My granddaughter so badly wants to learn "pletenje čarape"

pletenje means knitting. appears pronounced as spelled except for the [nj] sounds as the "ni" in "onion", i.e., an "n" followed by a short "y"-sound.  Just guessing here as I really have no idea how to learn... maybe sounds like   plut-ny    or   plah-tin-ey ? Sorry for my mutilated attempt.

čarape means socks.  The first letter č with the lil U shaped accent oer it has your tongue behind lower front teeth speaking a mixed  sound between the “ch” of “check” and the “ty” of the British English word “tune”…. Clear as  mud huh ?!  drats, I still have no idea how this sounds.
 My new Croatian words for the day ;)    Thank you to Tomislav Kuzmic who lives in Croatia and it's from his personal project the European dictionary. where I looked the meaning of these words up from. It's touted as a wonderful collection of online dictionaries for the languages spoken in the European Community and the countries that will become members of European Community. 

So how fitting is it that I came across this picture of
19th century Croatian socks! Thank You Elegant Erica for this gem!  I have been collection anything I can about Croatia as that is my paternal granfather's heritage. Eric describes the part of the sock that covers the foot as hand-knit while the shaft is of heavy wool fabric and embellished heavily.  Croatia has a deep historical element of regional dress going back centuries. These types of socks would have been worn with knee-length pants so the ornate decorations would be most visible.   See, it's stuff like this that make me crave my family history.  Wish I could have had the privilege of knowing my Croatian ancestors.  Too bad I waited as an adult to learn knitting. Imagine my skill level if I had began needlework as a small child.

My poor doggy!  Patches has some sort of  really bad something wrong with all four of his paws. He is suffering so badly itching, licking his paws raw and bleeding and bald!  Vet gave us an antiboitic to get the swelling down and infection under control but I think Patches has some sort of yeast infection on his feets.  Today was his last pill.

Been googling the problem. Came across homemade recipe for "thornit powder" consisting of:
4 oz. zinc oxide powder ; 4 oz. boric acid powder ; 1/2 oz. Iodoform powder.  But where do I get these ingredients?
Our vet won't be back in town til Friday as he travels throughout the state to smaller towns and rural farms. This recipe appears to be mainly used for a dogs yeasty ears but I'm sure it should work for his poor lil feet. So desperate this morning to give him relief that I have been smearing neosporin ointment all over bad area and than I went to grocer and bought yogurt and mixed in with his dog food.  Even smeared the yogurt on his feets. He did get quite a-bit of some relief it seems today. Amazing what simple yogurt can do. But his paws are so red and inflamed. The antibiotic pills have done nothing at all in my opinion except allow the problem to fester.  If anyone has any advice I'm all ears.

On a health note I was able to get in to see the neurosurgeon last week at the referral of my pain dr. and apparently I am just going to have to accept the diagnosis of disease rather a fixable injury ;(
I was really hoping & praying for the latter. Guess it's still my turn to get a "NO" to my prayers.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be a smart-ass, but it sure feels like "NO" has come my way the majority of 47 years. People always say he don't give a person more than they can handle or it's his way of testing ones strength. Personally I'd have to say my shoulders are sagging and I'm tired. But oh well, life goes on and than you die.   Come tomorrow I have to figure a way to the next town over as that neurosurgeon is making me go have some sort of arterial doppler studies in all my arms and legs. He said only my left foot could he feel strong pulse. hmph. I'm  hoping he had wax in his ears.

dear hubby came home from work with a cool surprise to show the grankids. See he rides his bicycle to work and home, well - tonite on his way cross the creek he spotted a soft shell turtle. Yup. It will be a catch and release type of thing but not before the kids get to see and touch and inspect it close up. Ick. Not my cup of joe. "Of course you know, this will have to be a show-n-tell item at kindergarten tomorrow"    Speaking of my darling baby grangirl.... She's only been in school one month and she can READ!  Tonite we sat as audience to her while she read from her 1st reader pamphlet!
Five pages worth!  yeah, I know there's only one sentence to a page, but hey I'm proud as a peacock for her!

I don't know how those teachers do it. Really.  I've been working with her since she was two years old. Taught her the ABC's. Taught her each and every letter. She could identify all of them.  Way before school started she pick up anything and look at it and took her pencil and paper and copied down exactly what she saw. Speech wise she is very eloquent and verbally very expressive. Same thing with my own kids. But I could not teach her how to read. It was very frustrating for me as a granma.
 dear hubby says it's like when the lid is stuck on a jar and you ask for help opening it and soon as you hand it to them they get it open with barely a turn. Well, you did just loosen it for them. lol. same principle here he says.    How sweet he is. Always trying to make me feel better with a lil quick wit. ;)

Still, my nagging conscience keeps at me. If "I" couldn't teach her how to 'read' how in the world am I ever going to be able to teach her how to knit. I had nobody to teach me as a youngin and had to be self-taught. But I am here in her life now and she wants to learn so badly!  She loves messing around with my needles and yarn.

For some extra eye candy go visit the Bata Shoe Museum.  They are not socks, but are feet related. And W O W, a highly exquisite collection.

oh,,,, btw - yippee I am progressing right along on my sept sock! so far it appears that I have guesstimated my previous pattern problem correctly. I'm past the heel and headed toward the toes :0