I'm trying - YOP update

I seem to be a collector of problems.  I really don't want all the health problems though.  I'd rather collect vintage buttons.  I now have vertigo and then migraines and tension headaches triggered by it.  It isn't the worst thing because it's left sided so I can go to PT and somehow they have the magic to fix that.  I guess there are other types of vertigo that are not so easily treated.  I'm trying to look at the bright side on this.  I'm irritated though because I can't drive right now.  I just got my car a few months ago and already I can't drive it.  I am paying $75 a month for an exercise program and now I can't go.  I was doing so good too, getting stronger and losing weight.  It helps to have someone there to help push me but also help me modify to something doable for me. That price is for an unlimited plan too but last month I only made it 2 times because the doctor said not to go again until after I go to PT.  If I change the plan it will actually cost me more.  It is in the morning on weekdays so if I can't drive I can't go.  I also have other appointments and things I planned and I have to reschedule or find a way to get there.  I have to have a ride to go to PT because they will trigger the vertigo.  My first appointment is 9/2.

My husband and I are about to go on a trip to Anchorage to celebrate our 35th anniversary coming up on 9/1.  I'm not sure what we'll do.  We usually don't plan and just go and see what we find along the way.  We are going to rent a car and we could drive to some place outside of Anchorage we haven't been to yet.  Who knows what we will find.  I don't know if it will be rainy like it is here.  The hotel we use has these huge bathtubs so I could just get some bubble bath and a good book lol

I haven't been working on anything much because of the head spinning and headaches.  I do have a project that I need to finish but I put it in time out for a while.  I did part of it but I'm not really happy with it.  This is a poncho for my sister and I'm not sure if I'm doing it the best way.  I've never done this sort of thing before.  I usually just follow the pattern as written but I need to rework it.  I have about half of this done, or close to that, but I want to rip it all out and start over.  I would rather take it all out and fix it otherwise I don't want to work on it.  I want her to love it and want to wear it.  Also, I know she would tell everyone she sees that I made it so it needs to look good.  

She wants this poncho called Butterflies that's in a pattern book I have called Knit Ponchos by George Shaheen.  I feel very honored that she's asking me because she doesn't knit very much.  She's a great crocheter and is much better and changing patterns.  I want to make sure it's going to look good.  It calls for bulky weight yarn and she wants me to use worsted weight.  She lives in Texas so she doesn't want it to be too hot to wear.  I'm trying to work out how to make the pattern work while adding extra rows and I'm double wrapping the eyelets to make them bigger so they look more like the original pattern grouping of the 4 "butterflies". 

I'm using I Love This Cotton yarn and she loves the color.  I mostly have it worked out but I'm having a problem with the eyelets.  I had to add rows and stitches to make the grouping look similar to the pattern.  Is there a trick for keeping the knit stitches between the two eyelets looking neat and not loose and sloppy?  Where there are two eyelets I am doing this - YO (2 wraps), p2tog, p2, YO, P2tog.  On the return row I knit across dropping the extra wraps.  The stitches in the center between the eyelets and leaning into the eyelets and no matter how hard I try they won't stay.  Is there a better way?  I forgot to add that the purl side is the outside so I should have taken the picture of the other side.  I put the picture below but the lighting is bad and the color is all wrong.  Also, this will stretch out from the weight of the yarn and will be more open.  I really hope there is a way to make this look better.  If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.  

I think my eyelets look like a run in nylon stockings.  I can take a knitting needle and tighten them up afterwards but I would have to keep going that.  

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

DJ

Trying to feel better

I've been trying so hard to feel better but there's a limit to what I can do.  All I can do is keep asking doctors and reading anything I can find for ideas of things to try.  Today I am exhausted but I'm trying to do whatever I can.  I am making my husband a birthday cake.  I keep messing everything up but in the end there will be cake.  It won't be perfect but I know that will be okay.  Everyone around here likes yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  It will probably be gone by tomorrow.

My husband has been working a lot and he's very tired.  He's on call this week and there's a major thing going on. I hate to see him so tired but I'm also proud.  He's been working such long hours, sometimes going in at night and the working the next morning too.  He has stayed in a pretty good mood considering.  I am trying to prevent any extra stress by doing whatever I can around here.

