Next - The Sleeves

As usual I am crocheting the wrong way about. I normally do the sleeves before I finish off the body as a) I don't have as much weight to twist and turn about if the sleeves are crocheted onto the body and b) I find that once the sleeves are in they pull the body up making a difference to the overall length. Besides all of that I am just a perverse creature who always does things in the wrong order - and not just in crochet! I have a bad habit of flicking through magazines from the back to the front as well. I don't know where that comes from but my Mother used to say that I did the same thing with comic and picture books when I was small.Perhaps in a previous life (if there is such a thing) I came from a culture who read from right to left!

Thanks Bev for letting me know about the CAL (crochetalong) on Ravelry for the Short and Sweet. I have never joined in one of these CAL's as I want to get things finished as soon as I have started and I wouldn't like people to think I was bragging if I finished off first - or if I have to keep a slower pace with other people I would get easily bored. I am not sure what the rules are.

Tina I am sure that your favourite shrug must be shrinking in the wash. My clothes are doing the same thing these days. Maybe it is something in the washing detergents. I think they are sponsored by slimming products to make our clothes shrink so that we will go out and buy diet products ;-)

Ana Luisa I am glad that you have finished off your baby items and I look forward to seeing them shortly. I get so much inspiration from everyone who leaves comments on my blog, their blogs and other people who I chat to on Ravelry so I know just what you mean when you say that you get inspired. I think that it is great when crafters can swap ideas. Different minds have a different slant on things and adapt patterns differently to me so I really enjoy my morning browse through new patterns and my friends activities on Ravelry.

Bev has made a lovely shawl/shrug using a vintage pattern and updating it for her daughter. Bev knows that I love vintage patterns and sent me a couple of gorgeous vintage baby books in the post. Fashions may change but with a slight adjustment many vintage patterns can be brought right up to date. If you want a peek at her crochet just click on my blog title and it will take you there. Bev has days when her &$£!* back pain gets a bit too much for her but despite that she manages to keep smiling - well mostly - and crocheting her way through it all.

I have just collected my prescriptions, paid off my credit card and the newspaper bill so I am now ready in case I go in hospital. Still no news as yet but I didn't even get any junk mail today.

Time to start the sleeves of the Short and Sweet now. I can maybe get an hour of crochet in, with my ice packs on, to cool my knees, after my walk to the shops, before it's dinner time. Mmmm I smell coffee.

It Could Only Happen To Me

I am making yet another hat and scarf set for the homeless. This wool had been unravelled and so I am not sure what it is. It appears to be chunky but the hat, that I had previously made for myself, has turned out larger than mine did so perhaps it is a thicker chunky. I will just have to hope that there is a homeless person either with a big head or a lot of hair. I will have to wash the set once it is finished as the wool has been stored and smells a little bit musty. If it has any wool content then maybe it will shrink a bit in the wash.

Yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from the pre op nurse at the hospital. It turns out that I have a urine infection and because of this I have been taken off the waiting list for my knee operation. Once I have a course of anti biotics and get tested to make sure that it has gone then I will be placed back on the list. I think that this is a little unfair as my operation wasn't scheduled for another 3 months so surely any infection will have been cleared up by then. I was told that it is hospital policy to stop the clock as far as waiting lists are concerned if they find anything wrong at the pre op stage. It seems a bit mad to me as they don't re- test. I could in theory have had a clear sample last week and contracted an infection between now and the operation date. Once I have got this cleared up I must make a concentrated effort to drink more water. I hold my hands up that I do not drink enough fluids during the course of the day which is a bit silly of me as I have been prone to urine infections for most of my life.

I rang my GP as the hospital had faxed over the medication that they wanted the GP to prescribe. I got told to ring today to see if there is a prescription ready. I rang at lunchtime and they have told me to ring back after 4pm. I get so impatient with the clerical staff that they have at my GP's surgery. They have no sense of urgency at all. It could be Friday before I get my prescription and that, to me,is two days delay on starting my medication. Last time this happened they "forgot" to inform the hospital by fax, as requested, the results of the all clear test. Luckily I rang the hospital a few days later to check they had received it and they hadn't so I had to remind them to send it! That, combined with the 2 day wait for a prescription, put me back 2 weeks on the waiting list. I just hope that this doesn't happen this time.

Not much knitting or any crochet done today. I will probably have to go out later this afternoon. The stronger pain killers seem to be giving me more relief but still not enough to get a night's sleep. I did sleep in longer spells last night but am still feeling tired today.