How Long Does Anemia Last?

      I had spent the morning yesterday at the shop in Cooperstown trying to do my share of spring cleaning.  I did  'windows' inside with our bear maker.  A couple of others had been there before us and had started to clean and paint.  The place gets a good going over every spring!
   By the time I got home I was tired and hungry for a grilled cheese & ham sandwich.  The ham Jeff did for Easter dinner is going fast but it is so-o-o good....  I used some and put together a macaroni and cheese with ham for last night's supper.  I also used the leftover baked potato (there had been 2 but one must have became home fries for Jeff's breakfast) and the eggs from my Easter bread and made a small potato salad.  I left that in the refrigerator for Jeff's midnight snack and it's not there now so it must have been ok!  But I needed an afternoon nap before I could settle down to knit so Jeff started a nice fire in the stove that I kept going while I dozed and the TV room was soon nice and cozy.  Then he took the Forester to town to put air in the tires because a symbol lite up on the dash while I was driving it.  It looked like a horseshoe with and '!' in the middle.  I thought it might mean a soft tire so I checked when I got to the shop but they all looked ok to me.  Jeff put air in them all anyway.
   I tried to call the pharmacy to reorder a Rx last night but all our phones were dead.  Jeff had unplugged the modem on Sunday because he thought my PC had a virus and he wanted to clean it and he must have put the phone jack in the wrong place.  I had noticed that phone numbers showed on the caller ID a couple of times yesterday but the phone hadn't rung.  He used a flashlight to plug in the phone this time and got it right!  Hope no one important tried to call us yesterday!
   By 9pm I was in bed asleep.  How long does anemia last?  I'm not going to get much done if I kept taking afternoon naps and going to bed early.

There is Always Something

     I had my annual physical yesterday and the only thing the doctor could find wrong with me...except for my weight...is that I have Iron Deficiency Anemia and a vitamin D deficiency.  She prescribed these horse pills... 50,000 IU of vitamin D  (1 every 7 days) and suggested I try to eat liver once in awhile.  (That ain't gonna happen.)  I got my cholesterol numbers all back into range without taking any medication (which really surprised the doctor), I think by having oatmeal for breakfast at least 6 days a week.  We still have beef several times a week and don't forget our Italian sausage!  She had tried to prescribe Pravachol several times and I took it for a very short time.  One of the side effects of Pravachol is muscular/leg pain  and I have enough leg pain without taking some pill to cause more!  She finally agreed and gave up trying to force the issue.  This last blood work sealed the deal and Pravachol is a thing of the past!!  Unfortunately, the easiest way to improve the anemia would be a nice big salad every day which I'd love but can't have because of the Warfarin.  (It would help my weight, too)  There is always something, isn't there?  Can't take a multi-vitamin for that reason, too.  Too much Vit. K in multivitamins.    How about I just go sit in the sun for an hour every day?  Oh, yeah, I live in the Northeast and we don't have an hour of strong sunlight every day yet.

The shop opens in Cooperstown in 2 weeks and I've switched to baby socks just because they're easy to carry with me.  These 2 come from the same skein of yarn Supersocke 100 from OnLine that I got at an estate sale last fall.  It was a full, new skein and I could have used it to make a pair of socks for me but thought it would look good as baby socks.  These 2 socks show the length of the repeat.  I had to make 4 socks and match them up to make 2 pairs.  You'd never think they came from the same skein of yarn, would you?

These blue and white socks are from the same skein, too...you can see the repeat.  The red and pink was from another skein...that had just enough for a pair left.  The blue and green ones below are from the yarn left over from my socks.  It's a washable wool blend and they are the only ones that had a repeat short enough not to cause any waste.  The pink and green ones are a cotton blend. Cute, huh?

It Must Be Spring!

It must be spring coz our parlor looks more like a greenhouse than a living room!  That's Josie's cedar chest covered with fabric pee pads and then pine planking and a plastic tablecloth.  The window has a nice southern exposure making it nice and warm and sunny.  So far, sweet corn and different color carrots have sprouted.  Jeff is waiting for the peppers of different types  to come up.   There's also lemon cucumbers and onions planted.  He hasn't started the tomatoes yet. When the seedlings develop their 2nd leaves, he'll rig up the grow lights so they'll get plenty of sunlight.  Outside now there is garlic...and because we had such a mild winter...more carrots.  He's got new piping for the gutter garden and has started looking for seed potatoes. 

