Pretty and Cute Overload

I love the Fall.  Cooler weather, rain, and the changing colors.    Kim and I went out to Sauvie Island one day last week.  We brought home a pumpkin to try our hand at cooking it and making pie.  I got it cooked up, but was gone all weekend so the pie hasn't been made.  Tomorrow, we will have pumpkin pie.  

The trees in our neighborhood are spectacular.  We went for a drive way out in the country today and saw more beautiful trees, but didn't get pictures of them, we got other pictures instead, which you will see below the trees.  :)

Around December 6, this little gal will come home to live with us and be Kim's dog.  She is a Red Merle Mini-Australian Shepherd.  Kim is stuck on a name.  She thought she wanted a dog name Guienevere (or however it is spelled), but when Kim say her pink nose, she thinks Rose might fit better.  We have 6 weeks to come up with something that will fit this little one.  We will be going out to see her again in two weeks, then a couple of more times after that. 

The puppies in the basket are a few weeks older from a different litter.  Cute, but not exactly what Kim wanted. 

John took a liking to her sister sibling.  If only we could afford two purebreds right now.  

Thank you from my dad

I talked to my dad tonight on the phone. He is extremely appreciative and wants to thank all of you for saying prayers for him and sending good thoughts. Thank you! He is doing well at home, eating more, navigating the house with either his cane or walker. He sounded good. I couldn't hear his lip "lisp" when talking to him, but did notice it on the message machine earlier. I am so glad he is home and doing well. They are still limiting visitors because it just wears him out. He wants to go to church this weekend, but I told him he needs to be really careful, especially with all the colds and flu out there. And my mom has to play the service so she can't keep an eye on him and keep folks from wearing him out. I advised him not to go this time, but I am sure he will be there anyways. ;)

Another Dad Update!!

Woohoo, Dad's going home tomorrow. He is walking by himself and navigating stairs. Hopefully he will be home in time for lunch. Thursday he sees his regular neurologist and maybe they can figure out what's going on with his lip and if it is Bell's Palsy or not. Thank you so much for all of the prayers and good thoughts. Now I almost wish we lived in CA so I could be closer to help out more.

Dad Update

So, they didn't release him on Friday, actually a good thing! The x-ray that showed no broken hip made them look further and do a different scan that showed a muscle bleed on his right side. They gave a unit of blood last night to replace what he lost and he is now doing much, much better. They moved him to a rehab center today. It's one of the best in the area, has a pool, etc. He is looking forward to being home after this event. It's going to be a lot of work, but we think he's ready for it now. He was up walking on his own more today, with just a wheelchair behind him in case he needed it. Thank you for all of the prayers and thoughts, please keep them coming though.

Oh another thing they found out on Friday. His insurance covers 100 days in the rehab facility with no co-pay! I think after the 100 days, it's $100/day.

2nd update of the day

I just found out that they will probably be releasing him tomorrow, he will go into skilled nursing, he walked 300 yds today with the help of a walker and practiced getting in and out of bed! The x-ray came back negative for any breaks, so likely a bruised bone, which hurts just as bad. Woohoo! There is still talk of building a new front porch with a ramp, which would be good anyways.

Update on my dad

Sorry for not posting. I was without an internet access for several days and then we headed home. On Sunday evening/Monday morning, dad did an about face. He has really improved a lot. Maybe it was some of the medications for pain that they took him off of that helped. His breathing is better, his kidneys have started function better, not perfect yet, but better. His mental state is much improved, at least mostly back to where it was, unless he is really tired. They are talking about releasing him, no date yet, he needs to improve a bit more. He has not had enough physical therapy to be up yet. He will likely be released into a skilled nursing facility with rehab. He may be hooked up to several things when he is released as well. If they can get his mobility back, he will eventually go back home, but he needs to be able to navigate 6 stair steps that are fairly high. Mom also has some personal contacts who do home health care and cooking and cleaning. I want a cleaner in there before he comes home!

My brother came down on Monday and never saw dad at his worst, but saw him at the turn around point. He helped me drive back home yesterday. It was a very long day, but we are glad to be home again.

I have lots to do here to clean up from just unloading everything last night. Thank goodness for days off and a fiber festival this weekend.

Some pictures

Kim took these two pictures of Lake Shasta. There was a section before this, where you could look down to see the water, and there was no water! Shasta Lake is always low it seems, but this year it looks like the lowest we have ever seen it. Granted, we usually see it earlier in the year and now we are at the end of summer.


This mural is at the entrance to the Cardiac Unit of the Kaiser Hospital. It is really cool! Dad's not in this unit right now, but we come out of the elevators and the first thing we see is this. I want to go there. :)


Especially with the Poppies, Lupine and Indian Paintbrush.

My dad

The kids and I made the drive to San Jose on Wednesday and Thursday. We are staying in a nice hotel that serves us a good breakfast! A shopping center with all kinds of restaurants and a Safeway is in the same complex. It takes us 15-20 minutes to get to the hospital depending on traffic.

Dad has had ups and downs this week, with last night starting a down ward spiral. He hasn't pulled out of it this morning and we are waiting to hear what is going on. It doesn't look good at this point. If he does buck up, he will not be going back home, but into a skilled nursing facility aka nursing home. I HATE nursing homes and I hate to do this, but mom can not care for him anymore.

I have dozed a little bit each night we have been on the road and here, so I am exhausted and near tears all the time. I am going to try some Benedryl tonight to see if I can at least get a little bit of sleep. Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers, especially John as he seems to have a migraine today. I think he woke up with it. We still have over an hour before we pick up Robert at the airport. I need him and he's only here for about 24 hours.

A couple of finished items

I started this Hoodie last year around the end of September, got the back done, one of the fronts and started the second front. I put it down to do some Christmas knitting and didn't get back to it until March or so. I thought I would get it done fairly quickly, but you know how life gets in the way. I finished sewing the seams earlier this week. It is very comfy and toasty. I need to find buttons for it, and I plan to do some little crochet closures. I also need to block it quite a bit. It is a snug fit and could be longer. I made the 40" size too and was good on gauge. I think it makes an excellent Fall cardigan.

Specs: Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky
Yarn: Alpaca With a Twist--Highlander
Colorway: It must be a number, but it is a rich dark chocolate brown with cream flecks.
Needles: US size 4 for my loose gauge.


I hadn't made a Clapotis yet, and upon freezing at the convention center during Sock Summit, I realized I needed a wrap of some kind for future events.

Specs: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Silkie Socks That Rock
Colorway: Blech
Needles: US 6

I've been busy canning more stuff in the last couple of weeks. Tons of peaches, peach jam, spiced peach jam, peach chipotle sauce, apricot jam, apricot chipotle sauce, salsa, dilly beans, picked Elderberries and made a large jar of syrup for cold and flu season and froze 5 qts for later use.

Now, I'm working on a cute lace pair of socks for Kim. I've never knit with Cherry Tree Hill. I like it, but the tiny needles are killing my wrists so I don't knit on them for too long.

Please keep my mom and dad in your thoughts and prayers. Dad is in the hospital again, possibly with a heart related issue, we aren't sure yet. I may end up driving the kids and myself down this week to see grandpa, as John starts classes next week and won't be able to get away until Christmas. He hasn't seen grandpa in over a year so it's past time!