Done!

Jun. 10th, 2025 10:16 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
Unless I decide to finish the belt or to shorten the straps, the bathing suit is done! I just have to block it and weave in the ends by the straps if I decide not to shorten them.

I never want to duplicate stitch another polka dot...

Kath's Blog with Stitch

Jun. 10th, 2025 01:36 pm
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[personal profile] puppetmaker
 Kath’s blog with Stitch

Photos at the end of this entry.

(OooooOOOoooo)

This is my laptop Stitch. On it I can write anything I want.

(Shiiiiiiiney)

I guess it could be called shiny. I really need to clean it up.

(OooooOOOoooo)

Hey! Give that back

(Heeheehee Mwhahahaaahaaa)

Dsjfheruifguhvnvbivui fjkdlkfjljn dhjfncnpa947uurh jf4ijdhjfn Stitch

[grabs laptop back from Stitch]

I don’t that is how you spell dhjfncnpa947uurh

(Growl)

Okay, okay what do I know?

Anyway, the weather is damp. Rain is over but it is humid. Chilly. Will probably wear a jacket when I walk down to the docks today.

(Rain water Yucky)

I guess if you can’t handle the rain, you should handle an umbrella. HEY!

(Bad pun noooooooo laptop)

Come on. I just want to write about the stuff in my head.

(Stuff in head?)

Ouch! Stop hitting my head with the laptop. I meant figuratively not literarily.

(Oh? What that mean?)

Figuratively means in a way that involves or invokes a metaphor or figure of speech.

(long rumbling growl)

Okay metaphor means a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in Stitch is the color of the sky because Stitch is blue.

(aAAAAAhhhhhhh)

Thank you for my laptop. And thank you for not breaking it.

(You are welcome)

Can you stay out of trouble for fifteen minutes or so while I finish this?

(Okay then ice cream)

I didn’t promise you….

(GrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRR)

And after I am done, we go out for lovely ice cream.

(Yeah)

Now it has started raining again. This is supposed to be the last of it then I can put a ton of cardboard out for recycling.

(No fort?)

Yes, fort but not with that grungy cardboard. I have better boxes in the car.

(Good)

After that I go back to the super-duper house cleaning project or how much can one collect in one house in almost 40 years. I am going through with keep, sell, give away, or toss.

(Toss Stitch?)

Of course not. You are part of the family.

(Ohana)

Yes

I am grateful for the strange conversations in my head.

No photos because I do not understand the system. The first one was our life sized Stitch typing on my laptop and the second was the same blue stitch holding my lap top

Four and a half and glasses!

Jun. 9th, 2025 10:21 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I have four and a half polka dots left. The ones near increases and decreases were weird to go and have a few blips, but I'm happy with my dots! I wanted to finish today, but was tired and realized I wanted something to work on during my window tinting appointment tomorrow, so didn't rush.

Tinting came with my car. I want to get the lightest tinting with the most UV/heat blocking. That's probably an upgrade.

And at last, my new glasses work! I'm still adjusting, but it's normal adjusting. Whew.

The continuing of life

Jun. 9th, 2025 05:33 pm
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[personal profile] puppetmaker
 I had to give fasting blood for my Doctor. I had no coffee until now (noonish)

Things are getting done in a slow fashion. Having the death certificates helps me to start a whole bunch of the process with the will and other things. I have been doing things like freezing his credit reports, insurance, and starting to deal with all the people who pay him money.

Doesn’t mean I am not having any fun. People visited me and are making sure I am Okay. I appreciate each visit a lot. 

This morning, I was running through the list of errands I need to do. I automatically added visit Peter to the list. Now that he is at his keyboard in the living room, I can visit with him anytime I want. No driving needed. Conversation is rather one sided.

I started on my Lego Sherlock Holmes endorsed by the Doyle Estate. This has the most pieces I have delt with since I built the Sanctum Santorum. The difference is tiny pieces to put this one together. I need to take some of it apart to fix an error or two so I can continue to build it.

Puppets are started. Not far but started. I always forget how much I enjoy building puppets until I start doing it. I have some doozies this year along with some new ones. I have a bout a month for two to be done then less than a week for the next two so my goal is to get all four done before Shoreleave. Then there are the DragonCon puppets and my costume for Sean’s party. I have time. I just cannot waste the time.

I think AM is going to be for phone calls and puppet building and afternoon gym and the grand house project. 

Just wish I had a cloth store near me. 

I am grateful for things to do.

Knitting done!

Jun. 8th, 2025 05:16 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I finished knitting the suit this morning!

I might want the straps an inch shorter, but I'm not sure I want them shorter enough to unravel and redo them.

The first three polka dots are on, and it took wn hour and a half to mark the rest. It's a very hard thing to do if you have no spacial awareness and can't count.

