August 28, 1963

I was in Washington DC that day, but I had no idea what was going on. I was coming back from a summer in Germany and going to Annapolis MD where I had a job waiting. I had spent a few days in London and then taken a ship (Empress of Canada) from Liverpool to Montreal. From Montreal, I took a train to DC and then a bus to Annapolis. I didn't know anything that was going on in this country all summer, although I did hear part of JFK's speech from Berlin.

Now to the present: When I went to pick up Lexi from school, I went to Walmart first - mainly for half'n'half for my coffee. They didn't have any because of a cooler breaking down last night. That's not really important, but I'm glad I went that way rather than only to the school. When I passed Huddle House, their sign read "In Memorium Adam S Hogarty," which gave me a jolt. I was hoping it was not the one I knew, but I've just read his obituary. He was 17. I haven't seen his mother or his aunt for several years (we used to go to church together), but I saw his grandmother several times in February and March when I was taking my son-in-law to physical therapy. Pat was having tharapy also. I'll have to go to either the visitation tomorrow evening or the funeral Saturday afternoon.

Singin' in the Rain

Or rather in the shower. Lexi has recently begun to take showers. A few nights ago, during her shower, she was singing. It sounded cute! I didn't recognize the tune - perhaps she was making up her own like Dominic used to do.

Sunday morning Dr Ginn (the one I saw last Thursday when Dr B was on vacation) called to say that my blood was too thin. He said to stop taking Coumadin for a couple of days and have it checked again on Tuesday. When they called on Monday to make the appointment, I told them i=that Wednesday would work out better for me. So I went there yesterday and gave them a few drops of blood. It's in the good range, so I resumed taking 2.5 mg of Coumadin last night, and they want me to have it checked again in a week.

While in Paducah, I went to Hobby Lobby for yarn - as though I don't have enough! I recently came across a leaflet with eight shawl patterns on it. To give you an idea of how old it is, the price marked on it is $.50; you can't get one pattern for that now. It was from Spinnerin Yarns which I think has been out of business for ages. I made one of the shawls about forty years ago, and have often thought I'd like to make it again, and do the center decreases correctly this time. The other one came out a rather funny shape. I used it for a long time, but have no idea what happened to it. The pattern is called Autumn Leaves and the yarn I bought is Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn in Autumn Stripes. I should have waited to start it until I finished Yvette's counterpane, but I didn't. I started the shawl when I got home and am already into the second 5 oz skein - I just can't seem to put it down.

I also went to Kroger and bought the onions, garlic and chicken broth I needed for the tomato-basil soup to freeze for winter use. I've cooked it this morning; now I need to puree it and put it into the freezer containers. I had to do something with the tomatoes I've been harvesting from my three plants.

My Friday Out

Usually Alyssa drives Lexi to school, but she asked me to do it on Friday so she could get a little extra sleep. On Thursday night, the two of them picked out the clothes for Lexi to wear, so I didn't have to deal with that. Lexi's grandmother Gill was to pick her up after school, because this is her weekend with har dad, so I could have come home, but decided to stay in town for the day.

After I dropped her off, I stopped at WalMart for bobby pins and then went to the Senior Citizens Center. I sat in the lobby there knitting and talking for several hours. I worked there for six years, so I know a lot of the people who work there and who go there regularly. However, it has been two and a half years since I retired and I haven't been going back very often, so there are quite a few that I don't know. I ate lunch there also, and did more knitting and visiting until 2 o'clock or so. Then I wandered around Big Lots for a while - only bought a jar of rhubarb-strawberry preserves (don't find rhubarb often).

From there I went to the Art Guild. There was a reception scheduled there from 4 to 6 for the community exhibit and the Laurel Oaks Garden Club's flower show. Many of the entries from the garden club members were inspired by the artworks, and were displayed in front of the pieces that inspired them. There are some really talented flower arrangers in the group! But I didn't go in as soon as I got there. Instead I sat on a bench in the garden beside the building (the garden was planted and is maintained by the garden club) and knitted. When I had to use the ladies room, I went in and then went to the front porch and did more knitting. I finally headed home about 5 o'clock. I was tired, so it was nice to have the house to myself.

Good News!

Today was my monthly visit to the oncologist. My regular doctor is on vacation, so I saw one of her associates. The visits had gotten to be rather boring, until last month. In June's bloodwork the lambda lightchains number had jumped drastically. Dr B said that if it was also up in the July bloodwork, she would do more testing like at the beginning of this whole process, and change the medication. I was glad to learn today that that number is back down in the OK range. Who knows what caused it to spike that one time. Anyway, I continue with the thalidomide and dexamethasone.

