Uncaffeinated Thoughts

I wanted to post my uncaffeinated thoughts (because really, who does not like to read my ramblings?) Unfortunately I was waylaid by some serious pain, worse then my usual. So today, not only are these Uncaffeinated Thoughts, they are also Migraine Hangover Thoughts.

What is a migraine hangover (someone will ask). When I have a migraine of the severity I had building the past three days, the day the pain becomes tolerable my entire body feels "hungover". I cannot think of how else to describe it. I usually end up sleeping a great deal. I did ask a few neurologists (as I rarely like just one opinion) and discovered this was very normal with my form of migraines and the series of TIAs and the main stroke I suffered. My brain is trying to heal.

Which brings me to Cheese Puffs. I sent my oldest to buy some for me yesterday. I do not know if it is the unnatural orange colour, the flavour, or the texture, but they are perfect when I cannot get anything else to stay down (no, I have no idea why). To watch myself I will add: I was neither paid nor compensated in any way to mention Cheese Puffs (note, I did not even mention the brand, I can tell you it was not a name brand).

On the reptilian front, Sheldon is growing rather rapidly (as most babies do) and is becoming much more like a Bearded Dragon in appearance then a Salamander (to me when we first got him, he resembles a Salamander). We bought him a larger home as the other just was not suitable for the size he will become. My husband thought we were all too optimistic that Sheldon would reach maturity. Sheldon is also an extremely lazy hunter, I can see now his early pampering was a bad idea.

I have decided that I can actually hear my oldest son's brain cells dying (in my mind it sounds like bubble wrap being popped) as he tries to sneak in TV watching. We normally watch very little telly and I have an incredibly low tolerance for the noise of it during the day, which is to say, I detest the telly being on in the daytime.

Doughnuts. What is it about doughnuts? I do not think I have ever encountered one I do not care for.

My coffee is slowly making its way to my grey matter. I will end with knitting. I had been working on my Lily Cardigan until I was unable to even coordinate my hands to the simple task of knitting. I shall add a photo, but there is not much to see. Lily is knit from the top down and I am working the left sleeve.

Fortunately I am a lot farther along on it then when I took this photo (which truly is a bad photo). It was the best I could come up with this morning.

Wordful & Wordless Wednesday

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday and Wordful Wednesday!

Zippy the Wonder Baby Robin

For More WW participants, check out 5 Minutes For Mom
To view other Wordful Wednesday blogs head over to 7 Clown Circus the host of Wordful Wednesdays.

Not Me Monday!

It is Monday Morning and I am am going to attempt to get back to posting my Not Me Mondays, which are hosted by MckMama at My Charming Kids.


I Did Not eat an entire funnel cake and then proceed to taste test the guys' funnel cakes, under the lame guise of making certain they tasted "okay", I would not do such a thing, ever. Not Me.

I Did Not then proceed to down a freshly made corn dog. I do not even eat hot dogs, I certainly would not buy one from a street vendor and savor every morsel, Not Me.

I Did Not let out a squeal of happiness when my oldest brought home a bag of freshly made Salt Water Taffy and then proceed to try one of every flavour. Not Me.

I most definitely was not a little upset when the Salt Water Taffy was gone and I certainly Did Not bemoan the fact that more had not been purchased on the 4th of July. I did not proclaim my grumpiness about there being none left yesterday. I would never complain. Not Me.

I definitely Do Not notice that all my NMM's are about food. I rarely ever speak of food, nope, Not Me.

New to this Meme? Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Quotable Sunday-Randomness

More Random Quotes For Quotable Sunday

"Always do the things you fear the most. Courage is an acquired taste, like caviar."
~ Erica Jong

"Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever."
~ Margaret Cho

"We are, each of us, angels with only one wing, and we can only fly embracing each other."
~ Luciano Decrescenzo

"In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest."
~ Henry Miller

"I have accepted fear as a part of life, specifically the fear of change, the fear of the unknown. I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: Turn back, turn back; you'll die if you venture too far."
~ Erica Jong

To join in the fun or to see what other topics are being quoted visit A Daily Dose of Toni

Independence Day

Wishing everyone a fun-filled and safe July 4th! My 4th began hours ago and shall continue on throughout the day and evening. I hope each and everyone of you has a fantastic day, surrounded with those you love. Next to being with my family, I am most looking forward to all of the food, of course.
I would like to thank all military personnel, both active and retired, for continuing to allow me to enjoy the freedoms of this great country.

Aloha Friday - 4th of July

TGIF!
The question for today is: How do you celebrate the 4th of July?

We usually end up at a neighbourhood BBQ ending the evening watching fireworks.

Visit An Island Life for more fun Aloha Fridays.

One of Those Days

There is an Old English Nursery Rhyme which currently describes my life (thankfully not my whole life, merely some recent events).

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
Currently, it appears the small problems are snowballing into larger problems and I need to work my way back to the smallest problem.

On a happy note, this evening will mark the beginning of a long weekend, where we have nothing planned (I love having nothing scheduled). I am hoping we can sort out some of those smaller problems that need to be handled.

If I am not online much over the next few days, not visiting blogs or responding to comments, please accept my sincerest apologies. Somehow it is already July and I feel as though I am treading water and losing.

Wordful & Wordless Wednesday-Snakes!

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday and Wordful Wednesday!

Summer Brings out the various Snakes!
Just one of, in my opinion, too many snakes on my property.


For More WW participants, check out 5 Minutes For Mom
To view other Wordful Wednesday blogs head over to 7 Clown Circus the host of Wordful Wednesdays.

