Too cute

I'm still pregnant, and really sick, so not much computer time these days.

Here's a super cute Katja video to tide you over.

Early Days

The plan, so to speak, is to document this experience in blog-world, especially the early days, because I think this will be hush hush for a few weeks at least. I did another test this morning, and the line was there - ever so faint, but I had hubby look at it, and he saw it too. He thought faint meant 'maybe', and I tried explaining that it did not - then later tonight he said, 'do you really think there is a little person in there?' - I was all, um...yeah actually there definitely is. Dumbass.

MIL made a comment when we were talking about the potential next baby about us having to move out to the country we'll need so much room. I was kind of annoyed, as I always am when I carefully think something through only to have someone kibosh it. Then I joked about it later to hubby - MIL would make a great disaster planner, she's unspeakably good at predicting the Worst Case Scenario.

Moving on - early symptoms

Shortly after conception (within a few days), I started to feel some cervical sensitivity during intercourse.
Within a week I started feeling like Katja was really a lousy nurser - it feels like she is sucking so HARD.
I was super-crabby with hubby, and attributed it to PMS. this was about 8 days post-conception.
I am so unbelievably thirsty.

things I'm doing

Upping my fish oil intake
Forcing hubby to order vitamins so I can start taking multis again, plus folic with B
Lowered caffeine intake - I only had one cup today, I plan to go to 1/2 a cup tomorrow
Making sure I eat fruit/veggies and drop my carb intake (this is so FREAKING HARD when people are providing me with things like warm Tall Grass Bakery cinnamon buns as well as rhubarb apple crisp. Really people. Work with me here.
Upping my exercise levels. I'm not at my ideal weight right now, I'm probably 10 pounds heavier than ideal, which (a) really shows on my 5'1" frame; and (b) is not healthy for baby or for me. The goal is to walk daily for 30 minutes (that fell by the wayside when school holidays started and rainy weather set in for a couple of weeks), and also to do a more intense workout 4 times a week, 3 at minimum.

And I will definitely be taking pics, but not until tomorrow. Ugh, I am not looking forward to my flabby early pregnancy pic.

Eek.

I did a HPT this evening, since AF is a day overdue, and there's the faintest hint of a line.

More news as events warrant. I'm keeping this to myself for a little bit, I think. I kind of like having a little secret.

Some Pretty Big News

We are officially TTC - trying to conceive baby #4. Half of me is thrilled, half of me is seriously wondering if all the drugs I used to do have fried my brain. So I'm not really telling anybody, except blogworld, becuase nobody reads this anyway. And now I feel like I've told someone. Yeah, actually I'm really excited!

Unfortunately, months 1 and I suspect 2 have yielded no results. Part of me is a bit bummed, only because I've conceived first try (or without trying) so this weeks to be taking a while. I'm a bit worried that the complications from Katja's birth or that dysplasia I had a year ago is to blame; or a myriad of other things. I should also eat less carbs, but that's what I eat when I'm worrying about my health, so, that's probably not happening. OK 90% not happening. I'll try. Starting tomorrow, and except for Meredith and Levi's birthdays. And mine and Dan's if necessary. That seems doable.

And...that's about it. Yup, going to (as I read on a blog once) overpopulate this fine world, one beautiful baby at a time.

Great Book!

I just got this book out of the library, and I love it! I love knitting socks, but lots of patterns elude me because I don't know how to do a short row toe or a short row heel, for example - many of the patterns I want to make are written for an experienced sock knitter, and while I consider my knitting abilities quite good, I don't know much beyond the basic sock recipe, cast on, do ribbing, knit leg, flap heel, pick up stitches, knit gussets, decrease for toe, bind off. I can do this in a pattern, too.

Lately I've been wanting to get a bit fancier. So far I've started (and frogged due to a small gauge issue - if the person I was making these for had thicker legs, this would have been perfect. I got all the way to the gusset on the first sock and ripped it out. I realized as well that the two skeins ofI yarn I got, while from the same colourway and dye lot, do not match. One batch is really dull, like the dye didn't take properly. I got the stuff in Chicago at Loopy Yarns, I really wanted to get some Lorna's because I was in their hometown. But I'm pretty unimpressed. The yarn is nice, but not ohmigodineedmoreofthisstuff nice. The squishy sock yarn I got in Minnesota at the Yarnery in Minnesota is more pettable. I'm not linking Yarnery because the sales clerk was really bitchy, I raced in their 30 minutes before closing on Sunday, because we had made a special trip to go to the shop, we actually finished at the museum early so I could go; then we drove around because we got idiotic mapquest (not linking them either, grrr!) directions that required us to go the wrong way down a one way street. So I finally get there, all frazzled. The clerk wanders over after a while and asks halfheartedly if I want help, when I say no she seems relieved. Then I went to check other yarn, and chat with another customer, who on hearing I'm from out of town is super-hospitable and even tries to push some sock reinforcing thread on me.

So then I'm browsing the yarn right by the till and this lady asks when they close, and the clerk says "RIGHT at five" - 'in a don't you dare even think about trying to make a purchase after 5:00' voice. Then one of her friends comes in and she's all friendly and chatting. Then I asked for a winder, and she says "they're right there" (the sign was there but they were obviously sold out). Treated me like I was a total idiot.

So anyway, I'm not going back. I go to too many cities and visit too many excellent yarn shops to put up with that crap. Sorry Yarnery people.

Where are the Environmentalists?

And why aren't they screaming at the media in the wake of historic disasters in the USA, China, and Myanamar.

How is it possible that people are still roaring by me in their Hummers, smoking cigarettes, buying toxic cleaners, and advocating for more, not less, plastic bags?

Click here for a little insight into this.

Irony

Is messing up the coffee because you're under-caffeinated. I think it's time to cut back.

My boy is a rock star.

Check this out. I'm so proud of him, it was mesmerizing to watch his hands, and see the right strumming to the beat and the left zipping over the fingerboard (neck...sorry, violinist...and I use that term in the loosest possible sense...writing this), all while he was singing the lyrics (correctly) to two separate songs, all I could think of is...















"Wow. That's my kid. I made him. Wasn't he just born a little while ago?"

OK I'm waiting for it to upload, so in the meantime, some pics!


Cutie-tiger striped doggie sweater. It's a long story, here it is in a nutshell - The colours are my older daughter's soccer team colours, and




Oh my God. did I mention we have a mouse? Or probably mice? I was sitting here typing away and I swear I saw something out of the corner of my eye. The problem is that I can't stop looking over there, even though I know I'll scream my head off if I actually see something for sure.


OK, deep breath. Back to tiger sweaters. On the soccer team is a little girl who just got a teeny weeny pomeranian/chihuahua mix puppy, and he is so cute. Yes, I'm still glancing at where I think I saw the mouse. Anyway, my precious child volunteered me to knit the dog a sweater. So I cast it on Friday night, and sure enough the dog's 'mom' said she'd heard a rumour I was making this. So then I bragged (because I am such a loser) that I could probably get it done for Monday's game.

So of course I finished the thing tonight. The seaming on the bottom is a bit dodgy, there are only about 4 rows after the leg opening. I think I should probably rip that back and re-do the chest and make it a bit longer. But then I keep thinking, "it's for a dog", and I don't.

Here it is:





















It actually only took about 2 hours of not-particularly-concerted knitting. I did weave in the ends as I went, and you can see as I got to the base of the sweater I started realizing how many ends there were going to be, hence the large black stripe.

I am such a dork

I just programmed my library card number into my blackberry so that I can quickly request items without having to go to my purse and get my card. Breathtaking in its dorkiness, eh?

Gah. It took so long to download pics that I quite literally forgot what they're about. Sheesh. I am completely discouraged on this blogging thing, what a pain in the ass. Oh well, at least there are pics here, I just don't have the hour right now that I need to put it all together. I'll edit soon.

My favourite things

A while ago I posed about mason-dixon knitting and was trying to say that I just can't believe that something this good was there all along and I took almost two years to find it. It's seriously briliant. I've been reading the Yarn Harlot for so long now that I can't remember where I first heard about it. I even read the entire back issues (back blogs? previous blogs? what do you call those?) and it seems this blog was around for over a year before i, a fairly avid (albeit new) knitter found out about it. It seems inconceivable to me. But lately, through a cooperative I'm in, I've learned there are many other coveted WAHM items available. The quality is great, what you receive is handmade, chemical free, preservative free, and reasonably priced.

My goal is to spend 90% of my Christmas budget supporting these moms, or doing something handmade.

Anyway, to do that, you need to know where the best stuff is - here's my list so far:


Here are a couple of other gems:

www.bluehousesoaps.com - they make sumptuous, gorgeous soaps, in delicious fragrances, I'm not kidding it is nirvana. Wow.

