CT Scan

I finally was able to call and schedule my followup CT on my lungs.  You remember they found the two spots last fall during my pre-op exam.  They told me to wait a few months then do another CT.  So I did that yesterday.

I am delighted!  The one on the right is the same size, and the one on the left has shrunken.  I have no idea if this is normal, or if it's a miracle.  I think I'll take the miracle.  The only thing I've done differently, besides having my knee chopped on, is take a supplement called Curamin, which is made from turmeric.  I just did a quick research on the Internet and even the American Cancer Society says that turmeric kills cancer cells.  Wow!  I was taking it for the leg pain, and it has helped a bunch, also with the osteoarthritis in my fingers.  And now I find out it might save my life!  I was going to drop down to one tablet rather than three, but I think I'll stay with the three.  It's kind of pricy, but if it works it's much cheaper than cancer treatments.

Today is a beautiful spring day-got up to 68 degrees F and I got good news!  You never know it might snow tomorrow, but today I am walking on air, warm air!

Cranky Sweater

I showed you pictures of the beginnings of my brown sweater.  Well I can proudly announce it is finally finished!  Not without some hiccups, though, the pattern is a new one and there are a couple mistakes.  I was able to work through those, but when I got to the neckband, I was sure there was something not quite right.

 It just seemed to me I should have done one more eyelet repeat with another set of decreases.  I went ahead and finished the sweater and sewed it together, don't we knitters all love that part!

 I tried something a little different-I pinned the wrong sides together, putting the pins up really close to the edge.  Then I wove the seam together.  I like doing it this way much better, it was not nearly so fidgety, and I didn't lose interest before it was finished.

 But I still didn't know about that neck, and yep, I was right!  It hung way down, and barely would stay on my shoulders.

 I thought it looked terrible that way and I knew it would stay in the drawer if I didn't fix it.

 So a rippin' I did go!  I ripped out all of the neckband.

 I got it down to the last row before I started picking up the stitches with the knitting needle as I ripped.

 Did great, didn't drop any stitches!

 Oops!  Except for that one!  I added one more set of eyelets, then I did a decrease set.  Then when I started on the neckband I dropped from a #9 needle to a #8.  Made all the difference in the world!

I'm still not sure whether the pattern was written wrong or I read it wrong, but I am very glad I could fix it.  This is the yarn that belonged to my mom and I really wanted to make something nice in tribute to her. 

Now what special event can I think of to wear it to?

From Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ in me
Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ on my right
Christ on my left
Christ where I lie
Christ where I sit
Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every man
who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of every man
who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me
Salvation is of the Lord.

Good Stuff

First and best-Millie sailed through her heart procedure and was released from the hospital today.  They cleaned up a bunch of scarring and said she will feel much, much better.  They will come home tomorrow.  She said it was an interesting experience, being admitted to such a large hospital, and the specialists are there to treat you, not be your friend.  She got just what she needed, though, so we're super happy with her care.

I told Sam that his parents would be home tomorrow and and he said, "But Gramma, I just got here!"  Does Gramma's heart good to hear that.  He later admitted that he misses his mommy.

We got the pew put together and on the porch.

A nice place to sit on sunny days, watching the world go by.  Nobody notices us because of the trees, so we can enjoy relative privacy right on the front porch.

I think I'll make some nice semi-weatherproof cushions so our world-watching is a bit more comfy.

I Did Knit!

On the trip, that is.  I usually take a sock project just because it fits everywhere better.  I keep everything in a zipper bag and drop it in my purse when I go to the airport.  I've never had a problem with the TSA-I guess they think knitters are mellow people incapable of hijacking a plane.  Sounds awful to me-not ready to give my life for a cause!  Too much living to do.

Rounded the heel and up the leg.

All done!  Ignore my old lady legs!

And on to the next project.  The colors are brighter than they look in the picture, I'm really going to like these.  Almost done turning the heel on the first one.

Sam is asleep in the guest room, and Jim and Millie and the two kids got to Salt Lake City just fine.  Now they're relaxing until the medical junk starts.  Testing tomorrow, procedure on Wednesday.  Prayers are still appreciated.

Hit the Ground Running

 I swear every time we go somewhere, when we get home our lives go insane!  I told you about the funerals, we had grandkids to watch, catching up on chores and now Millie has to have yet another surgery.  She has suffered from atrial fibrillation for quite a while and after her knee surgery it got way worse.  So Monday she and Jim are driving to Salt Lake City for a heart cath procedure.  Testing on Tuesday, procedure on Wednesday, out of the hospital on Thursday, and hopefully home on Friday.  Prayers are solicited for a safe surgery and a complete cure.  This condition was caused by a surgery gone bad ten years ago when she went septic aftewards.  She was in a fib for 2 1/2 weeks during that terrible time.  She squeaked through and survived, but has fought several problems that were caused by the sepsis.  I believe this is surgery number 11 to correct all the problems.

Gracie is going with them so she can see where she was born.  She is all excited, but also wants to be a nursemaid to her mommy.  Chris might go, Isaac is going to the other grandparents and Sam will be with us.  All this on their 20th wedding anniversary!

Oh yeah, and I caught a cold!

Here are a few more pictures from Mazatlan, I'll just think about that lovely place when I get too stressed.

On stilts with a hula hoop.  We met fun stuff like this on the way to the parade.

Tons and tons of confetti.  We paid for a buffet at the Hacienda and there were people on the balconies above us throwing bucketfuls of the stuff.

This year's queen-a very big deal.

Thousands of pretty ladies.

Not sure what this was supposed to mean, but it was neat.

Another gratuitous sunset picture.

The Carnaval parade lasted over three hours.  Was it worth it?  Yes.  Would I do it again?  Yes, but I wouldn't cram myself into that balcony, I would go out on the street with the people.  Although I met a lot of new friends that night.

Home and Catching Up

We're almost unpacked, and got a good night's sleep last night.  We got home about midnight, which wasn't too bad, my friend Carol picked us up and the plane was on time.  Came home to the news that Stan's last aunt passed away.  We dragged ourselves out of bed and went to the funeral, just lucky we got home in time.  Stan and his sisters got to catch up with the cousins.  Also a couple of elderly friends passed away, too.  Couldn't make one funeral, it overlapped with Aunt Bernie's, but I'm hoping to go to Doc's on Monday.

A lovely Mazatlan greeting!

The first couple of days were mostly resting, catching happy hour, hitting the grocery store and lounging around the resort.  Saturday we decided to get set up for Carnaval, so we went to Machado Square where we were supposed to be able to get tickets for the queen coronation.  They had closed that kiosk but we hung around the square and explored.  We visited the Angela Peralta Theatre, named after a famous Mexican opera singer who died of the plague in Mazatlan in the late 1800's.

It cost us 15 pesos but it was well worth it.  This theatre is very active-they had a Russian ballet just the other night.

A Carnaval sculpture in the Square.

Drinks and people watching.

We gave up on the coronation-would have had to go to the mall for the tickets, but we did stop and get tickets to a buffet at the Hacienda Hotel, which was right on the parade route, so we would have a place to sit and eat and watch.  Later we went back to the Square and ate at Pedro y Lola's, a wonderful restaurant.

The sculpture at night-made out of paper mache' covered fabric but it looked like metal.

Gratuitous sunset picture.