New Cover, New Doggie Digs?

I'd been meaning to update the Knit With Courage cover, I needed to add blurbs and clean up the final look.

While I was fiddling with it last night, my old friend Tomm stopped by and helped me make a MUCH nicer cover.

He's a [gifted] graphic designer, he has his own graphics company, and is the creator of all of those amazing Valentines all around his backyard for his lovely wife.

Actually, the whole family dropped by - what a delight! We just adore this family, we miss them SO much, and it was like a gift to be able to hug them and talk for a few hours. And, of course, the aforementioned graphic help from Tomm actually WAS a gift - Thanks T!

So here's the new cover - what do you think?

I really love it - I was never IN love with the previous cover - I figured it was okay, but hadn't been inspired to do anything better. The photo on the back is the same, sans family and photo border.

Nothing like wacking folks on the head with symbolism, n'est ce pas? Subtle as a tumor, that's me!

WV Continued
Speaking of Tumors, we're going to be going back down to WV as a family, for a visit with Jan on the way back to MN. I feel like we've been away from home for years, and we are terribly grateful to the very kind friends who have been feeding and caring for our cats. You are wonderful, J & C & J!

Slowly, bit by bit things are being squared away for Jan. Four of her dogs (3 Malteses and a Havanese) are going to foster homes this week nearby in WV or Ohio so if she's able to have them again they'll be quickly returned to her.

Jan has 2 standard poodles that need foster homes, and they may be tough cases. Kingsly is going down to his breeder in SC, so he's taken care of. Frank is at the Vets (he's been there since early July, the boarding bill is becoming higher than Jan's mortgage) but he needs a 'real' place to be for a bit. He can be rather "Alpha" and might do better on his own instead of with other dogs.

Ted is the oldest dog, he's 13 but a sweetheart and plays well with others, and also needs a temporary home which may become permanent. It takes a very special person to accept an animal in their home, care for it and love it, be willing to love it forever - and also willing to return it to it's owner if that situation arises.

I feel, however, that the placements will be permanent. I've never seen my cousin sadder or madder at me than working through this painful subject (and I once accidentally dyed several of her bras red, boy was she PISSED at that!) If you feel you might interested in this, and if you live within a 200 mile radius of Parkersburg, WV, please email me and we can discuss it!

Hannah desperately wants us to take Ted, and in my heart I want to. But I'm hesitant for 2 reasons; Jan would very much like the dogs to remain close by (in Ohio, WV or the general area) and we can barely get Atticus out for his walks, etc., as it is.

With me traveling as I do, and with Gerry not really being able to do long walks for Atticus (AND with our very small yard in St. Paul) I'm worried that it would end up being a bad situation for both Ted and for us. We're still thinking, though. I'm just afraid of biting off more than I can handle, and making others suffer for it (mostly Gerry, on whom the dog care would fall when I'm traveling.)

So if anyone knows of a potential foster situation in the Ohio/WV area please let me know. We desperately need someone to foster 2 of the standard poodles, with a nice area for them to run and a HIGH fence (poodles can be jumpers.)

Just thought I'd toss it out and see what the wind brings back!

I've put off dealing with Jan's house until October. In answer to some questions, there really is no way that those of us who are close to Jan can see her returning to the house. She's a - collector - and unfortunately there's been a LOT of stacking, piling, shoving, saving, and NO editing or tossing out. I could easily toss out several dumpsters full of trash - not good, useful or even neutral stuff, but TRASH.

I think there are more folks out there will homes full of stacks of stuff than we realize, but as much as Jan wants to return home, there will have to be a LOT of cleaning out to make that even the glimmer of a possibility. I'm taking my vitamins, and gearing up for a hard - but necessary - job.

Article Angst
I cannot get my mind to focus on sweater shaping, and I feel like a heel for being late on my article. I'm not usually late with deadlines. Even when my mind is cluttered and clouded I can usually fight through it to carve a respectable semblance of something. In this case I just cannot wrap myself around this assignment, so I'm going to try not to stress and see what the universe tosses back to me. Evidently, I'm heavily reliant on the wind and the universe these days.

Good Times
Being able to stay here at our good friend's home while they're on vacation, feeling at home in a familiar surrounding, playing with their cat and relaxing with good friends - this has been the most amazing trip and gift we could have had. 18 months ago I couldn't imagine it. A year ago I would have told you this was a pipe dream. But Gerry continues to look and feel better and better, and all of our friends have been astounded at how magnificently he's doing.

They look sideways at me, as if I'd been exaggerating, and we have to pull out the photos from last year showing "Grampa Gerry" and how far he's come. Everything is relative, and if you hadn't seen him since we'd moved and didn't know about his illness you might think he looks smaller, weaker, not great.

But knowing the hell he's come through this past year, he's nothing but beautiful! Watching his family watching him last weekend was a delight. Gerry got to spend a nice chunk of time with his mom on Wednesday when he went into the city to finally say goodbye to his old co-workers (he missed his last week of work due to his back ache) and to visit his union to sit down and sort out so much confusing information.

That Insurance Thing
We're covered insurance wise for a bit longer, but we have to make some decisions. I may have to make the decision to hang up the design/teaching and get a 'real' job. It's not the income, I think I'd do about the same as I'm doing now. And the loss of flexibility will be very rough with all of the health juggling that we've been doing. But there's that insurance thing. This may not have to happen, I'm a great believer that folks should work at their 'calling' whenever possible (and my calling is, for better or for worse, fiber related stuff) But there's that insurance thing.

We're in relatively good shape, all things considered. Thank you, Unions! I'm heartsick over my cousin's current situation and the long term implication, which is enough to make god cry - but not the insurance industry... And SHE'S worked as a NURSE for the past 30+ years, which nets her a big, bit 60 days at a nursing facility if she needs to go. It sucks so bad.

Aside from the financial loss, the waste, the pain, the heartache that so many Americans go through with inadequate insurance, one of the great unspoken tragedies of our American Insurance Crisis is the loss of productivity. Folks can't work at their chosen profession - use their full gifts - because they have to take ANY job that insures them. It really is a wonderfully evil way of controlling a work force, huh?

And, as we all know, you can NEVER be as productive as you might if your heart is not in your job.

Universal healthcare NOW!

Every day a different rant, fresh for you each morning!