Onward to 2020 - A Year-End Field Report . . .
Time for an end of year/decade Field Report!
Health . . .
Always at or near the top of my list: my cranky little kidney. I'm going to write a children's book with that title. :-D I have an appointment in February for a kidney ultrasound and the following week I see my urologist (this is not Dr. Coe - he's a nephrologist). I've been faithfully taking my Potassium Citrate since the medical study ended in mid-November, so I'm feeling like things are going well in this area. I am still working on getting my salt back under control and my calcium intake up. I've been trying to work with WW's green plan, but I think I'm going to have to add tracking in Fitbit back into the equation. I really need to track my sodium, and I cannot do that in the WW app.
And following on from that: I am no smaller. This has to change in 2020. Nothing more to be said about that . . .
My tooth that is in process with a root canal is finally calming down. It's still sore, but the pain is much less and I'm planning to decrease my ibuprofen dose again today so that I will be down to 400mg each time. Yay Me!! My own dentist spent considerable time with me explaining how the healing process goes. This was very helpful. I figured that since the nerve was gone the tooth should no longer hurt. I didn't realize that it's the bone around the tooth that is really what's hurting the most at this point. I see the endodontist again on the 7th and they will clean out the tooth and irrigate it one more time, and then they will seal all the roots. Following that, it's back to my regular dentist for the permanent filling.
My asthma and lungs seems to be calming down after my latest stupidity of raking leaves. We tried a different combo of asthma meds, but I did not like them at all, so I switched back to what I was taking. I see the asthma doc for a follow up in February.
My singing/speaking voice. This is something that I have not mentioned here all that often because it is a painful topic for me, I guess, but for years I was a professional singer. My vocal control was affected by the asthma meds that I've taken for for the past 19-20 years, but I could still sing in a choir, along with the radio, in the shower, etc. But in this past year, my vocal cords have not been working at all well. My entire head voice is pretty much gone. I saw one doctor in 2018 who is a great doctor, but who was extremely disrespectful of my time. Since seeing him things have gotten worse. I decided I would get a second opinion and I found a place that is accessible to me and hopefully will be much more respectful of my time. I have an appointment in January and I'm really crossing my fingers. If you click on the link above, you can read about how it feels to lose your singing voice . . .
Books . . .
Well, I made it!!! My goal of 12 books in 2019 was achieved early on. I'm on book 54 now, which means I averaged more than a book a week in 2019. Wow! Granted, some of them were very short, but I'm counting them all. It's been a great exercise in clearing my "to read" shelves, both at home and on my Kindle app. And, bonus: I figured out how to use my library's electronic books feature! A win for the budget!! I just downloaded the next book in a series I've been reading for years directly into my Kindle app, via Amazon. Seamless. No cost to me!!! Wow!!!
The Budget . . .
I have continued on my quest to gain understanding of my spending. I saved all receipts from November and December, and will continue on in January and February, which are more normal months without large amounts of gift items and postage. Still, the current trend is that eating out still takes a huge chunk of my money every month. This is something I do have some control over - it's all about planning, and bringing my lunch. I do have emergency oatmeal in my drawer, so that's always a backup for me. But it's more about planning and making better choices. This is adouble triple win - budget, weight, and reduced sodium.
Creativity . . .
I have been knitting more this fall and it's been very enjoyable. I participated in a gift exchange, and made these items - Wendy's Fern, which is a shawlette, and Glorious Cabled Mitts, which has become a go-to pattern for me. This is probably the 6th and 7th pair I've knit.
This is a folded up version of Wendy's Fern :-D It's a triangular shawlette. The yarn is Show Me Yarns' Queen City base in the Heart of the Ozarks colorway. Hard to tell in this photo, but there is some stellina in the yarn, so it's like a little bit of glitter on your shoulders :-)
And here are the Glorious Cabled Mitts. I just love this pattern, and I really love the yarn I used for this particular pair. It's Berroco Comfort Sock in the Navy colorway. This yarn has no wool in it at all. It's 50/50 acrylic and nylon! It's a great yarn if you are knitting for someone who lives in a warmer climate or who is allergic to wool.
Oh! And seriously, who doesn't love these potholders?! I ponied up the money for the good loops from Hearthsong. Since they are not currently available, I must have bought them out :-D The pair on the bottom right in the more pastel colors was also sent as part of my gift for the exchange. Top right went to T for her new kitchen, and bottom left went to my cousin, K.
