DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS!

I had special guests for my birthday-there is  nothing

 like family to make your day bright!

We are ALL December birthday people-it was fun to open our cards and gifts together, too!

Today was the first day I was able to stay out of bed all day--

I did lounge on the couch some but I stayed out of bed

 and that is PROGRESS and the best birthday present. 

This plan of action to decimate the chronic migraine is beginning to give relief-- I just might recover after all!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Lena and I share down time before bed-she does love to be brushed!  She is now 8 years old and I am 69! 

And just a throw back to our first days--she was rescued from our garage when  she sought sanctuary after an animal attack during a T-storm.  (she still hates storms!)  

She has been a joy to me.

A SOCK

The new meds are NOT working.

 I am nauseous all the time 

and the headache is alive and well and undiminished. 

 I do not have a very good outlook about it at this time. 

 I do nothing most of the day and feel like doing even less.

 On occasion I knit.  This is the first sock from this skein. 

 I am surprised by the pooling and not impressed at all 

but it is interesting that both sides of the sock look identical. 

 I'm just going to ignore the pooling and keep knitting. 

 My eyes are closed most of the time anyway. 

 Sorry I am not blogging;  I just can't think of anything.

SOON TO BE TWO

The first hat turned out just right and now I am on to the second.  These are for  older babies in church.  I had hoped to have them both finished for today but it didn't happen.  Such is my story.

 

AUTUMN IN DECEMBER

The front yard looks like this;  we have had several days  that have started in the mid 30's.  We try to spare the brunt of the cold from our favorite flowers. This morning was much milder and we should be able to remove all of the blankets. Another frosty temperature isn't expected for the next 4-5 weeks now!

The cooler temperatures finally give beautiful oranges and reds to the maples and to this one, a black cherry tree.

And at the same time, the farmers are cutting their last hay fields for a few months.  It sure does look beautiful to see a freshly baled field.

 

A COLD SNAP

Means we need some baby hats!  This one is for a little girl at church who is 6 months old.  A perfect way to use up some Christmas yarn!  I have another partial skein I will be knitting up, too.

This is the newborn hat I was working on yesterday.  It's hard from the pics to see the size so----

here they are next to each other to compare!  

The Christmas one is knit over 90 sts in sock yarn, the blue one with 66 sts in baby yarn but both on #3 needles.

I'm headed in this morning to give more blood.  

It's my youngest child's birthday today so I will be calling 

but not seeing him. 

 

ROUND AND ROUND

Some more baby hats are being made--using two colors and the helex method of color changing.  They go pretty quickly. 

 #3 needles, baby yarn, 66 sts.

All around the house Bill placed blankets to protect against the frost threat!  The sun came up at 38* so I am hoping it didn't actually hit 32* or below!  The yard will remain blanketed until tomorrow morning because tonight should be the last night of the threat of frost.  Each day it is sunny with a high of 67*

 so it promises to be another nice day.

DECEMBER STARTS

What does she do?  Nyki encourages me to do  something while I just lie around all day--2 dozen dish cloths to give away! 

After a (stationary) bike ride, 

I hope to do a little decorating for Christmas around here!

 (emphasis on a little but it is better than none!)

 

On the way to church yesterday, we saw this car, 

a '49 Chevy Fleetline!  Pretty cool! 

 We have a lot of car shows the day after Thanksgiving in our area and so we had fun just viewing some from our car window

 as we came and went!

SWEET SATURDAY

The socks are finished;  I certainly enjoyed knitting them.  We all know the pleasure of a striped sock! 

(Ice Yarns, 64 sts, 2.5mm needles, toe-up.)

After I gave blood a few days ago, we bought a new rug for the tv room.  A friend helped Bill move furniture and remove the old one and lay out the new.  I supervised but wasn't much use for anything else!  The new rug is soft and a real pretty perk for my home!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 I have so much to be grateful for, even through the pain of the last few months;  family, friends near and far and those I know only through your blogs!  No matter how you spend the day, 

with many or a chosen few, 

may you be a blessing to all who share the day with today!

SIGNS OF DECEMBER

I know it isn't December yet but there are signs in the yard that it is next week!  My first Satsuma orange was enjoyed along with a slice of toast.  A friend ground the wheat and baked a loaf just for me!  What a delicious combination!

The Christmas cactuses are all in bloom.  

What a beautiful pop of color all around my front porch and yard!

And my Calliandra bush is exploding with flowers!

The bush is 15' tall and very tropical looking!

Bill is taking me in for my second blood-letting today and when I get home, I am hoping for enough energy to start a few early chores to get ready for a Thanksgiving day gathering!

