An unpleasant surprise.

When I'm at work, I don't usually answer my cell phone. It's on, and if I happen to hear it ringing or making the "you have a message" beep, I'll check it.

Today the vet called me with the results of Scooter's biopsy. I think I knew when she said she'd try me at home that things weren't ok. She said, "It's come back skin cancer - a basal cell carcinoma." As she was fixing to tell me all about them, I was able to jump in with "I know all about them. I've had one myself."

The one thing about this that bothers me the most is that he has had it for years now. For several years we've had them look at the bump on his neck, and the answer has always been that it's a warty growth. Honestly, look at older humans. Some have all sorts of lumps and bumps. I have a few myself that I keep thinking I'll make that cosmetic appointment with the dermatologist and the electric needle for skin tag frying. So Keith and I didn't press the vets. They are the experts. They are also human.

Tomorrow Scoots and I have an appointment with the surgeon. The cancerous area is right over his jugular vein. We may not be able to operate. And what will happen if we don't? Should we even think about it? Scooter will be 18 in June. Will the surgery do enough that we should subject him to the trauma? I/we don't have to make any decision tonight, but we will have to make them soon. Especially since the surgeon is leaving the vet clinic at the end of the month, and if Scooter is to have surgery, I want this surgeon to do it.

I'm nearly finished with sock 2 of the Claudia Handpaint socks. I'll be able to post pictures tomorrow. I'll do that with the Scooter update.

Nearly finished with this pair

I see the end in sight. I've only got about 1 1/2" left of cuff to go. Woo hoo! I'll be casting on another sock by Friday at the latest.

Of course, I've been thinking again about which socks to knit next. I might be a thoughtful and kind wife, and cast on some for Keith. He picked out these yarns at SAFF last year.

Sorry for the blurriness of the top picture. I hadn't looked at it very closely, but you can see the colors he liked. We'll see what I end up with. I have another day or two to decide.

Decisions, decisions

Like many of you knitter's, especially those who knit socks, I have a yarn stash. I know mine isn't too large, compared to some, as it will all fit into a closet. Not, of course, that it's all together in the closet.

I am almost finished with my current pair of plain vanilla socks. I only have maybe 3" of ribbing on the cuff to complete, and I'm already thinking of what to cast on next. Let's be honest, I've been wondering what I would cast on next the minute I cast these on.

I had decided over the weekend to use this yarn next. Seacoast Handpaint's Panda Sock in Butte. This is the lovely pastel with the greys, browns, pinks and peach. I've wound it into a lovely yarn cake, but I found that the more I thought about it, the more I wanted something more lively to knit.

Thus I decided to use the Woully Boully in Luna Moth. It has that great Luna Moth green mixed with blues and pinks. It should be a lot of fun for a plain vanilla toe-up sock. I can't wait to get started.

Dog update

In case you were wondering, when I spoke to my friend yesterday about her dog, the dog was stable. She (the dog) had regained her appetite. Georgia Veterinary Specialists is an animal hospital, complete with visiting hours. My friend was packing up dog food since she cooks for her dogs and getting ready to head out to visit. I'll call her later today for an update.

A post about weather (and a little knitting)

I thought I'd best warn you so that you wouldn't waste your time reading it if it doesn't interest you.

This winter has been great. I know, people have been complaining about the cold, and the rain, and the cold rain, but it's been just what this drought stricken area needed. Lake Lanier's water level has been rising, very slowly, but it's rising. Just a few months ago the metro Atlanta area only had a 90 day supply of water left. Since our weather pattern is more normal, maybe we'll get a tropical storm this year that can add to our lake levels.

One other thing I want to mention here is snow. No, we don't get lovely deep snowfalls like they do out west or up north, but we've actually seen snow 4 times this year. It's been lovely to watch.