Face of the Wave - their wool wash is fantastic - I especially like Dina's Hippie Madness, it's just spicy and sweet unbelievable. I also like their facial cleansing oil, this is a cool new way to wash your face.

Ravelry - I have no idea if you've been living under a rock, but if you have, this is a link you simply must click on. But be ready get heavily addicted.


Butterfly Buggas Don't let the cutesy name fool you, I almost did not order from this WAHM because the name really put me off. But so may people were raving, I decided to put in an order, and I am so glad I did. Her teas are just out of this world, and the melts are SO good, just the right amount of fragrance, and I've used a uarter of one so far with 3 votives, and it's barely used. Such a good value..

I think I'll keep coming back and editing this post with new finds. I love finding this stuff, I hope someone gets me a ton of these goodies for Christmas. If you're reading this blog feel free to let him know at danrroch at hotmail dot com!

Random Photos

I can either do ravelry, or here, or facebook, but I never seem to get all three completed before I completely lose interest and start reading decent blogs instead of working on this piece of crap. Oh well, it's my piece of crap, so I'll keep on publishing these things and you can just check out the fascinating knitting and kid pics.



Ahem. Ok, here we go - my first shawl. Yarn is ahhh crap I can't find the photo on my computer. How about some kid pics! Here is a photo of Katja with her ribbies clippies hair clip in her hair. I am thinking of making some of these myself, they're cute and look quite simple, they're just little hairdresser clips with ribbon glued on, and a bit of foam on the clip to hold it in the hair. LIkely a waste of my time to make them, since Katja refuses to wear them for more than 0.0012 of a second. Her hands go up to her hair at random intervals during the day, even if it's been days since I tried to put one in her hair. I got these on the crunchy cooperative yahoo group that I am a member of. We buy stuff in volume and everyone saves huge money. But they're addictive.
































And here is Katja wearing her squeaky shoes and amber necklace, playing in her Bilibo. All of which I got on crunchy cooperative.

































OK I admit I have a teeny tiny problem. I'll deal with it just as soon as I send paypal for this Blue House Soap order I just placed. My mailman (woman) must hate me.

The Business of Being Born

I missed the movie, but saw the trailer, and it looks powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgLf8hHMgo

I will embed it once I figure out how to do that.

Aha! Click on the CODE TO EMBED IN YOUR BLOG and copy it, then paste it in your blog. Completely moron-proof. Which is not to say I didn't have to google it to figure it out. Moron-proof, not Nicole-proof. When did I become such a techno-dumbass? I used to be on top of this stuff.






Which makes me think it's about time to write that birth story. One of these days. For now, here's what a woman looks like a few seconds after giving birth naturally.














Here's the sweetest thing in the world - Katja's bassinet, all ready with the blanket I knitted for her in it....it's one of the first things I ever made.


















But wait...what's that slip of paper in the bassinet? (Which, incidentally, was in Meredy's room during the birth)

She's not the worst baby in the world.

I was complaining last night about how I can never leave my baby, within an hour my husband is phoning me, saying she needs me. I felt resentful. I was angry at my husband because he couldn't handle her. I was jealous of my friends with their freedom - all of THEIR husbands were at home putting THEIR babies to bed, and I showed up late, and had to leave early, because my baby SUCKS.

Today I was tired, and headachy, and I was trying to vacuum and baby was whining becuase she hates the vacuum. I was pissed off because I hate it that I can't vacuum because she cries, and I hate it that I have a messy house and I never get to stay out for more than an hour and I need to work more and it's not happening because now she's having 45 minute naps. And she was whining and I got mad and I picked her up and sat her down on the couch, not gently, and left her there while I finished the vacuuming. Then my husband came up and picked her up, surprising me, and I felt really ashamed because I wasn't being nice to her.

Tonight just before bed I read my favourite blog. I don't usually have these epiphanies when I read knitting blogs, but Stephanie really makes me think.




She was talking about children, and how they're people too, and how those people need their mummies, some more than others. And as I read it, I realized, it's not ME. I'm not putting up with this baby because I'm a sucker and I can't figure out how to make her sleep better without me. And she won't settle for Dan, not because he's not trying hard enough, but because she's stubborn and wilful and knows what she needs. It's not just what she wants, it's what she needs, and thank goodness she's persistent enough to remind us where our priorities should be right now.

