Latest Knitting Project - A Ruffled Topper for Alivia

This project on first appearances seemed it would take no time at all to make up, but in fact took some time to finish. I am pleased with it, although should have checked my guage before starting as the garment is wider than it should be. I have started to knit a sunshine sweater for Alivia and checked my guage before starting and turns out I need to knit with a size 4 US needle rather than the pattern recommended size 6 US needle.

Last Friday I went to the Indianapolis Childrens Museum with my daughter, daughter-in-law, and the grandchildren, we had a very fun day together. I would like to plan another day trip for us to visit Conner Prairie which is also in Indianapolis.

Google +

I recently made the mistake of adding a google + account, and oh how I disliked it, this morning I figured out how to delete it and how to return to my old, familiar, blogger set up.

I was a little scared that my blog would get deleted, but the google + simply does not allow for any privacy whatsoever.  You can block certain things from public viewing, and be sure you do if you choose to use the application because otherwise all information required to enter to set up the account will display - YIKES!!

Another thing I did not like is that when I comment on other blogs if a person wants to click on my "name" instead of going to my blog they are taken to the rather perplexing Google + screen that takes a certain level of determination to figure out how to get to someone's blog.  In the past I have found frustration when following a blog comment author and it goes to a Google + account and it all becomes a bit bewildering.

Facebook - easy to use, privacy settings - easy to use.  Google + weird to use and I for the life of me cannot figure out the purpose of Google +. I saw a few comments that indicated that Google wants it to be the new Facebook, well they better go take a good look at Facebook and see why people like it, it is because it is super easy to use.

Well enough of my rant on Google +.

Dear Digby is doing better, the steriods and pain pills seem to working, he is eating, going potty and getting around okay. Occasionally I hear a yelp of pain, like once per day, but nothing like it was several days ago. We are thankful he is doing better and seems to be almost back to normal.

I missed church this morning, I have my grandsons today and they usually go along to Sunday school.  I didn't think there would be a children's class today as the three ladies that teach asked for prayer last Sunday for safe travels as they were all going away for spring break. Well it is just as well we didn't leave for Sunday school because as we were getting ready to leave for church service the baby pooped and one of the older boys had a rather messy bathroom accident. I had to run to Dollar General to buy a packet of boys underwear and some pajama pants, upon return the child was cleaned up and put to rights and then I scrubbed down the bathroom and gave my thanks for paper towels and Clorox Clean Up!
I hope I can go to bible study and Sunday evening service but may not as our son Ben is home from university this weekend and will be back over a little later today and I am not sure of his plans but he will probably stay for supper and if he does I obviously will stay home.

Prayer Request:
Two people at my office seem to have developed chronic health issues that are causing them a lot of pain and stress at this time - please pray for healing.
A fellow blogger, Rebecca, - please pray for healing as she recovers from hip replacement surgery.
For my daughter and daughter in law that they have trouble free pregnancies and deliveries and healthy babies. Amber's baby, their fourth boy, is due in mid-August, and Traci's baby, their second, is due in late November. We will have six grandchildren by the end of the year - FEELING BLESSED.

Bean

Our Poor Doggy.....

Last Tuesday Emily called me to say that Digby, our dog, appeared to have hurt his foot, he was limping, and whimpering and seemed rather stressed. By the time I arrived home he seemed back to normal, I wondered if he had hurt is foot on the frozen ground or slipped on some ice.
Then last night I got home and let Digby out for a potty break, I got busy with some things and was alarmed to suddenly hear loud howling at the front door. I rushed to the front door and Digby came in, he was limping badly, whimpering and occasionally howling, panting, shaking and just couldn't relax. I wasn't sure what to do, I thought he might have been bumped by a car and was simply shaken up. However an hour later Digby was still pacing, seemed in extreme pain if he tried to sit as he couldn't/wouldn't put any weight on his left front leg.
My neighbor Nancy stopped in for supper and she was worried about Digby too, he was obviously distressed, Emily called the emergency after hours vet clinic and we decided to take him in. Nancy drove and Emily rode in back with Digby. We arrived at the clinic, found out Digby weighs 61 lbs, and then waited for the vet.  Eventually the vet came into the examining room, she asked us about his symptoms and then proceeded to check his back legs, we thought this odd at first. Then the diagnosis, Digby has a slipped/ruptured disk in his neck, she took him into the back to do some further neurological tests and later returned. Our poor Digby has a slipped/ruptured disk, he has to rest for six weeks, take pain pills and prednesone. Unfortunately this is not a cure, he may recover and be fine, he may not. If the pain continues the only option is surgery, and unfortunately it is not an option that fits with our income. Today he seems to be in pain, even with the meds, I hope he starts to feel better soon because I don't think I can watch him suffer for six weeks.
The other bad thing is that this can reoccur at any time, we will always have to make sure he doesn't climb the stairs, jump around, or do anything that can jar his spine and cause further injury. Paralysis is a possibility but less likely for Digby as the injury is to his neck.  Prednesone is hard on body and it can have side effects that can cause liver and kidney damage. We feel like we are in a rock and hard place and our dog is miserable.

So Many Little Things...

Names of Jesus, stitched by Michelle at Ozark Stitching.

I have been very busy with knitting and crocheting this winter and cannot believe how many things I have made. Currently I am working on a couple of projects for our granddaughter Alivia, a Ruffled Topper, and once that is finished a spring time sweater will be in the works. I recently purchased a knitting book called,  Pick the Pieces , it has a nice selection of patterns for boys and girls from six months to 6 years and gives the option to mix and match pattern pieces so you can create your own designs.

I recently celebrated my 50th birthday, my children surprised me with a party, and they really did surprise me as I had no idea anything was going on until my husband tried to pull into our driveway and there was almost no room to park. What a great evening with family and friends, and how sneaky my children are :)

I have been attending a non-Catholic church since the beginning of the year, this is a big change but one that  is good for me. I have learned so much this year and have really enjoyed the teaching, I know that I am growing in my faith and  know that I am on the right path.

Our daughter Amber and her husband Brad are expecting their fourth baby in August. The due date is on Brad's birthday, which is exciting.  This past week we found out that we are awaiting the birth of a grandson, this will make a fourth boy for B & A!!  Our little granddaughter Alivia is very outnumbered!

One of my birthday gifts was a gift card to Amazon, so I purchased some more seasons of The Waltons, and the pilot movie of the show, The Home Coming. When I knit I like to have something to listen to, and The Walton's fit the bill nicely, the slow pace of the show doesn't require that I have my eyes glued to the TV, and the gentle story unfolds and always has a lesson to impart.

I am still reading Alexander McCall Smith books, I like the Scotland Street series very much, but am not so keen on the other series. I tried the Sunday Afternoon Philosophers Club series, but found the characters to be very similar to the Scotland Street characters, and I just couldn't get into it.

I have received a couple of things in the mail from fellow bloggers. I "won" a crocheted lap blanket just for posting a comment on  Lynda 's blog, and was the recipient of a beautifully crocheted blanket that is perfect on a chilly winters evening. I chose the lap blanket pictured at the bottom of Lynda's post. I then received a beautifully cross-stitched piece from Michelle at Ozark Stitching. See picture above. I have hung the piece over the fireplace in our family room, and I love looking at it and reading all of the names we have for our Savior.

My Latest Knitting Project

I had a lot of left over yarn from various projects and a lot of light blue yarn that I though would make a lovely sweater for grandson Charlie.  I remembered a pattern that I have used to knit the older boys sweaters, except theirs were just plain, so decided to venture into knew territory and try intarsia knitting and the result is this cheerful tugboat.

The picture started out easily enough, mainly blue with just a little white here and there for waves, but by the time I was half way up the front I had so many lengths of yarn coming off of this project that I began to feel a bit overwhelmed and almost called it quits. I am glad that I persevered onward and upward as the middle was really the most intense and slowly but surely the picture simplified again and the top half went very quickly.

I will definitely do another intarsia knitting project, and I hope little Charlie is pleased with his new sweater.