Today I had my post-op check up for my first cataract surgery. The procedure was yesterday morning, surprising me in so many ways. It was virtually painless. It was visually interesting - like a plasma screen with geometric shapes going through - I guess that is the micro close up of the laser doing it's thing. And the rest of the day was not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. A little gritty - lots of eye drops - and my first night's sleep with my eye guard and my CPAP. Seriously, I looked like something from The Borg.
Eye #2 is not until December, so I will be completely recovered from this one and enjoying much brighter, sharper vision. (I sound like a HD TV commercial.)
Last month was spent looking after Rick and his recovery from the loss of Mr. Toe. For anyone who doesn't know, Rick had undiagnosed Gout, which caused big lesions on many of his toes, and by the time someone figured it out, it was impossible to save the second toe on his right foot. Not a life-or-death procedure, to be sure, but unpleasant and not an easy recovery since there is no weight bearing allowed, and a bone has been severed, so that healing takes much longer than just the flesh wound.
He is up and around now, still tender under the foot where the toe came off, but able to drive and put shoes on again which is amazing.
During his recovery, we watched a lot of baseball, and I didn't hook much because I wanted to keep him company during his 24/7 incarceration on the sofa in the family room. But I did knit, so some things got done. I made my 8th Shift cowl for a friend who had just lost her mom. The colour ways were chosen to give an "impression" of leopard print, which I think was achieved.
I mailed it to her with a funny note, and enclosed this picture of me modelling it. Not because I didn't think she could figure out how to wear it, but it just seemed to need a visual in the card.
With that completed, I got back to my second Shifty sweater, on which I am now doing the hem ribbing. The colour way for it is another story. Although I do not consider myself a big "green" person, in the colour sense that is, I did order a pair of custom running shoes from a company called "Cariuma". They are/will be a gift from my mother-in-law. I bought them with her birthday money. Visit their site to read their story - I was pretty impressed and can't wait for the shoes to arrive. Here's a link to the shoes I ordered https://cariuma.com/products/oca-low-green-canvas-sneaker-women
When I look back over this COVID time, I realize I have done a lot of "Shift" projects - somehow the slip stitch seems to feel kind of like time does at the moment. You know it is passing, but it's all kind of blur. What day is it? What's the date? It just slips along, just like the slip stitch.
While I am confessing about all the Shift work, here is another project recently completed. It's an interpretation of the Night Shift shawl. I had so much DK yarn left over from other projects, I decided to use it all in this version. Kind of like a box of crayons - will go with everything - or nothing except my drawer full of black t-shirts and my jean jacket. Since I am not always a shawl person, this can be a giant cowl as well.
I put a black and white tassel on the skinny end, and it all seems to come together somehow. Here's a scary selfie of what I mean.
I cannot guarantee that this will be the end of my Shift knitting. I mean I haven't made a single hat yet. lol.
There is one little hooked piece that came off the frame this month, due to a deadline. This is my favourite photo from our week at the rental cottage, which I hooked as an anniversary gift for our daughter and son-in-law. It is called "The Little Yellow Kayak" and is the first in a series of 8 x 10 photos of their family, interpreted in wool. So much fun to capture a moment in time. This is all hooked in Briggs & Little Heritage yarn, except for the skin tones.
Will get back to hooking after my next check up on the 20th. One of the things you aren't supposed to do for a while after cataract surgery is bend at the waist. Since I am always looking for something on a shelf, or picking up something I have dropped, I will just take a break for a bit.
Thanks for checking in.
