Where Does Time Go?

It seems like just yesterday I was getting ready for Christmas and now it's the end of January. I have many things on my mind these days but nothing I can share without breaking confidences and I'm not prepared to do that. The only thing I can say is that it feels like I am surrounded by people with cancer and near the end of life. It sucks and it drains my energy thinking about it. I try not to but you know what, that is hard to do.

Meanwhile I knit, I tweet, I read other blogs and every once in a while I go on Facebook just to see what's new.

This is the Ishbel Shawl that I have made before, twice before in fact...I really love this pattern. I've made it in different yarn weights and I've made both sizes. It goes in my "gift" box for just in case. Or maybe I'm getting a head start on Christmas presents, who knows...

Before being blocked...



Looks different doesn't it...



The colors are beautiful...



This is a cabled pullover pattern from Vogue 2007. If the yarn looks familiar it is. It has been around in two incarnations neither of which worked. The first time I made a cardi with it and it was too small. I re knit it and it was too large, sigh...the yarn was put in my stash for about a year and now it has a new life.



It worked, it fits...



Now I'm searching for something new to knit. I still have unfinished projects hanging around but they are no fun right now. I need something new and challenging to help me not think about all the other stuff. Have a great day...ciao

I Hate Our Hospital

I have in the past had a problem with blood pressure. I also thought it was under control. I haven't needed any pills for a couple of years and my blood pressure has been textbook. Since returning from Greece it has been running just a bit on the high side. I'm not sure what's causing it. Maybe it's the stress of worrying about my hip, which is still painful six months post surgery or maybe because we've just spent a lot of money on a new car. In any case yesterday when it hit 176/106 I decided a trip to the ER was in order. I was also feeling lightheaded and headachy.

The charge nurse didn't seem to take me very seriously and after waiting almost three hours I bailed. I just couldn't take any more waiting. This morning my husband took me to the walk-in clinic at my doctors office (he was not available, personal emergency) and when I told them my symptoms I was seen immediately, no waiting, none at all.

The very nice doctor gave me a prescription for a beta blocker and now two hours later my blood pressure is 120/80. I see my doctor next week to discuss what might be causing this. Meanwhile I'm going to sit and work on this really nice tam using two strands of yarn. It's not something I do regularly and some concentration is required but it's turning out to be fun and a relatively quick knit. I'm not just sure who is getting it.




Friday morning I get my new vehicle (of course it's for me), while my sweetie gets to drive the old van. Isn't that cool? I'm getting a nice spanking new Ford Escape to bomb around in while he gets the old one. Of course the old one isn't nearly as old as the 91 Astro van that's heading to wherever old cars go. It has served him well and he's a bit sad. That's life I tell him, my older van is safer, at least it has airbags. The good thing is that after lots of shopping around we stuck with a North American built car. Hope it serves me well...

A Sign Of Life

Yes, I'm here, truly. I feel really bad for not having written anything for such a long time, but hey, that's life. I've been toying with the idea of quitting this blog for the last little while. It's been five years and sometimes I run out of things to say.

We are home from Greece, in fact have been home almost a month now. I'm still sick, I can't seem to shake a cold I've had for over a month now and the weather doesn't help. I'm also having issues with the hip. I've seen the ortho surgeon and he arranged an immediate bone scan and blood work. He want to eliminate the bad stuff like an infection in the joint or an actually appliance failure. I find I can't bear wait on the leg, especially in the mornings. I'm of course hoping that its now of the above and may just bursitis. I really truly cannot take another surgery. I'll find out next week.

On the knitting front, a beautiful cardigan that I'd been knitting off an on in Greece was finally almost finished. I was just about to sew it together when a little light bulb went off and I decided to just stitch it lightly. It was too big. It would have fit two of me. So it got frogged (for non knitters that means ripping it apart) and now I have consigned the yarn back to the stash. I can't look at it anymore, at least for a while.

I've also had a major computer failure on my favourite little laptop. None of the files are retrievable even though once in a while I try to turn it on in the hope that just once it will work allowing me to get some of the data. No such luck, it has really rolled over died.

I bought a new machine a few days ago that I'm not totally happy with. I'm having problems with the keyboard and touch pad and getting used to Windows 7 after XP is creating this old brain to fry at times.