Our New Stove

   Our new kitchen stove was delivered this morning...at last an appliance that you could cook a pizza in or bake a cake it or has a working timer.  Oh, the little things in life that are making me happy today. 

   When I got up this morning Jeff had already started to clear off the porch so the stove switch could take place... with a lot of the stuff piled up in the tv room.  He moved the old stove out into the middle of the kitchen floor so 'we' (read that as 'Mary') could sweep where it had sat for it's entire 8 years in our house.  

That done we just had to wait for the guys from Lowe's to get here.  And since our delivery time was 9am to 11am and it was only 7:30am, had a bit of a wait.  But at 9:15 they were here!  The switch went uneventfully and the new stove was in place!!  To celebrate I made a pizza for lunch.  I'm really looking forward to cooking Easter dinner on this stove...with all the baking, too!  Just got to figurer out how to set the timer....

Yesterday Didn't Count

    I spent most of yesterday in bed...upper repertory thing.  I don't think I ate (no great loss) but I didn't take my meds, either.  I lost my glasses for while and I'm blind as a bat without them!   (Good thing my last pair was in it's case and the Rx is close.)   Even Jeff couldn't find them!  He looked on the floor under the night stand with a flashlight but couldn't locate them.  This morning I used my little pocket flashlight and scanned the floor under the nigh stand and there they were nestled between a pair of sneakers!  The Rx's are close but not exact and it is much nicer to have the world in focus. 
    This morning I picked up my knitting and worked on it for about an hour before realizing something was wrong.  Terribly wrong!  When I finally figured out what I had done, I had to rip out all I had done this morning plus the last few rows I had worked Monday evening. (I guess I was sicker than I had thought!) The saddest part is that the sweater is white and may have to have a quick bath before heading to Cooperstown.
   The kitchen was a disaster area this morning...and still is!!  When I got up today the sink was full of dirty water!  Jeff processed beef in the pressure canner yesterday and there are pots and cutting boards...and yes, the processed bottles...all over!  Then he went to Aldi's and got some can goods and they're there, too...but forgot to get dish soap.  For some reason he can't release the dirty water in the sink or put can goods away!!  Would it be disloyal to post a photo of the kitchen in its present state?  But he did make me toast this morning!

Spending Money

     Spending money can be so much fun.  Yeah. Huh.  It cost me $308 to register and transfer the plates to the Forester.  I thought I was so lucky because my insurance company did not charge me to insure it...they just transferred the insurance from the Imprezza to the Forester...but the State more than made up for that!  Anyway, the Forester is now all nice and legal...except it has to be re-inspected within 10 days...but I can drive it!  It's wonderful to drive!!  I'm sitting up above the rest of the traffic and I love it!  I told Jeff it was like putting risers on the bed.  It's a lot easier to get in and out of it now!
    We celebrated by going out to lunch at Belly Busters,  then headed to Lowe's to check out the garden department and the kitchen stoves.  My income tax refund will be available in my  checking account tomorrow so we picked out the new kitchen stove.  It's a GE Glass Top that was on sale for $449.  We got the 5-yr protection plan (to save it from the effects of sulfur water fumes in the air) and with everything including a new cord, spent $619.50.  It will be delivered on Saturday (a good excuse for Jeff to clean off the porch) and the old stove will be taken away.  Now I can start planning Easter dinner and baking!!  Good bye, toaster oven, you did come in handy, but enough is enough!
   Last night I started another size 6mo cardigan.  This one is white with the flowers and lace pattern down the front.  I hope to finish it tonight and post the photos here.  I've got a new flower pattern that I think I'll use for the hat decoration.  Somehow I'm really getting into knitting for the shop right now!
   Good lord, there is a sink full of dirty dishes waiting to be done!  I guess I put them off long enough...I better get busy...then it's back to knitting!

