MOD LIGHTWEIGHT MALE CHEMO BEANIE

I designed this lightweight beanie the other day; I wanted a lightweight hat for the summer months for males and could not find a pattern I was happy with – I searched the internet and asked at various Crafting groups, all to no avail. All beanie hats were made with worsted weight yarns … not what I wanted at all!

So, I decided to design and make my own ;-)

These Spring/Summer weight beanies will give chemo patients the warmth they need without the unwanted weight or overheat a worsted weight beanie would incur. I designed and crafted my lightweight male chemo beanie after the style of skull caps worn in the Middle East regions (basically a widened Kippah with sides) because I felt the shorter sided style would best fit warmer months and bald heads. I added the hem band, which adds to the length because chemo patients/critical stage patients get cold and need the extra length for warmth.

These beanies make up quickly – I made 3 of them last night (turquoise, brown, light blue). Of course, I am a recent widow and have time on my hands with no husband or children to look after now. My husband is in Heaven, and our children and grandchildren have lives of their own that they are building. I have been put out to pasture, so to speak, and so spend my spare time when I am not engaging in cookathons or outside gardening, designing and crafting handcrafted donations for the local Hospital Donation Foundation. I enjoy the tranquility of working handcrafts, and it gives me pleasure to help, in some small way, to make and give what I can to ease another’s suffering. I found out recently what it is to be trapped in a dreary hospital environment, so I hope and pray that my colorful donation items will help add a little much needed cheer and brightness to the recipients’ long and often bleak days.

I am sharing this pattern trusting the reader/user will not claim it as their own, sell it for profit, or otherwise steal it for personal reasons. The pattern is free-use to those making hospital donation items to make life a bit easier for those going through chemo and those going through it with them. If you cannot fully understand the pattern as written, please feel free to contact me and ask for clarification. I have made my chemo beanies in solid colors as well as bicolored – instructions for those changes are included in the pattern:

MOD LIGTWEIGHT MALE CHEMO BEANIE

Materials: Lightweight baby or sports yarns; #G crochet hook; scissors; yarn craft needle

TOP PORTION: Ch 2; 10 sc in 1^st ch. Jn with a sl st (10 sc). Ch 1

Rnd 1: *Inc-1 sc next st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (15 sc). Ch 1

Rnd 2: *Inc-1 sc next 2 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (20). Ch 1

Rnd 3: *Inc-1 sc next 3 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (25). Ch 1

Rnd 4: *Inc-1 sc next 4 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (30). Ch 1

Rnd 5: *Inc-1 sc next 5 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (35). Ch 1

Rnd 6: *Inc-1 sc next 6 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (40). Ch 1

Rnd 7: *Inc-1 sc next 7 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (45). Ch 1

Rnd 8: *Inc-1 sc next 8 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (50). Ch 1

Rnd 9: *Inc-1 sc next 9 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (55). Ch 1

Rnd 10: *Inc-1 sc next 10 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (60). Ch 1

Rnd 11: *Inc-1 sc next 11 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (65). Ch 1

Rnd 12: *Inc-1 sc next 12 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (70). Ch 1

Rnd 13: *Inc-1 sc next 13 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (75). Ch 1

Rnd 14: *Inc-1 sc next 14 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (80). Ch 1

Rnd 15: *Inc-1 sc next 15 st*; rpt from * to * around. Jn (85). Ch 1

Rnd 16: Sc in 9 st, *Inc-1 sc in next 16 st*; rpt from * to * around: end 1 sc last 6 sts. Jn (90 sc). DO NOT ch 1.

If you are changing colors, drop main color and join contrast color now.

SIDE PORTION: Continue now in rounds without chain 1 addition. Sc in rounds for 13 rounds (3” length from last round of top portion work).

If you are changing colors, drop contrasting color and join alternate color now.

FINISH beanie off with sc worked in back loops only for the next 4 rounds (1” from last round of side portion work).

EO work and weave in yarn ends.

