This is the second temperature blanket from 2017. You can see the first one here.  I'm not planning to make the third.  I don't need to.  I've done two.  That's enough for me.   The pattern for both is the Moss Stitch, or Granite Stitch, or Linen Stitch.  Same stitch, different names.  Very easy.  Single… Continue reading Crocheting – Temperature Blanket 2017 Part 2 May June July August

I just finished reading the late Sue Grafton's final book, "Y is for Yesterday."  I'd put off reading it.  I've followed the Kinsey Millhone series for years and years, ever since I was fresh out of college and employed at B. Dalton Booksellers at a mall outside of Hartford and my boss introduced me to… Continue reading Catching Up

Otis and Scratchy Scratchy will be 11 in May, and Otis is eight months old.  I got a few pictures of them hanging out together - peacefully - this afternoon.  About four or five times a day Otis decides he needs to play, so he attacks Scratchy and they wrestle around from room to room,… Continue reading Cats and Crochet

My stitches are out!  The Dr. took them out on the 21st, last Friday, and said I could go without a bandage, could get the hand wet, could start doing exercises to strengthen my hand and regain mobility and all that.  So - yay!  Within a couple of days the stitched area had dried up… Continue reading Lizard Hand

*  At rest, my right hand looks like a Barbie doll hand, minus the long slender fingers and tiny but perfect manicure.  If Barbie had a short, square-handed twin, that would be me. *  With that immobile hand, I can now do the Royal Wave pretty well.   *  I can drive, but everything leading… Continue reading Observations While My Hand Is Like This

I can make do pretty well left-handed with most tasks.  It's not pretty, though.  Last night eating soup I realized that I'm about as tidy as a toddler, but most of the important stuff made it into my mouth, so it's ok. The surgery was exactly a week ago, and then on Friday I went… Continue reading One Week In

An hour ago I had carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand.  When this heals, I'll have it done on my left hand. Right now I'm typing with my left hand, hunt and peck style, with my tingly fingers and my thumb. who is not used to operating a space bar, is going half numb… Continue reading Enforced Rest

When I first started this blanket I was young and foolish and imagined that 730 rows of crochet would fit perfectly on a bed.  Actually I didn't imagine any of that - I didn't really think about how big the finished project would be until I'd finished the first month and measured the length and… Continue reading Temperature Afghan 1917 Jan Feb March April

I have a corned beef in the oven, rubbed mostly all over with black pepper, coriander, and paprika.  It's perched on a rack over a 13 x 9 inch pan of water and will, in around 3-4 hours, be magically transformed into pastrami.   I wasn't planning on giving it a smoky flavor, but the… Continue reading One Year and Eight Months Later

I finished January's rows a few weeks ago. I had thought about adding in a row of black to separate each month, but that would disrupt the color flow, and my sister said not to,  so instead I just tied in a little black fringe on each side.  I'm happy with the look so far,… Continue reading Temperature Afghan January 2017