ANOTHER TEST IS OVER

I had another test yesterday (Thursday May 14). I had to have a Small Bowel Series AKA Barium Swallow. I was told it could take 3 - 4 hours and it has been known that sometimes a person has to return the next day for further x-rays. I was to check in at 8AM and it was scheduled for 8:30AM. I checked in and at 8:50AM was given that most wonderful pina colda island drink minus the pineapple, coconut and rum AND not only was super sized but I was given TWO glasses to drink. By 9:10AM I finished them both and went for my first x-ray. I had to lie on my stomach and when it was done I got to see the picture taken on the computer of my stomach filled with barium AKA chalk.
Twenty minutes later I went for my second x-ray and now I could see part of my small bowel filled with the barium. Actually, I could see almost all of my small bowel filled with this chalk on the computer screen. AND 10 minutes after this second x-ray I was in the bathroom and it was all coming out. After my trip to the bathroom I had my third and final x-ray which I also got to see. Then it the test was deemed over and I was sent home. It all took less than an hour for me. I guess some are not as lucky. BUT I am still glad it is over. I am also glad it wasn't on Wednesday as it was pouring out and was cold most all day. Now I wait to see what the doctor says and if I need to have another scope with a longer tube. Not having a car I have to take the bus. I get on the bus hoping to at least make it downtown before I need to go potty again and THE BUS BREAKS DOWN!!!!! I did make it downtown without any accidents and then home also without any problems. I think the only problem was having to get up early for the test. I needed a nap when I got back home. OH AND I did knit while I was there. I worked on my Cookie A Kai-Mei socks.

My doctor did say he would like me to have one of those camera capsule tests done where you swallow a capsule with a camera inside and it takes pictures as it goes through your bowel. I don't know if it will be done and if it will be done when as they only do it at one hospital in the city and they only do 30 of them each year. So I will wait and see. He didn't say he was scheduling this small bowel series and the papers just arrived in the mail one day soon after my follow up appt with him.

Now on to lighter and a funny video.

Check out this most adorable video. It is Dagwood a cat playing ping pong.



I have been quite busy.

What have I been knitting?

I finished a pair of footsies for my ravelry Color Swap 3 partner Katie. I called them Tickle My Toes. She put down teals and turquoises as the color she wanted to receive. I used Kroy Sock Yarn for them and put the left over in my Entrelac socks I made for sock #2 of the 2009 International Sock Pentathlon.

Here are the footsies on me. Yes I washed them before I mailed these footsies to my partner.
AND here they are on my partner's feet. Here is a close up of the heel.

Here is a close up of the lace pattern.

I made these once before for a partner in a bottle swap I was in. She never received her bottle of goodies. The other pair of socks I knit in a variegated yarn. These are very easy.

For my felted bag partner Andrea I knit her an Andrea Bag. This is the photo she took as it is better than the one I took.

Here are the pre felting pictures. These first two are of the entire project.


This is a photo of the handles and flowers.
Here is the inside lining of the bag. This was originally a tee shirt. I found it at Mona's (Wolseley Wardrobe), my local consignment and fine yarn shop. The colors were a perfect match and I loved the design of hearts and lips. Unfortunately, the sewing could have been better.
I can't remember if I wrote about the Lily pad I knit. All knitters end up at the frog pond eventually. Well this is in case the water is too cold or you don't feel like going swimming. You can sit on the lily pad while you rip. HA HA. I gave it to Nate in addictedtoknitdishcloth yahoo group as one of his birthday gifts since he is KF (King Frogger)

I also gave him a snake drafter door dodger. He thought it was to stop snakes from sneaking in his house. Nate doesn't like snakes.


For MOI I have completed another pair of socks (#2) for the 2009 International Sock Pentathlon. They are entrelac. I am NOT sure if I like them or not. If I were to like them and knit another pair I would remove one or two more of the squares to make them narrower on the leg. I used Noro Kureyon Sock yarn for the legs and feet and Kroy actual color is called Blazing Blue for the cuffs, heels and toes.

I didn't do anything to match these socks. It was just magic between the correct needle size, pattern and my foot size I guess. I have enough Noro left to knit another just like these two also with perfect matching.

I purchased this wonderful household help at Canadian Tire mid April. I waited until it was on sale. I think now what the heck did I wait for? It is wonderful and I highly recommend it if you don't already have one. I got mine when it was on sale for $69.99 (regular price $99.99). It sure makes mopping floors a breeze. No more buckets of water or sponges to wring and squeeze out. No more waiting for floors to dry. It can also be used to damp mop a carpet.

So my post has been sitting this far. Finally, I am adding this last bit and will publish it and start another and get it done much faster.

