Uncle Leona's Day Camp

So, here's the update

I haven't posted for a while. Part of that was due to vacation last week (golfed in Michigan and hung out at Kelleys Island), but the main reason is because things have gone bad for Dad over the past month. He found a lump in his armpit and had his doctor evaluate things. After the biopsy, it was determined that he had a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; one that was pretty easy to treat. In the course of staging the lymphoma, they found a mass in his pancreas. Turns out he has pancreatic cancer in addition to the lymphoma.

Leave it to my Dad. He's a one-in-a-million guy, and he's landed the one-in-a-million combo of cancers.

So, needless to say, things around here haven't exactly been bubbly of late. Dad feels absolutely fine, which is great, but Mom's a wreck. Angry as hell. Anyhow, before the oncologists can start doing any treatment, the pancreatic guru at the Cleveland Clinic has to evaluate the tumor to see if it can be resected. That's next week. This waiting game has been agonal, let me tell you.

And having a little knowledge is a very dangerous thing. I'm sure my blood pressure is a tad up.

Speaking of surgery, I get to go see the urogynecologist tomorrow to see if he can take out my no-good, waiting to kill me at any time uterus. My regular gynecologist recommended the guy because he does the procedure laparoscopically--only requires a two week recovery! That fits in with the schedule far better than the old 6 week recovery, which would require me signing up for disability to pay the bills.

Paperwork is never a good thing.

Anyhow, I'm hoping things work out so I can get this all done at the end of August. I'm not on call for three weeks, and with school starting, the office will be dead for two weeks.

Unless swine flu hits. Run for your lives.

The garden is overflowing. No photos right now, but suffice it to say you really can't see any dirt. Or my jalepeno plant, which is being surrounded by the tomatillos. The cucumbers are growing like weeds. At this moment, I have two gallons of cukes fermenting in a crock, two quarts of dill pickles,

and three pints of spicy bread and butter pickles newly canned today,

with more on the vines. I have three acorn squash growing, several more spaghetti squash, a few bushels of tomatoes (all green--not hot enough around here this summer), dozens of peppers, and about a truckload of tomatillos. Next year, I think I'm only planting two tomatillo plants--these things really like that garden. Be forewarned, I'll get photos up shortly.

As for the knitting, look what's done!!

I posted a plea for the yarn on Ravelry's Opal Socks group, and was pleasantly shocked when a gal out in California said she had some left over. All she asked for is my address, and two days later, I had the yarn I needed to finish things up!! They don't match on the foot, but who cares??? Now I can retire that size 0 needle.

As for sweaters, I started work on a cardigan:

This is from a pattern from Chris Bylsma called "Symphony." The sweater is intended to be made of several different types of yarn, but I am just using a new Plymouth creation called Kudo in neutral shades of blue gray, brown, and cream. It's gorgeous stuff. I initially had a problem with the striping, but I got over it. After I finish this puppy, I think it's time to get back to the wool.

Ugh. Winter.

Can it be? A Wednesday without rain???

To borrow from the vernacular of the meteorologist, over the last 10 weeks, if it is Wednesday, there is a 90% chance of rain. Why have I kept track? Yep, it's my golf day. Today, however, Mother Nature has decided to let me tee off. Sunny, low 70's, puffy clouds--should be awesome. To top it off, it's our league July cookout night, which means the keg will be standing on the first tee.

And that ain't a keg of root beer.

Life is good.

I have been working on a new summer top.

This is another two piece sweater pattern called the Bistro Top. I have had the pattern for a while, but decided to use it for this project instead of the pattern it was supposed to have. The yarn is Tofootsies sock yarn--it came in a kit I got at Stitches. The pattern included was a side-to-side sweater using a similar color change technique that I'm using here (only I'm changing colors twice as often as the original). I did not like how the side-to-side one draped. The photo on the back of the pattern of a plus-size gal showed how non-flattering it was. So, as usual, I went off the board.

The front will have a v-neck. All of the edgings are done in a slip stitch rib to keep things sturdy (the original used a slip stitch rib that curled like crazy--once again, I went off the board). I'm hoping this will turn out as nicely as the last two-piecer did.

As for the garden, it's, well, growing:

Yep, the squash are taking over the near end. I have a definite acorn squash growing like crazy right now:

There's also one that's looking a little goofy, but it's growing, so we'll just be nice to it:

The other plants that are going completely nuts are the cucumbers. I have about five or six phalluses pointing out of the trellis right now:

Posting any more of these things might qualify this site as porn.

I also have three Mexican sour gherkins growing!

Is that cute or what?? I'm going to keep letting it grow--from what I have read, they get to double that size. Then it gets popped in my mouth to help me tie up the tomatoes. Again.

That's a group of five Amish paste tomatoes. I have more. Lots more. I have lost count of the number of fruit on the Roma vine.

Who wants tomato sauce?

So much for that lottery

I was a busy little bee on Kelleys Island this past weekend. I HAD to finish those stupid socks that have been languishing since 2003 (I looked it up...how embarrassing). The size 0's were clicking along at a furious pace...things were looking good....until....

I am putting out a distress signal (too much Deadliest Catch marathon this weekend...sorry). Does anyone out there have a leftover glob of Opal Lollipop 1015? Or do you know anyone who may have a glob?

Anyone???

Anyone???

Bueller???