Just Call Me Florence

I feel like a cross between Florence Nightingale and Dr Doolittle. Buster is still feeling very sorry for himself but I call him a wee bit better today.I have been tending and bathing his ear and neck all day. He had a good night's sleep last night and has slept on and off for most of the day. He keeps tilting his head to one side which worries me slightly but as my son says it's probably because his ear hurts so much. Last night he didn't want me to go anywhere near his wounds but today he has let me bathe them frequently which I take as a sign of improvement. He is going to stay with me now until after Easter as my son and daughter in law have plans and I usually have Buster anyway over the holidays. He is eating and drinking OK so I not too worried about him in fact he has just had a treat of some left over rice and chicken. I am just keeping him indoors or in the garden so that he doesn't get near dirt until his wounds have healed.If I walk him he will jump in the river which isn't a good idea as all kinds of animals, including rats, could use the river As I type he has just brought me his ball which is a massive improvement as yesterday and today he hasn't been the slightest bit interested in any kind of interaction with me.

As I had to put away the black crochet because of shedding dog hair I have started a pink crochet baby cardigan. Any dog hair that goes on this will easily get washed off. I am using a pattern by Kay Jones. I like her patterns as they use UK terminology so it's a welcome relief from having to translate from US to UK all of the time. Younger crocheters have learned with US patterns but old school as I am I still think in UK terms and so have to convert everything in my head.

The postman brought me two crochet books that I ordered from Amazon. Contemporary Crochet by Sys Fredens has quite a lot of designs in it as you can see from the 3 pages of small photos. I can see a few items from this book getting crocheted. If not for me than perhaps for my nieces. I haven't browsed it properly yet. I have just given both books a quick look. The Crochet Me book by Kim Werker I am a bit late in ordering,. It has been around for quite a while but for some reason never made it into my wish list until just recently. I quite like the cover Victorian shrug and wrap by Robyn Chachula which I have seen made up many times on Ravelry. The leaves sweater by Annette Petavy is unusual and I quite like the zig zag edging.

The pink bolero or comfy cardi is again by Robin Chachula and is another that has appeared on many peoples projects on Ravelry. The shades of plaid scarf by Julie Armstrong Holtez is quite quirky and I have used the wool weaving over mesh crochet technique on a cardigan and a pram blanket a long time ago.

The babydoll dress by Amy O'Neill Houck is another instantly recognisable pattern. I had always given it a miss as I don't exactly have the kind of figure for a crochet dress. I then saw a version on Ravelry that was made shorter with a slightly longer bodice. The model doesn't look as though she has much boob age room and she is slim. Worn over trousers I though that I could get away with wearing it that way. I wouldn't make the sleeves so puffed though as I think that look is exclusively for the very young. I may leave it sleeveless and wear it over a fine sweater or make it with long sleeves. I would use a cord or a chain to thread through as again I think that floaty ribbon is for the young.

For the moment it looks as if I will be crocheting baby clothes or other bits and bats. I will have to give my niece an I.O.U for her black cardigan but I think she would rather have her cardigan later than crocheted with chunks of Buster hair woven in it. I don't know why it is only black wool that his hair seems to stick to so much. Anything acrylic and his hair just seems to slide off. Yesterday I was wearing a brown hand knitted cardigan with a wool content and it looked like a yeti when I took it off. One Buster has healed a bit he will get a jolly good brushing. He adores being hoovered so I might risk giving him a quick once over at the weekend as long as I don't get the nozzle anywhere near his neck and ear.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Don't worry - the weather has not suddenly turned Arctic in Manchester. The blog title is the name of these two baby jackets. Baby It's Cold Outside is a free download by Julie Holetz available through Crochet Me and you can find it by clicking on my blog title or through Ravelry.

The blue jacket was made from a part ball of James C Bretts Marble Chunky and the pink one from some wool that Sylvia gave to me for the crochet bed cape I made from the Naked Calendar fund raffle. I think it is either a very thick double knit or a fine aran. The jackets are made all in one piece as you can see from the bottom photo so there is little stitching up (just the way I like it!)

I went to the hospital yesterday and I made the pink jacket in the waiting room whilst I waited. First they altered the waiting time to 1hr then 1 hr 10 followed by 1hr 30 and finally 2 hrs. I actually waited 2hrs 40 mins in the waiting room and a further 10 mins in the cubicle. There was no water fountain or any newspapers so I felt like the entertainment there as I knew a lot of people were watching me. One old lady said you will have that finished before you get to see the specialist. I said "Have it finished, I should have brought another ball"

When I finally saw the specialist I didn't say at first that I had been seeing the osteopath I thought I would let him have his say first. It was a different guy again (I never see the same person twice) and he looked at my knee scan results and said there is nothing more that we can do for the knee as it is now. It is so badly degraded with arthritis that the only option is a new knee. Well considering what I have been through since March I am not in a rush to do anything hasty. I then told him that I was seeing an osteopath who was working wonders and told him exactly what I thought of the hospital physio dept. He has given me an appointment for 6 months so that I can make up my mind what I want to happen next. I have always thought of a new knee as the last resort and if I can manage a while longer without having the operation then I will. I am very hopeful that with a few more osteopath sessions my knee will be much better. He has got me walking (albeit still in some pain) and the knee feels better with each day that passes.

I have not made any progress on the 4ply baby cardigan and I don't take knitting to the waiting rooms as they are always crowded and I need more elbow space to knit than I do to crochet.

I am off to do some food shopping now and for once I am not dreading the walk to Tesco. I still have to take my 4 wheeler trolley, of course, as my back will never be up to carrying a week's shopping.