Word Problem

Remember those things from your math classes?  I always  liked numbers, but didn't like word problems. I guess I didn't need to be convinced that it was important to learn to add, subtract, etc.

This morning as I was working on the first of the blankets for the babies that will be baptized at Grace Church, I thought that project would provide a good word problem.

Here it is:
Grandmother plans to knit a baby blanket, She wants to have nine squares, each with a different design. She will do them in three tiers of three squares each. Since knitting stitches are wider than they are tall, each square will have 29 stitches per row and 42 rows.

She plans to have seed stitch borders on all sides, as well as seed stitch 'ribbons' between the squares. The top and bottom borders will each be sixteen rows, and the 'ribbons' between the tiers will be ten rows each. The side borders will be ten stitches each, and the 'ribbons' between the columns will be seven stitches each.

1) How many stitches should Grandmother cast on?

2) How many rows will there be?

3) How many stitches will there be in each square?

4) What is the total stitch count?

5) If each stitch requires 3/4 inch of yarn, how many yards of yarn will Grandmother need to complete the blanket?

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

What do you think? Are there enough things that might confuse kids if they are not reading carefully? I plan to give it to Lexi to see what she thinks. And how well she can do it. I'll ask her to show her work - no using a calculator. In my opinion, calculators should definitely NOT be used in elementary school.

Medical:

I visited my family doctor today to get a new prescription for my blood pressure medication. I caught her up on my medical stuff since I saw her early last August. She had received reports on some of it, but not everything. In addition to the prescription, she gave me a list of bloodwork she wants the Cancer Group to do on my next visit there (4/13). Most of it is stuff they do routinely, of course, but there may be a couple of things they don't always check.

OK, Dominic, this one's for you.

No, I'm not skinny, but I am about fifty pounds lighter than when you saw me last. The jeans are size 18 (as opposed to the 22's and 24's that were falling off me). They fit perfectly around the waist, but are 'relaxed fit,' therefore they look a bit baggy. I haven't replaced any of my shirts yet; I figure I can wear shirts a little large. Lexi is holding it in the back so it doesn't look toooo loose.

I thought you might like to see how much Lexi has grown, as well. She's still one of the shorter ones in her class though.


That tree we're standing in front of is the redbud you and I couldn't dig up when we moved the other baby ones four or five years ago. I wish it showed up better - the flowers are about half open.

Knitting:
I am going to start making blankets for the babies that are baptised at Grace Church, with a variety of Christian symbols on them. I only have two suitable ones already charted in a stitch dictionary, so for the past several days, I have been charting more, and then knitting dishcloths to test the charts. I've had to make adjustments to the charts, but I figure it's OK if the dishcloths are not quite right. I plan to donate them to the church kitchen. 

First Gardening

I spent about three hours outside today. It was warm and sunny. First I sat on the back porch and knit for at least an hour. Then I decided to walk around the yard and look at trees and flower beds. The redbud is about to bloom and other things are getting ready to either bloom or leaf out. The iris leaves look good - it will be several weeks before they bloom though. I raked some of last year's weeds from around the largest planting of them, but there's a lot more work to do there. I also did some raking and weeding in the herb garden. The thyme smelled sooo good.

I sat on the porch and knitted for a while longer, but then came inside to listen to the news.

The cheerleaders' visit to Mayfield city council Monday night was brief, but nice. I introduced Lexi to the current mayor and to one of the former ones, who is now a councilman. After the call to order and invocation, Mayor Cantrell had the kids lead the Pledge to the Flag, She introduced them to the audience, and then dismissed them and gave a folder with a certificate for each of them to their coach. After we all left, the people who had come for the meeting were able to sit down; I'm sure they were glad to see us go.

Quiet Weekend

I was alone until about 7 last night. Lexi was with her dad and his family, and Alyssa was at Sara's since they're both sick. Alyssa's feeling much better; I guess the medication the doctor prescribed on Wednesday worked.

I spent the weekend knitting, of course; finished one  laprobe and worked on another, as well as on two shawls. I also made slacks for a Barbie doll. I have made a couple of others, but this time I did some short-rowing on the back so her butt doesn't show when she sits. I had a Barbie with a pair from my original pattern at the knitting group last week. Jennifer asked for the pattern, so I figured that before I gave it to her, I needed to make that alteration to what I had done before to make a better garment. I've typed up a couple of my other Barbie doll patterns for her as well. I should probably take more than one copy of them, in case others want them.

This afternoon, I need to pick Lexi up from school, do a couple of errands, take her to Nana's for her to change and for Nana to put in her 'cheer curls' (I don't do hair, except brushing), and then have her at Mayfield City Hall at 5:30 for the city council meetiing. The mayor is going to honor the cheerleaders. Now, which knitting project should I take to work on?

Whatever shall I do with myself - I don't have a medical appointment until April 13! I guess I should make one with my family doctor though, to get a new prescription for my blood pressure medication.

Yesterday I took care of two things that I was about six months overdue for - a haircut for me and an oil change for my car. I look so much less like an old hag without my hair so long.

Later I picked Lexi up from school and took her to her gymnastics class. In between, she and I had supper at Subway with her Nana and Aunt Courtney. I enjoyed that.

I had not taken her to gymnastics for a couple of months. I knitted as I watched, of course. Of the dozen or so girls in the class, only Lexi and one other can do unassisted backflips. It's a new skill for them, and the others haven't caught on yet.

In all my driving, I noticed a few willow trees leafing out with that lovely spring green and some forsythias starting to bloom. My forsythias haven't started yet, but I have daffodils all over the place, including under the trees on the front slope. I love that naturalized look. 

Fourth Grade Science

A few weeks ago, Lexi's class was learning about volcanoes. The made their own, using a soup can in the middle. At school, they 'erupted' them with baking soda, vinegar and red food coloring. Alyssa helped Lexi make this one. I didn't see it after the eruption. According to Lexi, the class had great fun with this project.

I didn't go out all weekend, so yesterday was the first time I saw the daffodils beside the driveway blooming. That looks soooo good!

I saw the oncologist yesterday for the first time in about two months (I had canceled an appointment during out snow storm). Everything seems OK. He ordered a bit more lab work. I'll see him again in six weeks - it will be April by then!