... you will be missed.

Two year's ago yesterday something tragic happened and this world lost three amazing people. A friend of mine, Jessica Schroeder was driving back to her home in Keller, Texas after visiting her family here in Denver for the holidays. In the car with her were her husband, Curt, her 10 year-old son, Wolfie, and her 1 year-old son, Augie. No one knows what happened for sure but the car they were in was hit by an 18 wheeler killing Jessica and Curt immediately. Wolfie died later at the hospital.

Fortunately, Augie survived the accident with hardly a scrape and lives with his loving family here in Colorado. While it would have been best for Augie to grow up with his mom, dad and brother there to teach him the ways of the world, he is so very lucky to be surrounded by people who care for him as much as his parents and brother did.

My heart goes out to Jess's family today. Chris and Dan, Jess's brothers, are two of the best people I've ever met. The don't deserve to deal with loss like this. But if anyone can get through it and be there for little Augie, it is this family.

Love to you all.











(above l to r: Chris & Dan Fitzgerald (Jess's Brother's), Jess, Wolfie, and in front little Augie)

...what's so special about New Year's Eve?

Really. I am serious. I'd like some answers to this question. Most of my New Year's Eve experiences have been close to awful. Maybe it is just me. Maybe I am the lone person who thinks that going out on New Year's Eve is totally bogus.

If you go out on New Year's Eve, you have to deal with insanely priced events and $10 drinks only to dodge and weave your way through obnoxious drunk assholes all night. When you're ready to go home on New Year's Eve you can't drive home even if you had one drink 3 hours earlier because the risk of getting pulled over is too damn high and the wait on cabs is usually terminal. Going to a party, or even over to a friend's house for dinner, poses the exact same transportation dilemma and means that you'll be trying not to get hit by drunk drivers the whole way home. If you choose to forgo the drive home and stay in a hotel, you spend all night wishing you were dead since you can't sleep through the nasty part of your drunkeness because the aforementioned drunk assholes are running up and down the halls, slamming doors and just in general being drunk assholes. Basically New Year's is good for one thing and one thing only. Kissing. If you're single and you're looking to get some action, then New Year's Eve is the ticket. Go to a party where you're surrounded by extremely hot members of the opposite sex and then weigh your options. Decide who will be the lucky devil that gets to welcome in the new year by kissing you. But if you're married like me, really what is the point of going out for New Year's. I can stay home, save roughly $200, get my kiss 3 hours early and be in bed before the evening news. Just like ever other night.

So again I ask, what is so special about New Year's Eve?

"...listen and watch before you ever open your mouth."

The Wichita Eagle did a story on my cousin, Retired Air Force Colonel Cathy Clothier. Please check it out. Cathy is one of the strongest people I think I've ever met in my life.

Cathy Clothier

BY MOLLY MCMILLIN

The Wichita Eagle

Cathy Clothier keeps an unusual memento in her new office at Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems in Wichita: red-glittered combat boots.

Clothier is the former commander of McConnell Air Force Base's 22nd Air Refueling Wing. She received the boots as a parting gift when she left McConnell for a yearlong position at the Pentagon.

"Just click your ruby red combat boots three times," and you can come home, Clothier was told.

And she has.

Clothier, 47, retired from the Air Force in August. Last month, she began work at Boeing Wichita as program manager for B-52 sustainment and modification.

In her position, she works with engineers dedicated to sustaining, modifying and upgrading the 50-year-old bombers. She directly oversees about 90 people.

It's a role that has a similar mission from her days flying a KC-135 refueling aircraft.

"I'm excited that I still play a role in supporting the warfighter," Clothier said.

Clothier grew up in Orange, Texas, before earning an engineering degree at the Air Force Academy.

In her career, Clothier has been assigned to McConnell three times, including her term as base commander.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, she has been deployed three times, spending time away from family on missions related to Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2006, she left Wichita for an assignment as the Air Force General Management Office in the Pentagon to serve as the human resources person for the general officer corp.

In her role there, Clothier stressed she was not involved with the Air Force's plan to replace its tanker fleet, nor does her job at Boeing involve KC-767 tankers.

Clothier knows what it's like to leave her three children while deployed. And rather than uproot them, they stayed in Wichita during the year she spent at the Pentagon.

Clothier flew home every two or three weeks to see them. She turned down an offer to stay another year in Washington.

"That isn't what I wanted," she said. "A lot of people can follow after me in the Air Force, but I'm their only mom."

You mentioned that the transition from the Air Force to civilian life hasn't been that difficult because the Air Force and Boeing have similar focuses.

"In the Air Force we were focused on mission accomplishment and in doing the job the nation asked us to do.

"At Boeing, we're focused on delivering a high-quality product on time at competitive prices so the warfighter... can do what the nation asked them to do. I'm still in the same chain, so to speak. I'm just wearing a different suit."

Boeing has several programs to modify the B-52s with new software and other upgrades.

" (That's) so it can use the new weapons that we have now, and it can use the weapons we develop in the future and transform it from what it is now to a multimission platform, especially as we go to a network- centric warfare."

You said you think Boeing will be involved with B-52 work for some time. Why?

"There's not a lot of surplus funds to bring on a new bomber, so we're going to be flying these B-52s for quite some time. So here at Boeing Wichita, we're going to be busy."

What do you think the biggest challenge will be in your job?

"I think our biggest challenge will be taking the wonderful creative ideas that our folks have here and showing... the government the capabilities we can provide the B-52. The challenge will be our Air Force having the amount of funds to say, 'Absolutely, yes, we need that capability."'

What is your management style?

"I'm very interactive. I prefer to talk to people than e-mail them or give them a phone call. I much prefer to sit down face to face."

On the board in your office, you've written the words, "hands, head and heart." What does that mean?

"In hands... people (must have) the technical expertise and the resources to do their job; that's the foundation.

" (With) head, I tell them to be creative.... I also want to grow them as leaders and managers. If they're creative, they'll come up with new capabilities.

