Mom update

Mom's kidneys finally kicked in. That was one of the main worries. The lab results indicated she wasn't contagious. However, she still has the diarrhea which doesn't seem to be lessening any.
Over the weekend, they started treating her for a urinary infection, which probably helped start her kidneys.

At noon today she was scheduled for a colonoscopy. Hopefully I'll know the results by the end of the day.

Mother

My mother was put in the hospital yesterday. She's a bit better today, since she now is being pumped with fluids, but still has the diarrhea she had when she went in. The lab report hasn't come back yet, but they think it's some sort of bacteria that is causing it, but until they know for sure, they haven't started any antibiotics yet.

Mom is 87 yrs old. She likes living by herself, and is the last person to admit she needs help, but we do what we can. My sister lives 30 minutes away by car from where Mom lives, but I live in the next state and takes me 4-5 hours to drive there by car.

I hope tomorrow will shed some light on the situation. The nurse I talked to today seemed concerned because they think she's in early renal failure. She hasn't urinated since she was admitted. Dehydration does that I'm told.

Funny call on cell phone

Today's funny:

I got an interesting call on my cell phone this morning and thought I'd share. Here's how it went:

Me: Hello
Caller: Hi, how are you
Me: Okay
Caller: Where are you?
Me: At home
Caller: What are you doing there?
Me: Where else would I be?
Caller: Not going to work?
Me: I don't work any more, I'm retired.
Caller: Oh my, sorry, I think I have the wrong number
Me: I guess you do!

Click!

Never did get that guy's name! Strange that he doesn't know what his wife (or his friend) sounds like on the phone!

This is the second free pattern that is also on my Geocities site. Enjoy!

Granny a la Harper

The above model was made by Lee Ann Hamm of Baton Rouge, LA. Nice job, Lee Ann!
Above is a pic of what it looks like in different colors, compliments of Patti Fix of Colorado

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Materials:

Worsted weight yarn, any color

Size H8 (5 MM) hook



Note: The starting chain in any round will count as one stitch.



Ch 4, sl st in first ch to make a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch3, make 15 dc's in ring, join with sl st in top of ch 3 to join. (16)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same space as joining, 2 dc in each dc around. Sl st in top
of turning chain. (32)

Rnd 3. Ch 4, dc in same space, ch 1,* skip next dc, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next st
(v-stitch made), ch 1. Repeat from * around, ending with a sl st in 3rd ch of
starting ch 4. (16 v-stitches)

Rnd 4. Sl st in first v-stitch. Ch 6, trc in same space,* ch 1, 3 dc in next v-stitch, ch 1, 3 sc in next v-stitch, ch 1, 3 dc in next v-stitch, ch 1, (trc, ch2, trc) in next v-stitch (corner made). Repeat from * twice. Ch 1, 3 dc in next v-stitch, ch 1, 3 sc in next v-stitch, ch 1, 3 dc in next v-stitch, ch 1, sl st in 4th ch of turning chain to join.

Rnd 5: Ch 3, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner space, *dc in next trc, dc in next sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next space, ch 1) twice, dc in next space, dc in next trc, (3 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in corner space. Repeat from * twice more. Dc in next trc, dc in next space, ch 1,(3dc in next space, ch 1) twice, dc in next space. Join with sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch. Fasten off.



Note: This square measured exactly 6 inches when I made it. Feel free to
change hook size if your tension is too tight or loose.

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© 1998 by Pat Harper (Ladybee)

Where Have I Been?

I'll be you've been asking that question! 

The first week in May, I drove to the hill country in Texas to visit my mother and sister for a few days.  I did manage to hit a couple of yarn shops, namely the Old Oaks Ranch in Wimberley TX, and the Yellow Sweater in Buda TX.

On the way home I stopped at Yarntopia in Katy TX.  I'd been looking for this shop for a couple of years now, and finally, the GPS unit I had with me found it!  It's located in the Cinco Ranch Shopping Center on S Mason Rd.

Of course lots of yarn came home with me!  I've already started a pair of socks with the yarn I bought at Old Oaks Ranch, and a sweater with the yarn I found at Yarntopia.

While at my mother's, I finished this:





Mom's new shawl, made from Lion Brand Pound of Love, designer Doris Chan.

And, since I had intended it for me, I had to make another one!  So today I finished this:



My new shawl, made with Dark Horse Fantasy, color #47

The Yarn Nook in Lafayette LA had gotten in a new shipment of Dark Horse yarns on Wednesday last, and when I went to knit night that night, I bought an entire bag of this color so I could make the shawl.  I thought I'd need the entire bag, but as it turned out I have two full skeins plus part of a 3rd that was left over, so I'm thinking of making a scarf to match.
I'll have to design the scarf myself, as the shawl was designed by Doris Chan, and I don't think she's even thought of a matching scarf for it!   I'll post a pic when I have it finished.

Scrunchie!

Yahoo has decided to close down Geocities, where I have a few of my original patterns. Therefore I will be slowly moving them from there to here. The first one I've chosen for you is a scrunchie.

Post Stitch Scrunchie

Materials:

Large elastic hair band (I use Goody brand)

Size G hook

Worsted weight yarn (Red Heart Classic used in model)

Special Stitches:

FPDC = front post double crochet
Y/O, insert hook to right of the post of the next stitch (left if you're a lefty), then around the back of the post and out the front, y/o and draw through 2 loops, y/o and draw through remaining two loops.

BPDC = back post double crochet
Y/O, insert hook from back to front to the right of the post of next st (left if you're a lefty), then bring around front and through to the back. Y/O and complete dc as usual.

FPSC = front post single crochet
Sc around the post of the next stitch, inserting the hook from front to back and around the post to the front.

BPSC= back post single crochet
Sc around the post of the next stitch, inserting the hook from the back to the front and around the post to back.

Pattern:

Rnd 1: Make slip knot on hook, sc around entire band until it is filled, usually about
30 sc's, but make sure it's an even number. Sl st in 1st sc to join.

Rnd 2: Ch3, make 2 dc's in same st, then make 3 dc in each sc around, end with sl st in top of ch 3.

Rnd 3: Ch 3, (FPDC in next dc, BPDC in next dc)around until you have 1 st left. FPDC around that dc and end with sl st in top of ch 3.

Rnd 4: Ch 1, FPSC around post of ch 3 of row below, then * ch 3, BPSC around post of next dc, ch 3, FPSC around post of next dc. Repeat from * around, end with ch 3, sl st in first sc to join.

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I hope you enjoy making this scrunchie. If you are a beginning crocheter, I hope it's easy to figure out. Please let me know if you have problems with it. It's different from any I've seen. Any resemblance to this one and one already in existence is purely concidental.

©1998 by Patricia Harper

Too hot for knitting!

South Louisiana this time of year is hot and humid! I could swear it was in the 80's or 90's today.
Even the birds weren't flying around much.

It was so hot that I didn't care at all about knitting anything, although I did get a few rows done on a keyhole scarf and got a couple of rows done on some heel flaps.

We do have air conditioning, but it's still too hot to think about making anything with yarn.

Also, I'm looking forward to a trip to Texas on Monday to visit my mom and sis. I'll be gone until Friday, and will take laptop with me in case I get a chance to connect to the web.