So I have been having this pesky little ear ringing problem. Actually more than little, and it always gets worse while I am at work. I suspect that their having the white noise on max may be a factor, but I digress.
I stayed home from work today because of a stomach issue that started Friday night that was aggrivated by the ringing keeping me awake most of the night. After a while I started to perk up and being the multitasker type, I thought I would pop in and have my ears checked at the walk in.
Verdict: tinnitis. Action: see a ENT specialist. Called ENT specialist (since I was on a roll) and they set me up with a hearing test that I just came back from.
Vertict: significant auditory nerve damage. The kind of damage that is permanent. The kind of damage that explains why people sometimes seem to be taking in a foreign language. Which I guess it is if you are not hearing most of the mid range and high frequencies.
Action: Still see ENT but will need hearing aids. Problem: I need very good hearing aids that can be programed to adjust the individual frequencies I need adjusted, and to hopefully help slow down further hearing loss. Bigger problem: They cost over 6k for a pair and that is not covered by health insurance in any degree.
This hearing loss is affecting me every day. I know it, and have known it in the back of my mind for some time. It affects my job and frustrates those around me more and more all the time. My big question is how in heck am I going to come up with this money so that I can get back the part of my life that I have been missing for some time? Not to mention keep doing my job, paying bills, and paying taxes.
One nagging question: Will I still like Adam Lambert if I can fully hear him?
I have a few patterns for sale on Ravelry and from this point on all proceeds for any sales will be going into my Hearing Aid Fund.
Thanks for “listening”.
Nettie
Lovely day. A bit windy but the sun is shining so I’ll take it. My step daughter, Tammy called this morning to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day, so I guess even S-Mom’s get a shout out today. It was very nice to be remembered.
My French Lilac is doing very well and smells wonderful.
Of course no shrub is safe from knitware
The blissful rib towel is finally done and can leave the WIP list.
I am also working on my version of a log cabin blanket. First 3 squares are done!
I wondered for a while what to do with such a small amount of yarn. Finally came up with a phone mitten.
This led me to considering other ways to make a phone mitten. I created the following one using the k1b stitch. The k1b, when used correctly, can lead to vertical stripes. The k1b also creates a thicker fabric that is even more protective. The pattern is available, for a small fee, through my Ravelry design page here.
In case you think the dyeing experiment was a one shot deal, I also dyed this. I am calling it parrot. I am hoarding my last 50 grams of undyed wool until I can get more – but I have the food coloring.
As some one who has wanted to try their hand at dying yarn for a long time, the conjunction of having left over dye from coloring eggs and a bit of Patons Malabrigo was too much to bear.
Wrapped the yarn around an orange juice bottle and made a mini skein; soaked it while the eggs were being colored; put it in a casarole dish; dumped in food coloring boosted yellow from one side and the food coloring boosted red from the other; nuked for a while; and got this little Easter treat:
I’ve heard that it only takes once to get addicted….
Last week we went to Jordan’s Furniture in Reading.
We went to Fuddrucker’s for lunch and saw this view of their Green Monster.
We also saw the Beantown Dig.
Twice.
We also greatly admired the Jelly Bean Ducks,
and saw the Green Monster from another angle.
Oh yes, and bought a recliner. (Of course I didn’t get a picture of that.)
As I look back over my life, it seems that I have actually been suffering from a bad case of Just One More. I started to catch on the other day when for the millionth time, I went to lunch or left for home late because I wanted to do just one more thing.
I do that with knitting too. Just one more row. Just one more stitch. Casting on just one more project. Buying just one more set of knitting needles and of course there’s the need to get just one more skein of yarn. (I’m not convinced that the last one is a problem.)
There’s also the need to check out just one more thing on Ravelry; subscribe to just one more knitting podcast (never mind that I can’t keep up with what I have); play just one more game of Picross; read just one more page in a book. After all, if I ignore the clock hard enough, tomorrow will not come. Right? Wrong. How about just one more hour of sleep?
