Park

Dear Mom,

1. I am too old for "Intense Amusement Rides". Despite the entertainment value my screams and eyes-squeezed-shut grimaces provided the rest of my family, Monday's visit to Kings Island was probably my last. All those twists, turns, heights and inversions left me wobbly and dizzy for several minutes after the ride ended. I spent much of the day on benches with other old ladies waiting for their families.
I should have packed knitting.

2. America is seriously, disturbingly, grotesquely overweight.

3. I hope the ink from tattoos is not a carcinogen, because if it is there are going to be alot of very sick people one of these days. Too bad my children are not medically inclined. The plastic surgeon or Whoever it is that invents a tattoo erasing procedure will become a bazillionaire.

Love,
Kim

Favorite Things Friday

Michigan

Dear Mom,
Last week, the Men in this house had their annual multi-generation, Boys Only, Family golf reunion, where they play golf, probably tell the same jokes, play cards and probably watch the same movies. In the past, the Young Lady and I have stayed home to enjoy the peace and quiet, but this year we had an invitation to a cottage in Michigan. Olive was invited and Grace could take a friend.
Mr. Anderson, my Toyota Matrix, was stuffed full of dog, girls, groceries, bed linens and  beach towels, knitting, my spinning wheel and the bare necessities of clean clothes, swim suits and pjs. I am pleased to report that Olive is an excellent traveller. And for the first time, I was able to lock up and drive away without making arrangements for a caged critter to be fed.
While at the lake, Olive discovered that getting her feet wet was not so bad after all. She jumped around in the water and fetched sticks. I was struck by her beauty as she stood wet and sparkling in the sunshine.

The girls paddle boated and tubed and giggled and sketched, and I talked and did a bit of knitting and a bit of spinning. The weather was cool- perfect for a sweatshirt and shorts in the evening and for knitting on the deck until it was too dark to see. The trip was short and sweet- we had to be back Saturday evening in order to have the Young Lady packed and off to camp at 6:30 Sunday morning. ( And while she is away, I am giving her room a serious cleaning. Seems a more clear definition of what "Clean Your Room" is in order.....  okay. yes. I hear you chuckling. I deserve a teen with a messy room. I get that. Payback for the music and albums and whoknowswhat MY bedroom was cluttered with.... 

Love,

Kim

Favorite Things Friday

Dear Mom,

Tomatoes. Freshly picked from my vegetable garden.

Love,

Kim

The Doctor is In

Dear Mom,

48,944 stitches

9.34 feet ( not counting the fringe)

It is DONE.
And The Young Lady loves it, making it all totally worth it.

I used the pattern found Here, and modified it by slipping the first 3 stitches of every row, purlwise, thus creating a little tube for hiding all the yarn ends. Much neater and faster this way, than weaving all those ends in after all that knitting. 

Love,
Kim, who is now knitting something for herself that is not 9 feet of garter stitch.

Favorite Things Friday

Dear Mom,

ZINNIAS!

 Love,
Kim

Not a paid endorsement

Dear Mom,
My dear sweet Olive, the best puppy ever, my tetherball-loving, devoted, fireplug of a dog is afraid of LOUD noises. Very afraid. Hide under the bed for hours afraid. The poor dear. And before hiding herself away, we could literally see her quaking and shivering from across the room.  Sad and pitiful. 

I was worried about what our July 4th celebration might do to Olive.

We needed help.

Having heard about the Thundershirt,  I decided it was worth trying.

It works! The theory behind the Thundershirt is similar to swaddling a baby, and while it does not completely eliminate the fear, Olive is able to endure fireworks and loud claps of thunder without shaking and shivering or hiding under the bed. She sticks close to her mama, but calmly. And now that she knows her Thundershirt, she is very cooperative when I put it on her.

And remember the Underdog Theme song?
 There's no need to fear! THUNDERSHIRT is here!

Love,
Kim

Bounty

Dear Mom,
Our nearly idyllic summer is evident in the produce I am harvesting from the vegetable garden. On Saturday I went out to check things, as I do daily, and found green beans that had either grown over night or had been hiding themselves under the healthy, bushy plants.  I easily picked over a pound of beans and could probably pick another pound today.

