last picture of these, I promise

Here are my happy little picot socks being worn. I think this might be my go-to sock pattern for some time to come. They fit great and are super cute (if I do say so myself). I think next pair, I'll do an in-place afterthought heel. It will be a lot easier than doing the three loop gusset and I don't know enough about short row heels to make one that looks right.

So the details: Trekking XXL #144 on Addi US 1s with magic loop. I cast on 72 stitches, did a five-row picot hem and knit to what seemed the right lengths. Can't wait to see how they hold up in the wash.

Dad's birthday sweater's been drying for 3 days. I still need a zipper, but may stop at Joann's by them tomorrow and install in VT. (Not much else to do sitting around Meme's house after B goes to bed.) I plan to bring Hubby's sweater for knitting in the truck, oh and a little pair of socks.

I switched to the Addis earlier this week after finishing the Happy picots. The Bates US1 I was using was killing my hands. I hope these block out way wider, or I'm not going to be able to wear them. I am so happy with the way the colors are working out this time, though, so I'm going to finish them even if I can't wear them.

Dragon Attack!

I never FO'd these socks. The second one's been sitting around waiting to be blocked for weeks and weeks. I love these socks. The only problem, they were knit at a really loose gauge (to fit my wide ankles without having to tweak the pattern) and will probably wear out quickly. They're knit in Koigu on Knitpicks US3 circs in magic loop and the pattern's from the Keyboard Biologist. I wore them to work yesterday and love, love, love them.

Thor, you really do need to learn to knit socks.

Republic knock-off and a sock FO

Does anyone remember the Republic hat by Nik? I really liked it but thought I'd like vertical garter stitch instead. Well, one rapidly dwindling ball of De Vie Butterfly later and a hat and scarf set were born.


The ball was rapidly dwindling because I knit the too skinny and almost too long scarf first, from the first two balls (not sure how many I had, but it was less than one when I started the hat). The pic doesn't do the yarn justice. What looks brown should be way more orange and pink.


Of course, the person to whom I am giving the hat and scarf, a recent transplant to Connecticut from Texas, is stuck in CT and not making it in to NYC for our lunch appointment. No big. I can replace the button before I see her after the new year. I hope she likes it. I think it will look nice with her blondeness. I knit the scarf a long time ago and started the hat. I didn't like the first incarnation, but with a deadline approaching and a recipient decided, I finished it over the weekend. I sewed the button on during my commute in this morning.

Also, this weekend, I finished my happy little picot socks.

I'll get a modeled shot Thursday when I wear them in for knitting. I love, love, love them. They're knit in Trekking XXL color 144 on US addi 1s using magic loop. I cast on 72 stitches and just knit to my feet. I can't wait to wear them.

Even hubby likes them, not for himself, you know, but for Me or B. I have lots of yarn leftover. I might see if I can get a pair for B out of the leftovers. I think he'd like them.

Dad's birthday sweater is nearly done. I've got just the ribbing on the neckline and joining the underarm stitches. Then, I have to find a zipper. I promise to post a pic eventually!

Christmas Meme

I've got to post something this week, right? Here's a Christmas Meme I got over at Dr. Girlfriend Knits.

Christmas Meme
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Cheap wrapping paper with occasional bags. I'm entertaining the crazy thought of buying lots of on-sale Christmas fabric after the holiday and sewing up an assortment of re-useable bags
2. Real or artificial tree? Fake with the lights already on it!
3. When do you put up the tree? Back before we travelled for Thanksgiving, we'd do it that Saturday, but now it's earliest Saturday in December that we get in gear.
4. When do you take it down? First Saturday after Twelfth Night.
5. Do you like eggnog? I love eggnog. I never get to have it though. I can't justify buying it just for me, it's too fatty.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? The year I got my own stereo was cool.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep, small one on the mantle near the stockings. I laughed at myself for putting the Christ back in Christmas. Seriously, though. I don't know why a protestant family has a life-like nativity.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Hubby. I don't know why. I do have a plan this year.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Billy. He's not quite 4. He and the dog would be happy with empty boxes wrapped in shiny paper.
10. Worst Christmas present you ever got? Really cheap pantyhose from my mom's parents. I'm not kidding! They threw in an awful, cheap pink plastic necklace and earrings.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? None this year. I've fallen out of the habit.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Used to be Black Friday. We did buy a few gifts this year, but I have yet to start the bulk of it.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably, but I can't remember for sure.
15. Favorite thing to eat on Christmas? Anything with chocolate.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We have white, but I'd rather have colored. Hubby and I debate what makes a display Coney Island. For him colors and blinking, for me you can't get gaudy enough.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay home since the B came along. We do breakfasts and gifts at home and then mosey up to the in-laws for gifts and dinner.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? Yep, thanks to the intro to Rudolph... Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comit, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph!
20. Angel or star on top of tree? An angel. My mother's mother made a ton of beaded ornaments and everyone's got a clear angel about 5" tall. She sits on our tree top.
21. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning? We'll be opening with my parents the Saturday before, but nothing at home will be opened before morning. Heck, I'll be wrapping that night after B goes to bed.
22. Most annoying thing this time of year? Got to go with Kim on the commercials. No one buys cars for Christmas, do they? And the jewelry ones. I like the jewelry hubby gives me, but other gifts would be just as great.
23. Do you decorate your tree in any theme or color? Not really. We've got a mish-mash of stuff.
24. What do you leave for Santa? We've never done it before, but since B is older this year and gets Santa, we'll leave cookies.

a sock and a hem

I've completed the hem on sock two.

I'll try to get pics of something other than these socks this weekend. I bound off the armholes on Dad's sweater last night and cast on for sleeve one.

Hubby and I plan to get the tree up tomorrow. Maybe some the tree and some Christmas music will get me in the spirit.

stupid blogger

Here's an outdated pic of a nearly finished sock. I was having problems posting it before (hence the post title). I kitchenered the toe at lunch.

Dad's sweater is 14" long. Couple more and I'll be starting the sleeves.

Haven't touched Hubby's St. Andrew's sweater since the weekend.

Still haven't done anything for the holidays. But, choir is singing again on Sunday.

how to beat away the blahs

Cast on a new project! I don't have pictures of it, but I got about 3" completed on my Dad's birthday sweater. I'm knitting him a very simple zipped cardigan out of Rowan Plaid. Since he thought the yarn was so nice in Mom's Freya. It's just gray and white, so kind of dull, but it's nice to have the ribbing done. I'm knitting it in one piece from the bottom up. My goal is to have the body done to the armhole bindoffs this week, the sleeves to the bind off next week, and joining it all the following week. Ideally, it would be all done and left with him on the 23rd, but since his birthday's not until the 29th, I could work on it during my Christmas Vacation and just mail it up to him the 27th or so.

