Yarnjeannie's Crochet Cache

I'm currently on crutches, awaiting a knee replacement. I'm still working and having difficulty getting around with two crutches and trying to carry things at the same time. So I worked up a little caddy that attaches to my crutch, so that I can tote mail, or carry my breakfast yogurt back to my desk, or my water bottle that I fill at the water fountain. It turns out to be a handy little gadget, and everyone at work thinks it's a pretty clever item. I sure know it's helped me - I hate asking people to help me carry things, etc. We're expecting some thunderstorms tonight. Hope they aren't too bad.

Wayne came home from work yesterday with a paper outlining a trip that some of the folks he works with are planning. A 12-night cruise to the Caribbean in January 2010! What a temptation! I LOVE cruises! My favorite form of vacation - it's a hotel that takes you to different exotic locations! I'm not sure if we'll do it, though. That would take just about all the vacation days Wayne has available. 12 nights on a cruise sure sounds great!

Temperatures are in the 90s through this coming Wednesday. We went from early spring to late summer! Whew! The 3 amigos (dogs) don't spend too much time outside. They do their thing and they're right back in the house. I don't blame them. Dog's best friend is central air conditioning! My cortisone shot in the knee gave me some pain relief. 3 days worth, to be exact. When I called the doctor to let him know I was having more problems, he said he expected it. Replacement surgery is imminent. I should call this week to schedule it, I guess. I won't be dreading it like the first one, seeing as how I know what to expect now. Watching the Phillies game is finally fun. They seem to be on track this year. Too bad my Dad didn't get to see another good year of Phillies baseball. I came across a really cute pattern I want to try on Ana Paula's blogspot. I'm not an Amigurumi fan, but this little jellyfish is adorable. Scroll down to see the jellyfi...

We arrived home from North Carolina on Wednesday. I've been having trouble with my knee all week. When I returned to work on Thursday, I was limping badly. My knee was swollen immensely! I went to the doctor today and got an injection in my knee and the news that it's ready for replacement. Not a surprise, as I already had one knee replacement and won't mind having this one done. However, I think I will wait until next year. The doctor said there is no rush, unless I have these flareups often during the year. He feels it was too much walking on the sand, which is hard on your knees anyway. I thought it was just too much walking, period! While on vacation, I finished my round ripple afghan intended as a baby gift to be presented by my brother to a friend he works with. It turned out really nicely, with a reverse single crochet border. Back to vacation - I truly enjoyed visiting the Outer Banks - a lovely place! More photos... Looking forward to a comfortable ...

On a lark, Wayne and I decided to take a long weekend trip somewhere. We wavered - back to the Florida Keys, where we had such a nice stay earlier this year? The 1000 Islands? We decided on heading south to Nags Head, NC. We've never been here, but would come back again in a heartbeat. We drove down on Sunday and checked into the hotel, right on the beach. I love hearing the ocean in the background! The weather is perfect. We spent some time exploring the area, visiting the Bodie Island Lighthouse. I've never seen a lighthouse up close, and I was impressed. We arrived after it had closed to the public. We stopped to see the Wright Brothers National Memorial as well. I could almost feel the exhilaration the brothers experienced, viewing the markers of their initial flights! I especially appreciated the fact that next to their memorial is a small airport! In this photo you can see the marker from their initial takeoff point. I hope you can view the small plane in...

The baby shower at the office for the new boss was a success. He got a nice selection of gifts. I think he was surprised. The cake we ordered was very pretty and tasty, too. The baby sweater and hat were a hit with everyone, I think. The sweater set turned out very pretty - light peach with a darker shade of ribbon accent. The pattern called for flowers attached to the sweater and hat, but I thought it was beautiful without them. I've made this pattern several times before, with the flowers. For some reason, this time I thought it looked better without them. There is a little beret that goes with it. I wish I had taken photos before wrapping them up, but I was a bit rushed for time. Now to get back to my earlier projects.

It's been a busy month - I have a new boss at work. I'm hoping that this goes a lot better than the last one did. The director wants to be sure I tell him if things aren't going well. If it doesn't, I sure hope he listens to me this time, instead of brushing me off like the last time. The new boss seems like a very nice person - but I can't tell if he is genuinely upbeat 100% of the time, or if he's really trying hard! He has a joke for every occasion. If I ask him if he needs anything at the start of the day, he says "A million dollars!" I wish I could relax completely, but once bitten, twice shy. I've always been reserved, but even more so now. I'm afraid I'll come off as a real stick-in-the-mud, with no sense of humor. That is so untrue. I've always thought I have a great sense of humor. I'm just leery with all I've been through. We're supposed to meet at my Dad's today. I honestly don't feel that I...