It's 5am and once more Lucy is awake staring at the ceiling trying to make sense of the mess that is her life. She knows each individual crack and bump having had the opportunity to study the ceiling in great depth despite only living in the place for five months
Five months, 3 days and 17 hours to be exact. She sighs and feels the tears begin to prick her eyes. When she wonders will it get any easier, when will she not yearn for his arms to be around her, when will she not long to see his smile, hear his laugh and feel part of a couple.
She knows the answer, of course she does. She's not stupid and if there had been any hope of him being the man she wanted him to be she would still be there. But still her heart hurts.
She tries not to think about how foolish she was, how naively she believed his lies, but she cannot help still loving him and that makes it so difficult to move forward. She wants to. She wants to be anywhere but in this pit of despiar which feels as though it wants to suck every ounce of happiness from her body, an emotion vampire.

NO! NO! NO!

OMG can it really be December in just a day or two? How can that be, I'm not ready I tell you. I'll never be ready in time. Perhaps it could be postponed until February or maybe March. Perhaps the rest of the world could be frozen ( not literally) in time while I carry on merrily until I have finished both jumpers for Eldest daughter;

And managed a new Elijah for Youngest Daughter.

Pretty Please.

Perhaps this is what I need?

Universal success

Sometimes I am a victim of my own success. I try things and it's as though whatever energy I put into it is generated tenfold. Most people would have a modicum of success me, I have an overload.
Confused, well that's understandable.
Let me attempt to explain.
I am a certain age and I know what I want.
Easy so far.
So I start with a list to clarify and make sure that I really do know what I want.
The list is the top 100 things I'm looking for in a man, because while I know I don't need a man to keep me, or to make me whole, I know that I would like one. A bit like I wanted a Tonkinese cat; I think it will be nice to have one around sometimes. I was right with the Tonk, I'm sure I'll be right with the man, so long as I choose wisely.
On my list are qualities such as kindness, honesty, openness and loyalty. Also things like intelligent and gregarious, as well as playful and protective. I have qualities like generous and passionate, considerate and caring as well as communicative and willing to commit.
All good things and things I know I like and admire. I also put down a few things that I know I need in a man. I know I need someone tactile and warm.
So far so good. I write this list on a piece of bright yellow paper and put it in my purse.
I believe in this list and within days it works. It works better than I could have ever imagined.
This is where it gets complicated. I get 6 dates. Six invites to dinner, or coffee, or a walk. I accepted all six; after all at this point there is no way of knowing which ones would be frogs and which one might be the prince.
And so begins an exhausting week. A week of juggling emails and txts and of needing more organising that a CEO.
Destinations and assignations, baby-sitters and locations all had to be considered and arranged.

One was a so awestruck he could say nothing but, "you're Gorgeous" I might be (well I like me) but really hearing it every other sentence for two hours, even my vanity got bored and went home.
One was still in love with his ex wife of twenty years. Bless he looked so sad.
One was a perfect gentleman but older than his years.
One had already let me down and once I'm hurt I'm best left alone.
Which left two.
Two possible princes.
Two choices.
One hard decision.

happiness is nice, but it's temporary.
joy is something different altogether.
JOY
is a constant.

It's not dependent on circumstances
or people
but rather on a heart issue.

happiness is external;

joy is internal.

joy can be tucked deep in the heart,
even in difficult circumstances.

-Karol Ladd
The Power of a Positive Woman

Dream Job

So my time in the military is drawing to an end, and while I will be sad to leave and say goodbye to what amounts to my "family" I know there will be new adventures ahead for me.
In preparation for this new adventure I decided to spend some time focussing on what might be my ideal job.
I know these things:
1. It must pay enough for me to keep a roof over us.
2. It must be close enough for me to not spend more than twenty minutes travelling
3. It must be between the hours of 0900 and 1500 (3pm)
4. It must be dealing with people, or where I get to talk a lot. I can't do silences.
5. It must be in one place, so not a lot of travelling or being away from home.
6. It must be creative.
7. It must be fun
So that should help the universe supply the right job shouldn't it?