I've signed up for a course on spinning with a spindle one night a week. I need to get out of the house for more than physiotherapy and grocery shopping, I'm becoming a boring person.

I've been following very closely the controversy in the U.S. with the TSA and how they are groping all passengers wanting to get on airplanes. The one video that stuck with me was of a 3 year old child screaming "don't touch me". Has this all gone too far?



When I get down in the dumps, I just look at the photos from Greece and remember how beautiful it all was...

The Last Thing I Want To Do...

I don't want to go to Greece this year, I really don't. It is a country in turmoil at the moment and somehow I don't think it will be over in three weeks. Currently the truck drivers are on strike and they are the good gents that deliver fuel. Hence, there is a fuel shortage in and around Athens. The port workers go on strike occasionally which means any plans to go to an island via ferry could be a problem. The air traffic controllers are doing work to rule which means most flights are not landing on time. So there are my reasons but since the tickets are bought and paid for I guess we're going.

Three weeks ago we finally went to open up our cottage and this weekend we are going to close it. Number of trips in between, zero. I hope that next summer we will use it more or it's time to sell. No point keeping a place that we don't go to. Next week my offspring and family are coming to T-Dot for a vacation which will be a treat. I'm looking forward to seeing my granddaughter Elliotte and wondering if three is too young to learn how to knit. I sure would like to teach her.

As for me, well you know how Murphy's Law works in my life by now don't you. Seems my surgeon can't measure properly and my right leg is 2 cm (3/4") shorter than my left leg. So I trotted off to the shoemaker with three single shoes and asked him to put lifts on the bottoms. I asked for 1.5 cm because I was told the muscles might stretch a bit during therapy. When I went to pick them up two shoes were good, one was not. He can't measure either, he made it 2 cm. I wonder if he knows the surgeon.

I finally had my eyes tested now that they have healed from the cataract surgery and went off to have glasses made. One pair for reading, one pair for the computer and one pair of sunglasses with readers so I can knit in the car while my sweetie drives. I'll give you one guess how that turned out. Yup, if you guessed two out of three your right... two were good and the sunglasses had to be redone. I guess Meatloaf had it right, two out of three ain't bad... I remember actually liking this tune a lot in the day, in fact I liked all his music. Lots of good parties were had to this music. Just listening to it again makes me really happy.






Oh yes, after six weeks of waiting I'm finally getting physiotherapy, three days a week. There's something about three... Have a lovely weekend.

The Shoe Doesn't Fit!

I'll get to the shoe part later... As I mentioned in my last post we drove to a friends cottage on Sunday for a few days of rest for me and work for Steve. He had been promising to drywall a bedroom and dining room on their new addition and it seemed like a perfect time to go.

The drive up was a bit stressful for me sitting in the back seat with my foot elevated and became even more so when we lost half our brakes on the very curvy road. Luckily we were able to safely get off the highway and find a mechanic to replace two broken brake lines. Our friends who were waiting at a pre arranged meeting spot just ten minutes away came to get us and we left the car behind. I think we were incredibly lucky.

To say I was spoiled for the three days would be an understatement. I didn't take advantage of it though, I'm sure I was a good guest. Once settled at the cottage, this was my view for the whole three days, lovely isn't it...


While there we also celebrated Steve's birthday. Liz quietly baked her famous family birthday cake for him and I'd like to report it was delicious and I had more than one piece. Steve was thrilled to be remembered.

The shoe that doesn't fit. When I was given this boot last week I told the nurse it didn't fit. She was the snarky one who told me not to worry, it fit. Well it doesn't, it's about a half inch short. Now since I'm only allowed to walk on my heel this is a problem. My heel is now terribly sore from hobbling around on this thing. Tomorrow I'm back to the hospital to change the cast and hopefully take the wires out of my foot and I'm going to insist on a boot that fits. I can't imagine hobbling around on this thing for another four weeks.

I Hate This Tree - Sometimes

This from a person who really does love trees. At our cabin up north we are surrounded by trees and rarely cut one down. Of course they are what I consider to be real trees, sugar maples and birches. The tree on our front lawn, less than twenty feet from the foundation of our house is a different matter. This is a Norway Maple, which is really a weed tree. I have been told by more experienced people that they should never be planted within a hundred feet of a house. The problem with Norway Maples are their very invasive root system and when you combine that with an old house and clay pipes you inevitably run into trouble.

