Well it certainly was a busy week indeed.  My mom and sister were headed over as my mom was undergoing a medical procedure so I took a day off and headed into PDX to spend the night.  We had a nice time but my mom did end back up in the hospital due to some issues.  This aging is just not a good thing; but as my dad always said the alternative is worse.  But it is heartbreaking to watch my mom who has always been so busy, energetic, and full of life have her life quality diminish so greatly due to the natural aging process.  And dealing with chronic pain in old age is just the limit!  But we enjoyed the moments we had.

While there we did enjoy eating out several times.  I had never been to a Cracker Barrel and since one was nearby we decided it was just the place to eat.  I loved the alacart menu and the fact that fresh steamed veggies were on the menu!  It is a very charming place, indeed, with the cutest every gift shop.

I did take my knitting and completed my July socks.  These were an easy and fast knit as this yarn is closer to a sport weight than a sock weight.

I have been in a knitting slump and going back and forth on what to cast on.  When I came across this picture of Helen Stewart’s Amulet Shawl I knew I had to cast on.  This will be the second Amulet I have knitted.  It is a quick and intuitive shawl pattern and like all Helen’s patterns the directions are so easy to understand and follow.

The blue is from a sock blank I was going to just dump as it was a fail.  The multi is one that was dyed by my daughter Erica.  It is a bit bright but I love the pops of green through out.  I did start it but was off a count as was not paying attention so will frog back and restart.

I am still working away every month on my box o sock kal and just turned the heel on my first sock of my August pair.  I am not sure if I love this yarn or hate it.  It was a skein that I had lying around and decided that it was time to use it or purge it.

Knitting a pair of socks a month has been fun but with my slump it is now a challenge.  I hope I can preserver and complete the next 4 and half pair.  But even if I don’t even 8 is quite the accomplishment from a person who was lucky to complete a pair a year!

Becca also shared with me her first completed sock from the eco-dyed sock blank I sent her.  I really love how it looks!

A rather irritating issue for me has been a continual weight gain.  Since beginning my PhD, I have become much more cognizant of the impact of unhealthy habits and carrying excess weight.  Slowly but steadily since the lovely menopause event, the weight has crept up and in the past 5 years since moving here it has exploded.  I am no longer as active as I have always been, add a desk job, and eating sugar and refined flours and well its not a pretty picture.  I had been seeing more and more people sharing results of Bright Line Eating and decided what the heck, I have nothing to lose and order the book.  I gotta say it is amazing.  The author goes into the science of how our brains operate on food and on the wrong foods in particular.  The plan is easy and accommodates my vegan lifestyle.  I have been on it a week and already I have had a loss of cravings and feel much better.  I never focus on weight but instead on how I feel and then just let my clothes become loose until I am down a size.  My biggest challenge has been getting in any sort of exercise.  But since my hubby has managed to get on day shift we are once again taking our nightly walks.  It is so fun to explore all the neighborhoods and the doggies just love it!  In fact we discovered yet another little sweet green space tucked into the neighborhood just around the corner.

In my own little green space my raspberries have been doing well and providing me berries for my daily morning oatmeal.  I finally got around to getting the four lavender plants, that I purchased numerous weeks ago, into the ground.  Lavender is so easy to grow and provides both beauty and fragrance so it is a good choice for flower beds.

I did venture out to some yard sales this week as well but only found a few items.  It seemed to be the week for mucking boots and I grabbed two pair for the grands along with some leather working gloves.  One pair of boots was the Muck brand and at $3 they were an absolute steal.  I also found a pot, some candles and assorted other brick a brack.  I only went out one day this week.  I find that as the summer begins to heat up, yard sales begin to lose some of their appeal as I would rather stay inside and potter about.

I did get some fun mail this week however.  I have really been ramping up my usage of essential oils and just happened to have a peer in my course this term that is doing serious study on the medicinal use of oils.  She recommended this book:

It is like a text book and so full of amazing information!  I love that the science behind the use of each oils is included and explored.

The bracelet that my sis Anna sent me has been getting non stop usage.  I wear it daily and my favorite scent right now is the YL stress away.  I also diffuse it at work as well.  I think there is great value in utilizing alternative and complementary medicines (Obviously as my PhD is in Mind Body Medicine).  In addition to the bracelet, I found this lava stone necklace.

I am sensitive to scents and odors and rarely would ever find a perfume that I could tolerate.  I have found with oils they are less over powering and, well, less abrasive to my olfactory system.  But again I am very particular about the scents I will surround myself with.

I have once again been stalking the IG destash and finding a few goodies here and there. These are my latest treasures.

I am forever a sucker for anything Halloween.  And the others are bits and bobs of groups I have been slowly collecting.  One of these days I will get back to all my quilt and doll making.  And won’t I be ready?!

I do have some big news that I will know more about tomorrow and will share in the next blog.  Until then,

Blissfully,

Patricia