We were supposed to post in the group when we received our gifts,but the recipient of these items has yet to acknowledge them in any way. The P.O. says that the package was delivered, so I'm a little disappointed and feeling like she probably didn't like them. Oh well. WAIT!!! I forgot to put the card into the package so mailed it separately but on the same day, and asked the administrator of the exchange to let my recipient know she should wait until she had the card because it explained everything. The recipient just posted!!! And said that the card got mis-delivered and she just got it yesterday! She loves EVERYTHING! Yay!!!! I got this very cool pair of mittens made from repurposed sweaters!! And some chili mix that does not have a lot of sodium :-)
This was my final project for the year. It's called ADVENTure Cowl. The yarn is Schoppel-Wolle's Cashmere Queen, which is 45% Merino, 35% Cashmere, and 20% Silk. It's a singles yarn, so I'm not sure how well it will stand up over time. I forced myself to block it right away when I finished it on Sunday so it wouldn't sit for months like Fanged did!
I've completed 9 knitting projects this year. This ties for fewest I have ever done since I started tracking them in Ravelry in 2007. I had a lot of garments I wanted to knit this year, but I just refuse to knit anything major for myself at my current size. I also did not knit many socks this year. So, numbers were down, but I imagine that 2020 will be bringing some of that back for me - at least in the sock area since I'm learning how to use the ribber on my circular sock machine.
There are so many other things I want to do, too! I think 2020 is going to be a banner year for stuff like this. I have leather to make journals! There is bread to be made! I have paper-making kits (thanks to J) so I can learn how to make my own paper! I have been talking for YEARS about getting back to bead embroidery! I love taking piano lessons again after so many years! So many exciting things to do!!!
Onward . . .
Time to say goodbye to 2019 and to this decade. In many ways I am glad to see the back of it. This is me, in my festive necklace from Walgreen's, ready for the new year and the new decade, and all they bring with them.
I think I should have touched up my lipstick. I'm hearing my mom's voice, "Go put some lipstick on! You look so washed out!" Oh well :-D
My hope for 2020:
I hope that 2020 brings you joy and purpose and happiness and love. I've never read Neil Gaiman's work, but he certainly has captured what is in my heart at the moment:
I thank you for joining me here on my life journey. :-)
And all our plans . . . who says they can't come true?
Happy New Year :-)
Health . . .
Always at or near the top of my list: my cranky little kidney. I'm going to write a children's book with that title. :-D I have an appointment in February for a kidney ultrasound and the following week I see my urologist (this is not Dr. Coe - he's a nephrologist). I've been faithfully taking my Potassium Citrate since the medical study ended in mid-November, so I'm feeling like things are going well in this area. I am still working on getting my salt back under control and my calcium intake up. I've been trying to work with WW's green plan, but I think I'm going to have to add tracking in Fitbit back into the equation. I really need to track my sodium, and I cannot do that in the WW app.
And following on from that: I am no smaller. This has to change in 2020. Nothing more to be said about that . . .
My tooth that is in process with a root canal is finally calming down. It's still sore, but the pain is much less and I'm planning to decrease my ibuprofen dose again today so that I will be down to 400mg each time. Yay Me!! My own dentist spent considerable time with me explaining how the healing process goes. This was very helpful. I figured that since the nerve was gone the tooth should no longer hurt. I didn't realize that it's the bone around the tooth that is really what's hurting the most at this point. I see the endodontist again on the 7th and they will clean out the tooth and irrigate it one more time, and then they will seal all the roots. Following that, it's back to my regular dentist for the permanent filling.
My asthma and lungs seems to be calming down after my latest stupidity of raking leaves. We tried a different combo of asthma meds, but I did not like them at all, so I switched back to what I was taking. I see the asthma doc for a follow up in February.
My singing/speaking voice. This is something that I have not mentioned here all that often because it is a painful topic for me, I guess, but for years I was a professional singer. My vocal control was affected by the asthma meds that I've taken for for the past 19-20 years, but I could still sing in a choir, along with the radio, in the shower, etc. But in this past year, my vocal cords have not been working at all well. My entire head voice is pretty much gone. I saw one doctor in 2018 who is a great doctor, but who was extremely disrespectful of my time. Since seeing him things have gotten worse. I decided I would get a second opinion and I found a place that is accessible to me and hopefully will be much more respectful of my time. I have an appointment in January and I'm really crossing my fingers. If you click on the link above, you can read about how it feels to lose your singing voice . . .