The work blahs got forceably beaten away by annihilating my to do list. I was beginning to thinkI I'd have to eliminate blogging (reading more so than posting) in order to get done what needs be done by the 20th. However, I've completed what I can and now I need people to get back to me. Do not mention the 250+ invoicse I need to complete later this week, they will not be named until Thursday.

In other happy news, I still have my happy picots sock.

Mondays suck

Same old work crap, but I did realize that I don't have to re-knit Hubby's whole St Andrew's sweater to fix too tight armholes. I can just add an inch to both front and back.

Finally, Friday

So, Hubby's home with B this morning. When B first woke up, he said he'd poked his eye. It was goopy and pink and he wouldn't open it for a long time. So in the less than 30 minutes I had to make the decision, I decided to keep him home in case it's pink eye (which in the world of group daycare is as bad as gastrointestinal problems when it comes to forcing kids out). Since I had a conference call at 9 and an important appointment at 3, Hubby volunteered to take him to the doctor. Of course, now the eye's not looking so pink, but B has whomped Hubby on all the board games, watched Bob the Builder 8 times, and at last check in was playing drums along with Bruce and the E Street band. Doctor's appointment is at 2, so I'll know sometime later today if I pulled the trigger too quickly.

This is the first full day Hubby's been home alone with the kid. Even if I did overreact, I think it's probably going to work out well.

As for me, my conference call was with an impossible person, but my day's been improving. I'm going out for lunch with a colleague to catch up and my happy picots sock is moving along.

I have to admit I was a bit stumped. I decided to knit a heel flap and gusset, but didn't realize until I was done the flap that a gusset might be difficult to knit with the magic loop method. But, an additional loop's gotten the job done!

I should be working on the instep on the commute home tonight.

I'm having difficulties with Hubby's sweater. I thought I had finished the front last night and ripped out the neckline on the back, when I realized that I hadn't decreased enough on the front! Whoopsie. I'm going to see if the accidental front neckline will work. It'll be easier to adjust the back to fit than re-do the front!

Busy weekend, tomorrow, we're going to an indoor soccer game with the in-laws and B. Sunday, we're the family at church. Hubby's ushering and serving communion AND we're lighting the first candle on the advent wreath. Good thing we've got four wheel drive. We can't miss church Sunday if the "winter weather event" they've been hyping turns out to be worse than a coating.

why isn't it time to go home yet?

I feel like this has been a very long day. I feel like I've been having the same conversations over and over and over again for the last few months. I feel like people here just love to pile it on and never, ever say thank you regardless of how huge an effort is made by me or my staff on their behalf.

I cannot wait for my Christmas vacation December 21 through January 2. It will be the longest amount of time (12 straight days) I have been out of the office since I came back from maternity leave. I know B will drive me crazy and I will have to come up with field trips and fun things to do (and to try not to overload nap time with too many things I want to/need to do), but I need a break from this place and these people.

I really do like my job and can't really imagine doing anything else, but the frustration level is high these days.

Thank yarn for Orange knitting and happy picots. Also, thanks for happy boys and easy mornings, thanks for great school pictures (apparently, my son was the only 3 yo to smile), thanks for having fun with Hubby and going home to him every day.

character

The character of a person isn't in never having made a mistake. Character is shown in how they respond to that mistake.

happy little picots

Here's my trekking sock, looking a bit brown. I tried to adjust the color to be less yellow. My camera does not capture the ORANGE glory that is this yarn. This is the third cast-on and I'm loving it. The first one was way too big at too big a gauge and the second was also too big at two different gauges (switching needles will do that). I cast on Monday night and hope to hit the heel tonight (depending on how much I knit at the Devils game).

The workout happened last night. The housework happened this morning (m-i-l's babysitting tonight) and I completed one side of the front neckline on Hubby's sweater as well. No sewing can start, as much as I am obsessed with skirts, until I get a yardstick. I've already decided my first skirt's going to be an A-line in Cranberry microwale corduroy. Now, if only I had shoes that would work. Oh, and I need tights!

So want to sew

I got this book in the mail last night. Forget working out. Forget housework. Forget nearly being to the neckline on the front of Hubby's sweater. Forget my new orange sock. Forget my square for the Oliver raffle blanket. I want to sew skirts now!

We had a very nice thanksgiving. Once again, Hubby did the culinary heavy lifting and did a great job. B was an awesome traveller. Only once on the way home was there much fussing. He then promptly took a two hour nap (falling asleep with his hand in a bag of cheetos).

I'm totally not looking forward to Christmas. Well, I'm looking forward to watching other people celebrate and enjoying their decorating and what not. I'm not looking forward to my having to shop and wrap and decorate and all that hoo-ha. I am very much looking forward to singing in choir on Christmas Eve. I had a good first performance on Sunday (when we passed the peace many people told me they were happy to see I'd joined, I think they were happy to see the body count increase). Our director complimented my voice and how quickly I learned my part, but I didn't see her after we performed so I don't know if I lived up to rehearsal.

How about you all? Excited, ambivalent, dreading the holidays?

My in-laws have officially been married 40 years. We had cake for them after church, in the church where they were married, on the exact date of their marriage. Now, we need to take them out to dinner.

I must be crazy, but with escape plan

So, in my quest to have the perfect pair of Harlot-copying, Hazel Knits Sailor's Delight Monkey socks, I'm back on US 1 circs. Yes, that's right. The too small sock is getting a retry. Because I didn't want to knit the picot hem for the fourth time in a week, I modified by going with the twisted rib as callled for in the pattern.

Ooh, pretty. And stretchy! Now, to knit a couple of repeats, wash and block and see if they will fit my large-ish ankles.

Of course, this means that I will not have sock knitting for our long ride tomorrow. No worries, I have a back-up plan.

Once again, I am copying a more famous blogger. In this case, Claudia. When I saw this yarn on her blog, I had to buy it. (I think I went to the same online shop, too.) They're going to be a nice plain stockinette sock, maybe with a picot hem. I'm going to knit a gauge swatch and just cast on the stitches needed to fit me and have at it.

Hubby's sweater has finally reached the X crossing on the front. I hope to be able to knit on it on the ride tomorrow and all weekend. Hubby assures me I'll probably get lots of praise while working on this sweater at the house of the source of the Scottish heritage. I may even find myself knitting another one for his Grandpa who was born in Paisley. But, it won't be at 6 st to the inch if I do!

