A bit of catch up

So it's been a week since I complained about my lack of mojo. To be honest, not a lot has changed. But I've been contemplating it, and I think I may have an answer.

My arm hurts.

I think the whole rotator cuff thing is seriously cutting into the enjoyment of stitching/knitting/singing/breathing/eating..... you get the picture. On Tuesday, the magic man Dr. Lowery is sending me for an arthrogram and MRI to determine the scope of the damage. On the 19th I go back to him to determine the plan of action. So, if you're reading this, I ask that you please keep me, and especially Richard, my mom, and HRL Oscar in your prayers, as they have to put up with me through all this. And for all of you who have listened to me whine, I thank you and bless you for your patience.

In a bit of estate news... we're heading down the home stretch. On Thursday, the attorney and I got the checks written to the charities, and I signed the paperwork to transfer Lynne's mom's house back to her mom. Now it goes to her mother's attorney to handle, and after that paperwork is signed, the house will be back in her mother's name where it should have been in the first place. This has been a long road, and I'm glad it's nearing an end.

On to other more pleasant things. Last Sunday I took a reversible cables class with Lily Chin at The Whole Nine Yarns. I'd show you pics, but while I did manage to remember my camera, the CRS kicked in again and I neglected to put the memory card in. Technology works well when it's all in one place. :) At any rate, Lily was very entertaining, and her explanation of how you can do cables so that they're attractive on both sides of the knitted fabric is surprisingly simple and beautiful at the same time.

On Tuesday I traveled to Knitch for an all day class on socks with Cat Bordhi. If you haven't gotten her new book on sock knitting, quit reading this silly blog and immediately head to your bookseller of choice to obtain it. Cat's ideas on sock construction are absolutely mind bending in the way they function... I don't know how she came up with them, but they're once again simple, elegant, and incredibly functional. Plus, there's a kewl cast on in there that will give your toe up socks a wonderfully smooth toe. And, even tho Cat's known for her two-circular sock knitting, the book is written for two circs, double points, and even the magic loop method. In class we worked on the little practice socks she has in the book and created the instep increases and heel turn she uses *without* the annoying pickup of stitches on the gusset that you find on most traditional top down sock patterns.

I did manage to take the memory card to this class, so here's a pic of Cat teaching:Cat, of course, is the one with the Borg-like headset... I got a chance to talk to her (explaining why I had quit knitting halfway through class since the shoulder was killing me), and she was incredibly sweet. I very much enjoyed our brief conversation, and I really wish I could have fit the more advanced class she taught the next day into my schedule. Alas, I do kinda have to work to support my habit.

Only one thing she said gave me pause..... Cat was talking about what a good thing knitting was as far as keeping us young.... how it makes us think, makes the brain work and exercises the thought processes to help fend off the aging process. I'm totally on board with that. But then she said that it wasn't paint by numbers... it wasn't... cross stitch.

I don't know what kind of cross stitch she's doing, but it sure as heck ain't the kind I'm doing. As I'm sitting there, all I could think was: "Cat Bordhi, meet Rae Iverson....." Of course Rae would argue that she's not doing cross stitch either. I've started describing what I work on as "counted thread embroidery" anyway to distinguish it from a lot of the junk I'm seeing out in the market place.

Yesterday Richard and I participated in the First Annual Knitting Shop Hop here in Atlanta. Fun, but expensive. :) Shops we visited were Only Ewe and Cotton Too in Alpharetta, The Needlenook (where, curiously enough, I bought my very first cross stitch pattern back in the late 70s when I was a student at Emory. They're just about 100% knitting now and frankly, they're an awesome store), Strings and Strands, and Why Knot Knit. The Hop lasts all week, but I know I'm not going to make it to all the stores. I'll finish up with a trip to The Whole Nine Yarns sometime this week and then turn in my passport for a prize drawing.

We also to HRL to the v-e-t yesterday for his pedicure, and we found out that the wonderful Dr. Weaver is making another addition to her human family. She and her husband are adopting a baby girl this month! Sounds like a pair of booties are in order to me. :)