Humility, I have it

So, remember me bragging about being finished with Yule knitting? Yeah, so do I. Well I wasn't. Found that out last week. Slammed my way through a ____________ just in time to mail them out later today. Fortunately, it is a family tradition that gifts do not arrive on time.

Don't Ask

If one more clerk asks me if I had a nice Thanksgiving, I may scream. I slept on Thanksgiving Day. I worked the night before, and then again that night. My hospital decided to not serve the staff T-day dinner this year. So I did not have the traditional feast. I missed it, thank you very much. To make things worse, life got thrown in my face, so I forgot to make the pie I promised my hubby. Sorry, honey.

I then got on a plane after work Friday morning to go to Tucson for a baby shower on Saturday. I had not planned to go, but there I was. My sister flaked, she decided a few days before that she needed to go to Texas instead of the baby shower. It was a family shower. Apparently family does not trump her desires. She flaked, I rode in and helped with the shower.

It was a nice visit. We had fun. I spent time with my grandkids. Yep, all three. Okay, so two of them are in utero. I still got to see them, or at least their very pregnant mothers.
(That's Madelynn on the left, and Kayleb on the right. Oh, and their mothers S and Em, respectively)


There was the expectant father. So thrilled about being at a baby shower. The only guy there.


And time with Mister Perfect. (I don't care what anyone else calls him, grandsons are perfect).

Yes, I've been knitting. Not finished anything, but I have been knitting. Anyone know where to get another skein of Malabrigo sock in the colorway Abril? I don't think I have enough.

Home again, Home again, Jiggety Jog

okay, maybe not so much jogging. But I am home, RAI and it's accompanying isolation over. I get to sleep in my own bed with hubby tonight (had to sleep in the recliner the last two). I'm back on my meds. Slowly feeling better. Need to go shopping soon. Like this morning. We're out of everything, and I ate so much pasta with tomato sauce when I was LID that the thought of it now makes me queasy. I'm thinking chow mein, myself. We'll see.

Final scan is Monday morning. Right now, it all looks good. Real good. I'm happy.

The knitting has begun. I'm reduxing the Hecate stole from Badcat Designs into a cardigan. I'll post info and photos soon. I'm hoping to turn it into a how-to pattern. Wish me luck. In a couple of weeks, I can resume baby knitting. Can't risk and radiation for the little ones. Should be safe in two weeks.

Oh, and I need to be studying. PCCN in about a month. So if you don't hear much from me, it's because I'm brushing up on textbook nursing so I can pass this test. Again, wish me luck

Mayonaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee

Stolen from another site:

When things in your life seem Almost too much to handle, When 24 Hours in a day is not enough, Remember the mayonnaise jar And 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class And had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, He picked up a very large And empty mayonnaise jar And proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students If the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles And poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls. He then asked The students again If the jar was full.. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand And poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded With an unanimous "yes." The professor then produced Two cups of coffee from under the table And poured the entire contents Into the jar, effectively filling the Empty space between the sand. The students laughed. Now," said the professor, As the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that This jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - Family, children, health, Friends, and favorite passions -- Things that if everything else was lost And only they remained, Your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter Like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- The small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," He continued, "there is no room for The pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time And energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for The things that are Important to you. So... Pay attention to the things That are critical to your happiness. Play With your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time To clean the house And fix the disposal. "Take care of the golf balls first -- The things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand And inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked". It just goes to show you that no matter how full Your life may Seem, there's always room for A couple of cups of coffee with a friend." - author unknown, stolen from Ravelry

Are you sick of Thyca yet? I know I am

Quick update. I go in for RAI on Tuesday. Right now is am so hypothyroid that it is not even funny. Periorbital edema, myxedema, joint aches, muscle aches, asthma exacerbation, nausea, constipation, fatigue, malaise, depression, no interest in food/knitting/anything. Making breakfast knocks me down for an hour. Headaches, neck hurts. Tired all of the time. The end is in sight. But I'm supposed to work for the next 4 days. Send me energy please, I'm fresh out.

To Your Health!

Join us on a journey..... a journey of food and health. You control the pepper, you control the garlic.

Okay, hokey, but you get the idea. Life right now is tied up in food. Due to the RAI coming up in a couple of weeks, we are now officially on a low iodine diet (LID). Theory, starve any thyroid cells remaining in the body of iodine and make them crave it by not taking thyroid supplements. Take RAI, and the cells 'drink the koolaid'. Conclusion, irradication of all remaining thyroid cells in the body, thereby taking the cancer with them. Yippeeee!

Not as easy as it sounds. No-no's include iodized salt (read preprocessed foods), egg yolks, all dairy and dairy derived products, soy and soy derived products, seaweed and seaweed derived products, potatoe peels, certain beans, molasses. You get the idea. Grocery shopping sucks, meals must be planned, no fast food, no eating out, no quick lunches. Much whining has ensued, Bear has held up well. He's even joined the trip. We're learning about health, simplicity, and diet. We may keep this up after LID is over. It's actually been a nice change.

What do we eat? Humus, black beans, garbanzo beans, brown rice, and lots of veggies. I spend one day a week cooking to have the basics on hand for meals. Black beans and garbanzo beans are cooked, vacuum sealed and in the freezer, ready to use. Frozen corn and peas, fresh potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and onions on hand. Pasta on hand. Canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes in the pantry, all no salt. With these we can make curry, pasta dish, humus, vegtable soup, vegetable stew, and black bean salsa. Not too bad, huh? BTW, Frito-Lays says that their snack chips are made with non-iodized salt. Score!!

Thought I'd share my 30-minute curry recipe with you. It makes enough for 2 for 2 meals (YMMV).

30-minute Curry

ingredients:
rice
4 large red potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 package green peas, frozen
1 can no salt diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
4 cloves garlic
1 small red or yellow onion
1/2 package baby carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable stock in a jar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon plain salt
pepper to taste

Start rice in rice maker. In a wok, coat the bottom with olive oil, and over a medium heat sweat the garlic and onion until translucent. Add the vegetable stock and curry powder. Cook for a minute. Add the potatoes, and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes, juice and all. Add in the other ingredients. Add one can of water. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a fast simmer and let cook until the rice is done. It should thicken on it's own. If it does not, add one teaspoon of arrow root to 1/4 water and add to simmering mixture, stirring constantly until it is the thickness you want. Tweak the flavors as you see fit.

We cook our own garbanzos, to avoid the iodized salt, but you can use canned, just drain and rinse before adding to pot.


Humus

ingredients:
3 cups garbanzo beans
4 cloves garlic
lemon juice
1Tablespoon vegetable stock in a jar
pepper to taste
1Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon plain salt

In a food processor, combine the garbanzos, oil, spices, salt, stock and lemon juice. Begin to pulverize. It may stick to the sides, begin adding water a little bit at a time until the consistency you like is acheived. Takes a few minutes, but it is well worth the trouble. Again, canned beans may be used in place of fresh cooked.


Knitting is in progress, but it is mostly gift knitting right now, so I can't show you. Soon, soon.



Enjoy!!!

It's Here!!!!!

Now I just need tea, and a clean house, then I can open the box. Anyone else buying this line?