A New Day

   The Imprezza is a thing of the past.  Sold it yesterday.  It was not a good car for us...too small and too light (even with 150#'s of lead in the back seat!).  We both found it hard to stay on the road at any speed over 40.  I drove it on 'cruise' most of the time just to keep it under control!  And it needs a new exhaust system from the engine out!  (Roughly $400.)  Neither of us will miss it...but Fanny might.  She enjoyed seeing the world from it's back seat!       
   Today we got the Forester. Tinted windows,

sunroof, heated seats.
Got it for a good price,
too, but I won't be able to drive it on the open road until Monday when we get the registration and insurance transferred. (I got to drive it up and down the driveway to

Wally's this afternoon! Whoopee!!)    Being a '1 car family' when you live in the little house in the little woods is not pleasant, especially when the '1 car' is waiting it's turn at the mechanics and you're asked (by Jeff) not to drive it. So I stocked up on yarn yesterday when I had a chance and will spend the time knitting.

   My garden is blooming...my Toddler Hat Garden, that is!  I've got 5 done in spring colors ready for the

shop and plan

on doing a couple more. I don't remember ever being this well-stocked for re-opening since I've
been knitting alone.  Hope the customers like
what I've done!

   Oh, we just came back from Walmart.  Even Jeff got tired waiting for the old coffeemaker to do it's thing...it was taking an hour to brew 12 cups of coffee...so we went to town and bought a new Mr. Coffee!  My, my, a new car and a new coffeemaker!  Now if my income tax refund would just get here we could get a new kitchen stove and my life would be almost perfect...for now!

  

Life Is Getting In The Way

   Life has been getting in the way this week.  Jeff and I both visited the health center...on different days, with different results...and next week Jeff has a couple of follow-up appointments.  It looks like the deal for the Forester has gone thru and we'll get it on Saturday...but it won't be on the road until Monday when the tags and insurance become current.  The Imprezza deal is close to finishing, too, but the price is less than we had hoped for.  Oh, well....  Then we'll have to decide if the ol'Outback is worth keeping on the road.   And I'm still waiting for my income tax refund so I can buy my new kitchen stove (and a new coffee maker). 

  In the meantime, this week I've done 1 sweater, a size 1 Flower and Lace cardigan in Red Heart acrylic Honeydew with pink trim.  Several flower hats are waiting for their flowers to be sewed on and their photos taken.   And 1 baby sock (done while sitting in the waiting for Jeff at the health center.)is waiting for its partner to be knitted.  
   Someone asked me how many hoodies I've done this winter and I surprised myself when I counted.  Between the last week of January and today, I've done 8 sweaters, 5 of them hoodies and 3 cardigans.  And there are 5 hoodies and 5 cardigans left from last season, so I think my display in the shop will be pretty full when we reopen 4 weeks from tomorrow (April 8th). I guess I'll work on hats and socks till then.  Maybe another cardigan, too.

Today Was Busy

       I had a list of errands to do this morning... get my monthly INR, stop at the bank, visit the DMV, go to the library to use the copier, and most importantly, get fresh bread and donuts...so I headed to town around 9:45am.  Didn't get far when I realized I had forgotten my bank deposit and turned around and raced home to get it!  I still made it to Bassett before my 10am appointment and got to knit a few rows on a hat while I waited my turn. 
   My INR (or blood clotting factor) was right in the middle of my range(2.5-3.5) at 2.7 so I got a pat on the head and a new appointment in a month.  I can cheat a little at Easter dinner and serve...and eat...greens without worrying that my numbers will be off when it's next tested.  You'd think the medical geniuses could come up with something better than Warfarin for those of us with artificial heart valves who enjoy eating greens.
    Fanny got her usual treat from the teller as we went thru the drive-thru at the bank.  She waits for it...knows it's coming.  Now if I can just teach her to wag a thank you.
   At the DMV I found and filled out the application for a replacement Title, stood in line for less than 5 minutes, paid my $20 and was told I'd receive my Title in 3 to 5 business days.  Hope so.  We're selling the Imprezza and may have a buyer.  It's too light and too small for us to be totally comfortable with it.  (That's why there's about 150 lbs of lead weights in the back seat.  Jeff thought that might stabilize the car on the road but it didn't work.)  We're in the process of buying a 2010 Subaru Forrester...one of the larger ones... that both Jeff and I are looking forward to driving.  I think he's just looking forward to being able to get in and out of the car without struggling!  I know I am. 
    I had to have a refresher course on operating the copier at the library and it cost me $1.75 to make my copies but I got things done.  Deb even let me use a stapler so everything was fasten together correctly!
   That left the donuts and bread at Belly Busters on State St in Herkimer.  I was going to get a half dozen but couldn't decide which ones to get so I got a dozen (2 each of cinn old fashion, plain old fashion, powdered sugar, blue-berry muffin (yum!!), chocolate (Jeff's favorite) and glazed) but they won't last long.  We both had one with coffee when I got home.  I also got a large loaf of rye bread.  I never liked rye bread before Jeff started bringing this bread home, now I think it's my favorite bread.  I've got to try their Italian.  If it's half as good as their rye....
   Then we took the Imprezza down to Hillslide because the breaks still aren't right.  In fact, as I pulled out of the driveway, the brake light came on again.  This is the 2nd or 3rd time this has happened since the break line was replaced.  Jeff has had to refill the break fluid each time.  Dave isn't happy with the situation, either.  And since we're selling it to a friend of his....
   A short trip to Hannaford's and then a quick chase around the yard to round up Fanny when we got home and we were in the house by 3:30pm for a late lunch.  And yes, donuts were dessert. 
  
