Caffinna’sCreations

Well I know I have been naughty and not updating like I promised, I’m sorry. Now someone please come knock me unconscious so I can get some rest!

DH is getting better. The wound(sp?) is healing well and they are finally calling in the plastic surgeon to consult about how to go about closing up the wound site–graphs, flap, whatever. Dh is getting tired of being bedridden for that 24 days in hopital, and 6 before that at home. So needless to say, he’s getting rather a bit cranky! Today in fact no one and nothing is quite right, quite fast enough, quite smart enough and so on. I know he’s in pain, I know it’s part morphine, I know it’s part fighting the depression of being so needy, but sometimes I just got to get out of the room a few hours (even if I am still the hospital!) or I snap back!

I finished my first version of the tissue tunic, and even had someone take a picture of me wearing it! Unfortunately I am still at the hospital and not able to post it. I’ll post the picture as soon as I go back home for a few days.

UGH!

Did you know that you can felt wool in cold water? Now stop that snickering, seriously, stop it! I didn’t know that you could. Now I knew to felt that it took heat and agitation, but I thought that you had to have both to felt. Again, please stop laughing at me. I put my Olypians, my hand knitting rainbow lace socks that I fretted and worked so hard on a few months ago, and my Dragon Scale Guantlets in the wash. The machine only uses cold water, it was half full, gentle cycle. When I unloaded the washing machine both items were felted! Ugh. Now any other time I would have cried and been upset about such thing. To be honest, with everything that’s going on right now, I just started laughing. (And no, there’s no way I can wear either item any more, but will keep them none-the-less.)

Ah, this is my youngest son, Erchin. What’s he holding you ask? He is proudly displaying his newly finished hand knitted navy blue cotton washcloth that’s what he’s holding!This way he’ll have something that I made special just for him while I am away at the hospital again. (By the way, he’s already asked if I’d make him a soap scrubber for the shower, and hinted that he wanted washclothes in a whole bunch of differant colors!LOL)

I tried calling my Mom on her cell phone earlier today. A strange lady answered and said that “…I’m the woman who’s found your mother’s cell phone…” I just got off of the phone with my mom. I asked her if she’d lost her cell phone. She said that she couldn’t find it but thought it was probably in the car. I told her it wasn’t and that the lady who had found it wanted her to call on the cell phone and make arrangements to get it back. I had to give mom her cell phone no. so she could call it!…..ROFLOL

I took this picture the other day before leaving to come home a few days. DH said that sailors think it’s bad luck to take a picture of someone in a sick bed. I told him that I guess it was okay since I was a landlubber! At first he said not to post it to my blog, which got him a dirty look, so he relented and said it was okay. So ladies and gents, this is MY hubby and he’s also my best friend in the entire world!!!

Today I went and applied for public assistance. #1: Starting next month I will be getting a little state disability supplement check. #2: Erchin, my youngest and only kid at home, and I will be getting State Medicaid starting next week. #3: Next week my family will start getting food stamp benefits. #4: I had my mother named as authorized representative so that she can sign forms in my place. This will come in handy while I have to be out of town. It was recomended that I wait until my trip back home to apply for the low income apartments here. That way I will have an open public assistance case and more likely to get higher up on the waiting list. These are loads off my shoulders for sure!

Now a message to my SP8 Pal.

I forgot to mention that I also have some misc. middle eastern music that I practice belly dancing too. I also like some Country, Country and Western, Bluegrass, Rockabilly musics.

As for television shows that I like….Law & Order; Law & Order SVU; Law & Order CI, hmmm do I like the show or what….hehehe; CSI; CSI Miami; Monk; House; The Closer; Crossing Jordan; Criminal Minds; The 4400; The Dead Zone; Star Gate SG 1; Star Gate Atlantis; The Forensics Files; The First 48; The New Detectives; and there are some I like don’t get to watch because our cable company doesn’t carry the channels.

Erchin, my youngest son, had a request. He wanted to know if you’d send him some candy sometime….lol. You don’t have to, I just promised to mention the request is all.

Well that’s about it for now.

When I got home from spending several days at the hospital with DH, awaiting me was a special box from my KnittingSistersSwap Pal. Inside were some wonderful gifts. Two skeins of Knit Picks Sock Garden yarn in the “Pansies” color way; “The Secret Life of a Knitter” ,by The Yarn Harlot; “Not Just More Socks” by Sandi Rosner; and a beautiful notecard with a hand written note. Thanks Pal, it couldn’t have come at a more needed time!

Now for a message to my SP8 PAL. You wanted to know some of favorite musical artists. I am having trouble getting the list down to just a few! So what I decided to do was to list my “inventory” of musical artists for you. They are in no particular order. (The ones with ” * ” are listened to often.)