I have also been experimenting with growing potatoes. My potato tower did not do so well last year, but it wasn't a good summer for growing anything. I decided to ignore last year's poor showing and try again. This time I planted in the ground, in my compost bin ( a potato tower of sorts) and in a flower pot. The seed potato bag said the taters would be ready for harvesting when the vines yellowed and started to wither. That pretty much described the condition of the vines in my compost bin, so after harvesting the beans I overturned my compost can and was thrilled to discover the most beautiful red potatoes! I was scrabbling through that dirt like Scarlett O'Hara did in when she was starving and found a carrot in the soil. - Right before she declares that she will "never go hungry again". I could almost hear music playing in the background.

this is not my hand
this hand belongs to Brother

I will let the potatoes keep growing in the ground and in the big flower pot- the vines there haven't started to die back yet. Needless to say, we had potatoes and green beans for dinner Saturday night!

I found a very delicious recipe in a special publication by Taste of Home magazine. This issue is dedicated to Diabetic cooking. I purchased my copy late in the spring and don't know if it is still on the newsstands. I tried out this green bean recipe last night and it was delicious. I filled my plate and made it my entire dinner.

Green Beans Provencale

1 lb. fresh green beans

4 green onions, sliced

2 T. minced shallot

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 t. fresh rosemary, or 1/2 t. dried rosemary, crushed

1 T. olive oil

1 1/2 c. grape tomatoes, halved

2 T. minced fresh basil, or 2 t. dried basil

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Place beans in a steamer basket and steam in a large pot of boiling water for 4-5 minutes or until crisp tender.

In a large skillet, saute the onions, shallot, garlic and rosemary in olive oil until vegetables are tender. Add the beans, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Saute 2-3 minutes longer, or until heated through.

Love,

Kim

Favorite Things Friday

Dear Mom,
I think it might be nice to try posting some of my favorite things on Fridays. It might be places, stuff, something from my week, or things from the past.
This week- one of my favorite places ( maybe even The Favorite Place)- my back porch.  Perfect for knitting, spinning, napping, visiting, relaxing, reading, sipping. My Heaven on Earth.

Love,
Kim

Winner!

Dear Mom,
Cross "Never Winning Anything From A Blog Contest" off my list. Because last week I won a button give- away!
The charming hand-crafted buttons from Fastenation Studio arrived and I am delighted with them. Actually, I could not choose between two sets, so chose one set as my prize and purchased the second set.

It was difficult to get a photo of these sweet yellow buttons. They are perfectly named "Sunshine Girls". Look closely and you will see a happy girl on the buttons. These would be adorable on a little girls sweater, but they are so cute that it might break my heart to give them away. I may just have to put them on a sweater for me.....and smile every time I look at them.
These buttons should get some credit for waking up the designing knitter in me. I've been distressingly uninterested in /uninspired by my knitting. (Part of the responsibility for this may be the current project on my needles- eleventy-two miles of striped garter stitch - a Dr. Who scarf for the Young Lady. All I can say is, Thank heaven for the stripes. Stripes are the only thing marking my progress.  I suppose eleventy-two miles of garter stitch is good for cleansing the pallet. ) Anyway, I woke up over the weekend with an Idea percolating...

Oh. I have lots more to say! But little time to say it and do a halfway decent job keeping up with everything else. And the grass is waving at me in the refreshing cool breeze this morning. Off to take a ride on John, Dear.
More later.

Love,
Kim

All dressed up

Dear Mom,
Donna Reed (my Baby Wolf loom) is dressed up. It took me a few days to get from winding the warp to weaving. I am such a rookie at this, that this time I derailed myself when I ran out of 8/2 cotton while winding the warp. Detour to Tabby Tree Weaver for more cotton. I haven't the skills (yet) to judge whether that cone of fiber is enough to do what I expect it to do. But I am learning. And this time I am taking careful notes and writing my own recipe for kitchen towels. I am so in love with the few inches of weaving on the loom right now, that I may only weave towels just like this but in different colors for the rest of my weaving days.

The inspiration for these towels came from the book Sixty Scarves for Sixty Years. I figured I could double the 11 inch wide scarf and turn it into a towel.