 
  

Keeping Busy

   I surprised myself and kept with the knitting this week.  I finished another navy and white baseball hoodie...that was almost done...and then worked on the Black Sheep Hoodie (that I started Tuesday when I went to have my taxes done) finishing it this morning.  I got a little carried away with the details putting

more on the back than I usually do but.... That's one thing I have to admit, rarely are 2 of my sweaters identical. Now I have to find a zipper that will blend with this turqua Red Heart yarn. I have enough of it left to do a raglan cardigan and probably a hat...but I think it's time for a break.  I've had enough of that color for awhile.  I still have those 2 steins of Red Heart Denim I got a couple of weeks ago that I don't know what to do with and the yarn I got Sunday for another pair of socks for Jeff so I can keep knitting. I guess I have to look at patterns and get some new ideas.
  I've looked online (at Lowes.com) for a new kitchen stove and think I've found one.  My return should get here by next Friday and we'll go shopping then.  We're working on a deal for a 2010 Subaru Forrester (selling the Imprezza) that should be final about then, too.  I won't miss the Imprezza or the toaster oven.
  And while today's temperature won't get above freezing, it's suppose to be in the 60's by Tuesday.  Ah, upstate central New York.  Don't like the weather?  Wait 5 minutes, it will change!

March is Here!

   I had my income taxes done today and I am happy to say I am getting enough back from my Federal taxes to get a new kitchen stove.  Ours has  been very temperamental lately, or at least the oven has, making baking a real experience.  So, when my refund gets here in about a week I'm getting a new stove. And a new coffee maker.  And maybe a new electric teakettle, too.  Our electric appliance have to be replaced every 5-7 years due to the iron sulfide that precipitates from our well.(Sulfur water does more than just smell bad. It iodizes on electrodes and corrodes metals making metal pipes leak and electrical junctions short out.) 
   Today is Jeff's birthday and he requested a coconut custard pie for dessert.  Our favorite diner/bakery makes them but they were out of them yesterday and they're not open on Tuesdays.  That left me with trying to make a pie in the toaster oven or buying a Marie Callender frozen pie.  Marie Callender it is...and they gave me a choice between a large pie or 2 small (tiny) pies.  I took the tiny ones figuring enough sugar was enough for him!  Dinner will be breaded pork chops with gravy, twice-baked potatoes with cheddar cheese and fancy green beans. Yum! HB,J!
   I took the skein of turqua I bought Sunday and my short straight size 7's with me to the tax preparers this morning figuring I'd have to wait my turn and I could work on a hood.  I got about 6" done so the 1st girly hoodie will be a Black Sheep in turqua with lavender trim. I plan to use the rest of the turqua to do a Black Sheep cardigan...raglan from the neck down...again with lavender trim. Hey, I'm finally getting into this!! Oh, Walmart in Herkimer had white 18" zippers today...3 of them...so I bought them all!! (I know, that means Walmart is out of 18" white zippers again, but this time I know why.) The real trick will be to find a zipper to come close to the turqua.