My class yesterday for a private group of friends was fun, it was a delightful group of amazingly skilled knitters, and I’m so grateful to St. Luke’s Episcopalian for hosting us – thank you for your gracious hospitality!
I hadn’t taught since November, and as usual when I have a 2 month break I felt a little rusty – but I do think it was an okay class. I wish it had been better. I always do.
I’m also very grateful to Sheila for arranging the whole thing, it was a lovely afternoon and it worked out beautifully with Gerry’s appts today. Thank you, Sheila!
While I taught, Gerry and the kids dropped off Atticus at a doggie day care place that boards and also grooms happy puppies – a triple threat!
The family checked into the Staybridge Suites, where we stayed during our time at Mayo last year, and came back at 3:30 to pick me up at St. Lukes. Gerry kept eyeing the carrot cake, so I just came right out and asked if we could bring the last few slices home for him. I have no shame where baked goods are concerned.
Gerry loves few things as much as he loves Carrot Cake. One layer of our wedding cake was carrot – the other layer was hazelnut with chocolate filling. Unusual, yes. But it offered varity for our guests. It was made most lovingly for us by our neighbor, Margaret Palca, sister of Joe Palca (NPR Science Correspondent) And thus our NPR courtship had an appropriate NPR wedding day tie-in!
After class was over we packed up the car and on the way to the hotel we happened to drive past a bowling alley. On a whim we stopped and bowled a game with the kids. It was fun – Gerry won! An unexpected 10 frames of joy for the kiddies!
Dinner was excellent, but we all collapsed back at the hotel and longed for sleep. Unfortunately there was a marathon of Mystery Diagnosis on TLC, and Gerry, Hannah and I stayed awake WAY to long watching vignettes of mis-diagnosed near-tragedies. We are masochists. Max slept. He’s the wise one.
MONDAY
This morning the day started as so many days do, with the ritualistic dropping off of the full day’s collection of pee (Gotta love those kidney function tests! THIS is the exciting part of sickness, folks!) and some blood tests for Gerry.
While Gerry had blood drawn in tiny amounts, I went to the blood center and gave a pint. It’s always one-upsmanship with us.
It was good for the kids to see the whole Mayo routine, to see what dad has to do every time we go down, and I think it’s also good for them to see me giving blood. It was my 5th time giving at the Mayo, I got a T-shirt today. Yay!
The numbers at Mayo were very good, we’re very happy!
In addition to the regular docs (Hi Dr. H!) We also saw a new doctor about Gerry’s continuing back pain, and more physical therapy (up here in St. Paul) will be forthcoming. Very kind things were said about Knit With Courage (I’d left copies at Gerry’s last visit) and one of the docs wants to try to get it in the Mayo bookshop – yay!
We have to deal with our impending loss of health insurance (we’re due to lose it in June) so there’s our Spring Project all laid out for us.
We’re so grateful that we’ve had good, union insurance up to now – we know that many folks don’t. And I’m just tired enough to feel pissy that we have to feel grateful to have what should be a right. But I am grateful. Thank you Local #1.
We took the kids to our favorite Greek diner West of the Hudson, Mac’s in Rochester. Gerry had a Gyro and I had spanakopida, the kids had various chicken things. YUM! Gerry looked up at me and grinned at one point and said, “Tastes just like New York!”
After Gerry’s last medical appointment we picked up Atticus, the snow was falling thick and fast and I was half afraid I wouldn’t make it up the hill to the Bear Creek Kennel.
He was happy, clean and well groomed (Atticus, not Gerry). I don’t think he had as much fun as the kids did in the pool at the hotel this morning, but he certainly didn’t have a bad time! The dogs out in the yard looked sad to see him go.
The drive home was insane.
It wasn’t the amount of snow, although they kept saying, “Blizzard conditions!” on the radio. It was the blowing of the snow – it swirled and drifted and flew across the road so violently I swear it felt like I was driving on clouds. Slippery clouds. It was several hours of white knuckle, white snow, white dotted line driving – I’ve seldom been so happy to see the St. Paul city limits road sign.
But now we’re home, the car’s in the garage and the kids are doing homework. Even though it’s only 8:00, I’m off to bed. Those late night Mystery Diagnosis session really take it out of me.
I did a lot of crocheting today at Mayo (I have a skirt due for IK Crochet) and I also did a lot of thinking (mostly mental prep for TNNA later this week…) I’m worn out.
Maybe I’ll play some iPod Touch scrabble as I drift off to sleep? It’s my new obsession, and I’m not ashamed to say it!
Shannon Okey has asked me to mention a poll she has on her blog, with chances to win patterns! She’s so much more generous than I am – now I have to think of something all clever to give patterns away.
Scrabble’s making me more competitive.