Yarn porn and poltics

Ugh.  I woke up with a migraine today.  I didn't view it as "too bad" until I vomited about an hour ago. 

After that, I immediately began craving ice water.  I drank some, I've been OK, and the worst of the headache pain is gone. 

Maybe I just had to purge some toxins. 

Did you know I was an exercise bulimic?  I would binge and then do a 2 hour workout the next day.  One reason (aside from low energy levels) I don't have a formal workout plan.  I worry about resuming, injury, etc. 

Anyway, I did manage my God Time if not my shower. 

I fed Biscuit, gagging on the seafood fumes.  Then we took a nap (Biscuit and I). 

I slept, off and on, for a couple of hours, my headache got worse, I got up and took some more Excedrin, the last of the bottle.  Thank God I got more yesterday.  The 200 count bottle ought to hold me for a while.  I hope!  How awful it if only lasted a couple weeks! 

Side note: I told Doc I was a little worried about my OTC painkiller use.  "How many doses are you taking?" he asked. 

"About fifteen" I told him. 

"A day?"

"A month". 

"Nothing to worry about."  I then told him I figured the aspirin would be beneficial, anyway, with my family history of heart attacks and strokes.  He agreed. 

Today I took two doses.  One at 4-something and one at 1 PM.  I took it with pepto, not that it really helped my stomach. 

Happily I digested the painkiller before I vomited, but the (not to harp on the subject) purge seemed to flip the switch on my migraine, shutting it down. 

I suspect it was the Snickers bar I ate yesterday.  Chocolate candy, peanut butter candy, not happening! 

Either that or the weather front, hormones, whatever,  my aunt has a dozen theories (and a neurologist, poor thing!). 

The ice water is helping.  I have goosebumps but I feel better. 

Ron was pretty nice, tried to be quiet, yelled at God "on my behalf" when he thought I couldn't hear him.  So Ron gets 4 stars today. 

The cats have been nice, too.  They can tell I'm hurting.  Torbie got on me while I was sleeping, watching me.  Biscuit slept with me.  What a sweet boy.  Gravy licked my hand, and Baby Girl has let me use the computer room. 

Gravy is in the "good" computer chair with the padding. I am in the hard wooden kitchen table chair.  Baby Girl was in the "good" chair yesterday so I moved it and sat in the hard one.  Gravy took the good one over before I could, so I'll just deal with the wood cutting into my legs right now. 

He looks so cute, when he curls up you can see the two gray spots on his back.  Three. 

They're such good babies. 

I never, ever, wanted to be a "cat lady".  I wanted to be a woman with a couple of cats, not four!  But I couldn't leave Biscuit and Gravy to die at the bus stop.  I couldn't find a rescue.  Ron refused to take them to the shelter (they are cute enough they would have been adopted).  So, I'm a cat lady. 

Surprisingly, they aren't really any work.  Ron feeds them, I water them, they use the spot behind the rosebush (which has very lush growth LOL).  Everyone is fixed. 

My phone is great but will only take a 10 second video, and I have problems with the Youtube uploader now.  But I can take photos and put them up, and I will.  I have started 2 projects. 

I will, if you're interested, try to get a photo of myself working on a project.  I can ask someone at work to take a "selfie" while I'm working. 

I think I can abide the thought of some quinoa cooked in a little broth.  I'm not up for a lot but it is bland and nourishing. 

Not that I need a lot of carbs! 

Speaking of carbs, I am trying to figure out my diet.  Jenny, from the www.bloodsugar101.com website, says I don't need to worry overmuch with an A1C of 5.3.  That's good to know, but she says I should cut out junk carbs. 

One big thing I can do for that are the salt tablets.  Many times I snack because I am craving salt.  I don't want the chips, I want what's on them. 

I have, in the past, taken a salt tablet (which has the equivalent of one junk food serving's worth of salt) when craving a snack and it worked.  No more craving. 

It is a little bit of a pain to order them because "everyone" is trying to cut down on salt, not take it in a tablet!  Worst case, I can buy some on Amazon, but they are significantly more expensive than my pharmacy. 

I'm hoping, as I do this, I will "only" eat a couple of Arby's curly fries (best fry ever!) when I'm eating out with Ron, more salads when we go to the nicer restaurant, healthier veggie snacks (like celery or carrots + ranch) instead of endless canisters of Lays Stax, the most delicious chip ever created.   Or pretzels.  I can eat a lot of pretzels. 

When I was a teenager, and I had some money at the mall, I loved to get the huge soft pretzel dipped in salt. 

I think I'm feeling better. 

Anyway, the goal being better quality carbs in my life, fewer trash carbs, still got a good sodium level.  I actually have to "worry" about that, because lithium will push sodium out of the body, like a bully, and despite what you hear you do need SOME salt to keep things working. 