I moved Donna Reed into our family room about a month ago, in an attempt to reclaim the dining room as a (mostly) dining room. ( My sewing machine and a corner for knitting still reside there.) Now when I walk past and see this it is hard not to stop everything and sit down to weave another pattern repeat or two. Or just stand and stare at it, marveling at the magic that is weaving. Seriously, when I started weaving this, I stopped My Hero and the Young Man as they passed through the room and had them take a look. I was like a 5 year old riding her bike the first time.... watch me!!!!! See this? Look at what I can do!!!!

I am also thinking that this pattern would be nice napkins. From Day 1, My Hero and I have used cloth napkins- with our only exceptions being huge cookouts and lunch boxes. (But modest cookouts? Cloth napkins) Some of our cloth napkins are looking a bit exhausted and until now I really hadn't considered weaving their replacements, but yes! I think I will!

There is no logical explanation to the contentment I've felt the past several weeks. I should be crazy with school out, but I am not. There is a quiet to my days. My garden is growing well, the days have been sunny, mild, with just enough rain. Laundry dries on the clothesline most days and our windows are open. We've enjoyed good, simple, healthy meals at home, and while the house is never spotlessly clean (we do live here, after all, and with a big black dog) I feel like I am maintaining my daily chores and keeping time for my creative pursuits. I have given myself the freedom of not assigning imaginary deadlines to my knitting, spinning and weaving projects, which may be the biggest factor in this inner calm I feel. This feeling may not last long, but I am enjoying every bit of it and I'll hang on to it as long as I can!

Love,
Kim

One Year Ago

Dear Mom,
One year ago today, in the midst of heavy grief and under a cloud of worry, a very happy thing happened to this house at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Olive came home.

She met Bumper.

Bumper was  happy.

We didn't know it when she came here, but Olive turned out to be the easiest puppy I've ever had the pleasure (or misfortune, depending on the day and the dog) to raise.  (For the record, Bumper was the naughtiest and, as we all know, Patsy was off the charts.) Olive was exactly what this house needed. Something happy in the midst of our sorrow and worry. Our reward for all the hard, horrible stuff that happened with Patsy.

In too short a time, she became our Only Dog. She has helped my broken heart to (mostly) heal. 

Olive had her moments. She is the first dog in this family that needed the Cone of Shame.

She grew up quickly,

June 2012

June 2013

 and learned to play tetherball...

 

She likes to chase squirrels, and checks the trees frequently.

Tennis balls are her favorite toy.

Our happy dog.

We love her.

Love,

Kim

The Shawl

Dear Mom,
When it comes to lace knitting, blocking is magic. Fresh off the needles, lace looks like a hole-y rag. One could look at it and wonder why she fussed over it for so long. But when it is blocked and off the pins....oh my.
I am unable to take any photos that do this shawl justice. And photos cannot let you feel how whispery soft and light this shawl is.

I used one of my favorite yarns- Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool. The pattern is Claire's Shawl.

This shawl is intended for a most knit-worthy soul sister-in-law. I cannot wait to put it into her hands.

Love,
Kim

Sharing the Love

Dear Mom,
Button Love.

I offered a Shrinky Dink button class at the yarn shop on Monday. Only one person signed up, but she made some very cute buttons for her Alpine Tweed sweater.

Outlander Love,
For a cherished sister-in-law and fellow Outlander fan.
Claire's Shawl (inspired by the books)- off the needles and on the blocking wires as I write this.

The shawl measures @ 62 inches, square. I had to clear floor space in the Young Lady's bedroom to block this. I needed a spot behind a closed door. I could just imagine Olive deciding to nap right in the middle of it. A large fan is blowing to speed up the drying process. This pitiful photo was taken with me standing on the bed. I'll take much nicer, detailed photos when the shawl is dry.

Labor of Love.
The Young Lady wants a Dr Who Scarf. The yarn has been purchased. The scarf is started. Eleventy two miles of striped garter stitch. The only thing worse would be eleventy two miles of plain garter stitch. Thank heavens there is no deadline on this one. I've fallen asleep twice while working on it and I've only managed about 8 inches. Not even photo worthy at this point.

Gardening Love.
Not Rabbit love.
Apparently, the peas, spinach and lettuce I planted were for the rabbits. grrrrrrr.
Yes. Those beautiful, healthy, 18 inches high pea plants are nothing but naked stubs. The spinach? Gone. I don't know how those varmints got in, but they were rewarded for their efforts.

Love,
Kim