catching up

Benji died over the weekend.  He got Ich which if you look it up about what it is and what it does – it’s AWFUL.  Gross, nasty, horrible.   Ya’ll – it was awful.  there was nothing I could do for him.  By the time I figured it out and got medicine for him, it was too late.  So I had to watch him die slowly.  Cause I kept hoping he’d get better.  Maybe the medicine would work.  Should I just flush him and put him out of his misery?  No, he seems to be breathing a little better right now and there’s not as much white fuzz. 

 These are the times I wish I had a husband.  Mostly, I’m OK with being single.  It’s not my “preferred state” so much as it is what it is.  I do wish I had someone to share things with.  worries, joys, what to do about the fish…..  But then I hear the stories about how annoyed people get at one another – and I’m glad again it’s just me.   And I hear the good stuff too – the stuff that makes me go “Oh.  I wish I had that” – but let’s all go ahead and admit right now that’s not as common.  but yes, I do have friends with good marriages, and while annoyances are part of the deal, it’s balanced out by the good stuff.  Much like having a kid.  Unfortunately, there are no guarantees on either, and I’m enough of a chicken that risking it?  I haven’t met anyone who’s worth that yet. (Not saying I won’t ever – just haven’t yet.  I’ve got time.)

 Anyway – my knitting all seems to have stalled – I don’t really have anything to show for any of it. Work has been extraordinarily busy, and I’ve been working from home after Little Man goes to sleep at night frequently, and then this weekend I ran around and signed LM up for karate and swim lessons.  Had his friend over to play on Sat. so that Sun he could go to his house and I could go in to work for a few hours.  So I’ve also been going to bed pretty early lately.  with the sinus infection (did I tell you guys I had a sinus infection?) sleeping was just really nice.

Last night was LM’s introduction to karate.  They do 2 semi-private lessons at this studio to see if it’s something you want to do and give you an idea of what it’s about.  LM didn’t want to leave.  it was only 30 minutes, and he was very upset when it was time to go.  I’m very pleased with it also.  The instructor, Mr. Adam, was very good with the kids, and I really like what they’re teaching.  They don’t focus as much on karate as discipline, integrity, leadership, setting personal goals, trying hard, etc.   I’m really impressed so far.

gotta run – work to be done. 

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Oh yeh, the knitting stuff….

Mostly frogged.  the shrug for mom was too small (I’d knit about 7 inches on it and put it over her shoulders and it was just to small in the neck), and I messed up my Dashing and just couldn’t live with it.  ::sigh:: 

Hoping to get some actual knitting done this weekend.  that doesn’t need to be frogged…..

 Oh, and I went to the Dr. yesterday AM and I do have a sinus infection.  Which explains the headache I’ve had for 2 weeks.  and reminds me – I need to go take another pill.  (She prescribed Biaxin – and can I just say – these things are HUGE?!)

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!!!!!

Some bully hit my son today.  In the stomach.  Now, my child is 5 years old, and not a liar -and he said it was for no reason.  This bully is just mean to all the kids.  I’m so angry I could spit.  Little Man has been at a daycamp this week (they’re out of school for winter break) at a local gym where they do gymnastics, tumbling, all the gym kind of stuff.  and he’s had a GREAT time.  And I’ve been worrying all week that next week will be so hard because he’s just loved going to this place.  Until today.  and now he doesn’t want to go back tomorrow.  He has to – even if he doesn’t stay all day my mom (who keeps him while I work) is taking him in to talk to the director and the coaches about today.  But he doesn’t want to go.   

 Now, I know that violence begets violence, and you’re not supposed to fight fire with fire, and all those quaint sayings.  But let me tell you – if he gets in trouble for defending himself – I’m OK with that.  cause I told him to kick this kid if he hits him again.  Hit him back.  DON’T START it, and DON’T just hit him – but IF this little bully hits him again, to hit back.  and if anyone hits him – hit back. 

So mad……. rotten little bully….

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Bleh + complaint

I know I’m extremely lucky to have a job.  Much less one that I actually like (most of the time) and where I’m very valued.  and I know that there are people who are worse off than me (MUCH worse and even just worse) but this is my blog and I wanna whine for a minute….

 I don’t feel good and I don’t want to go to work tomorrow!  And I don’t want to be a mommy for 24 hours either!

(I think I may have caught whatever had Little Man down the other day, but I honestly can’t miss work because we’re in flux right now and me being out is just not an option.  Although I’m considering throwing up on my bosses’ shoes to make him realize that I really don’t feel good….)

