Latest news is depressing but the sock begins to look good!

John phoned soon after 1pm to say he finally managed to speak to Dr S' (Mum's consultant) secretary. She told him Mum has been labelled (can't think of the official word just now - classified?) EMI (Elderly Mentally Infirm). So she can't go to the same nursing home as Dad, unless we can find a home that is dual registered - both Nursing and EMI.

God(dess) knows what will happen now, but it's probably going to be both a lot of physical and mental work, accompanied by much soul searching and angst.

At least I've made a start on washing Mum's clothes, now must order name tags (handy hint from a nice lady called Ann we met on the flat's car park just over a week ago) and start sewing them into her clothes.

Meanwhile the knitting continues.



My gauge/tension is badly off, it's supposed to be 26 stitches to 10 cm, and I am getting 24. So the sock is larger than it should be, but I'm not going to frog it now, unless I make a major mistake. Supremely possible!

Roadworks

They are digging up the road right beneath our bedroom window as I type this. The noise is unbelievable, hope it doesn't go on for long. Ah well, most of the rest of Liverpool is a building site, so why should things be different for me.



I've seen both Mum and Dad a couple of times since I last wrote here. Mum is behaving as bizarrely as ever, Sunday she hardly noticed we were there once we had made it clear we weren't taking her home. She went and talked to the lady in the bed opposite, she seemed to think they were related.

The week before she refused to say Hello to John, and after barely acknowledging me said "I hope you're feeling guilty". I replied "I've nothing to feel guilty about, Mum."

"What about how you treated your sister?" (I'm an only child) She keeps insisting her father is alive, and when John asked last week if she'd like to visit her husband she said "I don't have a husband".



So we left before visiting time finished, and went to see Dad. He had only returned to the nursing home on Saturday after a week in hospital being treated for pneumonia. At least Mum had a few visits with him while he was in. He was very tired, so we chatted for about half an hour and then he asked to lie down (they had to bring in a hoist to move him to the bed) and went to sleep. So we left then.



On to the flat, where I sorted some of Mum's clothes to bring home and wash. I did the first batch of washing yesterday, it's a bit damp still, but if John takes it back to the flat this evening after visiting Dad I guess he could hang it up to air there. Next load is in the machine now, so hopefully will be ready to take back on Thursday.



Mostly it's been too wet to get out into the garden much. But I can report that the flower on my agapanthus grown from seed has begun to open. I haven't got a picture of it open yet though (been too wet when I've had both the time and the energy recently), but here it is about a week ago.



Not done much knitting since I last posted. I cast off half the stitches on my sock swatch bag (this is the stage in the photo, the needle poked through the body of the bag is just to stop the edge curling), and have continued on the rest to make a flap. I'm not enormously pleased with it, so think I might rip out the flap. But I'm going to think about it for a while, so the ten remaining stitches are languishing on a stitch holder until I make my mind up!



It's quite fun trying to decide how to proceed. Currently I'm thinking of edging the flap with garter stitch, but I don't want to rush at it this time! I've found the perfect button for the bag, so I'm sure I'll get going on it again soon.

I finally ordered a swift which arrived last Wednesday, but it took me till yesterday to get organised enough to try it out. So I wound my first cake of yarn (artesano alpaca hummingbird, colour Lovebird) yesterday evening, and I think it looks very pretty. Will be casting on this evening I hope!



Thank you everyone who has left comments. I am finding life quite difficult at the moment, so mostly don't have time to reply, or to leave comments on other blogs. Mum is to be assessed soon for discharge. Obviously I am rather worried about it all. And the emotional upsets are taking their toll on my energy levels and capability to get stuff done. It is all just so utterly draining.

Friday around 4.30pm John had a phone call from a social worker (they always seem to ring around 5 on a Friday, rather like DWP and DLA stuff always arrives in Saturday's post), saying that a psychiatrist would see Mum on Monday, but we haven't managed to find out anything about that yet. The nurses we spoke to on Saturday didn't know anything about it. We are waiting to hear from her consultant's secretary, who John contacted yesterday. The staff on the ward aren't allowed to tell you anything over the phone (apart from a brief "bulletin") because of the Data Protection Act.

This is what I had for lunch today.

Comfort Food

Hospital visit

We're planning on visiting Mum this afternoon. I can't say I'm looking forward to it. Spare us a thought around 3pm!

John phoned the hospital around 4pm yesterday to say we wouldn't be visiting, but would be coming today. Was somewhat disconcerted to have the phone handed to Mum. She just said "don't bother".

Nurses say she is getting around better. I foresee trouble.

We may go on and visit Dad afterwards. Depends how we feel when the time comes.



A selection of some of the junk on our bed. Not much room for us!

Yesss!!! Sock needles!!!

Earlier today I left a comment on Jane's Probably Knitting which I copy part of here:

"Thanks for dropping by, and thank you very much for your kind offer of sock needles. I've ordered some 2.25 bamboos from Get Knitted. The thing is I KNOW I have loads of sock needles. I can even see the bag they are in with my minds eye (it's black felt with different coloured polka dots embroidered on it and it has a gold sort of brocadey lining) but so far I can't find the safe place I put it in! Will have to search a few more boxes later."

Went to search my so-called work-room (hmm, should post pics of that one of these days - if I can manage to fight my way in through the door!) and actually FOUND the bag of knitting needles. Here it is.



And, as I thought, there are several sizes of sock needles in it. As well as lots of other ones, mix of metal and plastic. These are the short other ones - the long knitting needles are in a wrap. There's also some free gift crochet hooks. I haven't tried crochet since I was expecting Sarah (now 29) so I kinda doubt these will get much use other than hooking up ladders in knitting. But then who knows? Crafts sneak up behind you and bite you and that's it. Rather vampire like in a way!



Have half a feeling I've got yet another stash of knitting needles. Had a load come in a workbasket full of random stuff from eBay a couple of years ago. Maybe I left them at the caravan at the end of last season.

Other thing I discovered was a practically finished WIP from around 17 years ago!!! I even have the circular needle that I need to do the neck band and sleeve bands. Will have to take a good look at this tomorrow (or any time I actually have a brain cell working), with a view to finishing it. Just hope I can knit to the same tension all these years later!!!



The knitting looks out of focus, but it isn't. The yarn is scheepjeswol Voluma - 15% kid mohair, so has a kind of haze around it. Otherwise it's acrylic, and it says it's machine washable.

I still like the colours a lot, and I wear a lot of sleeveless or short sleeved sweaters. I really overheat otherwise. Though my feet can still be two little blocks of ice at the same time, which is why I definitely need more wooly socks! Good excuse anyway!

Midsummer???

We seem to have had a lot of rain again. But I got photos in the yard yesterday and the day before between showers. Today the camera batteries went flat after only a few snapshots, and the torrential rain started before I could swap them for a freshly charged set.



The so-called sock swatch has grown somewhat, though I haven't worked on it today. I'm thinking of making it into a small bag. I hate casting on so much that I couldn't bear to rip this out even when I knew it was wrong for socks.



It's been one of those days when everyone seems to decide to phone me, or I have to phone people. First came a spam phone call trying to sell me something. Then I had to phone my bank to turn on my new debit card. Then I had to phone Figleaves.com to explain why my card didn't work and give them the new number. Then Sarah rang to say the hot water at the caravan had been fixed. Then John phoned (twice!). And then Herby came round.

Am knackered now!