Argh, enough already!

I'm so tired of this virus already.  Even though I often stay home for weeks at a time I always knew I could go out if I wanted.  Sometimes I would go to a bookstore, thrift stores, or craft store just to get out of the house for a while and now they are all closed.  I guess I can order online from Michael's or Joann's and do the curbside pickup for things they have in stock locally.  It is just not the same.  I love to wander those aisles and find things I didn't know I wanted. 

Alaska is now up to 133 cases of the virus with 3 deaths.  35 of those cases are here in Fairbanks where I live.  I've stayed inside and away from anyone outside of my family for the past 2.5 weeks since I am high risk.  This morning though, my younger son came home from work early because he was sick.  He works as a cashier at a grocery store.  He probably doesn't have the coronavirus but we had to be sure so we had him call the hotline.  They decided he should get tested ASAP so my husband took him through the drive through testing center.  Now we all (4 of us) have to stay home and no one can go to work until the test comes back negative.  I really hope he doesn't have it.  He could just have a cold.  He said he has a lot of head/sinus congestion and wasn't really coughing much but now that it is later I am hearing him coughing more and more.  My house smells like lysol and bleach and I'm afraid to leave my little corner of the house.  My son has orders to stay in his room and call if he needs anything.  We will bring him food and leave it by the door like a prisoner.  Poor guy.

I'm trying to keep myself busy with knitting and reading.  My knitting has an issue now so it is in timeout.  Now I'm reading Mary Higgins Clark's debut suspense novel, Where are the Children?  I figured that was fitting since she passed away on January 31st this year.  I'm about half way and so far it is pretty good.  I'll probably finish it tomorrow sometime. 

I guess she actually wrote one book before this one but it didn't sell well and she decided to switch to suspense.  Aspire to the Heavens was actually her first novel which was a fictionalize account of the life of George Washington.  It was later released under the title Mount Vernon Love Story.  I'm not into love stories so I'll stick with this one for now. 

I hope everyone is staying home and avoiding the coronavirus as much as possible.  This is one time where we can be a bad host.  We can not wear a bra because no one is coming to the door or stay in pajamas as long as we want.  I say that's a blessing to count for sure.
Be safe!
~D

Ignoring the News

I've been keeping myself busy indoors while trying not to jump to check the news constantly.  My husband works at the hospital so he will make sure I know the important stuff.  I just too stressed out about this stuff so I have to tune out for a while. 

I have a new picture of one of the doilies I made before.  Last time it was still on the blocking board so I thought I share a picture of it without all the hundreds of pins stuck in it.  My camera adds yellow to the picture so it looks a little different.  My kitchen counter is a light sage green and not chicken poop yellow.  The blue thread I used is a little bit darker than it looks there. 

Deckchen in Altrosa by R. Dobringer

Here is one I finished earlier but forgot to share.  This is a pattern in a book by Better Homes & Gardens called White Crochet.  

Diagonal Furrows Mat

I've made a bunch of washcloths this last week and I enjoy having something I don't have to think too much about to work on.  I just had this one pattern I've been dying to try though and it is a bit more complicated.  I needed 2 solid colors that contrast well to make it and all I had was variegated yarn or colors that are too similar so the last time I was at the craft store I picked up some yarn to make it.  It is a free pattern called Checker-Square Garter Dishcloth by Kayla Pins.  I did end up making it smaller since I don't like huge cloths.  I only cast on 39 and I worked 2.5 repeats stopping after R15 and knitting 2 rows of white and then binding off.  I like how it turned out and loved making it.  It is not difficult but just takes a little more attention.

