Cats

Perhaps I shouldn't be so mad at Tupac. In fact, I'm starting to wonder if he needs glasses. As I was trying to unwind in front of the TV to enjoy an episode of "In Plain Sight" (USA Network, Sunday evening), he jumped on the coffee table and knocked down a strawberry milkshake that was in plain sight. It wouldn't be a big deal, but I just wasn't in the mood to drag the carpet shampooer out of the garage and let it work its magic.

I wasn't a cat-person until I realized that I'm a catlike-person. Yeah, I'm a bit of a loner and I like to deal with things in my own way, on my own terms. My husband, however, is a doglike-person. So when the going gets tough, he has no problem hanging out with me and licking my face. In such times, I like to be left alone to deal with the mess.

Here's what's going on. My mom is sick. She hasn't been doing well for quite some time, actually, but things are getting progressively worse. Last year, she was diagnosed with a (benign) lung mass and cirrhosis of the liver (the non-alcoholic variety; yes, there is such a thing). Despite spending a significant amount of time on Fosomax, she developed osteoporosis and fractures along her spine. Add the type 2 diabetes mellitis and she's not rock-and-rolling much these days. Anyway, she's been having some episodes at home alone lately, and her suckass doctor won't move her appointment up and see her sooner. Did I mention he sucks ass? Yes? Okay. Well, my son and I will be heading out there, leaving my husband and youngest kiddo at home, so that I can take care of her and chew her doctor's ass out. You know, he was actually my doctor when I was 17 years old, and laid up in the hospital with a mysterious ailment. He used to be great. Now he sucks ass. That's the last time I'm typing that.

After the family and I moved to perpetually-sunny San Antonio, I remember the first time my mom came here to visit. I looked at her and asked myself, "When did Mom get old? Hm, I don't remember her having gray hair and she certainly didn't seem so short." It occurred to me that I was remembering my mom from 20 years ago. She and my step-dad used to head out to Death Valley to camp and dredge for gold. She used to dress up and head out to Gilley's, where Mickey Gilley once gave her his guitar pick. When I was a sophomore in high school, she came to a game to see me cheer and ended up on the sidelines to get a better view of the football game. So I don't get this. I don't understand how she can be sick. I don't understand how she can spontaneously blackout, or how she can develop a debilitating cough that not only puts her on her back for four days, it sends her back to the emergency room, after staying well for over 50 years. How do I wrap my head around what is going on with her now when I can't shake images of healthier times from my head?

Don't get me wrong. I don't believe this is "the end" for my mom. No, really. Her symptoms can be explained mainly by cirrhosis. At least this is what I'll keep telling myself until her doctor stops sucking ass (sorry; you know, one day, he'll be able to forget everything about my mom; I never ever will) and orders a scan of her brain (to rule out precursers to a stroke).

So, I'm stepping out of my catlike comfort zone. I'm putting my worries into this blog. I need to get to California and physically see my mom. I need to get rid of this continuous knot in my throat that results in tears at the drop of a strawberry milkshake (okay, that's one of the few things didn't set me into tears, but go with me on this one, please). I guess I need to stop hiding in a corner to lick my wounds. *deep breaths*

Under the Radar

Wow. It has been quite a while since I've been around this blog. In fact, I've even fallen off the Ravelry bandwagon. We've had a lot going on around here lately and I've pretty much let myself become engulfed with the drama and the exhaustion that results. In fact, my knitting mojo is currently a no-go; however, I managed a few FOs that I'll post at a later time. The last couple of months can be summarized with a much-needed visit from Mum, a death in the family, a half marathon, a fourth birthday, and a career change.

By the way, Mum is now on Ravelry (Amimoto). I haven't posted the pics of her projects (as I am the recipient of several), but I'll do that when I post my FOs.

Instead of leaving you with a vague--and might I add, lame--post, I have some recommendations/reviews of products that currently make me smile.

1. Got adult acne? Murad may have a solution. My mom gave me the Acne Complex Kit a couple of years ago, right before a dermatologist handed over yet another Retin-A prescription. After a couple of years of peeling and redness, I finally divorced Retin-A once and for all. So I'm on the Complex and feeling pretty spiffy about it. I don't break out as badly as I would without the products and it doesn't leave me with flakey red patches. Very nice.

2. Even with the Murad, I still wasn't able to wear make-up until I revistied the Benefit counter. Since Bare Minerals and other mineral-based make-up turns flaky on my skin, I turned to the gal at the Benefit counter at Macy's who got me hooked on You Rebel Tinted Moisturizer and Get Even Pressed Powder. So now, I can be shine-free enough and the skin tone on my face can match the color of my neck, all without making my face look like a horror-movie special effect. Mothers of small children thank me.

3. I never understood what woman were talking about when they made connections between aging and hair. I get the whole color issue (as my grays threaten to overrun my dark browns), but the condition issue baffled me. Until now. After a year and a half of home coloring kits, my hair felt like, well, an old lady's. You know what changes my straw to strands of silk? Biosilk. I bought it at Costco, of all places. The directions read to shake the bottle first, then slop it on your hair (okay, they don't exactly use that term). Since I have fine hair, I don't use much, but my hair is oh-so pretty and soft that I feel like one of those ridiculous models on TV. You know, the ones who advertise the conditioners that don't work. Ahem.