"Last is heart. I tell them we're going to produce quality work... (and) I want them to have fun when they come to work."

Over the years, what has been the best piece of management advice you've ever received?

"My best piece of advice was listen and watch before you ever open your mouth."

... I'd like to say that ...

So I've been pretty remiss when it comes to updating the blog.

:: shamefully shakes head::

Sorry, I know, I've let my faithful four, count them FOUR, readers down. And what do I have to say for myself? Sadly, I have no excuse. I'd like to say that I was busy shopping for Christmas gifts or volunteering down at the Salvation Army. I'd like to say that I've been skiing up in Breckenridge with my husband or out every night dancing with my pals Mana and Megan. I'd like to say that I've been so busy living life to the fullest or giving to others that I have not had time to update my blog. I'd like to say all of these things and more. I'd like to say that...

But the truth comes down to this. My zombie-like, sleep-deprived, ultra PMSified (yes, that's a word, I declare it so) butt has been squarely planted on my couch for the past 3 days. I have been alternately participating in the following activities since Tuesday: sleeping, knitting, napping, eating chocolate, napping some more, playing with my new iPod, knitting a wee bit more, catching some zzzzs, popping advils like they are skittles, snoozing, reading US weekly, mumbling about all the stuff I need to get done, cuddling with the cats and more sleeping. However, this afternoon I broke the cycle (pun intended ... wait for it ...) and ventured out into the big, bad world with my husband to look for a stationary bike (okay, you can chuckle now)! We even consumed some food that came from somewhere besides the depths of our leftover-ridden refrigerator.

Samantha left for her dad's house on Wednesday. So I've had all of Wednesday and Thursday night plus two days to catch up on all the sleep I've missed from middle of the night blood sugar checks from the past 2 weeks. Turns out all I needed was some couch time. Some time to sit on the bench and let the second string take over for a few days. Of course, my version of letting the second string take over consists of spending all day worrying about severe hypos, impending stomach flu, unanswered blockage alarms with the inevitable raging ketones to follow and the never before seen (but often worried about) hypoglycemic seizure. Most of these mishaps (or worse depending upon which we're talking about) become no more than the tiniest of blips on my radar screen when Samantha is safe and sound in my care. But the second I have to just shut off the valve in my brain labeled "vigilance", the second I get a chance to breathe a sigh of relief and settle into my place on the bench while her dad takes over, the big giant switch in my brain labeled "abdication" switches on triggering the enormous set of cogs and wheels labeled "rumination" and the thoughts flood in. So, this whole process becomes quite exhausting, which then requires more couch time, leading to more quiet moments where I can fall victim, yet again, to the fear factory that has apparently taken up shop in my little noggin. Why am I rambling on about all of this now, might you ask? And what on earth does all of this have to do with a stationary bike or for that matter the Salvation Army? More than you could ever know.

What my body and brain needed these past days were two very different things. My body needed rest and my brain needed distraction. My body needed the couch and my brain needed the stationary bike (actually I think most people would agree that my body desperately needs that as well, but you get the picture). My body needed to take care of itself, my brain needed to take care of someone else. The different parts of my being were completely at odds with one another. You would think this would be disturbing, but really I am used to it, as are most parents dealing with a child with diabetes or something else similar (or worse). So, while I'd like to say that I've been out there tearing up the town in some terribly fashionable and alluring way and while I'd like to say that I've been giving to others without regard for myself, I have not. I've been doing my best to recharge my batteries, to make my body feel whole again. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there, slowly and now I have the energy to divert the power in my brain away from the factory of fear and towards more productive things, like stationary bikes. Still not sexy and glamorous, but better than the couch. Much better than the couch.

I'd like to say that I am 100% okay with the way I live my life.

I'd like say that I don't miss the life less complicated, the one that I lived before June 2002, before blood glucose test strips littered my floor and blood glucose readings littered my brain.

After five and a half years, I'd like to say that I have completely made my peace with this new way of living ... with diabetes itself.

I'd like to say that ...

I'm kinda bummed, and not real sure why. I am cooking dinner and simultaneously avoiding doing anything else that requires my attention around the house. I'm too anxious to just sit here, but also too lazy to come up with a decent blog post. So, I'm gonna fill out one of those time wasting little questionnaire things, that I stole from a friend's old myspace blog. Here it is:

1. If I looked on your bed, what would I find?
Some pillows, sheets,duvet, fleece throw, probably a sweatshirt and a hat

2. Do you go to the bathroom with the door open or closed?
closed, unless I'm alone and in a hurry

3. Are your underwear and socks folded in your drawers, or just thrown in?
just thrown in

4. Sleep on your back or stomach?
Dude, where's the love for us side sleepers? I guess if I have to choose, I'd say back. Never ever my stomach.

5. Are you a cuddler?
Sometimes

6. What would I find if I looked under your bed?
Miscellaneous gift wrap supplies, probably a few books, magazines, dust and a whole lotta cat hair

7. Something that happened today that made you angry?
Hmmm. Nothing.

8. What were you doing before this survey?
Making dinner

9. What will you do after this survey?
surf for a bit probably (the net, not the ocean)

10. Marriage or living together?
Both?

11. What are you wearing right now?
black 3/4 sleeve v-neck, dark blue jeans, socks, bra, undies ... the usual suspects

12. How many times have you been in love?
Probably four?

13. Do you de-label your beer bottles?
Sometimes, in fact I did that twice last night

14. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
Sometimes I talk about them, but mostly I just deal with them internally

15. Is there something you regret and wish you could take back?
Yeah. But don't think for a minute that I'm gonna discuss that here.

16. First thing you do when you wake up?
Put on my glasses

17. Last person you told you love them?
Samantha

18. sneeze with your eyes open or closed?
never really thought about 'til now

19. Bite or lick?
Hmmm, both? Biting is good.

20. Last argument you got into?
Let's see, probably over where to put the neighbors coats when they came over for dinner a week or so ago.