Misc. Blues artists
Beck
Meredith Brooks
Johnny Cash
misc. movie soundtracks
Shawn Colvin*
Phil Collins
Counting Crows
Collective Soul
Coldplay
The Cure
Dave Matthews Band
3 Doors Down
Death Cab for Cutie
Dido
Nick Drake*
Bob Dylan
Elton John
Enya*
Evanessence
Finger 11
The Flaming Lips
Filter
Fruit Bats*
The Goo Goo Dolls
Macy Gray
Natalie Imbruglia
Interpoll
Incubus
Iron & Wine**
Misc Jazz artists
Jimmy Eat World
Norah Jones*
Annie Lennox*
Huey Lewis & the News
Linkin Park
Live
Maroon 5
John Mayer**
Barry Manilow
misc oldies
Meatloaf
Metallica
Sarag McLuchlin**
Modest Mouse*
Stevie Nicks
Nickleback
No Doupt
Joan Osborne
The Alan Parson’s Project
Pearl Jam
A Perfect Circle
Pizza
Pink Floyd
The Postal Service
REM
misc. relaxation
The Shins
Stabbing Westword
Smashmouth
Soul Coughing
Snow Patrol
Sugar Ray
Gwen Stefani
Sting
Joss Stone
Stone Temple Pilots
Styx
Talking Heads*
Tina Turner
misc meditation
James Taylor
U2
Suzanne Vega
Warblo
Wheezer
Barry White
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Led Zepplin

You see from the list, my tastes vary quite widely. I hope this is helpful, even though it isn’t quite an answer to your question.

I took these pictures last week from the front passenger seat of the ambulance on the way to transporting dh to the hopital in Tulsa. The first one is while over “Sailboat Bridge” going out of Grove.

This one is after leaving town and on the way to the turnpike.

This one was taken just after getting on to the turnpike.

This is a picture of St. Francis Hospital as we are heading towords it in Tulsa.

This was taken of the front lawn of the hospital as the ambulance was turning in to the hospital campus.

Why the pictures of the trip to the hospital you ask? I am not entirely sure why. I just know that it seemed important then, as it does now, for me to document the journey. And since this is the place for me to document, and where my friends can get updates, the pictures are here.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
silk/wool in laceweight, but anything soft; novelty yarns;
hat fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I have begun to dislike cheap acrylic worsted weight.

2.What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Some are in an old bank deposit bag, some in baggies, some in plastic storage boxes, some in cotton bags, hummmmmmmmmm, kinda scattered wherever at the moment.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Intermediate

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Not at this time.

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Green Tea

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? ROFLOL………..just a little………….roflol
Favorite candy? Willing to try NEARLY anything atleast once. Maybe share your favorite, or a locally made candy.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I do a number of others, but knitting is the primary/main one. Crochet, counted X stitch, cook, etc.
Do you spin?
No, but would dearly love to learn to one day.

8. What kind of music do you like?
Such a variety of things. It’s just with recent events my mind cannot seem to light on just what kinds at the moment! Willing to listen (atleast once) to anything except Gangsta Rap, Hard Core Punk.
Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Sure can, and so can my stereo and my personal cd player.

9. What’s your favorite color?
Purple: in all shades, hues, spectrums, variences, and so on. Lilac, to lavender, to Indigo, to Periwinkle, to all of it!!!
Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
Bright Neons, Bright Jewltones, Bright Neons, Bright Spring/Summery Colors, and did I mention Bright Neons?
Any colors you just can’t stand?
ORANGE! I will use it if it is appropriate, but I’ll do my best to substitue something first.

10. What is your family situation?
Ugh, Check my blog, I am barely able to do these questions.
D you have any pets?
Not at this time.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes to hats.
Sometimes to mittens.
Yes to ponchos.
Define scarves please.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Lace items mostly, well for fun.
Now, given currant situation…practical itmes and items for hubby.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Not much. But do have UFO’s at home: Adamas Scarf, Hanging Garden stole. (Lace)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
DBL Pts actually…..okay, circs.

Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Bamboo

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No

17. How did you learn to knit?
self taught

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
I refused to finish it so I tossed it in trash, does the clock still tick on it? For one that I still have and someday hope to finish…17 months

19. What is your favorite holiday?
Anything involving celebrating with candy and food!

20. Is there anything that you collect?
Teddy Bears, especially TY Beanie Bears (or simular in size); knitting tools; freebie knit/crochet patterns; novelty yarns; sock yarns.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
Lace patterns: for stoles, shawls, ponchos, sweaters, etc.
What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I have a few from the newstand but none I subscribe to.

22. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
Yes, but at the moment (here at the hospital) I cannot think of them.

23. Are you a sock knitter?
Oh goodness yes!
What are your foot measurements?
Okay, I’d preffer to get the yarn and not the socks. It’s just that my feet are hard to get socks to fit and I preffer to make them myself so that I can custom fit them to how my feet are at that time.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
April 7th

Ugh, it’s been utter hell this past week and that, believe it or not, is actually an understatement!

My hubby was bit by a Brown Recluse Spider. Long story short, it was nearly a week before seeking medical treatment. When he did the small town hospital sent him to “the big city” hospital. DH had developed a flesh eating virus! After three surgeries they have removed an approximate total of 13 lbs of decaying tissue from his upper left thigh/ buttox area.

I’ll save you the ups and downs of the past week, just suffice it to say it’s been hell. But he’s doing much better. He has atleast another 3-4 weeks in the hospital, and possible longer if the insurance will cover the long term care here that the doctor is wanting.

I have found a place here at the hospital where I can get online and post updates. I cannot, however, post pictures using this computer.