Big Sur

Knowing I might be laid up for a while, we escaped up to Big Sur a few weeks ago. I am behind on the blog posts, so with time on my hands I can catch up a bit. Who knew wild boars were such a problem in Carmel? The little one is cute, huh?

We stayed at a sweet little spot right on Hwy 1, the Carmel River Inn, and when we weren't on the beach or hanging out with the young elephant seals, we took naps and soaked up the view at Nepenthe.










It was a great trip with a great guy and we can't wait to get back!

Who knew it could be so hard?

When Carrie was here post-PTE, I tried to shave my legs. I am not supposed to use razors because I am so anti-coagulated and there is all this worry about bleeding. So I had ventured into the world of things that smell awful and *dissolve* hair. I know -- eewww! It was on that day that I managed to shoot myself in the eye with the foam of death. Luckily Carrie and O were her to let me know how bad the stuff smells, and to save my eyesight. This time I was on my own.

In honor of Memorial Day I decided it was time to take a shower. I was sick of washing my hair in the kitchen sink and even though I am an anthropologist and can go for weeks without showers, I was ready to feel clean and smell good. Because my wound was still dressed I had to keep it dry. When I left the hospital the nurse explained that to take a shower I just needed to wrap the area in plastic to keep the area dry. Armed with plastic wrap and tape I headed for the bathroom.

Now keep in mind that the wound is along the crease along my groin, that line at the top of the leg. [this is why there are no pics!] Not an easy place to wrap. Kind of like wrapping a big wheel. So I had myself encased in plastic. ...I was reminded of this Halloween costume when I used blue saran wrap to make a "dress" -- I was the ocean and I layered in plastic fish and aqua-plants. It was cute and kept me warm.... There must have been a hole somewhere in my protective coating because I hadn't even rinsed my hair and I found myself in a plastic diaper full of water. Needless to say, nothing was spared from getting wet. It was kind of a nightmare. I started writing this entry in the midst of my mess.

Ok, that was the highlight of my week.
Just wait until next week.....

purple shorts & a recovery sweater

I came through the surgery with flying colors -- literally.
Let it suffice to say that for a week I have looked like I am wearing purple shorts. Well, shorts on one leg anyway. The bruising seems to be the worst part, and it looks more painful than it is. This doesn't come close to the discomfort and impact of the last recovery (thankgodthankgodrhankgod). It has been great to have my family around, and again Orion has proved himself to be an absolute gem. Give me another week, a bunch of naps, some good cable movies, and I'll be good as new!
In the meantime, I started a project to pass the time. The Knit Cafe is on Melrose and it might just be the most beautiful yarn shop ever conceived.

The idea is that by the time I finish this sweater I'll be back. It is my recovery sweater. So far I have sleeves, a back, a hood, and part of the front. Almost there...

hello...?

Guys? You around?
I am afraid I have lost the three readers who were checking this with some regularity.

So it is already the middle of May and at the end of the week I am going back into Cedars for another surgery. This one is not really related to the PTE, except that the need might have come about during the PTE bypass on the heart/lung machine. This one, I am assured will be a piece of cake after the last experience "under the knife" -- yikes! Sorry to the weak of stomach. For all my feminist friends, you will be happy to know that I have been told I will still be able to wear a bikini after this one. Yup. That is still the measure of surgical impact on some level. I guess the giant chest scar and the small upper-abdomen "dots" couldn't be seen at the time of this assessment...and like a couple of scars would keep me out of a bikini. hahaha!

So this is my attempt to do a bunch of catch-up and then check out until June. Where to start....

For the knitters in my life, let me give you a sampling of what has been "on the needles" as they say. But first, there is the insane sale at Black Sheep Knittery in Hollywood; I'm talking 75% off everything in the store. Look at this.



After buying this morning I was like a junkie after a score. The nurses would talk about how people tend to shop when their health is stressful. Yup, makes sense to me. Did I mention that everything was 75% off?

This is my most recent finish, a tea cosy for my aunt's birthday.



Pi sweater vest for Lexi's birthday...

ok, turn your head.

A scarf for Margery
I am trying to embrace lace work. I liked that this pattern is called Rabbit Proof Fence.

A sweater for Orion. You know this is true love...



Babies, babies, and sweaters.





More (non-knitting) soon...