Getting Things Sorted

Last Thursday, the Fedex guy arrived on our doorstep with a plain brown paper wrapped box and inside was this box.   Isn't it beautiful?   😁

It has my new baby... my new interface or brain for the Megado loom.  I watched it travel across Canada for a week and arrive a day late. Thankfully I didn't have to wait out the long weekend and quite honestly, my hat is off to the delivery guy as the address was wrong!  He decided to go with the postal code.    Smart man!














We got it open and wiped it down and found there was no manual or instruction sheet inside.    The manual I have on hand was for the old dobby technology.... and the online instructions are for the new wifi enabled dobby 2.0 but I managed to get it set up okay and running within 30 minutes.   Yes, we're back in business again!

Lets take a minute to say our good byes to the old dobby.   I gave it to Bruce and he took it out the garage and promptly took it apart.  I walked by the box and saw this sad sight:

It really does look like old technology compared to new computers today. (Not that I open them up or anything like that!)  The outer box was beautiful solid beech wood which he might reassemble and do something with.  A bird house?     The 'okay' sticker  in the photo is from 2013-2014 when it was sent out for some repairs and a tune up.   A $700.00 'tune -up'   😳.   Back in 2000-2002 when this was new and just starting its weaving career, this jumble of parts was worth $2500.00 to buy complete and running.   Looks rather sad now doesn't it?

Meanwhile, here are some pictures of the new dobby interface installed and working:

It has a black metal box which does the job..... but I do miss the wooden one. It blended in nicely and didn't look so 'borg' like.  (Trekkies will understand this reference)

The solenoids fire with some punch to them and are louder as a result. I might wear ear plugs; I'll have to see how I feel about that. I might just get used to it.....  or play my music louder!

The black seat cushion is something new I ordered on line and received just before our isolation period began. Its a gel cushion and quite comfy.   Its not shaped for the bench (not many would be!) but the over hang does help with the edge of the bench cutting into the back of my legs and my 'bum bones' don't hurt now.

So now that we're weaving again, I'm using an 8/2 bamboo in white and weaving a runner which will be as long as what ever warp is left on the back beam.  I'm going to fringe it.   I reckon there's at least one or two towels worth of warp so that's 68 inches +/-    It will be a surprise!

On a more personal note.....

My husband Bruce is having emergency surgery this afternoon. He has a large obstructing kidney stone and he is in danger of his kidney function being so reduced that the organ will fail.  He's in the hospital now and in good hands. He's in a hospital in another community so there's a long drive.  The hard part is not being able to be with him during this pandemic time.

I'm missing my best friend.

Edit:  as of April 19th:  Bruce spent 5 days in hospital and was released to come home on oral antibiotics. In 2 weeks time they will go in and get the big stone, and so we anticipate another hospital stay.  Even in strange times as these, life situations continue.

Please stay home and stay safe.... we had a first hand look at what is going on inside our hospitals and the staff need us all to hold the line.

 🌎  🌍  🌏

Our Best Friend

We have an Airedale terrier named Calli and I have spoken of her here on my blog a few times before.  She has a sweet temperament and even at seven years old, she still has a puppy like attitude.
Her vet sent us a reminder to get her booster shots and kennel cough vaccine done.  I booked an appointment and she went in for a check up.

She had been experiencing some issues to do with her skin and coat but since Airedales are known for this, we figured it was breed specific.  A test or two later, some talk about her food intake and daily habits and we believe she has Cushing's Disease.   No real need to treat her for it but she will be on a low calorie diet from now on.

A lump was more of a concern and after extracting some suspicious cells via a fine needle, it was decided to remove the lump and send away for full report.  So this past Thursday, Calli had surgery to remove the lump. Seems it was growing more inwardly than out so it was a larger mass than first thought.

She was very woozy and obviously sore when we brought her home that night. We gave her the pain meds and she stood for an hour or so until she was comfortable enough to lie down.    Both Hubby and I were up several times to check o her and she slept well from what we could see.   The next morning, she got up and walked like nothing had happened!    Dogs are amazing really...

Oh, she's napping more and for longer but she is back to her old self and wants to run and play.  That would be a big NO and so we have to keep things low key and encourage rest, with small walks on a leash.

The other big thing is no nipping at the drainage tube and leave the darn stitches alone!  She does not deal well with the plastic cones and generally bashes everything in sight trying to get rid of it. We opted for a onesie outfit.   Cotton with a touch of lycra, its a modern fashion statement for dogs!

After finding that she got her big nose and teeth in and under the leg opening and nipped off her drainage tube, we had to opt for an additional barrier.    This picture shows two nighties "MacGYver'd" (the art of fashioning a quick fix based on what is to hand, as shown in the TV series MacGyver.  The name of the show is now a verb!) on either end and cinched off while her onesie was being washed.    Now with the drain tubes removed we use the onesie by day and an extra nightie on her back end by night.

Classy huh? Hard to get a sneaky snout back there now!

Its going to be a long ten days to two weeks before the stitches come out!

We should have the pathology report by mid to late next week. *fingers crossed*

Edit August 1st, 2017:

We are feeling happy and much relieved! Phone call just came in from our vet: Pathology report has confirmed it was “stage one soft tissue carcinoma” but there are clear margins…. meaning they are happy they got it all. (15% chance of reoccurrence.) Now Calli must have check ups every 6 months over the usual annual visit. Big sigh of relief! Calli showed no signs that the tumour bothered hurt her. It was found by us as we brush and groom her... bathe her. We showed it to the vet and it was dealt with. So, handle your dog and cat often and get familiar with their normal bodies. It could save their life!

Lots of Miles In...

