Well ain’t this some nonsense… Note to self: three months combined in one post is always indicative of some health bullshit gone awry. The last three months have been a combination of pain and an overall sense of not accomplishing a damn thing. That’s not entirely true, I did manage to knit the tiny bit of stuff, but nothing terribly post-worthy. I am still undergoing medical treatment, so I am very hopeful that my (timely) upcoming posts will have more making and less complaining. Sciatica, and aging overall, is complete crap.

Finished objects:

Two charity/ gift/ donate hats, using my ribbed hat pattern and a combo of leftover Queensland Collection Sunshine Coast, from my most recent Weekender, and some KnitPicks Stroll. (Take my word for it, there are two of them)

New cast-ons:

Ladder Tank (April)

Fuzzy Ribbed Hat (May)

Saffron Top (May)

Hexipuff Memories (June)

Goals for next month:

Let’s go crazy and say complete 50 hexipuffs

Get my pain under control so that I can get back to my life

Explore new core exercise options that will strengthen my core AND work with my back issues

Rip out my Knitting My Memories blanket and wind into balls

I am sad to report that I cannot sit comfortably in any chair in my house, so, two hats and a few hexipuffs are what I completed in three months. I did make some good headway on the Saffron Top in June, but I knew I wasn’t going to make my goal and set it aside because and I needed a portable project for our trip to the mid-west. The hexipuff solution was exactly what I needed. They are quick and easy and incredibly portable. I also think they will come together nicely. I won’t join them until I feel like I have enough for a decent sized blanket. This way I can put the colors into a pattern that I like. I also intend to knit half hexis so that I don’t have wobbly edges on the finished blanket. I don’t think I will like the finish otherwise. At this point, I have knit up almost two of my mixed balls of sock yarn. I still need to rip out what I have of the first blanket and wind that yarn back into balls. I want to finish my Saffron top before the next sister’s lunch so that I can show them top I knit with the yarn I bought with them in March. Sadly, that is all I have to say on the making front.

April was pretty good. I started the month with Book Club. I am so very happy our little group has started this. I love them so much and love that we take this time to connect outside of work. It was also Easter that weekend. We did the usual umbrella and boots with a mini egg hunt. Feebs loved it. That week she had Spring break, which she also loved. We went to the Father’s that following weekend and had a great time with him. If memory serves, Feebs and Dad won most of the dollars. The next weekend, the Husband and I had a nice date night. We went to Horatio’s, which always reminds me of Grandpa. It was a lovely dinner and evening out. The following weekend was our work weekend for the Female O’s birthday. Her ask for her birthday was that we help organize the garage. The Male O was not excited. We dug in and it only took a day of hard work and negotiations. The end result was amazing and she was so happy. He even said it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. I call that a success! I finally got some temporary relief on my back in the last week of the month with a steroidal epidural injection. It lasted a blissful three weeks before the pain came back. I believe I have to have 1- 2 more injections before they will look at doing an ablation. I have been doing PT faithfully since March, but it doesn’t really seem to be helping, at least, not with the pain. At this point I want a full back replacement.

May was also good. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to help the Husband with refinishing the porch floor on the first weekend, but he did a really nice job. I got to have a mammogram the following week, which was thankfully clear, followed by Book Club. Good times were had by all. We also took the Mother and I out for a nice dinner for Mother’s Day. Overall Mother’s Day was very nice. We had some adventures and a delicious meal cooked by the Husband. That week was very busy with dinner with Ms. Laura and another night of dinner with Ms. Cheryl. We had a birthday party for the Little Clay, who turned 12. I felt like trash, so the Husband took her to the party. We also started to wrap up the school year with Open House and the mad dash catch up on all of her missing assignments. My infusion appointments were that week, so that is always fun. The following weekend, we had an adult girl’s only trip in Red Bluff. We had the very best time. I am still trying to wrap my head around the financial decisions that some people make, but the girls appreciated my comical meltdowns. We all went home in time to have the Memorial Day holiday as a day to rest and recoup. And guess what we finally did… We bought a new car. We decided to not buy the truck, because we just couldn’t figure out a decent ROI on cost versus savings. We bought the Husband a Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid. Naturally, it is storm cloud gray, but it is what he picked out. The stress over the new car purchase is finally lifted. The Father came for a visit that week, which is always nice. Ironically, he had recently purchased a new small SUV as well. I don’t think he has ever not owned a truck. It is the ending of an era.

And then it was June. And thank God, finally the end of school. I am not sure if Feebs was more excited, or me. We made it and she didn’t fail any of her classes. Blissful Summer break began! That weekend, I had lunch with Sister #2, which is always lovely. The following weekend, the Husband went camping (he actually left us for couple of day!) and Feebs and I had dinner with Kennard. I absolutely love those guys and am so grateful for their friendship. The Husband had a lovely camping trip without “help”. The following weekend we went camping with the O’s. I must say, it wasn’t half bad. We tried a new spot and it was really nice. There were, of course, porta-potties (yuck), but overall the whole campground was great. Three of the four adults agreed that we will go back next summer. The Husband was, of course, the outlier. He was too hot. Honestly, darling, he is always too hot. The Father came that week for a visit and we took him to Feebs’s favorite pupusa place. He loved it. That weekend we had sister lunch in Napa and got to shop through all of Sister #3’s clothes that she was getting rid of. I can’t tell you how happy I am that we have started to so this. It makes my heart happy to have a relationship with all of them again. Then the remainder of the month was just getting ready for our trip. It was a lot or pre-packing and pre-booking (thank you, Husband!). We went to bed early on the last day of the month so that we could begin our adventures at 3 AM on July 1.

I know that this is incredibly abridged, especially since it captures three months, but that is what happens when so much time has passed. I am sure that I forgot many of the highlights and wonderful visits. I hate to be so whiny, but damn this sucks. I am still grateful for my family and friends. I am grateful that I was able to make an appointment to get a second injection (though it is in August). I am grateful to reconnect with all of my sisters. I am grateful for my very patient and understanding boss and the job that I get to call mine. I am grateful that there is forward movement on all of my health issues. Overall, I am just grateful for my life.

Loves,

M