RAIN RAIN GO AWAY....

..... come again some other day Penny wants to go in the garden and play.

I wonder if the rain has finished for a while. BUT two wonderful swap packages arrived to help me through the dreary week we have had. That was last week as I am writing this now. Not only has it been dreary but I hurt my right knee. It is three weeks ago now. Every step I take hurts. I was getting down from a dinning room chair upstairs which I climbed on to look out the window. My table with sewing machine is in the way and I can only see out the window by getting on the chair and leaning over the table to look out. I was checking to see if my friend had arrived while I was in the shower so I would know if I needed to go downstairs or if I could finish what I was doing first. Her vehicle was in the parking spot. As I was putting my right leg down off the chair I heard a very loud crack. I could barely walk after that. Funny the two days before my right leg had been sore and felt swollen so I was measuring it to see if it was and it wasn't. Now I was in agony. I didn't know what I had done. I decided to wait to go to the doctor until Friday (it was now Wed afternoon). My doctor was on holiday for a few more weeks. On Friday when I went and saw a doctor NOT mine, I was given a bulky dressing with an ace wrap and told to come back in a week. When I went back the next Friday an appt for physio was consulted as was an MRI and I was given a Rx for a knee brace for a probable torn ACL and it also said awaiting confirming MRI. Then on Tuesday I headed over to the Diamond the medical supply shop and told that the way the script was written it wouldn't be paid for by the medical. So on Wednesday I called Klinic and asked to have the Rx written so it would be covered with none of this probable tear and or awaiting confirming MRI to be written. What was faxed was now an ACL injury which also won't be covered and the awaiting confirming MRI was also down on the script again BUT this time it didn't indicate what the knee brace was needed for. I needed it for walking and support for the laxity in my knee, to prevent further injury to my knee, to prevent me from falling, and, also, for ADLs. Friday I received several calls. The first was to set up my first physio appt for Aug 4 (yesterday), the second with my MRI appt (Sunday November 29 at noon - I am now on a cancellation waiting list) and from Diamond telling me the Rx for the brace still wouldn't be covered and lastly from the doctor telling me "ethically" he couldn't write I had a torn ACL for the Rx since there wasn't an MRI to support his diagnosis and then he asked how I felt about that? I certainly won't write what went through my head.

So it is now Saturday August 15 and IT IS STILL RAINING. I do have to admit that we had two very nice days this week and back to back. I guess that was our summer for this year.

Back to the previously started post. I have since the start of this post been to physio three times, received one brace for my right knee after seeing my own GP. He told me he had NO problem writing I tore my right ACL which he did put down and that was his diagnosis and let the MRI prove him wrong. He added they could be wrong also even if it is the gold standard for diagnosis. Both my doctor and the therapist feel I not only tore my ACL but the MCL and my medial meniscus ligament on both knees. When he pulled on my left leg at the knee it was very lax and he could pull it a lot but there was eventually an end to the pulling. When he pulled on the right leg (knee) there was no end point and he pulled until I cried out in pain. Funny how I wasn't able to get the brace "MY" doctor requested on the Rx after speaking with the physiotherapist. The physiotherapist suggested a Gen II brace that costs about $100 and apparently inexpensive compared to others and what I was given. I was told the government wouldn't pay for it because of how my doctor wrote the Rx +/- right medial meniscus tear and something about the other doctor's Rx stating probably ACL tear etc and instead was given a brace that costs about $600. Go figure! I will put a photo of it in my next blog post as someone has to take it on me. I haven't heard about any cancellation spots opening up yet for the MRI. I will see my doctor this coming week as I need another B12 injection and want him to also ask to have an MRI of the left knee and get a Rx for the left knee brace. Physio feels I need to have an MRI on the left knee and also a brace as it is badly injured also.

Last week I also got my appt for the camera endoscopy, a request that was sent in several months ago. When is it for? Not until Oct 27.

BUT it is time to show off some wonderful swap packages I have received and not acknowledged on my blog yet. I have sent personal thank-yous after receiving them.

Knitting Goodness
I received my Ravelry Christmas in July Swap and my Ravelry July Color Tea Swap packages.
Here are the two boxes which came the same day!!!

In my Christmas in July Swap package was:

A skein of Knit Picks Bare which I can dye but I want to knit some white socks and will use it plain for a pair of Cookie A socks in either the raverly Cookie A KAL group or the ravelry Makin’ Cookies group. Last Tuesday I was considering purchasing from my LYS a skein of white, off white yarn for a pair of socks actually so this arrived right in time as I didn’t buy that yarn I looked at,
a Knit Picks yellow tape measure to add to my tape measure collection which is continueally growing and is now past 20 WOW! and Knit Picks Locking Pins and it is so nice to have them in a color other than ORANGE

I also received antibacterial hand gel which I always not only carry in my pocket book but also in my knitting bag, two highlighters one in PINK and one in traditional yellow, a notebook which I most likely will use for my Avon as soon as the on the new year starts with C#1 again. It is where I write a ton of my Avon order stuff on. There was also a pencil case I can put my DPN needles in. YUP they fit in there very nicely.

Solara was in the box as soon as it was opened and heard the jingle jangle of the toys for her. Solara also received two packages of treats. She is getting so fat and spoiled. She expects something for her in every box I receive and most times she isn’t disappointed. Between treats in my packages for her and those given to her from all her aunties I hardly have to get her treats myself anymore.