My baby is fine. She's perfect. She just needs her mommy. A lot. More than most kids, definitely. And that's just the way she is right now. And what am I going to accomplish by trying to break her from that? I'll probably traumatize her. You should see how excited she gets when I come home after walking to the store 15 minutes away. She squeals, she jumps up and down, oh my God it's unbelievable, why would I want to detach from that? It's priceless, it's pure joy.











So no, I don't need to work those extra hours, I need to cut back on my spending so I don't have to work those hours. I don't need to go out to girls' night, I can host it here. I don't need to get mad at Dan when he can't get her back to sleep, I need to love him for trying so hard and help him figure this daddy thing out.

I'm going to log off, and go upstairs, and cuddle my baby in my bed and stop thinking about what everybody else thinks. She's perfect.



BTW - The photos in this post are about a month old, by the way, when we went to Chicago. I'll put some new photos up as soon as I can find the #$!#^% USB cable. And that stands for a word that starts with mother and ends with ucking. But this is a G-rated blog (more or less - the party last night was a passion party...oh my...)

I'm making a shawl!

And one of these nights when I have a couple of hours to spare I'll upload the photos and a link to the pattern. And I'll look up the pattern and tell you what it is. I do have the ball band here, it's Pastimes Space Oddity, a hand-dyed laceweight I scored while in Chicago. Did I post about Chicago? Awesome trip, totally fun. Ill post pics when....well, you know.

Anyway, the shawn was started in the van on the way to Notre Dame to see DH's family (his 86 year old grandmother is quite possibly the most amazing person - I know everyone says that but she truly is - she is a dynamo, so witty and quick...I think actually a bit wittier than her kids at times ;-)) - anyway, I started it, went to row 33, and realized I was short a stitch. Of course I was too arrogant to use a lifeline, so I had to frog back to the 22nd row, with a bit of fudging the numbers (adding a YO) to make it fit. So it's a little bit arsed up in the beginning but I'm confident that it will work out in blocking. Of course, I should frog the entire thing and start over, it's only 35 rows, but I truly don't think the recipient will even notice it, and my knitting time limited, and precious - I love completing things, and I love knitting them...the first time. I hate HATEEEE frogging, it really upsets me, so I'm pretty okay with living with my mistakes.

I also finished a baby shrug for K from Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, it's so soft I want to do things that would be pretty inappropriate for a G-rated blog with it. She, of course, refuses to wear it. I might give it to her cousin, it's a wee bit big anyway, maybe she'll wear a pink one. And I want to start a fair isle for her as well (another Debbie Bliss - actually a combination of two of her patterns). And she'll probably refuse to wear it too.

And I now have inventory for sale, I'm debating whether to use Etsy or Cloth Diaper Supplies...we'll see what the financial aspect tells me - I have four soakers for sale plus a pair of size small longies, and I'm about to cast on some NB longies in organic wool for a friend. And socks for Dan. I abandoned Ice Queen (it sucked in the Malabrigo and now it's spring, though I did score some kidsilk haze in Chicago too) and Jonna (stupid yarn was too stiff it looks like crap).

Back to my sock.

why the f(*Y am I doing this again???

I was feeling pretty discouraged about being a lawyer, I really do not feel I am getting better every day at what I do, and I feel like I'm just stalled, if not going backward, in terms of proficieincy at research and cross-examination. I feel like I'm capable and competent, but I don't feel clever anymore - I don't feel like the little superstar I once was, and I don't like feeling...average, I guess. I don't know if it's being a sole practitioner, or a mom working only part time, or what..I just don't like that feeling that I'm not engaged in my profession. Part of me is looking forward and thinking the next baby is at least 9 months away and how much longer am I going to work like this and keep my career on hold? It's not much fun, I'm in this limbo where I can't focus only on the home and our family and taking care of everybody (which I love love love doing), and knitting and being useful is those ways...because I have to damned job that worry about constantly.

And when I'm working, I feel like family is holding me back from achieving my career potential, and I'm a feminist who shouldn't want to sell knitted things, and take care of her family, and quit her job for a few years.

