October 15, 2012

Anticipation...

I can't believe I just spent a wad on one skein of yarn... Ok, it was less than $20.00, and for many knitters, that is cheap, but for me, I could probably get 4 skeins from one of the other vendors I tend to frequent for that price...  But, I was gifted a skein of this Independent Dyer's yarn to create a new sock pattern with, and it was so inspirational (the Frills and Lace pattern was the result of that yarn) that I just had to try her stuff again.  The Indie Dyer is Lisa Souza, and her yarns can be found at www.lisaknits.com The colors are vibrant and the yarn is sooooooo soft and beautiful and she does some amazing techniques with her dying that I haven't seen elsewhere.  I am sold, and probably hopelessly addicted now to her yarns.

The skein I was gifted was her Sock! line in the color Delft.  This time, I decided to try her Blue Faced Leicester Sock! in the color Jonquil.  It appears to be either a speckled yellow with purple and orange speckles or with splotches of purple and orange.  Either version is fine with me.  I just know it will get the creative juices flowing and I am looking forward to it arriving, hopefully in the next week.

I am also looking forward to seeing how the BFL knits up.  I understand from others in the knitting world that this yarn is supposed to be softer and more lucious than normal merino wool yarn, but having never experienced it, I am anticipating finding out for myself.

I know a lot of knitters who make socks worry about how much nylon is in their sock yarn, and for some of the socks I knit for other people, I pay attention to that.  But when I am knitting for myself, that is one consideration I really don't need to worry about too much.  First of all, I am gathering quite a collection of hand knit socks, so none of my socks get worn extensively.  Secondly, I have always been relatively gentle on my socks - I still have pairs of commercial socks that are nearly 30 years old and have not yet worn holes in them!  Some are now orphans due to the Dryer Monster, but still, that's a long time for socks to last, and I take much better care of my handknit socks than I ever did of my store-bought ones (and they have no need to fear the Dryer Monster as they will never go in the dryer). 

Truth be told, I really don't wear socks much anyway.  during the cooler months of the year, I do wear them when I go outside, and to town, etc., but with how my health has been for the last 2 years now, I hardly manage to get dressed and go anywhere that I would need to wear socks.  I rarely wear them around the house as I don't like wearing shoes (balance issues), and with all the greyhounds and cats, I am afraid I might step in something that I wouldn't want to get on my socks.  (feet are much easier to wash).  I will wear them to bed on cold nights, especially if I am keeping the bedroom door closed because the Dear Husband has jacked the fire in the woodstove to melting.  Since the only heat is via the woodstove, and it sits on the other side of the bedroom wall, it can get unbearably hot (for me) if I don't close it, but when I do, it does get nippy in here.  I do sleep better when it's cold though as long as my feet are warm, hence the socks in bed in the winter. 

Just because I don't wear them much doesn't mean that I will ever get enough of sock knitting.  I enjoy it.  It makes me relax and I am happy to see the designs come to life in the yarny goodness that are socks.  They are also short term projects which are about all my poor failing mind can handle these days.  I tend to have a shorter attention span as I get older (and have to take more medicine to deal with all the health issues), and the length of a sock project is about all I can manage anymore.  I'd love to do a sweater again someday, but... it takes soooo much more yarn and soooo long, I'd probably run out of patience and money long before I could finish a sleeve even!  No, I'll stick to my socks.  If you think you want a pair, let me know.  I am always looking for victims recipients to bless with socks...

October 12, 2012

Temptress Socks are now live!...

I am really excited to add this pattern to the growing list of sock patterns that I have designed.  This is a very pretty lace sock that looks much more complicated than it really is.  It's good for experienced knitters as well as new knitters as the directions are pretty well explained.


 
This pattern is available thru Ravelry and costs $5.00.  Many thanks to my proofreaders, Lydia and Verna for all their help and guidance.  This pattern would never have been as great without their help. 

WHAT a day!

What a day!  It started before Dawn as we had to be up early to make the trip to Springfield so I could get a Lumbar Puncture.  This was supposedly to try to determine what some of my current insane health issues are caused by... like the vertigo I've had since early Spring, the recent hemorrage in my left eye, and the ever present lowgrade headaches...

First of all, the Transport (Medicaid provided) was late.  They had us ride on one of those buses that they use for the wheelchair patients.  When we got on, there was already a lady on board that had come from one of the local Nursing homes, and there was not much room available for us.  (2 seats at the very front - one a half-sized seat and the other a full seat that the driver had all his crap on).  The larger seat would have been more comfortable for me, but because of his stuff, there was no way to get the seatbelt around me, so I was forced to perch on the smaller seat with my knees (that are already in bad shape) crammed into the door partition, and with my back up against the cold window.  Comp got the other seat as he is thinner and could get the seatbelt around him. 

Then they had to stop and pick up another lady at a different Nursing Home, and she was no where near ready (not dressed and still sitting on the commode, according to the driver).  We had to wait a half an hour with the back door standing open in 40 degree damp weather before they got her ready and loaded.  By then, she and the other lady who both had drop offs before mine, were already late for their appts, so they went ahead and dropped me off first because if you are late at the hospital, they have to reschedule your test.  Don't know how late those two were, but we did make it - just in the nick of time.  And let's not talk about the Driver's speeds as he tried to make up for lost time... as a former Driver's ed teacher, let's just say I was not pleased...

The test was not too bad.  Really a lot more scary in theory than in actuality.  The technician who did my test was very good and very pleasant, and explained everything very well.  He did tell me that my pressure in the brain and spinal cord was significantly higher than normal, and as a result, he removed 12 ccs of spinal fluid (after what they took to run their tests with) to bring that pressure back down to normal. That did help with the headache.  The jury is still out on the Vertigo and the eye damage is probably permanent at this point.  Recovery was pretty good too - I spent most of that time knitting on socks, so it was a pretty normal experience for me... (what I do on a daily basis)

The real trouble began when they released me.  Comp called an hour before I was to be released to get the Transport on their way to pick us up.  They were supposed to be there right when I was released, or within 15 minutes.  Being as when you have a Lumbar Puncture, you are SUPPOSED to lie flat for the 1st 12 hours, they don't want you sitting around waiting on your ride.  We ended up waiting almost 2 HOURS!!!!  And Steve and I both had to call the Transport coordinators to get them to finally show up and pick us up. Grrrrrrr.  The reason you are supposed to lie flat is that if you don't you end up with a spinal headache, which makes a really bad migraine feel like a day at the beach.  How do I know that?  Gee, I wonder... NOT!!!

