Monday morning ketchup

My internet was down all day yesterday. Seems the booster burned out. However, the cable guy appeared at dinner time, replaced it, and all is working perfectly again.

So, I watched movies yesterday. HP and Transformers. And knitted. I finished up the toe on second foot print, opened up and began the leg. These are going to be so totally warm! Two strands of sock yarn except the toes and heels which is sport weight sock yarn. And lots of fun to make...just doin' whatever come to mind!

Youngest of the two returning grandsons came over to play yesterday. They had a great time playing with friends outside while I knitted. The boys start school today at a public elementary school near their home. Next year the two of them and my eldest granddaughter will move to another campus of the Montessori school. They will be one grade apart, so see each other daily but not too much of each other. Perfect scenario. Youngest granddaughter has one more year of special ed for her speech delay and then we'll see.

Other good news in the family. Son and DIL called the other night to tell me they are coming home for Christmas! It'll be the first time in years all my kids and grandkids have been in the same place. I am so very excited! It was going to be another surprise for me...them just showing up and knocking at the door. But fortunately, the cat got let out the bag so we can prepare for the visit. One surprise of returning kids "out of nowhere" is enough for a year.

However, my year of selfish knitting is a bit embarrassing now. Choosing to just knit what I wanted to and not making sure the gifts got done had put me in a position of panic. Perhaps everyone will get a coupon to make a wish with for some knitted item.... We'll see. Money is short everywhere so I'm sure all will understand. I was asked to make a hat for TN grandson, and I've picked an Earflap Hat for him using the generator. Hmmm wouldn't these be nice for everyone to open first thing Christmas morning?

I had lost a bunch of my medication due to an unfortunate lack of judgment, but managed to convince the VA pharmacy it was really important to authorize an early refill of the scrip. They did and my meds arrived Saturday. Whew! Now I'm back on track and have learned yet one more valuable lesson. Funny how we keep learning no matter how many years have passed.

Time to get ready for my day. Off to coffee this morning with my knitting pals, life is just too good!

Bits and Pieces

Despite the hanging on of this cold, laryngitis, and cotton brain, I'm feeling very good today. I look forward to a quite weekend with my granddaughters while their mom, unfortunately, is working from 9 am to 9 pm both days. I'll use my energy this morning to get the house picked up, do laundry and figure out a crockpot dinner (I bought split peas yesterday!) and then relax and knit the rest of the day. Hoping my knitting buddy will swing by for ice tea today, but she doesn't drive and it all depends on her hubby's plans for the day. Dozed and knit yesterday. I'm making a pair of Dobby Socks for myself. Using up this and that balls of sock yarn. This pair is a stash buster as I'm using sport weight sock yarn or two strands of regular sock yarn. They will be nice and toasty for my morning walks once the temperature goes down a bit more. Dobby Socks are fun. When the knitting gets boring, it's time to change colors, throw in a bit of texture or a stitch pattern. I've been using a variation of Cat Bordhi's Houdini socks and info she shares in Personal Footprints. However, instead of starting at the toe, these are started at the heel.

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Dark Chocolate: Findings showed “chocolate therapy” lowered high hormone levels. So experts suggest stressed out workers would benefit long-term from daily consumption of chocolate. They recommend 40 grams a day. A whole candy bar, nice! Researchers believe flavanols in chocolate, which help prevent artery inflammation, are also responsible for the reduction in mental stress. --everydiet That would be five of the Hershey miniatures at 230 calories. That is just about a half a meal's worth of my calories. YMMV. Maybe after I loose another 20-30 lbs and am on "maintenance" I can afford that many calories. Right now, eating that would raise my stress levels!

Overeating and Dieting linked to Drug Addiction In my experience it's reversible, too. Once one gets "addicted" to healthy eating, the desire for junk foods and empty calories disappears. Of course having a "death sentence" of diabetes hanging over one's head like the sword of Damocles helps!

Abracadabra! Alacazam!