21. Do you tend to rip the paper off water bottles?
Yes, but not always.

22. What's one thing about your best friend?
Best friend = my husband

23. When you shut off your alarm clock, do you tend to fall back asleep?
Only about 20% of the time

24. If you were given the chance to take care of a monkey for a weekend, would you?
I doubt it. Honestly I have enough to take care of as it is.

25. What is the current advertisement on the side of the screen?
Not a damn thing

26. What are you looking forward to in the next few months?
Ummm, does being broke count as something to look forward to? No, I didn't think so.

27. When will you turn 50?
2024

28. Are you ticklish?
yes, extremely and I do not think being tickled is in any way, shape or form amusing. Fastest way to piss me off? Tickle me.

29. Where do you wish you were right now?
In my bed asleep.

30. What song are you currently listening to?
No songs, just CSI (Its on the TV)

31. Have you ever passed out from drinking?
No. Never passed out, done some other things that were much worse though.

32. If you caught your significant other cheating on you what would you do?
Wow. What a question. My gut reaction would be to change the locks and leave his toothbrush (and only his toothbrush) sitting in the middle of the front porch. However ... I'm not sure if I would actually just leave the toothbrush, I may leave his pillow too. I have trust issues, cheat on me and it's pretty much over. Though, I honestly don't ever see this happening.

33. What time did you wake up this morning?
Which time? First time was 1:30 am, second time was 3:30 am and the last time was 8 am. I was up for a half an hour then went back to bed for a 30 minute cat nap.

34. Do you have any cousins?
Yes, a lot.

35. What makes you laugh?
Funny stuff, funny people, cute things like babies and puppies, sometimes even bad stuff makes me laugh. I guess I laugh a lot.

36. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My husband.

37. What is the worst subject they teach in school?
From personal experience I would say diving. I hated diving class.

38. Where do you plan on living when you grow up?
I am grown up. So it looks like my answer is Colorful Colorado

39. What was your dream this morning?
No clue. I don't remember.

40. Where was the last place you traveled?
Breckenridge in November.

So, today someone posted a comment about my daughter's YouTube video. Here is what she posted:


Your video gave me the courage to get an insulin pump. I was diagnosed when i was 18 months old, in 1990. I am now just getting the courage to get a pump after 17 years of shots. Your daughter is inspiring.


I have to admit I teared up a bit when I read her post. When we were faced with the task of making the video I wanted to show the impact that the disease had on her life. But I didn't want for it to be a depressing story of doom and gloom. Don't get me wrong, type 1 diabetes is a very difficult disease to manage. To give you an idea, I haven't had more than five straight nights of uninterrupted sleep since my daughter was diagnosed 5 1/2 years ago. However, learning to live with this disease has also taught all of us about strength and perseverance. We have all marveled at how courageous my daughter has been and continues to be. She fights every day to win the battle against this disease and usually prevails. Despite all of this she continues to be a kid first and foremost. I wanted for that message to come through in the video. I wanted everyone to realize that just because she has this disease doesn't mean that it has her. Making the decision to switch to the insulin pump was one of those important decisions that helped Samantha become more independent and at the same time take better care of herself. The fact that our video helped someone else find the courage to try the pump makes me feel so uplifted. I didn't want for our video to leave people with a negative impression; I wanted for people to recognize that despite everything that we deal with day in and day out, we still are hopeful. Someday there will be a cure for diabetes, but until that day comes technology (like the insulin pump) will keep improving and allow our kids to live healthier, more normal lives. Any person who has the courage to make the choice to try something new and different is truly a remarkable person and this gives me even more hope.

... submit, you know you want to.

And I have. Submitted that is. I am finally on Facebook.

...monkeys are cute!

Happy Monkey Day!!!!

... don't hold back!

Copied from my pal Doug.

... I *so* want this!

... there is no "I" in team.

So Patrick and I are sitting in Peaberry's waiting for Samantha to finish up a playdate and we're trying to get our shit together for GeekBowl. The quiz will be at the Oriental Theatre. We figure if we're gonna be a proper team we need team garb. We could either do some t-shirts over at zazzle.com or some pretty stylin' track jackets (I'm thinking glitter pink text would rock--tho I doubt the guys would dig it) over at customizedgirl.com. Here's what we've come up with so far:














So what do you think. Give me your feedback!

... if you see it on the news it must be true.

9News did a piece on Geeks Who Drink! Please check it out! Our Quiz Master, Jason, even makes a cameo appearance!

We play the pub quiz every Thursday at Illegal Pete's DTC. We happened to stop in at the Pete's by Park Meadows for lunch one day and saw the poster for the quiz. Patrick checked it out online and we found our new Thursday night home. Look for a Geeks Who Drink quiz near you or show up at Illegal Pete's on Thursdays and give us a run for our money.

... finish what you start.

I have chronic start-itis. I have come to learn that I realllllly like to start things and then drag my heels finishing them. So, here are some things I need to finish:

• Reorganizing my books. I started this over a month ago and took every single book off of the shelves so I could figure out which ones to store until we move, which ones to sell in the garage sale and which to stick back on the shelves. They are sitting in piles (not very well-defined piles, I might add) on the floor of our office upstairs. It looks like a library took a crap on our carpet.
• Patrick's Christmas present. I have to be vague here because chances are he will read this (Hi Honey!). So I am knitting him something for Christmas and I think he's going to like it a lot. I had to order the yarn online because I couldn't find the right stuff at my LYS (Local Yarn Store). When it finally came in, it was the wrong color. So I found a store in town that had the right stuff and I started working on it about a week ago. I am about 20% finished and know I will probably be up on Christmas Eve trying to finish it. The big problem here is that I do most of my knitting at home, after work and on the weekends. But he's home then too. I can't whip it out in front of him, because he would then know what he was getting for Christmas. So, I think I may have to up my Chai consumption to 2 per day and start hanging out at Starbucks after work so I can get some knitting done.
• Samantha's Christmas present. I can be more forthcoming here since she will likely not read this. So I am knitting her a pig purse. That's right, a pig purse. She LOVES pigs, pink pigs. She is very girly (though, I'm not sure how that happened) so of course the pigs would be pink. I have finished the pig's body, butt, tail, and head. But the pig's head is only halfway stitched onto it's body, because I have to stuff the damn head before I can finish stitching it on. So the poor little guy looks like he has this big gaping wound on his neck. He's like Nearly Headless Nick, only he's pink and well, he's not a ghost. In fact, from now on I shall call him Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porkington.
  