And there was no excuse for this having happened.  Because of other issues with Medicaid Transport in the past, I have elected a Preferred Provider to take me for my appts.  Did they schedule me with my preferred provider?  NOOOO... why not?  Their excuse is that they had heard that that company was going out of business.  NOT True.  I know because we have become friends with the people who own the transport company that is now my preferred provider.  The real reason?  The Transport coordinator company has to pay my preferred provider a higher rate than the company that they sent me with (because they contracted them at the higher rate and now want my company to take a rate cut - with gas prices climbing into the stratosphere?).  So they give all the work to the lower priced company and are driving all the smaller and more expensive companies out of business. 

The company I prefer takes good care of their riders and does whatever they can to make the ride more comfortable and bearable for folks like me who have to rely on Medicaid provided transportation (we can't afford the gas to go to Springfield for tests, and where we live, that is the only choice for many of them, not to mention the appts with Specialists).  If they do end up going out of business, it will be because the Transport Coordinator folks have found a loophole and are using it to deny them the riders they need to stay in business.

So tomorrow, when I am supposed to be resting and getting over this ordeal, I will be spending the day on the telephone, reaming new orrifices in the various folks who make the decisions that have caused this horrible experience and the horrific headache I am now suffering.  And if some heads do not roll, I fully intend to take this to the media and allow them to publicize this mess. Those of us on Medicaid are still people who deserve to be treated like people.  Granted some may be of less than stellar mental faculties, but not all of us.  It behooves those of us who are still mentally capable to take a stand and see that things are done right so that not only do we not have to suffer, but so that those with less ability to speak for themselves don't have to suffer either.

And don't get me started on what will happen if Romney gets elected... THAT  thought terrifies me... 

September 28, 2012

Frills and Lace Socks

I have finally released a new sock pattern, Frills and Lace socks.  This pattern has it all:  simple cables, simple lace and beads as well as a small band of contrasting yarn to help highlight the beading.  This is a very simple pattern with a 4-row repeat and a short row, Eye of Partridge heel.  It is appropriate even for relatively new sock knitters who want to try the various elements without becoming overwhelmed by a complicated pattern.  Instructions are both written and charted and include both cuff down and toe up versions.


The pattern is available exclusively through Ravelry.com (See my links) and is just $4.00

September 21, 2012

Short Row Heel with Gussetts


I promised a couple of days ago to get this heel written up and posted here since I have used it for socks for someone with a high instep.  I am writing it for cuff down, as that is the way I normally work.  I am not sure yet how to do it for toe up, but I am working on it.  If someone normally does toe up and wants to help with it, I'd appreciate your imput, and would happily share credit with you...
This is being offered for free for anyone to use with any pattern.  I am sure the idea is not original to me, but if you plan to these instructions in a pattern you are offering for sale, I'd appreciate a note from you first...

Start with half the total number of stitches you have for your sock.  This pattern is done in all stockinette, but you could continue the leg pattern on the heel if you so desire.  You will be working over the stitches that are/were the back half of the leg.  Make sure you have a stitch marker on either side of the section you are working on if you are not using a seperate needle(s) for the heel already (I use a 9" circular, and use the SMs instead of a seperate needle).

Work across the heel section until you reach the last stitch before the marker before you would start the instep.  Turn your work and you are now going to work on the wrong side of the work, so knit stitches will be purled and purl stitches will be knitted. work across the heel until you have 2 stitches left before the stitch marker.  Turn and now work on the right side again, continuing in this manner, always turnning one stitch before where you turned the last time.  When you have between 8 and 14 stitches remaining as working stitches (depending on the width of your heel).

Now you will begin picking up stitches while working on the wrong side of the work.  From here on out, you will purl only on the wrong side and knit only on the right side.  When you reach the end of the worked stitches, pick up the next stitch and then make one stitch (M1) by stiching your left needle into the yarn between the stitch you just picked up and the next one from the back.  Now Purl that new stitch thru the front of the loop that is on the left needle. Turn your work and go back across the work on the right side, knitting all stitches until you reach the last worked stitch.  Now work the first unworked stitch and again M1, this time by slipping the left needle under the yarn between this last stitch and the next one from the front side.  Knit this stitch through the back loop. Turn the work and continue in this manner until all stitches are worked. 

Now continue with your foot pattern by working your pattern across the instep stitches and decreasing the extra stitches out every other row by SSk the 1st 2 stitches on the heel side (after the marker) and K2Tog the last 2 stitches (before the marker) on that side.  Since I usually have my start of row marker on one of the 2 side SMs, and your gussetts are actually a part of the foot instead of the instep, you don't have to move the start of round to the center of the heel, and you will still have your decreases on the same round.  When you are back to the number of stitches that the pattern calls for your cast on, you do not need to continue decreasing, and should continue with the pattern as written.

September 17, 2012

Sock ramblings...

A dear friend and someone else, who is in Keep it Simple Socks (a group on Ravelry), recently asked me why I was designing my sock patterns for specific foot issues when most socks will stretch to fit almost any foot shape.  They do, but for some people, the socks don't fit well, and in my way of looking at it, that is a problem. 

Feet are an important part of the body that are usually ignored as they are so far away from our heads that we hardly ever think of them.  But they are important because they are what support and carry around the entire body, and pain and problems with your feet can transfer to other parts of your body and contribute to ill health in the rest of the body in ways you wouldn't expect.  So to me, having comfortable and therefore healthy feet is important.  That means wearing socks and shoes that don't pinch or bind or are too loose or too big.  Your feet will have to work to get comfortable in socks and shoes that don't fit well, and the adjustments they make to do that will affect posture and how your feet carry your body around.  After a while, that is going to translate to aches and pains in places far from your feet (not to mention the aches and pains in your feet as well).  So, socks should fit well.

I also think that if you are going to take the time to make handknit socks, you might as well make nice handknit socks that are pretty or handsome (if you are making them for or are a guy).

To me, that translates to interesting patterns with lace and cables and other design elements.  I have spent much of my life as a fat broad who likes style, but for whom designer clothes are not designed.  Never mind not well, most designers don't even recognize that the human body comes in all shapes and sizes - they only want to design for skinny model types.  I also sew and learned to make my own clothes so I could wear things that looked good on me and had some sense of style.  Granted it isn't the style seen in Vogue or other high fashion magazines, but it looks good on my body.  Not that I care that much anymore - I'm older now and comfortable is more important than style these days. 