I've also made a few crochet bookmarks with thread since I'm trying to use up some smaller bits of

thread that I have left over.  The first one I made hoping to use up the left over blue from that large doily I made but I still have 5 grams left, maybe enough for one more.  This is called Fan Bookmark by Crochetroo and if you follow the link to the pattern take note that the pattern at the top of the page uses UK Crochet terms.  She has it written with US Terms at the bottom of the page.  This is a lot easier than it looks so don't be intimidated.  I did make a few changes since I like to use size 10 cotton thread.  I added an extra chain to all the chain loops to make a little more room  I also made my tassel twice as long so it is 4 inches long finished instead of 2.  I like it and think I'll keep it for myself.  I do plan to make some more for gifts.  This is a great time for reading and I think a little surprise in the mail might bring a smile.

I hope everyone is staying safe. 

~Donna

Update

Right after my last post we had our first confirmed case of Covid 19 in Alaska.  I almost updated my last post but decided to wait and post a new one.  Now we have 3 confirmed cases here in Fairbanks, 1 in Anchorage, and 1 in Ketchican (5 total in Alaska).  I have cancelled my appointment to see my Rheumatologist in Anchorage and I'm going to just stay in my house.  They are closing places anyway so there isn't really anywhere to go.

Yesterday I went to the imaging center connected to the hospital to get my blood work done.  My husband thought it would be safer for me to go there since they are screening anyone who comes in.  No one is allowed to go in without an appointment or order for the lab and I'm not sure what they do if someone is sick but I was assured no one sick was there.  Some of the staff were wearing masks as a precaution.  I told them I take immuno-suppressant drugs and they got me in there after screening me and people were kept spaced out.  I felt so relieved seeing all the precautions they were taking.  By going there I was able to use the direct door to that area instead of walking through the hospital and there was hand sanitizer and wipes right there when you get in the door.  I am so glad to get that over and done with and hopefully my Rheumatologist will refill any drugs needed without seeing me now that he has the blood work.  

I did sneak into Michaels real quick to grab some yarn for some new projects and now I am not going to leave my house for a while.  My husband and 2 sons (adults) do have to work though so we have a place set up with hand sanitizer and lysol wipes by the door.  My husband works at the hospital in IT and my 2 sons both work at Fred Meyer (large chain grocery store plus other stuff similar to walmart super stores) so I really hope they don't get it and bring it home.  

It is so strange how everything is closing and everyone is so scared.  Our whole world is changing so fast.  We realized our bed was broken last night and we needed to get a new one.  We looked at the websites of a couple local stores and picked one out.  Today I called and talked to someone at Sadlers in Fairbanks.  Ashley was very kind and super helpful and I was able to order a bed and pay over the phone.  Ashley was very knowledgeable about the bed and was able to answer every question I had about it.  I didn't even need to go in but she said they actually do have it on the floor if I wanted to (even though the website doesn't show it as one available or displayed at he Fairbanks store.  In just one week they will deliver it AND put it together for us.  I'm extremely happy about that.  Thank you Sadlers and ASHLEY!  

So now I am going to attempt to relax and work on something and that is not going to be easy to do.  I ordered a new circular knitting needle to make something I have made once before.  I used 4 balls of cotton yarn (4 strands held together) to knit a rug for my bathroom.  I love that rug and how easy it is to wash.  Now I need a new rug for my kitchen and I'm going to make one in sage green to match my kitchen colors.  I used a pattern where they used fabric strips to knit the rug and I did make one but it was huge.  I really didn't like it that much either.  I really love the rug I made with cotton yarn.  

I have also been crocheting doilies.  That is really odd for me since I never like to make things that are just decorative.  Usually, if something isn't practical I lose interest in making it and usually don't finish.  Now though, I really feel like making things with thread.  I have some size 10 cotton thread and I've been using that AND enjoying it a lot even though I have to wear reading glasses all the time to see what I'm doing.  

Imbued Starweave

This is one that I made recently.  This pattern is called Imbued Starweave by Julia Hart.  It would have been bigger but I didn't have the right size thread.  I used size 10 cotton thread so mine is only around 7" across.  When I saw the picture of the pattern I saw thistle blooms so I decided to use 2 colors and I love how it turned out.  