• Laundry. I have so much laundry to finish it isn't even funny. It's a wonder I could even find a clean bra to wear today. I had to wear my most uncomfortable bra ever today. I think most of you ladies would agree that typically the sexiest bra in your drawer is the least comfortable bra in the drawer. You usually end up saving it for the times when you're needing to be especially sexy or for when all your really awesome, super cozy bras are lying on the floor waiting to be washed.
• Arranging our GeekBowl team. I imagine there will be some bickering involved over who is on the team and who isn't. I am not looking forward to this.
  
• My socks. My slippers. My sweater. But these will all have to take a backseat until after the holidays since I have knitted gifts that I haven't even started yet.
  
• Silent Auction Website. I am the chairperson for the PTCO Silent Auction at Sam's school again this year. Yes, I am a glutton for punishment. I need to get a website up post haste so folks can start submitting donations online. I've been working on Photoshopping the "Vegas sign" all week so I can use it as the header photo for the site. (Our theme this year is Viva Las Vegas. I know, I know, terribly original.)
  

Tomorrow's post will be all about the new things I started in an attempt to avoid finishing the above listed items. But for now avoidance will come in the form of sleep. G'night.

... test, don't guess!

Okay, technically, the folks over at dLife say that, but it has been known to come out of my mouth a time or two, also.

Since blood glucose testing is so important for people with diabetes, I love it when I hear about new forms of testing technology. For years, us parents of kids with type 1 have been wanting a cell phone that also acts as a glucose monitor. This would cut down on the amount of "stuff" our kids have to tote around and would give us the comfort of knowing that our kids were testing when away from home. Well, that wish is now a reality. Enter the GlucoPhone!

I ordered a new GlucoPhone (GP as I will refer to it henceforth) last week for my daughter. By Friday it had arrived and was waiting for me on the kitchen counter when I got home from work!

Currently Verizon is the only carrier to work with the GP. Hopefully this will change soon, so that it is more accessible to others who use different carriers. In the box we received a brand spanking new Verizon VX5200 cell phone. This phone is far superior to my daughter's current, pay-as-you-go Virgin Mobile phone. We also received a second box that contained the "GlucoPack," the part of the device that attaches to the VX5200 and incorporates the blood glucose testing aspect. We also received a lancing device and 25 free test strips (I ordered an additional 50 strips as well). After taking the phone to a Verizon Wireless store to be activated, I spent all of 5 minutes setting up our online account at GP's website. Then I started playing!!! So here is how it works.


First, you must initialize the GP program on your phone and select "Check Blood Glucose". The screen then prompts you to insert a strip and apply blood to the strip. The prompt is displayed but can also be heard over the speakerphone, which is wonderful for smaller kids who maybe can't read well just yet. (Note: the sound can be turned off, for those requiring a more discrete testing environment.) The test strips look similar to most and require a 3 μl blood sample size, which is rather large compared to her Freestyle Flash meter (.3 μl ). But it gets the job done, right!?!?! Yes, yes it does. I poked myself while I was playing around, since my daughter was out and about. My first reading came out at 110 (the test using our Precision Xtra meter said 105 from the same drop of blood -- so overall it was pretty accurate).

When setting up your account online you can specify a cell number to use to send each test result as a text message. So once you receive the test result, you press the soft key for "send" and you get a message saying "sending the result". Once the result is sent you see a confirmation screen that actually thanks you for testing (which I absolutely love!) and says, "Your result has been sent successfully. Check your records at www.glucophone.net".

Within a second of seeing this confirmation screen on the GP, I received the text message on my cell phone that said, "Samantha's Blood Glucose is at 110 mg/dl."




WOW!!! It was virtually instantaneous! I am quite pleased with the GlucoPhone so far and hopefully it will continue to live up to these standards.

... the little Who stockings all hung in a row

I made a felted stocking pattern a couple of years ago for my cats, that's right, my cats. I have since made one for my husband and my daughter. Do you like how the cats were the first to get a stocking? Are my priorities in order or what?? The names were added after the fact using needle felting. As always, please feel free to use the pattern as it was intended. Knit as many of these as you want for your friends and family. Share the pattern with your knitting peeps, but please don't try to make a dime off of my hard work that I'm sharing with you for free. Because that just wouldn't be very cool, now would it? Without further delay, here is the stocking...

A Very Kitty Christmas

Needle Felted Christmas Stocking

A felted project for advanced beginner knitters, using double pointed needles!

© Heidi Eikenhorst

Materials:

MC: 2 skeins of Cascade 220 - Red #2413

CC1:1 skein of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted Weight Wool - Cream or White

(CC1 is used to make a non-felted cuff, should you choose the felted cuff option, you will need to substitute the cream/white for another color as they do not felt. Alternatively, you can use the yarn specified for CC2 for the felted cuff as well, just add an additional ball of year for the extra yardage.)

CC2: I ball of Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal – White (If choosing to use a different type of white wool, please first verify that the white wool will felt. Many white wools will not felt. The Reynold’s Alpaca felts very easily and the red does not seem to bleed into it as much as it has using Cascade 220)

NV: 1 ball of Trend Setter Coconut - Perla or another novelty in color to match cuff (cuff can also be knit without a novelty yarn quite successfully)

All wools are worked as a single strand.

