I finished another doily! This one is called Whispering Leaves, and is about 18 inches across. It worked up very quickly! My next project is a sweater for me, and it will take me a while. I probably will work on other projects too, as I don't expect to get the sweater finished until next fall! (It is almost summer!)

What do you get when mix a sleep deprived Allison with a long day and lots of time waiting? Can you say "temper tantrum"? Alli had her scheduled EEG on Tuesday. This involved sleep deprivation - only 5 hours of sleep. Ralph kept her up until 11:00 pm, and then I woke her up at 4:00 am. We then left the house at 4:30 am to drive to Sacramento to Sutter Memorial for the EEG. I made Alli ride in the front seat with me so I could see when she started to nod off and wake her up again. Traffic was lighter in Sac than I expected (only a couple of "stop and goes" on I-5) so we got to the hospital at 7:30. We had to check in at 8:00, so we waited in the car until 7:50, and then waited in the lobby of the hospital until 8:05 to check in, and then waited until 8:40 until they came to get us for the EEG. Alli was getting a little agitated while waiting in the lobby. She threw one of her toys and (luckily) missed the other people in the lobby, and they found it amusing (they had been waiting long than us). Lucky me! The EEG actually went very well. The tech had to scrub each spot on Alli's head where she attached the electrodes - which didn't go over well, but she put up with it. Then the tech attached the electrodes, and Alli couldn't move around much - which she tolerated better than I thought she would. Then came the time to take the electrodes off! She once again did better than I thought she would, but she did not like having those things that they had glued and taped to her head (and hair!) pulled off. She fought having the glue scrubbed off, so we left with glue in her hair and on her face, and lovely orange markings everywhere (marking where the tech wanted to put the electrodes) on her head and face.

We finished up the EEG around 10:00, and then had to wait until 11:00 for Alli's appointment with Dr. Asaikar. We went back to the car, had some juice and a snack, and then drove across the street to Dr. A's. We got there a little before 11:00, and by 11:05, Alli was acting out. She went into screaming mode by 11:10. One of the other families in the waiting room asked if we had any windows left in our house. Luckily, they too were understanding. Around 11:20, the office staff put us into one of the little rooms. Alli was still acting out and screaming. By the time the doctor came - she was on overload (and so was I!). Poor Dr. A - he had never seen her like this. He tried cajoling her - which usually works for him - but not today. He tried taking her for a walk to calm her down, and she wouldn't go with him. he finally gave up and went to read the EEG (quickly!) He came back, said the EEG was clear - go home! He chased us down the hall to get us out so Alli would calm down, offering her snacks, water, anything! Poor man! He may never recover! She passed the EEG with flying colors - no evidence of any recent seizures! (Mom may not recover though!)

A quiet morning! It doesn't happen very often, but it is now quiet at my house (just the TV on for Alli). My sister and her fiance took AJ out to Shasta Lake fishing today, so they are gone, and Ralph is out spraying Round-up on the weeds, and I am inside alone with Alli!

I finished the afghan for a co-worker's upcoming grandbaby. This pattern worked up very quickly, and the yarn is nice and soft and fluffy - just right for a baby! I have it all packed in a box and ready to give to Diane! The baby isn't due until August, so I am ahead of myself! I have another afghan to get started for a co-worker - again a baby due in August. This one they know is a boy, so I will be able to do the afghan in blue!

I finished a new doily too! Look at me go! This one is the first time I did a "ruffled" doily - and it was easier than I thought it would be - it was also a little ruffle! I also started a new project - just for me - a sweater. It may take me a while - I started the back yesterday, and I need 39 rows before I start shaping for the armholes, and I got 6 done yesterday. That leaves a lot more to do, and then the arms, and the front. Maybe I will have it done for next winter!

We got the garden planted yesterday! If everything grows, I will be in so much trouble! I think we planted 8 tomato plants, 5 pepper plants, 4 hills of cucumbers, and two rows of beans. I have 2 cherry tomato plants, and one Better Boy, one Jubilee Yellow, and the some exotics and heirlooms. I have a Box Car Willy - just because that is the name of one of our cats, a Cherokee Purple, a Pineapple and a Roma tomato plant. I also have 2 green bell peppers, 2 Jalapeno peppers, and one red bell pepper plant. For cucumbers, I have one hill of burpless cucumbers, one hill of yellow banana cucumbers and 2 hills of lemon cucumbers. Wish me some luck, but not so much I am buried in veggies!

Wow! It's been too long since I posted - I have been way too busy! I spent Easter weekend up in Susanville - Here are some pictures of Alli - first with Barney the cat, and then "helping" my Dad read the paper. She actually wanted the couch to herself, and eventually pushed him out, a little at a time! She did sit with him for 10-15 minutes just staring at his paper - he didn't even turn the page because she was "reading" so well. It was a good visit - got to visit with three of my friends while I was there too!

I finished a couple of doilies lately too, and didn't get around to posting them! The second one (black background) is actually a mint green - it looks a little sickly green here.

We have a new cat - her name is Lucy, and so far, she is a very nice kitty! Her owners are moving (15 day escrow!) and were not able to find a home for her in time. I worked with Jeremy, and told him if it came down to it, I would take her rather than have her go to Haven Humane. She likes to sit next to me - not in my lap - which is very nice, as I get tired of picking cat hair out of my thread when I am crocheting! She also jumped up on the bed last night to sleep with Ralph and I - unfortunately, Henry came in later to sleep with us, and he was not amused! (neither we Ralph and I with a hissing fight going on at 2:00 a.m.!) She seems to be a nice, low maintenance cat so far, but today is half-off day at the vet clinic, and all three cats and Jasper need their shots. It could be a busy morning!