Oh, you want some knitting content too? I mentioned last time that by listening to what SIL wants for chemo hats, I realized that she probably didn't want any knitted ones. I had one on the needles at the time, and the yarn was one I got at Walmart on a whim. I'm making the Bzzz hat from Stitch n Bitch Nation, and it's gotten to a point where I could try it on. (I'm nearly finished with the darn thing.) It's huge. I don't know if it's the yarn, although I did read on Ravelry that some people have experienced stretching with this yarn. I'll finish it up and decide what to do with it then. Keith sleeps in a hat that I crocheted for him years ago. His head gets cold at night and keeps him from sleeping well. I think I'll get him to try it on to see if he wants another night cap. After all, hubby gets first dibs, right. Especially since I've put his sweater aside to knit all these caps.

As for the rest of the yarn, I can use it to make teddy bear clothes for AKG, or use a different pattern with some ribbing to make more hats, or use it for amigurumi. It won't get wasted.

I also mentioned last time that I wanted to get back to socks. I've turned the heel of the second Claudia Handpaint sock and am working on the cuff. I wound a ball of Panda by Seacoast this morning. I need to work with sock yarns we carry at the store in order to give better advice to customers. I love the colorway, and I can't wait to start working with it. However, I'm working, like many of you, to finish up current projects and not start on new ones. I've been thinking of casting on 3 more with Malabrigo Merino Worsted to help it move up the yarn page on Ravelry, but I also don't really want 3 more projects hanging over my head to do. I'd like to finish some of them before adding more. Well, there is more time in March, and I don't have to cast them all on today.

At least Daylight Savings time started today. Of course you knew that - every news outlet has been reminding us for more than a week. Top story tonight - turn your clock ahead two weeks from now! There are still going to be people who live under a rock who will be late for things today.

Do's and Don'ts

This is a guide to help you when the friend who is like a sister calls you with the following question: "How would you like to go with me to Georgia Veterinary Specialists?"

Don't: Ask why. Believe me, you'll find out soon enough.

Do: Ask if you need to leave right then, or do you have time for a quick shower?

Don't: Take time to shave your legs, blow-dry your hair or apply make-up.

Do: Pack your knitting, a bottle of water, a granola bar and a book. Who knows how long you'll be there.

I'm sure the above gives you a hint of how I spent my day off. I did (very briefly) feel bad when I called Keith to say, "I won't be able to do the vacuuming and mopping today."

As for the dog for whom my friend spent much of her day at two vet offices, she's staying overnight while they run tests and keep an eye on her. She's 14, which is not young for a lab. We're all waiting on pins and needles for some answers.

And for the record, I was working on a PGR heel when I dropped several rows of the yarnovers at the turns, so I frogged the whole heel to start over. Now I'm back home, and I might be able to do some vacuuming. You all know I'd rather be knitting, but I'm not from a rich, old wizarding family, and I don't have a house elf.

All I really want to do is work on socks

I've been in a frenzy of knitting hats the past couple of weeks. SIL's hair starting falling out late last week, and she shaved her head to complete the job on Sunday. When talking to her, I realized that knitted hats just aren't what she wants. I don't think either of us connected that until she started describing what she really wanted in a hat, and I just knew that I probably couldn't knit one just like she wants. I sent her to www.hats.com, and hopefully they will have something she likes.

As for me, this morning I work with the urge to work with teeny tiny needles and very thin yarn. I just want to work on socks for a little while. Most of my other projects right now are with larger yarn - Keith's sweater, the hats, the shawl, and the amigurumi. Rather than tell myself that I must work on a certain project, I will make some real progress on the second sock of my Claudia Handpaint pair. I've only got 2 pairs of socks that I've kept, and the feeling of those handknit socks... I had no idea that they would be so wonderful, and I don't want to wear them out while wearing them every few days. I must knit more socks.

Thanks for listening. I feel like an addict in withdrawal. At least knitting socks is productive, unlike smoking crack. Yes, sock yarn is my crack. And one day, some Wollmeise will be mine.