Thanks to our tree we have had two sewer backups in our basement and the cost of replacing all the pipes from clay to plastic was not a cheap thing to undertake trust me,never mind the cost of replacing carpeting and damaged furnishings. Now if the tree had belonged on the city side of the line some of the cost would have been shared. We lost that battle once and won it once. The tree is either ours or theirs and the difference is in inches. Last year when I wanted the tree pruned of dead wood, it was ours. We hired someone to come and do it for us since the city wouldn't, it was conveniently ours again.

Imagine my shock this morning when this big beast rumbled up the street, stopped in front of my house and three young men jumped out and perused my/their tree.

It's really a big tree.

Seems this year it's their again and they were coming to trim. I wonder if the fact that last week we had hurricane strength winds and a couple of big trees on the street came down had anything to do with it? Either way, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, go for it boys said I, it's saving me about six hundred bucks. I did ask if they wouldn't consider cutting it down altogether but was politely rebuffed. Too bad, it really is a weed, a sixty year old weed. They did a great job with the cleanup though. The weed looks regal again.

So now were at two for all with the city. Next time they will tell me it's mine again. This year I don't mind paying my property taxes quite so much.

Tomorrow's The Day

Tomorrow I find out if surgery is possible to correct the macular pucker that came out of nowhere in January. Yes January, that's how long I've been waiting and I hope it's not too late. If there is a God out there I have to wonder what else is coming my way. People keep telling me that God only gives you what he/she thinks you can handle, well guess what...I'm done. I have been pushed so close to the edge these past two years since my Mom died I swear one more thing will just send me over.

So keep your fingers crossed (toes too) that all will be well tomorrow.

Meanwhile the garden is showing signs of life and I harvested some pussy willows yesterday. They were the plumpest since we put this bush in five years ago.

For my birthday my orchids obliged by being in full bloom and there was a new addition to the family. I've got five orchids now and I'd better stop collecting, my poor neighbour has to take care of them for two months every year.




And this little beauty...well that is an Amaryllis from a year ago. Usually I toss them out when they're done blooming but this one I kept and lo and behold I got it to bloom again this year. It pleases me that I could do that.

Oh yes, I blew out all the candles on the cake in one go...

A Quick Update

As much as I want to visit my favourite blogs, I find myself unable to focus on reading or even my favourite pastime, knitting.

I saw an Optometrist today who diagnosed my eye problem as a pseudo hole in the Macular with peripheral retina breaks. In plain English I have lost vision in my right eye right in the center and it causes the vision to be blurry.

For the moment there is no retinal detachment, although the danger exists. There is a follow up appointment next week plus some eye photos in the future to determine how big the hole and if repair is a possibility.

The thought that I will not be able to see well sends shivers down my spine and almost makes life unbearable.

Just as I was about to push the publish button, my husband yelled from the basement that there was a flood. The hot water tank broke and we've just spent the last hour mopping up and picking up carpet tiles. It doesn't end...

I Don't Think This Would Work Here!

How to beat a speeding ticket...

In Scotland, exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 mph is generally an infraction penalized by the loss of one’s license. Except, it would seem, if you are a polygamous Muslim husband dashing between homes in an effort to service more than one wife.

That exact scenario occurred earlier this year when a Scottish judge allowed a Muslim husband to retain his license after he was booked for driving 64 mph in a 30 mph zone. “He has one wife in Motherwell and another in Glasgow and sleeps with one one night and stays with the other the next on an alternate basis,” argued Mohammed Anwar’s lawyer. “Without his driving license, he would be unable to do this on a regular basis.”

Recently happened in Scotland...

Bye Bye Tuesday...

Everything bad that happens to Steve usually happens on a Tuesday. He's pretty superstitious that way, me not so much. But after yesterday, he almost has me convinced.

Honey, the computer crashed. Yup, the hard drive rolled over and died and all our business documents are not salvageable. Good thing I have back-ups, somewhere!

He looks pretty miserable doesn't he?




Honey, the washing machine sounds like it's going to explode! It didn't but it didn't drain the water either.

Doesn't get better.



Ah, a little better...I found a cheap hard drive today for him and after reloading all his stuff things should be better for his mood.

