February 13, 2006
Grin and "Bear" It
Just when people start to worry that I’m posting late because something has gone horribly wrong with me, I post late because…I post late. My bad. And to top things off, I won’t be posting on Wednesday. My badder.
I do have to say I wish I had arms long enough to wrap around everyone who left well-wishes in the comments and who emailed me. I am an indescribably lucky blog mistress.
The two things that made the big difference during my hospital stay:
1. TMK, who was finally able to bribe a nurse into giving me some ice chips after two days—two—of my having no food and no water. Somehow I was never quite as convinced as the doctors and nurses were that the hummingbird food dripping into my veins was a substitute for a turkey havarti sandwich with lettuce, mayo and tomato on thick white slices of artisan bread with a fruit-salad garnish.
2. This little guy.
When a nurse put a blanket on me and asked if there was anything else I needed, I jokingly said, “Now that I have a warm blanket, all I need is a stuffed animal,” and—poof!—thirty seconds later, guess what I had in my arms? Now, I may be 46 years old, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I clung to this little furball for the next 30 hours. Sometimes it’s the small things.
Oy. Enough about this unpleasantness. I try very hard to walk that fine line between sharing small, personal, hopefully somewhat-human-interest vignettes and TMI. We’ve dipped our toes in TMI; time to get back to those lame personal vignettes.
I know! Let’s talk about Olympic Knitting!
Despite all the hoopla, I am still very much participating in the Olympic Knitting event. I've learned so far that, especially in the case of stranded knitting, swatches are about much more than just gauge. For example, here is Attempt 1 at the Squirrel Sweater:
This is where I learned that reducing the palette of colors from the original five called for by the pattern to just two because you’re a lazy-ass knitter can cause unexpected problems. I discovered that, at the very least, the hem of the sweater needed to be done in a third, contrasting color so that the aquirrel/snowflake/pine tree design doesn’t just start abruptly, mid-squirrel, as it were, with no rhyme or reason. If I had swatched a bit of the hem plus some of the pattern I would have learned this well before I cast on 188 seemingly endless stitches for the actual project.
So Attempt 1 was frogged (despite the loud ticking of the Olympic clock in my head) and I cast on another 188 seemingly endless stitches and started Attempt 2 with the newly added Color #3, navy blue, for the hem.
(I think this qualifies as the dullest picture I have ever posted on the blog. If you feel the same, raise your hand. My feelings will not be hurt.)
Attempt 2 is going much better. The gray, red and navy blue are a great combination and the squirrels do not look quite so much as if at any minute they will start dropping vital internal organs everywhere. So far, however, the Olympic judges have given me a score of only 4.2. Except for the one who gave me a 10, but that’s because I bribed her with Koigu. Works every time.
At least you have pictures, Ryan! "Bad" pictures (although, that's NOT bad) are much better than none at all!
:) I'm glad you're feeling better!
Posted by: Libby on February 13, 2006 02:56 PMOh NO not another judging scandal! LOL
I'm so glad you are doing better. Have you found the Olympics? I'm still not seeing much. I'd planned on being hungover from too much Olympics but that's not happening.
Good luck.
Yes, Aarlene--that's *exactly* what I wanted, to be hungover from too much Olympics. But it's just not happenin'. Dang.
You are too kind about the pictures, Libby, but that'll teach me to be taking photos at 11:30pm when I shoulda been in bed half an hour before.
Posted by: Ryan on February 13, 2006 03:03 PMYou are the proof in action: "You can't keep a good woman down." Cute bear. Now you can knit him a sweater.
Hugs, Mary B
PS You missed NOTHING at the Madrona Fiber Arts. Don't feel bad. It was the most boring retreat I've ever attended.
Posted by: Mary B on February 13, 2006 03:06 PMI am glad you are on the way to recovery. The nurse gets extra points for making you feel more cozy.
It is great to see your enthusiasm towards the olympics, keep on knitting :)!
Oh, I am chugging along on my 16 items for Dulaan Project. I even made up a simple hat pattern, posted it on the blog. Nothing fancy, but something that would work with the yarn I had at home.
