Here at the end of the month of November, when we express gratitude with family and friends with a traditional meal, I am grateful for so many things!
Thanksgiving – I am grateful that we were eight around the table for Thanksgiving dinner– one of our sons, and our good friends all accounted for this year! No last minute Covid cancellations!
Knitting – I am grateful for my knitting friends, and for my ability to knit! I attended the Sacred Sheep event in Portland – a one day fiber festival, with a few of my knitting friends. I didn’t take many photos, but I did buy the yarn for the Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery Knit-along that will begin in January. Two lovely skeins from two different indie dyers.
I have been working away on my Anthology Blues Throw, and my purple Hitchhiker Shawl. I finished one pair of gift socks, and started a new pair. And I acquired yarn for some gift hats, for which the knitting has begun…
Quilting – Not much, but I have a plan, and a new machine, to help me quilt all my unfinished quilt tops.
Leaf walks in the neighborhood – The fall colors were so beautiful in the neighborhood this year! I am grateful that the teachers were able to get a better contract and settle their strike after almost a month of uncertainty. I live near two schools that my children attended, and I am glad to see children walking the sidewalks again, instead of seeing teachers standing on the corners with strike signs.
Teacher’s Strike
Maple
Oak
Liquidamber
Gingko and maple
Sidewalk pebble conglomerate
Henry, Ramona and Ribsy in Grant Park
Christmas is coming…
Family adventures – My sons sent me pictures of their travels at the end of the month…
Views from OHSU…
On a crisp fall day, I got to admire the view from the Portland tram as I rode both up and down for various consultations, exams, and treatment related to my Acromegaly. One brain MRI, seven vials of blood, a cortisone challenge test, and my monthly injection…and the results show that my monthly injections continue to keep the relict pituitary tumor from growing, and all other systems are stable. I am grateful for excellent treatment from my team of doctors at OHSU, and for the insurance that keeps my share of the monthly injection cost affordable (original bill is ~$23,000.00/month – (yes, per month!)). I never wanted to be a Zebra, as they call persons with rare diseases in Medical School, but I am grateful that I can live mostly unharmed with this rare condition.
Looking east across the Willamette River – Marquam, Tilikum, and Ross Island Bridges
Looking north toward downtown Portland
Passing the other tram car on its way down while we continue to rise.
Maple trees on the patio near the upper tram platform
And a view farther east to Mt Tabor and Rocky Butte – no Cascade peaks on view today.
When I started writing this, I was feeling grateful that there was a ceasefire and hostages were being released from Gaza, but now they are bombing again. The conflict is a painful gash in the hopes for some kind of peace, and I feel so sad for the people there. I am grateful to be living in a stable place with no fear of being bombed today.
Margaret Quilts 