Signs your cat's upset with you

Just recently I've not been at home for the weekend. It's been a bit crazy and sad and so I've been staying with a friend to be soothed and distracted. This means leaving my beautiful Tonk, Peri, home alone. He's got plenty of warm beds to sleep on, an endless supply of food and of course his own entrance and exit. The first weekend he was a wee bit miffed and complained long and loud. Haven't not quite made his point he decided it was time to up the stakes. This weekend I arrived home to find not one, not two, not three but four different balls of yarn artistically tangled over every available inch of lounge. Not only where they so intrinsically mixed together they were also wet and chewed. Worse, he chewed yarn that a friend bought so I could knit her a jumper. Peri didn't miaow once this weekend. He just sat giving me that look that says, leave me again at your peril!

I'm so excited

I did it....somehow I have survived the dreadful, terrible, awful yarn diet. I don't know how I did it, it was tough, temptation was every where, on the net, in the street. So many places to avoid and yet here I am at the end. I feel good. My stash is considerably lighter. Over 8 kgs of wool was knitted from stash. When I actually convert that into balls of wool even I'm staggered that I should have accumulated so much. Of course my first thought is to go out and celebrate by going slightly crazy in a yarn shop but then that would defeat the purpose of the diet and leave me seriously crippled financially. So instead I'm going to bask in my strong self will and determination knowing that I can buy now if I want to. I just don't want to....until pay day!

Some solace

Winter solstice, darker days,
stormy skies and dreary greys
cloud the mind, stifle the soul.
Wind blows cold and colds run wild
wrapped in seasonal chill.
Stitches of warmth a solace of sorts


Shall I be excited or horrified. My daughter is a jumper thief. Oh the shame of it. I thought I had brought her up to have high values and morals, to know right from wrong. Somewhere along the way I failed. I'm not sure where. Maybe it was not taking long enough to transfer my skills and love of knitting to her more than able fingers, maybe it was a lack of woolly things when younger. Maybe it's being too quick to knit and therefore I have built unrealistic expectations. I do blame myself for her behaviour.
I knitted her a jumper, a beautiful red jumper with scooped neckline and delicate lace and cable pattern, three quarter length sleeves and the right size for her. It was a surprise. A surprise that almost left me a broken woman when she asked in that way only teenagers can, conveying both derision and scorn concurrently "is that for me?' before I could answer, she, again with that condescension only teenagers can quite manage, answered her own question "can't be for me, you wouldn't knit me that colour, I don't wear red, and you don't know my size.' Oh ye of little faith. Plus she was wearing red.
I love my daughter which is why she didn't end up with a needle through her side, or anywhere else. I did a Mona Lisa and smiled enigmatically. When she had trundled off to do teenagery things of which for my sanity I'd rather not know about, I put the offending article in a safe place, only slightly soggy and salty.
I then cast on in blue for the other daughter.
Two jumpers finished. The red for the oldest, blue for the middle. Red given to eldest who is far too young for amnesia but appeared to have no recollection of previous scorn and immediately threw the jumper on and hasn't removed it since.
Then with super sleuth radar she spied the blue. In vain I explained it was not for her, it was a size smaller, it wouldn't fit her, but she was not to be deterred and the jumper slid over her head like a waterfall down a mountain side. It was a perfect fit and off the jumper went with her. So she has two and the middle has none. I think I might be in woolly trouble here.
Also she took off so fast there was no time to photograph the evidence. Perhaps I could deny knitting them.

Return from AWOL or in wool

It's been a while I know and words turn slowly as I settle back into this way of writing. I wonder whether wit can dry up and if so what would we use to moisten it once again. Would wine be a fine lubricant, a warm Merlot to loosen the mind and let language flow,or maybe a Chai Latte would be more refined, spicier and more cultured inspiring thoughts and words of distant places, but then again nothing seems to me to be more refreshing than a well brewed cuppa. Nothing in my mind beats tea.
I had the great delight in being treated to a very fine cup of tea the other weekend. We went for a drive and found some old fashioned tea rooms. I choose the high tea, complete with triangle sandwiches with no crusts and of course scones with jam and cream.
Deliciousness on a plate and on the palate. My beverage of choice was tea, but this was a tea of truly heavenly taste sensation. Named Girly Grey it embodied all that is perfect with Earl Grey and Lady Grey with just a hint of juvenile cheekiness. There was lavender under tones that quite took me to another level altogether.
This in itself was wonderful enough but the tea rooms also had for sale the cutest pink teapots, and I was lucky indeed to have one purchased for me to allow my further enjoyment at home. Sometimes the littlest things make the biggest impact. It was a happy happy day.



Of course it's not all about tea there has been plenty of knitting going on. Babies appear to be the order of the season, must be something to do with the weather, and so a few wee bits have winged their way off the needles at a rapid rate.



This is just one of the mini items, made from crofter yarn and using a Sirdar bamboo pattern it's adorable.

More knitting news soon, and I am seriously counting down the days to August when this yarn diet will at last be over. Never again will I do this to myself. It's been the worst kind of torture ever and despite having knitted a whopping 4kg of yarn I'm being to feel like going crazy and buying tonnes and tonnes just because I've been good for so long, so that kind of defeats the purpose. Staying strong for another four weeks though. I can do it.

Guilty

Today is a great day. He was found guilty of all seven charges and we are at last free.

Victory

As stated in the dictionary, Victory is:

1. a success or triumph over an enemy in battle or war.
2. an engagement ending in such triumph:
3. the ultimate and decisive superiority in any battle or contest:
4. a success or superior position achieved against any opponent, opposition, difficulty, etc.: a moral victory.

Synonyms
Victory, conquest, triumph refer to a successful outcome of a struggle. Victory suggests the decisive defeat of an opponent in a contest of any kind: victory in battle; a football victory. Conquest implies the taking over of control by the victor, and the obedience of the conquered: a war of conquest; the conquest of Peru. Triumph implies a particularly outstanding victory: the triumph of a righteous cause; the triumph of justice.

All of the above apply right now as My daughter and I prepare to be victorious over someone who did their very best to bring us low. It has been a time of trial and we are so glad to be nearing the end and to see him defeated at last and for good. We pray for justice and know we shall see it done.

And they lived happily ever after

It was a beautiful wedding. The couple looked at ease and in love, with each other, as it should be. I wish Kate and Wills a very long and happy life together. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the wedding, every single moment. Sometimes things just seem right.

I think I've got it bad.

The knitting bug I mean. You may all be shaking your heads wondering how on earth I'd missed such a revelation when you all knew it from the start, and I did know I was a wee bit obsessed ok a lot obsessed with knitting and yarny things. However whilst watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives, my other not so secret vice I couldn't help exclaiming rather loudly and much to the disgust of the cat who was quite comfortable if you don't mind, and to the detriment of CP who almost had a heart attack that Paul's wife was knitting beside him in hospital. Woohoo. Who says knitting isn't modern and trendy. Ha in your eye critics. Sorry. Of course there was knitting in Desperate Housewives before but I missed that series due to military training. I know because I googled it. That's when I slowly realised how bad I had it, because I couldn't stop there. I had to discover more. Which I did. Monica knits in Friends, there's knitting in Wallace and Gromit, The Gilmore Girls The Virgin Suicides, The films Meek's Cutoff, Breakfast at Tiffanys and Audrey Hepburn in an old film called Quality Street.



I think it's great to see knitting out there in the public domain. I also heard that Katherine Heigl was going to make the film the Knitting Circle.

Happy Easter

Just to wish everyone a very happy Easter. Enjoy the chocolate and other treats and be safe where ever you are.