I don't want to put crap in my body.  And BISCUIT! has come to visit!  I don't play favorites but if I did he would be at the top of, or near the top, of the list. 

Done petting. 

I have some really nice cats. 

My Dad hates cats, but we can't all be perfect.  Dad did ask me an interesting question: who did I like in the election. 

"Well," I told him "I want someone who's good for small business." 

He suggested I check out Kasich.  He looks good in some regards, especially in financial management.  However I have some religious issues. 

I checked out Trump.  I love his tax plan.  I think we need to be "strong" on immigration.  But I have some other issues with him. 

Same with Carson, I like his religious issues but have problems with others.  Like defunding Medicare.  My husband relies on that.  We kind of need it. 

So, basically, I didn't find a prince.  I found a couple of dudes I might take on a first date. 

And we all know, during an election year, everyone wants to know your candidate.  They want to talk about your candidate, and how he is good or bad for the country. 

Now, after the last election, Ron was very upset.  I reminded him (and God did too), that God will install exactly the candidate He needs to get the job done, whatever the job may be.  That we don't need to stress out over people because God will work His will regardless.  God can, and will, use anyone to work his will. 

My personal theory: I believe Trump will win.  He is saying what people want to hear, and he could not be more different from the incumbent. 

My personal nightmare: Sanders elected.  Bad for small business, and at the end of the day I have to protect my own interests! 

So, I will pray on it and see where God leads me.  Honestly, I did not vote in the primaries - I never have.  I have always been a registered Independent.  I would say a conservative, evangelical,  independent.  Sadly, no one is running on that ticket! 

However I vote I will endeavor to keep it civil.  My drivers are very excited about Trump.  These are the same folk who have been praising the incumbent for the last 8 years.  I find that very interesting. 

Maybe I will talk about the things I like, about the candidate being discussed.  I could do that.  I doubt anyone else is even thinking (at least in my circle) about Carson or Kasich. 

Cruz looks good on paper but something about him puts my hackles up.  The last time that happened, the candidate was elected - in 2008.  We all see how that worked. 

Agh.  My headache will come back. 

No more politics. 

I did want to cover what's going on in my head, though. 

Let's do some yarn porn:

Granny square afghan.  Black in the middle, surrounded by the blue mix.  Not the best photo here because it's pretty dim in my house. 

These are not good photos.  This is the "Sequoia" blend with the large knitting needles. 

This came out a little better.  I don't have a flash on my phone.  This is the wrap I'm doing in garter stitch, "locked down" on a straight needle so I don't lose my work. 

You may notice the first item is a crochet project and the latter are knit.  I learned to knit in 2006, Thanksgiving week, right after my diagnosis and medication.  I was thrilled.  One reason I put the knitting thing in my blog title. 

I always figured I was "too stupid" to knit.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_knitting
From the link: "is knitting style is often easier to learn for people with crocheting experience, since the way the yarn is held in the left hand is similar to crochet, and the motion of the right hand is similar to the motion seen in crochet, although the knitting needle is held under the palm of the hand."  That was certainly the case for me. I could never learn it the "standard" way, but once I found "left handed" directions (which is funny because I am right handed), it became simple. 

I learned to crochet when I was 8, and I loved it.  I often started, and finished, large projects when I was manic.  I'm a visual learner, so I don't have trouble reading patterns.  In fact, I crocheted an afghan (2 strand granny square on an S hook) for each of Ron's care providers and doctors.  I hold the hook like a pencil, that's how I learned and that's how it works. 

If I had kids I would teach them, boys and girls, to knit and crochet when they were about 7-8 years old.  The brain is still growing and flexible. 

I have good cats who don't maul the yarn.  They prefer to chew on cords for electronic devices.  My USB mini plug has been totally mauled.  I'm glad I got it at the dollar store. 

Happily, I can buy bitters spray for that. 

It would be a lot harder to manage for a cat, and they often see it as a game.  One reason I have NEVER taught my cats to play with "strings".  Otherwise, there I am, twitching a delightfully long string, just waiting for fun. 

I have used a lot of hooks and needles over the years.  I'm currently using aluminum straight needles and a plastic crochet hook.  I have used bamboo, interchangeables, handcarved wood, circulars, plastic, and something called "Balene".  I go back to plastic. 

If I had straight knitting needles, in plastic, 14 inches long, I would probably love them.  That's something I might just get on Amazon.  I am happy, for now, with the aluminum straights (very inexpensive!). 

For crochet, it has GOT to be a plastic crochet hook.  I have some Red Hearts, and some Susan Bates.  Both are great brands.  I am much faster crocheting than I am knitting. 

That about sums up my whole crafting life. 

Ron woke up and has been pretty decent today.  He told me he realizes he has been too clingy (not his words).   Good. 

My headache is finally gone.  I cooked up some quinoa.  It's carby but has protein in it.  I added some coconut oil too. 

I do want to take care of myself.