Thanksgiving

Well another wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We had a small celebration this year. I'm always thankful when I have my children home at the same time. My mom got a chance to go to my brother's and then into NYC. Something she's always wanted to do. Good for you mom. Since she broke her arm, she's needed a little something to cheer her up. I'm still laid up but now it's my back. Sooner or later I'll get this old body moving again. I have faith. I've finished 2 hats, 1 pair of gloves, and am close to finishing a pair of socks. The gloves are from a vintage pattern that I'm sure my grandmother used. Recently have read a good book, Any Bitter Thing by Monica Woods. It's a story with lots of twists and turns, good for book club.

November Storms

I seem to blog once a month. It's not bad enough that I've been struggling with vertigo, my back has rendered me pretty much immobile. I've not even done my usual knitting. It's the time of year that I knit hats, gloves and scarves. I've finished hats for my youngest son, my daughter, and her daughter. I've also finished a pair of gloves for my granddaughter, a special request. She's 7. I'm working on a hat for my oldest son. Hopefully it'll be done soon. Then on to more gloves. This time for my daughter. I think that one time I should make some for me. I've had to miss a lot of school lately and am trying to take care of myself for a change. I do feel guilty leaving a sub in my classroom and am working to get over that. It's time to start thinking about enjoying family on Thanksgiving Day.

Haven't signed in to blog in a long, long time. I'm still struggling with Vertigo which no one can explain. Then two weeks ago, my back started bothering me. Turns out I have Degenerative Disc Disease (sciatica). I'm on pain meds just trying to get through the days. Had to take most of this last week off due to doctor's orders. I'm very frustrated and hope that I'll feel like my old self in the near future. I have not really acccomplished much with the knitting. Finished but have not blocked the Cold Mountain. Finished and love the Spidery Tank out of IK. Then made a new hat for Michael using his specs. It turned out really nice. He wears it a lot. I used sock weight yarn instead of worsted weight because he wanted somthing that was not quite as warm. I've been knitting a scarf but it's been slow going. Well I'm going to be off to rest some more.

Middle of the week blues

I have middle of the week blues. I know, I should just be relishing this down-time but it is so hard when I've had so much down time. I want to do something but am so hampered by the vertigo that I can't figure out what to do. I want to be able to do something physical without landing in bed for hours.

Okay enough of being a grump. I see the neurologist on Friday so maybe I'll have a little more understanding of what I'm up against. That is the hardest part, the not knowing what's causing this and maybe never knowing. Well, maybe I'm not over being grumpy.

Worked on a couple of different projects today, the Cold Mountain and then a little scarf on very tiny needles. I kind of got the scarf straightened out yesterday and read and knitted this afternoon. Some mindless stockinette stitch on circular needles.

Finished another Katie Fforde book, Paradise Fields. My favorite so far. Thanks Julie, I'm now addicted to them. Off to cook dinner for whoever wants some.

Looking at the pic and Cold Mountain

Looking at the pic at the top of the blog makes me homesick, not for my home but for the cottage. Just spent a week up there and am not sure when I'll get back. It's good for my heart to get up there every now and then. But with the trouble that I'm having traveling, it's hard to go up for a quick trip.

Okay, I think that for every 10 rows, I've knitted on the Cold Mountain, I've ripped out at least one. It's kind of frustrating. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's an easy lace pattern but again I zigged when I should have zagged. The best thing about this pattern is the variety of charts that you use. It's not a pattern that you get bored with easily. Hopefully I'll have it done before the end of the summer. I'm over 1/2 way done now so should make it.

4th of July

Happy 4th of July. I'm upnorth where some of these pictures were taken. It's a beautiful weekend and I feel bless that I have the chance to be here. I'm going to miss going to the fireworks this year because of the vertigo but hope to see the higher ones from the cottage. My son Michael has been taking very good care of me. Even escorting me out of the theater after watching Transformers. I do love my over the top special effects. I do love being around my family especially around the holidays.

I'm getting a lot of knitting done on this vacation. My Cold Mountain is about 1/2 finished. It's a project that I'm finding I have to concentrate on so it's also good in that respect. I can forget that I'm not feeling well for a while.

Well off for the traditional hamburger and corn on the cob. Then fireworks and sparklers. What could be better.

Well, I think that I have finally turned a corner where this vertigo stuff is concerned. I have had two days in a row where I haven't felt sick all day, part of the day but not all day. It is about time. Therapy has helped. Thank goodness. I am finally able to enjoy the nice spring weather that we have been having.

Easter Break

Okay. I'm trying to embrace Vacation at home. Give me a little sunshine. It would go a long way. Spent yesterday frogging everything that I had knitted in the am. Here's the back of the skirt that I'm knitting for my grand-daughter. Went to watch my grand-daughter play a little soccer. It was so much fun. I loved it when she yelled to me "Grandma, watch me." Well, back to finishing what I ripped out yesterday.

I'm finally on Easter Break. I'm a little envious of all the people I know who are actually someplace warm today. It's cold and gray today. I could use a little beach time right about now. Haven't felt good in 10 weeks so am hoping that the therapy that I'm going to tomorrow helps. I'm trying to keep busy but sleep so much that I feel as though I'm wasting my days. I am getting a little knitting done. I am working on a skirt for my grand-daughter and hope to finish a sweater for me. Well enough of me feeling sorry for myself. Spring is bound to hit the Midwest soon.

Go State

I'm just waiting for tonight and the State/UNC game. I wish my daughter and her family could be here with us. It would make it so much more interesting as her husband is a die-hard North Carolina fan and we are die-hard State fans. It makes it so much more intense that the game is being played in Michigan. My brother and his daughter, a Spartan, will be at the game. It also is great because my dad would have loved to see his Spartans play here in this game.

GO GREEN, GO WHITE.

A good weekend. The school where I teach just won the State Basketball Championship. And Michigan State is in the final four. As you can see, I love basketball. This is always an exciting time of year for me.