So – bleh.  and I know it will pass, and like I said – there are others worse off than me, but this is my blog.  so I get to whine on it. 

</whining>

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Flotsam kind of day

1^st – we lost Enji.    He was kinda laying on his back/side last night when I went to bed, but he was still breathing.  I wasn’t sure what I could do for him, so left him hoping for the best.  This AM he wasn’t breathing anymore.  I flushed him prior to Little Man waking up thinking to save his sensibilities or avoid a scene or whatever, and really, he was more upset at me (and not even much of that) that he didn’t get to see him “floating”.  Mostly, since Enji was not a big mover and blended in to gravel so well – LM didn’t get too terribly attached I don’t think.  ::sigh::  I’m not sure if we’ll get anything else for a while.  And I guess I need to get Benji out and rinse everything off and hope he doesn’t get sick from the same thing.  (Which really – I think he’s fine – he’s still a busy little fish and finally comes to the top of the water when I put the food in.  He didn’t do that at first, and I worried.  Now I’m thinking it must have something to do with comfort levels/familiarity, etc.)  but this whole moving, cleaning, etc. thing is really kind of a pain.  Cause if Benji can get sick from the water or whatever is in the tank right now, I need to move him out.  But you’re not supposed to put the fresh water straight into the aquarium from the tap.   You’re supposed to let it sit at least overnight.   So Benji HAS to stay in the water he’s in while the new water sits.  How do people with large aquariums do all this?    Anyway…..

Little Man is much better.  Apparently it was just a 24 hour type thingie that lasted a little longer than 24 hours.  I gave him some Power Ranger action figures for Valentine’s Day (and a little candy – but we wouldn’t let him eat that yesterday which was very frustrating for him, but at the same time he didn’t want to throw up either, so he didn’t make too much of a fuss) and he’s loving them.  I couldn’t get him dressed this AM though because he was too busy playing with them.  I got very amused though, because I came in to check on him (and he dresses in the den FYI) and found him with yarn wrapped around them as a lifeline/lowering rope/something playing.  It was not any of my good/expensive yarn, so it was pretty funny.  (and still probably would have been even if, cause it’s all re-rollable)

I’m finally making some progress on Hug & A Prayer.  (part of it was I was waiting for payday) but I’ve emailed several times with Jennifer who is the genius dye artist for the Flock Tsocks, and have decided on using the superwash merino from Knit Picks.  Jennifer is going to custom dye it for me and there will be no more dithering on my part.  And if mom doesn’t like it – well, I might find some other uses for that yarn……

Calorimetry   – Cast on for the 5^th time – and I THINK it will be OK.  I only cast on 92 based on what everyone else was saying.  I was thinking too hard about it last night though and confused myself.  I need to just trust in the pattern and do it.  It’s not like it’s not froggable.   You know, it would TOTALLY help if I could count in the first place. I picked it up at lunch time (I’d already been creating this post) and got to the end of row 1 and was short a stitch. Which I could probably have lived with, and this project doesn’t have straight edges, so probably wouldn’t have even been noticeable, but I just HATED the idea of having 1/2 a rib hanging out there.

So now I’m going to cast on – ALL at the same time, with no stopping to look at a post, or read in a forum, or anything else.  (Quickly, before my insane boss who’s hyperactive comes back, because I promise you, he’d interrupt me at least twice before I could count to 92…..)

ETA – Done!  and it only took me 20 minutes.   (You didn’t actually think I wouldn’t be reading something else at the same time did you?  Can I not recommend the Tsarina’s archives while trying to count?  🙂 )

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Happy VD Day!

(Isn’t that a disease? hee!)

 Little Man is feeling better today – still a little feverish, but hungry and keeping it down so that’s good!  I had to go back to work this AM and work 1/2 the day.  My boss is a great guy, but really can’t stand it when I’m not there.  it’s more of a comfort thing than an actual need thing though.  He’s kinda weird.  but hey – job security!

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fish update

Oh and! 

 The pleco seems to be fine.  Apparently they are nocturnal creatures and don’t move as much during the day.  so right now – Enji (my kid apparently is creatively challenged about names….) seems to be doing well.  (at night at least – during the day – hibernates.)

Which – LM has said – “next time, I want to get a fish that swims around.”  I’m thinking though that we’re at full capacity for our little starter aquarium though. 

