I’m a Silkweaver Floozy!

Posted on April 12, 2006 | 1 comment

Ahhhhhh. Nothing quite like a Silkweaver order to put my mood back on the top shelf. I finally got to an Odds & Ends update before everything disappeared, and baby, I cleaned up on the 28-count fabrics! For the curious, here’s the list: Cashel in Misty Blue, Ice Blue, Smokey Pearl, Lilac & Vintage Country Mocha; Jobelan in Dove Gray & Twilight Blue; Lugana in Pewter, Lavender Bliss & Moss Green ๐Ÿ˜†

My stash is a bit light on fabrics, so this will provide a healthy boost. I must say though, I’m a bit sad Silkweaver are going out of the standard fabrics business. They have always had such a great range and their prices and postage are wonderful. The stash-packs and small cuts were great, I don’t see similar offerings anywhere else (though please enlighten me if there are). In my dreams there would be one fantastic ONS where I could get everything I wanted, rather than having to shop multiple locations.

Something else happened today to put a huge smile on my face. Annette sent me a simply gorgeous, snuggly baby afghan for Small. I don’t have a picture yet, but I promise to show you very soon.

We’re going away for a few days over the Easter weekend… I know, still no Floss tutorial, I’m sorry ๐Ÿ™ I’ve just been super busy doing… hmmmm, not really sure. This’n’that, really! But I have been super busy doing it! Hope you all have a lovely Easter as well, and I’ll see you when I’m back ๐Ÿ™‚

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Posted in Counted Stitchwork, General Ramblings

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Tutorial In Progress

Posted on April 8, 2006 | Comments Off on Tutorial In Progress

Astute readers may have noticed that I managed to get halfway through my floss-dyeing tutorial before going on a little feeling-sorry-for-myself binge. (For you others, see the links at top-right of this blog :giggle: ). Fear not, the second (and most important) part is in progress. It is. It will be here in the next mumble-mumble days or so. And so will the opportunity to purchase some of my floss… for there is bunches and bunches of it just waiting for me to skein it up just for you ๐Ÿ˜‰ Soon. Very soon.

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Posted in Dyeworks, Other Craft

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Forewarned is…

Posted on April 7, 2006 | 2 comments

In her book “On Death and Dying” in 1969, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross proposed these ‘five stages of grief’:

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

Apparently it is not unusual for patients diagnosed with chronic illness – not just terminal illnesses such as cancer – to progress through these stages (not necessarily separately or in order).

I believe it. It became apparent to me sometime early last week that I had progressed neatly from ‘denial’ to ‘anger’ over this whole diabetes debacle. I don’t recall any ‘bargaining’, but that could be because I don’t subscribe to any Higher Power with whom to bargain? Regardless, these last few days, I seem to have landed squarely in ‘depression’. Despite my best efforts of the last two weeks, I seem to be headed straight for the insulin, probably by the end of next week, would be my best guess.

I know, I know… technically I have not been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Technically, gestational diabetes mellitus is most often just that – gestational, therefore a transient problem. I think the main problem I have is that I tend to over-educate myself about anything that’s going on in my life. And all that I’m reading points to a fairly huge risk of me being diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic in the next 10-15 years. As in, a 30-50% risk.

So the changes I’m making now, to my diet and exercise regime, must be made for life, in reality. Knowing I must do this is not really the same thing as feeling like I can do it. Knowing something is only for the next 10-12 weeks is entirely different, and entirely doable. (And for the record, I am doing it – I’m eating well, exercising, and have been losing what little weight I’ve put on through the pregnancy). Changing my habits for the rest of my life involves overcoming years of poor eating and exercise habits, and years of the crap self-esteem which lurks beneath. It strikes me that forewarned is not always forearmed. Sometimes, to be forewarned is to be burdened with excess stress and anxiety, both of which add their own little risk factors to one’s health.

Right now, I’m having a hard time coming to the ‘acceptance’ stage ๐Ÿ˜ฅ

Meh. Must stitch…

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Posted in Family, Pregnancy

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The Awesome Brain

Posted on March 28, 2006 | 4 comments

Ok, I admit, this is a bit of a mummy-brag here, so if you don’t like that kind of stuff, read no further!

