Change of Season

It's in the low 70s and muggy, but I know that fall is on its way, replacing the gross, humid, and hot weather we've had for weeks now.  I think there will still be some warm days, but nothing like the 103F heat index we've been having--and the three early dismissal days we had to go with them.  The harder part was that our AC gave up in the middle of it, making for some uncomfortable time but Mama climbed up in the attic and fixed it enough to get us through.

Then last night there was a storm that ended the heat.  My paternal grandfather used to say, for Texas, that the first general rain after August 15 broke the back of summer.  I'm not sure if it's that early anymore, but we had a huge general rain here that dropped the temperatures more than 15 degrees in a matter of minutes.  Bud and I marveled at the noise; Sis was at the farm, safe and helping to comfort the horses.  Mama was commuting home.  It was almost deafening!  We watched both the lightning and Lightning Tracker, which showed bolts hitting almost on top of us, behind the houses in the cul-de-sac and throughout town.

It's cooler today, low 70s, and humid, but delightful after the last few weeks.  I've even broken out my yarn and am starting a new blanket, using a waffle stitch, which is new to me.  It's a raffle prize for a fun run in memory of a teacher from Newtown. 

Waffle Stitch Blanket (using American crochet terms)

I Hook

Worsted yarn

dc: double crochet

fpdc: front post double crochet (yo, insert front to back around whole stitch, pull through, yo, pull through 2 on hook, yo, pull through rest on hook)

Chain 137 (or any multiple of 3+2)

ROW 1: dc in 3^rd chain from hook and all the way across. Ch 1 and turn.

ROW 2: dc in first stitch. *fpdc, dcI in next 2 st * until last stitch.  Work FPDC in last stitch and dc in ch.  Ch 1 and turn. 

ROW 3: dc in first stich.  *dc, fpdc in next 2 st* repeat to last two stitches. Work dc in last two stitches.  Ch 1 and turn. 

Repeat ROWS 2 and 3 until blanket is desired length. Be sure to end on a row 2 for a neat edge.