YELLOW-ORANGE SPRING LAPGHAN

Monday I finished up the lapghan I have been working on …

I think it worked up very nicely :-D

This lapghan is bright and sunny, and it is the 3^rd quilt-style patterned lapghan I have made for the Hospital Donation Foundation. The 2^nd one was a pink and purple alternating granny square lapghan edged in bright yellow (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/facing-filter-beast.html).

The pattern, which I posted last month, works up quickly too (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/03/mod-jade-flower-granny-square-lapghan.html).

UNDER PRESSURE

Shaun called early in the morning to tell me he and his crew would be out today to pressure wash the house and start prep work for next week’s paint job; so, I moved everything back away from the back of the house and pulled everything out of the breezeway. I hope the weather holds and the house gets done on time so I can start putting my transplants in the garden boxes:

Everything moved away from house

Breezeway cleared

The guys are here to pressure wash and prep for house painting next week

After the crew finished for the day and left, I noticed that they had pulled my sedum planter (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/07/sedum-lantern-planter.html)

 that Bob placed next to the porch railing and laid it in one of the planter boxes. At first, I was upset that they had moved something Bob put in place for me, but after I calmed down, I realized it was a blessing in disguise and relocated it into the end of one of the planter boxes. I hope I did not damage the bottom of the box when I jammed the stake firmly in place – it has to be firmly in place or the river winds will knock it over.

And I hope Shaun gets the LED lights touch-ups done too so I can start really living in our home …

Since Bob and I moved into this house at Heron Pointe 22 months ago (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/06/new-home-d.html), all we have been doing is getting this place livable for us (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/07/downtime-day.html, https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/09/2-state-hop.html, https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/10/3-week-house-review.html), putting our mark on the place (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/07/day-by-day.html), replacing what needs to be replaced (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2017/09/water-damage.html, https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/03/yesterday-was-very-busy-day-here-house.html), and repairing what the previous owners let slide for 20+ years; hence the paint job – they painted 4 years ago, but it was not quality paint and it was not done by professionals … and it shows; so now it needs to be repainted.

Since Bob left earth, I have been under a lot of pressure as a homeowner – a solo homeowner now – hoping and praying I make the right decisions to make Bob proud of my moving forward to continue our life as we had planned it before the Park insanity that destroyed our life together (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/12/that-woman.html).

This paint job will pretty much clear out the tax return $$$$, so I hope it lasts at least 10 years: and I pray that it is the last big-ticket expense concerning this home for a looong time.

Please Elohim!

I know You and Bob have faith in me and my abilities to make decisions based on all gathered information and fervent prayers, but I would really like to catch a break in 2019. To rest my overtaxed mind, heal my broken heart, and relax my aching body.

Thank You, Ruach Ha’Kodesh for guiding me in all my ways. I appreciate You.

Thank You for always being with me Yeshua; I love You.

Always.

Thank you for giving me confidence and encouragement Babe; I love you.

Always.

OX

MY DOGS ARE BARKING …

I have literally been on my feet all day long, and my dogs are barking (aka: my feet hurt).

I woke up this morning to a high pitched chirping and realized that the battery on our home security system had a low battery – we’ve had this system since 2015, so I guess the system felt it had been left out with everything else falling apart and needing replaced in the house since Bob left me to deal with it alone: he did not leave intentionally, the death angel paid us a visit in August 2018, and collected in December 2018.

And e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. that could fall apart, need replacing, or corrected from the previous owner’s slap-dash-sell-quickly actions on the home-front has been doing so on a continual and irritating basis. This morning was the home security’s turn >:-P

While I was in the kitchen, I decided to repack the panty goods. Most of everything had been stored in repurposed coffee cans, but the cans were taking up a lot of space that could be used more effectively, so I threw the cans out and repacked everything into freezer bags. The freezer bags work better for me anyway: I don’t horde my food stuffs with an eye towards storing it away for 20 years … first off, because I EAT my food stuffs – I don’t pack it to look at; and secondly, for the simple facts that foods stored that long spoil no matter how they are packed. Natural wholesome and healthy foods are not meant to be shelfed that long! A year’s supply of anything is about all I care about. Tomorrow is never a guarantee, and a year is a good stretch of future hedging.