Fortunately for those who will be in such a confined space with me tomorrow, my cold is improving rapidly. I'm sure they'll be very happy that I'll be sneeezing and coughing in their general vicinity at a lower frequency.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers. And a great November weekend to those of you who are not. I hope to be back with a post on Monday.

US 2 = more stripes

Okay, they're skinnier, but not what I want. Big sigh, how do I make the US 1 socks fit? I'm afraid more stitches will make the striping thing happen. Maybe ribbing and a good soak and block?

In other news, I have a cold and I'm not real happy about it since the allergies and the cough that came from all that goop was just going away!

unhappy boy = unhappy mommy

I do not know what has gotten into my kid lately, but can I exchange him for a child that is happy at least 15 minutes a day? OMG. Last night dinnertime was fine. But he didn't want a bath, he didn't want to brush his teeth, he didn't want to go to bed. I didn't scream. But, I was not a happy mommy with the Nth iteration of the fucking whining. I hate whining. Yell at me, scream at me, do not keep whining "I don't want...." Then of course, I couldn't blow off steam at the "gym" because there's a class and since the place is a shoe box, all the equipment was moved.

And then this morning, he didn't want to get dressed and screamed all the way to school because we didn't have a blanket for him in the cold car. It took a half hour to get him into some clothes. What really burned me was him saying he wanted to cooperate and then proceeding to not pick out a freaking shirt.

Boy, I'm really looking forward to our dentist appointments tomorrow. Wouldn't you? Cranky kid and new dentist is not going to be fun. But, since we have to buy a birthday present for his friend's party Sunday, maybe I can bribe him with the promise of a new toy.

On to things more in my control. I'm much happier with this second attempt at a monkey sock. The colors are working much better. But, of course, on US 1 it is too small. I couldn't find a US 2 in my house. So, I am going to Purl at lunch. (I had a lunch meeting yesterday and had no chance to get over there.) I think I'll treat myself to a deli sanwich while I'm out, too. Just for a little spoil me moment. I imagine dinner tonight (like last night's can of Campbell's) will be something quick, light, and not what I really want so I can get to the "gym".

I forgot to mention a little pick-me-up from the weekend. I think I've mentioned before that we have a very small church. Fewer than 50 members, with 25-35 in attendance most weeks. Well, the boiler for the sanctuary hasn't been working and we've been having service in fellowship hall, which means we're all closer together and the choir (all five of them) sits with everyone else during the service and is only up front for the anthem. Anyway, after Sunday's service our choir director (and only alto) went up to Hubby to ask him who was sitting next to him. Me, of course. So they chatted and he mentioned that I'd sung in college (not true, last choir was in high school) and another elder said they had to get me for the choir. So, he pointed me out (I'd gone to the classroom to pick up B) and she asked me to join. I agreed. My first practice is Sunday, the 25th. Much to my chagrin I'll be singing alto. All through my choir experiences I've either been an alto or a second soprano. I'd been singing Soprano and she'd lamented that it was too bad I wasn't an alto, and I shot myself in the foot by saying I'd sing alto if that's what she needed. Dumbass.

So, apparently, I'm not a horrible singer. This does not indicate that I have an awesome voice, but it does say that I'm not horrible. Not that B recognizes it. With him, I'm rarely allowed to sing other than at bedtime. Sunday afternoon, I was singing along with a commercial and he told me to stop. I told him that I'm not a bad singer because they want me to sing at church.

One of the best parts about the whole choir thing? Our director is a knitter!

Still haven't touched Hubby's sweater.

not so much with the liking on this monkey

I made awesome progress on the Monkey sock yesterday. I cast on and did 8 of the ten rows for the picot hem at lunch and completed the hem and nearly two repeats at the game.

I'm not loving it, though. With the dragon socks, I knit at 7 st to the inch to accomodate my large-ish ankles. So, I thought I would do the same here, since it's the same stitch count. However, I'm getting way too much striping. It looks nothing like the Harlot's. Compare them side-to-side. (I know the color's way different. I suck with photographing reds.) I tried on what I've got an it's biggish, so I'm going to see if I can get out to Purl today and pick up a size 2 circ. If that doesn't fix it, I'll knit the yarn into Jaywalkers and make my SOTR Foo-Foo into monkeys.

The game last night was sooo much fun. The seats our buddy had from work were in the club section. $200 gets you a comfy seat, a great view, and all the free food and soda you could want. We got to hang with a couple of friends we hadn't seen in a while and, although the Devs lost, it was a good time.

I don't know what was up with the B today. He didn't want to get out of bed. He didn't want to change his clothes (M-i-L had let him sleep in yesterday's outfit, not that I blame her, I do it, too). He didn't want to eat. He didn't want to go potty. He didn't want to ride in the little car (our Saturn Ion as opposed to the H3 we only drive on weekends). He wanted a book, but not the first one he thought of. He didn't want to go to school. I do not envy his teachers today.

I showed motherly patience today and only snapped a little bit when he was dawdling in the bathroom and I really needed to go myself. I sure hope he's in a better mood tonight. Aiy yi yi.

Gym tonight, for the first time since Monday. I'm looking forward to it.

monkey up

I finished the Dragon socks last night. I still need to wash and block sock #2. I'll FO them when it's dry and I can take modelled pics. I love the pattern and plan to knit them again. I showed Hubby the difference between washed and not. He noticed the pattern is not as obvious, but that they are so much softer.

I did not touch Hubby's sweater last night. I feel bad about it, since I won't be touching it again tonight. A friend got free seats to tonight's Devils game. So much for crossing the X this week!

I did have a nice long chat with my grandparents last night. Papa's bummed that he's still restricted in his activities. He's got two more weeks before he can lift more than 5 lbs. But, he sounds really good. They're planning a scaled back holiday season (although, I bet one of their brood will decorate for them), but they're excited we're coming up next month. I also got the run down on most of my cousins and aunts and uncles. I really should call them more often.

I also did the dishes and wound the yarn for my monkeys. I cannot wait to cast on. If I hadn't needed the nap on the bus this morning, I probably would have. This pic's a little washed out. The colors should be more vibrant and red (the gold should be orange). I was going back and forth over doing the twisted rib as noted in the pattern or Cara's picot hem. I think I'm going to do the picot. Since I fell in love with The Harlot's in this colorway, I want to be true to the inspiration. Besides, I can always snip off the hem and do the ribbing if it turns out I don't like the hem.

