Activities

I am seriously wiped out today. And no, I wasn't up late last night reading. I was up late doing something else entirely!

But, I have to stop by the post office (crazy fun things are happening on my Etsy team. I'll let you, which I consider the non-Etsy crowd but not to say that Etsy folks can't read here too, in on it also). And I will go to the weekly fiber crafts night because I need some designated crafting time.

I also need some sleep. Maybe there will be time for a quick nap.

New Goal

Well, maybe not really a goal. It there a word for something you want to do (like a dream) that you want to strive for (like a goal) but won't really break you if you never do it? It's just a want, but it would be neat kind of thing, is there a word for that?

I would like to write something and self-publish it on the Kindle.

The catch would be that it would have to be something I wouldn't try to publish otherwise, because the vast majority of publishers frown upon things that have been published before. So it's best to choose something that I maybe won't try to publish in book form. For example, I saw a comment on the forums from an indy author who said his publisher loved one of his stories, but wouldn't publish it because it was a Western, and Westerns don't sell. So he did it on is own on Kindle, and I believe he reported it does fairly well.

I have several things in the works right now and it would be fun to be a published Kindle author. It's just something to do (like I need something else to do). We'll see.

It's Here!

My Kindle arrived this morning! I was expecting it tomorrow!!

Ok, those of you who know my financial woes (check out the cat label) are probably wondering why I bought the thing that I've been planning to buy since September. It's expensive, you're right. Could I have put that money towards my bills? Sure, well, some of it, anyway.

I got it now because my wonderful and generous family and friends made it possible (on top of a discount that I found for the device).

So, I ordered it on Friday. Amazon tracking said it wouldn't be shipped until Wednesday, but that changed yesterday when Wednesday became the expected delivery date. I had it sent to the office so someone would be here when it arrived. It was kind of funny, the receptionist sent me an e-mail at 1030 and I went down at once to get it. Her desk was piled with boxes, and I removed only one of them from her way - the smallest of them!

I plugged the thing in so it would charge and got to read (free books that I pushed to my device from my desktop) a little on my break. What fun! It really is an awesome device. I haven't tried the text to speech yet. And I need to pick out the next audio book that I want to hear.

I'm happy to have it. I know I will get plenty of use out of it and it didn't really kill me any more to buy it now. Shopping therapy has its merits.

Weekly Weigh-in 4

This past week was one of my worst, comparatively speaking. Last week, Sunflyr and I ordered pizza and I've been taking all week to eat it. I just came home from Fox's super weekend epic gaming birthday bash that involved two restaurant dinners, lots of (extremely good-tasting) crap to snack on, and the ever-dreadful birthday cake. I didn't use more points than I had this week, but I did use more of the weekly points than I have since I started. After all of this, I was certain the number on that scale would stay the same if it didn't go up.

I was wrong! It went down! A whole 2.2 lbs down!! I'm less than a pound away from having lost 10 lbs!

Why in the world is the word "pound" but the abbreviation lb??

So, I've learned that I can fill myself with crap and still be ok, as long as I measure out my portions and reasonably calculate what is in what I eat.

Subsequently, I've learned that I can still enjoy a party! Huzzah!

That Time Again

Happy Birthday, Fox!!

Grumble

STOP WITH THE NONSENSE COMMENTS ALREADY!!

Ok, I know you're all bots and you're trying to see if your comments will post automatically so you can come back and spam my blog about enlarging penises and gambling and getting really cheap drugs from Canada. Even though I don't publish your crap, I still have to look at it. It sickens me that you (or the people who program you) don't have anything better to do with their time. You all are a waste of space and when you die, you will be remembered by no one.

Test Results

I finally heard from the doctor about Miss Luna's last test. She called on Tuesday, but I didn't get a chance to get back to her until yesterday.

The results were inconclusive.

