Healing, Again

Thanks everyone for your well wishes! I’ve got a giant hole in my jaw now. Well, feels like it anyway. It got cauterized so it’d heal into something other than a hard painful lump of scar tissue. Can we say GRUMP.

I’m surprised at the level of interest over yesterday’s picture – it’s my tonal red into brown dyed yarn, in the Paddington Bear colorway. Look for it… sometime soon. I’ve been taking it easy, but I admit it’s frustrating to keep things under wraps so long!

I completely think SUPERMEOW limericks are necessary for healing, don’t you? I still need to contact (and mail out) all the prizes for the last contest, I know, and I thank you for your patience as I’ve been flattened by this whole thing. But come on, I’ll toss out a contest prize, for a good limerick or three! One limerick per comment, please. Contest ends at midnight CDT, Friday, June 8.

release

The abscess will be lanced tomorrow morning. What more is there to say? It’s been an owie week and I’m a walking owie.

26 days today. Better but still a long way from fine.

assessment

I’m not sure why I’m as upset as I am. I mean, I knew I wasn’t feeling 100% yet, and I just needed more time to get better.

The pain I was having? The run down feeling I was having?

Abscessed incision.

One more round of antibiotics.

*bangs head on nearest object*

The stitches didn’t dissolve fast enough. I should just throw out a shingle: Rebecca, expert infunktionist.

So that would be why it hurts more than it “should” right now. You think?

Five more days, to give the antibiotics more time, then a re-assessment.

I can assess me fine just now, though. One Rebecca, very ready for this to be over.

stitches

I’m getting a jumpstart on June’s socks, if only because I can’t find the yarn for the other half of my ankle socks, and besides soothing stockinette is a balm to my soul right now. I’d already knit the first half of the pair way back in February…. that’s a long time to go without casting on for the second sock, especially for me. But simple stockinette toe-up socks, I can handle that.

I’d already sewn on the picot hem on the first sock, but you know what? I’m just not happy with it, especially compared to my cuff-down picot hems. I’m thinking of ripping it out on the first sock, actually, and maybe doing a lace rib cuff instead. I don’t know. What do you think? What would you do? I have a long time to go before I worry about it; I’m still on the foot. It’s lovely soothing stockinette but definitely I’m not fast right now.

Just as well.

Maybe today I’ll make good progress on the sock; it’s another day of cross-state travel as I’m seeing the surgeon today for a check up.

Three weeks ago today, can you imagine? It seems like a thousand years ago to me.

Except for the stitches. They’re not all gone, you see, and these so-called dissolvable stitches are driving me mad. I’m so glad they’re all going to be removed today. Not a moment too soon, for sure.

these socks are made for walking

Right about now, Chris has either completely forgotten that she dyed these for me, or she’s nonplussed at the non-knee-highedness of these.

But there’s a reason. Or there was. Or there were.

Let me back up. These socks were started last November. And then I knitted them to the heel by thanksgiving. Then I put them down and had torrid affairs with other projects. And then December 25th, I picked up one of them, put them on two-sizes-too-large-needles by accident, noticed this problem two days later when um…. I’d knit five inches of leg. Threw the sock in disgust and stuffed them into the closet for months.

Poor neglected socks. I was mad at them.

Last March (I know! I waited this long to blog them!) I had an inspiration one day, and decided to bind them off and make them ankle socks. Why? Three reasons. The first, obviously, was to kill off the project and have socks. That part? Successful! Two, I prefer ankle socks when I take “serious” walks outside, and owned no handknit ankle socks…. That part? Well, I’ve got the ankle socks but two months later still no gopower for the walks. Someday! Someday!

The third part? There’s this chevron scarf by Debbie Bliss in Scarf Style and um… I really wanted to use the leftover yarn for it because stripedy chevrony goodness in two of my favorite colors from one of my favorite people! How could I lose!