Needles:

Size US 11 circular needles, 16 inch

Size US 11 Double Pointed Needles (DPN)

FinishedDimensions:

21” from toe to top

Gauge:

4 sts./inch. in Stockinette Stitch. Note: Gauge is not as important with felted projects.

Abbreviations:

ssk - slip, slip, knit. Slip two stitches one at a time as if to knit, slide left needle through the front of both stitches, wrap yarn around back needle and knit.

K2tog - Knit 2 together

RS - Right side

Cuff Option 1 (non-felted):

With one strand of CC1, one strand of NV, and size 11 circular needles, CO 90 Stitches, place marker. Join into the round without twisting. Work in Stockinette Stitch for 13 rounds. On round 14 *k1, k2tog*, repeat from * to * to the end of round. Bind off knit-wise. Set cuff aside. You will not attach the cuff until after you have felted the body of the stocking.

Leg Option 1:

With one strand of MC and size 11 circular needles, CO60 stitches. Place marker and join into the round, making sure not to twist. Work in Stockinette Stitch until leg measures 30 inches from the top (approximately 95 rows).

Cuff Option 2 (felted):

With one strand of CC1 (make sure you are using a color or a beige, like “Aran” that will felt. You may also choose to use the yarn specified for CC2 to make a felted white cuff), one strand of NV (in coordinating color), and size 11 circular needles, CO 90 Stitches, place marker. Join into the round without twisting. Work in Stockinette Stitch for 19 rows. On the next row cut CC1 and NV and join one strand of MC. Next row: *k1, k2tog* rep from * to * until end of row. You have now switched to the color you will use for the leg of the stocking. Your cuff will be attached to the leg and will be felted with the rest of the stocking at the end of the project.

Leg Option 2:

Continue to work with one strand of MC in Stockinette Stitch until leg measures 30 inches from the top (approximately 95 rows).

Heel:

Slip first 15 stitches onto 1^st DPN. Slip next 30 stitches onto 2^nd DPN (these are your instep stitches). Slip last 15 stitches onto 3^rd DPN. Next knit first 15 stitches onto 3^rd DPN (these 15 sts, in combination with the last 15 stitches are your heel stitches). Break MC and join one strand of CC2. Work theses 30 heel stitches in stockinette stitch with CC2 for 4 inches, ending on a RS (knit) row.

Turn heel:

Continue working with one strand of CC2.

Row 1: P17 sts, p2tog, p1.

Row 2: Sl1, k5, k2tog, k1.

Row 3: Sl1, p6, p2tog, p1.

Row 4: Sl1, k7, k2tog, k1.

Row 5: Sl1, p8, p2tog, p1.

Continue to work in this manner, slipping the first stitch, knitting/purling two together across gap, then working 1 stitch and turning, until all stitches have been worked, and only 18 stitches remain.

Heel Gusset:

Break CC2. With RS facing use size 11 circular needles and one strand of MC to pick up and knit 12 stitches on left side of heel flap, place marker. Then knit the 30 instep stitches off of the DPN onto the circular needle and place another marker of the same color. Next, pick up and knit 12 stitches on the other side of the heel flap. Knit 9 heel stitches off of the DPN onto the circular needle, place marker of a different color (notes the beginning of round), then knit remaining 9 heel stitches onto the circular needle. Knit to the end of the round then work decreases as follows:

Round 1:Knit to within three stitches of first marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker. Knit 30 stitches, slip marker. K1, ssk, knit to the end of the round.

Round 2: Knit

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 an additional 3 times. 64 stitches total.

Foot:

Knit even with one strand of MC until foot measures 7 ½-8 inches from the beginning of heel gusset (from the start of MC).

Toe:

Break MC and join one strand of CC2. Work as follows switching to DPN when stitches no longer fit on circular needle:

Round 1: Knit to within three stitches of first marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker. K1, ssk, knit to within 3 stitches of next marker, k2tog, k1. Slip marker. K1, ssk, knit to the end of the round.

Round 2: Knit

Rnds 3-8: Repeat rounds 1 and 2 and additional 3 times (48 sts. total)

Rnds 9-16: Repeat round 1 (16 sts. total)

Rnds 17-18: Knit to within three stitches of first marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker. K6, slip marker. K1, ssk, knit to the end of the round. (12 stitches total)

Redistribute stitches onto two double pointed needles by keeping 6 instep stitches on one DPN and combining the 3 stitches on either side of the odd-colored stitch marker onto other DPN. Work these 2 sets of 6 stitches together using kitchener stitch. If you would prefer to avoid using kitchener, you can do the following. Knit together the first stitches off of each needle. Knit together the second stitches off of each needle, then slip the first stitch over the second stitch. This binds off one stitch. Repeat knitting stitches together while binding off until only one stitch remains. Cut 6 inch tail and run tail through remaining stitch and pull tight. Weave loose ends in on the wrong side.

You are now ready to felt! Follow the felting instructions on the insert.

Felting:

Felting is the process used to turn a knitted work, with defined stitches into a melded fabric with no definable stitches. If you’ve ever tried to wash a wool sweater you have seen that wool shrinks and becomes, for lack of a better word, “matted”. When we felt our wool projects we are shrinking the wool and eliminating the defined stitch work. This accomplishes several things. First, for beginner knitters, it hides mistakes that you might have made while knitting. Second, and more importantly, it makes our material more sturdy and durable. Finally it gives our project the right look. When felting with a novelty, your individual stitches essentially disappear, leaving you with a background material (the wool) with fun splashes of color and texture emerging from the material.

When your knitted stocking and cuff are completely finished weave in all loose ends. Place your stocking in a zippered pillow case or in a zippered delicates bag (this step is to protect your washer and pipes from becoming clogged with wool). If you have opted for Cuff Option 1, don’t worry, we will stitch the non-felted cuff onto the stocking after felting, for now set the cuff aside and do not put it into the washer with the stocking. For those who used Cuff Option 2, the cuff is attached to the stocking and will be felted at the same time as the stocking.