Get feeling better ((huggs))
A saturday posting??? Totally missed it, thinking I should just spend the weekend being green over the fact that you were at the retreat. Sorry to hear I had the wrong end of the needle. I really hope all is well now.
Posted by: marylee on February 13, 2006 03:49 PMSo glad to hear that you are feeling better, Ryan. And kudos to you for being brave enough to admit that you needed the bear. (I take one with me to the hospital too!) The pictures are just fine, even if you don't think so! Don't overwork on the Olympic knitting and end back up at the hospital, OK?
Posted by: Carol on February 13, 2006 03:51 PMSo glad you're on the road to recovery! Your "bad" pictures still look better than my "good" ones.
Welcome to the madness. Isn't this FUN?
Yes, I have a weird idea of fun. Don't tell the authorities.
Posted by: Rabbitch on February 13, 2006 04:43 PMI am so happy to read you are recovering well. And what a nice nurse you had!
Posted by: Heather on February 13, 2006 05:34 PMI think your "dull" photo was copied from my photo (KO Day 1 status photo). This is to alert you to the copyright infringement and that I will be bringin appropriate legal action against you. I'll do anything for attention! So glad you posted.
Posted by: Janine on February 13, 2006 05:43 PMGlad you're doing better, and I hope whatever it was doesn't happen anymore. Love the bear, and I'll say a little thanks for whomever it was who left him there to be sent on home with you.
Can't wait to see the squirrels.
omg ryan, i'm so happy you are feeling better!
we really really missed you friday night :-(
Feel better soon! Sending loads of good karma and virtual hugs your way. Thanks for spreading the word about the Dulaan Project and for the fab-o Cloud Hat pattern. Photos of mine are now available for viewing on my blog.
Yes, our coverage of the Olympics SUCKS. When I lived in San Diego, we were blissfully saturated with the coverage from the Mexican TV stations who ran EVERYTHING. Missing that now.
Please keep blogging, and happy belated natal day!
Posted by: kt on February 13, 2006 08:57 PMI remember Carry saying in yesterday's comments that CNBC had some Olympic action so I was able to catch the tail end of some CURLING, BABY!
That second cast on picture isn't ALL dullsville. That's a mighty purty marker you got there.
After discovering my row gauge is totally off I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell I'm going to finish this Doublemossa cap. But, like that Chinese female skater, I picked myself up [after my petulant tantrum], dusted myself off and kept going. I've gotta try. For Team Kw/oB and DULAAN!!!
Glad to hear you are on the mend! :) (Also glad to know I'm not the only one who would have wanted a stuffed animal during a hospital stay! Hee!)
Can't wait to see the squirrely progress!
Posted by: Miri on February 14, 2006 10:12 AMWell. My computer stops finding updates to blogs, and look what happens!! Glad you're doing better - and sorry to hear you ended up in the hospital in the first place.
Posted by: melissa on February 14, 2006 07:04 PMHi, I've been lurking for a long time... from the other side of the globe (Denmark).. but now I must make a comment. Just to say that I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one grown-up little girl who can find occasional comfort in a stuffed animal when life feels bad.
Good to hear you are well.
IDA
I'm so glad you're feeling better! What a nasty surprise to find the reason you weren't at Madrona on Saturday (which I knew only because I was walking around with a niddy-noddy poking up out of my bag and threatening the unwary, and asking "do YOU know Ryan? Is she HERE? Oh. Hey, do YOU know Ryan?" ad nauseum...) And then to find you're what my mother would have called "distinctly unwell". (the mistress of NTMPI - never too much personal information). Well, bless the bear, and all. I too think he deserves a sweater!
Posted by: joan on February 15, 2006 10:27 AMHi Ryan! Thanks so much for stopping by my place and leaving such kind comments about the Dublin Bay socks - I totally loved the pattern and I'm sure I'll make more.
So glad you're feeling bettr - stuffed animals work wonders, don't they?!
Posted by: Beth on February 16, 2006 03:35 PM