Sunday, October 19, 2008

Old Ladies with Heating Pads

This is Wee my old cat. She's 13 and celebrates her birthday with Alex, who was 5 when we got her. A couple of months ago she started limping, and after many dollars spent at the vet's, we found that she had torn ligaments in one of her back knees. The treatment for this ailment in cats is rest.

Wee hates rest. She loves going outside and though she's semi-retired, she has been an active and successful hunter. She's never met a rodent that she didn't want to have for breakfast, unlike the other three lazy cats that live here. Wee did get better after her rest cure, but a couple of weeks ago, she started limping again, so now she's back on house arrest and napping on the heating pad. I figure either it was the sudden cold snap that brought back her limp, or she re-injured herself by jumping or running.

Wee and I are very simpatico, because in the midst on my walking routine, I tripped on some uneven pavement and twisted my ankle. I went to the chiropractor, who adjusted my jammed up bones. I'm hoping to feel better soon, but in the meantime, I'm trying to walk a bit less until it all settles down. It's not fair when you get hurt by your healthy practices.
But sitting around with my foot up I finished knitting this vest for Allie. The pattern is from Knit Simple magazine's Fall 08 issue and it knit up pretty fast. The pattern called for chunky yarn, but I found some thin yarn in my stash that I doubled, and it worked perfectly. One strand was some curly Icelandic wool that I've had forever, and for the back and trim I combined it with a beige strand of wool. For the front and hood, I combined it with a thin blue wool. Allie's been wearing it, and it looks cute on her. It reminds me a bit of that fur vest Sonny Bono used to wear in the Sonny and Cher days. I've kept that association to myself.
I finished my Halloween quilt. I machine quilted the center on a diagonal and did simple quilting in the border. It's now on the dining room table, where one of the cats has decided that it makes a lovely mattress. I love the cheerfulness of these colors. Orange is one of my new favorite colors.

And purple is too! Michael took this picture when we walked to the Farmer's Market yesterday. I see a purple sweater in my future. Ouch, my ankle. I'll have to wrestle Wee for the heating pad.

6 comments:

Vicki W said...

Allie's sweater is so cute! I hope your ankle recovers soon. I wrenched my back in August and am just now able to get back to my recombent bike. I acutally missed the exercising!

Debra Dixon said...

You need to just give up and make quilts the cats want because they seem to be the biggest users!

Ouch! with the ankle already. I know that is not fun.

allie aller said...

Hope your ankle feels better soon, Barbara! (And Wee's, too.)
That is a darling hoodie vest and no doubt your daughter looks totally adorable in it. I'll bet the light color really sets off her dark hair and eyes, too.

Kay said...

I agree about the irony of hurting yourself doing something healthy! Unfortunately, it seems to happen quite a bit.

I love the Halloween quilt; the blue makes it unusual.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but my podiatrist has told me on many occasions that it can take as long as 6 weeks to get back to 100% with a twist or strain. LOVE that sweater!! Oh my goodness! And the quilt! I love blue and orange. Great colors!

Magpie Sue said...

I remember that vest Sonny used to wear! (I won't tell anyone.) My Halloween quilt is still waiting for its binding. All I have to do is cut, press, and apply it... You'd think I'd have it done by now!

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