Hot Weather Makes Me Knit

It is most definitely summer, which means copious amounts of knitting for me. This is a very good things as my knitting queue is exceedingly long. The warmer it gets, the more I desire to knit.

My current project is the Lily Cardigan by Marie Grace Design clearly, I am not very far, but it is indeed a start.


I realise the details cannot be seen yet, but soon.

I am hoping to begin my newest project shortly. The yarn and pattern arrived today. The pattern is by Knitting Pure and Simple, called Summer Open Cardigan. The yarn I shall be using is Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Dyed Cotton, in Raspberry.


A Closer view

The Open Cardigan should take less than 48 hours, once I begin, so I am itching to give it a go. First I need to knit a wee bit faster on the Lily Cardigan. I should have more detailed photographs of the Lily Cardigan soon.

Quotable Sunday

Random Quotes this Sunday is my "theme" for this week's Quotable Sunday

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal and then leap in the dark to our success."
~ Henry David Thoreau

"The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."
~ Linus Pauling

"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever."
~ Isak Dinesen

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle."
~ George Orwell

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
~ T.S. Eliot

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
~ Marcel Proust

"The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."
~ John Ruskin

And my favourite quote this week:

"We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it."
~ Abraham Lincoln

To join in the fun or to see what other topics are being quoted visit A Daily Dose of Toni

Aloha Friday - Sweaters

TGIF!
The question for today is: What is your favourite style of sweater?

During the summer months I spend my time knitting sweaters and I am currently working on a modified cardigan, a crew neck, and a v-neck. Obviously I cannot decide on one style.

Visit An Island Life for more fun Aloha Fridays.

Uncaffeinated and Migraine Brain Thoughts

I do not think my brain could possible ramble more than today. On top of caffeine deprivation (it is steeping as I type), I have migraine brain. If nothing else, this should prove to be an entertaining blog post.

First off, I am knitting again (did my knitting friends just fall over in a faint?) I am swatching to make Lily, by Marie Grace Designs. I will be using Llamajama yarn in Orchid. I can say with honestly this is the softest yarn I have ever touched. It saddens me to have to add (as a disclaimer to save my bum), I did not receive any compensation to say that nice things about them. To my knowledge they do not even know I did. The yarn (in my unbiased opinion) has a wonderful hand, beautiful drape, a softness I cannot describe and I look forward to wearing it.

Huge news for my household, Sheldon *is* eating!! Apparently Sheldon did not read the book on raising Bearded Dragons and does not realise 75% of his diet should be made up of protein (crickets) while 25% is greens. He humoured me and finally ate 1 cricket late last night. However after trying several salads we hit on a favourite of his! We have a whole baggy of Sheldon Salad; equal parts collard greens, kale, and mustard greens. I confess, prior to Sheldon I had heard of these but only actually seen Kale. A long way to say, my baby beardie prefers veg to insects (I really cannot find fault).

I am about to date myself here, how many of you recall Dudley Do Right? "Here I come to save the day!" Viola, it is my husband. Not for me, no. Rather our neighbours are headed out of town and asked it he would mind watching their dogs. The have gorgeous dogs (did I mention big) and well mannered (with their owners present) and he thinks there will be no problem walking into their home while they are away to tend to the needs of the dogs (they have never been left before and being faithful dogs, fiercely guard their home). If by some good fortune my husband is not mauled to death upon entry, walking them should prove interesting. I mentioned they were big dogs? Yes. They are solid muscle. She is a professional trainer and previous body builder (which is to say she is extremely strong) and when she walks them at times it looks as though they will dislocate her shoulders). At this point let me point out my husband (whom I think is the most handsome man around) does not lift weights, he does not exercise. Please think positive thoughts for my husband this weekend. (I will be asking my father who the patron saint of stupidity is, for good measure).

As for the dreaded summer cold? It is so happy in my body, it may indeed be here to stay. I have lost track on how long I have had it now. The summer cold I can handle, the intense migraine pain, that really needs to subside. I know it will never go away. (I came to terms with that diagnosis decades ago.) Yet on a pain scale from 1-10 (5 does not count) I would like it around a 3-4. Before anyone emails me, I do not know why 5 does not count, I did not make up the rules. Although, I may ask, just because.

Children. I must admit to being baffled. Most of you have never met my boys. I have 2 shy and one outgoing. We have been discussing High School Classes as usual. It does not, at this time, look as though any of my children want to follow in the footsteps of their father. My oldest would like to go into Political Science (score one for me), my outgoing one would like to travel the world. He is fascinated by other cultures, so he is thinking Anthropology/Archeology/Biology. The surprise was my extremely quiet son. He would like to (and apparently has wanted to for quite some time) take theatre and videography classes. Mannequin, if you are reading this, I would welcome your thoughts and advise.

My coffee is ready (Ode to Joy is playing in my head). It looks as though the temperatures will be in the 90s yet again today. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thursday!

Wordful & Wordless Wednesday

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday and Wordful Wednesday!

The Life of A Pampered Cat!


For More WW participants, check out 5 Minutes For Mom
To view other Wordful Wednesday blogs head over to 7 Clown Circus the host of Wordful Wednesdays.

With Love From Denmark

I received the most marvelous birthday box from my dear friend Karen. The boys were thrilled immediately, hoping she had send chocolates from Denmark, which she did. She also sent three birthday gifts, handmade with love.

Hand-knit Fingerless Gloves

They are beautiful, light weight, delicate and shall keep my hands warm, as they are always cold.

Hand-knit Neck-warmer

This will keep me fashionable and warm this winter.

Hand-made Elephant

She makes the loveliest elephants and this will go perfectly in my bedroom!

Thank you Karen for thinking of me and taking the time to make these wonderful gifts for me.