Bi-annual report

I might delete this blog. I never seem to update. For some reason, I can update like crazy to my LJ, to MySpace, and to Facebook. But not here.

Not long after the last post, I learned that I was pregnant again. Started the blood thinners and everything was going very well. Unfortunately, I started dilating early. The doctor put a stitch into my cervix and kept me in the hospital on bedrest, but I still delivered prematurely at 21 weeks. Ronan DeWayne Ivey was born on September 21 at 12:23 pm and passed away at 12:53. He weighed 14 oz and was 11 inches long.

I ended up with a serious infection and spent another week in the hospital. during that time, I did manage to crochet a little pouch that Greg and I were able to place Ronan in for the cremation. I used the yarn that I had been saving for his blessing ceremony.

Greg and I are doing ok right now. We have planned a memorial service for the first Sunday in November, All Soul's Day. Greg goes back to work tonight. I'm off until the end of the month. I'm going for daily antibiotic infusions for another week.

I took pictures of the little pouch. I might post them later. I wish I would have taken pictures of the little wooden cross and sword Greg carved for him, but I don't think that I did.

YIKES!

I can't believe it's been SIX MONTHS since I posted anything. Bad, bad, bad blogger.

I have actually blogged at my other site (www.revia.livejournal.com), but there's been a lot going on in my life, and I completely forgot about this site. Sorry!

Greg and I had another miscarriage in January. We have since seen a fertility expert who has diagnosed me with a clotting disorder. If I get pregnant again, I will have to go on blood thinners throughout the pregnancy.

I've been seeing a chiropractor for some back problems. And an ENT about some allergy problems.

And I have been working my butt off. And crocheting until my fingers go numb.

I finally opened a shop on Etsy. You can find it here. I hope to add more stuff as I go... and I hope people will buy some of my stuff.

OK, it's kind of late and I need to get to bed. I will try to post more soon. I promise!

Yeah, I haven't posted in nearly a month. Other than the OT, I have also been writing a novel for NaNoWriMo. I have to get going, though. I have some more lap blankets to finish, and I need to get started on Christmas/Yule presents.

BUT... Guess who I ran into when I went to a NaNoWriMo meet-up?



It's Lesa, aka MollyKnitsSweaters! Yeah, the picture isn't great. It was taken with my cell phone that doesn't have a zoom feature. Crappy phone!

Anyway, she was at her SnB, knitting away at socks. I was typing away at my zombie novel.
I might join her once November is over.

Oh, and for those who are interested in my zombie novel, you can read it as I write it here.

OK, I need to get going. Later all!

iSux

I haven't posted in ages. My cable for my camera is lost. I haven't been crocheting much. And I have been working a gazillion hours. A minimum of 60 hours a week since the beginning of September. As many as 96 hours one week. Great checks. Very little me time. Somehow I have managed to do it without getting seriously ill.

I have been posting to my other blog, but since it is "friends only", you need to have an LJ account and be a friend to read anything.

I have other interesting pictures that I will post as soon as I find the cable. I will show pictures of the lap blankets I have been working on. And maybe I'll actually start and finish another project before too long. The holidays are coming and I think everyone deserves crocheted items. Or donations to the Heifer project made in their name. They have a gift called the Knitting Basket.
It provides a family with four wool-producing animals (sheep, llamas, or alpacas), to allow them to earn an income from the wool. I wonder how many "baskets" could be bought if all the online knitters were to donate a few bucks. Hmmmmm......

OK, I need to hop in the shower and get ready for another shift at work. My head hurts a bit and I really do not want to go, but I told my boss that I would not only work, but I would come in early. I'm such a trooper!

Tomorrow morning, though, I am going out for breakfast with my dad and then we are going to check out the shiny, new Cabela's that opens.... tomorrow! YAY!

New patterns?

So, exactly when does a pattern that you are using become your own? As in, how many changes do you need to make before you can claim that it is your own original pattern? I have modified a few patterns, mostly because I believe that the instructions were wrong.

I found a delightful shawl pattern that I started working on in one of the Jiffy yarns. But, I didn't have as much of the same dye lot as I thought I had, so I put it aside, probably to get frogged at a later date.

I didn't have any more bulky weight yarn, which the pattern called for. But I did have this wonderful "vintage" mohair blend that Greg found at a yard sale a couple of years ago. It's closer to baby weight, so there would obviously be a gauge issue if I decided to use the pattern as written. So, I changed hook size to something smaller, added more stitches, added more rows, and changed some double-crochets into trebles. I'm about half-way done (I will post pics later when I finish), but it's already looking more gauzy and delicate. It still looks like the original, in a way (at least to me), but the gauge is completely different, and the pattern has definitely changed. But is it mine yet?

Whether it is or isn't, I need to get back to work on it. TTFN!

Yay

I got my invite to Ravelry. Yippee! This is just what I needed, another time suck. :-P

I didn't make to Lollapalooza on Saturday or Sunday. I was too sick. Still sniffling a bit, but at least I am no longer running a fever. I spent most of the weekend on the couch, watching TV and attempting to crochet. I made a choker that should have taken me an hour at the most but instead took me 3 or 4 hours. I really don't like the way it looks, but I will post it here to get comments from the peanut gallery.


I do have a few photos for you all...


This is a picture of Deb after she was turned into a zombie. Actually, it is Deb and Julie on the losing side of a Kubb game. I'm not exactly sure why she looks like that.



And this is Deb making the campfire go "whoooooosh". I don't know why I seem to have so many pics of Deb. Maybe I'm subconsciously trying to steal her from Suzanne.

This year, at Lollapalooza, there was a big push to make the festival as green as possible. There was recycling, and biodegradable cups and TP, low-emission lighting rigs, and even solar panels:





She was sparkly. That's the worst part of missing Lolla... missing all the people watching.

I did get to see one band that completely rocked. At least in my opinion. I captured one of their songs on my camera. The sound sucks and the video isn't that great either. I'm still learning.



OK... I have some stuff I need to do that doesn't involve a computer. I will try to get back and post more camp out photos later. I might even have one or two of Suzanne!

I know, I know

I haven't posted in a while. Had the awesome camping trip with NIPA (and got to see Deb and Suzanne!!!!!), then had to read HP&tDH, then had to go back to work. Damn work.

I am supposed to be going to Lollapalooza this weekend. I am volunteering, so I get into the concert for free. Yay me! Right now, however, I am developing a cold. I thought it was just my allergies, but I took my meds, and took some extra, and now it feels like a cold. Grrrr..... I am going to spend the day taking cold meds and doing as little as humanly possible. I really don't want to cancel this weekend.

I have been crocheting, I've made quite a few wash cloths and I am working on a Goddess tote done in filet crochet. It's about half done. I will take pics as soon as I am finished with it. I will be selling my cool stuff at Pagan Pride Day, so come on out if you are in the area.

OK, I need some more drugs and some sleep. I will post pics later. I promise!