Next set your top loading washer to the smallest load size and the hottest setting. Add a small amount (1/4 tsp. or so) of regular detergent (any kind is fine, Tide, All, etc., just no bleach) to the wash basin. If your stocking contains bold colors and you are concerned about fading and bleeding add a cap full of white vinegar to the wash basin as well, while this helps with most color combinations, you will still get some bleeding with a red and white combination. Once the basin has filled with water, add your zippered pillow case/bag containing you project and let the washer do its thing. Note that felting will work best if your washer is set to the highest agitation cycle (i.e. heavy or normal wash). Do not use a delicates setting, we don’t want to coddle our wool, we want to make it tough! Set a timer for five to ten minutes and return to check on your project. Return to the washer every five minutes thereafter to check on the status of the felting process. Depending on washers and water temperature, your project could take anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes to felt completely. Make sure that each time you check the washer you move the dial to the beginning of the agitation cycle so that it does not have the opportunity to go into the rinse cycles.

Once your project is felted to your satisfaction, you may switch your washer over to the shortest rinse/low spin cycle so as to spin out the excess water. If you have slightly over-felted your project you may want to skip this step as a tiny bit of felting will continue. You may be asking, “How will I know when my project is felted?” which is a very good question. It largely depends on personal taste and will take some experimentation on your part to find the amount of felting that you like the best. Practicing with some swatches of knitted wool may help you decide what level of felting you like the best. I consider a project felted when I can no longer see the defined stitches. However, some people like a looser felt and like to be able to see a little stitch definition. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. As long as your finished project is sturdy and stiffer than before felting you are on the right track. Once you are finished felting, take your stocking out of the zippered pillow case. Mold the stocking into the desired form and (if using Cuff Option 2) fold the cuff over the stocking at the point where the cuff color meets the stocking color. Mold your stocking to desired shape and dry flat on a towel. Once dry, follow “Post-Felting Instructions.”

Post Felting Instructions:

For both cuff option, using preferred cord method (knit, crochet, braided, or knotted) make a looped hanger & two lengths of cord. Next make two pom-poms and attaché to the ends of the two cords. Set aside and follow directions below.

Cuff option 2 only: At the middle of the back of the leg, just inside the edge of the stocking on the leg color, cut a small slit (approx1/4”) using sharps scissors. Tuck the ends of the cords and hanger through this slit. This will leave the cords and hanger coming out of the top of the stocking. Turn the cuff up at the place where you made the slit. Stitch the ends of the cord and hanger to the leg of the stocking. Once the cuff is turned back down, your ends will be hidden.

Cuff option 1 only:

With a tapestry needle, stitch your cuff (making sure to leave a ½ inch section in the middle of the back of the leg unstitched) onto the top of your stocking using one strand of CC1 and ones strand of NV, making sure to evenly gather the top of the cuff as you match it to the edge of the stocking. This will give your cuff a nice, full, slightly ruffled look. Next, tuck the ends of the cords and hanger through the unstitched section of cuff. This will leave the cords and hanger coming out of the top of the stocking. Turn the cuff up at the place where you inserted the ends of the hanger and cords and stitch the ends of the cord and hanger to the leg of the stocking. Once the cuff is turned back down, your ends will be hidden. Close up this gap by stitching closed this small section of cuff. In order to disguise the seam, stitch around the top several times around with NV only. Next with one strand of CC1 and tapestry needle, weave yarn around the bottom edge of cuff, using small stitches on the front of the cuff and large stitches (about one inch) on the back of the cuff.. Pull gently on both ends of the yarn that has been woven through the cuff bottom, drawing the cuff into the body of the stocking and work with the cuff until it is gathered and pulled in to your liking. Once this is achieved, tie a knot and weaves the ends into the bottom edge of cuff.

Now your stocking is finished!! Have fun decorating your stocking with your favorite embellishments, or try needle felting a name or decorations directly onto the leg! For needle felting I use the Fiber Trends Needle Felting Starter kit!

... make friends with smart, funny, sexy people.

I have to share this email that I received from my friend, Mana, today. It is made of awesomeness. She is indeed quite smart, funny, and sexy. I feel so privileged that I get to hear stories like this on a daily basis.

This is my awesome friend Mana...

Last night I couldn't get to sleep. My mind was racing, probably from one too many Lavazza espressos after 5 pm. When I finally got to sleep, I had the funniest dream.

I dreamt that I died and went to Heaven and when I got there God and all my dead relatives gave me a roast, commemorating all my years on earth. Everybody was a comedian. My relatives recounted stories of my childhood and everybody had a good laugh. I was surprised to find that I was really diggin this soiree. Then at the end, just when I thought the festivities were coming to an end, God got up to say a few words. I thought to myself that his speech was really sort of half-assed. I mean He was GOD, afterall. He could have come up with something a little better. Its not like he hadn't had all the time in the world! But I quickly put that thought out of my head b/c I didn't want Him to read my mind and then change HIS mind about letting me into Heaven. Anyway, after he was done with his half-assed speech, he said, "And now, without further adieu, I give you, the photo montage!!!!" Everybody clapped. What the fuck? What was the photo montage?

This gigantic curtain opened up and before my very eyes, there was this beautiful montage of these amazing little moments in my life. "Nobody could have taken these pictures but GOD himself!", I marveled. They were candid little pearls of happy times in my life when no one else was watching, no one but GOD. There was the picture of me hugging my kitty cat when I was a kid, opening up my acceptance letter to medical school (there was only one of those), kissing an old lover (we were married in our hearts). There were funny pictures too. Me checking out that barista's ass at the small independently owned coffee shop on the downtown mall in Charlottesville; Virginia, getting my stiletto heel stuck in that grate in Manhattan and almost fucking killing myself; sending Arthur Weinstein a not-so-flattering limerick about his professorial abilities, or lack thereof. God thought that one was particularly funny and said parenthetically that even though Weinstein was a jew, he wasn't one of His chosen people. God thought that my lame professor "got what was coming to him. "This dude ROCKS!", I thought to myself.