It's scary what a good mood I'm in. I don't know if it's the residuals from the exercise, positive reinforcement (the scale and Hubby telling me how proud he is everyday that I'm making an effort), or looking forward to a night out, but I'm feeling pretty upbeat. You don't think Hubby's been spiking my OJ with SSRIs, do you?

ignoring the candy bowl

My boss generously fills the cand bowl on the table near my office at least once a week. Today, I'm not even looking to see what's in it (last week it was all stuff I didn't like).

Yesterday's vent really helped me adjust my thinking, as did a nice sweaty workout. But, I still stepped on the scale this morning. I like the number better, but I really need to stop stepping on the scale. How do you turn off the little voice in your head, though? The one that's been worried about the number since I hit puberty and stopped be scrawny?

I'm blasting through my goals on the dragon socks. I have completed over two and a half repeats after the heel. Since sock one fits great after washing and "blocking," I just need to complete repeat 3, do half a repeat and complete the toe shaping. I should have a finished pair of socks tomorrow! (I think trying to bust it all out tonight would be overreaching.) I do plan to wind up the yarn for my Monkey socks tonight. I can't wait to start them!

I hope to cross the X on hubby's St A sweater this week. I wonder if that's too ambitious. Well, it is motivating to have a goal.

I keep thinking today is Wednesday. It's going to be a long week.

ruminating

Ruminating usually gets me into trouble. Right now, I'm ruminating on weight loss. Or a decided lack thereof. Last week, when I signed up at the new "gym," I told the lady I wasn't ready to set a weight loss goal. And I'm not. I can tell you that I'm X pounds over a healthy weight, that I'd need to lose X pounds to be at my pre-pregnancy weight, or that I weighed X when I was married. But I can't say that my ulitmate goal is to lose all the weight needed to get me to a "healthy" weight or that I'd be happy to get to X pounds. If I say I want to lose all 124 pounds it would take to get me to the top of the range of "healthy" weights for my height, I'd lose all hope of being able to accomplish such a huge task. If I focus on 10 pounds at a time, I feel I'm not challenging myself enough. If I say, no goals, just healthier, the scale makes me a liar. I know I wasn't 100% on target all of last week. There was wine with dinner Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights and we had cheeseburgers for dinner on Friday. But, I did go to the "gym" three times and we did a lot of housework (as opposed to my usual weekend sloth routine) and I ate sensibly for all the other meals. So, why am I at the same number on the scale as last Monday? I know it shouldn't matter, but it does. I guess I just have to try harder.

Small victory, the ruminating had me wanting to ditch my healthy lunch so badly , but I stuck with it and ate the damn thing. Hopefully, I'll do the same with my moderate dinner. I resent the hell out of people who can eat anything they damn well choose. And I'm good at resentment. I'm a champion resenter (having an ill sibling growing up can do that when you're not perfect).

I'm not quitting, yet. I'll give it a good try this week. Including no alcohol. If there's no movement on the scale, I'm going to go the kelp route that worked for Samurai. It's ridiculously irritating to weigh the same damn thing after putting in effort as I did after weeks of being a lazy overeater!

Yes, I do know I should go to my doctor. But, short of telling me to eat less and exercise more, what's he going to do?

I do have sock progress. That goal I'm keeping to. One heel and most of the next repeat completed. At this rate, I'll only need three days to finish. (Assuming the first sock, which has been washed and should be dry enough for a try on tonight, fits to my liking.)

I made good progress on the front of Hubby's St. Andrews sweater this weekend, too. I need to knit about an inch and a half a day to have that finished by 11/30. I do find that I've got a manipulative side. I was threatening Hubby with not working on his sweater as a punishment. I can't remember why I was wanting to punish him, but I do remember the threat.

rip and re-knit and rip and re-knit

I blew through my goal for the socks last night. I'm more than half-way through the third repeat. I just couldn't put it down. But, I have to rip back. I kept forgetting the last M1 in the round. As you can see, the sock comes in quite a bit on the side there. This could be a problem for a girl like me with generous proportions.

Then there was a ripping fest on St. Andrew last night. I had messed up the color changes (sequence has me moving 1 stitch and then 2 stitches and I just did one stitch a couple of times in a row) back below where the blue disappears on the sides. When I first noticed the other day, I just kept knitting and tried to make up for it further on. Then I realized that might cause problems with matching the lengths front to back. So, I ripped back, knit to where I was and realized I had another error further down. Ripped again and still haven't gotten back to where I was. I wish the slope on this thing wasn't so jagged. But, I just couldn't make the X fit the dimensions any other way. Hubby likes it, but looking at this picture is making me cringe.

I had another good workout last night, but I stayed up way to late with the ripping and re-knitting. We got out the door twenty minutes earlier today and B only mildly disagreed about wearing a coat. First words out of his mouth when he got outside (which were then repeated ad nauseum), "Mommy, I cold." My response, "Duh."

I know, I'm going to Hell for Sarcastic Mommies. He knows I love him and when he's a late night TV host, he'll thank me for it.

goals

My goal is to complete a repeat a day. Then the sock should be done in about a week. Here's last night's repeat.

Of course, if I complete more than a repeat, it's even better.

I've got about 12 rows left on the back of Hubby's St. Andrew's sweater. I'll be bringing that in tomorrow. My knitting group at work's started meeting again and I promised to bring it in to show it to them (first I need to make sure we aren't going on a field trip tomorrow). I really want to cast on for the front this weekend. I'll post a pic tomorrow if I bring it in to the office.

My other goals are more family-oriented. I've apparently been appointed family nag. I hate nagging. It's counter-productive and makes everyone unhappy. But it seems, the male half of my family needs me to be constantly reminding them about what makes getting out of the house go smoothly each day. So it's constant reminders to B that he's going to have to wear a coat because it's not Summer anymore and getting Hubby to get in the shower well before the time we're supposed to be leaving the house. The kid thing I don't mind so much. The grown-up half is a serious problem. I really don't ask for much. But, getting in the shower an hour and a half after me is not going to get us out the door on time and suggesting that I should just handle the drop-off as well as the pick-up is assinine. Especially since it wouldn't get me to work any freaking earlier!

He has since apologized and promised to do better. But, you know we've all heard it before.

less knitting time = happier Netter?

It seems antithetical to me, that cutting down on my knitting time is going to improve my mood. But, we're going to try this working out and going to bed earlier thing. Last night was my first workout at the new "gym." I had forgotten how good moving makes you feel. I'm pretty sure I liked the equipment at Curves better, but being able to have dinner and put Billy to bed (earlier, but still following our same routine) was great. I always worried that working out after dinner would keep me up. I've had insomnia my whole life, but I went to bed at 10 and had been asleep when Hubby came up at 10 of eleven. I was a little sore this morning, just enough to remind me that I do, indeed, have muscles! So far, so good.

