Ripple

It's been a difficult and exhausting week.

A fitting end to this week would be ripple. Cheap Ripple Wine or Expensive Ripple Ice Cream! One is inebriating and cheap, the other fattening and expensive. So, I opted for Ripple Crochet. I started working on the first of two ripple afghans that I'm making for a dear friend to donate to the clinic where she volunteers.

I've never done any ripple crochet before, and I'm really enjoying it! I'm using this pattern and Homespun yarn in red, gray and black. I had to do my first row 3 times as I kept miscounting my stitches, but from the second row on it's been easy. A nice relaxing pattern! It's really simple to keep track of the ripple pattern so it doesn't require too much counting or frogging. It's going to take a while to get these done, but I feel good to have gotten started, and it's going to be soft and comfortable.

So - updates to my week.

I created this on-line memorial for Birdie, and I ordered a stone memorial to mark her grave. I still talk to her every time I walk past "her chain" in the kitchen, and Brian and I say good-night to her before we go to bed. Having her grave in our garden is somewhat comforting even though right now I feel sad every time I look out back.

Gordo has had a name change. After we realized that Gordo means "fat" in Spanish, we were much less endeared to the name. It just seemed mean spirited. He is now named Tater (Tate for short). This has led to many new nicknames including Tater Tot and My Sweet Potato. Let's face it, Tate is absolutely gorgeous, but he does have the coloring, shape and activity level of a potato, so Tate is a more dignified yet fitting name.

Poor Tater has a horrific repertory infection. He's unbelievably congested. Lots of unpleasant fluids in his sinuses and lungs. He's already become well acquainted with our vet. He's been there three times already, and I need to take him for antibiotic shots tonight and tomorrow since he refuses to take them orally. He hasn't eaten at all and isn't drinking water, so the vet gives him the meads with IV fluids. Doc cultured the mucus and as soon as we know what it is, we should be able to get him on the right antibiotic to kick this bug once and for all. I'll feel so relieved when he's all better. We've already fallen in love with him, and I hate to see him suffering! I'm glad he's in a hope where he is loved rather than in the shelter. I used to work at the Humane Society where we adopted him and I know that its a great facility, but he's getting more love, attention and comfort at home.

Thanksgiving is in just a few days. I may start cooking tonight - the soup is better when it sits for a day or two. I just love Thanksgiving. This year will be a small celebration. Just us and my dear friend Ann, but we have so much to be thankful for and it will be a great day. With luck my fuzzy Sweet Tater will be healthy by then!