I Miss My Babies!

My babies, Izzy and Penny were just dropped off at the vet for their spaying surgery.  Zip and I didn't get much sleep last night worrying about them.  Having one of our kids having surgery is stressful enough, but two is over the top!

Now that we have returned home, there are no little happy faces waiting at the door.  Deiter and Tippy have had breakfast and are upstairs somewhere sleeping.  The house is so quiet!  I remember now that's why we decided to get the little ones.  Not enough cat action.

I am very much in favor of neutering and spaying.  Every cat we've ever had live with us has had the surgery.  I wish there were an alternative to having to cut them and the risks involved.  So please say a small prayer for Izzy and Penny that everything goes well for them.

Speaking of the sleeping Deiter, he is through taking his antibiotics and is back to his usual outgoing friendly self.  Like the good guy he is, he made no fuss about taking the pills.  Though I must say that I'm very skilled at giving cat pills.  We had many years of practice with our dear Sophie.  Thank you all who have emailed and asked about him and gave him 'get well' messages over the past few weeks!

Starting Over.....

That's what I did with my knit shrug. 

I knew I would never wear it the way it had turned out.  I had several suggestions that I give it as a gift, but with not liking it myself, I wasn't going to give a defective garment to someone else.  I unraveled the whole thing and wound the yarn neatly back into balls.  Then I did some redesigning on paper using the elements I liked the most ie. the shawl collar and the deep ribbing at the bottom.

Then I did the math to give me the necessary amount of stitches and the decreases for the armholes and the neck.  Check out my calculator.  It's a scientific one with square root and all kinds of algebraic formulas.  It was required in college when I took chemistry (not my favorite subject!) and now I can't remember how to use all the functions.  But it's lasted for twenty years and that makes me happy!

I've been in a kind of funk for the past week, so all I've wanted to do it sit and knit.  And in two days, look how much I got done!  I am working down the left side of the sweater and then I'll finish the right side in the same way.  Along the front edge and the neck, I'll pick up and knit deep ribbing like I have around the bottom only it will run horizontally and go up around the neck to make the shawl collar.  See, it's possible to be productive even when depressed!  Hahaha!!! 

I think my anxiety is coming from the holidays creeping up on me and as usual I'm not ready.  I'm NEVER ready!!!  Plus all the family stress of who we will visit and eat with, and when, and all the required reunions, etc.  Zip, Brad, Kami and I have already decided that instead of cooking for Thanksgiving, we will go to the church near Brad's to eat and volunteer our services in helping to clean up afterward.   It will be a bummer not to have the much-loved turkey leftovers, but we will eliminate all the beforehand cooking, cleaning and decorating that none of us really want to do or have time for.

Happy Birthday!!!

Today is Zip's birthday.  He's sixty eight (I think!).  I asked him how old he is this morning right after he got up and he said he would have to do the math!  After a couple of cups of coffee.  LOL!!! 

Give the man the calculator!  I know he doesn't have that many fingers to count on.

I think he's looking pretty good for an old guy!

It's now 5:30 p.m.  We just picked up the little ones and they have come through their surgery and seem to be doing well.  Both are a little bit groggy and unsteady, but up and walking around.  They are confined to the bathroom so we can keep them out of trouble.

Zip and I are so happy to have them back home!