I’m jumping back in, joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

I haven’t done any knitting in weeks, except for the “knitting together” of tissue & bone that constitutes healing from hip replacement surgery! It’s been both easier & harder than imagined… it’s my first major surgery of any kind, so all new territory.

The quick & dirty facts on that:

• July 7th: Surgery & home the same day
• July 9th: First PT (whoa)
• July 13th: Second PT – kicked the walker to the curb
• July 15th: Third PT
• July 17th: Fourth PT (seems like so many more)
• July 20th: Has it only been two weeks?? And also feels like six months?? Follow-up w/surgeon – dressing removed, incision looks good (even though it feels really weird). I’m a “fast healer” & ahead of schedule on all fronts (YAY)!

I have PT scheduled out through August, and I’m cleared to start slowly easing back to work. I can drive as soon as I’m finished with the narcotics (I only have three left & only take one an hour before PT… so that means early next week). I can navigate a flight of stairs (carefully), and have wheeled the grocery cart around the store a few times — one can only take so many turns around the house, y’know?

I’m still sleeping on the couch (upgrade from the recliner), using the “ice machine” all night w/only occasional ice during the day as needed. I think I’ll be finished with that soon, and then I’ll try sleeping in bed again (my back is starting a little revolt against the couch). I’ve been pretty diligent about PT exercises at home + walking (with a cane, though I’ve been known to misplace it… so doing OK, I guess).

CROCHET:

As established, there’s been no knitting… there’s been not much of anything until just the past few days. It seems easier to wield a hook & work on something small, so after days of thinking about doing it, I finally pulled out a crochet hook & all my Felted Tweed — just the leftovers for now — to make some granny squares.

This was the start… it wasn’t quite the size I’m after for the project that this might become. It’s a very loose plan at the moment… barely even “a plan,” really.

So, I made it bigger, then made a second, and a third is underway. I’m pulling random yarn balls from a basket & depositing them into another when finished, so there aren’t any repeat colors (yet). They’re all from either the Temp Blanket project, or from the Brandon Mably workshop that I did in Nashville last fall.

READING:

I read a couple of books! I’d finished John of John just before surgery, then didn’t read much for a couple of days, but I had The Giver of Stars handy. Ali had given me the book at Christmas, and it seemed like it might be the perfect “recovery read.” And it was!

I’m woefully behind on blog reading, but hope to start catching up soon!! I miss you!

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

There’s been a lot going on around here, y’know? A bathroom remodel, birthdays, a couple weeks of dog sitting, “longer” days… sometimes (quite often, actually) we don’t sit down for supper until 8! So, I’ve been knitting, but it’s slow…

I didn’t measure, but I’d say I’m a bit past half-way on the back of my Farfalle Cardigan . That big Noro egg is deflating but I don’t think I’ll be cracking the second until I’m working the fronts — there’ll likely be quite a bit left over.

I don’t knit in the Garden Room very often — Knitting HQ is at my chair in the living room — but it’s a great spot for photos (and morning coffee/meetings/chats/word games).

QUILTING

I’ve looked at it a few times, gathered fabric, played around in Excel with border ideas. So far, the borders seem to compete too much with the blocks. I’ve considered adding more blocks instead to get the desired size, but I feel that would throw things off in a way that I don’t think I could live with, so I’m back to the borders & trying to simplify! Wish me luck.

READING:

Last night, I finished The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. It took a month, but it’s a well known fact that I read at a snail’s pace… haha.

I was delighted to learn this morning that my copy of John of John is on its way!! That’ll be up next, and I cannot wait.

We’re experiencing epic rainfall here in NE Wisconsin. We have a little water in our basement for the first time in my memory (which, arguably, tends to be selective, especially regarding unpleasant stuff). There are SO MANY people with water in their basements… so much water! The entire Village of Shiocton, 20 miles NW of us, has been ordered to evacuate today, with no determined return date, as have portions of other cities & towns near us. There’s a small creek that flows a little ways from our house & the sound of rushing water woke up Rusty early yesterday morning — he was compelled to get dressed & go down to check it out! We’ve seen record rainfall for April — and we’re only half-way. Crazy spring!

I’m joining Kat & the Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday!

KNITTING:

I finished the second Farfalle sleeve last night.

Then I cast on & got started on the ribbing for the back. 1×1 Ribbing is a slog.

I’ve been otherwise occupied this week with the upstairs bathroom. Rusty finished the surround — a few little things to do yet, such as installing grab bars & a new shower curtain rod. Now my part has begun…

I’ve started stripping the wallpaper. The first (plastic-y) layer has been peeled off, and now I’ll go at it with a steamer to scrape off the paper/glue. It’s been ages since I’ve done this, but every single room in our house had ONE WALLPAPERED WALL when we moved in… all of it different — this bathroom had flocked foil wallpaper. Anyway, no more wallpaper. With assistance, everything in this room will be repainted except for the floor (I hope). I’m waiting to hear from the tub refinisher about scheduling, but have to get everything in the tub area finished before he arrives (no stools or ladders will be allowed IN the shower after refinishing).

READING:

It’s a short book, but y’know… I’ve been busy! I’m still reading The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey and still enjoying it.