Fluff, Dreck, and Flotsam

Well, I used up all the yellow I had and it looks like I have maybe 5 yards of yellow. Maybe only 4.5. I started un-making a partial sweater I had begun making with wool donated to me by a colleague, and weaving just a straight pattern of reversing twill, with it in order to finish off the remaining warp. It looks kinda neat. I'll probably end up with two yards or so of this white and black twill. Maybe I'll have enough to make a carry-all bag out of it or some trim for another garment. I had a rough morning, so I didn't get a chance to take any pictures yet. Hopefully tonight before I go over to eithni's house, I'll finish all the weaving and de-loom the project... Then I'll have to decide whether or not I cut the project into a white section and a yellow section before washing it, or if I just wash it all together.

See, the yellow wool felt kinda sticky as I was spinning it, so I suspect that there's rather a lot of dye left in it. My intention was to wash it with Retayne after de-looming, but now that I've added the white bit, I'm trying to decide whether I should let the white bits possibly pick up some yellow from the yellow bits as they full, or whether I'm better of separating the two and keeping the white bits white and the yellow bits yellow.

The other factor here is that the white wool is totally natural. Like, I've got pictures of the donor sheep. (Rudy and Peaches. Rudy is stinkier than Peaches, in case anyone was wondering.) Whereas, the yellow is what we call "superwash." It's been treated in an acid bath to remove all the barbs from the wool, thus preventing felting/shrinking when washed. With that in mind, it's probable that I'll end up with totally different rates of shrinkage when I wash... So... I'll probaby have to cut the pieces apart anyway, but the question is, do I wash them together or not?

During work hours, when I've been bored, I've done a little puttering on Amazon.com and started updating my wish list. Mostly books on weaving and period textiles. It's been a while since I worked on anything other than my electronic library, but evidently craft books aren't popular in electronic format.

Tomorrow, since fighter practice is cancelled, I'm thinking about going over to Lakeside Fibers after work. They are open until 8:00 PM on Wednesdays. Anyone want to come with me?

Last but not least, my doctor just called about the blood tests I had done two weeks ago. Evidently, I've slipped into the "hyperthyroid" range of "overmedicated." (TSH is .12) So now I have to start splitting one of my pills in half every morning. Down to 75 mcg/day, and blood tests again in another two months. Someone remind me to get my blood tests redone on November 23? Maybe fencert and I can do lunch again. ..

... OK... so on my fancy new meds for 2 days and suddenly I have the following symptoms:

• metallic after taste
  
• tender chesticles
  
• A MOTHER F*CKING GOITER. (I'm wracking my brain for the name of the one friend I had in grade school who became obsessed with goiters after we read "To Kill A Mockingbird." I could be his hero for a day.)
  
• head ache
  
• I woke up naturally after 5.5 hours sleep and felt rested.
  
• Liquid purge/dry mouth. I have lost 5 lbs since yesterday. Apparently water weight.

While I am adventurous and as willing to experiment with my own body as the next gen-X drug culture child, the swelled out flesh-bow-tie on my neck freaked me out. I called my doctor and he told me to discontinue the Levothyroxine immediately. I have another doctor's appointment for this Tuesday. I am probably going to try to get him to prescribe Armor or some other T3 supplement in a 98/2 ratio between T4/T3. Until then I'm going to be busy reading and reading and reading all I can about this subject.

I have a feeling that this saga will be ongoing so I will likely create a filter for those who want to be kept up-to-date on my hormonal malfunction and those who want to opt out of Medical TMI Land can do so with no hard feelings. If you want to opt out, just leave me a comment with "opt out" in it and I'll keep you off the list. Comments on this post are screened.