Thursday, January 25, 2007

Some Time Out & Off

Much going on at the house these days, sadly not much of it good. A medical diagnosis of diffuse b-cell lymphoma has absolutely shaken my extended household to the core, and we're currently scrambling to find out as much as we can in as short a time as possible. On the more immediate homefront, Peggers put in his 3-weeks notice on Monday - as he is switching to a new job across the hall from his old one. We shall see how it goes - except for a select few Extra-Special people I have yet to meet a lawyer that deserves to have my husband as an employee. The Munchkin has been ill since Saturday, when he (the poor wee one!) got a nasty case of Sick Hiney (to keep things delicate, in case any of you are eating lunch while blog-surfing!) and it still is holding fast to him even today. Sick Hiney children are most certainly not allowed in daycare for general hygene / communicability issues which means that I stay home with him.........and sweat not being at work as my online teaching duties begun this past Wednesday ("only" 86 students this term!) and my physical teaching duties begin on Monday. Thank goodness my mother-in-law heeded our pleas for help and swooped in like a rescuing angel - not only did she hang with the Munch for two full days (cheerfully changing NASTY diapers!) but she also did laundry & dishes. I told her that at this rate she could easily be begged to stay until he hit 18, but alas her husband wants her back tomorrow morning.

And me? I have a kidney infection.

Add to that 2-year molar teething issues that result in nonstop PM nursing screaming fits from the little guy (either that or 2-4 hour periods of absolute wakefulness where he wants to go downstairs and "play car carriers, Mommy!") and you've got a very tired, stunned, mentally fatigued house.

Luckily I have a minor remedy for such a thing - when told of the lymphoma diagnosis I was just so upset that I can't help in the immediate span of things - so I did what any good knitter would do - I got out my needles and found a patter that worked & I plunked down my credit card to buy the Good Stuff. My four balls of Rowan Calmer arrived in the mail on Monday thanks to Elizabeth's speedy operations at the Knitting Garden and I am already onto the second pattern repeat of Knitty's/Jenna Wilson's Shedir hat. I am making one for my family member, for my friend's mother who is currently battling liver cancer, and for my co-worker's sister who just underwent brain surgery to have one of her inner ears and a huge twisted tumor removed from the very core of her noggin. Needless to say all three of these people need hats ASAP. I'm knitting just the one now, but after that one is finished I'm going to challenge my brains by casting on to do 2 hats on 2 circulars - much faster that way, I'm thinking!

The astute amongst yourselves will have done the math & realize that I said I ordered 4 balls of Calmer & have only listed 3 people that I'm knitting them for - happily enough the 4th hat (and because of this, last on my priority list) is for the brain-surgery woman's niece. Who is just fine - she just loved the hat pattern & the actual Calmer yarn-Calmer colour. *Yes, Rowan's yarn which is called Calmer also has a colour called Calmer - isn't that confusing? The other two Calmer yarn colours that I ordered were Slosh & Coffee Bean.

Pretty things - and this stuff knits up like a dream.

And thanks to Grumperina's brilliance (and her incredible generosity in sharing it!) the whole cabling thing is going like a breeze due to her cabling w/out a cable needle instructions.........

So anyway, I'm going to be off & away for a bit - until the little guy is better enough to go back to daycare - I'll have a wireless DSL connection, so I might pop in and out for a bit - expect pictures of knitted hats soon, that's for sure!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sending lots of well wishes to you and your family. Hope everyone is feeling better soon.

Sandy said...

I'm so sorry to hear about this! You're all in my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Sending love & good thoughts your way and prayers for your loved one.

Knitting seems like good therapy- reading about your progress makes me wish I did it--like the way I wish I smoked when I see the instant calm settle over someone with the first drag.

Of course, knitting is healthier therapy and certainly cheaper! ;)

-R.