kidneys...

this is my father.

this is his new replacement kidney...

thankfully, surgery went well and he is recovering nicely.  now we all have to learn more of what's to come with only having the one.  #kidneycancerawareness 

knitting up a storm

i've been quiet on the blog-front, but there are a million things happening on the home-front.  including storms...  we've had rain for over a week and today is heavy.  there's a tropical depression moving in and frankly, we don't need it.

there are some knitting finishes, such as my "twist my stripes" shawl, minus the tassels.  it was fun and easy to knit and i got to learn a new knit stich that created the pretty twisted stitches.

the second finish is a kidney.  a kidney you ask?  why?  well, my dad was diagnosed a few weeks ago with kidney cancer and he will undergo a nephrectomy in less than a week.  my humorous attempt to make him feel better is to give him a new kidney to replace the one the doctors will remove.

 i've considered adding a small stone inside the stuffing for the full kidney stone effect... i just need to find the right one to stick in there.

the happy pill quilt is nearly finished.  i started work on the last rows of blocks last night - without the aid of a big ball of fur sleeping on top of it!  i need to figure out how i want to bind it still, but i'll worry about that in a day or two after i'm done with the quilting part.  then there are 5 other knitting projects i'm currently working.  yes, i have too much...

while not knitting or quilting or at the office and it's dry enough to paint in the garage, i'm working on the last few cabinet doors.  i have two that are still in place without a speck of paint and two large ones coated in primer and paneled.  

while i had an extra set of hands available, i enlisted the redhead to help install three upper cabinet doors.  so much easier to have another set of hands than to use knees and feet while you drill and screw in the hinges like i did on the lower doors.  the kitchen is coming together nicely.  just floors, lights, counter top cement work, a sink and building a new island to go!

to anyone reading who is in the path of hurricane florence - stay safe!!  leave if you are able so you do not get stuck.  and to anyone who is soggy already from the texas rains as i am, find yourself something to work on and keep praying for this new system to fizzle out or go somewhere else.  i need good weather while sitting at the med center with my parents next week.