FO

Pattern: Simple Hat [and Scarf--but I only knit the hat]
Source: Cables Untanged, by Melissa Leapman
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted; Fuchia colorway
Needes: US 8 Addi Turbo 16" circ; US 8 DPNs
Modifications: shorter brim because I don't like folding the brim on my hat

I started this pretty late last night. After casting on, I wasn't sure how I felt about the yarn because of its inconsistensies, like Manos del Uruguay or Noro Silk Garden. After about an inch of the brim, things evened out fairly well. Instead of knitting the accompanying scarf, I will be knitting the His/Hers Reversible Cables from the same book.

The Return of Decent Knitting Karma

After all the heartache from sock-knitting, I decided to indulge my second-sock syndrome (Embossed Leaves from Favorite Socks) and and knit something from my Ravelry queue.


Pattern: Ballet T-Shirt, 2T-4T

Source: Loop d Loop by Teva Durham

Needle: US 10 1/2 Knit Picks Options circ

Yarn: 2 skeins Lion Brand Microspun

Results: After 5 1/2 (non-consecutive) hours of knitting, you are looking at one happy little princess. I made the top a little longer than the pattern called for so my wee one won't look hoochie. This is pretty stretchy, as stated in the book, so she'll be able to wear it for a while.

Speaking of the wee one, she is with her bro and her dad having dinner at her grandpa's house. I opted to stay home today because I haven't been able to run all week because of a sprained ankle. With the Country Music Half Marathon only 10 weeks away, yes, I'm in a bit of a panic. So before Senor and the kidlets took off, I had the man tape up my foot. I've never had to have this done before, even though I've wrapped dozens of ankles in the past. The first mile felt pretty good, so I tried some running and that felt fine too. However, I decided to wait until Tuesday's easy run to really test out the foot, since I've been nursing it on the elliptical all week.

Today's 5-mile walk (instead of a 7-mile run) was therapuetic. For the last two days, I've been in a mood. Some of it was the weather, some of it is just being lame. According to the calendar, none of it is biological. Anyway, it was nice to see other people out just enjoying the day. I also got to see a moon during daylight hours, and you have no idea how much that tickles me. The fact that my ankle is on the mend (seriously, it was a pretty bad sprain) didn't go overlooked. Well, it better be healing because like it or lump it, it and the rest of me has to be ready to hit the road for 13.1 miles of running and country-music goodness.

With my head back in the game, it's on to the second sock.

When Bad Knitting Happens to Good Yarn

At first, it was the yarn. Recap: The pooling of the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock drove me nuts. Now that I'm more familiar with hand-painted yarns, I'm cool with it. I suffered second-sockitis and shelved the first side and the yarn for the second. When I finally pulled them out to finish this toe-up pair for the Sock-a-Month KAL 5, things got really nuts. It had been so long since I worked on the sock that I forgot which stitch pattern I used. I searched my book and thought that I had found the one, only to discover that I was knitting a similar pattern for the second sock. Disheartened, I put the pair away. Later, I decided to continue on with the sock in the wrong stitch pattern because it didn't look all that different and I preferred the second pattern anyway (and figuring that I'd just frog the first sock). So I knit and knit and knit, until the time for the bind-off approached. Then it occurred to me...

I should have tried the sock on before I knit the heel! Uh oh. I could be mistaken, but this yarn would rather be a pair of Jaywalkers anyway. On to yet another pair...

Pattern: Embossed Leaves by Mona Schmidt

Source: Favorite Socks

Yarn: Lone Star Arts Fusion, Carnival colorway

US1 Knit Picks DPNs

I got tired of coveting all the Embossed Leaves projects on Ravelry so I decided to knit my own. Unfortunately, I should have gone up a needle size. I have insanely wide feet, so I have a hard time with standard sock patterns. Well, they'll fit my mom, assuming I knit the foot to the right length. We'll see. Anyway, this is the fastest sock pattern I've ever knit. I'm already on the foot of the second sock and I only gave it a few hours today and last night. Not too shabby.

You wouldn't know it, but I am familiar with the concept of the gauge swatch...

As Excited as a Knitter in a Yarn Shop

Forget gift exchanges in December. The hottest time to do it is in February. I was so excited about the stuff I got from Brenda that I didn't take a picture of the loot. In fact, if anything is missing from the picture, it's because it's already in use. In fact, immediately after this picture was taken, I put everything away.

The yarn is Brooks Farm Acero. You can't beat Brooks Farm for soft yarn, I tell ya. I bought one skein of the same colorway at Kid 'n Ewe, but it wasn't enough for a shawl pattern I found. Well, here's a second skein! However, it's crying out to be knit into socks and I just can't argue.

I totally dig the bag. I have some other Knitpickers bags and they're totally study. This one is now holding a dkKnits yarn cake (in Winter Wonderland, I think) and a Lone Star Arts yarn cake (in Carnival). Mind you, these are some huge cakes, and they both fit comfortably.

That handknit washcloth has a sushi (my favorite food) motif and it's in my kitchen. The soap is now my favorite scent, but the size frightens Senor (a hilarious story for another time). I've always wanted to learn how to juggle, now I'm armed and ready. The funny thing: I don't think I mentioned my fetish for sticky notes.


Thank you, Brenda! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

2 A.M.

It's the middle of the night and I'm still awake. Why? Because today, I am the mother of a teenager. Time flies. As I type, he sleeps. I sit here and think of the last 13 years. What a kid.

Feliz Cumpleanos, Mijo.