Books . . .
Well, I made it!!! My goal of 12 books in 2019 was achieved early on. I'm on book 54 now, which means I averaged more than a book a week in 2019. Wow! Granted, some of them were very short, but I'm counting them all. It's been a great exercise in clearing my "to read" shelves, both at home and on my Kindle app. And, bonus: I figured out how to use my library's electronic books feature! A win for the budget!! I just downloaded the next book in a series I've been reading for years directly into my Kindle app, via Amazon. Seamless. No cost to me!!! Wow!!!
The Budget . . .
I have continued on my quest to gain understanding of my spending. I saved all receipts from November and December, and will continue on in January and February, which are more normal months without large amounts of gift items and postage. Still, the current trend is that eating out still takes a huge chunk of my money every month. This is something I do have some control over - it's all about planning, and bringing my lunch. I do have emergency oatmeal in my drawer, so that's always a backup for me. But it's more about planning and making better choices. This is a
Creativity . . .
I have been knitting more this fall and it's been very enjoyable. I participated in a gift exchange, and made these items - Wendy's Fern, which is a shawlette, and Glorious Cabled Mitts, which has become a go-to pattern for me. This is probably the 6th and 7th pair I've knit.
This is a folded up version of Wendy's Fern :-D It's a triangular shawlette. The yarn is Show Me Yarns' Queen City base in the Heart of the Ozarks colorway. Hard to tell in this photo, but there is some stellina in the yarn, so it's like a little bit of glitter on your shoulders :-)
And here are the Glorious Cabled Mitts. I just love this pattern, and I really love the yarn I used for this particular pair. It's Berroco Comfort Sock in the Navy colorway. This yarn has no wool in it at all. It's 50/50 acrylic and nylon! It's a great yarn if you are knitting for someone who lives in a warmer climate or who is allergic to wool.
Oh! And seriously, who doesn't love these potholders?! I ponied up the money for the good loops from Hearthsong. Since they are not currently available, I must have bought them out :-D The pair on the bottom right in the more pastel colors was also sent as part of my gift for the exchange. Top right went to T for her new kitchen, and bottom left went to my cousin, K.
We were supposed to post in the group when we received our gifts,
This was my final project for the year. It's called ADVENTure Cowl. The yarn is Schoppel-Wolle's Cashmere Queen, which is 45% Merino, 35% Cashmere, and 20% Silk. It's a singles yarn, so I'm not sure how well it will stand up over time. I forced myself to block it right away when I finished it on Sunday so it wouldn't sit for months like Fanged did!
I've completed 9 knitting projects this year. This ties for fewest I have ever done since I started tracking them in Ravelry in 2007. I had a lot of garments I wanted to knit this year, but I just refuse to knit anything major for myself at my current size. I also did not knit many socks this year. So, numbers were down, but I imagine that 2020 will be bringing some of that back for me - at least in the sock area since I'm learning how to use the ribber on my circular sock machine.
There are so many other things I want to do, too! I think 2020 is going to be a banner year for stuff like this. I have leather to make journals! There is bread to be made! I have paper-making kits (thanks to J) so I can learn how to make my own paper! I have been talking for YEARS about getting back to bead embroidery! I love taking piano lessons again after so many years! So many exciting things to do!!!
Onward . . .
Time to say goodbye to 2019 and to this decade. In many ways I am glad to see the back of it. This is me, in my festive necklace from Walgreen's, ready for the new year and the new decade, and all they bring with them.
I think I should have touched up my lipstick. I'm hearing my mom's voice, "Go put some lipstick on! You look so washed out!" Oh well :-D
My hope for 2020:
- It is my ardent hope that the current resident of the White House will be there for one-term only.
- It is my intention to make 2020 the best year of my life (thus far!).
- It is my intention to take the best care of myself that I can and stabilize my health.
- It is my intention to truly begin the return to a weight that is healthy for my height and build.
- It is my intention to bring my lunch to work a minimum of four days a week.
- It is my intention to keep my sodium in check at under 2,000mg/day
- It is my intention to get my calcium up where it needs to be by drinking a glass of flax milk at as many meals as possible.
I hope that 2020 brings you joy and purpose and happiness and love. I've never read Neil Gaiman's work, but he certainly has captured what is in my heart at the moment:
I thank you for joining me here on my life journey. :-)
And all our plans . . . who says they can't come true?
Happy New Year :-)
Comments
Have a good year! <3