But I still want pretty and stylish socks.  That fit well.  I have flat wide feet, and I need socks with a lower heel than most folks, so that is why I mostly knit socks with a short  row Eye of Partridge heel.  It fits my heel and foot better.  I don't have high arches, so I normally forego a gussett in the foot of my socks.  Gussets make the sock too large on my foot, and makes the socks feel sloppy to me. 

But other people don't have flat feet and square toes.  Some have incredibly high arches.  Some have tiny feet.  Some have thick ankles.  A sock that fits me won't fit some of these other feet, and I think it's time we realized that. 

Making socks that fit isn't really difficult.  It's learning to take what does work for you and applying it to the patterns you want to knit.  For a person with a high arch, that means a heel that has a gussett in it, and normally, that means a heel flap and gussett heel.  For a person with flat feet and no arch to speak of, that means a short row heel. 

The problem to me is that I abhor the heel flap style of heel.  It's what is taught to most first time knitters, and it's very counter intuitive.  It doesn't sound like it will fit or will even make a heel, so for someone like me, who sees things in the mind's eye, it's the hard way to go about making a heel.  The short row heel is much more intuitive and makes more sense, so I like it better.  Not to mention, it fits my heel, so that's what I use.



Currently however, I am designing a sock for a woman with a high arch.  The short row heel doesn't fit her, so I had to go back to the drawing board.  I needed to make a heel that would fit her foot and her high arch, but I just can't abide the heel flap mess.  I had to come up with something different.  So I did. I altered my basic short row heel to include extra stitches that could become a gussett and would provide the extra space she needs to make a sock fit comfortably.  It's probably not a new idea; I am certain that some knitter somewhere in the annals of time has done this same thing, but it's new to me, so  I will try to get the new heel written up and include it here free of charge for anyone who needs a longer heel than I do.  I will also edit this to add pictures of the sock with the new heel design as soon as I get the sock finished and the weather clears up so that I can get a decent picture outside. 

September 15, 2012

Changes are afoot...

You may have noticed that I have changed the title of my Blog... This is because I am getting ready to launch a new venture... some sock knitting patterns that will be sold on Ravelry, a free site for those who enjoy the fiber arts.  The patterns will be sold under Greyhound Bend Designs.  Greyhound Bend is the name of our home here in Missouri; we live on a bend in the road, and we have LOTS of greyhounds, hence "Greyhound Bend."  Anyway, I am hoping to do more blogging about the knitting venture, announce new pattern releases and tell you what all I am working on (with pictures) to help get the word out.

At this point, Ravelry will be the only location where my patterns will be available for purchase.  It will just make life simpler to have only one place to get the patterns and for me to have to keep track of what and how things are selling.  Since Ravelry is free for all users, and there is a rather large membership of folks who are into knitting and other fiber arts (well over 2,000,000 at this point), it just seems like a logical location.

So what am I working on now?  I am in the final steps of readying a pattern that I am working on for publication.  At this point, the pattern is called Frills and Lace Socks...
... this is just the first of the socks from this pattern that is completed.  I am currently working on sock #2 of this pair, as well as a second pair that started like this...
... it has blue beads that match the blue mohair and the blue flecks that are in the main color (Lisa Souza Sock! in Delft).  This is the yarn that inspired the pattern to begin with, but we have had a lot of rain the past couple of days so I have not been able to get a good picture of the sock as it now looks.  I am also still on the foot as this is a pair that I am making for a friend from Ravelry who sent me the yarn and a foot model.  She has a very high arch, and the reason for designing a sock for her in the first place is to learn how to devise a pattern for her type of foot needs.  I am working on a new heel design to go on her socks that includes a gusset within the short row heel set up to give her more room across the instep.  I will get more pictures as soon as we are past this and the weather cooperates.

I also have a couple of other patterns in the works... a series of patterns based around a rather simple cable and lace design that will have the series title of "As You Like It Socks."  There are going to be 3 different patterns (thus far) in this series, but I am still looking for names for the individual patterns and still have a LOT of writing and editing to do.  But here are a few glimpses of what these will look like...



And there will be 2 distinct but related patterns called "Temptress Socks"  and "Seductress Socks" that are lace with a diagonal rib.  These were specifically designed to deal with another common foot issue, very large ankles (known as 'cankles').  The pattern is very stretchy and will accomodate large ankles while still conforming to thinner portions of the foot and leg.  And it is a pattern that will look nice on the leg of ANYONE, not just those with large ankles! The first pair of  "Temptress Socks" is pictured below, but the picture of the first pair of "Seductress Socks" is not available for publication yet as they are a birthday present for a good friend whose birthday is not until October.  The patterns for these socks are also only partially written, but I hope to have all of these patterns released before Christmas. 

Here are a picture of the "Temptress Socks"...

Oh yes, and lest you think the greyhounds are being ignored or neglected... here's Fritzie in his new greyhound hat for the coming winter...
This pattern is not my own, but is available on Ravelry as "Pointy Greyhound Hood" and is FREE (although a donation to a local greyhound rescue is recommended).

April 17, 2012

The Eye of Partridge Short Row Heel

I have been busy making more socks, and several people have asked me about the heel I always do.  I call it a Short Row Eye of Partridge heel, and it can be done either toe-up or cuff down.  I prefer cuff down, but this i can do both directions and I like this heel because it is easy to sub in for whatever heel the pattern calls for, and I don't have to do a heel flap and gusset (which I really abhor doing).  I find that the Eye of Partridge technique camouflages the little holes that you can get from the wrap and turn short row heel, and it just seems to fit me better.  So here is how it works:

Once you are at the point where you are ready to start your heel, knit across from the center back to the end of your heel stitches. (you do not need gusset increases on toe-up  with this type of heel).  I usually use 1/2 the total number of stitches to make my heel (this can be done with any needle configuration).  when you get to the last stitch, slip it and turn.  You do not wrap this time around.  Now you purl across all your heel stitches until you have only one heel stitch remaining.  You will slip this stitch from the left needle to the right needle, and then pass your yarn to the back of your work.  Now slip this stitch back to your left needle and pass your yarn back to the front.  Now turn your work.  Now the EoP pattern will begin.  S1 K1 til one stitch is remaining on your heel.  Slip this stitch to the right needle, pass the yarn to the front of the work, slip the stitch back to the left needle and pass the yarn to the back. Turn your work.  Here you will purl across your heel to the last stitch before the previous wrapped stitch, and wrap this stitch as you did before. Turn and again, S1 K1 across to the last stitch before the wrapped stitch on this side.  Wrap and Turn.  Continue in this fashion until you have about 10-14 stitches remaining unwrapped (less stitches for small heels, more for larger ones).  End your wraps on a knit row. 