I made another doily for my sister for her birthday this month and looked for one with the pineapple stitch because I know she likes that.  This one is Starfish Pineapple Doily and while the website the pattern was on is gone now the pattern can be found on the wayback machine website (click the linked title).  I couldn't find the right size hook when I made that one so I ended up using a bigger hook (by several sizes) so it would look a lot different with the right hook.

Starfish Pineapple Doily

The latest doily I made was more difficult because I couldn't find a pattern.  I fell in love with the picture but the pattern is in a German magazine and I couldn't figure out how to buy a copy.  I would still love to find a copy (of the whole magazine) so if anyone knows how I could get one, please let me know.  Anyway, I stared at the picture a really long time, with reading glasses.  I tried enlarging it but the quality is poor.  I ended up deciding it was probably all made of triple crochet stitches with a few single crochet here and there and chains.  After a lot of trial and error I ended up with this.  No disrespect to the designer and I would happily buy the pattern if there is some way to do so.  

Okay so now I need to think about my next project and also start a new book.  These are the things that will keep my mind off of the negative news.  I hope everyone can find a way to relax and hopefully enjoy some time at home.  

~Donna J

I'm have to say, I'm scared.

I know everyone is scared right now because of the Corona virus (Covid 19).  I also know some people believe everyone is overreacting and hoarding TP and masks.  Sure, it might seem silly to some but I really am scared.

I have an autoimmune disorder and take a biologic to suppress my immune system.  I take Humira but there are other kinds of drugs that do the same thing.  So my body's defense system has gone haywire and is attacking my own body, mainly my joints and connective tissues.  This causes me to have a lot of pain and fatigue every day, all the time.  Humira has turned down the level of pain to a more tolerable level but I also have to worry about getting infections.  I was told before I started it that I could get sick and end up in the hospital from things a healthy person could fight off on their own.  Since I have been taking Humira I have been sick a lot, even though I don't work and rarely leave my house.  Other people in my family go to work and pick up germs and bring them home and I get it every single time, no matter how hard I try to avoid it.  My two sons both work at a large chain store and my husband works at a hospital in IT.

I get a bad sinus infection nearly every time I get sick and I have to take antibiotics to fight them.  I also have to stop taking Humira so my body can fight it and then the pain starts to come back.  The last time I had a cold and sinus infection I had to take 2 rounds of antibiotics (the second was stronger) and I was off Humira for a full month and in really bad pain.

Okay, so I was due to take my next dose of Humira Sunday and I was scared to take it because of this whole pandemic.  I am supposed to go to an appointment with my Rheumatologist in two weeks which means I have to fly.  It's a short 45 minute flight but I'm worried.  We will stay in a hotel for one night and probably rent a car - lots of germy opportunities there.  So I asked my Rheumatologist if I should just skip taking the Humira.  He said there are no confirmed cases here in Alaska yet and no evidence for how the virus would affect anyone taking Humira so he thinks I should continue taking it but said "ultimately it is up to you."  So basically, he's covering his butt there.

I googled to see what else I could find out.  It seems there are no cases of anyone taking a biologic having the SARS virus so they really have no documented information about how it would affect someone but I think logic rules in this case.  I keep thinking about how sick I was from just a cold.  I got bronchitis and the worst sinus infection I've ever had.  I read online that there is also a risk, if people discontinue the biologic drugs, that the inflammation can damage organs, eyes, and other areas inside the body so they recommend people ask their doctors before stopping their medications. It really is a case by case thing so it depends on what each person's specific problem.

I just wonder, if the doctor was the one with this problem, what would they do?

I just read today that in my state they are closing schools, the university is closed to students, you can't even visit prisoners.  You can't visit the elderly homes and my church is no longer having meetings or sacrament.

