Healthy updates

Well, the labs are back for Himself, and all is clear! We are so very, very grateful! The plan is for him to have check-ups every three months for some unknown period of time. I have no idea what they will do at these appointments (needle biopsies?), nor do I know how long he will be on the 3-month plan. I also do not know if I do not know because the doctor doesn't know, or because Himself can't be bothered to ask proper questions. I have my suspicions, but I just don't know.

Heh.

That is a big weight off of us, and the little screaming person in my brain can now sit down and shut up. There is a visit to the dermatologist coming up to check for any additional "areas of concern". Again, I just don't know. Might as well ask the 6 year old...

I have spent the week assisting in science lab for the eldest DD. They've been doing 'investigations' on 5 Unknowns. I was helping with the heat testing. Apparently, I'm competent enough to play with fire at school. All the third grade classes had a rotation through our classroom to participate in the heat tests on the 5 Unknowns. It was fun, but a bit draining. How on earth a bunch of 3rd graders can decide that melting sugar smells like chicken or broccoli, well, I just don't want to know. I found that once they set their minds on a thing, they could not be turned short of me giving them the answer (which I'm not allowed to do). Also, giving detailed instructions to groups of five 3rd graders over and over again is like, well, herding 5 different cats, over and over again.

Teachers Rule! I sure couldn't do it!

It was fun, but I feel like I've been living at the school all week. In my spare moments, I popped into the library and did some shelving. My head hurts at the disorder and I'm dying to just start shelf-reading to get everything tidy. My saner self, the one that doesn't like to be in pain, says just let it go because it wouldn't last 2 minutes. I'm really trying to go with the saner self this time.



Here's the progress I'm making on the Fish Hat. There are short rows for shaping at the mouth, but then it is just stockinette & some decreases for a while. This is the perfect mindless knitting for the end of the day. However, I'm not crazy about the red at the beginning. I was going for a very red fish, because red is DD1's favorite color. Right now, it looks too heavy all together like that. I'm hoping I can balance the look at the end and with the fins. We'll see how I do. I don't guess I've ever done a striped project before that wasn't self-striping yarn. Live and learn, I guess. Besides, she won't care at all. I guess I could have fixed it, but I really didn't want to turn something so simple into a big ripping event.

Also new, I have learned to make my own stitch markers. Not necessarily well, but there you go. A friend from church showed me how to do it, she makes lovely, lovely jewelry. She isn't a knitter, but I showed her an example of one, and she very generously gave of her time to teach me. I now have to try to contain myself and not make 500 of them. Well, I guess if I made 500 I could sell them, but you know what I mean. I don't need any new collectable hobbies. I need to stick to knitting and spinning. Right? Right. Beads will suck out my soul and take time from my knitting.

Anyway, here's my first set. It is all mine, though I originally intended to gift it to a January birthday buddy of mine. I decided not gift it because I'm not sure the ends are smooth enough to avoid snagging the yarn. I thought I'd give them a test use and see how they work out. She wants to learn to cable this year, so maybe she can use them. OTOH, she isn't super-savvy and might not notice they were snagging (if they snag), so I'd rather practice a little more. You know, for her sake. So, I'll practice the technique and then make her a set or two.