On the next row, purl across to the first wrapped stitch (the last stitch you wrapped on this side) and pick up the wrap and put it on the needle with the stitch, and purl these together.  Turn your work.  Now you will work across your stitches in a K1 S1 pattern til you reach the first wrapped stitch (again, the last stitch you wrapped on the knit side).  Pick up the wrap and put it on the needle with your  stitch, and knit these 2 stitches together. Turn your work, and purl to the next wrapped stitch, repeat the pickup and ptog, and turn.  k1 S1 across to the next wrapped stitch and pickup and ktog.  Turn and repeat this process until you have no wrapped stitches remaining.  Your heel is finished, you should be headed across your instep (front of leg) stitches.  As you get ready to continue with your pattern, pick up 2 stitches from between the heel stitches and the instep stitches, and knit across the instep, as the pattern tells you to do.  when you come to the other side, pick up 2 stitches from between the instep and heel stitches, and continue across the sole (back of leg), following your pattern.  When you get to the last heel stitch, knit it together with the first of the picked up stitches, then knit the second added stitch together with the first stitch of the instep.  Follow pattern across to the last stitch and then knit this last stitch together with the first added stitch on this side.  Then knit the second added stitch with the first heel stitch, and continue on with your pattern as written.  The only change to your pattern as written will be to omit your gusset decreases.  You do not need them with this type of heel.

February 15, 2012

Being Disabled.

Well, the Administrative Law Judge has made his decision in my disability case, and it's called "Partially Favorable."  I got the notification of the ruling, and have been able to determine from the written decision that he considers me to have been Disabled as of March 1, 2011.  I guess that's something.  Now we just have to wait for the Social Security Administration to determine whether or not they are going to award me any Supplemental Security Income so that we can manage to keep this roof over our heads for the foreseeable future.

Legalese is very confusing at best, but being an individual with a moderate education and an interest in reading such convoluted material such as legal briefs and legislature, I probably am able to understand a tad more than the average Joe.  It's not my brain that is disabled, but my body. 

That being said, and having waded thru the lengthy decision to see exactly what has been said, I find the decision very disparaging and rather degrading in it's tone.  While he does agree that I do have marked difficulties, he also makes statements about my financial inability to pay for the treatments that would back up my medical claims.  To wit:  he states that while I have repeatedly stated that we cannot afford any sort of special testing and/or treatments, we also have greyhounds and we can afford to feed them, such that if the pain/medical issues were really bad enough, we COULD afford said treatments. 

SAY WHAT???  What am I supposed to do?  Not feed my dogs so that I can have medical treatment?  What the heck, suppose that these were human children instead of animal children, would I also have to not feed them in order to afford medical treatment?  I DON'T Think so!!!!!!
I should think that would be morally reprehensible, as well as highly illegal.  Besides, it might cost us maybe $100.00 dollars a month to feed our dogs, while there is not a test for ANY of the things I have that is less than that, and MANY of the treatments/medications necessary far exceed that monthly amount.  What planet is this guy from?  This really ticks me off.  My greyhounds are my children, especially since one of my long standing ailments has rendered me unable to bear children of my own, whether naturally or medically assisted (other than cloning and having someone else carry the ensuing child).  Not to mention that having and rearing children is not something that I am suited to, nor am I in favor of passing on the known genetic factors that have predisposed me to ongoing health issues, including mental health issues.  These greyhounds are also important in my continued existence... if it were not for them, I would have long ago found a way to end my existence just to prevent my being a further burden to family and friends.  It sucks having to care for someone else, and it costs time and money as well, and I am certain that, other than the emotional stress that such an action on my part would cause to my family and loved ones, that they would all be better off without the burden I bring them.  I won't do that however tempted I might be, because that would be just what the government and the so-called 'Moral Majority' appear to want and expect me to do, and I won't let them win that easily.  I have never been a quitter, and I won't start being one now.

That said, life must go on.  Hopefully, the SSA will see fit to allow me to collect the Supplemental Security Income that being disabled (and having WORKED for a sufficient number of quarters to qualify for) entitles me to collect.  We are currently living below the poverty level for one individual, and being as there are 2 of us trying to exist on that level of income, we should qualify financially.  That doesn't mean we will - just that we should.  I have long ago given up the notion that the US government gives a damn about anyone who falls below the top 10% of the income in this country.  In the meantime, just knowing that I am considered legally disabled is a positive thing.  The stress of having to try to prove that I am Disabled is now gone, even if the struggle to survive while being disabled has just begun.  I have always chosen to look at the glass as half full rather than half empty.  At least this is no longer hanging over my head.

One further note... Going thru this has polarized my political views of life here in these United States.  I will admit to being a dyed in the wool Democrat now, and view the Republican Party as it now exists as an abomination and the moral equivalent of the Nazi Party under Hitler.  We don't need Neo-Nazis in this country when we have Republicans who are not interested in helping anyone other than themselves and those other individuals who make up the top 10% of the economic status of this country.  Obama is MY President of CHOICE, and I will CHOOSE to vote for him again in 2012.  If I had my way, not only would the social health reforms he has tried to initiate take immediate effect, but we would also repeal any and all laws that allow the Legislature of this country to earn an income from the act of representing the American People.  There was a very legitimate reason why the Founding Fathers did not provide an income for the legislature in the US Constitution, and evidence for that can be seen in the astounding level of greed and corruption that can be seen in Today's political machine... It they were required to support themselves by a means other than legislative office, several factors that lead to such widespread corruption and greed would not exist - they would serve a single term as was intended and not stay in power long enough to gain the immense control that is seen today and which has led to the current state of corruption and ineptitude that now exists.  The People would be once again represented by The People instead of by political machines.

Hacked!

It finally happened.  My longstanding email address on Yahoo, that I've used for aver 14 years now was hacked into yesterday.  They sent spam to everyone in my contact list, including several yahoo groups that I haven't been very active on for several years now.  There is no foolproof way to get around these buggers.  Although I am more careful than most and don't open suspicious emails from folks/places I don't know, emails with no subject line and most forwarded emails, they still snuck in somehow.  I hate this feeling of being violated, and I hate that the people I know are now subject to junk sent in my name.

