mamacate

Unblogged Socks

This is how bad it is:  I finally got around to getting the camera and the computer in the same place and after looking for oh, a few days, the USB cord too.  And the first picture on there?  The kids with Santa.

When I said out to lunch, I'm not kidding.

Also, friends in the computer, thanks for being worried about me, but don't worry.  The ongoing parenting challenges, are, well, ongoing, but really, I'm okay.  My job is just giving me fits and I'm exhausted at the end of the day and blogging and going to the gym are both getting the shaft.  I'm still here, just not organized enough to take pictures of knitting, or, for that matter, knit anything really worth photographing.

Which is a perfect segue into my next topic: The Various Ways I Have Made Things By Going Around and Around in a Circle.

I give you Socks, Unblogged.

Melenweit Boots Stretch, finished.

Socks that Rock Mediumweight in the Fred Flinstone colorway, finished.

<Apparently Fred is shy.  How did I manage not to photograph these?  They're done.  Really, I swear.>

Austermann Step, also known as Socks With Pox, or Measley Socks, because it has these inexplicable random dots all over.  But they're comfy and wash up wonderfully.  Think Opal with aloe and jojoba.  Yum.  Oh yeah, also finished.

<Again shy.  What is this?  Pictures soon, as soon as I do laundry.>

Trekking 105 (?) in progress.

Socks that Rock Lightweight in the Rocktober colorway (a gift from Ms.-soon-to-be-Dr. Med Student).

All these need is a little kitchenering and an afterthought heel.  I'm all about the afterthought heels with the STR.  When you're hanging on to hand-dyed yarn striping by a thread (so to speak), my philosophy is "don't mess."   Also, I just like the idea of picking up stitches, and as EZ advises, proceeding to make another toe.  Too clever.

Finally, I've decided to make another red sweater, if Elizabeth is not going to do my bidding.  This is a scoopneck pullover thrown together with Sweater Wizard software.  It's time to start worrying about armholes so it's taking a break (plus, it takes a great deal of energy to connect a camera to the computer, seriously).  I will get back to it, though, as I'm still optimistic.  And by the way, the yarn, on closeout at Webs?  People: yum.

Armholes (set in sleeves, of course) soon.  For now, it's being closely supervised*.

*I think this may be the cat's first appearance on the blog, despite being my housemate for the last fifteen years.  This either means I'm a bad knitblogger, a bad cat-person, or both.  Oops.

OTL

OTL: Out to Lunch.  That's pretty much where I've been.  I've been wanting to blog to explain it, but I'm not sure I totally understand it myself.  Sure, life is sheer madness, but that's nothing new.  My job just keeps getting more overwhelming.  I'm keeping my head above water, and things will be fine in the long run, but this first year has been intense. 

That doesn't explain why I don't run home and blog.  I suppose the two kids at two different schools and inadequate child care coverage does, but after dinner Rhys puts the kids to bed and I light a fire and watch TV and do the crossword.  I do low-cognitive-demand knitting.  Sometimes I fold laundry.  I clean the kitchen despite my strong desire to sit on my ass.  After that, the ass-sitting force is pretty much irresistable (hey, some force has got to be strong with me). 

The computer is right there, less accessible than before but hardly difficult to get my hands on.  I look at my knitting and think about photographing it for the blog, think about telling you about it, but friends, I'm bored just thinking about that, so I can scarcely imagine how bored you'd be.  Plus, don't tell, but I don't really feel like there's much chance of me finishing anything but socks, so why blog about it like there's going to be a sweater at the end?  Hmm?

Sigh.

I almost never spin anymore, which is really sad.  Must do something about that.  Really.  First order of business would be to get my wheel back from Marcy, whose fault it really isn't that she still has it--I've been impossible to schedule with.  At this point she probably has two of them.  I even own another wheel that's living with Sara, making her alarmingly productive, that I've never even seen.  Perhaps my mojo will return when the wheels do.  I'm not holding my breath, though.

Henry has finally started school.  He LOVES it.  Their god(dess)parents came over last weekend and Henry sat down to bring them up to date: "I have to tell you something.  I lost my old school, but now I have a new school and it's called Washington Street* and I LOVE it" (*not its real name).  It's all true.   He has friends, he loves his teachers, he's proud of himself, and though things at home are still often hard, he's doing great.

So while work feels out of control and knitting feels insurmountable and it's that February time and life feels harder than it should, things are good.

And someday I'll photograph some knitting.  I'm just not making any promises anymore.

For Molly

Molly Ivins died yesterday.  I heard it first from Mel.

I think the New York Times, despite being No Fun, did a good job with her obit.

The last column she wrote gave us clear marching orders to "stand up against the surge."

I don't know about you, but I'm in the habit of listening to Molly.  I'm damn well not going to stop now.

If you're in the US, why don't you join me?  She'd want us to keep raising hell, you know.

Goodbye, Molly.  And thank you.