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Well, they are definitely not identical socks! Another pair of Dobby Socks. These, of course, were much easier because I used two different skeins of self striping yarn.

Details: Houdini Socks by Cat Bordhi
Yarn: Red Heart Heart & Sole: Tequila Sunrise and Razzle Dazzle
Needles: US#3, 32 inch ciruclar
CO 52 sts for a child's medium size

I CO two projects last night a Mystery Knitting Project and a pair of Dobby Socks for Youngest Granddaughter. These won't be Dobby Socks--just regular cuff down socks with lots of color and not matching!
Contest for a great sign!

Another contest, this one at Fiberholic. Go check it out, enter and please let her know I sent you!

A thief that knows what's good. How sad is this?

Check out Robyn's blog for this hilarious picture of her baby!

Thanks, Grace, for the belly laugh!

"Socks are Dobby's favorite clothes, Sir! "

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Aren't they cute? They are really easy to make.
Details:
Pattern: Houdini Socks by Cat Bordhi
Yarn: Left over sock yarns
Needles: US2, 32 inch circular
Size: Child's Medium
CO: Aug 16 BO: Aug 18
Ravelry
And I immediately CO another pair. These will refrain from having any pink in them so I can send them on to my 2nd GS in Hawaii whose father has very conservative taste. I'm hoping because they'll be Dobby Socks he'll let him wear them, even though 95% of the weird colors will be in the shoe! This is left over Heart & Sole, Tequila Sunrise.

Oldest Granddaughter's first day of 2nd grade went very well. She likes her teacher, has only one new friend in her classroom, and lost only one from last year. So she knows everyone and can slide comfortably into the academics. She has early dismissal today and tomorrow and then starts full days on Thursday.

Youngest Granddaughter and I had a nice morning, making Oatmeal Raisin cookies. After we picked up her sister, we went to Mickey D's to celebrate the first day of school, and then to the library to stock up on at home reading material.

Two more weeks till we leave for Disneyland. "Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?" I found three CDs on line last night, purchasing two of them, that the grands used to listen to when they were younger and riding in the car with me. Mickey's Silly Songs and Mickey's Children's Favorites. Hope they get here before we leave so we can thoroughly saturate ourselves with them on our 7-8 hour drive! We also have a portable DVD player for the kidlings to occupy some of the time, will have stacks of books and coloring materials, too. I'm scouting for an audio book appropriate for the entire family. We've all listened to HP books many times, so I'd like to find something new....

If you'd like to knit a scarf and need someone to give it to that will really appreciate it....

It's Magic!

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This is the Houdini sock with the leg sts picked up and ready to be transferred to the circular needle. As I only have size 2 needles, and like to pick up live sts with the smallest size needles I have (US0), once these are picked up they need to be transferred to the circular to knit the leg. The two ends are the row that is cut and picked out to create the opening.
And here is the finished sock. I used EZ's Sewn Bind Off. It's a nice stretch BO that allows lots of room to put the sock on.

And here is the second sock. Leg stitches have been picked up and a few rounds knit. In this sock, I put in an afterthought strand (knit the sts to be picked up later onto waste yarn, slide them back on the left needle, and then knit with the "real" yarn.) It was much easier to pick out and I think will work just as well. The "corner" (meeting of heel, foot and leg) is a little harder to keep the hole from appearing, but other than that doesn't seem to make any difference.
Today is Oldest Granddaughter's first day of second grade. She's been so excited for the last several days and was very disappointed to find today is only a half day. It's going to take us all a while to get into the schedule of school days again. I'm going to be adamant this year that her clothes are picked out and lunch made the night before. I hate the rushing around in the morning.

Question of the Day: If one has S.E.X* at more than one store in one day, is one promiscuous?


*Stash Enhancement eXperience

Dobby's Houdini Socks

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This is a closed piece of knitting. Soon it will be the foot of a sock. I have to admit, this is an interesting way to make a sock. I'm making these to fit one of the grands... just to try out the concept. This is the Houdini Sock by Cat Bordhi.

