Success!

My daughter took this selfie shortly after leaving recovery.  It was about a five hour surgery to replace her damaged heart valve and repair the aneurysm.  She is sleeping a lot.  I'm so happy that the surgery was a success and she's sleeping which means she's not being kept awake by pain.  I'm doing laundry today, will pack the car tomorrow and leave for Reno the next morning.

There's a new restaurant in Bend called Sen.  It's by the same people who run the ever popular Wild Rose and the new location on the Deschutes River couldn't be more gorgeous.  It's a little pricey but super delicious.  We ate lunch here to celebrate.

I met with some of the Knitterbugs for an spell of knitting on Wednesday.  Bend is still colorful though we're supposed to get hit with some weather that will change things right after I leave.

I just finished Delaney's latest sweater in time for my trip.  It's Cascade 200 superwash, hand-dyed by a friend just for her.

The yoke is reverse stockinette which I think is effective with the variegation.  Since Delaney's family isn't vaccinated I won't be able to see her until after I leave my daughter's.  As a surgical patient they are going to be very strict with her quarantine.  I hope to spend the morning with Delaney’s family, leave for Bend after lunch and spend the night in Klamath Falls.  I don't know how long Chrissie will need me so haven't set a date to return.

Ian and I were both leaving the house at the same time and I was so focused on who was going to back out of the garage first I almost missed our visitor.  He's a big boy!

 

The Unexpected

I took Delaney to the park this afternoon, hoping to tire her out for a long nap.  It's a beautiful day and wonderful to be out from under the choking smoke.

She is just starting to get the hang of the play equipment, but the slide still baffles her.

She absolutely loves the swings.  It's her favorite and she squeals "Whee) on every forward swing.  And here is where I tell you the bad news.  Her parents have decided to sell their house and move back to Reno. After watching Delaney for 2 1/2 years, this is tough to swallow.  They have a list of reasons and I understand where they're coming from, but I don't like it.  I plan to enjoy her right up to moving day.

I'm lucky to have an engrossing hobby to help me move forward.  I checked out this rigid heddle loom from the guild equipment library and made this scarf with sock yarn as my first project.  It turns out someone else wanted to borrow it for a class, a beginning weaver, and so I hurried up to finish this and return it.  It was fun but I don't know that I'll be buying one anytime soon.  A Girl Scout is collecting 100 scarves for a badge so I put this one in that collection.

And I'm fortunate to be in the middle of a shadow weave workshop with Jennifer Moore.  I bought the yarn as a kit from Lunatic Fringe and chose the autumn colorway.  We had the option of 5/2 and 10/2 yarn.  Because of babysitting I am only able to attend two of the four recorded sessions of the instruction and they have been excellent.  I am able to replay spots that confuse me.  We had the option of using a four-shaft loom or an 8-shaft loom.  With the splint on my wrist I opted for four-shaft and 5/2 yarn or the class, then will do the eight-shaft later.

During Delaney's nap today I experimented with supplementary yarns, ones that weren't part of the kit.  The last session will be Thursday but the kids have asked me to babysit because they're going to a funeral in Reno on Friday.  I'll watch the instructions and will have all day Friday to weave, or until my back gives out.

I'm still knitting chemo caps and have four done so I need to drop them off.  There's still quite a bit of the yarn from Triana so I think I'll have enough for a dozen by the time I'm done.

And here is where I tell you the bad news.  Delaney's parents have decided to sell their house and move back to Reno. After watching Delaney for 2 1/2 years, this is tough to swallow.  They have a list of reasons and I understand where they're coming from, but I don't like it.  I plan to enjoy her right up to moving day. Matt dropped Delaney off the morning of the 31st and said he had an announcement to make.  I actually thought he twas going to tell me that they were separating.  I've sensed heaviness from both of them for at least a month.  But it's not a health issue.  I have to remind myself of the things their news is not, a crutch for now.

That afternoon my daughter called with even worse news.  She is going to need open-heart surgery and they're hoping to be able to do it in October.  It's called Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease and it's a birth defect.  Her father also had this surgery.  I've lost sleep over this and somehow it makes Delaney's move a little less traumatic.  Chrissie has to stay in the hospital for a week and another six weeks at home after the surgery.  I'll go down as soon as she wants me there.  I will be so glad when this is behind us, the sooner the better and before the snow flies.

 

A Tight Timeline

I got the pin out of my foot last Tuesday morning and immediately I began a battle with swelling. It was originally scheduled to be removed tomorrow, which is six weeks post surgery, but they took it out early so I didn't have to wear the boot on our car trip. 

I remembered how successful I was with recovery after knee surgery by spinning for a little while each day.  It's been a long time since I've used my wheel, and in fact, it's been in a closet for almost a year.  But it's like riding a bicycle; you don't forget how.

Joe Winter's pottery works is just a half mile from our old house and only four miles off of the highway.  We decided to stop to buy Christina a graduation present and pay Joe a visit.

He just had his spring open-kiln show and had a lot of inventory, plenty to pick from.

So we got a mug for her office and a splurge for us, this spectacular pitcher.  It's beginning to appear that we collect pottery.

We had originally planned to stay with my daughter's family but after consideration we decided to take a motel room in case I needed to ice my foot in the middle of the night or sleep with my foot elevated on pillows, both of which happened. But we stopped by to say hi before checking and to give Chrissie her present.

We did a quick check-in at the motel and got a bite to eat before returning to the north valleys because it just so happened that granddaughter Alexia's spring concert was that evening. This is the first time we've been able to hear her play in a performance, and what a performance it was!  We were exhausted and turned in early, plus by then my foot was really swollen.

The next day was the star performance and the reason for our quick trip - Christina's commencement ceremony!  She had earned her master's degree in Higher Education Administration as a working mom and wife.  There should be an award for that accomplishment too.

And there's my happy girl, beaming like the sun.  We finished the day with a late dinner at our favorite Reno restaurant, Golden Flower, along with some of Chrissie's special longtime friends.

Christina had been sick and her husband was still sick in bed so the party Saturday was cancelled.  Instead, Ian took Alexia out to Red Rock to visit friends and Crissie and I sat side by side at the table, her with her laptop and me with my iPad and elevated foot. She's done genealogy for over 20 years and taught me how to use Ancestry.com.  We had a blast. Since returning home I've spent at least eight hours on the program - with my foot elevated :-)

We left Sunday morning and I drove about a third of the way, choosing my favorite part from Alturas to the Summer Lake rest stop.  The high desert in May, especially a wet month like this one, has it's own rugged beauty.  

We got home about 3:30 and I puttered around, getting my things put away.  I know that doesn't make much sense but I don't feel like I'm home until my things are where they belong.  That's when I can settle down and put up my feet.  Someone was waiting for me do that very thing.

We realized why this pitcher caught our eye.  We had originally chosen a different one, but this was the winner, and I think we were subconsciously attracted because of our chair. 

This is Delaney's first Mother's Day, or maybe I should say Julia's first Mother's Day.  Tomorrow is our first day to watch the baby because Julia has to go back to work.  We offered to watch Delaney two days a week so she's just going to work those days for now, Thursdays and Fridays.  And so we enter a new chapter in our lives.