more about school

 Clinicals begin tomorrow! I am both excited and terrified, and it sounds like the rest of the class is having the same feelings.

Anyone asking me lately about school has gotten the response, "it's kicking my ass!" There is SO MUCH reading and studying to do, as well as the practice and check off of "skills" we must do on our own time (at school), videos at school we are required to watch (also on our own time), and the fact school is over an hour's drive from home for me. I know others are driving as far, perhaps even further, but I suspect they're not coming home to a house full of chores nobody else is picking up.

Wah is me! (No, that's not a typo)

On the other hand, what I'm reading and studying and watching and practicing IS interesting, very much so. I just wonder when I'll catch up on sleep again ...and I'm saying this 2 days after the 5-day Labor Day holiday weekend.

How and why did I come to be so tired? I've begun taking a multivitamin and an amino acid supplement, as well as glucosamine for my joints; zinc and echinacea to protect me from germs, and am eating a more-or-less balanced diet.

Oh. I left my full travel-mug of morning tea with Bob by accident this morning, so I never did caffeinate myself today... that could explain today. I wonder if I'll feel better tomorrow (or if I did yesterday - gosh, it's hard to think right now).

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Cats. Anastasia is still kicking. After a round of immunoregulin shots, the fluid that was drained from her chest did not return and she seemed to feel fine... but then recently she began accumulating it around her belly. She looked like a little "starving Ethiopian" kitty, all bones, shoulder blades, and huge puffy belly. Last Thursday she had the belly fluid drained and got another Immunoregulin shot, but the drrrrr says that was the last of his stock and he's having a hard time finding more. This afternoon her belly looks big again and I've called to let them know I'll be bringing her back in Friday morning. She's lively and interested in what's going on around her; in a good mood and eating everything in sight, takes her medicines easily, but the FIP suddenly decides to suck all the fluid out of her tissues and pool it here or there... and that's not good.

Red is doing well, no more vomiting issues. He does still have a small abscess on his left eye, but it's not the huge thing he had a couple months ago. Soon I'll start him back on the eye drops. He hates them, so I gave him a small break from them. Red has appointed himself the peacemaker of the house. Any snarlfest going on gets his attention, and he goes to investigate. His presence often diffuses the situation. He's a friendly cat when others let him. Often one of the younger 4 will come to lay down with him, and he'll groom them. He doesn't like Snuffy much, but Snuffy teases Shorty and gets Red's attention that way, even though Shorty hisses at everyone, Red included.

Saw Roadie a couple nights ago. He's looking sleek and healthy, but is wilder than I've ever seen him. His jawline is more like a "big cat" than any domestic breed I know of. I sure wonder about his kitty-ethnicity, and whether he'll come in for the winter this year.

The weather has turned cool. Had to run the ACs just last week, but yesterday's high was only in the 60s. Lows at night are downright chilly. A few young maples downtown already have their leaves turning orange. My first load of firewood arrived yesterday. It's been raining for 2 days now. We've had such an adequately wet summer I'm sure the fall colors will be especially pretty. I'll be carrying a camera all the time.

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Knitting. Yes, I'm still knitting. I finished a hat today (still need to weave in the ends, but I call that finished). It is a mate to the fingerless gloves I knit early in the summer, and I still have plans for a scarf out of the same yarn... and today I decided I'd like a calorimetry in that pattern also.

I have an abstract-patterned cat'ghan on the needles but when I finish it I'll probably make another, same pattern, same needle size, but double the yarn. It's not looking dense enough to me.

I never did finish that pair of socks I was test knitting for my local friend Valerie; I am waiting for a time when I can concentrate on them. With all that's going on lately, I simply can't. Instead I have made it to the middle of a short-row heel on a plain vanilla sock, something I can knit while watching a movie, or in class.

And market bags! I love them. I've made four so far; one as a gift and three I use. Recently I've been using one for my school books - three heavy texts, a binder, and two spiral-bound notebooks, and still the cotton bag hangs tough. The bottom of this bag is more conducive to groceries, as it's designed for, so my next plan is to make one actually shaped to carry books.