My appointment time was originally 9:45, but they called on Monday and asked to change it to 1:30, so I had plenty of time beforehand to do some other things. I went to a book store in the mall that has very deeply discounted prices. I bought two books for $3.99 each. One is what I call knit lit. When I got home, I discovered that I already have it. Oh well, it was only four dollars - I'll find someone to give it to. I need to print out my list of craft books, especially the knitting and knit lit sections of it, and carry it in my purse. I used to have it there, but don't any longer.

We've been having some wonderful weather for the past few days, so I've had the windows open and the A/C off. Tonight, however, Lexi and I both felt hot, so I closed windows and turned the A/C back on. I think the humidity has gone up - the temperature is a comfortable 74.

Nice Weather

After about a week of hot (mid- to high-90's), humid weather, we're having some really nice days - temperatures in the mid- to high-80's with comfortable humidity. Yesterday I actually did some mowing in the middle of the day rather than waiting until after supper. Then I sat in the back-yard swing (it's on a frame of heavy timbers) and knitted. The swing gets some sun early in the morning and late in the afternoon, but is shaded most of the day. There was a frequent light breeze yesterday, as well, so I was very comfortable sitting there until the late afternoon sun started hitting me. This morning I had my coffee onthe back porch and after Alyssa and Alexis left, I spent some time cutting the cypress vine off the porch furniture. That stuff seems to take forever to start growing each year, but once it starts, it grows like mad and winds its way around anything that doesn't move. I also watered the plants that are in pots, and harvested the few tomatoes that are ripe.

Now I have three hours to knit or read before I need to drive into Mayfield to pick Lexi up from school. She and Alyssa will be moving into Mayfield soon, so Alyssa registered her in the school there, using her boyfriend's address. Alyssa takes her in the mornings, but I have to pick her up on days that she works. We went in Tuesday and saw her classroom and met her teacher. This is the second year in the new school, so everything is still bright and shiny. Alyssa told me that evening that the teacher is the ex-wife of her boyfriend's mother's boyfriend.

BBQ

I was out early this morning spraying weed killer and noticed my neighbor sitting on his patio. I called, "Good Morning" and he replied. Then he asked if I was going to the picnic. Around here, on the first Saturday in August, one doesn't need to ask what picnic. It's the one in Fancy Farm (www.fancyfarm.net) I said some barbecued mutton would be nice, but I wasn't going to go there to get it. The picnics that the various Catholic churches put on during the summer are about the only places you can get barbecued mutton. I've gone to the picnic a couple of times, but I really don't like such mob scenes. Anyway - a few minutes ago there was a knock on my back door. When I opened it, Robbie grinned and handed me a bag with a mutton sandwich in it. How's that for a good neighbor!

No Phone? Or Internet?

Tuesday morning I took the two items I'm entering in the Art Guild's annual Arts in the Community exhibit to the Guild and then sat there knitting and talking to my friend Jo. Alyssa came in and said she had been trying to call me, but the calls went directly to voicemail. We figured the cable must be out - my phone and internet service are both provided by Galaxy Cablevision. It was still out when I went to bed that night. Wednesday morning, before I got out of bed, I picked up the phone and was glad to hear that I had service. However, about mid-day it was off again, and stayed off through Thursday. I kept wishing Alyssa would come so she could call the company on her cellphone, but I wasn't concerned enough about it to ask to use a neighbor's phone. When I found that it was back on this morning, I called the company to find out if I could expect it to stay on. They said that it should, and they are going to give me a small credit - I hadn't thought of that. I've never been one for talking on the phone much, but I really don't like not having it available.

I thought that on Saturday I had finally convinced the cat that I don't like her sitting on my lap and trying to eat my yarn while I knit. I hardly saw her at all for several days; I think she was in Alyssa's room much of the time. Today she was back to trying to eat my yarn.

I have two new projects I'm working on. One is a replacement for the crocheted bedspread listed in the sidebar. When I started working on it again last week, I decided that the neuropathy in my fingers (caused both by the myeloma and by the medication for the myeloma) makes working with such a small hook too uncomfortable to continue. I plan to give Yvette what I have done so far, plus the rest of the thread, the pattern and the crochet hook, and suggest that she find someone else to finish it. Or she can learn to crochet and finish it herself. However, I want her to have something completed by me, so I'm knitting a counterpane/afghan using worsted-weight yarn and size 10 needles. It's going quickly, so she'll definitely have it by her fourth anniversary in about two months.

The other project is a cape for a friend. It's a basic pattern, starting at the neck and increasing two stitches at three points every other row. I've done several short (18 to 20 inches) ones and donated them to a nursing home. This one will be longer. I don't know how long - that will depend on how far the yarn goes. I always use some easy lace stitch. The cape also is going quickly.