I’d meant to knit it the day I learned I needed surgery, but I decided to be a nervous wreck instead. So they’re still balled up and I’m still planning.

But someday I’ll be walking, and someday I’ll have the scarf. Right? Right.

flutter

Sometimes garter stitch and a fluffy yarn are all you need for some scarfly happiness. This is the long-overdue picture of the scarf I knited eons ago, out of Hobby Lobby’s Yarn Bee Jewelsong yarn. I liked this yarn a lot, I admit, but only when it’s 70% off, like here. Two skeins makes a HUGE scarf. Hee! The exact color is definitely hard to pinpoint, because it’s a melding of many different colors, plus the two textures. But it’s yummy, for novelty.

A year and a half ago, I knitted this, out of yarn that Tiphanie gifted me. I haven’t worn it lately, but you know? I’ll never get rid of it, I don’t think. For possibly obvious reasons.

Try not to notice the lack of bloggage of current projects. I am knitting. Just maybe not so much with the positive progress. But that’s for another day. Maybe tomorrow.

How am I feeling? The stitches finally started dissolving on day 17, replete with blood and übersoreness. I credit the thai the gramma and I had on Saturday for finally convincing the stitches to dissolve.

The neuro was happy with my progress, and prescribed muscle relaxants because my face is still cramping and that probably is part of my soreness/nightly crashing problem.

I’m getting better. Gramma says I look a lot better. Just not ready yet to resume my daily walks or to not crash early and sleep for half the day. Yet. But you know. Better. Less crabby. Less headachy. Getting there. Just not there yet.

squishy goodness

Another get-well box, this time from the fab m-c. I’m thinking I need to make some Stashbuster Spiral Socks, which call for three different colors, and what do you know, I’ve three shades of the Rowan RYC Cashsoft 4 ply…..

Thank you! SOooOOOOooOOOoo sooooooft. Mmmmmm.

saturday sky

This picture? Kind of cracks me up. What is Picasso thinking? He’s leaned and stretched over in quite a particiular way, isn’t he?

knitty surprise

CROPPED CARDIGAN WITH LEAF TIES

Tiphanie: Mmm. I like it. Would omit the leaf ties or skip the leaves. At least they’re not dangling from my sleeves.
Frarochvia: By Stefanie Japel? I’m surprised you liked it. The cardi is so…cropped.
Tiphanie: It’s perfect with a dress. You can pair this with a summer dress.
Frarochvia: True. I did like the sleeves. I’d lengthen it some I think. Leaves a cute idea, but no.
Tiphanie: I wouldn’t wear this with jeans and a skimpy tee. I would wear it with a dress.
Frarochvia: I’d prefer a frog closure. No! Blech- a skimpy tee. But a dress, yeah.
Tiphanie: I like it. It’s a small cardigan and it will cover the bare area that a shrug wouldn’t cover.
Frarochvia: Yeah. Something different. And it’s worsted. 4 balls of Cascade 220, basically. Not bad. I like it a fuck of a lot better than Ester.
Tiphanie: *laugh* I totally forgot about Ester. Oh well. Can’t knit everything.
Frarochvia: No. (Secretly: hooray!!! She forgot!)

ARIETTA

Tiphanie: Um. It’s okay. I think I didn’t like because of colors. It’s nice yes.
Frarochvia: I like it. It’s different. I don’t know that I’d knit it, and definetly not in these colors, but it’s different.
Tiphanie: I’m lukewarm as I wouldn’t normally graviate toward this type of design or motifs. It’s nice yes but it’s not calling me.
Frarochvia: The colors are too washed out in my opinion. But I do think it’s cool.
Tiphanie: Yeah. If you see this in black, white and red- wow! drastic!
Frarochvia: Yeah…It’d be cool.
Tiphanie: So, need to look past the colors- but yeah, not interested.
Frarochvia: (Internal monologue: black white pink?)
Tiphanie: And you’re probably thinking black white pink, yes?
Frarochvia: (damn Tiphanie)
Tiphanie: I like how she shaped it as it’s less boxy. So it’s doable.
Frarochvia: I did like it. It looked like something I might try some day. Yeah. I might do this for a bag. Hey, it’s has been a while since I had a bag frenzy. I’m seeing brown lavender red. Brown to go with my sweater. Lavender to go with my coat. Red…because…

