Darn that blogging challenge

I have nothing to say to day, but if I don't write something this may be the end of my streak. So, here I am, saying that I have nothing to say.

My blog keeps me from blogging

There is probably one single factor that interferes most with getting a post in. That factor is...my blogger's dashboard. My dashboard is wonderful. It has the approximately half dozen blogs that I follow all in a tidy accessible area as well as a listing of recent posts from all of them. Thus, whenever I open my blog I am immediately welcomed into a fascinating world of other people's blog posts. Their commenters are generally great as well and that naturally doubles the time of reading. In fact, for the several months in which I never posted I was still accessing my blog every day. To read other peoples posts. Endlessly. And check for comments. Many times a day. Somehow I never quite found the time to actually write anything myself. It was only with the group challenge that I decided to write about whatever I thought and not worry about how bored a potential reader might be. Upside, I have written for four days straight. Downside, at this quality of writing I'll be lucky if I can even get my family to read. Oh well, I guess what's never writ is never read and this way there's at least something for some brave soul to try to wade through.

Old friends and security blankets

The bamboo fiber I've been spinning has taken me a month or more to finish the four ounces. Even though I love the colors and think I'll really enjoy knitting the project I have planned for it I haven't particularly liked the spinning process. My plan was to put the wheel up once I finished but as I was winding the yarn off I realized that I just can't put it away for what would most likely be several months. Part of it is that I need a low-manual-dexterity activity to offset all the moving stuff I need to do to get the house ready. The other part is that with so much either undecided or completely out of our control I need something familiar and soothing to offset. I hadn't really thought about it before but it's possible that my wheel is my oldest possession. I know that I have several small gifts from childhood but I'm pretty sure that the wheel is the oldest item that I chose and purchased myself.

two blogs and weird games

Just discovered the problem with having a second, unrelated blog. Had a lovely post going about my new toy, the MMORPG Chore Wars and my plans to get the kids signed up tomorrow, when I realized I was on the wrong blog! I suppose I should be glad I hadn't hit "publish" yet. Anyway, I'm still hoping to talk My Beloved into joining as well since he does a fair number of the chores around here.

Writting Challenge

A member of one of the Ravelry groups I belong to challenged everyone in the group with a blog to write every day in March. As I rarely check that group, this is the first day I read the challenge. Oddly enough, the reason I haven't been writing isn't that I have had nothing to say. In fact, I have written several posts in my head. I just never got around to putting them on paper, or computer as the case may be.

One of the ideas for starting a post was titled "Blog the Mundane" with the suggestion to blog about something simple like a picture of oneself in ones favorite writing position. The example was, "do you like to blog with your feet up on your desk?" Since there was no picture, I have to admit that I can't imagine using a computer with my feet on the desk. Although, to be sure, that may simply show a lack of mental flexibility that mirrors my decided lack of physical flexibility.

As for my mundane, let's see...The weather was dry and warm, I pulled four bags of weeds in the front flower bed and didn't paint the new supports in the little girls' closet. I put that off for tomorrow and you can't get much more mundane than that.

Catching up

I noticed that I had a lot of catching up to do from my former posts so here goes.

The commissioned shawl was finished in about a month, blocked quite nicely, payed for promptly, and (I assume) shipped to it's intended owner.

Along with the new windows we now have new paint, and I no longer feel ill every time I see it. Let's just say I learned my lesson about the need to take paint samples outside before choosing colors. I still like the color as it looks inside the garage, but it's a whole lot brighter outside. Fortunately, my husband doesn't hate it. He says it looks cheerful, especially on cloudy days when everyone elses' looks gloomy. Almost makes me wish for more gloomy days here in old CO. Almost, but not quite.

My sister loves her blanket. The colors are perfect, it's soft, wonderful, etc. There's just one tiny problem. Weaving a plaid means lots and lots of ends, all of which are trying to work their way loose again. Need to check w/tri-loom group see if they have any ideas to stop the lil buggers.

Who knew there was such a thing as a "little" cancer

So. Exactly a week from today my husband will be going into surgery to, hopefully, remove the last traces of cancer from his non-smoking, non-drinking, 34 year-old self. It's a small surgery thankfully, only a slice about the size of a finger taken from his tongue. Amazingly enough, this is a huge improvement over the original estimate of half to a third of the entire tongue.

I have written many posts in my head since the beginning of November when the GP suggested he see a specialist for a sore spot that hadn't healed in several months. Posts about the difference between theory and reality when it comes to not freaking out until the tests are actually run. Posts about trying to tell children about their daddy having cancer,even a little, in words they understand but won't freak them out when all the adults are feeling shocked. Posts about how very glad I am that the man I love didn't wait the year or more that is usual before people seek help for such minor-seeming problems. I just never seemed to find the words to fill an entire post. Or perhaps more accurately, there were too many words and no order to them.

My husband has probably handled things better than I have. He has not only gone about his work as usual, but has also made sure that all the insurance stuff is taken care of. He has spent hours on the phone to make sure everything is in order, and in network. I am in awe of the way he has cared for us while dealing with his own fear and pain.

The prognosis is good and we are very hopeful that recovery will be quick. We also hope to never forget the closeness the threat of loss has brought us. A closeness we may well never have realized without that threat.