 

ST. AUGUSTINE VISIT

See me smile?  That hasn't happened much  in the last few months but after yesterday's doctor appointment, I was feeling much better albeit temporarily!  The Dr gave me some new meds and a cortisone/steroid shot which lasts for a few days. (he said it will make me feel like SuperWoman and I am ready to fly!)

I used my walker but we slowly made our walk down the pier and sat for a long time and then headed back.  I was right to the end of my tolerance but I was still smiling all the way!  It felt so good to be surrounded by so much natural beauty!

(Bill is the guy on the left in the blue shirt.)

Look at the color in the water!

The pier used to be over water its whole length but since the Spring, it has had tons of sand brought in to extend the beach.  The two hurricanes, Helene and Milton, sucked away about 200 feet already!  Even so, it is now protecting the building all along this stretch of the beach!  What a great visit!

 

STILL BREATHING

I managed to finish one new sock--haven't cast on for the second one but will soon, I hope.

The Roselle plant has begun to bloom and there are lots more to follow. if you see the buds to the right of the flower. 

(if you go to the link, scroll down to the Americas 

to see the kind that grows here in Florida)

Off now to another doctor appointment. Sigh.

 

WEEK 10 POST-SEPTIC SHOCK IS STILL GIVING GIFTS

The results of Friday's lab test showed I have too much iron in my blood which accounts for the excruciating headache, breathlessness and overall fatigue. 

 I thought I was a goner yesterday from the pain.  

Today, I went in and had blood drawn--like an old-fashioned 

blood-letting;  it will bring the iron down and it started to relieve the pressure in my head even before we were finished!  

I will be repeating this for a few weeks to see how I respond to it.  I am also admonished to drink a LOT more water

 because my blood was too thick.  

Bill treated me to a lunch out after the blood draw; 

it sure was a good way to end the adventure.  

Good bye blood!

 

AHHH, SOCKS ON THE NEEDLES!

 The new yarn is pleasant to work with--enjoy as soft as KnitPicks Stroll but not as rough as LionBrand's sock yarn.  I do love the colors!  As with all striped yarn, you just want to watch the next color happen so it knits up very quickly!

JUST MORE KNITTING

I used up the last of two balls by using the Helix way to stripe them.  Both hats are made with the same number of stitches but I used a smaller needle for the hat on the right.  Fun to experiment.  The ball of yarn on the top I ordered from Amazon;  it is an interesting colorway and I will dig in today for a new pair of socks.  The baby hats will continue to grow--I did turn in the first dozen and will now start another.

 

BAKER'S DOZEN

I will be turning in the baby hats today.  It has been a nice way to use up scraps and keep me from going crazy!

This was moonrise last night just as I was getting into bed.

 

UPDATE

I'm here;  just not much happening.  

The bike is working out well and is becoming very enjoyable!  

I knit and nap still but I have banished myself from my bed until after dinner and a final bike spin.  

I had an encouraging doctor visit with my neurologist, who has ordered more blood work which I am doing this morning, 

bright and early.  He also added some new meds to squash the headaches and increased one I am already on to improve the brain power.  He also said that he doesn't look for recovery from septic shock until around the 12 week mark and I am only at 9 weeks. 

 A doctor who listens and knows how to help 

is worth his weight in gold!

GO, LEGS, GO!

I need to be able to grow stronger but it isn't going well with walking at all--so a friend loaned me her stationary bike so my legs don't have to bear my weight but can grow stronger first by this exercise!  I went a whole mile yesterday and I wasn't shaky at all.  Slow and steady on this just might work!!!!

 

THINK OF OTHERS

I made these holographic vinyls for my friend's drink cup.  Yes, it's her name and her super power!

She put it right on and see how the color changes in different light and angles?!  Pretty cool.
 

CHEERING ME UP

Youngest son and his family came for a visit Friday/Saturday!  It was wonderful to be able to sit and enjoy them!  

Cassandra, my dil, has learned how to crochet and is enjoying making many amigurumi critters.

Ella wanted to know what that new machine in my room was--needless to say, she caught right on to working with the Cricut.  She made a new decal for her phone,

and some dolphin wall art!  She is so much fun!  The guys were fishing so I didn't get any pics of them!

But Caleb did send us a pic of this guy, a wolf spider, that is quite large and though not venomous, they sure do startle you because did I mention they are large?!  (2=3" including their legs)
 

A WALK OUTSIDE

Getting ready for December already!

This bush is as tall as I am so I am looking this flower right at eye level!

Nyki photo bombed my mandavilla!

The flowers are sighing with relief that they survived a very brutal Summer!

I threw these seeds around this tree back in the Spring--they are finally in bloom!

Isn't this amazing?!  It's doubled in size in just a week.

About a dozen night blooming cereus are ready to bloom!  Maybe I can actually see one this time!

The first Camellia is out