I liked how parenthetical God was. Very random. And quite hilarious. All in all, an excellent public speaker. I was ashamed that I hadn't given him his due credit at the end of his speech earlier that night. Even now, he was constantly teaching me things. Wow.

At the end God thanked everyone for coming and admitted coyly that he had gotten his idea about the photo montage from myspace. He again added parenthetically that despite this good idea, he thought that myspace was created by Satan himself. He also thanked Maria Sharapova's great Aunt, Ludmilla, for introducing him to the Canon brand of cameras. He said he had used Pentax before but was really excited about Canon's new "image stabilization" feature. He added again, parenthetically, that despite his pure love for Maria Sharapova, he really hated her dog, Dolce, a Pomeranian. He was sure that Dolce was the spawn of a Pomeranian and a jackal and mumbled something about genetics and "incomplete penetrance". I didn't get that part. I was never particularly good at genetics.

All in all it was a good night. And I only hope that the real God is as cool as the one in my dream. " 'For my God is a parenthetical God."...

...give and you shall receive

So, my mom asked me to update my amazon wish list for Christmas this year. I found Amazon very limiting, as most of the stuff I would want isn't on Amazon. So I decided to upgrade to Kaboodle this year. I really like it. At first it was annoyingly slow, but I signed up the day after Thanksgiving, which probably wasn't the best day to get a good impression. Since then I have come to realize that it is pretty awesome! I can add virtually anything I want from any web page I want just by clicking a button. My profile can be found here. From my profile one could peruse my Gizmos & Gadgets Wish list. Or they could look through the list of knitting stuff that I'd like to see waiting for me under the tree this Christmas morning. I also have a movie list going, but as of now it has but one measly item listed. Another cool thing is that users can "reserve" an item they'd like to buy for you, to discourage other potential gift-givers from buying the same item.

So Mom, I have updated my list. Now you have it. Love you. xoxox

... you'll catch a cold

A little video put together by my hubby. Narrated by Martin Douglas.

Common Cold, By Ogden Nash
Go hang yourself, you old M.D.!
You shall not sneer at me.
Pick up your hat and stethoscope,
Go wash your mouth with laundry soap;
I contemplate a joy exquisite
I'm not paying you for your visit.
I did not call you to be told
My malady is a common cold.

By pounding brow and swollen lip;
By fever's hot and scaly grip;
By those two red redundant eyes
That weep like woeful April skies;
By racking snuffle, snort, and sniff;
By handkerchief after handkerchief;
This cold you wave away as naught
Is the damnedest cold man ever caught!

Give ear, you scientific fossil!
Here is the genuine Cold Colossal;
The Cold of which researchers dream,
The Perfect Cold, the Cold Supreme.
This honored system humbly holds
The Super-cold to end all colds;
The Cold Crusading for Democracy;
The Führer of the Streptococcracy.

Bacilli swarm within my portals
Such as were ne'er conceived by mortals,
But bred by scientists wise and hoary
In some Olympic laboratory;
Bacteria as large as mice,
With feet of fire and heads of ice
Who never interrupt for slumber
Their stamping elephantine rumba.

A common cold, gadzooks, forsooth!
Ah, yes. And Lincoln was jostled by Booth;
Don Juan was a budding gallant,
And Shakespeare's plays show signs of talent;
The Arctic winter is fairly coolish,
And your diagnosis is fairly foolish.
Oh what a derision history holds
For the man who belittled the Cold of Colds!

... dancing is good for the soul

It is a little early for holiday cheer, but for the hell of it I just want to remind everyone that you only have 36 more days to get your groovin' elf self on.

Go ahead ... elf yourself!

...you'll ruin your eyes.

Top five reasons I wear glasses (not contacts):

1. Glasses are sexy. Case. In. Point. (Plus if it's on a t-shirt, it must be so)
   
2. I'm not terribly fond of the idea of poking around in my eye.
   
3. I live in an incredibly dry climate. Not so good for contacts.
   
4. I have allergies that make my eyes itch. Again, not so good for contacts.
   
5. Did I mention the part about not poking my eye?
   

... share and share alike

Thought I'd share my pattern for my felted Rosey Vroom bag. You can buy the Rosey Vroom pattern now for $3.00 at my Ravelry Shop!

Rosey Vroom Shoulder Bag
A felted project for beginner knitters!

© 2005 Heidi Eikenhorst

Materials:

Lamb’s Pride Bulky weight wool as follows:

Color A: 2 skeins - Midnight Green (M-195)

Color B: 2 skeins - Pistachio (M-184)

Color C: 1 skein – Old Sage (M-69)

Color D: 1 skein – Garnet (M-25)

Color E: 1 skein – Aubergine (M-185)

Bag is worked with a single strand of bulky wool. If you would like to substitute worsted weight wool for the bulky make sure to use two strands held together, this will require more yardage.

Needles:
Size US 13 circular needles, 24 inch

Dimensions:

Before Felting: 14 tall x 10 wide x 5 deep, Finished: 9” tall x 7 ½” wide x 3 ½” deep.

All dimensions are approximate and depend largely on the amount of material used, the felting time and the gauge.

Gauge:
3 sts./inch. Note: Gauge is not as important with felted projects. Tight knitters should definitely use size13 needles; very loose knitters may want to jump down to a size 11. However, I knit slightly looser than average and used size 13 needles quite successfully.

... knowledge is power

NOTE: This post was moved from my old Vox blog and was originally posted on April 9th, 2007.

I guess I should mention what the insulin pump actually does for a person with diabetes for those not in the know. My pal, Jen, asked me about it on the phone tonight and I realized that in all of my postings I never mentioned what pumping is all about.