I started with the pastas, moved on to beans, then rice, and finished up with dry milk, sugar, and flours:

REPACKING/REORGANIZING THE PANTRY GOODS. Most of this stuff was bought just before Bob went into ER in August: I really haven’t looked at it since, and it had just been tossed into the pantry and forgotten once we got stuck on the hospital hamster wheel … it really needed to be tended to. Today was as good a day as any to get at it.

REPACKING PASTA. Multicolored spiral Braids of the Garden Pasta. This pasta is almost too pretty to eat ;-)

RIBBON EGG PASTA. Spinach Pasta w-Wild Garlic. Bob would have liked to try this one.

TROUT BEANS

PASTAS AND BEANS REPACKED. Pantry looks neater ... and there is more room in the pantry without the coffee cans – glad I ditched ‘em.

BAMBOO RICE.  Pretty green color and a very pleasant sweet odor.

ARBORIO RICE. Used for rice dishes where a creamy texture is desired.

A VERY FLAT RED RICE. Looks and feels like grass seed heads. Brilliant red color.

TUBULAR TYPE OF ANOTHER RED RICE. Actually looks like dyed white rice ... and the red color is duller than the flatter type of red rice.

JUBILEE RICE MIX. A mix of rices with dried peppers and spices.

WILD RICE. I love the texture, taste, and smell of wild rice; the pungent earthy odor of wild rice reminds me of the outdoors … and the river.

RICES REPACKED. Plenty of room now for more. LOL

FLOURS, DRY MILK & WHITE SUGAR REPACKED also.

After these things were repacked and no longer a boobytrap hazard, I gave my poor complaining feet a rest and took the time to unwind before bedtime by beginning to piece together this lapghan …

I like to cook and I like to try interesting and tasty food stuffs – and Bob liked what I cooked. But now that Bob is no longer here to cook for, or to enjoy meals with me, I have pretty much avoided the kitchen unless forced to acknowledge it.

Today was a step towards healing in that area of my new status in life.

This month marks a third of the year gone already without Bob being a physical part of it. It is hard ... but I find that being physically active helps stave off the overwhelming sense of the loss of his physical presence. 

Activity in the kitchen is physical/mental activity.

Cooking for 1 will be a challenge to wrap my mind around, but at least now I am looking forward to cooking again :-D

Thank YOU, Yeshua, for gently prodding me back to enjoying life again.

I love You, Yeshua.

Always.

Don't let me fall away.

I love you Babe.

Until I see you again, I'll be loving you.

Always.

OX

Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody

Oh, my love, my darling

I've hungered for your touch

A long, lonely time

Time goes by so slowly

And time can do so much

Are you still mine?

I need your love

I need your love

God speed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow

To the sea, to the sea

To the open arms of the sea

Lonely rivers sigh

"Wait for me, wait for me"

I'll be coming home, wait for me

Oh, my love, my darling

I've hungered, for your touch

A long, lonely time

Time goes by so slowly

And time can do so much

Are you still mine?

I need your love

I need your love

God speed your love to me

SUNNY

Today is such a beautiful sunny day, so I did some tasks outside that the rains have been holding up:

I spaced and moved pavers along the borderline this
afternoon

I saw that my Patio Apple trees are blooming

The Blueberry bush is blossoming also

I was beyond happy that the Yellow Mini Rose bush is
filling out again from the hard pruning I gave it about 3-1/2 weeks ago (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/03/thunderbumpers.html)

And the Shelling & Stir-fry Snow Peas are sprouting on their
garden box

The sunshine on my shoulders felt good, and the song above that Bob liked and often sang to me, popped into my thoughts when I saw the yellow mini rose thriving; was it coincidence? Maybe, but I like to think it was almost like Bob was smiling down on me from Heaven.

Bob sang 3 songs to me that have special meaning to our life together: “Pretty Woman” by Ray Orbison, “Sunny” by Bobby Hebb, and “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers.

Bob liked to sing – and he was good at it.

I miss that.

SECONDARY LEAVES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS :-D

My transplant seedlings are sprouting their secondary leaves, so when the weather permits, I have been opening the windows and letting them get used to air temperature as well as the river breeze:

YELLOW STRAIGHT NECK SQUASH

ZUCCHINI SQUASH

WA WA TSAI & KATRINA CABBAGES.

PUMPKIN

SHALLOTS, LEEKS, RED SCALLIONS

GREEN SCALLIONS

FENNEL

Barely visible CELERIAC

NASTURTIUM

MARIGOLD. Bonanza

MARIGOLD. Colossus

COMOS

Hopefully I can get them into their garden spots within the next 2 weeks. I am going to put them into place with or without the sun. They need to go outside.

I also started shredding my bundles of waste paper; I use it for mulch …

Over the weekend I was driven to Yelm to the butcher I like there – the meat is reasonably priced, smells very fresh and clean, and tastes like meat should taste: very different than the dyed smelly and greasy meats sold in the grocery stores and supermarkets.

As the drive progressed, I took notes on how to get there so I can make the 1-1/2 hour/one way (a total 3 hour drive to and from) run myself next time ;-) It is really pretty simple – just time consuming because traveling the back roads takes longer than the freeway; but it is worth it to me to avoid the freeway stress!

The packages were fresh cut though they could not break the packages down into 1-serving portions; but that is okay because I repackaged the 2-serving portions after I got home because I am not a steak person and I prefer stew meat. So I cut the round steaks into stewing meat and labeled it that way – less for me to do later on. The fryers were already cut too, so I just had to divide them down to smaller portions too: these were a bit bigger than the 1-serving portions I did with the beef …

Out of 4 originally packed Chuck Roast portions I got 8 1-serving portions

 

I cut the 5 round steak portions into 10 portions of 1-serving stewing meat cubes

 

The 7 packages of Chuck Steak were divided into 14 1-serving portions

I got 14 1-serving portions from the Cube Steak

 

I got 7 Fryers because I love chicken. Thank God they were already precut because I am not good at cutting chickens into recognizable pieces. LOL. Bob did it perfectly, but when I have to cut my own chicken in pieces people are left wondering what it is they are getting ;-)

 

The chicken was divided and repacked with a breast, thigh-leg, and wing in each portion. Roughly guessing there are 14 2-serving portions. I kept the backs and packed them for homemade Chicken Stock - God's natural penicillin ;-)

German Brats were divided into 1-serving portions. And the Ham Hocks, & Bacon Ends, and Ham Ends were also broken down and repacked into 1-serving portions.

  

Then the 'specialty meats' were put into a freezer basket. It took me 4 hours to break everything down (beef portions included) and repack it. But I am glad I did it this way.

And now the freezer is restocked - and with the garden bounty I hope for, this should last me through the upcoming Fall ... and possibly Winter with the meatless soups and meatless bean meals I am planning. Bob liked his meat - I don't mind mixing it up a bit more ;-)

Sunday I managed to anger my stepson by telling him it would not be a good idea after all for him to move in with me; it may sound like a good idea on several points, but it is NOT a good idea at all. Alex has been very helpful since his Dad left earth in December 2018, and he has made several sacrificial drives up here from Salem when I needed him … but he is not one to change his lifestyle, and that lifestyle I can’t live with 24/7/365 while I am trying to find some solid footing in this new status of my life as a widow: right now I am an emotional wreak even though I may look like I am doing okay. I am NOT doing okay on a steady basis and I am pretty sure we'd be at each other before a week was out ... so I told him I don’t think us sharing living space is a good idea. Plus, my councilor strongly advises against making any major decisions for at least a year – even longer depending on circumstances and situations.