And I decided to go to the beach. I didn't go the last day of school like I did the last two years because I had just gotten back from Catalina and the suit wasn't done.

I've wanted to make bathing slippers instead of boots (which I don't want to wear with this suit--they're too early), but I might get canvas ballet slippers instead. We'll see how fast the embroidery goes and what I feel like.

Everything *gestures broadly* is awful, and planning a trip to Southern California today of all days sounds I don't know, weird somehow. I wish more people could enjoy small things instead of doing whatever hateful things they're doing. Finishing a project makes me happier than they'll ever be. My words aren't coming out right, so I hope that makes some sense. Sigh

Straps...

Jun. 7th, 2025 09:38 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I'm still knitting them. I think I'm nearing the end? They're not a lot, but they're annoying to knit. They nine stitches each and tangle since I'm doing both at the same time.

I made smaller buttons last night too.

Two weeks and life goes on

Jun. 7th, 2025 05:03 pm
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[personal profile] puppetmaker

Hard to believe it has been two weeks since Peter took his shuffle off this mortal coil.

It feels like it was just yesterday and a long time ago.

In that time, I have started the movement of all the paperwork to settle the estate. Not a ton there. Peter did the best he could. We had to cash out insurance policies and IRAs to get his income down to something that Medicaid would except. That is one relief for me that we can drop the Medicaid battle. 

However now there is the will and the estate to settle. More paperwork to be done. Monday I find a lawyer since I now have the death certificates in hand. This means social security is now on the list of things to be done. I want to get this done in the most efficient method possible.

Then there are physical things that were Peter’s. Clothing, books, collectables, and other things must be gone through. I will be selling various pieces of the collection to have money to pay for the expenses. How I am going to do it is a little up in the air.

There will be a memorial with all invited in September. It will be around the 23rd of September which is his 69 birthday.

I picked up his ashes yesterday and, per his request, I put them before his computer keyboard. It’s a good place for them. 

We had fun on Facebook yesterday speculating how many books he had already done in the great beyond. I said two were already published. He typed 174 words a minute. Yes, that is an insane number of words, but he learned typing first on a manual typewriter then on an electric typewriter. I should have recorded the sound of his typing. 

I found the last anniversary card he gave me. It speaks of us as a couple and how we help each other. We always had each other’s backs. 

Peter enjoyed his time with my friends. They knew who he was but to them he was Kath(y)[leen] husband. He got to be himself around them. He didn’t feel the need to be the PETER DAVID, he could be Peter or Pete. Not that he didn’t tell tales about our lives. My friends could match him which he liked. I have a very eclectic set of friends who have done lots of interesting things. It was nice to see him relax and just be himself.

I know he amused the nurses and aids at his rehab facility. They would come to me for verification of those tales. And they would ask me about it. I would confirm he was telling a true life experience. They were impressed. They also told me in a sympathy card how much they liked him as a patient and a person. He tended to make himself beloved.

I miss my soulmate. I see a bad pun or a good joke and think Peter would like it then I remember he’s not here. I say it out loud so if his ghost is kicking the house. There were the discussions in the morning about the day. The lunches. Taking care of the kids. Dinners. Discussions after the day is done. I miss the time we spent together. 

I also remember enjoying our time apart. We were not connected at the hip. There were conventions he went to by himself and the same for me.  I went to lunch at some places around the village. I brought him something back. There were times we went to a film alone because only one of us wanted to see it. We knew we wanted to be together but understood have separate parts of our lives gave us a stronger relationship.

 

I miss my husband.

I am grateful for the time I had with Peter

Straps and dots!

Jun. 6th, 2025 09:48 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
That's all that's left! Unless I want a belt. Or don't like the buttons I just made. I like them, but they're wooden buttons covered in knitting, so large.

I tried it on as much as I could with the side straps, and I think they're the right size. I hope. I wove the ends in because there were so annoying.

I know the straps will be annoying to get the right length. I'll knit them at the same time so I don't have to worry about making them match.

Back...

Jun. 5th, 2025 08:34 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
The back is almost half done. Then the side straps, then the straps, then embroidery, then decide if I want a belt. I'll need a beach vacation after this!

Where I was!

Jun. 4th, 2025 10:01 pm
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[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I finished the front to the straps and just finished row 8 of the back, so I'm where I was when I ripped the top out. I also tried one duplicate stitch polka dot, so I'm actually a little ahead. Someday I'd like to not have to restart a vintage project! Ok, I've done a few things just once, but still...

Shipped!

Jun. 3rd, 2025 01:54 pm
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[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
My phone rang. I actually answered it. I was right, it was the eye doctor's office.

I told her what happened, she said something about the -8.5 prescription, I said no! Delete that! And she fixed the date on the -8.0 prescription. Whew.

