In which Maggie wants to eat her scarf

Since this is a knitting/crocheting blog, I decided to start this post off with some crocheting I've started this past Monday. I knew Tuesday was coming and Maggie and I had a very important appointment to be at. I've never had the experience of taking a pet to the vet for surgery, so wasn't sure if it would be like me going to the doctor where they put you in the exam room, after you've already sat in the waiting room for half an hour, and leave you for another thirty minutes. I wanted to be prepared with something quick to do that I could easily be interrupted from, so I started a crochet piece, that in my opinion, is going to be gorgeous. Now, I know there are times when a designer doesn't know everything, doesn't bother to have a design test knitted or crocheted in different fibers, but for the most part, there is a reason a designer suggests a certain weight (can we say gauge?) yarn or thread for a project. In my opinion, this is one of those times. This scarf is perfect in the bamboo thread the designer suggests! I know there are quite a few who have crocheted this in worsted weight yarns, and I even started it a couple of months ago in a fingering weight. Crocheting with size 10 thread is quite tricky and intimidating if you aren't an experienced crocheter; it takes practice. It also has what might be a challenging start for some, an adjustable ring, which I love!! This is one of those patterns though that begs for super lightweight drape. I'm loving it so much, I'm probably going to make a few of them in different colors! Check it out and try it...if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me here or I'm KnitNurd on Ravelry.

Ordinarily, I would've had a piece like this already finished, but here's the reason I'm in no rush. When I got to choose my puppy, my sweet Maggie, I wanted a female, and I also wanted the smallest pup in the litter. What I didn't want though, is having to go through heat cycles with my pet. Especially because, I wanted an indoor dog. I also knew I wasn't ever going to be interested in breeding her, and in that case, it's healthier to have your female spayed. I've already been through the heartbreak of a beloved family pet that expired from uterine cancer. No thank you! So, it was time to have Maggie spayed and since bringing her home, I've felt like a new mother again with her newborn. She also had never lost two of her baby teeth, so the doctor felt it best to go ahead and extract them while she was out for the surgery. On top of that, she got her Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine so that when she's back to herself, she can run and jump and play at the doggie parks again. She loves that!! The poor little thing was so weak and tender, and yet, as we were instructed by her doctor, she needed to try to eat something and drink a little water before taking her pain pill. The discharge nurse told us that since she had dental work done too, we might stop at the store on the way home and get some baby food. Oh BOY...a monster has been created!!! She told us she might not want it, so we would have to smear a little above her mouth and she would lick it off with her tongue. Are you kidding me?!?! That puppy forgot all about her pain and any dental work that was done. Scooter didn't even have a chance to spoon a little onto a paper plate we had set up for her. As soon as I popped the lid on the little jar, her tongue went to town licking that jar clean! Holy COW!! Lol The nurse also told us that we could then start her back on a diet of her regular food softened with some water. Yeah, right! This dog doesn't forget the delicacy she had to take her pill with. She now won't touch her dog food, and Scooter had to run to the store at 6 am this morning to get more baby food. In between all of that, she is resting comfortably and I catch little naps at the same time. Sleeping last night with a lampshade on her head was pretty awkward, so I didn't get much sleep. It was so heartbreaking last night listening to her little whimpers and trying to get her in a comfortable position. Her little doggie bed is working perfectly today since it has a rim around it where she can rest the darn lampshade collar. I'm sure by the end of the week, she will be back to her old self and I'm looking forward to resuming our playful walks! The picture above is hard to see her in, I know, but I wasn't going to disturb her since it was right after we got home with her last night and she was still pretty frightened. As you can see, she's a little more lively today...more alert, for sure! That's my baby girl..complete with her new scarf Elizabethan collar that is annoying the crapola out of her!!

I wanted to share with you one of the coolest things I had given to me last Saturday. I went to my daughter's house in the mountains, and from there, we went to the nearby neighboring town where her boyfriend owns his own business. I won't say here what it is he does, but once inside his store, he pulled out a box of these old gems and told me to pick one. My daughter already has a nice collection of them started, and I can see why. They are just too cool!!! This is a genuine glass doorknob from what was a very old house, I'm sure...and since my grandparents were from the town where boyfriend's business is, it's fun to think that it could've possibly come out of their house. Not too likely, but I know from the times I visited and played in that house as a child, there were doorknobs like these. I will now keep my eyes open for more of these bygone treasures!