Oh, and I am due to get my blood work checked so my doctor can review it at my appointment.  I hate going to the clinic because there are always sick people there coughing and sneezing.  I just want to hide in my closet until this whole thing is over but I would run out of my medications.  I can not get prescriptions renewed until I get blood work checked and go to my appointments.  The only good thing I have learned is that Medicare will cover any costs if I do catch the virus with no out of pocket from me.  I just hope I don't die. 

I am exhausted!

I decided to deep clean my kitchen.  I try to do that at least once a year and usually in January.  This year I was sick the first part of January and then we went on a vacation and I never got it done.  I decided to just buckle down and get it done at the beginning of March.  I'm pulling out everything from cabinets and wiping everything down inside and out.  Then I go through everything and pull out things I know didn't get used that year and tossing out expired food etc.  I have a box of stuff to donate and a huge amount of trash going out. I already cleaned the stove/oven as good as I can but I can't wait until we can get a new one.  Eventually we are getting laminate wood flooring put in too but that will have to wait until after things settle down with the stock market and this virus epidemic.

This year I'm having to re-evaluate everything I have in my kitchen.  Since I have Psoriatic Arthritis I am having problems pulling heavy dishes and bowls out of the cabinets.  I ordered a set of lighter plastic nesting bowls (I got this Kitchenaid 5 bowl set in pistachio) so they match my mixer and other things. I was hoping to get rid of my heavy ceramic mixing bowls.  Remember those Corelle Callaway (ivy) dishes that so many people had in the 90's?  I no longer have the dishes but I have the heavy ceramic mixing bowls, like this.  There are also 2 different sizes of covered casserole dishes.  I love them but I just can't lift them anymore.  I pulled them out to donate or gift and my husband didn't want them to go.  So that extra room I thought I was getting got filled back up.  I had him move them to the top shelf since I can't reach it anyway.  I need the stuff I use to go on the bottom shelf.  Stuff that gets used less often can go on the middle shelf.

Also, since I'm doing the keto diet I'm taking this time to remove some food from my cabinets that I can't have and no one else will eat.  I tend to feel guilty that something will go bad if I don't eat it and ruin my diet so I tossed it.  I moved my 5 pie plates and 4 bread pans to the dungeon cabinets over the refrigerator that no one can reach.  Well, my son Jared can and he's the one that put them up there.  At least I know where they are if I need them and they will be with the other stuff only used during the holidays.

I got a lot done today so I'm ready to go to bed.  My larger joints are aching so I may have overdone it.  I might have to take a rest day tomorrow but that's okay.  I need a few days for the contact paper I ordered to come in.

Has anyone noticed that all the contact paper is ugly or just doesn't match anything now?  I had the hardest time picking some out.  Teal/turquoise seems to be a popular color now and I love that color but it doesn't go with my kitchen decor.  I had the same problem last year and ended up buying some contact paper with lots of fruit on it.  I put it under the sink and then realized I hated it so I didn't put it anywhere else.  I finally found one I liked (hopefully it looks the same in person) on amazon but found it for half that price on ebay with free shipping.  I really hope it looks good when I get it.  If not then at least I'm only out $6.  I have to get something though because my cabinets and drawer bottoms are getting scuffed up.

Anyway, I'm glad I felt good enough to get so much done today.  It will be great when I'm finished.

I hope everyone avoids the plague.

~Donna

Reading goals for this year

I should have posted this here earlier but I've been so tired lately and sleeping or in bed more than I'd like.  It is frustrating when I have plans but can't get out of bed.

Anyway, I have decided to follow The Unread Shelf this year for 2020.  So far I've done well.  I just made a few tweaks of my own.

The first thing she recommended is to count your unread books.  I skipped this because I have so many books and they are all pretty much organized.  99% of my books are unread books because I rarely keep a book after reading it.  Sometimes it might not leave the house but be given to another member of the house.  Their libraries are separate but I try to keep track of them too in case I want to borrow a book: no sense in buying a book another family member already has.  I keep track of them all on goodreads.com and just have made a shelf (which is just a tag) for each person's library.  If I really wanted to I could go onto goodreads and probably get a total but I know there are a few duplicates that I haven't had the time to deal with.  Anyway, since all of my unread books are separate and organized and I can look and see how them all I don't feel I need to know the total.  I already know I have too many and have been working for the past several years to read through them and trying not to buy more.

