July 31, 2007

Got any good karma to spare?

My grandson N was diagnosed with "failure to thrive." Now the thing about this diagnosis is that it's really not a diagnosis. It's a catch all term meaning he isn't growing at a normal rate. He hasn't put on any weight in almost a year.

I've known since he was 4 months old that something wasn't right because he just wouldn't eat or drink much of anything. He'd drink only enough formula so he wouldn't be starving but wouldn't eat until he was full. Odd. I told his mom I thought he had acid reflux.

His mom would bring him to the doctors and they would give her lectures on what she should be feeding N. She's 25 but she looks about 17. I think they were treating her like she was a kid who didn't know anything. Seriously, just look at N's older brother and it's clear to see that my daughter knows all about feeding a kid.

Four months ago they finally gave N a referral to see a pediatric GI doctor. I think they did it just to shut her up. N didn't see a doctor he saw a physician's assistant. Once again they pulled my daughter aside and discussed nutrition with her. She went back a month later; different PA same lecture. He hadn't put on anything. A month after that and still nothing. 2 different medications and N isn't getting any better. Finally last week my daughter called and asked how long N could go on not eating or drinking before she should take him to the hospital.

Suddenly, everyone is reviewing his chart and they decide that he needs to be scoped asap. Arrangements are made and N went in this morning so they could check out his throat and stomach. "In and out and we'll know what's going on by 9," the doctor said.

10:00 I get a call from my daughter. Complication. N aspirated fluid into his lungs. He's having trouble breathing and they will be keeping him overnight for observation. My parents are at her house (over an hour away) and my dad has a doctor's appointment of his own at 1. She can't get a hold of her husband and doesn't know what to do. She's upset, worried, and all alone at the hospital. DAMN IT!!!

I hop in the car with D2 and we drive up to take over watching the kids so my parents can leave. Son in law calls and we tell him what's going on. He's upset and worried and in the middle of it all his phone battery dies. He'll go to the hospital when he gets out of work. I decide to bring the kids home with me so that my daughter and son in law can concentrate on N without having to worry about W and A.

Crap! All the car seats are in my daughter's car. I drive to Walmart and purchase 2 car seats, diapers, wipes, and formula. Unpacked them in the parking lot, knocked down the boxes and threw them in the trunk, and then drove back to get the kids.

So I didn't sleep at all last night worrying about N and probably won't sleep much tonight worrying some more. Worrying is what I do well the older I get. And they still don't know why little Mr N isn't eating or drinking. No diagnosis at this point. They did a biopsy which should be back in 48 hr. I hate waiting. I'm afraid they'll find something. I'm afraid they won't.

So that's been my sucky Tuesday. If you could send some good karma my way I'd appreciate it.

July 30, 2007

What is this????

Finished my Tilly shawl in knit picks yarn aka Diamonds on Fire last night. The minute I put this down on the floor the Evil One aka Oscar has to get up from her 18 hrs nap and check it out. "Hummmm, what is this?"
"Oh, now I remember. It's that thing you've been knitting that I've dragged off the loveseat 4 times."
"Whatever. Let me know when you get it blocked and I'll come back and sleep on it when it's almost dry so I can add the secret ingredient to any good knitting ...... cat fur."
Sock for hubby, turned the heel and picked up the gusset stitches. One socks for W done, 11 more to go. D1's second sock still in the ball and not casted on yet. Well see how much I can get done this week.

July 27, 2007

Quick update

Thanks for all the kind words. The town is filled with news satellite trucks;local and national. The CNN crew was sipping coffee at the local Dunkin Donuts. Everywhere you go you see someone standing in front of a camera talking. It's just something I could never have thought I'd see in my quiet little sleepy town.

It's hard to imagine that a trip to the grocery store could put in motion a situation that ends in 3 deaths. Something as simple as driving an expensive car and that car being noticed by 2 career criminals looking for drug money.

We're going ok. A little jumpy. Not sleeping enough. I think it's part of the process to try to put things into perspective and move on. It's too close to disregard yet so random that intellectually I know it'll never happen here again. We didn't even know the family. I can't imagine what their friends, family, and coworks are feeling.

On the knitting front the error on Diamonds on Fire was found and corrected. Then I laid it out for a quick check and found another error 8 rows back. Everything is back on the needles as of last night and hopefully I can get it done next week.

I started blue socks for W. He'll be excited. N asked for green socks so a quick trip on Knitpicks.com should have green socks yarn here next week. I also order The Opinionated Knitter by Elizabeth Zimmermann ..... just to get the free shipping. lol. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

July 24, 2007

It's so upsetting

when your town ends up on the cover of the US page on cnn.com The police chief said it the best. "In Cheshire we're not used to this type of event. It's a very unfortunate, tragic event that's probably going to reach right down to the core of the community."

July 23, 2007

Getting there .....

Working along on this Tilly shawl most of the weekend. Made a huge mistake last night so I'm talking myself into the fact it's probably only going to take tinking back 1 row to fix it. On a good note I've decided to name this project the "Diamonds on Fire Shawl". With a cool name like that I don't think I'll resent tinking back as much.

In the works.
Opal Smoke size 12 socks for my sil are done. Will weave the ends on the conference call in 10 minutes.
Same with these Opal Krocodile's for sil.