Rugged Jumper

Finished.
One Rugged Jumper.
For CNG (Cute Neighbour Guy)or more correctly CP (Cute Partner).
Wool, Paton's Wilderness although the pattern called for Rowan cocoon.
Pattern from Simply Knitting UK knitting magazine.
I love this jumper, I wasn't sure when I began but when you're asked to knit 'a rugged jumper' and you just happen to turn up a pattern saying it's a rugged jumper what can a knitter do but cast on. Even if it looks a wee bit odd. Of course I had to find a substitute mainly because I like both my arms and legs and didn't want to have to part with them to pay for Rowan's Cocoon; which though delightful at $20.99 a ball is too much.
So I hunted and researched and found Wilderness by Paton's which is similar enough to do a good job, brilliant job in fact.
It's knitted on big needles and just looks and feels like the snuggliest thing on the planet unless you knit it during the hottest part of the summer. Which I did. which is why I'm glad it's finished. Next project please!!

New Opportunities

I am again at a crossroads in my life, but this one is a good one. The chances are that I am going to be surplus to the Navy in a few months due to defence cuts. That's fine, I always knew it wasn't going to be a forever thing. The crossroads is really about what to do next. I have the opportunity to buy a wool shop and we all know how much I love wool and knitting. I don't know if I can actually raise all of the finance needed but I know I can make this work. I can see the future, Internet sales, classes, knitwear fashion shows in the local school, spreadsheets to predict trends. So do I bust a gut to raise the money or do I tread the middle path and stay with something safer.

Happy Mother's day

M-O-T-H-E-R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

- Howard Johnson.

A very happy day to very special people. NZ gets to celebrate this day next month.

Principles of knitting

1. Yarn. Lots and lots and lots of yarn. Not just wool, but bamboo, cotton, soya.

2. Storage for number 1. Clean dry and moth proof. Also child proof and invisible to non knitters who cannot possible understand the need to have so much surplus yarn.

3. Courage to frog if necessary and to try new things.

4. Patience to know that every thing can be undone and that even mistakes teach us something about ourselves or our knitting. Throwing knitting while momentarily satisfying is bound to result in tears.

5. Time awareness. Always remember that time goes twice as fast as soon as you set a deadline so if possible avoid saying when you'll be finished with a project. or knit twice as fast. Giving up eating and sleeping could buy you some extra hours but may have other side effects.

6. Acceptance. If you don't want to spend time swatching then accept that at least some of the time you're going to end up with a garment the wrong size or shape. If you can love the process and accept the result all good.

7. Have fun. Sometimes we forget that we love knitting, especially when the pattern's wrong and we rip it out three times.

8. Gift your knitting to those who will love it. Anyone who is likely to boil your garment might be better off with a good book. One that tells them how to care for woollen garments.

9. Let go of your knitting. Once you have gifted your knitting to someone worthy you are no longer in control of what happens to it. Even if they boil it. See 8 and learn.

10. Be proud of your skill and the result. Wear garments with pride and knit in public because it's not illegal or anti-social. Unless you use your knitting needles to stab the next person who comments 'OH you're knitting" inthe same tone of voice that implies they've just trodden in something unmentionalbe. See 4.

I have been finishing off a few pieces as well as casting on for several new items. What's new there? I think my seasonal clear out, or rather move about of clothing items always unearths one or two items that inspires me to search through my not inconsiderable mountain of stash to recover that vital yarn I just had to have for a so pressing project that somehow didn't seem so pressing once home again.
It was as I was sorting through summer and winter clothes that I noticed I had quite a collection of neutral trousers and skirts, from stone to beige and a variety in between, and my mind began to see sweaters and cardigans that would so complement these existing items. In fact I spent quite some time merrily distracted from sorting looking through patterns.
My first thought was to grab my purse and head out to the local yarn store looking for even more yarn but something niggled away in the back of my mind and I began a full on rummage. I found this.




Well no actually I didn't find that because I had only done the back, and technically I found the yarn first and had put it away again because I knew there wasn't enough for an entire sweater or top. Then several happy hunting hours later I found the back. Then I had to remember where I'd just seen the yarn and then where oh where was the pattern. Luckily for me I did remember the pattern and the magazine it was in. The magazine the pattern was from was bought in 2009 and I am fairly sure I cast on soon after buying the magazine but then lost interest. I have to say there's nothing like an almost done item to make you want to get knitting.