What is insulin anyway?
In order to accurately describe pumping, it is necessary to understand the basics of how insulin works in the body of a person without type 1 diabetes. For all of us without diabetes, our pancreas regulates our blood sugars by releasing two different hormones, glucagon and insulin. When going about your daily tasks, the pancreas lets out small doses of insulin constantly. It keeps the blood sugar range from going too high by increasing the insulin to turn food into energy. It keeps the blood sugar from dropping too much by releasing glucagon (this stimulates the release of glycogen from the liver), ultimately raising the blood sugar. The pancreas is a well oiled machine that keeps our blood sugar in really tight control. It is thought that even before we take a bite of food at a meal, our pancreas has already started delivering higher levels of insulin to balance with the food we consume.

Insulin is necessary to take every bit of food we consume and turn it into energy. But people who have type 1 diabetes no longer make enough insulin to turn food into energy. Without insulin the blood sugar rises to high levels and the body compensates by making you drink lots of water to dilute the level of sugar. When this happens no sugar enters the cells of the body and therefore it cannot be used as fuel. In response the body thinks it is starving because it has no sugar available for use in the cells. So it starts burning fat stores for fuel. The body literally starts eating itself. All of this makes a person with developing diabetes very sick. Without treatment this person would die in a very short amount of time (weeks, not months).

Insulin shot

Injections ... for now
My daughter has been on insulin injections since she was diagnosed at the age of four. She doesn't just have one or two shots per day, she has more like four, and when she's sick you can easily double that number. I don't say this to complain or to make you feel sad, I tell you this so you'll understand what we currently are doing to keep her blood sugar in good control. For type 1 you cannot take a pill to treat diabetes. You can't just watch your diet and eveything will be oaky. You must take insulin or you will die ... soon.

Pumps

Pumping!!!
The pump makes things so much easier. First of all, instead of getting poked with a needle four times per day, you only get a needle poke every other day. The insulin is delivered through tubing that connects to the body, called an infusion set. The other end of the infusion set connects to the pump, which is a small electronic device (the size of a pager or cell phone) that contains a reservoir with insulin. The computer inside the pump helps deliver small little bits of insulin throughout the day, very similarly to the way the pancreas does. So with the new pump, my daughter will get a super small dose (we are talking tenths of units here, folks) every three minutes. This function aims at keeping her blood sugars steady throughout the day. Because this is a machine and not an actual human organ, it doesn't work anywhere near as well as the pancreas, but it is much better than shots. In addition to the little bits of insulin delivered during the day (called basal dose), the pump also delivers a bolus dose.

Infusion set

A bolus dose is a dose of insulin that is delivered when the blood sugar is too high or at a meal (or snack) time based upon the amount of carbohydrates eaten. So right now if Samantha wants a couple of pieces of candy for a snack, she either has to take a pass and miss out on the Easter candy (because the insulin needed to cover that amount of food would be too small to administer via syringe) or she would have to eat a little more than a couple of pieces so that she could receive a bolus dose by shot. But once she starts on the pump she can have those two pieces of candy, enter them in the pump and the pump will deliver the right amount of insulin to cover those consumed carbs. When dinner time comes around we count up every gram of carbohydrate eaten and we input it into the pump. Based upon a bunch of calculations and definitions (I won't bore you with them) previously set up in the pump's computer, the pump recommends a meal bolus dose. We can accept the recommended dose or we can modify it. Similarly, when the blood sugar rises out of target range the pump recommends a correction bolus dose to bring it back into the preset range. Once the dose is accepted it is "pumped" out of the reservoir through the tubing and into the body.

The benefits of pumping over injections are many. First of all, there is a reduced risk of low blood sugars (which happen regularly with injections). Second, it keeps the blood sugars from fluctuating so much and if everything is set up correctly, it can lead to much better blood sugar control. Good blood sugar control reduces the risk for complications (blindness, heart disease, amputation, kidney failure, etc.). Anything that does that and allows my daughter more freedom with food and fewer needles, makes me a very happy mom!

... thank god for technology!

NOTE: This post was moved from my old Vox blog and was originally posted on April 26th, 2007.

Yay! We are live with insulin! Everything went really well at pump start today! Samantha has a kidney infection, so that complicates matters a bit as infection makes her more insulin resistant. But, we are doing good! Here are some pics.

This is Samantha's infusion set. She has 10 viable sites on each side of her tummy and 6 viable sites on each side of her upper tush. Having so many site options to rotate will greatly reduce scar tissue build up and site problems! The infusion set in this picture is a different type of set she will normally use. This one is called the Comfort Short and requires a manual insertion (using an introducer needle -- no cool little insertion device with this guy). We decided to give it a try so that we would know how to insert a different set if she does not do well on her prescribed sets. This set goes in at an angle and works great for kids without many fatty areas. You need fat for sub q insulin delivery! Luckily my kid has some padding so chances are the other sets will do just fine.

Skb infusion

This second photo is the pump itself. We all started calling it Greenie before it ever showed up and the name just stuck. Although Samantha did inform us in the car on the way home that Greenie is in fact a girl pump. This home screen shows the name and current basal rate. Basal rate is the rate at which the small little doses of insulin are delivered over the period of one hour. This screen shows that she gets .7 units of insulin per hour this time of night. Since that .7 unit is split up into tiny doses delivered every 3 minutes, the actual doses delivered are insanely small.

Greenie

Picture number three and four are her supply box and the typical supplies needed for one set change. The box is kept on the kitchen counter for quick access for treatment of lows and set changes. We decorated it together.

Well I guess that's it for now. I am sure I will have plenty of updates in the coming days. Wish us luck on a smooth start!

... when life gives you lemons, make a video.

Samantha's story about living life with diabetes is up on YouTube! Here's the link! Anyone willing to part with a couple of bucks can also make a donation to Team Sammy K, raising funds for this year's JDRF walk to Cure Diabetes! The walk has come and gone, but donations are always welcome!

Thanks all!

... Vox is lame

Therefore I am moving to Blogger. I never visit Vox, so I didn't see the point of keeping my blog over there. I may move some of my old posts from Vox over here. I am now officially a Blogger blogger. Does that make sense?