good news/bad news

Well, so for the bad news....I have to have my tonsils out on March 31...I have had recurrent bouts of strep throat since July of last year.  The last time I had it, I fainted while volunteering at a swim meet.  So these fetid tonsils are leaving the building, and while I'm sort of scared about the surgery and recovery (anesthesia=barf, barf=pain if your throat has been cut), I've got a great support system who will help me while I'm convalescing.

The worst part of this news is that I've been working on my yellow belt for the last two months, and was sure that I was going to be ready to test at the end of this month.  This has been my goal and I don't think I've worked harder on achieving something since I was working on my masters degree.  And the test....is three days after my tonsillectomy.  There's no way that I'd be recovered enough to test, and I also don't think there's any way they'd let me.  So I'm pretty bummed.  But I'm still going to work as hard as I can and continue training through this month like I am going to test--because..why not??!!  Am I the fastest and the most nimble in my class?  No--illness, parenthood and general adult-ness have knocked me off my game, but I will tell you this....the world has no idea what I'm capable of doing when I put my mind to it! Even if I can't test I will bring my A game every class between now and March 31.

So here's the good news...I decided that I'm going to knit myself this cardi that reminds me of my Gi, only a little cuter.  If I'm going to be on the couch, unable to train for 2-3 weeks, I am going to inspire myself in the best way I know!  So when the May test rolls around, I will be able to do it!

Other things that I'm working on...I just finished a hat for my lovely karate partner, Josepha, for her birthday.  It's a hat with the kanji character for "strength" (pattern courtesy of Kodi May Knits).  Here it is, with the character completed:

My first karate-inspired project--yay!