I just loved that extended paw propped up on the CD storage tower.  Even after I disturbed her (How dare you pet me when I’m basking!!), Jade put her paw right back up there.  She amuses me no end :)

I managed to finish two things over the past few days.  The first is a blanket for my father.

I had started this quite a while back to use up the mohair that was left over from making my own Lace Blanket.  Originally it was intended to be back-up for me but I had a better idea.  Dad, being old, has trouble keeping warm and since mohair is about the most insulating and warming thing I know of, it occurred to me that he might enjoy having a mohair blanket too.  I asked him one day if this was something he might find useful and he allowed that it was.  So I got down to the business of finishing it for him.

You can refer to the above link for the procedure for making this but I can tell you about it in a few sentences.

1.  Make 5 or 6 scarves in your choice of fiber and color.
2.  Sew or crochet them together along their long sides.
3.  Do an edging of some sort - simple, complex - it’s all up to you.

Ta-dah!

This is plain stockinette for the most part.  However, when I so bored with that I was practically sleeping with the needles in my hands, I threw in a row or two of eyelets - just for something different to do for a few minutes :)

I had pretty much decided that my crocheting days were behind me at this point.  Crochet seems to require finer motor control than knitting and the numbness in my fingers doesn’t allow for much of that.  I had tried it a couple of times and found that when I wasn’t dropping the crochet hook, I was having a tough time getting the stitches right.  However, when it came to assembling the blanket, I felt that crochet was my best bet in terms of looks and solidity - so I decided to try it again.  And I discovered that - somehow - my hands had figured out how to do it without constantly losing the hook (I only dropped it once).  Got the stitches right too!  I was very pleased and not a little relieved.  I could certainly live if I never crocheted again, but it’s nice I don’t have to worry about that any more - well for the time being :)

I also finished the scarf for my oncologist and am pleased with how it came out.

I still have to run in the ends, but that will only take a few moments.  I do need to get it done this evening though, because tomorrow is the last time I’ll see him.

This is the Open Cable Scarf pattern.  Despite the fact that there are cable crossings on every right-side row, this is really simple to work.  You don’t even need to look at the pattern after the first couple of repeats.

Since I have sometimes complained bitterly about the conditions and service in supermarkets, I feel compelled to share this as well.  A week or so ago, I went to the deli for half a pound of liverwurst and asked the young man behind the counter how fresh it was.  He held up the end of a stick. 

“I can probably get half a pound out of this,” he said, “But I can open a new one if you’d like.”
“Would that be okay,” I asked, “You won’t get in trouble?”
“Nah!” He smiled and proceeded to fill my request from a fresh stick.

When I got up to the check-out, I asked the cashier to pass along to the management how pleasant and helpful I had found the store’s deli personnel to be.

“That’s what we like to hear.”  Then she gave me an impish smile. “And how about the cashiers?”

I had to laugh.  “Absolutely!”