I am very happy with the way it turned out despite me knitting the back and the front on totally different sized needles. It means the front is much tighter and more defined but you can't tell unless you stare at the back and the front simultaneously and there aren't many people capable of that feat so I'm happy.
It was made from soya yarn and has a really delicate drape.

Then I finally got round to putting buttons on my crofter shawl collared waistcoat. I love the striped effect created by crofter and am very happy that even without trying I managed to get the colours to match up on the two side pieces. It's a great fit and I know it will be worn often this autumn and winter, not just because lilacs and purples are my favourite colours but because it looks so smart on.



There are many other pieces on the needles, a baby blanket in white for a work colleague, another two beanies, a skirt, a dress, a rugged jumper for cute neighbour guy who is of course so much more than a neighbour now, a jumper for one of the girls and the last bit of a sock. I only have to turn the heel and then I'll be on the home straight, but it doesn't match any of my clothes so the motivation isn't quite there.
All of this is to be knitted out of stash. My knitting group and I are on a self imposed yarn diet. We have to shed at least 10kg from our stash before buying anymore yarn. We are determined to make a considerable dent in what will still amount to SABLE (Yarn Harlot)Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. We're doing this selfless act out of consideration for those who will be the executors of our wool wills. We don't want them to die of shock at having the equivalent of two life sentences of knitting passed onto them.
Like all diets it sucks.

Sunrise

Just wanted to share a little piece of beauty amidst the chaos happening in the world. This was the view I was privileged enough to see when I had to get up early to escort the French Ship into port. I was stood on the steps on base looking across to the ferry terminal and was quite upllifted by the sight.

Tassels

Knitting does of course help, it allows thoughts to be thought and for the pain to be processed. It is soothing and my therapy. The nights and mornings are getting a little cooler though not yet cold and soon the winter will be upon us. Many in Christchurch are still without power and I thought perhaps a simple gesture would be the way to show my depth of feeling for these people I call my own.
It takes four hours and about 110 metres of yarn to whip up a beanie. That seems very little in the grand scheme of things but it is something and so I have begun a beanie binge.
I will knit as many of these as I can over the next few weeks and send them to Christchurch were they will hopefully keep someone warm and remind them people do care.

Plain version


Tasseled version

Oh what fun

Find out more here

Earthquake update

Watching the news makes me feel so helpless. The devastation suffered by Christchurch continues to unfold before our eyes and each passing moment reveals the true horror being faced by people just like me. It seems so hard to carry on our normal everyday lives, it seems somehow wrong to take up a piece of knitting when others are so desperately trying to pick up the pieces of their lives, to reknit the fabric of their being. How can I even contemplate making rows upon rows of stitches when my fellow countrymen are without even the basics.
It will take years for the city too recover and it will never quite be the same again, the people will be changed forever by the experience.
For the rest of the country we can only watch and pray, doing what little we can to ease their pain knowing that it is not enough, that nothing could ever actually be enough.

NZ update

It's been a crazy time here in NZ as we come to terms with the horrific news of another devasting earthquake in Christchurch. I am lucky enough to be far away from the trauma and upset but nonethless have been involved in the military response to the incident. I know many of you will have been concerned and I am touched by the level of care out there. I am fine as is all of my family. I am truly blessed and can only pray for those who are still waiting to hear news of their loved ones.

Happy Birthday to them

Happy 21st to my son and Happy 10th to my youngest. Both Valentines Day babies. One now a man and the other still my sweet angel.

Not what I expected

I wonder whether it is wise to experiment without some idea of the end result. I wanted to knit the boyfriend sweater shown in the above picture, but I had to use different yarn which I thought wouldn't make that much difference.
The finished piece was supposed to be a roomy slouchy sweater, one just perfect for casual encounters, walking the dog and such like.



It's from this book which is one of my all time favourites for the young women in my life. I've knitted the dress in this before as you might all recall. My biggest woe is that I can never find the same yarns over here in NZ and I would love to get my knitty mitts on some Elle Stretch or even some Bamboozle.