Here are all her treats.
There were three post cards and a magnet from PA and the magnet is on my fridge already.
What a lovely handmade I received. It is those two PINK snowflakes. They must be very time consuming to make. AND they aren’t white snowflakes the are PINK snowflakes which makes them even more special and unique.
Lastly was a Christmas wrapped package. In it was a container of Jean Nate body powder/talc. I received the after bath splash and body lotion in a different swap. Now I have the body powder/talc. I didn’t even know they made talc/body powder. It is open and aready being used. I love it (Jean Nate is made by Revlon). I guess that ages me since I have been using it for decades when I can get it but it is sooo nice. What a special treat that was for me as I can’t find it here where I live.
Thank-you Lori for such a lovely Christmas in July package.

In my Ravelry July Color Tea Swap package was:

Sweet Treats
a box of Nonni chocolate iced chocolate biscotti and these are gone now YUM
a bag of Lindt Lindor Truffles which are gone
Honey straws/sticks I have a few left
Dagoba Roseberry Chocolate also gone now
Teas and tea mug
1 tin of Strawberry Kiwi fruit tea from My cup of tea which says it is deliciously sweet strawberries blended with kiwi to create a fruit tisane that is both flavorful and refreshing. It is wonderful iced and can be added to my favorite lemonade for a cooling treat.
1 Tin of Cranberry Harvest fruit tea from My cup of tea which says harvested after the first frost. Try it iced and again I can add it to my favorite lemonade for a cooling treat.
They brew PINK!!!

Yarns, beautiful, soft, silky, wonderful yarns
3 skeins of Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace in pale PINK
2 skeins of Yarn Bee Snowflake Wool Blend in a PINK tweed
1 Skein of Lion Brand Sock-Ease in a PINK variegated AND also there was a bottle of Euclan to wash my knits in. That sure was a nice haul.

AND I bought myself this lovely hank of Hand Maiden Sea Silk Silver to be spun 50 gm 30%sea cell and 70% silk which will probably only sit on my shoulder for decoration.

I actually didn't think I had much to write until I uploaded the photos from the camera to my computer. I was playing with my camera late in July. I couldn't see the screen clearly. It seemed shaky is the only way I could describe and so I went into the setting to see what the matter was. I couldn't find anything and when it happens which it has again and again I go into the setting and press them all and then everything is fine but one time, the first time I did something I have no idea how but I deleted all the photos in on the card and the camera was now void of all photos. I certainly didn't press anything that said delete but they were gone. So I went outside and retook all the photos I just had taken of my garden the day before. It is much wilder now but here are some of what I took that day July 26. Has it already been two weeks since I took these photos?

My Garden

Look at all these green tomatoes? They have turned red and been eaten and there are now lots more. It is only b/c these were patio tomatoes I purchased and were quite large when I bought the plants which had tomatoes on the vines.

These red ones have been eaten. They were soooo good. Boy how different than store purchased tomatoes.
I am not sure how many of the other flowers will turn into tomatoes and how many of the tomatoes will grow large enough to eat on the plants as the weather is just not that warm enough and it already the middle of August.

I have carrots growing. This again was July 26. My next blog will show how big they are now and the growth of my other vegetables.
Here is my zucchini. The first two little zucchini spoiled while still small. They are basically still this same size since the weather isn't warm enough for them to grow much less get large and turn into bats.

I have some onions growing.

Here are my sad excuses for cucumbers. I have lots of blooms which have turned into lots of tiny little cucs (pickling variety) but they aren't growing. They are turning yellow, then brown and die???? I wonder if it is the poor summer weather we are having?
My rhubarb is doing well. I got it and my hosta for half price as they were almost dead but with love and care they have grown and done quite well. Oh yes there are some beans growing within the rhubarb. I couldn't bear to waste any space.
Unfortunatly, I looked a few days after this photo was taken of my hosta

it was gone. At first I thought someone stole it since it is on the outside of my fence but it wasn't dug up and out. Then I thought the rabbits had eaten it but it was a bit too large to disappear so quickly. I have decided that whoever is doing the lawn care for the commual area mowed it with the edgeer. Also missing and cut down was a fern I had planted. Since then both plants have started growing back so the root wsn't taken.

Here is this years's ealry growth of my Lamb's Ear I received from Shelagh last year.
AND this is what it has turned itno as of two weeks ago. It is Lamb's Ear on steroids it seems.

My Love Me Love Me Not Daisies are doing really well also. You can see a small patch of Petunia buried within the daisies. Not a good place to plant them. I will know for next year if I remember NOT to plant them there.

AND here is a close up
Look at this tiny little rose bud my second on July 26.

AND then it bloomed.

Then all these buds appeared


which turned into this.

AND another close up
I try to sit outside when the weather permits. This helps to keep the mosquitos at bay. Of course, it is NOT like a patio you can't sit outside in it when it is raining.
I think I will close this blog post very long overdue now and continue tomorrow after I return from my KNIT OUT which is still a go despite the forcast for rain!!!!

I also will post my SP package I received yesterday, new photos of Solara, what I am working on and have finished, the knit out and some other stuff.