There was only one thing to do... change my email account.  I am being very careful of putting the new email account out there as that just invites hackers to have free access again, but those who really need to contact me can always find me, either from Facebook or some of the other groups and lists and boards that I frequent, and in those places, they can actually contact me without having to have my email address.  I am no longer using the old account for anything, and did not forward my contact list or anything else to this new email address so that the new account is far more difficult for the hackers to get to quite so readily.  Yes, it's a hassle, but in the interest of being safe, it's worth it to me.

Unfortunately, this is a case of the information age gone amok.  We are technologically further along than we have laws in place to govern, and given the current world political climate, it is very unlikely that anything can be done to stop these idiots.  Back in the Dark Ages (as my brother used to say, 'when dinosaurs chased us home'), there wasn't the Information Highway.  Computers were monstrous things that took up whole city blocks, just to do simple math problems, and the concept of a personal computer was something left to Science Fiction writers.  One didn't need a Social Security number until one reached an age when employment was possible, and Identity Theft, although possible, was a rare thing that you hardly ever heard of, let alone experienced.

Sometimes I still long for those simpler days, full of activities that didn't require being plugged in and connected.  Those days are gone now, for the most part, and while I still do some of those far less technical activities, even those activities, like my knitting, are enhanced by access to the Internet.  Without the Internet, we would have far less access to interesting patterns and such a wide range of yarn suppliers.  Without the Internet, we would have less access to others who enjoy the same pastimes.  Without the Internet, our lives might be safer, but they would also be missing something that we have acquired a taste for... information. 

February 08, 2012

A New Fashion Statement...

Sunny, the 12 year old greyhound has decided to make a new fashion statement out of her muzzle.  She has taken to wearing it as a necklace instead of covering her needle nose.  Sunny says this new style is much more beneficial for her favorite activity - snacking on yard cookies when she is on Turnout.

Little does she know, but this is not a new look for greyhounds.  Especially greyhounds who live at our house.  Mr. Fritz, the original boy child and greyhound muzzle designer, discovered this look years ago.  He could get the muzzle off in less than 2 seconds, and was usually seen sporting the necklace look while the rest of the clan was muzzled in the appropriate (normal) manner.  He was the reason that we added muzzle keepers to the muzzles sported by our greyhounds.  When worn properly, the muzzle keeper actually makes it impossible to get the muzzle off over the ears.  In Sunny's case, hers is not on securely enough (she DOES have a muzzle keeper on as well).  The muzzle keeper is tight enough, but the strap to the muzzle itself is loose, making it far easier for her to get the edge of the strap over the ear and off the face. 

How do I know this?  The greys were all on a Turnout, and I was employed bringing them back in.  Everybody except Fritz and Sunny came in.  I called them, and here came Fritz - from the couch.  He had missed the turnout call, and out he went.  I called Sunny, and no Sunny came - from in the house or out.  Fritz finished his business and trotted back in, and still no Sunny.  So I went looking for her.  Sure enough, she was out there, enjoying a nibble or 20 on all the yard coolies she could find.  I called and called and she employed that famous greyhound trait of selective hearing.  I finally had to go down in the yard and drag her bony butt back in the house.  When she realized mommy was in the backyard WITH her, and not happy about it (I was barefoot, and it's near freezing here in Missouri this time of year), boy did she decide to move it! I was not aware that senior greyhounds who can't walk steadily can still sprint like a 2 year old when necessary. 

The moral of this story?  Make sure the muzzle is affixed tightly enough even on senior greyhounds as they can and will take every opportunity they can to take it off otherwise...  Also, Sunny may be 12, but if she keeps this up, only one of us (her or I) will live to see her 13th birthday...  At this point, my bet is on Sunny.

February 06, 2012

Greyhound Intelligence is not an oxymoron...

Someone sent me a link to a blog today that describes a dog who may be part greyhound as stupid.  This person gave her dog an IQ test that her dog then failed, miserably.  The test parameters?  Could the dog sit?  Do stairs? Find it's way out from under a blanket? Come when called?  Who makes up these tests?  Not someone who has a greyhound as most greyhounds would probably fail a test like this.  Not because they can't do these things, but because they don't feel the need to prove that they can do them!  In my books, that sounds like high intelligence instead of stupidity.

Greyhounds CAN sit.  They just don't like to.  Well, most of them don't like to.  First of all, it isn't comfortable for them because of their muscular hips, and because they usually can't do it gracefully.  Believe me when I say being graceful (except when asleep) is a higher priority for a greyhound than pleasing the human. Awesome was my sitter.  Of course he was food motivated.  Human food motivated.  He might sit for a dog cookie, IF they hadn't had any in a couple of days, but if you had a banana, he would try to sit in your lap.  Bananas were his all time favorite food. And because he had a potassium deficiency, he got them nearly every day.  We could not say or spell banana in his presence as he would then immediately sit at your feet and look around expectantly until the banana was produced and he got to eat the entire thing himself.  Bananas were not for sharing or for other greyhounds.  They were his.  And since he's been gone, we haven't even had bananas in the house.

Greyhounds CAN do stairs.  If they have to.  If they are motivated enough.  When we first moved here, Pixie proved that.  We have very steep stairs to our attic (finished, and one day I hope, it will be the master suite).  The cat boxes were up there.   She could get up them, but because they were so steep, she could not see where the next step down was, so she would NOT come down them. She LOVES cat cookies, so her motivation to go up was high.  The humans were downstairs, and she couldn't figure out how to get down, so we had to practically carry her down.  She then decided that this was a cool game.  In the middle of the night.  Go upstairs, eat cat cookies, then sit at the top of the stairs and give the Greyhound Scream of Death until the humans came up and carried her down.  Neither Steve or I are capable of carrying a greyhound down stairs, even a small one of only 50 lbs.  Especially down very steep stairs that we could fall down just as easily without trying to carry a greyhound down!  So our solution was to cut a cat sized hole in the bottom of the attic door so that the cats could go up and the greyhounds couldn't.  It worked pretty well.  The cats had a safe place to go to get away from the greyhounds when they wanted peace and quiet, and we could keep the greyhounds out of the cat food and the cat litter boxes.  Of course, Sunny STILL tries to stick her head thru the cat door to reach the cat's food bowl that sits on the steps just a few stairs up.  The number of times I have caught that 12 year old stuck with her head through the cat door and her nose wedged in such a way that she can't get back out... not a case of intelligence or the lack there of, but of motivation. 

