Thursday, November 09, 2006

TIME OUT




MidwifeKnits
Hooray...I get a few days off...a full 3 day weekend with someone else covering for me. I'm kicking back, having a beer, reading blogs, pattern/yarn surfing...DH is cooking dinner...DD has finished her homework and is working on my Ipod, Gramma Clara...well, I don't know, I didn't even stop in to say hi tonight yet...(bad Lisa) dogs are sleeping, cats are sleeping....yeah...life is good tonight!

Was a really busy week at work...with all that birthin goin on....the midwife got a little ( ok a lot) behind on some major important paperwork...(important for billing) plus licensure renewal documentation of continuing education hours...blahblahblah! Aaaaaaannnnnddd...I have a huge project that I've been working on for about 2 years that looks like it will actually get off the ground by January! Hooray, met with our psychiatrist and the rest of the team today and he is now totally on board with the buprenorphine project. Buprenorphine is a fairly new drug approved for the treatment of opioid addiction (read addiction to heroin, oxycontin, vicodin, percocet, demoral...) instead of methodone. Most of my moms on methodone are sooo out of it because of the sedating effect of methodone...plus, they HATE going to the methodone clinic every damn day, jumping thru all the hoops to get it...and worst of all ...there are only 72 slots for methodone treatment in THE ENTIRE STATE OF ALASKA. enough said. The women I've seen on buprenorphine are doing well in treatment, not sedated, able to think clearly, able to parent, and don't have the daily hoop dance. We were able to get it on our formulary in July...the protocols are written...the players have done the buy-in...now we just have to do a couple of walk throughs and get our protocols finalized for the pilot project....I'm excited...can you tell.

In knitting news...i've been a little...ummm....fickle...
I'm "almost" like within an hour or so ...finished with the Red Scarf Project scarf. I like it...i don't love it...but that's ok i guess...
I've made a major commitment to BUY NO MORE YARN until after January 1....even Elann's wonderful new offerings...even for gifts....but I MUST put a new roof on the house next summer (this past extremely rainy summer demonstrated every single leak and then some)...and that has eaten voraciously into my yarn budget. Never fear...the midwife does have "stashicus extremicus" and I went stash shopping on Tuesday night. What did I find...well let me show you!

Lovely, soft, luscious 70% baby alpaca/30% wool ....I have 8 50g balls purchased from Artfibers in San Francisco ( a must visit for any self respecting knitter in the neighborhood!) about 4 years ago. Not quite enough for a sweater...but definately enough (and the right gauge..whoot!) for a darlin' lil vest. So...whaddaya think...It's knitting up marvelously...soft, silky, squishy, warm...sooooo beautiful...I hope you can see all the exquisite colors that show up in the light...it reminds me of raven's wings in the sunlight.

The pattern is from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton's Volume II, very very simple P6K2 rib...but it has a really nice shape to it. Crossing my fingers that it won't look too matronly when finished.

Well, dinner is on the table and there are pork chops to be eating, beer to be drinking, and yarn to be knitted. So until later...I bid you all a fond adieu!

9 comments:

CatBookMom said...

Lovely colors in the vest! How about the two of us do a No-Yarn-Buying-A-Long till 2007? I need the help!

Our family-by-love who got transferred to Valdez in July are experiencing their first big Alaska snowstorm, nothing quite like they had along Puget Sound in western Washington. They're COLD, according to today's email! Well, yeah, Alaska!

Grace said...

I spent yesterday morning stash diving and found yarns I totally forgot I had, I will make one small purchase of kydd mohair on 11/21 but I too am done with new yarn acquistions via internet until Gracuary (January). I may stop in AC Moore and use daughters discount for bootie making acrylics but nothing extensive, YOUR vest is lovely, and I too have a Hubby who cooks!!!

Anonymous said...

Luscious looking Artfibres! The colour changes show up beatifully, and some of my favourite colours too, I'm sure it won't look matronly. Thank you for your encouraging words about school. I find myself a ittle "underwhelmed" with it lately, but I'll be finished in February - light at the end of the tunnel.

SooZ said...

I've had my eye on that Tuttle vest! I am eager to see how you like yours - I will be back to find your thoughts on it. The WIP looks gorgeous!

Suzie

LisaW. said...

CBM Valdez is VERY SNOWY! And it has been VERY COLD here for the past several days (up to the low 20s today but dipped to -11 night before last!) YES YES YES I will definately do a NO YARN BUYING ALONG...I need the support. I passed on the elann tweed and am kicking myself...i passed on the classic elite and am longing to feel its fat wooliness...I NEED HELP i tell you!
Come on Grace...join us in the yarn fast until your birthday! it will be fun and we'll find lots of beautiful yarns we already have invited in to play!

Anonymous said...

I am the WRONG person to help you with not buying yarn! I have samples of that Artfibers yarn you have, and it is exquisite! I plan on making a Mountain Colors cardigan out of it next year. I adore their yarn. I also have a silk shawl from their yarn in the works. Enjoy your time off!

Anonymous said...

Lisa, I was very interested in your program. Hope it all flys through for your practice.

I love the colors in your Artfibers yarn. The vest is beautiful. And you, matronly? It's all about attitute and I don't think of you as matronly AT ALL. ;-}

I am going to get some of the Kydd but I hadn't bought any yarn for a month unti I got a sweater's worth of HS. I'll get some Kydd but I have reached stash saturation. I'm in on your group. I have to be, or build a yarn storage barn. ;-}

jayne said...

Hey Lisa,

I am on severe yarn buying rations for the next indeterminate while. I have a fantabulous stash. Will buy the odd quite-different item, but that's it! I did get a bit of tweed, but I'm staying well clear of the paintbox. Yes, it is among the most tempting of yarns for me, but I just have to go look at my stashed chunkies to resist. You can do it!!

I love your wonderwool sweater. Mmmm...that avocado hits my green-endorphen buttons just right. I bought a nice denimy colour of that yarn last year and made a super cozy turtleneck cabled poncho. I love how light and lofty that yarn is. A pleasure to knit.

Oh, I do hope your new program goes through. I have a friend who counsels heroin addicts. We've discussed methodone and its pros and cons on several occasions. I'm going to see what he thinks of this new treatment.

The vest looks like it will be a winner (lovely pattern and yarn). Can't wait to see it done and on.

Anonymous said...

You are the coolest girt, man, woman, vegetable, mineral I know! I love the vest and I'm bumming for one. PS: You know I like it tight and does yarn come with spandex yet?