The piece I ended up with is much more fitted. It might not be quite what I was expecting but I have say I am very pleased with the end result. It looks modern and trendy, with just the hint of shape and flair.

So I used an organic cotton, natural with just the hint of a green nub running through it. I took the needles down a size and used 6mm instead of 6.5mm. What I really love about this sweater was that it was knitted entirely in the round. There was no sewing up. No seriously apart from weaving in the ends that was it, once I cast off the whole piece was done. I have never before picked up the sleeves at the shoulders and knitted them in the round but I am so pleased with the result I might do it that way all the time.
Even the shoulders were joined using the three needle bind off. What more could a girl ask for.
If you're new to knitting and want to step up from a small project to a bigger one this is the project to pick. It's simple and fast to knitt, hardly any shaping and no sewing up. Oh I already mentioned that didn't I? Well it's exciting.
I was going to give it away to my step daughter and then I wanted to keep it for myself I loved it that much. I did give it to her and it looks stunning on her slim figure. I guess I'll just have to make another one.

Hope everyone had a great weekend wishing you a fab week at work or home.

Socks

Soft as silk,
like the sand on a beach
grains sieving in golden droplets
through velvety hands
made for summer fun and laughter
the colour of the ocean at play



Here are the finished Jandal Socks. They look quirky and in an odd way very trendy. They are incredibly soft and comfy to wear. I am surprised at how they turned out, perhaps a bit more length in the foot would have been better but overall I think they work. They are just right for the cooler mornings and evenings of late summer, early autumn as they give just the right amount of warmth.



If you remember the Yeti sock of an earlier post you will see I have made a few adjustments. I cast on 50 stitches instead of the 60 first time round and that made a big difference. Also these socks have cured me of second sock syndrome as knitting a second sock to complete a pair is a much better option than having to frog a second sock and then knit a third.

Details, I used Sorrento by Wendy. It has 133 metres per 50g ball, so I only used one ball to make the jandal socks. It is a mix of 62% viscose and 38%
cotton. Tension is 32 rows to 24 sts and needle recommendation is 3.75 mm.
I used 3.5mm DPN preffering the four needle method to magic loop, which incidentally I love for sleeves. The pattern was from the book below.



I will definitely be knitting another pair of these nifty foot adornments, well they're not really socks are they?

The ABC of me

I found this while having a happy wander around the various blogs out there and thought I'd do my own. Enjoy.

The ABC of Me!

A - Age: I'm 41 but act 16
B - Bed Size: Kingsize
C - Chore you hate: Ironing
D - Dogs Name: Mouse, Toby, Jazz
E - Essential Start of the Day item: Coffee with two spoonfuls of condensed milk
F - Favourite Colour: purple
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5ft 4inches
I - Instruments you play: None
J - Job: Naval Officer
K - Kids: 1 boy 21 3 girls 19, 17, 9 and 1 step daughter 12
L - Living Arrangements: We're going to build an extension
M - Music You Love: Easy Listening, Vanessa Mae Michael Buble
N - Nicknames: Midget
O - Overnight Hospital Stay: Fourth child spent 10 weeks in hospital
P - Pet Peeve: Last minute change of plans
Q - Quote from a Movie:
R - Right handed or Left: Left
S - Siblings: 6 brothers 5 sisters
T - Time you wake up: 6.30 am
U - Underwear: Silky and Lacy. White for work
V - Vegetables you dislike: Kale cabbage
W - Workout Style: when I really have to or someone else asks me
X - X-Rays You've had: chest
Y - Yummy Food you make: Cheese and bacon muffins
Z - The best place to Visit - France (for the Shoes)

Abominable socks

No seriously these socks must surely be intended for some behemoth of a beast such as the abominable snowman or yeti. They are huge, they are beyond huge they are hideously big. I followed the pattern exactly, no heading off down a path of I think I know better than the designer. I cast on 60 stitches as required and off we went. Some part of my brain kept trying to insist that these looked a tad large, or it may have been the comments from those watching me as they looked askance at the completed rounds and raised their voices slightly at the end of the sentence, "They're for Who?" Clearly a little concerned for my sanity or judgement or possible both. I mean secretly knitting for a creature that doesn't exist probably does constitute madness in some textbook somewhere.



