New Footies

These new footies are no masterpiece, but they are warm and they fit the bill as a quick project for me. This photo is not so hot, sorry! They are not much to look at anyway -- K1P1 ribbing and all the rest plain stockinette. I found the circular needles I needed to finish the Audrey cardigan, and they are on their way to me now. I also took a quick look at the buttons in one store and was encouraged that I will be able to find the right buttons for this project. Next time I'll have to bring the sweater with me so I can be sure I'm pleased with the look before I buy. In the meantime, when the needle arrives, I can knit the button band.

When the Audrey cardigan is completed, I think I'll begin the Millicent socks by Cookie A. next. I've been looking forward to them for a long time. Don't you love the anticipation of the next project?

School is all off schedule again, meaning that I'm working without lesson plans this week as I have not had time to make them out. Rick took the day off today so we could take the Engineer to the doctor again. His asthma has been so severe this winter we need to find new ways of working with him to keep him out of the hospital.

On Tap

Every June we change our water filter on the tap in the kitchen sink. This year is the dirtiest I ever remember the old filter being. That stands to reason, as we have been drinking more water and less milk and juice this year. Here is the picture worth 1000 words:When I get around to thinking maybe this is an expense we can do without, a sight like this will jolt me back to reality. Generally, we have been very pleased with our filter and we plan on keeping it around.

We'll appreciate the filter more than ever since reading The ABCs of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus at the recommendation of a friend. Following the techniques in the book have helped Rick tremendously. I'm very confident now too that the Engineer's next cold will not lead to an asthma attack.

Waiting Room Knitting

Sunday afternoon and evening we kept a careful eye on the Engineer and tried to alleviate the symptoms of his cold, but unfortunately his condition did deteriorate into an asthma attack. For us that meant a trip to the local Emergency Room.

Such a trip means lots of sitting around waiting for various medical professionals and tests, etc. I packed a backpack of books for the Engineer, but I could not imagine taking my current knitting project along. I am trying to follow the directions for adding the first sleeve to a yoke sweater knit on a circular needle, so I find myself consulting the instructions frequently.

Neither could I imagine going without knitting! I ended up throwing a pair of US 6 needles a scissor and some worsted cotton into a sack to tote along. Now I could relax, as much as possible, under the circumstances.

The Engineer has been through this drill before, and he was quite a trooper. He answered every professional's "How are you?" with a weak and listless "Very good," until he had some treatments that really did help him look and feel better. Then they no longer asked.

In between health care professionals visits I was able to knit up a dish cloth. I don't know if this is a pattern I have seen somewhere before or not. I didn't bring a pattern with me and I have not made a dish cloth like this before.

The 3 x 3 stitch checkerboard pattern of knit and purl blocks separated by three rows of garter stitch just formed itself the needles. I think it will be resilient. Addendum: Well, what do you know! I just took a peek at Jenny Wren's and saw that she is working on something very similar, the same pattern minus the garter stitch ridges between the rows of checkerboard. I'm tickled by the coincidence.