I settled on a design for my next pair. It took a few frogs before I settled on this and kept it in my head. It turned out to be a simple pattern, different from what I started with, but more in keeping with the image I had of what I wanted. The needle is a Knit Pro (Picks) 2.25mm. The yarn is by Lana Grossa and it is part of the Meilenweit (Uni) range.
These two pictures are my drugs, two months worth. I get all of these for free. they alleviate suffering and keep me alive or ratehr lessen the risk of sudden death. If I have understood correctly, the majority of Americans would rather see me suffer and die than provide medical care for all.
I was up at 5.30am today. I am off to a dog show tomorrow morning and need to be up at 2 am so I always get up early the day before to help me be tired by the 7am bed time.There is a possibility that we won't be going to the show. There are weather warnings out for today of high winds. It is already very windy. Tomorrow is supposed to be settled and cold. We will wait and see.
I have another show on Thursday deep in the wilds of Wales and then the 40th Anniversary show of The Lhasa Apso Club (the first UK club). Then I have a couple of weeks off till the last show of this month.I have one more in November. There is another November show and two more in December but I am probably going to stay at home.
The dogs amuse me. They each have their own cage. They are kept in them when I ma out or in bed or any time I need them to be safe and out of the way. Mostly, they do as they please. When I came up here to the pc, I was closing gates so that none could get at my knitting. I noticed all was quiet and took a peak and there each dog was, in their own cage, sleeping with their heads hanging out. to them, their cage is their den. At dinner time, they all go rushing into their beds. Any time I say 'bed' they do the same. It is quite a thing to see. Seven dogs each going to the right bed. It's like watching a Red Arrow display team.
I am reading the new Dan Brown novel, The Lost Symbol. We have it in hardback because John had to read it for work. I am enjoying the book. I think he knows hoe to write a thriller.
I used to read a couple of books a week. Now, no matter how much I am enjoying the book, I don't read more than a few pages each night before I fall asleep. I go to be bed early to give me at least an hour's reading time but it doesn't work. I fall asleep!
Speaking, (okay writing) of sleep, I am sleeping better recently. Waking up less, getting up less often and not had any spasms since last weekend. That weekend was rough. Very little sleep and no matter what I did, I awoke all over again with my rib cage in spasm. My usual trick of propping myself up on the horseshoe shaped pillow didn't help.
It has been a much better week with regard to fatigue. I have changed my swimming routine. I know get to the pool for the last half hour of the Early Bird session which finishes at 9am. This gives me enough time to do half the amount of laps I am used to. I have done it 4 times this week. I feel satisfied with this. I have at last stopped fighting and accepted that my days of 1mile a day, 7 days a week have gone. I don't know why other than my illness is progressive and I guess this is what that means. I think if it was just a blip, I'd have been able to go back to that ages ago. instead I have struggled with this issue for a year. no matter how much I forced myself, went to bed earlier, made other adjustments, I just could not get back to that amount of swimming. As a result I put on 7lbs in weight. Not from lack of swimming but because I made myself weak and miserable and exhausted and thus how I ate took a turn for the worse. I am back on track now.
11 comments:
I don't know of any Americans that would want to see you suffer, let alone die. We are a different *breed* but most of us are decent, caring people.
Illness and pain is a terrible thing to endure. I have respect for you and your struggles, and applald your courage.
LOVE LOVE your socks!! The last pair and the new pattern you are starting. I am so slow at knitting these socks.........seems to take forever to finish a pair and haven't really tired different techniques yet.
Good times at the next show!! Wish you well.
Actually, the majority of Americans do want health reform. It's just a lot of noisy ones that make everything think we don't. Those and the politicians hiding in the back pockets of insurance companies. :::heavy sigh:::
Love the socks! Are they for you or John?
I have the Lost Symbol CDs on reserve at the library. I like to listen to Dan Brown while I knit. Simple patterns.... He does a good job with suspense.
Colin, you are an inspiration. Just remember not to beat yourself up over what you can't do, but instead rejoice in what you can do. It's a lot less stressful , and I believe you've had enough stress in your life.