Greyhounds CAN get out from under a blanket, but why would they want to?  They can be quite warm and content under a blanket, and will stay there unless there is something much more interesting going on outside of the blanket... Like a visiting dog or a cat giving the cat equivalent of the Greyhound Scream of Death.  Just a question of motivation.

As for coming when called.  That depends on what you are calling them for.  Around here, calling a specific greyhound by name is usually only resorted to if said greyhound is in TROUBLE.  Why come for the opportunity of getting punished?  Especially when the greyhound does not view the offending action as something BAD.  (eating yard cookies is only a BAD thing to humans.  Greyhounds find this behavior most enjoyable).  Again, Sunny the 12 year old is the main offender.  Any time she can manage to get outside without her muzzle and associated poop cup (to keep her from eating poop) on, she can and WILL eat yard cookies.  Even frozen ones (or she will bring them back in with her in the hopes of getting to enjoy them when they thaw).  I can call her til I'm blue in the face to get her to come in when she's enjoying a backyard snack, but she won't come until she has determined that she has had enough.  The only way to circumvent this activity is to make sure her muzzle is securely in place BEFORE she goes outside.  Trying to go GET her back in doesn't work very well because even at 12 years old and with very wobbly legs, she is still faster than the resident humans and the yard is pretty big.  Besides, we have this tendency to try to circumnavigate the yard AROUND the remaining yard cookies (the yard is too big and we have have too many greyhounds to make cleaning up the poop remotely feasible), and well, she doesn't.

I would offer a different sort of IQ test for greyhounds.  Can they figure out a new way to get on the couch or bed when it is already full of greyhounds or other obstacles (humans, books, pillows, knitting projects, mouse traps)?  Can they convince the human to do whatever it is they want the human to do for them just by employing the Greyhound Scream of Death?  Can they find a way thru a very tiny hole in the gate/fence/door/window to get out and run around the neighborhood?  Can they find a fresh loaf of bread in one of 20 grocery bags brought in the house on shopping day, grab only that bag and race around the house, returning in under 3 seconds with the empty bag and bread wrapper and not a crumb anywhere?  and can they tell the difference between the human's commands to know when not coming when called is going to end VERY BADLY for the greyhound in question?  Of course, then they can and will come, with a look of utter helplessness and total affection and abject atonement on their face all at the same time.  This look is guaranteed to get the human to cave in and forgive said greyhound, even if he has just eaten the entire brand new skein of very expensive and rare bison yarn that was intended for a present for someone special...

January 31, 2012

knitting more socks,,,

I am beginning to think that this addiction to sock knitting has gotten out of hand...  Until this morning, I had 3 separate sock pairs in progress, 2 of which are original designs.  I just finished 3 other pairs in the past 2 weeks, AND I do have some non-sock patterns as well that I am working on (or is that supposed to be working on).  But nooooo, this morning, while trolling thru the threads of my favorite group on Ravelry (Sock Knitters Anonymous, what else?) I saw the perfect pattern for some home dyed yarn that i just finished dyeing the other day... So, since that thread's cast on expires tonight at midnight (EST), I just HAD to cast them on TODAY...  They are going to be lovely, and the yarn is wonderful to work with, and the pattern is fairly easy, so I can rationalize this cast on.  For now.  Unfortunately, At the same time that the January thread's cast on expires, the cast on begins for February, and I have a pair of socks planned for that month too.  I will probably go ahead and cast them on sometime tomorrow, which will bring me back up to 5 separate sock projects again.  Like I said, I think the addiction is taking over my life again...

Of course, as it now stands, only one of these pairs of socks is for someone other than me.  One of the new designs I am working on are for one of my Ravelry friends,  I am really pleased with how it's looking, and I think it will be a popular pattern when I get it finished, so this is a good thing.  I'd love to get some testknitters started on it, but the recipient does not know what it looks like yet, and I'd hate to have someone accidently show it to her before she gets the finished socks, so I need to wait to ask for testknitters until i finish the pattern and send her the socks.

The other original design is a pair of colorwork greyhounds that I am designing to celebrate Awesome, the greyhound we just lost in December (3 days before Christmas).  I really need to work on these, because they were January cast ons too, and I only have until Feb 28th to finish them.  Only I have had to frog back to the cuff as I need to work on the design again - the nose was not looking like a greyhound to me...

The other pair is a test knit for another designer who I am helping with the English version of her pattern.  This means more editing and pattern writing in addition to knitting the pattern.  This also takes time, and it's time without needles in my hands.  I'd rather knit than write at this point in my life, so guess what keeps getting put off?  Hint:  it isn't the knitting...  Now I am adding a pair of socks with lots of cables (the last Jan cast on) and one that plays with self-striping yarn by making the stripes ripple and wave around the socks, and I can't decide if I want to do an already established pattern or devise one of my own, that has other elements in it as well... (I have another pattern idea...)  I will probably go with the new pattern that is in my head.  This will of course, mean even MORE pattern writing is in the near future.  SIGH.  See wa=hat I mean about addicting hobby?  

January 28, 2012

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Socks....

I am working on some new socks now.  This is a pattern I am creating for a friend from Ravelry.  I wanted something special, so I decided instead of making socks for her from someone else's pattern, I;d design my own pattern.  I have done that before, and the other patterns are ok, but not too complicated.  This is a lace pattern, with traveling stitches and (hopefully, IF I can get the count on them right) some cables as well.  All the things I've learned about knitting socks in the last year are going into this one pair of socks.  Nothing like jumping into the deep end.

The only thing I have NOT mastered thus far in my sock knitting career, is learning how to count and figure the number of stitches I need to cast on to do the number of repeats around the sock that I want.  But this is not a new problem - I have had problems with math my entire life, so why should it be any different for sock knitting? I cast on and tried to recreate the pattern in my head in yarn, and realized about halfway thru the first row that I didn't have the right number of stitches AND that it wasn't doing what I wanted it to do.  So I ripped it all out and went to graph paper and wrote down what I thought I wanted to do.  Then, I cast on some stitches (more than I needed, but that was intentional) so that I could try a swatch of the pattern to see if I had the ideas right on paper at least.  They weren't, but I did figure out hos to make it look like it did in my head, so I stopped the test swatch and cast on again for the real thing.  I THOUGHT I had figured that I needed 72 stitches per row, so I cast on that many, and started off with my improvised cuff that would flow (supposedly) right into the pattern.  I got thru the first row, but had screwed up my count somewhere and was off on the stitches (I thought), so decided to plod ahead and tink back a row when I found my error.  I went a long, and sure enough, there was a goof where I forgot to change from knit to purl, and I thought I was going to be ok... until I got to the end of that row and had 8 stitches too many.  I then spent about half an hour, counting thru the stitches I had done, and trying to figure out where I had screwed up, until it finally dawned on me that I should have only cast on 64 stitches!  FROG POND!!!!