I was afraid that if 1800 Contacts did it first, I'd get more of the -8.5.

Are there hybrid doctors? I think after this, I might need to see an optometrist/psychologist for my appointment next year...

Typical

Jun. 3rd, 2025 09:04 am
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I had an email from 1800 Contacts that I uploaded an expired prescription.

Only I didn't.

The doctor didn't change the date from last year's prescription.

I left a voicemail at the doctor and told 1800 Contacts to please get this prescription. My wrong prescription is probably still on file as current.

I hope I don't have to go back until my glasses are ready. At least I only wear contacts at events.

I am SO jealous of people who can just see.

So jealous!

Jun. 2nd, 2025 06:13 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I'm so jealous of people who can just see!

The new contact prescription was easy. I saw great on Catalina, give me those. Since they didn't give samples though, now I have to return the ones that didn't work to 1800 Contacts and order new ones.

Glasses? Didn't go well. He gave me the same prescription in my left eye, and changed the right. I misunderstood the way it worked from what the tech said (my close up was 1.75, the prescription had it at 2) and he seemed to think I wanted 1.75, not good close up vision. When I saw the prescription hadn't changed (it magically works now?) I put the glasses on, covered my right eye, nope, blurry. I made the nice optician get him. He went on about distance (I don't care that much, as long as I can drive), and something about what I wanted, and all this stuff about math. Then he upped the near part of the prescription, and now I get how it works. My complaint wasn't about math, but giving me the same prescription that didn't work. Ugh!

Typically, when I was probably a quarter of the way home I realized I didn't get the new contact prescription, so I went back.

But hooray for standing up for myself!

24...

Jun. 1st, 2025 09:52 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I've knit 24 rows today. So more progress to get to where I was...

Progress?

May. 31st, 2025 11:17 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I've started the top again. I'm 19 rows into it.

The bottom on this one is tighter than the blue or white suit, but it fits. It's amazing how wool stretches. I do sort of wish I had made it on the 1.5 needles, but it's fine! I'm so not redoing that!

I was just looking at 20s bathing suits and it's interesting how much tighter the knit suits in patterns are than jersey suits. To protect against falling off, I'm sure! It'll be interesting to see if this one stretches. It's 20 stitches more than the blue suit (except I did add a few to the back, that I didn't really need), so even with a smaller needle is about the same size, in theory.

Well, boo

May. 31st, 2025 03:07 am
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[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
I was able to try the bathing suit on, and the bottom fit perfectly but the top was too small.

It was so hard to take out the top with the contrasting border, but it's done and on the needles right below the seed stitches. I wish I had tried it on before doing them!

So, I'm redoing the top with the original number of stitches. I might also go up to a 1.5 needle for the top. I'm not sure. But it's 3:09 in the morning, so I don't have to decide now.

The original number of stitches means the top won't be exactly half the bottom, but that's fine. I do need to figure out the reduced part of the back. The center back piece will be much narrower than the pattern. That's fine.

*thud*

May. 30th, 2025 07:04 pm
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[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
The front is done except for the straps (I'm waiting until the back is done so I can get them the right length. The pattern says something like 154 rows. I'd rather just make the length I need), and duplicate stitch polka dots.

The back is started. Taking out five rows of 54 seed stitch was easy, but annoying.

I also added some duplicate stitch around the neckline and right underarm to even it out a bit. I'm sure it would be fine in just one color, but with doing the seed stitch border in black, it was a little uneven. It needed a few more stitches and half stitches.

Peter David my husband

May. 29th, 2025 08:16 pm
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[personal profile] puppetmaker
 Eulogy-noun

Plural eulogies.

1.    a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially a set oration in honor of a deceased person.

2.    high praise or commendation.

Peter didn’t like tomatoes at all, but he liked ketchup a lot.

Peter and I met at one of the last Atlanta Fantasy Faires. He bought a puppet which came with a thirty-minute lesson on how to operate it. The con committee told me that Peter had bought a puppet and wanted the lesson that came with it. I was on a time crunch because I had a show to stage manage that evening. Late afternoon found me behind his table teaching him and his daughter Shana how to operate a hand and rod puppet. I was focused on the lesson not all the things he was signing. He had a line for most of the time he was there but managed to find some time so I could show him what to do. I made sure Shana, who has a knack for it, knew what to do. I ran off to do my show. After the show and going out for a drink with the gang, I came home very sleepy. As I was getting ready for bed, I looked at my bookshelves and there at the top of the stack was Q-in-Law by Peter David. I slapped my head and said, “Oh THAT Peter David.”

After that we were convention buddies. We would catch up on each other’s lives and families and then move onto another topic that interested us. Then we started talking on AOL messenger and found we had feelings for one and other.