The health care issue is a sticky wicket. Most Americans want health care reform (I myself have no insurance now due to loss of employment). The problem comes in from the "noisy few" who happen to be politicians who don't have worries of money and so can afford the best of everything. Bah. Enough about that claptrap.
I love the new pattern and can't wait to see your finished socks. :)
Polls show that 65% of Americans are in favor of PUBLIC health care options. The problem is that the majority of American politicians don't care what we want.
As with everything, it is the loud mouth minority that gets the news coverage.
Love the pattern you have created for this pair of socks. It looks like one that I would enjoy making. Will you share the pattern with the rest of the sock knitting world?
As for the pups heading to their own kennels, ours always did the same, with one exception. We had one pup that until he was quite grown (these were Dobermans) wanted to be in his dam's kennel. She finally had enough and forced him to stay in his own. Wishing you good times at the next few shows. Your dogs seem to enjoy showing as much as you enjoy showing them.
Count me among the Americans who would love to see national healthcare (a.k.a. "socialized medicine" to the fear-mongers among us!) I'd love to simply adopt the system used in other countries like the U.K., Canada or France. Insurance and pharmaceutical companies currently own/run the system here, and it's wrong, wrong, wrong!
On a completely different note: love the outfit! Your new sock pattern looks difficult, but is very nice!
Kim
I think what Colin is saying is not that most U.S. citizens want to see him suffer or die, but that the legislators that are hell bent on killing any possibility of a universal health care system may, or at least may not really care much. The refusal to find and fund a method whereby all citizens can have health care and not have to make decisions, daily, between medicines, health care and eating, is, in my opinion, criminal. These legislators, who voted only the best in health care for themselves and gave themselves a raise, while so many of their constituents are suffering with job loss and loss of health benefits, is bordering on criminal. I still say the only way to get through to these hard heads is to take away all their health care until they can find a way to, at least, provide the basics.
There was a man on a popular social network who recently took one of those stupid little polls. This one was about whether or not universal healthcare should be instituted. His comment was, "No because, then, the poor will die and there will be more for the rest of us." He doesn't address what would happen if he should lose his job or, otherwise, lose his own health care. I suspect his tune would be in a radically different key, were this to happen. Of course, HE would be the exception. He wasn't kidding, either, because he went on in subsequent posts to express his real belief in his answer.
The cries of "socialized medicine" and Socialism just don't move me very much. That the country that has for so long been one of the world leaders shoudl still have people suffering and dying just because they fallen upon hard times is deplorable.
Ah yes...the great debate. I am uninsured. That means no doctor visits except occasionally at a sliding scale clinic... and the scale don't go far enough down for me... so I am one with large medical bills, and substandard care as well. From what I have seen, those that have health care are afraid of losing what they have. And no, they don't give a crap about those of us who would benefit. I mean that. They really do not care about anyone other than themselves. I am sure that if you were a citizen here, they would not care about you either. Politics is crazier than usual, lately.
Now Colin, we don't want to see you dead because you couldn't pay for your meds. But let's be real about it, free really isn't free - someone has already paid for your free drugs in the taxes they are charged by your government, whether it be from the goods they buy or the taxes paid on their earnings, someone has paid for that free service. In the US the working people are tired of paying for everything. I live in a state we call Taxachusetts - because are taxes are always going up to pay for the States mishandling of our money. That being said, some changes in healthcare need to be made, what those changes are will be a long time coming. Putting the soapbox away.
Sara
Dear Colin,
Love the pattern you've chosen for this yarn. Any chance of you posting the chart?
Sabine
I do not believe that Americans want you to die and saying so is quite innapropriate.
Furthermore, how would that be possible with John employed and able to pay for at least minimal, if not more, insurance coverage. If you are that poor that you cannot purchase health insurance, then government welfare and assistance is available through many agencies.
Making such outlandish statements without a thorough investigation, (other than in the print media or on Left-wing blogs) is irresponsible and only fuels disinformation!!!
I doubt you will publish this comment, but being an RN with many years experience, I do feel the need to expect accurate commentary.
Kellie Marek
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