I have not been making anything crafty-wise but I have all kinds of things I WANT to make.  I have beautiful new yarn and patterns and I just need to feel better.  I decided to come in here and write and see if that helps my mood at all.  

I have been reading whenever I can.  I am currently reading A Light in the Window by Jan Karon.  I have read it before so I know I love it.  I love the whole Mitford series and decided to read them all again. I always wish I could move to Mitford.  I know I would love it there. I want to sit in The Grill and chat with all the great characters.  I haven't read the last book in the series though.  I think it will actually be the final book and I'm a little nervous about what's going to happen.   I'll read it after I refresh my memory of the other books.  

I read the first book last month and decided to do something new.  I always end up googling a lot of details whenever I'm reading.  I look up quotes and authors mentioned, maps and look up photos of places, food, recipes etc. but I don't usually do anything with that information so it just gets lost.  This time, when I read At Home in Mitford, I decided to write down lines from the book I loved and any other info and slip it in the pages.  The next time I, or someone else reads that book that information will be right there.  

I read that Mitford was probably based on Blowing Rock, NC and that Miss Sadie's amazing home called Fernbank is most likely based on the real Flat Top Manor.  I found a postcard of that and put it in the book.  I collect postcards and I've done that with another book as well.  I plan to do that with all the books I keep, which is just a few, but I'll be collecting many more book related postcards.  That is something that brings me joy and I can use all the serotonin I can get.    

YOP Update - I'm still alive

I've been feeling bad a lot but I don't like to write about that stuff here.  I try to keep it positive.  I recently saw a new doctor that would increase one of the meds I was already taking.  My primary wouldn't increase it - period.  They were willing to put me on multiple drugs that cause side effects and then more drugs to help with the side effects when this ONE that I already take and tolerate fine can treat 3 different things I have at a higher dose.  This new doctor called them and took over that prescription and now I'm starting to feel better.  It never occured to me that the key person to have in my corner would be my pharmacist.  I've been using the same pharmacy for years and years!  When I was worried about the side effects of the drugs I called her and she stepped up.  I'm doing much better because of her helping me get in with the doctor I'm seeing now.  

I had a few days where I felt really good and actually got some things done around the house.  One day I actually drove and went somewhere by myself.  It hasn't been very long and it takes a little while to work so I'm excited about this.  It has to keep getting better, right?   I'm hopeful.  Keep your fingers crossed my brain cells come back to the party.  

I have been knitting on the baby blanket and steadily making progress.  It is slow going though because it's a challange for me and I don't want to mess it up.  The baby I'm making it for was born on Sept 19th and she is so precious.  Everyone is really loving her but I'm so so far away.  I want to go see her but that's a really long flight (more like 2 - 3 flights from AK to GA and I just can't handle that right now.  It's over 4,000 miles.  I can't believe I have 2 great niece, 2 others that are unofficially adopted, and 3 great nephews.  I ordered a personalized baby onsie for the new baby and my niece loved it.  The problem is I ordered a 3-6 month size and she's tiny so I won't be seeing her in it for a while.  I didn't see there was a newborn size because it was at the bottom of the dropdown list after the biggest sizes.  I am thinking about ordering it but she will probably grow so fast. My 2 boys were both close to 10 lbs so this little 6.7 lb baby looks super small.  They just gave her her first bath in one of those little baby bathtubs and she looks super tiny in it.  Everyone thought my boys were a few months old when they were newborns because they were so big and long.  They had big heads that's for sure.  

I do have to say, I like that now the baby is born I feel less pressure.  I still need to get the blanket finished (before she goes to college) but the deadline has passed.  Now I can just knit and try to do a good job.  

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Update to update: It is finished! I feel like I leveled up with this one. I did so much tinking and tried to catch all the mistakes and fix them but I did forget the P in the psso a few times.  I am so P'd about that but I was several inches away by the time I noticed.  I did decide to end it a little early because I was running out of yarn (and patience).  It will be plenty big enough.  I did lose at yarn chicken though - on the bind off.  I was not happy but my husband is awesome!  I texted him since he was out and about.  I sent him a picture and he took his too-manly-self to the girly craft store and he bought the last ball of this colorway.  He even sent me a text with a picture asking, "This one?."  Yes, that one!  Guard it with your life!  I needed less than a yard.  I just wove in all the ends and washed it and it's ready to go transfer all my love and hugs to that baby girl.