I really needed to just sit down and do a few hours of work tonight, because as I slog through the backlog of emails and make sure I've taken care of everything I need to, and written down all my hearing dates, and added postage to my postage meter and filed my RST return and...

then I thought, I should really blog this...there has got to be someone else out there, maybe they've lurked on the blog and never commented...but there has got to be someone out there, who really, really loves her career and her children and who wants to be an earth mother but maybe a superstar too. I think I need to find my tribe...to find people who really relate. Not the stay at home moms who wean their babies anyway and let them cry it out because they're too clingy. Not the people for whom work is everything and who don't mind working 60 hour weeks. People like me, who are caught firmly in the middle, who still wake up a few times a night to nurse a toddler becuase they are just so sweet, who try not to spend money impulsively so as to minimize how much they have to work, who case on projects while reading blogs and avoiding work, who still get a rush from their job when they get the opportunity to really, really focus on it. I would love to hear from people in a similar situation.

And now I'm going back to doing my research on resulting trusts which, I do believe, is coming out very nicely in my favour, which made me realize that the other lawyer, despite being very senior to me and a man, does not know what the hell he is talking about on this particular issue, and is afraid of looking like an ass to his client, and who is attempting to try and bully me into a settlement which, quite frankly, might be inappropraite.

Game on. At least until the baby wakes up.

P.S. I was going to upload photos from Chicago, which was really great and exciting and fun and is probably another factor in why I feel so drawn to that lifestyle right now - we spent every moment together, Katja, without my being distracted by email, phone, and stress. And by the end of the weekend I felt so much more tuned in to her, and I don't want to lose that, it's so precious. But I can't find the bloody camera.

P.P.S. Sigh. I guess things are back to normal.

Flin Flon

I love Flin Flon. It's one of those one-industry towns, in northern Manitoba, about 770 km from Winnipeg. I've been there several times for work, and want very much to bring the kids up camping this winter.

Anyway, it was such a cool trip - so much to tell, but it's 11 p.m. and I have work to do - but the highlights:

Katja was an angel on the plane. Here we are on the way there:









Here is my swanky hotel room - you too can stay here for a mere $120/night












The fabulous office facility (Katja was sleeping in the main room; I had so much work to do in the evenings, I was terrified of waking her)














And the complimentary upgrade to my office chair

I almost called this post...

...'Late Night Musings', then I realized NOBODY will ever read this blog if I right BS like tat. I have a bad ego, I take myself wayy to seriously.

Just counted up the projects - I have 5....6....8 projects on the needles right now. Oops, that's a bit much. What's going on...check my page at to see where stuff is that, I'm slackermom.

Speaking of my beloved website, I decided I'm i love with knitting socks (go figure, everyone else was NOT wrong....it was me...doubting the magic that is sock knitting. The joy of turning a heel, of 'figuring out' the pattern, how a sock works..it's fascinating. I'm so excited to knit a few more pairs so I can master basic sock design (I'm thinking of getting Stephanie's book so I can start with her basic sock recipe.

So - I have one sock on the needles, with my first pair complete, not horrible, and sadly, ripped back and shortened to 8.5" to accommodate the recipient's freakishly small feet. Sorry Lu...but it's true. If you're reading this blog one day and ask yourself if thats you I'm talking about. Yes. It is. Teeny feet.

The rest of the projects - new sock, soaker #4, intarsia longies (Meredith saw these in progress, and said "who made that?"- I said I designed them and knit them, and she said, "that's sooooo coool" - I'm thrilled Meredith is thinking I'm cool. Having a kid in junior high is tough on the ego, it's nice to have the small ones to worship you for a while. I also have grey longies to sell, a garter blankie in Paton's fuzzy bulky stuff but since I read that acrylic isn't sleep-safe and is actually kind of scary vis-a-vis wee sleeping babies, I'm thinking of chucking it and stocking up on wool when I'm in chicago next week. I've also got slippers for Meredith (frogged due to sizing issues....meaning I totally arsed it up), a jonna for me (gauge issues - way too tight), Ice Queen (stalled, I hate the yarn with this project, am struggling to admit defeat). I think that's it.

I want to make some mittens, and knee socks, and a cardigan or cute pullover for me. I want to make a poncho for Meredith, a hat for a friend, socks for Dan, and Meredy's curtains. Plus maybe some lace curtains for the bedroom and a shawl for Phyllis. i must write a post on her, she touched me so much she deserves her own post.

Yawn. Katja will be getting up soon, I'd best be off. She has a wee cold, and is struggling to sleep - I raised the mattress in the crib and the humidifier is on, but she's stuffy and crabby and....ugh.

By tomorrow night I want the soaker done for sure, and at least the waistband on the grey longies. Minimum, the soaker is coming with me all day because it's so mindless. Hope to get to the gusset on the longies - that would be sweet, legs Saturday and finishing and cuffs Sunday. And another soaker.