But, I didn't spend my usual 2+ hours knitting after B went to bed. So, only a sock toe for you today. I would have had time to do something else if I hadn't had to rip out the toe on the way home. When one is picking up stitches after screwing up after attempting to knit something for the first time without the pattern, one should really make sure she's split the sock evenly in half or the toe decreases ain't going to work. Still, it's a very pretty sock and I sincerely doubt sock two will take 5+ months. Especially since I've already cast on and can't wait to knit up a few repeats.

Goes without saying that sock one might be a wee short, but we'll know for sure after a warm bath and a little bit of a stretch and dry.

Hubby's going to the Devils/Rangers Knicks game tonight (free tickets through a colleague). I'm not sure if I'm going to knit on his sweater or sew up a little jacket for B. I do know that I'm not going to sit on my butt with a pint of ice cream!

How do I turn this thing on again?

I think the blog has seen less action than my dishwasher lately. Actually, I know it has. We cooked all last week. The dishwasher's seen a lot of action since I last posted.

I didn't go away. Well, not literally. I did find myself in a deep dark place on Thursday night, but we've decided that I just need to take better care of myself. So, I joined a new 30-min circuit training place. (Ironic point, I haven't been to Curves in over a year and finally cancelled my membership two months ago.)

I've also tried to put my nose to the grindstone a bit more today and that's helped with work stress. Especially since I owned up to a mistake. Not surfing until lunchtime meant I could get a lot done.

We had a fun Halloween, although B and I have been fighting a lot lately. Nothing yesterday, but we've been averaging a big blowout once a day. Why is it I have such a hard time remembering that I'm the adult?

Hubby and I had a big fight on the way home from our hockey game date Friday night. This is what happens when you let the resentments and the bad feelings simmer. Sense the theme?

Knitting-wise, I've barely touched Hubby's sweater, have one nearly finished sock, and a completed hat and almost mitten. The hat and mitten are for a drive B's former teacher is having with her girl scout troop. B really likes the both pieces, even though they aren't orange.

I did get some fantastic news. My grandfather's lymph nodes were clear of cancer. So the colon cancer was contained to his colon and he's chomping at the bit to get back to his regular level of activity. He's been home for a week or so and we're all so very pleased.

I'm interested to see B's reaction tonight when I pick him up and it's already dark.

Happy Birthday to Mom!

Today is my mother's birthday. She turns 54. I know, I have a very young mother. She was just 18 when I was born. (Most of my peers growing up in NW Vermont had young parents, unless they were the youngest kid. Not many people of their generation went to college, so families were started young.)

I've never had a fight with my mom. Which is funny because she and my two sisters have many arguments. I guess I could always see why she was making the points she made. Of course, I was a ridiculous goody-two shoes who strived to not embarass her parents.

My mom's one of the strongest women I know. She had a baby senior year of high school that she placed for adoption and still graduated on time. She held us together through some hard times financially and while my sister went through some severe health problems as a kid. When her mom was dying of colon cancer, mom was at the hospital or nursing home everyday doing whatever she could to help her mom have some comfort and dignity. Her dad's stayed with her after both of his hip surgeries. She does it all without complaint or resentment. Sometimes, I think she thrives on crisis.

Nearly every Saturday I've known her she's driven the 40 minutes back to her home town to visit her sister and father (when they're not travelling).

Mom recently started a new job. She'd been working for the same company for at least 25 years. That tells me two things, she's not afraid of making a change and she was smart enough to get out before they close the doors at her old place.

Mom loves kids. Especially pre-school and younger. I remember baking with her when I was a kid (mmmm, moon pies) and her getting on the floor and tickling us.

I also remember the ways she tried to push us to be independent and self-reliant. In some ways it felt like she was shutting me out. Until the women she worked with told me how much she missed me when I went away to college and how excited she'd get when I'd come home for a visit.

Mom never lets you know when something has hurt her or is too much for her. She can also seem aloof and reserved. She tended to yell a lot and had her share of banging moments.

I am the woman I am because of my mom. Warts and all. But, I know I wouldn't have gone to France on a three-week exchange program in High School, chosen a college six hours away from home, spent a semeseter abroad in England, or moved to NYC/NJ to find a job and love without her.

Happy Birthday Mom.

I sure hope she likes her Freya.

sock update

I have now knit nearly one full repeat past the heel on the dragon sock. I know, it's exciting and special, I deserve a parade. Boy the colors look washed out in that photo.

In other news, I am now the proud owner of my first skein of SOTR. Yes, unashamed stasher that I am, I had never purchased a skein that rocked. Fortunately for me, Valleygrrl e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago asking if I still had some ASC in Orkney. (She'd found B's Kate in my archives so she knew I'd used it in the past.) She offered to buy/swap, but since I was never going to use what I had left (really, none of us looks good in yellow), I offered to send it to her gratis. In her grattitude, she sent me a skein of SOTR in foo foo. I'm tres bad blogger because it arrived in the mail on Monday and I only photographed it today. It's been sitting on my dining room table all week, being adored. It's going to become the second pair of socks I cast on once Dragons are done. (The first being my Harlot duplicating pair of monkeys.)

It's a shame lunch hour is over. I just activated my Ravelry account. There's nothing there, but I can be found as NetterKnitter (must find who used my nickname first). One question about ravelry, do I give up my job or a family member so I can fully enjoy it?

If you read my blog

You know at least one woman who's had PPD.

Please contact your Senator to ask them to support The Mother's Act.

I haven't talked about PPD in a while, mostly because my depression's in remission, at least enough so I can ignore it.

But, almost everyday we hear about some woman who didn't have the resources I had. Who didn't tell her doctor she'd been crying for hours every afternoon for two weeks or that she'd been having these horrible thoughts she couldn't control or that she simply cannot handle motherhood. Because I had a doctor with no qualms about prescribing an anti-depressant, because I had health insurance, my baby and I survived. Lots of moms and babies don't. Even in the cases where it doesn't cause murder or suicide, PPD has an incredibly negative impact on the families involved. A child can't reach his full potential if he doesn't feel loved and nurtured. Mommies with PPD can't give that love and reassurance.

My state senators are sponsoring the bill, with Senator Menendez having introduced it. Our former Acting Governor's wife has been very vocal and active as a PPD survivor. Voices are being heard in NJ, are they being heard in your state?

Thanks to Thor for pointing this out.

new for me

So, I'm trying a new heel on these Here There Be Dragon Socks. I've done short-row heels before, but on the Lolita Legs stockings, there were supposed to be holes. The designer of the Dragon socks suggested the Priscilla Gibson-Roberts method of short-rowing heels with a backward yarnover. She also suggested looking at the tutorial at the Blue blog.

