Working with knitting charts

For the One Cup Cozy a Day project I have been knitting with different stitch pattern books. Most books have written instructions and/or charts but one book in particular only uses charts to show how the pattern is knit. 

To be able to follow I started using a sticky note and sticking it just below the row I am working on. I also wrote the explanation for one of the symbols since the glossary is at the front of the book and I wasn't in the mood to look back every time.

You can see on the picture I also write down the row I have just knitted. That's because a certain cat loves to plop down on my book, moving the sticky note from its row placement. Lola, you know who I'm talking about.

I usually prefer to work with chart patterns when I have the choice. Do you prefer working with written instructions or charts? Do you have a different way of keeping track of your rows? 

Some Good Men Are Out There

The first man I want to talk to you about is my boyfriend.  Although he isn't vegan he has changed his cooking methods so I can eat supper without having to start from scratch when I get there. It would mean eating around 19:30 since I finish late.  So, I love getting to his place after work and having supper ready hot on the table.  He was a heavy user of margarine and now uses olive oil instead.  If I happen to mention some food is vegan, the next thing I know he's bought some when he went grocery shopping. 

This week we've had to make due with prepared food since he recently hurt his middle finger making it hard for him to write and horror of all horrors chop vegetables! 

Here is where the other good man comes into the picture. He's the owner of the neighborhood Asian market and my boyfriend went shopping for some vegetables the other night.  He was talking with him about his predicament and the owner actually chopped his vegetables for him. He chopped the bell peppers, the mushrooms, the carrots and the onion so we could eat a nice home cooked meal.  I was pleasantly surprised and will be sure to thank him the next time I see him.

Supper was delicious that night, a Chinese noodle dish with lots of vegetables and soy sauce; just the way I love it.

Have you ever benefited from someone's kindness or have you been the giver of such kindness?