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Sick & knitting

Little Man has been sick today.  He woke me up at 2 this AM saying his stomach hurt, but he wasn’t feverish, and you just never know (even though he’s not a liar in general) if they’re telling the truth at this age (and it’s more of a not sure how to say what they want/need than a lie whenever he does do it) and it was TWO AM.  he didn’t have to go the bathroom, and again – not feverish, so I put him in bed with me for a while.  (which I actually kind of hate – I don’t share my space well and my bed is only a double – and I’m always so conscious of maybe disturbing him with my flip-flopping, or whatever that I can’t sleep).  That lasted about an hour and then he went back to his bed.  Then suddenly a few minutes before my alarm went off at 6:30 I heard him start crying and get up and say his stomach hurt, then he threw up.  (He did make it to the bathroom!)  I felt like such a bad mommy for not caring more at 2!  But, anyway.  he threw up a couple more times (once after drinking water!  You’d really think that water would not cause that.  but apparently it does.  we switched to ice chips after that.) but seems to not be throwing up anymore.  He’s even had some toast and kept it down.  He slept for about 3 hours this afternoon though, which is really not normal.  and he’s got a little bit of a fever. 

So, I’ve spent the day in front of the computer *working* from home.    And I actually did work – I just spent most of the day on Ravelry also.  🙂  Multitasking at its finest.

First FO!

      

Well, first FO that I have a {fuzzy} picture of actually.  It’s supposed to be the left glove – but I think I like it better on the right.

I’ve also gotten my Tsocks 101 kit – SUPER YAY!!!  and cast on for the little practice sock – which I’m actually kind of thinking of frogging and going on and doing ME some socks.   Practice-schmactice.  (yes, I know, I’m just asking to be smacked down)  We’ll see.

I’ve also cast on Calorimetry on some of the alpaca cashmere blend. Which I’m not actually certain is a good idea – I don’t know if that yarn will be good for Calorimetry, but I’m still researching that. (the pattern says to use yarn that is springy to maximize the stretchiness and not to use yarn that will become drapey – and I honestly just don’t know yet. I’ve asked over on Ravelry though, and figured frogging can always be done if needed.)

gotta run. I fixed Little Man ramen noodles and he has decided he doesn’t like them. (?!?!) so I have to go figure out something else bland to fee him. (he also does not like pudding or jello. I froze some Gatorade in the ice tray though, and he’s been sucking on that all day.) I’m going to try rice – but he usually doesn’t eat it unless it’s underneath ground beef stroganoff. so we’ll see…..

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Pphbt.

Sat down to work on mom’s shrug and realized 3 rows later I’d messed it up.  And I’m not good enough yet to be able to take it apart to the point of mess up and start again from there.  So – frogged.  And started again.  and found out that I had a MONSTER tangle on my hands when I was trying to do a row a couple of inches in.  spent a couple of hours playing with that.  (Paton’s Divine is very fuzzy.  and when it gets tangled?  it’s not kidding.)  That got put behind because Little Man wanted supper.  You know it’s bad when you’re trying to figure out what you’ve got that a 5 year old can get for himself.  Luckily I did realize that was WRONG and got up and cooked.  (considered delivery actually – but (1) broke; and (2) really NOT a pizza fan myself and he won’t eat anything chinese that I’ve found yet.)  started again, and realized AGAIN that I had another mistake that was not something I was going to be able to live with.  so it’s in time out right now.  (frogged and wound carefully – and resting)

Also – we bought a plecostmus (sp?) (and try teaching a 5 year old to say that!) fish for the aquarium the other night.  and I think he’s sick.  he’s not moving much today and I’m fairly certain he won’t make it through the night.  which, he’s only a fish, and it’s not like I’ve been able to pet him and hold him, but I’m still sad.  and wondering what I did wrong.

not feeling the love today.

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Better than a stress ball….

!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Happy dance happening over here!!  The Estelle Alpaca Cashmere Tweed came in.  And it is SO SOFT.  (I’m sitting here with it on my desk, at work, petting it….) 

I don’t know about making a blanket out of it though.  It’s just too pricy to have enough of it to make a blanket I think.  So I may be going back to the drawing board for yarn for the blanket. 

But oh…. So soft.  The original plan was to show mom what these three colors look like, let her pick which one to make the blanket/lapghan out of, and send the other two back.  HA!  I laugh at myself.  None of this is going back baby.  None. 

I can’t wait to cast something on with this. Doesn’t really matter what – I’ll probably rip it out – just want to feel this on the needles……

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