So, armed with the pattern and a print out of the tutorial, I sat on the train last night ready to short-row me a heel.

I read the tutorial. I tried to do a couple of rows. I read the tutorial again. I could make neither heads nor tails of the damn thing. Determined to not deal, I picked up a book and read until I had to change trains in Newark.

Then, as I was walking between tracks 2 and 5, I remembered that when I first turned a heel and gussett heel, I just blindly following the directions, having faith that it would work. And it did. So, I determined to try again once I was sitting on train three (train one being the subway, train two being the train between NYC and Newark, with train three as the train that actually gets me home). And try again I did. The first part, where the rows get shorter was pretty easy. The second half, where the rows get longer, not so much with the easy. But as I was ripping out and being very careful not to drop any YOs, I realized I had two stitches together where there was supposed to be a YO and a stitch. Problem solved. I am now about two rows from completing the heel. I'm very excited. I've been working on these socks off and on since May and they've been in the state of "waiting for a heel" for months.

I do still see some holes along the heel, but I think I know what I did wrong there (the YOs are twisted and need to be turned to sit properly on the needle). I might rip out or I might just see what washing will do (socks are koigu and it does bloom a bit when washed).

I'm also magic-looping this pair and so far, I like it!

No progress has been made on the St. Andrew's sweater. I knit two rows on Monday and didn't touch it yesterday. I'm not having an easy time with the hormones this cycle. To think I used to believe PMS was balderdash put forth by the patriarchy to keep women in place.

Book Meme

I picked this up from Samurai Knitter the other day.

1. Hardcover or paperback, and why: Mostly hardcover right now. It’s what Zooba sends me ($9.95 a book with no shipping charges). If I were to start reading a lot again, I’d definitely go paperback, cheaper and easier to carry.

2. If I were to own a book shop, I would call it: Buy This Book. I know super lame take on the Abbey Hoffman title. You should hear my thoughts when I try to name a yarn store!

3. My favorite quote from a book is: “Take a drink with anyone, and pick your pals where you find them.” From one of Marjorie Allingham’s Campion books (I found them one summer in college when I was reading my way through the ridiculously tiny public library in my ridiculously tiny hometown).

4. The author (alive or dead) I would love to have lunch with is: Shakespeare. Let’s put to rest whether or not he actually wrote the plays. Also, did he know who killed Christopher Marlowe?

5. If I were going to a deserted island and could only bring one book (other than a survival guide), it would be: As I mentioned over in the comments at Samurai Knitter, my Riverside Shakespeare. It’s got all the plays, the poems, etc. That would keep me occupied.

6. I would love for someone to invent a book gadget that: Let me know if a book were worth my time and interest before I opened it. (You can’t trust cover material, it’s written by marketing people who may not even have read the book.) Also, Amy Lane mentioned a page turner for knitting while reading.

7. The smell of books reminds me of: Work. Seriously, I work at a publishing company and there's a printing house in the building. But it does bring back the memories of hours and hours lost in other worlds.

8. If I could be the lead character in a book, it would be: This is a tough one. I haven’t read anything lately where someone has the life I want to lead (too many crime novels). But, let's pick something sweet and light with lots of romance. Actually, Anne of Green Gables. I'm not sure if I've read all the books, but Anne Shirley would be it.

9. The most overrated book of all time is: Anything by Hemmingway. Being able to appeal to machismo while writing without adjectives does not make you a great writer. (Except his short stories, “Clean Well-Lighted Place” is one of my favorite ever.)

10. I hate it when a book: Has characters I can’t care about. I’m not going to invest my time reading about people with no redeeming characteristics. That’s what the news is for.

socks that suck

I hate these socks. The heel flap is too short, the toes aren't long enough and I did a crappy job of grafting. I'm so tired of these socks. I thought I really wanted them in this yarn for me, but I can't look at them anymore. They're going to go away. I'm going to rip them out and put the yarn in my stash and maybe, someday, I'll knit something else out of them.

This I like. It's hubby's St. Andrews sweater. I carried to the beach Saturday and Sunday but didn't take it out of the bag until we got home. One thing I don't love. The joins between white and blue are wonky on the right-hand side. Behind it is my homemade chart holder. Under it is the shoe box that holds the working balls (with slits cut in the side for each ball). I want to finish this piece this month. Then I'll work on the front in November, sleeves in December, and seaming in January (I'll also have Dad and B's birthday sweaters to work on in December and January).

Tomorrow, we discuss Here there be dragon socks.

grafting for the weekend

I've got two sets of decreases to finish, then the gusset is done. I do still expect to be grafting tonight. Should we place odds on how likely it is I will be able to maintain the pattern while grafting?

Hubby and I are packed for our last weekend "down the shore" before the condo is closed for the winter. Hubby was very disappointed that his parents didn't buy in a year-round building, but I'm not sure I want the beach when it's freezing. Tomorrow should be nice. It's forecasted to be 70° and sunny-ish.

Good news on B yesterday. His lungs are not involved with the cough that's been plaguing him (more me and hubby, B doesn't let things get him down). Doc thinks he's outgrown the reactive airway problems that had him on a nebulizer with every cold and allergy outbreak from the age of 1. Yay! So, he's on stuff for sinuses and if it ever gets past being late summer around here we might finally get past the allergies.

I'm looking forward to two days of temporary childlessness. I've had some impatient and yelling spots the last few days. I'm going to miss him, but I'm looking forward to a break from Super 3.

I'm bringing Hubby's St. Andrew's sweater for beach knitting (maybe in the car, too, when it's light out). Hubby was a little concerned that it might get sand on it. I pointed out that it is cotton and he's never shown concern when it's things I knit for myself on the beach. If I get any time in on it this weekend, I should be past the halfway mark. I'll try to get some pics of me knitting it on the beach.

I wish all of you going to Rhinebeck a fun time. I really should get there one day....

successful excision

I'm such a knitting dork, I took a picture of the excised toe on the train last night, as soon as I finished separating the two pieces. (Okay, the soon to be ripped heel made it into the pic as well.)
The heel was completely ripped and turned before I got off the train. I even managed to pick up for the gusset.

I expect to complete the gusset this afternoon. I'm taking a one o'clock bus home (Billy has a doctor's appointment because his cough's been around for a week and a half and is not getting better) so I should be able to get the gusset completely done. Tomorrow's commute should see these socks completed (so long as I can graft reasonably well in pattern).

That means Dragon socks become the commute knitting for next week.

surgery

I've started hacking up the sock with the bad heel. Sock with the good heel might still be a little short, but we'll judge after it's had a bath and been worn a bit (cotton does tend to stretch out). I hope to have bad heel sock back on the needles tonight. I'd love to have this pair of socks done by the weekend.

I've been making good progress with the St. Andrew's sweater, about a quarter of the way through. I guess I should try to take a picture.

Yesterday was a really busy day for me, lots of meetings at work, but it was a good day.

My grandfather had his colon surgery yesterday morning. They only had to remove a foot of the colon; the spot (no one's called it a tumor yet) was only the size of a quarter. They were able to do the surgery laparoscopically so he should be able to go home in less than a week. They'll have the pathology results on the lymph nodes about the same time. Then he'll know if he needs radiation or chemo or nothing at all.

Dad had a positive experience at the pain clinic yesterday. They did a try out for a new type of injection and it left him with a pain-free lower back for a few hours, usually he gets no relief from the injections. Next week he goes to get the real ones (they could last six months to a year depending on nerve growth). Next, the pain doctor goes to work on his neck (he has spine narrowing in the lumbar and cervical spine). He's also been prescribed a fentanyl patch (one doctor said the darvon's like tylenol, so why do they have a guy with a debilitating pain condition on tylenol?). I was hoping the his new primary doc would be more aggressive with the pain management. Dad's big request was for the new doc to make it so he could drive again, then he'll go to physical therapy.

I got a nice gift from someone yesterday. A friend gave me a belated birthday gift, a gift certificate to PURL. She also took me out to a nice lunch. Since she and her family are moving to Connecticut from San Antonio next month, I think I need to knit her a hat and scarf.

And then my B peed standing up for the first time. He was so proud! Such a big boy.

LOST

And I don't mean the TV show.

When we were heading back to the car after grocery shopping, I realized B was no longer wearing his hat. Hubby went back into the store, but no one had turned it in.

Hubby doesn't think it's a big loss; he thought it was the kind of thing that gets a kid beat up. He keeps forgetting B's in pre-school.

Fortunately, B wasn't too upset, which was surprising. He was a huge PITA all day Saturday (and this morning). I've been trying to cut him some slack, since he seems to have a pretty annoying cough, but when we need to get out the door in the morning, there is very little slack to cut.

Halloween knits

B very much likes his pumpkin hat. He was hoping to wear it to the farm this morning, but the trip was postponed due to the tons of rain we've been receiving. He wore it to school instead.
He was a very willing model. (He doesn't have an underbite like it looks here. I think he was singing along to Bruce or something. Yes, we're still all Bruce all the time.)

I linked to the pattern the other day. It's Crazy Aunt Purl's Reversible Halloweenie Beanie. I decided to go with the stockinette side. I'm just not feeling reverse stockinette lately. The only mods I made, besides an inadvertent tighter gauge which is why it's B's beanie and not mine, was of the decreasing. I liked Purl's method, but didn't like the way it looked. So instead I K2tog right before the purl ditch for a few rows and then ssk after the purl ditch for a few rows. The last set was p2tog around.

I loved the yarn. I see many more projects in Cascade 220 in the future. I'm making good progress on my Hallowig. I should have it done tonight, you can see I've done a few rows with the bangs in place. I'm going to embellish it a bit and will post FO pics Monday.

Have a great weekend everybody! I get to spend mine seeing if a second Windows re-install will fix the BSOD we're getting at startup. I wish I knew more about hardware, because I'm pretty sure it's a harware problem. Question is, do we fix the 2 1/2 YO computer or do we just replace the tower?

Impatient knitters knit short socks

I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't just make sock #2 the same length as sock #1. I didn't think I needed to. I thought the messed up heel would impact the way the rest of the sock fit (especially the length). However, I should have assessed more closely than to think that the pic I posted of it on my foot meant that I was ready to start the toe shaping. I'll be ripping and re-knitting this toe soon, although it's kind of neat how the striping lined up at the end there (actually added a new ball during the gusset of sock 2). First, I'm going to cast on for my Hallowig.

B's pumpkin hat is done and drying. Hopefully, he can wear it tomorrow when he and Hubby go pumpkin picking with his class.

I'm sorry Amy Lane's not talking to me anymore. I'll miss her. She really should be giving Hubby the cold shoulder. He went again last night. Bruce is one of the acts we try to catch every time he plays. Hubby's a native Jersey Boy and it's in the state constitution.

I used to hate Springsteen with a passion (mainly for Hungry Heart, which I like now, but I used to be one of those people assuming he was an ass because he was singing about an ass, but I digress). Then Hubby introduced me to his non-top 40 stuff and I agreed to go to a show. Then I was hooked. Now, we've hooked B but good. Poor kid didn't really have a choice. He went to four shows in utero (2003's Rising tour). We've been listening to Magic alot, since the release was so close to the show date and Hubby got him watching the Barcelona show on DVD. Forget Thomas or any other pre-school character. First thing B asks to do is watch Bruce on TV.

why I didn't finish the hat last night

forget blue socks, I need some ORANGE

I just couldn't resist any longer. I don't know if you read Crazy Aunt Purl, but on Friday she posted a pumpkin beanie pattern. I thought about that pattern a lot all weekend. Part of my pondering was wondering if I had anything appropriate in stash, not really. So, yesterday at lunch, after I couldn't resist the siren call of the pumpkin beanie, I went to Purl and bought some yarn and needles (I'm sure I had the appropriate needles at home, but you know when you just HAVE to cast on?). I spent the last 15 minutes of my lunch hour hand winding 220 yards of Cascade Heathers into a luscious orange ball and cast on on the subway home. This is where I've gotten. I wasn't sure if the hat was to be mine or B's, but it seems like it's going to fit the kid better. Tonight, I should have it done. Then I need to find my leftover green worsted for the stem.

For me, I'm going to knit a hallowig with the leftovers. Some of the kids at B's daycare didn't liek my witch hat last year, let's see how they like ORANGE hair!

I thought I'd give you a close-up of my stitch marker. Appropriate, n'est ce pas?

I should be starting the toe shaping tonight. I'll just do a few more rows. So, maybe a finished sock tomorrow? Then, I need to rip my house apart to find my smaller chibi needles. I need a fine point to add the lifeline to sock 1 before I chop it up.

In other news, I made my large chart holder. I painted on Saturday and sewed yesterday. I'm not sure if it's the paint or the magnets, but it's not quite as magnetic as I would like. But, it's working so far. I've got a couple of ideas on how to tweak the design for the chart holder (different materials mostly). I'm about an inch into the pattern on the sweater. I'm very worried I'm not going to have enough yarn. I have 15 balls of the blue (1920 yards) and 5 balls of the white (640 yards), which Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements tells me isn't quite enough to make a 48" sweater at 6 st/inch. We'll see. (And yes, I do want to knit faster to see how it's going to work out, especially since I can't find the fifth ball of white.) Maybe Hubby will like a vest!

I will try to get a pic of the chart holder and the sweater tonight.

It was a nice quiet weekend. We bought B's Halloween costume (Optimus Prime) on Saturday and yesterday B and I had fun buying gifts for Hubby. I hope he likes them. B told Hubby this morning that we'd bought him presents and was going to show him the surprise. I don't know if he's going to hold out until Sunday!

why I need to re-do the heel

So, sock #1 (really beaded rib anklet #3, but that gets confusing) is on th eleft. As you can see I completely mucked up the heel. Sock #2 is on the right, still a couple of inches before the toe.

I might be crazy for wanting to do the sock surgery, but I love the look of these socks. The beaded rib looks so great in this yarn and I was bummed when the first pair didn't fit last year (just a wee bit too narrow). I really want to wear these socks, so I really need them to fit right. Sock #1 just doesn't fit. The heel is turned way too narrowly (if you want to know I decreased at the end of each row but didn't work the stitch after the decrease). I absolutely do not want to knit the whole sock again from the heel. As much as I like the look and want to wear them, beaded rib in the round is just too much purling! (I like purling, it has it's place, but it's not on itty bitty DPNs in the round.)

Poor Hubby had a rough night last night. His baseball team got spanked in their opening playoff game, his hockey team lost 3-1 in their season opener, and our local MLS team also lost. Kind of like this past weekend when 2 out of 3 football teams lost (Jets and Rutgers). Here's hoping the Yanks perform better tonight!

I, on the other hand, had a pretty good night. I didn't knit or craft at all, but James Marsters is on Without a Trace. Only for a few minutes last night, but enough to bring back fond memories of Spike. I love those cheekbones, but I'm not a huge fan of his current hair.

Exciting weekend coming up. Well, not really. Lots of housekeeping. We might take B costume shopping tomorrow. Then Sunday, B and I have to go birthday shopping for Hubby.

no sock pics today

I have the battery and charger with me, but not the camera. I can't take pics of the socks for you. Maybe tomorrow. I still have a few inches to knit before I hit the toe on number 2. Maybe surgery will commence next week, but I still wanted to put pics of the two heels so you could see why I think #2 is superior.

So, instead, a pic of me and B. He gets his complexion from his dad, obviously, but he looks a lot like my dad. We've had a rough couple of days. I had a basically no-show period and haven't levelled back out. He's been super grumpy himself. I was over an hour late for work yesterday because he just wouldn't eat his breakfast, but he also wouldn't get in the car. This morning went much better. What is better than having your kid blow you kisses?

Socktoberfest

For Socktoberfest this year, I'm not planning on new socks. Instead, I'm planning on finishing two pairs for me that have been lingering.

First up, my beaded rib anklets. I spent three commute trips home turning, ripping, and re-turning the heel on the second sock of the second pair of these bad boys. The last time, I'd gotten most of the way through the gusset. I realized that I'd made a complete muck up of the heel when knitting the first sock. This is what happens when you don't double-check that you're re-inventing an ugly heel. So, when I recreated that ugly heel in the second sock and it was even uglier, I decided to make a nice heel for sock 2, which meant I'd have to rip and re-knit sock one. That meant I'd be knitting this same anklet five times (two times for the pair that was too small, two times for the current pair, and a fifth time to fix the really awful heel.)

Ah, not so grasshopper, the knitting goddesses reminded. I had an epiphany. I could cut off the good part of sock #1, rip back the heel, re-knit the heel and gusset and graft the rest of the foot back on. The only problem, how to graft reverse stockinette and garter stitch portions of the stitch pattern. Ta-da. Google it and the answer is yours! I'll share pics when it's time for surgery. For now, I need to finish sock #2 and it's vastly superior heel.

Heel pics should be posted tomorrow, my camera battery mysteriously went from 2 bars to dead. It's allright, though, I might not have any other blog fodder.

The second pair of lingering socks to be finished this month are my Here There Be Dragons socks. I first started these in January in a much too fine yarn. Then I started over in Koigu. Much better. I'm at the point where I need to start the short-row heel. That shouldn't be too hard. I just need to get the directions for the heel Theresa suggests.Then I get to cast on for new socks! I'm thinking Trekking XL in oranges in straight stockinette or a pair of Monkeys like The Harlot's in this post (I immediately bought the same yarn from Etsy and it's been sitting in my house being all beautiful).

Freya done and Papa update

I finished Freya last night. I spent a week on the finishing (she had her bath last Monday night). Not because it was hard, but because I barely touched her over the last week.

Bad Netter.

She was a lovely little knit from Rowan 36. I used the called for yarns (Rowan Plaid and Kid Classic), but not in the called for colors (mine are bramble and peat).

I hope Mom likes her. She should fit (my dress form was sized down to almost it's smallest size which is still bigger than my mom). B had fun helping out this morning and couldn't wait to see the pictures. They didn't hold his interest too long.

So, I'm going to wrap Freya up with a note to not open until 10/26 and get her in the mail, I'll be nearly three weeks early! That's a switch.

My grandfather (also known as Papa) got the results of his CT-scan yesterday. They saw no evidence of cancer outside his colon. So, it seems they caught it very early. No schedule yet for his surgery or other follow-up treatment. The doctor did say that my father and his siblings should be checked early and often (every 5 years), which is what they told my mom and her sibs when her mom was diagnosed. Mom told me I should let my doctor know as well when I have my next physical (hmm, I'll have to think about actually getting one of those). Big sigh of relief from all of us.

Poor B got socked in the nose yesterday afternoon. He wouldn't talk about it to the afternoon teachers, but he did tell me one of the boys hit him. He was very upset about it, but no lasting damage. Hubby did mention it to the director. Not so much to get anyone in trouble but so they can keep an eye out. I'm sure the kid's parents will want to know if he's acting out.

I must brag about my kid. He wrote his name yesterday. He's not reading yet, but he's known how to spell his name for a while (he can spell cat, too). He's been doing alot better with his coloring, making real lines and coming very close to actual shapes. He'd been practicing with E's and decided to write his name. He had a little problem with the Y but the letters were recognizable! I need to find some tools to help him with learning how to read. I think he's a bit ahead of his class (they don't all know all of their letters). Any suggestions?