I FINALLY got it cast on correctly and got thru the cuff and into the pattern.  I am about halfway thru the first repeat, and I must say, it is looking very nice.  My hands are a bit sore not, but I am satisfied with how it's going, so I'm happy.  And more importantly, I think Denise will be happy with the socks when they are done.

January 13, 2012

Sunny's pre-breafast snack...

Living with greyhounds is always an adventure.  Living with 7 greyhounds is sometimes just insane.  We have a pack, known affectionately as the "Brindle Mafia," mainly because all but one of them is a brindle.  The most senior of these crazy greyhounds is Sunny.  A 12 year old retired broodie, she has one annoyingly bad habit - she LOVES yard cookies.  All the rest of the greys have to wear muzzles (except Fritzie, our token GOOD greyhound) because they will snark and snap at each other and/or get into things that they shouldn't; Sunny wears hers because otherwise she will indulge in yard cookies when she goes outside.

It snowed the other night. And it has been very cold outside since, so we  still have about a half an inch of snow on the ground. Because of this, we figured we didn't need to put Sunny's muzzle back on before she went outside. This morning, I learned first hand that this is not going to work. 

I got up and did the first morning turnout.  This meant this morning, that i let them all out and then cleaned up all the accidents in the back hallway and kitchen because not all of them went out last night for last call (Comp is not good about making them go and he did the last turnout last night).  So imagine my reaction when I had just gotten all the poop and pee cleaned up and let the poor freezing greyhounds back in, only to have Sunny bring her morning snack with her... a huge frozen pile of  POOP!  Of course, she did not get any further than the back door with her 'treat' before it was confiscated and relegated to the trash.  I was not pleased, but I can't say I wasn't amused.  Apparently, the poop must age a certain amount of time before it is deemed edible by our little old lady, because there was enough 'yard cookies' on the floor this morning to fill her food bowl to overflowing.  Thank goodness for that!

Now to understand Sunny better, and why this is funny, you kind of need her backstory.  Sunny came off a very deplorable greyhound farm.  One of the backyard breeder type places, that even the NGA took exception to.  They helped me get this place closed down and the owner banned from owning and/or racing greyhounds for life.  We took 26 adult (or nearly adult) greyhounds and 6 unweaned pups off this farm when we closed it down, and Sunny was one of those greyhounds.

Sunny has always been skinny, since coming off the farm.  She had several different foster homes, including one with a vet who raises and breeds show greyhounds, and none of her fosters could get her to eat consistently.  She would eat for 2 or 3 days and them go off her feed for a similar length of time.  We were all frustrated.  Because of this and her age (she was already 9 when we took her off the farm), she was never spayed.  She just would not be a good candidate for surviving anesthesia.

Finally, after several years, Sunny found a foster home that loved her so much they decided to adopt her.  Unfortunately, soon after her adoption, her family had some serious reversals of fortune, and they AND Sunny ended up moving in with us and our pack.  It was while they were all living with us that we started to understand the pattern of Sunny's eating habits, or lack thereof.  It seemed that she would be fine for a couple of days, then she'd have a bout of vomiting and that would throw her off her feed for several days until she was so hungry that she would start eating again.  It was a fairly vicious cycle.  We tried everything.  We thought it was maybe an intolerance of the kibble, so we tried changing that.  She'd have about a week of eating before she'd be right back at the same old routine.  Her mom and I discussed this and decided to see if perhaps it was a disease related issue, so we took her off to the vet who then ran tests and discovered that she had Giardia.  So she got a full 2 weeks of antibiotics, and she improved.  For a while.  Then it returned, and we were no further along.  I talked to the vet, and he suggested that we give her the antibiotics for a slightly longer period - perhaps she just had a bad case of it.  So we did.  A month went by, and we ended the meds and within days of doing that, the Giardia was back.  The consensus from the vet, her mom and me was that she had chronic Giardia and may need to be on the antibiotics for the remainder of her life.  Thankfully, after about 3 - 4 months, when we did a week's worth of break from the meds, she did not go back to her usual routine, so we guardedly decided to see how long she went before getting sick again.  She didn't, the Giardia was gone!

Sunny is still with us, because her family ran into even more problems and had to give her up, we hoped temporarily, but it has turned into a long term situation that isn't going to get better any time soon, so she is now a part of the Brindle Mafia.  She is still skinny as a rail, but at least she eats all her food every day and manages to find room for the occasional yard cookie when we forget to put her muzzle back on after breakfast.  This silly old girl has managed to make it thru some pretty horrific things and reached the ripe old age of 12, in spite of her tendency to eat things that should cause her to have a return of the Giardia. 

January 11, 2012

disabilities - a lesson in frustration...

Somedays I get so frustrated.  Today is one.  It has been nearly 7 months since I had my Judicial Review of my Disability case with the Law Judge.  We STILL have no decision.  I wonder if my case has gotten lost in the system, if they sent it to my old address and the law firm I worked with in Florida or if the Judge died.  I call my current lawyer every week, and they have no new information either.  Because they are representing me, I am not supposed to contact the SSA directly to see if it somehow got lost in the system.  They tell me that there is no way something like sending it to the wrong place could happen, but let's face it, this is a government agency we are dealing with.  In most government agencies, FUBAR is a standard operating procedure, so why should we assume that the SSA is any different?

It's hard being patient when it's your life that is on hold.  I can't have any of the tests the Dr wants done unitl and if I get approved for disability because we just don't have the resources to pay for MRIs and other like procedures.  We also are barely making ends meet financially, so getting the additional income or at least knowing that we need to start the process over again is becoming increasingly necessary.  I am tired of living hand to mouth, and while we won't be getting any astronomical amounts from SSD, it should at least make things a bit more comfortable.  Heck, just having medical coverage would be a major savings.

