Tentatively Hopeful

I did hear back from the VA today and the man said that they have approved my dad's claim! So complaining and stressing out about things really does work! I'm not going to totally believe it (or stop gathering medical evidence) until I see something in writing, but I am tentatively hopeful that this is going to work out alright. I must have sounded sufficiently frantic on the phone yesterday. (I always try to remember how I sounded for future reference, but it never works.) They called me today when I was with my dad so I was able to share the news with him right away. I still have a couple of cards up my sleeve, though, including Dave talking to our State Legislator about it (Dave serves on the church board with him). So I'm less stressed today, and I got to visit Heather too because my work was cancelled due to the severe storms yesterday. I was even destressed enough to knit a little (I hadn't felt up to it for the past couple of days). Hopefully pics tomorrow in the daylight (I'm knitting short rows to give the girls a little extra room).

New -- With Tornadic Activity!

We had some wild weather here in the 'Burgh this evening. It started out with just lots of lightening and thunder. Older Son and I sat out on the front porch and watched it. Then all the local emergency vehicles came screaming down our street and turned at our corner. Except for this big rig, which parked in front of our house for about 20 minutes. OS scampered up the street to see what was on fire (nothing this time -- but there was a fire up there somewhere yesterday) and came back to report that he thought it might be a downed tree or something and that it was really tight space-wise so he thought there just wasn't room for this truck. Eventually this and the other emergency vehicles all left. I was too shy to ask a fireman to hold a sock for me.

On a personal note I'm strangling in red tape. My dad was denied his VA benefit for Aid and Assistance (Geez, he can't feed himself, bathe himself, dress himself, or go to the bathroom unassisted. What do they think constitutes requiring Aid and Assistance??) The letter I got says that he has to be examined at the local Veteran's Affairs facility. Now, I had gotten a call from them a month ago (coincidentally on the day my dad fell and broke his hip) wanting to schedule an exam. I called them back and told them they could do any kind of exam they wanted, but they would have to come to him seeing as how he was in the hospital. They told me it wasn't necessary. Yesterday I got a letter saying that his request had been denied because the medical records didn't substantiate his claim (I'm also suspicious that either the doctor's office or the nursing facility he was in didn't send the records they said they did -- but the VA won't tell me what they have or don't have. Double ARRGH!). So I called them back. The conversation went like this:
Me: I got this letter denying my dad's claim, they say that he has to be examined at your facility.
VA Person: Yes, I see that we spoke on May 18th, and he broke his hip. You don't need to come in.
Me: You don't understand. I got this letter (reads letter) yesterday saying that his claim is denied unless it is substantiated by an exam from you.
VA Person: Well, he can make the claim based on the medical records...But wait, you're saying that the claim was denied with those...
Me: Yes. I need to know when the exam will be scheduled because I have to arrange a wheelchair transport and if the exam is going to require him to get out of the wheelchair you'll have to have someone there to get him in and out of it because I can't lift him.
VA Person: This sounds like it's a hardship...I don't think you need to come in.
Me (frantic): Well, if this is the only way to get this claim approved I'll get him there. I'll do whatever it takes.
VA Person: Well, I don't know what to do...I have to talk to my supervisor and get back to you.
ARRGH!! Needless to say she didn't call me back. I'm frantic. The expense of keeping him in the assisted living facility he's in is just over $1000 a month more than his monthly income. And guess who's on the hook for it all? The facility has been willing to wait for their money until his claim was processed, but what happens if it's denied? I feel like I was taken for a ride by the nursing facility who told me he "had" to go to an assisted living facility, and the director of the personal care home he's in, both of whom told me that there would be "no problem" with him getting this benefit. I can't take him out of the facility because as soon as he leaves that means he'll never get reimbursed for the money he's out so far. (It's taken almost 5 months to get to this point.)

She Who Dies With the Most Stuff....Dies

One of the difficult things I had to do in the past several months was finally deal with all my mother's things. While my dad was still living in their apartment I put it off, but we had to move my dad to an assisted living facility because of the complications he's having. Which meant that we had to empty the apartment. My dad took a few things with him, but the rest...My sisters were here and they were absolutely ruthless. We didn't have the time to pack up and deliver anything to a charity (the Salvation Army had said they would come and pick things up but then cancelled at the last minute) so that meant everything went into the dumpster. My mother wasn't a collector, quite the opposite, so the things she kept were things that she really wanted or used. All I could think as we made trip after trip to the dumpster was that these were the things that my mother had accumulated over her lifetime, that meant something to her, and in the end it was all so much garbage. Very sad, and not a comfortable thought. I keep thinking about all the things I have and love and wondering if they'll end up in a dumpster or sold for a fraction of what they're worth. I salvaged what I could, but still... Maybe it's because I'm a very visual person so seeing things makes me remember. It was like I was throwing away my memories. I tried to explain this to my sister who I could tell was exasperated by my unwillingness to get on with the job and throw everything out. "When I see this," I said, "it brings back my memories of Mom. I'm afraid I won't be able to remember her anymore once it's all gone." She didn't have any answer for me.