And now I feel awful because he has been so helpful.

But I have to do what is best for me right now. I can’t help anyone else if I can’t even help myself. Most days I feel like I am an unbalanced washing machine reeling and jolting as I spin through life. I am barely keeping myself together.

I need time myself to decompress, regroup, and restructure my own life. Call me a selfish bitch if you want to, but I have to focus on me right now if I am going to survive Bob's absence in my life. I can't be taking on anyone else's issues and problems right now.

Sunday was also Passover-Resurrection Sunday-Easter, and I smiled with real warmth when I thought of how Bob is so blessed this year to be walking and talking with the Prince of Peace, Who conquered death and gave Bob the ability to be more alive now than he ever was on Earth. THAT is the blessing of Passover-Resurrection Sunday :-D

Praise Yeshua!

Monday, I felt so accomplished!

My printer has been out of black ink for months (I ran out in January printing off all those death certificates and medical information that needed to be mailed out for Insurance coverage's), but I didn't want to buy ink until I knew exactly what my monthly budget would be ... ink is SO expensive! Even the cheap ink.

So yesterday I went downtown to get my hair trimmed  - $17 just to trim 1 inch off the ends of my long hair! - and thought, 'I really need to get that ink cartridge switched out' too ... but I had never done it before. Ever. Bob always did it for me (saved time and frustration for everyone).

But Bob isn't here now; so it is up to me to get things done that need doing.

So I bought the ink, and on the way home decided to pick up some Thai food to have for lunch; we usually indulged in a ‘once-a-month-splurge’ … which was usually Thai food:

Actually, Bob and I have been eating at this place since we started dating, waaaay before it became a Thai Food place. 45 years ago, when we were dating, it was simply Hart-C’s – a hamburger joint; and the burgers were cooked right in front of you and served hot off the grill: BEST hamburgers in town! Then the fast food hamburger places started being built on just about every street corner in every corner of Longview and Hart-C’s sold out. About 40 years ago an Indonesian immigrant bought the restaurant, expanded the interior, and started serving homestyle Thai dishes: we missed the hamburgers, but got hooked on the ethnic food and became life-long friends with the family. We have been eating here once a month, at least, and they were deeply saddened to hear about Bob’s physical death …

Combination Chow Mien, Fried Wantons with Sweet/Sour Sauce, & Thai Tea - and thinking of Bob and wishing he were here with me to enjoy this delicious food ...

Growling stomach appeased, I prepared to face the dreaded printer ordeal. I had watched Bob change ink cartridges – and he did try to explain it to me when he did it – so I kinda knew what to do the more I thought about the process and visualized it in my mind’s eye. The tricky part for me is that I am a tomboy: if there is a delicate flower female aspect to me, I never felt it or exhibited it ;-) I am pretty rough and tumble. I did not want to ruin my machine by getting impatient if it hung up and then roughly jamming the cartridge into place.

So I called for backup. I just wanted another person "in the room with me" while I ran through the process and bounced information back and forth.

I DID IT!

And the machine survived.

And I thanked the person on the phone, even though as she laughingly said, 'I didn't do anything'.

But she DID ... she there for support and her presence - even though only through the airwaves ... was appreciated ;-)

And I believe Bob was there too, watching and applauding my success at finally {getting it} :-D

I know I sound stupid, and I am. I am learning things now, in my 60's, that most people learned in their 20's.

Printer task completed successfully so I can print stuff off again, I put a load of laundry in the washing machine and started mixing bread dough so it can rise atop the warm dryer.

Laundry and bread making chores underway, I started Supper in the crockpot with one of my little pot roast pieces:

And I switched out the paper liner under the kitchen sink …

Cheryl also called this afternoon and we talked for hours - good friends are are the mother lode: I always feel rich when we touch base :-D

I think I will rest now for a day or two, and tackle outdoor chores later this week in preparation for the house painters coming next week – weather permitting ;-)