AJ finished basketball season - finally. He didn't try out for baseball because of his knee, and now that his knee is feeling better, he wishes he had tried out! I don't think it is fully healed yet anyway, so I am glad he took one season off. He is growing up so fast! He is already taller than most of the kids - and he started shaving! Just he mustache, but he is shaving! (What happened? - I know I'm not any older than I was!)

Alli had her first baseball game yesterday. The only camera I had with me was the 35 mm, so I will have to wait for pictures to get developed to add any pictures of it. She is doing much better this year. She may even be enjoying it a little bit more - hard to say. AJ helped me with her, and actually that left me able to help some of the other kids. Each player needs a "buddie" and most of the buddies are the parents. One father is there with 4 of his (8!) kids and 3 of his grand kids play on the team. His kids ran out of parental buddies! This year, some of the Little League teams are there helping as buddies too. It is quite fun to watch the kids work together. The LL kids will "catch" the ball, but somehow manage to drop it so their buddie can pick it up and throw it in. One little guy ran to third when he hit the ball, and his LL buddie was running after him yelling at him that he was going the wrong way. It is just a lot of fun!

Boy, is my Dad in trouble! We just got a brand new addition to our house - a new mantle! Ralph traded his old BBQ for the mantle - hand made by one of our friends. Since Mom has been wanting one forever, Dad is in trouble!

It's the weekend! Of course, I am not doing anything special this weekend, but, it is still the weekend! AJ has a scouting project today - selling hot dogs in front of Wal-Mart. He is supposed to work between 9:30 and 1:30, and I need to be there at 8:30 to drop off the cash box and cash for the people setting up. No big deal, I go in shopping around that time anyway, so he can just go with me to drop the cash box off, and then go shopping, and then back to Wal-Mart. AJ wants to start shaving his mustache, so we will go look for a razor for him today, since we will have the time. (Of course, he also needs more shorts and shirts for summer, too. His growth spurt has his old t-shirts just reaching the tops of his pants - way too short!)

The scouts are selling hot dogs to raise money for their summer trip - they are touring the Southwestern states for two weeks at the end of June. AJ has enough in his "scout account" (money raised on other fund raisers), but we can also use the funds to purchase uniforms, and he needs a couple more pants/shorts, and socks for a two week trip. (They can do laundry every night, if they wish, but will AJ???)

Here are my Easter projects this year - a carrot bookmark and a chicken egg cover. The egg cover goes over a plastic egg, and works up very quickly. The bookmark takes a little longer, but I have 5 done now, and need at least 10, so I have plenty of time (I hope!)

I (almost) finished another doily. It is as finished as I am going to make it anyway! The pattern calls for 18 pansies around the outside edge. The doily is already about 20 inches across, and adding a row of pansies will make it 25-26 inches - and I hate making the pansies! I worked on the one I did make for two evenings, and while the next will go quicker, I still don't want to make 17 more! Since this is one of the Special Project Doilies, it may the last on the series I get, because you have to finish each one before you get the next pattern. I have thrown myself on the mercy of the List Owner, so we will see if I get full credit for this one or not!

We got a call from Alli's baseball coach last week. She has a practise this Thursday, so the season should be starting very soon. I don't remember when Little League actually opens, so I will find out Thursday I guess! I hope this season goes as well as last season. Alli did not particularly enjoy playing, but she didn't argue too much (most of the time anyway). I think Ralph and I enjoyed it more than she did. I also got her paperwork started for her to do horse therapy again. I have my part filled out, now I need to get the doctor to fill his part out. I am sure he just loves paperwork, like everyone else. Last year it took a couple of weeks for me to gt the paperwork back from him. It looks like Allis will be busy for a while!

I've got one kid up and about with the new time! Alli was hard to wake up, but once she was, she was in a good mood. I told AJ I would wake him up at 7:00 this morning, since Patti is driving the carpool. (If I drive, we have to leave by 7:20, so he has to get up earlier) He should be okay, but this first week is the hardest. I completely forgot to start dinner last night in time to eat at 7:00! I looked at the clock about 6:45, and knew I would never make it. I split the difference with the new time/old time, and fixed dinner for 7:30. It worked, but I felt rushed, and I hate feeling rushed on the weekend!

This is the doily that my sister wanted - so it has already found a good home. It is done in light blue - hard to tell from the picture! I don't like the one I am working on right now - the middle part is very boring! Once I get past the "filler" it will be fine - I just hate a lot of rows of the the same stitch.

I remembered to change my clocks! Since I did, I got to sleep in to 7:00! It sure didn't feel like sleeping in - but I got some extra sleep anyway. Tomorrow morning is going to be rough - getting everyone up an hour earlier. It is tough enough getting AJ up at his normal time!

AJ had a friend come over yesterday and spend the night. They are working on a science project and a math project together. The project includes building a complex machine (involving two different simple machines) so they were turned over to Dad for this one. They are using pulleys, a ramp, and a lever to lift a wagon that is holding a can of soup. I don't remember 8th grade science being this complicated when I was in 8th grade! Of course, AJ will probably have a better understanding of mechanical engineering than I do too! The math project is simpler, and I can help them with that if they need it, but they seem to be okay with this one.

Here is a series of pictures of Alli on Glass Beach. We've always said she would rather sit than stand, and rather lay down than sit! This took place gradually, over the space of about 5 minutes.