Rainy days and new toys

It's been raining . . . for . . . like . . . 3 weeks. Blech.
We've done so many couch forts, they've lost their shine.

 

In fact, they're so dull now that the kids have to find stuff to poke and bother on the bookshelves instead. Poor children!

 

But we DO have a new way to pass the time. Mr. Wonderful did a sweet, sweet thing, and bought me an amazing new camera. I used to shoot an SLR back in the day. I haven't shot an SLR in about 7 years. I'm amazed at just how much I've forgotten about aperture, exposure, ISO . . . it's just . . . buh. But the kids are giving me lots of practice. 

 

 

We've been doing an awful lot of baking around here lately. This is Boober and his pilfered cookie face. Isn't he a happy boy?? Yup, that chocolate chip cookie jumped the cooling rack and he was on it faster than I expected. By the time I finished with the cookie sheet, he had eaten half the cookie. Little stinker!

Sibling love! Sweet Pea is still so in love with her baby brother. Every time I try to loan him out to someone else she throws down and insists that we HAVE to keep him!! Big Cuddly HUG!!

 

 

This one cracks me up -- look how effective child locks can be when you neglect to do them up. And the little bugger is just so pleased with himself! Look mom! I found a new toy cupboard!

Converted?

See, it's the same old problem . . . I loved knitting these socks. Absolutely I did . . . but they feel gnarly on my feet. :: Sad Face::

 

Just . . . too loose. Maybe a smaller needle? I had to use a 2.75mm on these. Sadly, my LYS is just out of 2.5mm needles, with a delay on their expected shipment. I thought a 2.75mm was the way to go, but . . . no. Maybe it's the lace? I don't know.

 

They look amazing. I'll likely still end up wearing them . . but . . meh.

 

I still plan on knitting another pair of socks - ribbed ones this time. I have some really beautiful locally produced yarn queued up. Looking forward to getting that all worked up. For now, I need to work on Making Friends and pulling together holiday orders.

Did I drink the kool-aid? I did, didn't I?

There I was, loudly denying my conversion at knit night when it hit me . . .
I have one pair of hand-knit socks. One pair that I made myself, and even though they're slightly too small, I still wear them the second they're dry. When I was looking for new shoes recently, I looked for shoes that would display my socks, not hide them. I've queued 4 or 5 sock patterns. I've wound 3 balls of sock yarn into cakes . . . and the final nail in the coffin -- I bought more sock needles.
I'm a sock knitter now, aren't I? Doomed to second sock syndrome, mass amounts of fingering weight yarns, and constant WIPs.

It's not like I've never knit socks.
I made my mom a pair years ago.

I made myself a pair that I couldn't even get on my feet (cast on was too tight).

And then only doll socks and baby socks for roughly 3 years.

 But one day I was complaining about my uncomfortable store-bought socks when my good friend Jen suggested I give hand-knit another shot. And the seed was planted. I thought about it. And I thought about it.
And I decided to give it a shot . . . after I found an absolutely lovely sock yarn that just called my name.

 

So I made myself 'Jeck' . . . and at first I didn't like them much. I mean, they looked great, but it takes some getting used to.

Hand-knit socks feel odd around the ankle. And my cast-on was still a little snug, so it takes some work to actually get them on. But I'm a mom with 2 little wee kids, and that particular day once I had my socks on, I didn't have an opportunity to take them off again. And I learned that hand-knit socks are actually pretty decent. I mean, sure they cost more than bagged socks from the store. And yeah, washing them is less convenient and more work than other socks. But I like them.

So I picked out some patterns, and wound some skeins of yarn into cakes, and had a 3 day hunt for sock needles, ending with the purchase of new needles. And then I cast on for another pair of socks. This time it's a different pattern. I've already finished the leg, turned the heel, and finished the gussets. I'm 3 pattern repeats and a toe away from finished the first one!

I've been so crazy with Making Friends that it's nice to take some time to do something for me.  

Of moose and men

We're heading in to Moose Season, so to commemorate let me share my latest project.

Mr. Wonderful called it a Tanned Camel Sack (as in testes) and I laughed so hard, I nearly peed on the couch. Then I added eyes and nostrils, and it started to look more like something.  

One set of antlers later and it was really taking shape.

And then I finished it up! Here we have it, the confused moose. He's supposed to have birds in his antlers, but to be honest, I can't be bothered.

Going to the park: An exercise in WTFery.

This morning I took the kids to the park. It's a nice walk, followed by some great play time, followed by an uphill trudge back home.
Today, we were the only ones there. For a while.

Exhibit 1: Old people are fucking WEIRD.
A car pulls up. Parks - not in a parking spot, but across several parking spots. Whatever. There's no one else here, right? A gentleman in his late mid-life gets out of the car, and begins unloading the trunk. 2 lawn chairs. Some blankets. A sun umbrella. A pillow?
An older woman gets out of the car. Her hair looks just like every other older woman's hair. Seriously - why does every woman of a certain age have the same damned hair cut?? She is wearing a jacket that can only be described as an afront to fashion. She is wearing electric blue splash pants.
The couple makes their way across the park. The go around several trees, and finally set up UNDER one of them. Why is this weird? Because they then settle into their chair and lounger, wrap themselves in blankets, and just sit. And sit. And sit. Dudes, it was warm enough in the sun that I wished for a hair elastic. Old people, if you are cold, move forward 3 feet and sit in the freakin' sun!!

Exhibit 2: Other people's children are fucking WEIRD.
Sweet Pea was collecting pretty rocks. We found her a lovely sparkly one in the gravel under the jungle gym.
Another family arrives to play at the park. Sweet Pea accidentally knocks down her sparkly rock into the gravel, never to be seen again. A great gnashing of teeth commences. A little boy offers to help her find it. Aw, so sweet! They look for a while. No luck. The boy starts talking to me. Yes, the baby is mine. Yes, we're here to play today. No, we haven't had our lunch yet. Yes, those things on the bench are ours. Yes, they are. Excuse me, that bag is mine. WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIFLING THROUGH MY BAG? No, it's not appropriate to go through other people's things. I don't care that you weren't going to take anything - IT'S NOT YOURS. Believe it or not, you should never go through someone else's things.
And his mom? Didn't bat an eye. Didn't say a word. Didn't reprimand or berate or even shake her head.