More of the same ’round here.  Been playing phone tag between the vet and my parents, trying to figure out what’s going on with Nikki.  I’ve been to visit her at the vets’ a few times, and on the outside she’s doing ok (playful, eating, etc) but there’s something going on inside that they need to figure out.

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More studying, still 2-3 hours every night.  I am really, really looking forwards to never having to be in school again.  I enjoy the testing aspect of it, and I enjoy grades, and all that.  Even the math is fun- I never thought I’d ever use higher algebra again, but when it comes down to it, it’s only a puzzle that needs to be solved, and I like the challenge.  I just really, really don’t miss the studying part.  Especially when the studying mostly entails lots of very detailed note-taking.  Very REPETITIVE, detailed note-taking.  Our course has a textbook, a formulas workbook, and then some online text that the instructors put together just for our class.  It hasn’t been uncommon for the textbook to spend 20+ pages covering some obscure, random knowledge that I will never need to use again, just to then be directed to the formulas book where, before getting to the examples, spends a few pages reviewing the same knowledge, and then finally we have to read the relevant online section, which quite often is an almost straight summary of the previous 2.  Thankfully I learned my lesson last year and got better at making my notes, including leaving room when making my textbook notes for the odd bits of possibly relevant stuff from the online part, so I can include it without having to waste time (and notebook pages) writing out the same thing over and over.  I think my hand is starting to cramp LOL.

We’ve had 2 tests so far, and we’ve both done well on them.  There’s a discussion assignment (quiz) due by Feb 6th, and then the next official test isn’t due until Feb 28, but we are going to do it this week.  That will put us a full month ahead of schedule, which was my goal all along.  I need us to be ahead this year so when I have my surgery next month I don’t risk falling behind if I’m zonked on pain killers.  Even if I only miss about a week or so of studying- a week or so of 2-3 hours a night adds up fast!

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Brought Henri back to the hospital yesterday for yet another blood test.  This one tests for the same thing that we’re testing for by giving him a trial run on a certain medication.  The medication is serious but the dosage is low, so it is possible to think it’s not working simply because the dose isn’t high enough.  The blood test is 100% accurate if it comes up positive, but it if comes up negative you can’t trust it.  Stupid, I know.  Hopefully between the two tests we’ll get a conclusive answer one way or another, and can move on.  If Henri doesn’t have what they think he may have, then I’d like to get him off the meds asap.  And if he does have it, then I’m looking forwards to being able to do research and get informed, especially on what to expect.  (I’ll talk more about it once I know anything definitive).

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The Featherweight Cardi is zipping along.  Because it’s at a stockinette stitch part, it is very easy to pick up and put down.  Whenever I have more than 5 minutes to spare, and access to my computer, I have been working on putting together for the KP pattern I’ve been mentioning for a while.  But I leave the project on my couch, so when I see I have only a few minutes here or there, I can still get a row or so in.  The little bits of time add up, (plus Saturday night when Maaike and I watched The Life of Brian and vegged and knit) and the work has managed to grow faster than I’d thought it would.

The first photo (above) was taken the same day I posted the other one for you- Jan 28th, right before bed.  This next photo was taken yesterday (Feb 1).  If you look at where the first one stops (a good 2″ above my bent elbow), you can see that 4 days of free minutes adds up to quite a few inches of knitting!

Now I’m going to get back to work before braving the wonderful weather to go pick up the boys from daycare.  Stay safe until the weather clears up!

ETA- I didn’t realize the photo was so dark.  Here’s a lighter version: