"working in pattern" on lace

Okay, this is, I think, a pretty simple but crucial question.

I am making my first foray into lace knitting. The repeat consists of 9 rows with charted directions given for only the odd rows.

For the even rows, it says to “work in pattern, all yo work p” :??

Since rows 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are each slightly different from each other, my assumption is that the directions for the even rows should be interpreted to mean this:

Work Row 2 as you worked Row 1 (but purl the YO’s regardless of what the pattern for Row 1 says for that stitch). Work Row 4 as you worked Row 3 (but purl the YO’s regardless of what the pattern for Row 4 says for that stitch). And so on through row 10.

Have I correctly interpreted? Does “work in pattern” always essentially mean to work the next row identically to the one just previous to it (until a new set of instructions are given and then THOSE become ‘the pattern’), to knit its knits and purl its purls… and then they give you any exceptions to the “work in pattern” statement as in this p the yo’s business?

Thanks in advance for any help…

I would have thought it to be knit the knits, purl the purls and yo’s

That’s what I would interpret it to mean, too–knit the knits, purl the purls and purl the yo’s, as they face you.

Excellent, that’s what I thought (however badly I expressed it there). Thank you very much.

Someone ought to write a Pattern Author to Newbie translation program, I swear.