This kind of toxo screening is an antibody titer - it looks for the concentration of toxo antibodies in her system. A high concentration would show an active infection. There were more antibodies than when she was first tested in the emergency hospital on January 10th, but not high enough to lead the doctor to believe she was fighting an active infection. This means Miss Luna's exposure to toxo was likely years ago, probably when she was a stray kitten. She has toxoplasmosis, that much is sure, but nothing says for sure that toxo was the cause of her sickness, or even that exposure to something else (like the bartonellosis that the other cat has) would cause it to manifest symptoms.

What does all this mean? Well, it means we don't really know what caused the fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and very obvious neural distress that landed her in the emergency hospital. We don't know if the antibiotic course she was given for toxo would take care of whatever the cause was if it was something else. It means we don't know if she could get sick again, and we'll have to go through this whole process again. That part of it really fills me with dread. I never want to see her moving like that again. Further more, since we don't really know, we don't know if she will expose Callie to anything if I were to bring her with me when I visit the folks.

What we do know is that, exposure to bartonellosis or not (which we did not test for but it is highly likely she has it too), bartonelosis does not cause the neurological symptoms that I witnessed. There was something else going on, and it may or may not be the toxo. And I may never know for sure.

I'm going to visit some friends this weekend. Right now, I really wish I wasn't. I really want to stay home with my kitty. I haven't gone away for more than one night (and that was only once) since she got sick and, remember, she got sick after I came back from being away for an extended weekend. I can't help but be a little worried. Physically, Miss Luna seems back to her old self, but I don't know what almost three whole days away from me will do. Remember, as the doctor said, Miss Luna needs me. Phoenix said she would be home all weekend and would keep an eye on Miss Luna for me and would call if she seems to be even slightly out of sorts. So, I just need to breathe and go about my plans, and trust that my roommate would let me know of any changes. I think she thought I was being just a little too anxious. I can't help it. I need Miss Luna too.

Weekly Weigh-in 3

Our leader cancelled last week's meeting because of the weather and will add it to the end of this paid plan. She couldn't make it this week, so we had a substitute.

My weigh-in was 2.6 lbs lost from the last time two weeks ago. That puts me a mere half a pound away from hitting my first 5% goal and 7 lbs less from when I started! And, by the way, I am a little less than 3 lbs away from being back at a healthy BMI for my height.

I got a bravo sticker (it's a little star that says "bravo" awarded for doing something good on or about the plan) for planning ahead of time for eating out. I specifically talked about dinner with Robin last Friday night. We went to Outback Steakhouse, and I planned in advance what I was going to eat, how I was going to have it prepared, and what portion I needed to take home so I knew exactly how many points I spent on that meal. Eating out is a breeze if you plan for it. I looked at several of the things that I would want to eat, and picked the best point-choice out of all of them, so I wasn't depriving myself by not eating what I wanted and I wasn't going too crazy with it.

I'm feeling really great today!

Happy New Year

Out with the old!

In with the new!

Happy Lunar New Year!
Welcome to the Year of the Tiger!

Thought About It

Ok, so about the dress. I've had time to think on it.

This was actually the first thing I attempted to sew using a pattern, and it was in two parts: a dress and a bodice/vest. Since I started working on it, I made my Halloween costume with a pattern, but one someone had made, not a commercial pattern. Even that was a little snug. The bodice, which I also made a size 12, fits fine.

I've learned that many commercial patterns give you a "finished garment measurement" guide on the back. Now I know to ignore the sizing and go with the measurements. I don't know where they got a size 12 has a 30 inch chest, though. Not from any of the beautifully curvy 12s I know!

In any event, going with the size of the garment, I need to add about 8 inches to the back. So, I'm going to pull out the zipper and cut two 5ish inch triangular shapes to add to the back. As I visualize this, it shouldn't mess too much with the cut or the lines if I do it this way. I will also add a couple rounded shapes to the collar. I don't think the velvet is strong enough to take the pull that adding lacing to the back would create.

But, now I have a plan! And I know I can make it work. And I'll know to adjust as I go the next time I make any of the other dresses that I have patterns for.