But all we can do is wait.  I have never been a patient person, and this is really a challenge for me.  I try to keep my mind occupied on other things, like my knitting and the critters, but even there the fact that the disability case hasn't been decided is an extra burden.  I'd like to be able to buy yarn for myself once in a while, and I'd really love to be able to get some flea protection for the animals, but those things cost money that we just don't have.  Keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table are the 2 highest priorities, and all else is extra stuff.  See why this is frustrating?

But just because we are struggling does not mean we are looking for handouts from friends and family.  We are adults, and we do not expect others to help us out when we should be able to help ourselves.  Comp is looking into finding a part time job, partly for financial reasons, but also so he can have a break from his chronically depressed wife (and the not knowing what's next doesn't help the depression any either).  I can't say as I blame him, there are days when I want to get away from her too (how does one get away from themselves and stay sane?).  Today is one of those days.  It's a vicious cycle.

January 10, 2012

Limitations...

Learning to live with limitations isn't as easy as one might think.  Having been relatively active for most of my life, it's now hard to not be able to do much at all.  Even a trip to the grocery store has to be well planned, and allowances made for my energy and pain levels.  No longer can I push a cart around Walmart to shop and browse for the things I need/want.  I have to take the ever present 'list' and actually read thru it periodically so that i don't forget the important stuff. 

Yesterday was shopping day.  Comp had to drive because I am still having issues with vertigo, and do not consider myself safe to drive.  He HATES going shopping, especially with me, because I try to get the least expensive version of products and he prefers the brand names.  With the limited income, we have to be frugal or things like the phone bill and the electric won't get paid.  Anyway, he drove and stayed in the car while I did the shopping. 

First was Shetler's.  This is a bargain bin type store, run by the Mennonites, and it has products that are damaged or otherwise left over from other larger (Chain) stores.  You never know what will be there, so you have to look at everything.  They also carry products from the Amish community and they also have bulk staples.  It's a cool place, but not very big.  Thank goodness, becuase when we were there yesterday, the one motorized cart they have was already in use and I had to walk with a cart.  I shouldn't have, but then again, this is the limitations thing.  I got a few things, not all the stuff I was looking for, but enough good deals to make the extra energy worth it.

Then it was time for Walmart.  I still like doing the grocery shopping there because I can (and do) find good deals and inexpensive versions of stuff that would cost me way more at the other local grocery stores. Here, I HAVE to use a motorized cart. Because of having to use the basket on the motorized cart that doesn't hold as much stuff.  I figured I would be able to get most of the stuff we needed in it though.  We were out of many things, so I took longer then I had planned and spent more than I wanted.  Way more.  I had planned to also go to one of the other grocery stores to buy meat, but my energy level was plummeting by the time I got done in Walmart, and the budget was depleted, so we went home to unload the groceries and get something figured out for dinner. 

By the time I was finished at Walmart, my energy level was waining fast.  I have finally learned that I can only push myself so far before I will have to pay for it.  When the energy level drops off, it's time to go to bed and/or work on less strenuous things (like my knitting) until the energy rebounds.  Most   of the time, the energy doesn't rebound like I think it should, and I end up having to take a nap.  Sometimes, even the nap isn't enough and I'm basically in bed for the rest of the day.  That was yesterday.  In addition to my energy level bottoming out, I over stressed my knee and back, so I was pretty uncomfortable last night.

I went to sleep rather early (for me) last night, in the hopes that perhaps I would have a bit more energy today.  It sort of worked.  I was awake at 6am and managed to get up, let the dogs out, and fix myself something to eat before the energy level plummetted again and I had to have a nap.  This means I slept thru feeding the dogs, which means that Comp had to do it himself, but he manages to do that most of the time anyway. 

But I have been able to be up a bit more today, and managed to work on some things like a weekly menu so that we know what is for dinner each night and don't have to face the age old what's for dinner debate.  I purposefully did not get any TV dinners at the store this time becuase I want to be able to help with the cooking more often, and if we just rely on TV dinners, so that Comp doesn't have to fuss so much, we end up spending more money and eating less nutritionally.  Whether or not I will be able to prepare dinner by myself is not a given, Comp will most likely have to help with the browning of meat, etc, but I hope to be able to help.  I want to try to do more and begin to stretch my limitations a bit more so that perhaps I can someday be a bit more active again.  Will it work?  I have no idea, but the thought is that if I can do a little bit each day, perhaps I will be able to endure for a longer period of time between colapses.  This is the managing my limitations goal for now.

 Of course, I also have to factor in my pain levels... somedays, the pain is really bad and even simple things like walking to the bathroom are a chore.  On those days, I do have to stay in bed and work on stuff there... like my ever present knitting or something else less physically taxing.  then we come to the mental limitations... my memory isn't so hot anymore, and my attention span is shot too, so somedays, sleeping is all I can manage.  I hate those days, and would like to have them go away.

January 09, 2012

Something new...

I guess it's high time I started a blog.  Trust me to be one of the last holdouts in blogging.  It just takes me a while to decide I want to try something new. 

Life here at Greyhound Bend moves right along.  The greyhounds are hanging in there, right now, Brigid, my heartgirl, is sacked out next to me on the bed with Pixie the Piddle Pup at my feet and Dusty cat padding on my arm.  I guess they all like their momma today - at least so far... they hav en't gotten into trouble - so far today, but it's still early.

Been doing a lot of knitting.  My BFF Anita gave me a ton of yarn for Christmas, and one of the things i've been working on is a shrug to fit my plus sized body and keep me warm on those  chilly mornings when Comp hasn't gotten the fire started yet.  It's coming along nicely.  I am almost finished with the part that goes across my back and am ready to start the second sleeve.  It's a dropped stitch pattern, pretty much of my own devising, with nice wide cuffs and very full sleeves (to help hide my fat arms).  The yarn is some mohair/wool blend with some sivler threads shot thru it in a blue and grey color.  Very fuzzy and a bit thicker than my usual sock yarn (I mostly knit socks, this shrug is a new venture).  I can't wait to have it finished so that I can concentrate on my socks again.  A girl can never have too many socks. 

Dusty LOVES the shrug.  If I am working on it, he can be found sitting on top of it, padding and nursing until I have to chase him off so I can turn the work (it's getting a bit wieldy now).  If he isn't careful, I'm gonna stick is little self inside the sleeve and see what happens.  He will probably just go to sleep, and then I will never get to wear it myself!