Peter and I official got together in 1998. I moved up to his neck of the woods as Atlanta had nothing that paid well for me to do. 

Since we had spent so much time talking on AOL, we knew each other better than we would have. When we got together it just felt right and as the years pasted even more right that we were together. 

I miss some of the insane conversations we had that went from point A to point M eventually getting back to point B. We could talk about everything under the sun. Yes, he was as funny as he was at conventions.

Conventions were where PETER DAVID attended. He seemed larger than life. He always loved talking to the fans. He said more than once, “Writing is a solitary profession. You write and hope other people will like what you right.” At conventions were the fans wanting to talk to him and tell him what he wrote that meant a lot to them. 

I remember one young man, who found out much later in life he was dyslexic, saying the Starfleet Academy books taught him to read and made him want to read. Other people have used the vows in Imzadi for their weddings. Everyone had a favorite story or series, and Peter would talk to them about it and answer questions the fans had. Sometimes it was something he came up with on the spot. 

His ability to make gay characters just another human being was magical. He was a strong supporter of the LBGTQ+ community as am I. My daughter is a lesbian with a wonderful partner. They support each other through all kinds of situations. Peter was very proud of what she has accomplished. He was very proud of all his daughters achievement of which there are many.

Peter is complimented how he wrote women who sounded like real women. He has gone on record that he feels there is no difference between the genders. He wrote them as human beings with their own faults and foibles along with their strength of character and the ability to rise to the occasion.

I have the good luck of being his first reader. I would give him my honest opinion as to what worked and didn’t work for me. Some suggestions he would take, some he would clarify, and others he left alone. He appreciated the input.

He would find ideas for writing in the strangest of places. We would be driving along and he would say, “What do you think of this idea for a story?” We would discuss it and either the idea was abandoned, or he would get home and hop onto the computer.

He liked cats. It wasn’t that he disliked dogs, he just preferred cats. And they liked him. He is survived by Fig, Inky, Mew, and Phoebe.

Peter encouraged me to build puppets. He would push me to work on puppets because he believed in me and my skill. He also trusted my ability to make costumes. Sometimes he didn’t give me much time to create what he came up with. That was Okay because I love a challenge. There were many a costume that was finished at the convention. He believed in my ability to write and encourage me to do so. We wrote a Ghostbusters comic entitled “What the Samhain is going on here”. I wrote it and Peter cleaned it up for me. Since then, I have been writing short stories for various anthologies. Sometimes under an alias. 

Peter is my soulmate. I am not saying we didn’t have disagreements, we did but we worked through them. We learned about each other to the point we could say half a sentence and the other would be filling in the next. We were very comfortable with each other. No need to put up masks.

I have drug resistant depression along with situational depression (I think you can guess the situation). Peter helped me get help so I could be me again not the sad rage monster I had become. I hope after I get everything done, I will no longer have situational depression. But there is a lot to do.

Peter will be remembered by many people for many things. I will remember my steadfast husband who was always in my corner and helped me become a better person.

What do you remember about Peter?

Typical

May. 29th, 2025 11:43 am
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
My routine doctor appointment was about an hour and a half late and my doctor is going to concierge medicine (he didn't tell me the price today, but my mom has the same doctor and was told $2500 a year on top of insurance and copays), so I need a new doctor. Apparently you get a once a year full day body scan and any normal visits you need.

But I have another three months of cholesterol medicine and another appointment where I'll get an order for blood work, so should be able to get another appointment to renew my prescription one last time, so I don't have to think about it today. And I have a Zofran prescription for the next pukey headache I get.

When I was there my eye doctor called to cancel my appointment because rechecks have to see the same doctor. When I called back, they said the new policy was to have optical take care of wrong prescriptions--they'd just call a doctor out. That obviously wasn't the policy last week. After what felt like forever on hold, I have a new appointment for Monday. Actually, that's not all bad because my new contacts come tomorrow, so I can test them. Using two left from my old prescription was good, so if the new contacts don't work, I can ask for that. It's kind of ridiculous that they give you a prescription and no contacts to check it. Last year they did. Whatever.

Then my dentist called. I was sure it was to say my insurance was messed up again. They cancelled my last appointment because my insurance told them I had the hmo, but I have the ppo. After I got it straightened out, which was easy because nothing was wrong, I kept forgetting to make an appointment. That was over a year ago, I think. Oops. Thankfully they were just calling to confirm! Who does that anymore?

Anyway, it's been a day and it's not even noon!

Found it!

May. 28th, 2025 03:03 pm
koshka_the_cat: Beach! (Default)
[personal profile] koshka_the_cat
Counting is still hard, but I found the increase. Apparently I split the plies and knit into the same stich twice. Huh. That's a new one...
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