VANILLA SPICE

Frarochvia: I like that it’s a cheap yarn, and definitely spring/summer friendly. Nix the pockets. But I’m not going ooo.
Tiphanie: Ugh. A Wal-Mart cardigan. Looks like something my aunt would buy off a rack at Wal-Mart. And it will sag within a week.Then it will gap between the buttons. Booo. Booo. And pockets! They will sag and droop! Double Boo.
Frarochvia: You don’t like it, I’m guessing. LOL.
Tiphanie: No way will any one approach the person and ask, did you knit that? Naw. If I wanted one I would go to Wal-Mart thank you very much.
Tiphanie: I react to it the same way people react to knitted socks.Ohh, you can buy three pairs for five bucks!
Frarochvia: It’s just boring, I guess. That’s the biggest problem.

VICTORIA

Frarochvia: I’ll keep silent for you to talk about the next project.
Tiphanie: I like it! Not for rainy days for sure haha.
Frarochvia: Useless!
Tiphanie: Picnic! Oh yes! This will be useful during summer!
Frarochvia: You’re crazy.
Tiphanie: Seriously – especially if it’s a sorcher. Then you can use it to shade yourself.
Frarochvia: I keep forgetting you’re crazy. Would you KNIT ONE?
Tiphanie: It’s not odd. I see umbrellas everywhere where I live – on sunny days.
Frarochvia: Well okay. But I’m not knitting you one.
Tiphanie: Hey, perfect for a picnic. You can nap in the shade [of Victoria]. Lovely!
Frarochvia: Note to self: Tiphanie is crazy.
Frarochvia: It’s pretty but I guess…goofy. Maybe it’d be good for making me feel pretty. But how is it better than an umbrella?
Tiphanie: No, it’s useful if you need to keep out of sun or want to avoid a tan. It would be great for other people who are sensitive to sun due to chemo. And second, you can knit one to match your coat!
Frarochvia: My umbrellas are PINK thank you very much.
Tiphanie: Ha ha. It’s okay. You’re not interested in this. You’re not interested in a knitted toilet cover. Some people dosn’t see the point of knitted/felted vases. And you’re the one knitting a damn lampshade. I would prefer Victoria to a knitted lampshade.
Frarochvia: *mumbling to herself* Tiphanie is nuts, Tiphanie is nuts…I don’t get her…

tricksy

That Chris? Tricksy tricksy tricksy. All that machinating behind the scenes both in emails and on her blog, never once revealing her big secret!

It was HUGE to get this on the second, the day before the surgery, and to catch the mailman moments before gramma and I headed for her house. I have worn this at home nonstop for the last two weeks. Amazingly the boys don’t try to wear it. Wonder if they smell catchenal cooties?

This shawl means a crazy (oops there’s that word again) lot to me. A LOT! Thank you Chris, for being the best, even if that meant also being tricksy….

There were also sock yarn, another skein from Running Wild, the same color that I got for my birthday. Chris expressed concern that they weren’t going to be suitable for socks, so I’m thinking… lace smoke ring? I love neckwarmers!

And two skeins of alpaca/silk that Picasso seems to have the idea that we could negotiate over:

Sorry, Picasso, but I DON’T THINK SO! I think I’ll turn at least one into a Friday neckscarf. Truthfully, I think two skeins would be too much, I’d prefer it to be a smaller scarf than the one in the pattern. And if possible, maybe the other one could be a beret from Greetings from Knit Cafe?

All in all, sheesh, I feel completely spoiled rotten!