I also received a Round Robin seed box. I found some nice seed packets in it and also some glad bulbs. There were just tons of seed packets. We had to replace each TWO packets we took with only one. The glad bulbs was an extra gift for each of us.

Of course, Solara, my princess had to get in the action as soon as I emptied the box.

Here is a photo of her enjoying and checking out the box my seeds came in. It seems the smaller the better.

Before I close I want to let everyone know the Ravelry Starbucks Swap is starting up. When you sign up there will be a place to list who recommended you. Don't forget to mention my name. This is a very small, quick and simple swap only requiring a $10 Starbucks card, skein of yarn, a pattern for the yarn, and some stitch markers. Minimum swap value NOT including postage is $20 - $30. I am a moderator and hostess in this group. If you are a member of ravelry you can find it here http://www.ravelry.com/groups/a-starbucks-and-yarn-swap.

Also, Secret Pal is opening up soon for sign ups. I am a moderator and will be a hostess for this group also. You can find information on it here in ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/groups/secret-pal-14 if you are a member. If not the blog will be up shortly. Information on when the blog will be up should also be on ravelry.

LONG MISSING SWAP PACKAGE POST

I had hoped to get this post done a lonnnnnng time ago but never did and an entire month or more has gone by.

It is time to acknowledge those lovely pressies I received in the mail finally with sincere apologies for not doing so sooner. BUT I did acknowledge the senders after they were received.

AND this part was already written when I never finished it.

YUP I got some more lovely treats in the mail when I returned from my retreat. They were needed since mail was so poor last week. I sure hope it is better this week.
I received my Whoduknit Mystery Yarn Ball Swap Saturday April 4 from Georgi and picked it up on Monday.

What a lovely lovely package it was. It was wrapped in PINK tissue paper with a couple of items separate. All that pretty pink tissue has made Solara very very happy too. I hope to eventually start on my mystery project so I can dig into the ball and see what "ALL" those goodies are.

Here is my package before I unwrapped the tissue.
Here are a couple of photos of the mystery yarn ball with goodies wrapped and hidden inside the yarn.

Here is some sock yarn by Deborah Norville that was NOT wrapped in the mystery yarn. I have never seen this yarn here. It is very very soft. It is 50% merino wool, 25% bamboo and 25% nylon. A good combination and the reason it is soooo soft. I just love the colors!!!

Well I couldn't wait any more and I finally unwound my mystery ball. Here is what I found hidden in my mystery yarn ball including these very small stitch markers in PINK. I need these since I mainly have larger ones. YUP all this was wrapped in that funny looking skein of yarn pictured above including the latest Joe Grey PI mystery in paperback for my collection. I still need to knit up my mystery pattern. Inside my mystery yarn ball I found chocolate, a voltive, a pen, several teas, a book mark, a container of Burt's Bee's, kniffy mints, a row counter, from Knit Picks: DPNs, a tape measure, and sock in progress needle tubes. There was also a guide for measuring needle sizes only it seems it is backward or there is something on it I can't remove so I can only see the backwards side.

This was a wonderful PINK Knit Picks Cotlin yarn contained many mystery items that I had fun unraveling and finding out what was all hidden in the yarn. Even the pattern has NO name and is a mystery until knitted with the skein of PINK Cotlin yarn from Knit Picks.

I also received my Ravelry Coffee Chocolate and Yarn Swap from Dorothy. We were partners in another swap. Boy did she spoil me.

Here is my package from actual upopened box to the revealation of what it contained step by step opening it.

First here is the box as I picked it up. It was hugh!!!!

Then I opened the lid of the box and this is what I saw.

When I removed the packing popcorn this is what became visible.

And then I took the box out and opened the lid of it to see this.

AND then I pulled back the tissue paper to reveal everything was wrapped in PINK tissue.

OH and before I forget here is what the box looks like. Ain't she a beauty? I think I am going to use it hold all my knitted socks. I don't have enough to fill it yet. In fact, it will be a while so it will last a long time as my sock box.

Now you want to know what was in it I am sure.

Dorothy sent me all this.
Those two containers in the bottom right are filled with two of my favorite Jelly Belly's flavors, watermelon and popcorn. Dorothy also sent me Cappuccino Jelly Belly's.
and above the mug is the most adorable little sock project bag. I didn't find out if Dorothy made it. I need to ask her. Hey Dorothy if you are reading this, did you make the bag? I love it and it is PINK!!!!!!
I got these most fabulous little stitch markers Dorothy MADE for MOI and they were in ....

.... this cute little container.

In the box was another Mary Englebreit item, this magnet which is now on my fridge. What a great saying.

I also received a couple of small stitch markers made by Clover that I never saw before. I wish they were sold around where I live. I love the little plastic piece you put on your needle too as it won't catch on fine yarns.

