Holiday Neck Jewelry for Diana
“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” – Flora Whittmore
I haven’t had much to espouse about on the MM front, though that is not to say that a lot doesn’t continue to happen – good and bad.
I enjoyed Sean Murray’s recent posting at The Beacon. Just to validate his Yellow Beatle scenario, my next door neighbor told me last year that a childhood friend of hers from Utah has MM, 30-ish. Then this morning my other neighbor on the court told me that her relative’s, relative’s, stepfather has MM, 60-ish. It sure doesn’t make you feel like its such a rare disease when you enter into the vortex of Myelomaville.
Vortex!
It’s almost as if we are standing at a small gathering at a cocktail party or a BBQ, where we can see and hear the sliding glass door open and close onto the patio. We’re all standing around having a drink and casual conversation with some serious conversations smattered about. Little groups mingling with the grill smokin, the coolers laid out with all manner of something to drink, kids splashing around in the backyard with the dogs barking. Each time the door opens we all look to see who it is coming through the door, like a well choreographed dance, the heads all turn slightly. Someone we know or someone new? Pretty soon we’ll get cited for too many people on the deck because we are exceeding the load limits. Some of us feel that we are already there.
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So my weaving is getting a new spurt of life again now that things have settled down a bit. This afternoon I met with my friend Dena to go over my Business Plan. She has an exterior eye and was extremely helpful. When I suggested I needed to get my inventory going she said, “Nope! That’s not the priority, you need to get the structure of your business in because we already know you don’t have a ‘sales’ problem!” haha I guess it’s a matter of point of view. I’m stressing out because I would like to have a small stack at least for a small show to sell, and she’s like, well you could do more if your office/studio was in better order. Both are correct. But it’s fun to have someone who is interested and somewhat vested in my success who has a good deal going on herself as a reseller of the Ashford Knitter’s Loom. It was very helpful.
Wednesday, Kathi and I buzzed over to Dixon for a Weaving Workshop at Meridian Jacobs (Robyn Lynde’s group). We’ve been meaning to do this for a while. Its a regular thing she offers and weavers show up and mingle and show their projects, talk about trials, tribulations, successes and their next projects. All the while getting expert advice, assistance, and so on. It was like a ‘re-charge’. Terrific. They’re all on their big looms and I’m still happily fussing around with my little Knitter’s Loom, but they were duly impressed, which was gratifying.
We had a lovely time with Montana’s visit and it was just perfect.
We finally met with our local oncologist after being in Little Rock! Dave was traveling, I was traveling and we just didn’t have the time to make the time! We continue to be quite cavalier I must say. We really do have to strike a better balance. Anyway, all is good and we met the new APN in the office who was delightful and she was very helpful in finally getting our blood/urine stuff to Arkansas each month! Gosh! Well, we’ll see if we pull it off.
"Pee Pod" - Karen (a regular reader) Great Name Karen!
Bonnie and Bob (MM guy) sent me a Revlimid bag to hold the urine jug! Fabulous. Dave has support in so many far away places, he has no idea! Come on Dave! We are all hoping that you will pee in the jug AND get your blood drawn! Once a month, for goodness sake!
One of the dilemmas for him has been he needs to collect the urine on a Sunday (because he doesn’t want to do it at work) and then get his blood drawn on a Monday morning so we can send it all out together. But Monday’s are his all day telephone meetings with the east coast. All he has to do is walk across the parking lot to the lab in Elk Grove, but he just can’t seem to do it and I’m tired of arguing with him about it. Anyway, we got a new solution and Bob offered to get him a bag that would disguise the jug so he could do it at work on a better day, if that would help. I don’t know… shall we take bets on whether he can come up with another excuse? Of course he can, but I don’t think he will. I think it will work out now. (Think positive Lori!) The APN was duly concerned that he was not doing this very important test. She was quite knowledgeable about MM, which was refreshing!
Oh!!! Big news! Our oncology office will be getting a Little Rock MIRT doc! Woohoo! We can’t wait. We have known about this for awhile but heard in the office that he will be arriving in a couple of weeks to start. This is great for us. We will probably get handed off to him and we couldn’t be happier about that.
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I finished a commissioned scarf for Diana. She provided the yarn. She is a beautiful knitter and has been watching me make my scarves at the yarn shop for awhile now. So we struck a nice little deal and per her instructions I provided a very sparkly red scarf with gold sparkly ribbon and then I begged to add just a touch of black. The pics as usual, don’t do it justice, but it is definitely BLING! I could see wearing during the holidays to a party no problem. She likes her scarves extra long, so it’s about 70″ not counting the fringe. It was fun and interesting to work with.
Montana lectured both of us on our exercise. It was cute. I was sitting there smugly while she was giving it to Dave when she smiled and turned on me! haha Rightly so! I need to as well. Along with everything else! Sigh…
But I’ve managed to stay on task since she left to get something in everyday. Getting Kippers out for a morning walk more regularly is the first order of business. He is much happier and it gets me moving. I have to do it early before it gets hot. I think he and Montana had a meeting and he laid out his grievances.
I bought some yarn while at Robyn’s – fleece from her sheep. All natural colors, fresh from a mill in Utah. A rich cream, light lavender gray, med charcoal gray. I’m going to give a try at a houndstooth pattern with the cream and charcoal and see how it runs. It’s amazing how it looks and feels. It’s not scratchy or itchy. Isn’t it weird how different wools can feel soft or wirery? Anyway, wish me luck on that. It will be a bit of the classic style. Or so that’s the basic hope anyway!
Turquoise Twisted Rayon with Metallic Rayon Accents - Definitely click to enlarge this one. It's really pretty!
The turquoise twisted rayon is a commission and I saw the beautiful hand painted Blue Heron metallic rayon and had to grab it for some accents. I’m excited to see how it goes. This will be a new venture in that I intend to do two on the loom instead of one at a time. So one is sold and one will be available for someone else. I’m working out the details to get the yarn yardage sorted out and be able to effectively get it onto the loom. I have to change a few things to make that work. Should be fun.
Well I think that’s about it. I hope things are going well for you. Enjoy the summer. Stay cool!
Thanks you two!
Dave’s resistance to the ‘task’ is probably less about the ‘pod’ and more about not liking to admit to being ‘on maintenance,’ is my take on it. It might be helpful for him to address this head-on so that he can really look at why he is potentially sabotaging the schedule. Just an idea… and it might be best to bring this up with the new guy, so you don’t get labeled as being a member of the Pee Police!!!
Intending your summer continues to be filled with creative works!
hi lori, loved reading this post! i can “feel” and “hear” your excitement with all the creativity and plans for new weaving projects taking shape. and it’s wonderful that dave is doing so well, and your prospects of the new MD taking on his care must be so reassuring; and i bet the new “pee pod” (sooo discreet!) helps him get the job done and dear montana giving pep talks to dad and mom – it’s lovely to feel our children are looking out for us. and lovely, too, that kip gets that good morning walk. all in all, sounds like life is good. i am so happy for you all. warm hugs, karen