Totally doable.

I know nothing about knitting

You know, here I was, cruising along, I'm on Ravelry, I have a bit of a blog (not much to speak of), I've got two sets of socks going, one on two circs, one on bamboo DPN's, I've got to rip the first set back so I can modify the pattern to fit a friend's foot a bit better...in short, I am a Knitter. Not making garter stitch scarves, nope not me. In fact, I am now making a blanket that is my Own Pattern. And I think it is going to be quite lovely. I'm not even minding the miles of garter stitch, it's very satisfying.


I went to the library today (Max had ANOTHER day off school....I'm positive I didn't have this kind of time at home with my mom when I was 12) to pick up a few books on patterns, get some ideas for the edging of this blanket, and for the stash that is, if I do say so myself, getting quite nicely stocked, thank you. I even have sock yarn. And laceweight. Even thick/thin and tweed.


Then I got to the knitting aisle (with my baby in her handknit pants and hat (really need to photograph this one) and pored over a few books. I opened, then quickly shut, a latvian knitting book...the charts...omg...two colours...I was momentarily stunned at my incompetence. I've done a bit of intarsia, but frankly it looked like ass - ok it was not that horrible but it was a pain in the ass, that's for sure - I didn't really enjoy it. I felt so bad and incompetent and my stash seemed so inadequate.


Then, to make matter worse, I found the Mason Dixon knitting book. How is it possible that I am a Knitter, I read the Yarn Harlot religiously (I'm even reading the archives and have one of her books, and I read Stitch 'n' Bitch and Domiknitrx. I had heard of Mason Dixon knitting when I saw a few patterns on Ravelry. But Mason Dixon sounded weird, like it would be old fashioned - I don't know, Mason Dixon seems like a historical reference for me, and I don't like it, likely because I don't know the significance. I'm kind of wondering, 'why didn't they tell me? why didn't I know how great this is?'

Anyway, needless to say, I had no idea it was so cool, fascinating, funny, and useful. And that I just found it on the shelf, I didn't have to put it on hold or anything. Check it out

These things amuse me. And I need amusing, I've got to leave Monday for Flin Flon 3 day hearing, which screws up my schedule with the big kids, and really disappointed both of them. I hate disappointing them, but this case is a great opportunity. And here I am blogging about it instead of working on it, or the other 10 really pressing matters on my desk. Ok I feel guitly now. Back to work. I'm on the midnight shift since Katja is so busy during the day that pretty much nothing gets done.

Katja has been so goofy lately, as she grows up her sense of humour really comes out. She just does the funniest things, hopefully the photos gave you an idea as to what our days are like.

The telephone in the closeup is my office line.

The nanny starts next Friday.

brutal

The stupid internets are running slow tonight. I find this blogging thing rather tedious as it is, what with the uploading of photos, etc. I'm always glad I blogged, but when I'm busy I avoid it.

So - I made myself some great warm wool house socks, because I can't find my other slipper. The beautiful shearling slippers that were purchased on the day of Katja's birth, about 14 hours before she was born, whilst I was in hard labour. The slippers I yelled at Dan to come and rescue when my water broke. I love those slippers.

And one is missing. It seriously pisses me off.

So I'm making these warm socks, I take pics, and I'm bragging to everyone on Ravelry how fast I made them. That was about a week ago. I'm wearing them now, as a matter of fact. Except my feet are cold. There are massive holes in the soles of both. I guess this wasn't the right yarn fo the job.

So I made max some socks out of patons and a stash wool, he loves them. They are so warm he takes them off because his feet are too hot. Dan wants some. I finish the first sock for Dan, and Max comes to me asking for a bigger pair, but felted. So now I am going to have two pairs of mens' 8 socks, but only one man to wear them. So I guess I'll be wearing big socks this winter. And now Meredy wants a pair. and I found a nice pattern for another warm sock.

I never really 'got' socks and why people were obsessed with them. But now I get it. They're pretty fast. They're beautiful, they're impressive, and the needles are so little. Love 'em.

I am making two socks. One thick, with a lovely combination of patons and a sturdy grey wool from the stash. One is with a self-patterning sock yarn from Rams. I'm just swatching now. Or rather I WAS swatching, now I'm blogging and my swatch is lying in a heap on teh floor, hopelessly tangled up with my second slipper for Dan. Craptacular. I'm walking away from the situation.