Knitting Now

Here's what I'm currently working on. I couldn't get the picture to show accurate color (that's what happens when you don't get home until 10 PM to take pictures of your knitting). I posed it on the skirt I'm knitting it to match and since its color is off as well you can see that it matches perfectly. The pattern is Bad Penny from the fabulous Knitty which is now my favorite knitting magazine. (Yay! It's a new issue!) I've modified and am not doing the YO increases and I will have add some shaping in the body (when the arms are big enough for me, I still need 3" for my bust, and I also want some waist shaping.) The yarn is CotLin from KnitPicks. I love this yarn. I'm already considering what other color I can make a summer sweater in and if it would be possible for me to finish two sweaters this summer (they have short sleeves -- that should make all the difference, right?) And I've also knit up something fun and summery in this yarn. Do those colors scream "Summer" or what? (It's a bit brighter IRL).

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I'm back! Long time no blog, I know. Let me explain...No, is too much I sum up.

The Good -- we have a new baby in the family! Meet ConMan, my evil twin's grandson. Born March 11.

The Bad -- The little guy was born with severe Spina Bifuda, which required surgery within hours of his birth, and is further complicated by hydrocephalus which has required two brain surgeries so far to relieve the pressure on his brain. On a positive note he has had a much better outcome than expected, he has some movement in his legs and the hydrocephalus didn't develop until after birth so we're optimistic that there will be minimum if any brain damage as a result. Little guy has had some swelling and scarring from the brain surgeries though, so I had to make him a hat. I'm hoping to make him several more. (It's good to be related to a knitter!)

The Ugly -- And this is the main reason I haven't been blogging. My father is dying. It's not tragic, he's 87 (almost 88). But it's sad. And hard and painful (physically) for him and (emotionally) for me. It's been a slow drawn out process, none of which is pretty or uplifting. I'm not really sure how much of it I want to share, and it's a lot of what's going on with me right now. I even gave up knitting altogether for two weeks. But it's come back with a vengeance this week and I'm working on a sweater for ME! (More on that later). I'm trying to find and/or restore some small pleasures in my life and knitting and writing are part of that. So I'm going to try to blog some about my knitting and maybe about finding some good in an otherwise bad time. Because I can't find it if I don't look for it, right?

No Cake For You!

The Blog has spoken -- No cake for the boys. And it's not that bad, Older Son doesn't even like cake. He just wanted it because he couldn't have it. He got the left over icing, which is all he likes anyways. And Younger Son...He's an indiscriminate eater. He should be satisfied with the close to a dozen pieces of pizza he ate for dinner last night.
Did you know that you can watch videos at IMDb? They have 56 episodes of the Twilight Zone, old CBS commercials and all. I watched "Nothing in the Dark" (with an absolutely dreamy Robert Redford as Mr. Death. I hope I get him when the time comes.) So be sure to tell your husband about it (you know who you are). I myself couldn't get the full screen to work, but I'm sure I'll figure it out soon. Makes me wonder what other shows are there. Of course, this does cut into my knitting time, though.

Let Them Eat Cake?

Well, I finally got my cake. I had to make it myself, but there it is. I'm having a party for myself. Seems as though I've finally made it to menopause. So it really wasn't PMS last week, after all. I decided a momentous event such as this called for a cake. Right? When I informed Dave about it, that's what I told him. "I think I need to have a party for this." I don't think he got it. Next week I'll compare notes with my evil twin and find out where she is on this road. Anyways, I'm feeling surprisingly good, and sleeping a bit better so maybe things are finally on the up swing. The big question now is...Should I let the boys have some of my cake?? Younger Son dropped my first one (and the worst part of that? The whole house smelled like cake and I couldn't have any.) Older Son promised to make me another cake and didn't come through with the goods. And neither has done his chores completely. Weigh in in the comments. BTW, YS did not want to throw himself on the mercy of the blog, while OS thought you'd go for him having cake. Finally,no knitting I can show pictures of, so I'll leave you with this. I think the yarn shop should get one.