But it’s also a marvel about the human brain. I can’t really fathom the leap that Finn’s brain made today, all by itself. I don’t know how this works!

I’ve been dyeing some more floss these last couple of days (yay). Today when I was hanging a bunch out to dry, Finn decided to count them all – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Ok, good. Then he decides that since they’re each hanging in a way so that two ‘legs’ hang down (from the middle, like an inverted ‘U’), that he would count all the legs. 1, 2, 3, 4…. up to 20. Excellent. So, being the marvellous educator I am, I confirmed for him ‘two groups of ten, that’s twenty’. (Well, technically 10 groups of 2, but who’s being picky?!)

That’s not the amazing bit. The amazing bit is that without missing a beat, this three year old of mine then pipes up ‘three groups of ten is thirty, and four groups of ten is fourty, and five groups of ten is fifty…’! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor, I tell you. That means his mind effectively made the connection that the ‘…ty’ end of a number indicates ‘…groups of ten’. Wow ๐Ÿ˜ฎ !

Brains are awesome things. I should have stayed in research after all!

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Posted in Family, The Kids

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Retail Therapy

Posted on March 25, 2006 | 1 comment

When in doubt, spend money :giggle: Yep, yep, yep.

This is not the fun kind of retail therapy that involves a LNS or Lush, mind you, but it was fun all the same. We’re preparing for an upcoming kitchen renovation. I already mentioned I’m not much into home-improving, especially of the DIY variety, but sadly our home-buying budget only ran to the kind of house which needs a good dose of TLC. Luckily my father-in-law used to be a Joiner, and he’s done a good share of house building and renovation, so basically this is going to cost us materials and appliances only. And much nail-biting terror on my part. OtherHalf suggested today that perhaps I should move myself and Finn out to Mum’s place for the duration, and if she weren’t 90 minutes drive away, I might be tempted. As it is, I’m going to have to be elsewhere for the part which involves KNOCKING DOWN A LOAD-BEARING WALL ๐Ÿ˜ฏ ๐Ÿ˜ฏ :shock:. Don’t worry, there’s an extra beam going into the roof, but it scares the bejeebus out of me still!

So today we went ahead and ordered an oven, cooktop (also white, just not in this pic), and rangehood, and brought home a sink and mixer tap. Wheee! We still have to choose laminate for the benches, tiles and paint, and order all the timber required, but at least we’ve started the ball rolling now.

Thanks for all the good thoughts following my last post. I’ve stopped freaking out for now… my ‘education session’ is on Tuesday, so that’s when I’ll learn all about the can- and can’t-haves, and how to measure my own blood sugar levels (fingerpricks, owwweee). Should be fun… :blank:

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Posted in Family

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Cancel Those Chocolate Eggs

Posted on March 24, 2006 | 6 comments

Right now I could go a glass of good red wine or three, but cancel that too ๐Ÿ™ I’ve just had a crappy phone call to top off a pretty blah week. I have gestational diabetes. Just fricking fabulous!

Sorry. I know it’s not the end of the world, but it’s just one more thing to add to my list of ‘why-I-wish-this-pregnancy-was-over-already’. And three weeks before the annual chocolate-orgy that is Easter… that’s just cruel and unusual punishment, wouldn’t you say?!

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Posted in Family, Pregnancy

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Like a Machine, I Am!

Posted on March 21, 2006 | 5 comments

Or so said OtherHalf last night… and before minds fall into the gutter ๐Ÿ˜› , what he actually said was “you’re a cross-stitching machine”! Here’s why:

Friday-Sunday: Elizabeth’s Designs Little Leaf Designs – Butterfly

Sunday-Monday: Teresa Wentzler’s Intermediate Whitework Ornament (free on her website)

Monday-Tuesday: Indigo Rose Four Little Hearts freebie

Hopefully I’m about to become a dyeing machine again, because as of 8 this morning, I am in possession of a lot of floss ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚

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Posted in Counted Stitchwork, Finished

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Two O’Clock and All’s Well

Posted on March 20, 2006 | 1 comment

It’s safe to come back now, really ๐Ÿ™‚ In fact, last night’s primal screaming was not about anything major, I’m perfectly fine. It just struck me, not really for the first time, but perhaps rather harder last night, that I am at a point in my life where I am without a sounding-board. You know, one of those close friends who you can always rely on to listen to a rant or five about whatever’s going on in life? Who may or may not give you advice, but will mostly just nod and at least pretend to agree with you? If I’m going to be really honest – someone you can bitch to without fear of repercussion!