W: Gram, I need more socks.
Me: Why?
W: My socks are too small for my feet.
Me: What happened to make your socks too small?
W: I ate a lot of good food and my feet got bigger.
Me: Ok. I'll make you some socks. How about blue socks?
W: Blue is my favorite color. Blue socks would be fine. Can you make some new socks for N too?
Me: Sure I can. Did he eat good food and make his feet grow too?
W: Yes his good food went right to his feet too.
*** Ok so I eat stuff and it goes to my ass and thighs. Little men eat food and it goes right to their feet. lol

July 17, 2007

What do you do

when you projects in progress pile looks like this? And you haven't even started 2 shawls that you really want to make?
Well, you spend $40.50 on some noro in color #40 for a booga bag for yourself.

I had little Missy A this weekend while her parents and brothers went camping in Rhode Island. We had a lot of fun. Boy, babies are a lot of work! How did I ever do it with 4 myself? Probably easier when you are much younger with more energy.
"What do you mean you might be out of bannanas? Gram, tell me it isn't true?"
"That's better, old lady, and don't keep me waiting again while you take stupid pictures."

July 16, 2007

And the winner is .....

Anne! Way to go Anne! Shoot me an email with your address and your prize will be in the mail this week.

Thanks to everyone who played.

At July 10, 2007, Anne said...
Congratulations :) I'd have to say the best compliment I ever got was from my dad on my prom night - he told me I looked beautiful, and it was special to me because it was one of the few times I didn't get the 'pretty is as pretty does' speech he was famous for haha

July 12, 2007

A sighting of ....

an inconsiderate asshole. And I didn't have to leave home to see it. Here's this guy stopped dead in the travel portion of the street. OMG he must have broken down to stop there plus ending up right in front of my driveway. Maybe I should have run out to offer assistance?

Nope he didn't break down. He just stopped, popped open the trunk and side door, hooked up a mini compresser to his lighter, and let it run for about 10 minutes making an ungodly amount of noise at 7:30 am. Why? Well he needed to add some air to his right front tire that has a leak. It's a slow leak that's been happening for several weeks and he has to add air every 4 or 5 days.

So let me clarify this for you all. Here's this guy who has just left a park up the road where he just dropped his child off for camp. There was plenty of room to pull over safely in a basically empty parking lot to fill a tire. But no he couldn't do that because HE'S AN INCONSIDERATE ASSHOLE! So instead he leaves the park, drives 1/4 mile, stops in the middle of the road and in front of someone's driveway, runs a noisy compresser for 10 minutes while talking on his cellphone all at 7:30 in the morning. Single women always say that all the good men are already taken. I think this proves that some of the bad ones are taken too.

Contest ends Friday!

Just a reminder to post your best compliment before Friday at noon. There are some great compliments if you have a minute to read thru them all. I'm still knitting along without finishing anything. It's been hazy, hot and humid in CT so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Of course it wasn't too hot to order some Noro kureyon in color #40 for a booga bag for myself. I can't wait to start that. Maybe I'll bait myself with having to finish 1 or 5 projects before I'm allowed to cast on.

July 10, 2007

Much knitting no finishing

Shawl in progress but not the forest canopy or the MS3 that I really should be working on. This will be for my niece.
Socks for hubby .... who was whining about me making socks for my son in law not him.
One sock done and half of the next started.
Finished but not finished. But since they were off the needles I had 3 empty needles sooooo....
I had to fill them.

What to start next?

Bag it!

This is the bag I made and sent out to my exchange buddy Sherry. The blue one was another project I've been tinkering .... and frogging .... for a while now. Currently it's back in the ball. AGAIN.

It's a booga bag made from noro which felts like a dream.

July 05, 2007

One year of blogging

Yup tomorrow is a full year of blogging for me. It's been a great way of keeping me on task with my knitting so that I actually finish stuff. Along the way I've met some wonderful fellow craft people with amazing skills.



So in honor of this feat in my blogging career I feel a contest is needed. How about a couple skeins of Opal sock yarn? Sock yarn? I know what a shock! Drawing will be Friday July 13th at 12 noon est.

Here the contest question: What's the best compliment you've ever received?

My best compliment was from my grandson W. I had received some cookies and was giving him one when he came out with: You know Gram, you are a very good sharer.

July 02, 2007

Exchange package mailed sooooooo

I'm allowed to open mine! When the group manager was pairing up participants she didn't realize that Sherry and I were exchange partners for a dishcloth swap. Sherry didn't mind being my partner again and I certainly didn't so we made each other bags. It's fun because I knit and Sherry crochets so it's fun to get something that I wouldn't make myself!
Isn't this fun? It's the perfect size to throw in a couple things and run out the door. I will definately be using this one.
Some patterns to make purses, a chicago keychain, hand towel, bag of scented lotion soap, etc, some leg lotion, stitch holders, and
these things called scent chips. They are so full of scent it's unbelievable. I'll be stashing them around the house and according to the paperwork their scent will release for a long time.

Thanks Sherry!
I finished a pair of socks for my son in law. I love how they came out! I love them so much that I think I'll make another pair exactly the same. lol. Both are Opal yarn. The blue/black is croc and the blues and brown is called smoke. The smoke came in my last shipment from astrid so at least it isn't sitting around in my stash.

Hubby is a little upset by all these socks with none being for him so I just might have to knit him a pair to stop the whining.



July 01, 2007

Let's watch Cars!!

Little Missy A: Hey I wanna watch Cars too. Gram gave me the remote so I'll turn it up.
Wait a minute! This remote doesn't work! Is this some kind of trick remote? Are you happy with yourself? Tricking a 10 month old? Don't just stand there! Give me the one that really works! Come on gram you know where it is.
Awwweee never mind. I'll just throw you this smile and you'll pick me up so we can play. Who needs to watch Cars again for the 500th time.

Please note that N is wearing gram mades. Summer, 80's and he's in gram made wool socks. Why? Because he'll cry if his mommy doesn't put them on. Go figure!