I'm a Woman on the Edge

I'm batting about -1000. This week my bank (Dollar Bank, big boo hiss) decided to charge me six (!) non sufficient funds fees and my account was never overdrawn. Even after they sucked out over $200! So yesterday while I was on the phone fighting with the bank I got a phone call that my dad had fallen at the personal care home he's at right now. Then my sister calls and wants me to solve a crisis with my niece. Heather tried to cheer me up last night but I seem to be back in that tunnel today and I don't think that light approaching is the end of it, either. Dave's working out of town and keeps trying to get home, and getting called back before he gets here (this afternoon he made it all the way to the Liberty Tubes.) My dad had digital cable installed because that's the deal right now. But they didn't show him how to use it so I had to go online and download all the setup info myself. Which I left at work. Yeah. Came home and tried to get some fried fish for dinner, and the two places Older Son and I went were not having fish fries this year. What's up with that? When I got home I demanded that Younger Son make me a cake. So after much let's say, "intensive", negotiation he finally got with the program and put a cake in the oven. Which was set on broil -- even though I told him to make sure it was set on bake. I caught that in time, I believe. But then in some monumental teenage moment of spaciness he dropped my cake on the floor. I lost it. Not my finest moment as a mother, but what can I say, I'm a woman with PMS. (Why do you think I demanded a cake in the first place?) Someone come over and put me out of my misery.

Over and Under

I'm still here. Just overwhelmed, or under water, as the case may be. Just about every aspect of my life right now has come to a crisis point that requires some kind of intervention on my part within the past week. I'm overstressed, under pressure, overworked, and under appreciated. Not much knitting getting done, and nothing much to show anyways. I always thought that in situations like this I would knit to relax, but you know what? I have no desire to knit all these bad feelings into something. Maybe things will start looking up tomorrow. I have been visiting yarn shops for the past two weekends, and made some purchases. I'll try again tomorrow.

Predictable

I am so predictable. Have you ever gone rooting around in your stash and realised that you'd bought the same yarn over and over (and over) again? Check this out. I thought this blue and brown combo would make great guy socks. (Apparently I really thought so.)
Lion Brand Magic Stipes, Trekking XXL, and Shibui. It'll be interesting to see how they all knit up.
And look at these beauties. Bright rainbow yarns are a personal favorite of mine. Celtic Queen will point out (and rightly so) that she gifted me with the Trekking here, but she only did it because she knows me so well and knew I would covet it (which I do).
Hmmm, do you think if I made something like the Spectrum Scarf (scroll down) with the fuzzy yarn and some gloves with the Trekking it would look like a "Set"? (I may have become hyper aware of this matching set issue.)
And did you see what clever Heather did? She kitted up her own sock kits from stash so she has a surprise sock to knit every month that she knows she'll already like! I may have to use this idea myself. Maybe for all the spinning fiber I'm accruing. Speaking of which, here's my latest Spunky Club, CQ. Much different than yours:
Different than each other, too. If you've got a murkier one and want to trade for my lighter bump (on the right) let me know. But organic merino...mmmm soft!

New Start

I like New Years. It's always nice to make a fresh start, clear the decks, take stock of things and keep what's working and discard what's not. Sometimes all we need is an opportunity to make a new start to really turn things around. I've made a few resolutions, as it were, this year myself. Nothing I'm going to beat myself up about "keeping", just things I want to focus more of my energy on. I've resolved to work at getting healthy. Exercise more, eat better, take better care of myself. You know the drill. (I've had salad for dinner two nights in a row -- I think my body might be thinking it's the end of the world!) I'm stealing Nike's slogan and making this year's slogan "Just Do It!" My previous slogan was "Try It" and I've tried alot of new things. Some I liked, some I didn't. But trying new things has become a habit (a happy one) so I decided it was time to go with something new. I tend to dither about making choices (way too much) so I'm hoping this will get me to think less and do more. More fiber related resolutions are to knit more stash (I bought it because I liked it, right?) and to spin more. I did spin some over the weekend while I was not knitting (actually I plied up the sock yarn on the bobbin on the wheel). And finally to blog more. Look! I even have a picture today! That's my version of Ziggy which is slated for Older Son.

Have You Seen My Mojo?