I have dealt with the just one more cookie, brownie, Hershey’s Kiss, etc. yens. However, if you are dealing with this aspect of Just One More do not, I repeat, do not replace any of the above with just one more piece of sugar free candy. Those things are lethal and should be treated with the utmost caution. Dignity prevents me from elaborating further just trust me…..
I recently lost someone in my life who chose to not continue their journey in this world. A new person had just come into my life and I was looking forward to finding out what there was to learn from the acquaintance. Since that cannot happen now, I am left wondering why.
I recently came across the following poem that, for me, seems to bring a little peace. I found it by the purest chance, and I am sharing it here in case someone sometime finds it when they need to.
It seems
wherever I go people come into my life or go out of it,
touching me where I can feel it, then leaving only a memory
like the fairy tales of childhood;
and I wasn’t through knowing them yet.
How do you know when you are seeing for the last time?
How do you stop together and keep all those around you that
you’ve ever known and loved?
And, how do you keep fairy tales from losing their magic?
So come–
brush against the walls of my life
and stay long enough for us to know each other,
even though you know we’ll have to part sometime;
and we both know the longer you stay the more I’ll want you back
when you are gone.
But come anyway, for fairy tales are the happiest stories I know
and great books are made up of little chapters.
(author unknown)
As I may have mentioned before, I am on vacation this week. After having our taxes done this weekend, I needed to destress so I started working on my Dream in Color Classy sweater. Cast on late Sunday night, since I was determined to start it on my birthday, and I will never (right!) do that again. Knit on it most of the day on Monday. It’s a good thing that on Tuesday morning my little gray cells kicked in, and I fully considered the consequences of ignoring the results of my gauge swatch of 4 stitches per inch. After all it was only half a stitch different. What can that hurt? As it turns out, plenty or approx 8.5” additional width by the end of the yoke. Now the 8” I did Monday, had to come out. 
Reworked the pattern to allow for my gauge. I love Excel. Ripped it out and started over. Good news: This yarn looks amazing. 
We went to the movies on Thursday and saw the Echelon Conspiracy. If you are at all prone to conspiracy theories, you may not want to see it. I am still creeped out.
When we came out of the theater it was very windy, and we saw this in the sky. It was surreal how the wind was blowing so hard but the clouds were not moving.
Other cool news. The Dish Cloth Weekly Knitalong group on Ravelry is using my Pi Dishcloth idea for the knit along. Everyone is doing great and it is great fun to see the creativity people are bringing to their projects. If you want to try too you can get the pattern here.
I see if I can update you further tomorrow. I may take a short sweater break. I have another idea for a dish cloth.
It’s been an interesting weekend. A little knitting. A little prepping for the meeting next week with our tax preparer. Fingers will be crossed big time that we get a decent refund. Especially since I ordered some Dream in Color Classy from Webs. Well after all, I need to have vacation knitting yarn. I want to make a Mr. Greenjeans sweater.
Currently I have come up with an idea for a pair of socks using Dream in Color Smooshy. Colorway is Into the Mystic. I am noticing that I am starting to lean towards simple designs. Sometimes overly fancy are not as functional. Anyway, I like them so far.
Have a great week!
Nettie
I have been considering relationship longevity lately. I see many people that make me wonder why they are together. There appears to be no closeness in their relationship. Maybe a common purpose or two but they treat each other like strangers. In fact, maybe a stranger would be treated better.
My husband and I do not fall into that sad category. We love each other and are kind to each other. We give each other a helping hand or word when needed. We are close and the closeness has only become greater with time. We are family to each other in the truest sense of the word. It is unquestioned and because of that, is the source of much strength for both of us. We endure what life throws at us with humor, perseverance, and confidence. Because we are a team. No secrets. No mind games. No distrust. Unquestionably. Always.
I wish that for all of you. It is worth working at. Because truly one of life’s rewards is the joy of coming home after a long day to your home, your partner, and your sweetie.
and your knitting….
and your yarn stash…..
but I could do with out the snoring…..
he says, “Ditto!” ……
Sigh…..