And he got the washing machine repaired for me. I'm glad, I didn't relish the idea of wringing clothes out by hand. With the economy the way it is these days buying a new computer and washing machine were not on my agenda.

Ah yes, finally something to smile about, Tuesday is gone.



The pictures above seemed kind of appropriate today but really, they are from the Island of Usedom, the most north/east part of Germany. Germany shares this island with Poland and is also the location of Peenemuende. That will be a whole other post...

The Last Time We Had A Recession....

Arrrgh, I don't even want to think about it. My husband and me almost got divorced. Not for financial reasons mind you, it was simply because he didn't have enough outside work to keep him busy and spent most of his time looking for "make work" projects at home.

Well guess what, we seem to be at that point again. Steve is a renovator who has been as busy as he wants to be since the early 90's but all of a sudden finds himself without work. He's been walking around the house the last couple of days eyeballing walls, ceilings and I got a little nervous.

Today the shoe dropped, just now he said "honey, I think we'll paint the upstairs bathroom tomorrow". Horrors for me, yuck... it means organizing that darn room, taking everything out and maybe throwing some stuff away, and I don't feel like it, I've got knitting to do...

Most people would envy me this man, in fact all the husbands in our bridge group hate him (just kidding) because things always get done around here and the wives are always making comparisons.

I'm also busy trying to find a doctor that will fix my foot. Now I've been told by two of them that they can't/won't operate and I'm really not sure if it's because they can't fix my foot or if it's a money issue. Orthopods get more money from the government for a hip or knee replacement for example than they would get for operating on a foot. And since we can't buy/pay for private doctors here I'm really at their mercy. A doctor in Germany told me the foot is fixable so I'm on a crusade to find a doctor to do so here in Canada. If not, I might have to go to the U.S. to have it done and pay.

I'm not prepared to spend the rest of my life not being able to walk without pain, after all, I still have a mountain to climb...

As for the bathroom, well it really could use a little work.

Still Down For The Count

So today I went to the doctor to see if there was anything he could do for my back. Other than offer me pain meds, which I don't need, there isn't much except rest.

While I was there though, he insisted on giving me my annual flu shot so now not only does my back hurt, my arm and shoulder are sore too and I'm running a slight fever.

Time to go back to bed until things improve a bit here a Chez Rositta...

Down And Out

I'm trying to think up a catchy title for this post but haven't come up with one yet. I was thinking of "I'm Taking To My Bed" but thought that might attract the kind of traffic I really don't want. But yes, I really am taking to my bed...I awoke this morning unable to stand up on my own two feet. That hasn't happened for about a year so I'd forgotten how really painful that can be.

I suffer from degenerative disc disease among a few other little problems and I suppose that the long plane trip, unpacking four large suitcases, and doing tons of laundry are the contributing factors to this current crisis. And I do mean crisis. Before he left for work this morning my husband brought me the laptop to bed and a large cup of coffee. I'm not sure the coffee was a good idea though, sooner or later I have to make my way to the washroom and I don't relish doing that on hands and knees. Yes, it really is that bad. I've already called my Rheumatologist for needles, but she's not available today, she's out of town but I do have a bunch of Robaxacet pills which may or may not work. Stay tuned.

Now as to my doctor, well she's not on vacation or anything good like that. Because of the huge doctor shortage in this province, especially specialists, she has two offices over 1000 km apart. She spends one week a month at the out of town office and this happens to be the week that she's gone. I admire her dedication to her patients as this is a pretty gruelling schedule. This woman is not only a Rheumatologist, she's also a wife and mother of three. I asked her once why she does this and she told me that without her, her patients would have to do the traveling. There isn't another Rhumatologist for miles. Even though I admire her, I wish she was here to help me today.

That's the sad state of our health care system...meanwhile, I'm confined to bed for a couple of days.

These Feet Are Made For Walking!

Well not quite but ready for the beach for sure. I woke up with another migraine today, the second one this week. A couple of hours after taking the wonder drug Maxalt I dragged my weary bod out of bed and headed for a pedicure. I figured between the terrible cold, which is still with me and the migraine I deserved a treat.

I made a small stab at packing today as well, I have half a suitcase done, only two and a half more to go. There's going to be some juggling for sure to get everything in. Now it's back to bed with a hot toddy with lots of scotch in it. Tomorrow will be a better day...