I've lost my knitting mojo. I'm embarrassed to say it, but I've knit only one round on a sock since New Year's day. I knit nothing over the weekend, nada, zip, zilch. I haven't been seduced by other interests, I'm just sitting and doing nothing. On the shuttle to and from work, at home, at my mother in law's -- everywhere. Not even the lure of super cute baby knits can get me going. Did I over do with the Christmas knitting? Maybe I just needed a little break to cleanse the palate. Knitting is on Friday so I'll at least sit and hold some knitting then. In other news, Dave is almost home from Erie (again) and may be going to Florida. I'm working lots, and the boys are getting by for the most part.

Holiday Recap

Let's see...
The Sons were a couple of Wise Guys,
We got the tree up and decorated (thanks to Younger Son).
The Sons waiting to come downstairs on Christmas morning. I knit Older Son that hat when he was in 4th or 5th grade, I don't know where he dug it up from.
OS with his knitted gifts (he says the blue flame hat is "lucky"). Notice that Younger Son is now wearing the knit Santa hat.
YS with his knitted gifts (two pairs of socks. Cotton Socks (again) and Vesper Socks Yarn "The Holly and the Ivy".) He's worn them both already.
Dave and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, which was very nice. Even though I didn't get to drink champagne. I still have both bottles in my fridge. I'm a woman in search of a party.
Finally, one of the Sons' gifts was the game Bananagrams and although I didn't win with this play I was very proud of myself for getting both knit and purl in the same hand!

New Year

Happy New Year! I'd like to do a holiday recap, but it's just too much. I don't even have any pictures today. Just wanted to do a little post to say that I'm still here, just busy (I was off today, but have to work tomorrow.) We had a nice Christmas and New Year, but everything was very subdued this year. I have mixed feelings about that -- In some ways it was good, in some ways not so good. I mean, if you can't go to excess during the holidays, when can you?? Anyways, more tomorrow when I'll have my camera and can give you pictures.

It's Almost a Sappy Sentimental Holiday Happy Ending

I'm feeling better today. Heather e-mailed me out of the blue today (I don't think she'd even read my blog post from yesterday. Let's pretend she didn't -- it makes it more miraculous) and offered me tickets to the Holiday Pops! Isn't she the best friend ever? Then, I went to the yarn store (Natural Stitches). Always a good pick me up. And, I got my new furnace installed today. No more worrying that the house was going to blow up while I'm out!

Here's some holiday goodness -- Miss E with the holiday dress she knit for her daughter. How gorgeous is that??

And can you stand the holiday cuteness here? The Celtings helped Michelle at Bloomin Yarns decorate her Wuletide tree.

And I've been a regular Mrs. Claus here knitting away on these socks (The Holly and the Ivy from Knitterly Things) for Younger Son. Look closely, though and you'll see not one, but two dropped stitches. Both from the same needle -- I think it has a hole in it. I've ripped back and picked up again. A little set back, but time is in short supply this month. Also, my bathtub drain is clogged and Dave is heading out of town tomorrow (to Erie) for an indefinate period.

I'm Broken

I don't know what the deal is with me. I just can't muster up alot of enthusiasm for the holidays. As CQ would say, I'm broken. I used to love this time of year. Living with the Grinch and the Scroogelings has sucked the joy of the season right out of me. (When the boys were small I'd tell them the Grinch in the special was their dad. Honestly, his holiday shrt says "Bah, Humbug" on it.) I've been watching holiday movies and specials (Charlie Brown was on tonight) like mad to the derision of the rest of the household. It occurred to me as I watched yet another miraculous happy ending in yet another sappy, sentimental Christmas movie that I was in serious need of a Christmas miracle. Not a big one, just a small one. So if you have any extra send it on over.

Lots of knitting going on -- hopefully I'll get some light and can take some pics tomorrow. (There's subtle colorwork involved.)

Obsession

I am obsessed with this Noro Striped Scarf. I thought that maybe after Yarn Harlot made hers that I was the last knitter in North America to make one, but Celtic Queen hasn’t made one yet so that would make me the Penultimate Knitter. I love it. It has everything I want in a scarf – black to go with my winter coat, pink so the guys won’t steal it. Changing colors to keep me interested.
The colors are Silk Garden 282 (pinks and green) and 252 (black, dark blue, green). I was concerned that the greens would align, which they did for a couple of rows in the first two balls. But I’m even enamored of these muddled bits where I can’t tell one stripe from the next. I find myself wishing for someone on my Christmas list that I can make one of these for.
I started this Saturday afternoon (after meeting up with Celtic Queen, Heather, DPUTiger, and Julia at the new location of Bloomin Yarns). I finished it last night and wore it today.
In other news, it turns out that I really do work in the salt mines, or might as well. There was a water main break outside our building so we had no water. They shut down the restrooms and told us we couldn't leave. Two and a half hours later they brought in Port a Johns. Seriously. I'm planning on going in late tomorrow. I hope the bathrooms are back in service by then.

