Florida – The Sick Chick's Constantly Crafty

Back in the world

I have a computer with all of my stuff on it. Admittedly, it’s still not MY computer, but that’s because we had to leave for Florida before mine came back from the shop. We’re still in Florida, we still don’t know when or how they are going to transfer my dad (who is back in the hospital after being so miserable he couldn’t take it anymore) or even where to.

I do plan to start posting and reading blogs again but I am taking today off to rest as I’ve been pushing it too hard for the past week and my body is not coping well. But hopefully from tomorrow we’ll be able to settle into a new routine for a while, until they medivac him either to Georgia or (ideally) directly to North Carolina. Then we’ll be driving back pulling a trailer with all of the stuff he has accumulated in the past seven months and will if all goes well be back in NC by the end of next week. Fingers crossed!

I haven’t done much crafting while we’ve been away but we have found some really nice shops that I plan to write about tomorrow. Until then, I have a lot of CraftTVWeekly.com to catch up on!

Update

My computer is still dead, the hard drive died entirely and after almost two weeks of trying to get life of it (and luckily getting all the data) I had to admit defeat and take it to get a replacement. It should be fixed sometime this week.

Meanwhile, my father is back in the hospital but still in Tampa, Florida. They can’t figure out how to physically transport him without risk. So Friday (or possibly earlier if he gets worse), Mom and I will drive the lengthy route down there and if we’re lucky be able to bring him back with us or at least take him to the next Army staging point which is one of their hospitals in Georgia. I will have my mom’s laptop with me but she has problems getting onto his internet down there so it may be dialup for us. (And anyway three of us in a STUDIO apartment up TWO flights of stairs — I can’t even bring my wheelchair as we’re all too crip to get it up and down the stairs — may drive us to murdering each other. At least we’re a stone’s throw from the beach!!)

So it may remain quiet around here for a while yet. Thankfully I have had a lot of crafting time and a 30+ hr round trip drive (maybe more if we have to detour to the other side of Georgia on the way back) will give me plenty of time to get my sock knitting going. If anyone reading this as Isela’s basic toe-up pattern (that you get with her sock looms) and knows how many stitches to cast on to start, I’d love to know — it looks like 18 but then peg 19 is supposed to have a loop on it already so I am confused. I’m going to have to keep going cuff-down until I figure that out.

And we’re not even going to talk about the mountain of crafting supplies I’ve bought since I have been here. My luggage is going to hate me!!

But enough of that, I have my diabetes classes this week so have to be up bright and cheery, plus the CFS/Fibro self-help course starts tomorrow too, so I need my beauty sleep!

I haven’t read blogs since I got to the US but I hope everyone and all their loved ones are healthy and happy. Best wishes to you and yours.

Getting Ready!

My walk is tomorrow! Please consider donating! I lied about wearing my sequinny All-Stars, it’s a bit too hot and t managed to fix my broken Z-Coils (sandals with springs in the heel, much easier on the back) so that’s the plan.

I’ve started making thank-you cards. Not quite satisfied with the design yet but I’m still working on it.

I’m also starting to make my packing list for my trip. I’m trying to be minimal about what craft supplies I take — tools only — but when dealing with things like hand carders and jewelry pliers it’s starting to stack up :/ I need to be less than one suitcase on the way over and will bring three home but one of those will be mostly magazines and the two small quilts we plan to make, plus I’m stocking up on pillows as I can’t get the ones I like over here. I vacuum seal them but it’s still a lot of bulk.

Homestead Wool and Gift Farm got another batch of new fibers today so I finally placed an order. Several pounds of fiber, about half raw and the other half roving. That should keep me for most of the summer for spinning and felting, I don’t know when I will find time to dye, quilt and embroider! My beading stuff is mostly going over to do the annual repairs on mom’s substantial collection, including re-knotting all of the pearls this year.

But I’m worried that we may spend a few weeks in Florida in the hospital if my dad doesn’t get better. He has a mass that is squashing his intestines that they don’t know what it is yet. I think it’s a hematoma like Helen has, but there’s a chance it may be cancerous 🙁 Anyway I may also be stranded in NC when I first arrive as Mom may be down in Florida with Daddy. (Remember he’s only in Florida because of the Army, he’s due to retire any day now but they are keeping him down in Florida until this health crisis is over which may be many more months. So Mom goes to visit as much as she can.) So I need a lot to keep me busy as my looms may not be in by then!

I also have a ton of beading work to do for her before I go. I don’t want to take beads over if I can help it, so all of the stuff I have bought to make things for her needs to get done next week, ideally.

Plus I have two swaps to do (already started on both but need to finish) and two care packages to send out (Project Superstar and Purlpower).

So I am a very busy bunny the next few weeks! But unfortunately my body has other ideas and is making me rest a lot so I’m just going to have to prioritize. But just right now I have cards to make and emails that need writing, so I’d better be off!

I’ll leave you with a picture of some of the fiber I have ordered, a beautiful white baby alpaca…I bought a pound but there is still more for others!