As we get older, our lives get swallowed up by other things. Partners, careers, children, exciting travel (ha! Wishful thinking!). We cease to be good sounding-boards for our friends, and in turn they cease to be good sounding boards for us. Or vice-versa. Either way, I suddenly realised yesterday that the people I would previously have gone to for such needs have become less a part of my life now. Or they play different roles in my life. Still friends, but friends with different priorities.

Thus the screamage. Actually, you know, it would be really, really therapeutic to scream for real. But the society we live in now doesn’t really seem to have a place for that. Except perhaps the labour ward (and believe me, did I take advantage of that opportunity – it was extremely liberating!)

Anyway, I feel better, at least somewhat. Helping me out today are the fact that Finn is adapting well to the re-introduction of afternoon naps (for his sanity as well as mine), that I received stash in the mail (a wonderful kit from my Secret Stitcher), and that Debi made me the cutest little web-button: Million Stitches, which you too can steal if you want a super-special Million Stitches link on your site :giggle: I’m sitting here stitching the final parts of TWs Intermediate Whitework ornament in soothing shades of blue, and I have another HD from the weekend to share with you as well, at some point. But before that I’m planning to write a few long overdue emails to friends who deserve better from me.

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Posted in Blog Blather, General Ramblings

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…

Posted on March 19, 2006 | 2 comments

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhyyyyyyyaaaargh!!!!!

:blank:

Sometimes you just hafta do that.

Y’know?

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Posted in General Ramblings

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Gold Star For Me!

Posted on March 16, 2006 | 3 comments

So, I fully intended to sit down and write a somewhat shamefaced apology to the world on behalf of all Melbourne for the giant flying koalas debacle… but I kind of got distracted by my health.

I am still sorry about the koalas. And the duck. Let me just say this… it was not MY idea! Our ‘esteemed’ Premier said in an interview just prior to last night’s opening ceremony that said ceremony would showcase Melbourne as the truly sophisticated city we are. Um. Yeah.

But that’s all forgotten now. I get a gold star for my blood pressure today!

See, for the last six weeks, I have been deliberately not talking about all things pregnancy. Because the more I talk about it, the more I think about it, and the more stressed I get. And the more it becomes a problem. My blood pressure, that is. The problem, it seems, and I have believed this for some years anyway, is that I have what is affectionately known as ‘white-coat hypertension’. Essentially, that means doctors stress me out to the point where my blood pressure increases just by visiting one! It just kind of makes it hard to accurately monitor my bp. I have experienced the joy of having a 24-hour monitor strapped to me once before, and 90% of all the measurements were within a normal range. Admittedly, my ‘normal’ bp is on the high end of the scale, but not to the point of requiring treatment.

Those of you who’ve been pregnant, however, know how antsy doctors get about blood pressure and pre-eclampsia and whatnot. So six weeks ago, when my bp was suddenly high at one antenatal visit, I was launched through a barrage of extra visits, endocrinologists and fun tests. One of the ‘features’ of the public health system (and please don’t misunderstand me, I love the public system and that I can still have a baby for free, nada, zip in this country) is that you never seem to see the same doctor twice. That sucks for white-coat hypertensives, and frankly, the bedside manner of the last three doctors I saw left much to be desired.

Today – brilliance! I saw someone who in fact turned out to be someone who was once a semi-colleague of mine. During my honours research year I was stationed in a hospital department partnered with his. He recognized me, which was nice. And, he treated me like a human being. What’s more, like an intelligent human being. You have no idea how much more at ease this puts me. After talking things through with him, my BP today was back down to normal (for me), which makes me super happy. Now that it’s officially on the hospital record that I have eccentric bp, even the scowling doctors should be somewhat appeased, and what’s more I feel better armed to discuss my options from hereforth. No, it’s not a guarantee against pre-eclampsia, by any means, but it makes me feel much more confident that I’m not heading directly (do-not-pass-Go) down that route.

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Posted in Family, General Ramblings, Pregnancy

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