November Day

Today is one of those gray, weepy November days. Dark, overcast, and dripping rain. Thoroughly depressing. Most of our foliage color is gone now. There are still a few painted maples (I believe that is the variety from my 3 minutes of research on the subject) that are breathtakingly beautiful. These are always spectacular in the fall. If I were planting a tree, this is the kind I would plant. Our color this month is the deeper fall colors of dark gold, russet, and the occasional intense red. And the more and more visible dark brown and gray branches. On sunny days the contrast with the blue sky from deep indigo to that clear deep autumn blue is fabulous. It’s inspiring me to a Fairisle colorway. Leaves in the golds, russets, deep reds with all the shades of blue as background. Hmmmm. I should maybe work up some charts…
Yes, Heather, Sidelines has been sidelined, at least temporarily. I’ve been inspired to work on gifts (They’ve had a Christmas tree on display at Wal-Mart for the past two weeks! Not that I go in, but I can see it in the entry way when I go into the grocery store next door.) And speaking of the grocery store, another, happier sign of the season is that my favorite Christmas Tree cakes are on the shelves. Mmmm. I’ve gone through two boxes in almost three weeks, which I believe is a display of considerable restraint on my part. Finally, Younger Son’s birthday was yesterday. I forgot to tell him happy birthday before I left in the morning (Celtic Queen said it was like Sixteen Candles) and Dave ended up working extremely late. But I tried to make it up to him by bringing home a dozen chocolate chip cookies from Nancy B’s Bakery (the best chocolate chip cookies in Pittsburgh). I thought he would like them better than a cake (which he did).

Hey Now

So here's my current WiP. It's Hey, Teach. Knit with vintage Cotton Ease from my stash. A very quick and easy knit. I started on Saturday and have the back and both fronts done. I might get a sleeve done tonight. I hope the finished sweater looks ok.
In other fiber news I've also gotten my first batt from Loop's "Seriously Spontaneous Spinning Club". Yummy! You know me, all tonal neutrals or screaming brights. And white is my favorite color! Can't wait to see how this looks spun up. I just have to shovel out the living room so I can set up the wheel there. Turns out the furnace really is broken, but since the weather has warmed, there's no sense of urgency for the guys to clean up. ::sigh::
I voted yesterday. I spotted Dave walking across the parking lot as I was driving out after voting. I tried to tell him that republicans were supposed to vote on Wednesday, but he didn't buy it. He was not very gracious in defeat, though. Now I feel like the day after Christmas. All that build-up and now what?

Uninteded Consequences

As of yesterday we had not turned the heat on Chez G. I'm cheap, and it costs alot to heat this big old house. Sure, it's a little chilly inside, but we're saving $100 a week by keeping the furnace off. This has prompted Older Son to make hyperbolic metaphors about how cold the house is ("Mom, the house is so cold that when I took your dinner out of the oven it froze." Whatever. I don't know what he's griping about anyways, the reason I won't turn the heat on is because I need the money to pay his college tuition. He could get a job and pay for the heat himself. But I digress.) Well, if you follow the weather here in Pittsburgh, we had snow last night and today. Unbeknownst to me, OS and Dave had concocted a plan to turn the heat on in the middle of the night while I was asleep. But they were foiled in the attempt by my ally The Furnace which refused to come on. I discovered the plot this morning when OS let it slip while he was complaining about the cold. I told Dave he could call a furnace repair shop on the weekend (I had vowed not to turn the furnace on until Nov 1st.) Then I went on to say that there was no way a repair person (or anyone) could come into our house until it was clean. Yes! I practically rubbed my hands with glee. Not only would I keep the furnace off until Nov. 1 or possibly later, but I would finally motivate the Slacker Boys to clean up their mess! A lovely dream. Unfortunately, all I did was motivate Dave to go downstairs and fix the furnace. It's on now. Curses! Foiled again!!
(This is my attempt to get a picture of it snowing. You can't see it, but I wanted a pic for the post.)