Here is that fabulous yarn I received. This yarn was dyed by a friend of Dorothy and she wrote she made several pair of socks using it. I am going to use it for a pair of Cookie A socks from her new book Sock Inovation in the Cookie A KAL but not this month. This month I can use yarn with more colors and patterning in it.

I also received this SWTC yarn called Gianna. It is 50% Soysilk and 50% Wool,

a skein of Paton's Classic Merino,

a Starbucks mug filled with little chocolates and

Kitty treats for Solara. Solara thanks you Dorothy. They are already gone.

This is a coffee and chocolate swap so here is the wonderful tasting coffee I received. I have used half of it only as I had to get a new grinder. I don't think mine has been grinding the beans that great anymore which is a waste of coffee. Then after I got the new grinder I thought I may have paid too much so I had to wait until I could check to make sure I got the best deal. More on my NEW coffee grinder in my next post. In the meantime I have been using some delicious tasting Tim Horton's already ground coffee. Tim Horton's coffee is nothing to make fun of. It is delicious and makes a great cup of coffee.

Here is the chocolates I received. Or should I say these were the chocolates I received. The one in the purple striped wrapper was the second to be demolished. It was the smoothest most wonderful tasting coffee flavored chocolate. YUM Next I ate the Extra Dark Hershey's with POMERGRANTE. That is something new to me and OOH LA LA!!! People around me know I am a very big fan of LINDT round candies so they are gone. The Goodiva chocolate covered cashews were eaten as I opened up everything so that is an empty box in the photo. I live alone and so I share very little. Most goes in my big tummy. If someone is here I do offer. Notice the 'if". All that is left of the chocolates are some of the small ones that were in the cup. I won't even say how fast that Hershey's with nuts went. I think I just inhaled it.

Last BUT not least was a lovely knitting keychain.
Here is a close up of the charm part of the keychain.
Since I now have two of these I am debating if I should try to turn them into earrings or stitch markers????

Now you have to admit that was some wonderful package I received from Dorothy.

Raverly Coffee Chocolate and Yarn Swap #5 is now underway.

Onward to more goodies.This isn't anything with a photo but I have been part of the Ravelry Tea Swap called The Tea Swap and More. The first is the one without photos was the envelope tea swap where we sent each other assorted teas. I have received an awful lot of lovely teas. There are several different swaps in this group.

Next is the Everlasting Traveling Tea Box which is a round robin that goes from one person to another. When you receive it you take out what you want and put in the box an equivelant. The basic rules are:

1. You may take out as much or as little as you wish, but you must replace as much as you take! (ie you take 10 tea bags and a crochet hook, you must put in 10 tea bags and a small item)
2. You will have ONE WEEK from the date you get the box to send it on to the next stop, these travel boxes keep going for a long time but we never want it to stay too long in one place! If you need longer, please let me know ASAP!
3. You must get delivery confirmation when you send the box on to the next stop, this only adds around 75 cents to the cost.
4. You must use a box with the dimensions of 11” x 8-1/2” x 5-1/2”

According to the group site the box has been posted to me and tracking says "Your item was accepted at 1:17 PM on May 4, 2009 in LOUISVILLE, CO 80027". WHOO HOO

Then there is The Secret Traveling Tea Swap which is the same as the above traveling box but you don't who is getting it until the person receives it. The only ones who know is the co-ordinator and the person who just received it and is mailing it out.

AND, of course, there is The Local Swap #1 which is a basic tea package swap. Mine package went out to Belgium and has been received. The one I am receiving has been mailed from Finland and I hope to receive it the end of next week.

This ravelry group has many other swaps to join if interested. I haven't joined any others yet.

I also received lovely hand dyed yarn from Joy in the whoduknit group. I wish I was able to dye yarn as nice.

Here are the yarns received.

Joy included in her yarn package these goodies.

Nadine in my Wednesday and occassional Tuesday evening knitting group gave me this most darling miniature kitty in a shoe as a belated house warming gift. Nadine is known for her miniature knitting.

There was a sale at Mona's in April and I just couldn't resist. Here are my purchases.

Two skeins of Fiddlesticks Zephyr Wool Silk Lace weight yarn to add to my lace weight yarn collection. The color is Cassis aka PINK.

A skein of Dream in Color Smooshy color is Luna Razzle and

a skein of Arequipa in plums and purples and a bit of periwinkle.

So it is now Tuesday evening and I have returned from my Tuesday knitting group. I needed to decide which yarn to use for my Cookie A socks KAL. I brought with me the Aequipa, Dream in Color Smooshy, the two skeins from Joy and a skein I purchased at the retreat. The decision was to use the Dream in Color Smooshy. So it is now in two cakes ready to go. More on it in my next post.