The Ocean Waves are finished! Didn't take long to finish off the toe decreases while listening to my book du jour, Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs.
Kathleen's finished her "Dobby Socks"! Aren't they gorgeous?
Bones to Ashes: A Novel by Kathy Reichs

rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another good Tempe Brennan book. Tempe helps Ryan and another detective, Hippo, solve cold cases concerning young girls who have disappeared and bodies of young girls who have no names.

Tempe remembers a childhood friend who disappeared when she was about the same age as these girls. Harry, Tempe's kid sister flies in from Texas to help--and even is a bit of a help this time

The book follows the familiar Kathy Reich's formula. Even though Tempe has been hit on the head in every story because she's wandering off alone where she shouldn't be, she still keeps doing it and still keeps getting bonked on the head. Book smart, but common sense, not so much.

She's still a good, likeable character.

View all my reviews.

Another Pair Finished

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The second pair of Dobby Socks are done!
Pattern: Basic Child's Pattern
Needles: US2 Addis
Yarn: This n' that sock yarn
Modifications: Increase CO to 60 sts
Size: to fit my GS who wears a 4.5 size shoe (crossing fingers)


Went out to see if I could find some of the New Red Heart, Heart & Sole sock yarn. I did. It's around $5 a skein, two skeins needed for adult sized sock. Feels like most sock yarn, am hoping it will soften up after washing. Also picked up two more US2 circular needles for socks. Susan Bates and Prym. The Susan Bates have a softer cord, so will probably be easier to use. Heated and straightened the cords.

Knittin' Along

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I finished up the first Dobby Sock II. I frogged back to two rows of purple, added the rest of the purple and then the toes. The measure to the correct shoe size, and am hoping they measure to the correct foot size, too! The first pair I made for my 7 year old GD was 52 sts on #US 2 needles. These are 60 sts on #US 2s and will hopefully fit my almost ten year old GS. Various left over sockyarns.

Second sock had already been CO and I'm past the gusset decreases. Ready to add a new color of yarn.

Aren't these cool Dobby Socks? They are yarnbee's Noro Socks.
Soonerbeknitting has mice in the house! Are these little catnip toys not the cutest?
So, dr. laura is having a sock knitting contest for the Olympics. Check it out. I may just do it!

Froggy

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Well.... I worked all day on another Dobby Sock for Oldest GS's birthday on Sept 1. I was ready to graft the toe when something kept telling me to stop. Good thing I did. It's waaaaaay too short. Found out his shoe size, and using this chart, it's just waaaay too short. So, I'll frog the toe and add some more length. Second sock has already been CO, so these should go quickly.

I decided I'd like to try the Cascade Fixation as sock yarn. It's a cotton and elastic blend and people say it's great for socks. I'm thinking it'll be good for my Hawaii family members. I've proposed a swap with someone on Ravelry and we'll see how it goes.

Found another interent toy: Flipped type.
˙sǝoƃ ʇı ʍoɥ ǝǝs ll,ǝʍ puɐ ʎɹlǝʌɐɹ uo ǝuoǝɯos ɥʇıʍ dɐʍs ɐ pǝsodoɹd ǝʌ,ı ˙sɹǝqɯǝɯ ʎlıɯɐɟ ııɐʍɐɥ ʎɯ ɹoɟ pooƃ ǝq ll,ʇı ƃuıʞuıɥʇ ɯ,ı ˙sʞɔos ɹoɟ ʇɐǝɹƃ s,ʇı ʎɐs ǝldoǝd puɐ puǝlq ɔıʇsɐlǝ puɐ uoʇʇoɔ ɐ s,ʇı ˙uɹɐʎ ʞɔos sɐ uoıʇɐxıɟ ǝpɐɔsɐɔ ǝɥʇ ʎɹʇ oʇ ǝʞıl p,ı pǝpıɔǝp ı

I have no idea what good it is, but, hey it's there.

Yummy!