Circue du Soleil - Saltimbanco

Yesterday I collected on my birthday gift from the offspring and his girl and well all went to the Air Canada Centre here in T-Dot to see this amazing show. The video clip below is not mine, handbags were searched on the way so I didn't bring a camera. The little clip is just a little of what the show entailed. It was in one word awesome and I don't use that word very often. Our seats were on the floor, third row which made it even more spectacular.



If you ever get a chance, go see them, they put on a heck of a performance...

Where Am I?

I'm here, really I am. It's been a little busy recently with the offspring and family in town from out west and shopping and planning for that seven weeks away from home. It's a little tricky because I'm dealing with two different climates. Greece will be nice and hot and my 10 days in the very north east part of Germany will probably be cold.

Between all the planning and plotting I've also had to deal with some computer issues. I own a laptop but it's not particularly light or small and last year poor Steve was lugging that thing around everywhere we went. I decided to buy myself a little IBM Thinkpad just for travelling. Now because I'm not terribly rich I found a nice little refurbished one for a really good price and proceeded to load all my programs. That took me half of yesterday to finish and by the end of the day that little sucker crashed. Now it didn't do it once or twice just to be clear, it kept crashing and I was pretty much ready to chuck it all. Murphy's Law, whatever can break when I get it home, does... it's pretty much expected in my life.

Today I got a replacement and I'm back to loading programs. Luckily the shop I bought this computer from is in my neighbourhood and he has many of them. This one seems to be working well and if it quits in the next couple of weeks he'll replace it until he finds one that is good. If I loose it on my trip I won't be too upset.

My poor knitting blog has been sadly neglected of late and I'll probably have to put it on hiatus until we return from Greece. That's probably okay since I don't seem to have much time for knitting right now.

The Germany part of the trip is starting to get a little complicated for me. I have a cousin, who in true German tradition wants to plan everything ahead. Me, I just like to go with the flow and do whatever happens to strike my fancy at any given time. So when I get emails asking me where, what and when I get a little spaced out. I recognize that he really wants to please me but booking excursions too far in advance scares me...heck what if I have a migraine that day.

My friend from Wiesbaden where I would normally have gone, is going to Jordan during that time span but wants to come to Berlin for two days to meet me. Well I'm 3 hours from Berlin and do I dare tell my cousin that I'd like to go back there two days after he picks me up just to spend the weekend with my friend? I want to go to Dresden and Hamburg but they are at opposite ends. Maybe I should just get a Eurorail pass and spend 10 days on a train, that would be fun. And to top it off my aunt/godmother in Wiesbaden is pissed at me for not being there for her 80th birthday. Can't please everyone can we...

Meanwhile here in T-Dot is still rains every day and my body sure feels it. I started going to a tanning salon (I can just hear my nurse friends groaning about skin cancer) every couple of days for four minutes just so I wouldn't look so sickly white on the Greek beaches and have discovered that it actually makes me feel better. Since I started going my arthritis and fybro pains are much less severe than normal.

Meanwhile is the world going to hell in a hand basket so to speak with WWIII on the horizon? And the Russians, well a little blackmail goes a long way. Wonder who will blink first?

Just For A Change Of Pace

Instead of knitting, this is what I did this weekend.



And this...



And this...



I know it doesn't look like much yet but wait a couple of weeks. Now it all has to dry, be trimmed, and fired twice. I haven't done any pottery in four years so it was pretty amazing that I could still do it. It used to be a business for me but now I will do it just for fun and for friends.

So while I was doing all of the above, they guys were out fishing and came home with this.



They made for a lovely dinner.

Angry Sky

Doesn't look terribly angry just yet but about five minutes after this photo the sky went pitch black, the winds picked up dramatically and the rains came, again. It's now rained and stormed every day in July.

This one did a fair bit of damage, lots of trees down but it didn't last long. After the storm the sky looked like this. There was actually a bright red ball but by the time I got my camera it was gone.

We are now meant to have 48 hours without rain...

Rhodes In Flames

The fires in Greece have begun again and now one of my favourite islands has been in the news. Over two thousand tourists have been evacuated due to heavy smoke and encroaching flames. Not a pretty sight and devastating for the tourist industry during the busiest months.







Very sad indeed...

Happy 4th Of July

For all my American friends, Happy Fourth of July...

Rositta