Of course being an experienced knitter, and oh so knowledgeable in ways of woolly things I dispensed with the swatch or tension square. I didn't trouble myself with such a thing as gauge. Oh how the knitting Gods are laughing at me now.
You see the book used sock weight wool and 2.75 needles. I used Sirdar Sorrento which is a DK cotton and acrylic blend. As for needle size, well I'm pretty sure they were bigger than 2.75, but not as big as 4mm. Sorrento knits to 21 stitches per 10 cms and the yarn the pattern used knits to 16 stitches.



I think I see the problem. Wrong yarn tension and too large a needle size, meaning what should have fitted an average woman is now wholly suitable for your average monster foot. So the solution is either knit another one and post them off hoping the Yeti is suitably appreciative of my time and efforts or cast on using less stitches for the second sock, see if that solves the problem, and then knit a third sock the same as the second sock. Alternatively I could just bury them in the WIP pile for a millennium or two.

Be thankful I spared you a front on view or you would have had to deal with a hideous foot as well as a hideously mis-sized sock.

Socks and things

I have been busy. I have been blessed with some time off and I used it wisely to take the girls out and about and to do some knitting and reading. The reading you pretty much know about but the knitting has been quite different. I completed a pair of green anklet socks for youngest daughter. I thought I might be finished at this point but it would appear that every one in our House has developed a sock fetish and no-one is to be left out of the loop. All it would seem must be knitted a pair of socks.
New Year new challenges, I can meet this demand surely, I am a woman of some talent and knowledge, I know I can over come the dreadful second sock syndrome which I do suffer severely from, surely with two pairs under my belt it can be done. I feel vaguely confident.
I agree, rather too rapidly perhaps, that yes, everyone shall have socks! I hunt for patterns and needles and yarn. That was the fun part. I was almost lost for days in the raptures of rediscovering my stash. I re-arranged and stroked and deliberated over choices until I thought I had it all decided. I even emptied a suitcase in the process so now I have space for more yarn! Oh happy days indeed.
I emerged triumphant all ready to cast on. I showed the next recipient my choice of sock and watched her face plummet. She wanted the same sock as the other two girls. The same sock!! My face followed a similar descent to hers. Not TWO more of the same sock. What was this, Ground Hog day?



But I am a nice person and so I cast on for another sock
The pattern is Dolce
I used Sirdar Fair Isle for these which a very soft Acrylic mix. I like how they look even if I know the pattern off by heart at this stage.
To save my sanity from disappearing any further than it already has I also cast on for a nifty pair of Flip Flop socks. Yes you did read correctly, Flip Flop socks. Or Jandal socks if you're a kiwi, or thong socks if you're from Oz.

TTPT

Thanks to Some of a kind for this post.

I have managed to read a fair bit over the past few weeks, mainly due to it being summer and long lazy days on the beach.

I've read Ape House by Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants. I have to say it didn't seem as deep as her first book but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Sam, Bonzi, Lola and Makena are not ordinary monkeys. They are capable of reason and of carrying on deep relationships, they also know American Sign Language. When an explosion destroys their lab and frees the apes to an unknown location there begins a hunt to save them from a money making mogul who plans to make a reality TV programme with them.
There are times when the plot feels heavy and a little contrived but mostly it's an enjoyable read.

The other book I've read this month was a Christmas present from my son, Distant Hours by Kate Morton. It starts with a letter lost for over fifty years and takes us on a Gothic mystery tale as Edie tries to unravel the past and uncover the secrets that haunt all who have lived at Milderhurst Castle. The book is well written with some imaginative prose and deeply descriptive sections. The characters feel vibrant and well rounded and the book hooks you through the multiple layers of mystery and secrecy to the end.

Happy New Year