The next thing was to choose a stack of books to make your priority for the year.  I chose 13 of the oldest books on my TBR list and if I read them all I will just pick more for the same list.  Here is a picture of my stack.

I have read 3 of them so far and all were Barbara Michaels books.

• The Crying Child 
• Sons of the Wolf
• Greygallows 

For the month of February the goal was to read gifted books but I had something else in mind.  I picked 4 books that I needed to read but I didn't have.  The first book was the oldest book on my TBR list but I couldn't find it.  I am totally baffled as to where it could be but I know it is in my house somewhere.  The other 3 books are books that are earlier in a series to other books on my TBR list so I needed to read them before I could read the other books on my list.  I always read series books in order.  I may not be truly OCD but even a Therapist/Counselor I had said I learned that way.

So here is my list of books to choose for February.

1. Body Language by Julius Fast (reading slowly) Finished 2/21
2. Sudden Prey (Lucas Davenport #8) by John Sandford  Finished 2/17
3. The Curse of the Pharaohs (Amelia Peabody #2) by Elizabeth Peters Finished 2/20
4. The Barrakee Mystery (Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte #1) by Arthur W. Upfield Finished 2/22

I am happy that I did manage to read each of those so I could mark them off of my list even though I slept or otherwise felt ill so much of the month of February.  I guess the one thing one can do in bed fairly easily is read.  Of those books Sudden Prey was my favorite.  I do like John Sandford's Prey series.  I was surprised that I didn't have that one on my shelf since I have most of them.  My least favorite was probably Body Language since it was so out of date but I did find a few nuggets that I enjoyed and after all I did finish it so it wasn't the worst thing.  My next least favorite was The Curse of the Pharaohs.  It was definitely not up my alley and I really hope the next book is better or I don't think I could keep going.  The Barrakee Mystery was difficult to read because of the racist language but I know that is how things really were at the time.  It still broke my heart to read.  The story was interesting through and I read it fast but I was irked by some things at the end.  I did write reviews for each of those books on the pages linked.  

I am on goodreads as Donnawannaread so I'm not sure if my reviews show under my name Donna Capps or under Donnawannaread.  

If you select the tap on my blog for books read this year you can see them all as pictures which are all linked to their goodreads pages.

Many thanks go out to Whitney Conard for starting The Unread Shelf.  

2020

Wow, a new year and the end of a decade.  I've been thinking a lot about all the things that happened in the past decade.  My boys grew up and are now men.  My trusty and furry companion that got me through many painful days passed away and my heart still hurts after 3 years.  I got a new puppy and now he's three and while he's very sweet and cute he just isn't the same.  You can't replace the ones you loved and lost. 

I've been thinking a lot about what the new year will bring but I don't make resolutions.  I make some goals but mostly I just wing it.  I plan to do a lot of reading, knitting, crocheting and stitching. 

This last year I made a goal to read 75 books but I didn't quite make it.  I got to 73.  I was reading furiously on the 31st and ended up falling asleep before finishing the book I was reading.  I did my best.  I made my goal the same for this new year and I am determined to make it this time. 

I'm currently reading Summer Knight by Jim Butcher and it is REALLY good. 

As far as my health stuff goes I have a new doctor that made some changes a few months ago.  She change some of my meds and she referred me to physical therapy.  I've been feeling better after the med changes but for a while there I was quite the mess.  Cymbalta was a hard drug to get off of.  The new drug seems to be working well.  The physical therapy is helping but most of the time I really don't want to do.  I am glad I have been going since I have learned how to do some stretches that help certain areas when I'm in pain there.  So things are okay and seemed to have improved some since I got this new doctor.

Okay, ready or not..... here we go.