Life sometimes is a tangle

I realize that I needed to dig down inside myself and pull out the things I am grateful for - instead of letting "life" swallow me up as I have for December, January and February - especially after the eye surgery. It was so so much more difficult than I had been prepared for or expected.

So I need to be thankful and appreciative that I am alive - there are people whose loved one didn't wake up this morning or will not tomorrow. So many take it for granted that there will always be a tomorrow - and it is not for certain. So for this, I am grateful.

I am also thankful for my family. My daughter brought me a beautiful orchid in bloom for my birthday - unfortunately the temperature was in the 20's and destroyed the blooms and buds on it. She was so disappointed - she said she put it in her jacket and thought it would be ok - but didn't cover it in her car or anything. But it was a really pretty color and I will baby it and hope it blooms again next year! She then brought me a bouquet of tulips and lunch one day - it was one of the first things I had eaten that didn't come out of a can or a freezer bag since my surgery. Made two meals out of it all. The boys both called and got me to meet them for lunch on my birthday - so that was thoughtful thing for them to do.

I am finally able to knit a little - getting some sight and improving on the eye hand coordination needed to knit - was a little funny when I first tried. Have one baby bootie finished out of the Koigu KPPM - now to finish the other. Had plans to deliver them tomorrow, but its not going to happen. Knitting has been so relaxing and I missed it terribly.

Someone who I had mentioned and prayed for during her tough time and subsequent surgery wrote in her blog things that made me ashamed that I had let the months swallow me up, instead of facing them head on with the same courage she showed - through a much much more difficult surgery and life altering recovery. Most of you probably read Alison H's blog but if you don't you should!

So I am going to keep the link for this entry, and when I feel that "feeling" coming again, I am going to read this and remember - it takes courage to keep on going sometimes.

Knittalk Secret Santa

It appears that I have success today in getting a photo to load. Photobucket has changed in how it loads pictures and was giving me trouble - both yesterday and today,but think I have it conquered! Thanks to Sharon for such a great package, and to my daughter for the carousel horse to hold it together! I am anxious for my eye sight to improve so that I can try to knit with the Zephyr - really excited!! I can see light and shadow today, so am making progress, and got a little sleep last night, so have improvement in that area to. Sleep makes the days a little more tolerable.

Groundhog, again

I am hoping for Groundhog day in reverse. Yesterday was groundhog day - and my 8th eye surgery in less than 20 mos now. So I am hoping that instead of repeating over and over, it will end with yesterday. I am just a little high on pain medication, have an eye that is swollen shut, that is weeping tears and weeping etc..so that could be my problem with loading the picture in the last post and now bloggers etc.

Will try again in a few days and see if I have better luck! It is cold, but the sun is out - always so deceiving, makes one think of warmth, but hearing the heater come on over and over reminds me that it is quite cold out. Tomorrow is only going to be a little above freezing all day - and this is fairly deep in the SE of the US - we have had a relatively cold winter this year - colder than the past couple. But at least it has been dry - very little to no snow, so life goes on as usual. About this time of the year, I do feel sorry for the people who live in the north and are slogged down in snow and ice - just to the north of us, Kentucky has really been hit hard with heavy ice. Many volunteers have gone from here to help in the restoration of power to people in KY. Chattanooga is always a sharing town - when natural disasters occur, people are always ready to go and help. Always makes one proud to hear that.

Back to bed I go - but one last little tidbit - a dear author, knitter and friend to many, has had her trials for the past six weeks. She is 3 days out of major surgery and was asking for yarn and needles to make a scarf for someone in Stanford hospital who has touched her life. Alison is doing better, and I am sure, amazing her drs with her progress. She is amazing me - but doing something which is such an "Alison" thing to do! Yeah! Go girl!

Life's funks

I have been in a general funk for December and January - didn't get into the "Christmas" spirit this year -even though I did have fun selecting boxes for my two Secret Pal gifts - hope they enjoyed them as much as I did. And I have a wonderful one to post about. Sharon of Calgary Canada sent me such a wonderful surprise. Due to my many allergies, she sent it direct from her yarn store and wowed me off of my feet! A beautiful mini-cone of Zephyr lace weight in Marine blue, with matching silk thread- perfect for knitting some bookmarks. I already had decided to get busy and knit start knitting some for those many little gifts always needed around the holiday season, to say thank you to so many people - and have heard that this silk knits up perfect, so am ready to give it a try. See what you think of the box - it has taken me several tries with my new little digital camera - ALL MINE, I don't have to share! - to get a half decent image. So the more I play with it, the better I hope to become.......there is always hope!

Well, blogger is being contrary - I can't get the picture to upload! Will keep trying - it is too great to miss.

Secret Pal 13 Question of the week

The next question is: Are you doing any Christmas knitting?

NO - have not been able to do much knitting at all for the past several months. My eyesight has not returned as I had hoped and has kept me from knitting very much. I have real difficulty in seeing sometimes. So no knitting for anyone this year - other than a hat for me that is almost finished. It was put aside for a few days for another little project that is finished.

When is a secret not a secret?

About 2 years ago, I created a yahoo email address solely for the purpose as a secret identity for Secret Pal's, Swap-bot, etc. Have used it ever since as such, thinking it was secret and showed the email address – that I thought was cute – and used as other ID's. But……………last week, I used the post to a Secret Pal on my KnitTalk list and got a surprise. When she replied to me on the post, I saw my name there, big as could be! Not the cute ID I had created or expected, but my big fat name! My current hostess in Secret Pal 13 tried to give me a hint, I see now, and I didn't catch it about my name showing. Soo, it has taken me several days to find how to change the name shown with the email address – so it is finally done! And I am sorry to all of the SP's of the past, taking away a little of the surprise!!

Here again!

I have lapses in posting - seems the cause is always the same lately - another eye surgery, and my vision is not rebounding like I had hoped. Makes knitting a little difficult. Started a cute little women's lace hat - Ravelry pattern here- have almost finished the lace edging - so the body part should go fast. But am having difficulty seeing clearly enough to do the lace part - and it is real simple.

Time to get to laundry and housework - doesn't take much vision to do that!