Since I last posted on November 2nd, or two weeks ago, I have put on many miles on but few of them on my loom unfortunately.    This getting ready for an operation is crazy busy!  Since I last wrote I have seen:

• my surgeon (who gave me x-rays to do.)
• an internist (who gave me blood tests to do.)
• had a four hour education class on joint replacements (who gave me more blood tests to do...)
• had special 'templating' x-ray and (surprise!)  various blood tests.
• visited the Red Cross loans to work out what I will need at home post surgery.
• and had a consult with an Anaesthetist, (who scared the crap out of me.)

I also fit into the schedule:

• a movie with a friend and hubby ("Fury" with Brad Pitt.... which made "Saving Private Ryan" look like a pleasant walk in the countryside. )
• a pedicure (no nasty feet!)
• had a dinner out with friends for their anniversary early.
• got all my Christmas cards done, several letters and all the Christmas shopping done, which was simplified this year by using gift cards.

I found out that I will have yet more tests to do later this week and I also have a date with the hairdresser (got to look good... and who knows when I can go again!)

So weaving seems to have take a back seat lately. Its unlikely that the new scarves I put on will get done as its rather fine weaving and it takes a lot to make an inch.   I have started making a list of things to do post recovery:

• read all the Handwoven's from the last six months
• read all the Complex Weavers Journals
• read my Vav magazines
•  arranged for some easy knitting to do for winter lace scarves and also miniature beaded bags.
• have my inkle looms loaded and ready to weave
• Fiberworks is warming up on the laptop for some design work
• and I have Netflix  on stand by and two full seasons of HBO's Rome to watch again. 

But the reality will be:

• many physio appointments and exercising.
• more Doctor visits.
• another x-ray or three (blood samples too I suspect.)
• waiting for the staples to come out for a nice full shower!
• some reading, a movie or three .....and some napping.

I did weave a bit (sleep is overrated by the way...)  and I changed the weft yarn to a black fine 30/2 silk and I like it better. There is more pattern definition.  So now its just a matter of sitting down for short periods and getting some inches done and chip away at it.   Meanwhile I'm trying to think of what weft and colour to use on the second scarf. I think I will dig deep into the stash and see what I can find.   When I have some free time!

As you can see there is better definition of the 'boxes'  and I think the subtle colour changes in the warp help. Its not a difficult twill run but it does challenge my cranky hip on one side and a bum knee on the other, so I take it slow.   But I'm weaving!

The coming week has:  an eye specialist visit, a visit to the family doctor to discuss anaesthesia , a hair appointment,  some shopping for more comfy clothes, and a visit to the Red Cross loans. Oh, yeah... more blood tests and another x-ray.   After that, time will be running short!

Trials and Tribulations

Well, I did warn you some time ago that there will come a day when the medical stuff going on in my life will start to really squeeze out the weaving part.... and its beginning...

In the last month I have had three dental appointments, and seen my family doctor twice, my rheumatologist once and recently my surgeon again. Its been a very busy time and will be ongoing for  awhile.

I had a three hour root canal this past Tuesday and I'm still in the recovery phase and not chewing on that side of my face.   I'm a "white knuckle flyer" in the chair and on the day, so  I took some ativan and brought my iPod along.   I plugged in my ear phones and listened to some favourite music... loudly.... and just lay still. I reckoned the orthodontist could do a faster job if I kept quiet.... and I did a good job of it.  I even started to fall asleep once!  They got it all done and even a permanent filling in place, so no return visit or two.  (We won't talk about the two crowns I need now....)

Then two days later I saw my surgeon for an important appointment.  Bruce came in with me and we had a discussion about my two cranky joints and which goes first.  They are both equally painful now and both need medical intervention and it was decided to go with replacing my right hip as its a major weight bearing joint and the left knee will be next year, approximately June to August possibly.

I've been down this road before as I had my left hip replaced in 2001 and so know full well what is ahead and we have been busy getting ready. There are a lot of helpful aides that you need to set up: raised toilet seat, walkers, a reacher, crutches, a cushion to raise your spot on the coach or chair, and a bath bench.   You need comfy clothes for coming home in,  and going to rehab. We have been ticking off things on the list. Why the hurry?   Well, they have moved my surgery up to December 4th and that's not all that far away.  

So add in getting Christmas done early (such as it will be) and there is an air of urgency !

Coming up this week is yet another Doctor visit and a three hour education class at the Joint Replacement Clinic.  It doesn't leave much time for weaving and quite frankly, sometimes I just sit and read a book to take my mind off everything.  Between the knee and hip and dealing with pain.... and some time down the road, there will even be a foot surgery, it can all get a bit much to deal with.   Weaving keeps me sane and is my "carrot" to dangle at the end of all this!

If you made it to here, then you deserve some fibre content!    I've been playing around with my Fireworks program and came up with this: (click to enlarge)

I saw in my mind's eye,  scarves in three types of fine silks: silk yak blend is the grey, silk and camel is the gold, and 30/2  bombyx silk is the cream, with a sett of 36 epi.  Soft natural colours.

Its tough for me to stand in one spot for too long so winding the warp took time, especially  with all the colour changes!  I did bits and pieces as I could and Bruce helped me wind the warp on. 

Today,  I worked the new tie up with the loom up on her crates and made a start!

The two stick start means you get busy right away.

This is a close up of the sample for my records.

I laced on to reduce loom waste... it is silk after all! I plan to weave one scarf like the sample with all yak silk weft, and then maybe try my silk plaid arrangement for the second?  Or find another weft yarn?  I'm just happy that the loom is back in action and I can sit and weave when time allows!

Bruce took the pictures of the Japanese maple today while the sun shone. This magic colour is such a brief period in time and I wait all year for it!

Here's one that I took a few years ago and the leaves seem to  float by themselves in the air!