Master has given Dobby a sock!

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The socks are done! Even Dobby would be proud of them!

Pattern: Basic Child's Pattern
Needles: US2 Addi
Yarn: Various and a sundry sock yarns
CO July 24, BO July 26

Dobby Socks II for Oldest GS have been CO. These will be a bit more conservative on the tops as we are afraid his father won't let him wear them otherwise.

I had the whole day to myself yesterday. Youngest Daughter took the GDs and went to a friend's house for a Girls Night Out on Friday. She spent the night and didn't get home until after 8:00 pm last night. 24 hours of relative peace and quiet. Except for the thunder that kept making my 60 lb dog think she was a lap dog. I caught up on TV shows, finished listening to HP & Deadly Hallows, and knit! It was grand.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

rating: 3 of 5 stars
A good story. However, I think, for marketing purposes, they've split up one novel in to many in order to sell more books. The ending of this book is more like the end of a chapter than the end of the book.

I'll look for the next one, Among the Impostors just to see if it's worth it.

Luke is a Third Child in a country that only allows two children to a family. He is kept on the farm in hiding, sometimes spending as long as six months without going outside. One day, in the housing development that destroyed his woods, he sees another child peering from a window in what should be an empty house.

View all my reviews.

Dobby!

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I finished up the first of my Dobby socks and have CO and am a good ways along on the second. Being a smaller sock, they are moving along quickly.

So, I'm thinking I'd like to make these for all my grands for birthdays and Christmas this year. All but one of them has a birthday between now and Christmas... And they and all of their parents are Harry Potter Fans. Don't think I have enough left over sock yarns, though. If y'all have some small balls of left over sock yarn you'd like to get rid of, let me know. I'd be happy to pay postage and such. And most of my yarn are girly colors and most of my grands are boys.

The sock blockers I'm using are home made from foam place mats I picked up at Salvation Army. They really work well. Dry socks kinda bend them as you can see in the one on the right, but washed socks slip right over and look great! I cut holes in them to facilitate drying. Can't beat it for $.69 Craft foam would work, too if that's easier to obtain.

People have, on some of the groups, been talking about how many socks they've knitted. I decided to scan back through blogs and Ravelry to see how many I'd made. To the best of my relatively accurate record keeping since February, 2007, I've knit 43 pair of socks. Seventy-some-year-old Judy Sumner in Knoxville is knitting socks for her new book, Knitting New Socks, has knit 58 pair since April. I stand in awe!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of my favorite series. I am in no place to even say it's a good literary accomplishment. I got so involved with the story and characters of the whole series I still, on the third reading find it hard to do more than sit spellbound while listening to the book.

The first of the books, HP & the Sorcerer's Stone, was written as juvenile fiction, at about an 11 year old level. Interesting, as the main characters were 11 years old. Each volume has grown to match the age of the characters. This book, volume seven, is definitely an adult book, but still readable and understandable for a younger reader.

The story told through the seven volumes is timeless, the struggle between good and evil.

As I said when I reviewed the last book, HP & the Half-Blood Prince my complete condolences to anyone who has not taken the time to read and enjoy these masterpieces. J.K. Rowling is a master storyteller.

Susinok received her grandmother's spinning wheel, along with some of it's history. What a lucky lady!

Contest! How do you make the world more beautiful? Carol Hummel cozied up to this tree!
This is Lynda just home from vacation. This is us in September!And I'm glad of it!

My blog is worth $0.00.

How much is your blog worth?

Samhain Sunset Socks

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The socks are finished! I'm really pleased with them. They fit beautifully, and will look totally cool this fall and winter with my Crocs!

Details:
Pattern: Lavaflow Socks by Sock Bug
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino, African Grey
CO: July 20, BO July 24
Modifications: Changed CO to 66, standard heel

I decided to go ahead to CO the First Day of Second Grade socks for Oldest GD. Looking all the little balls of yarn I had left over, I thought I'd make Dobby Socks for her. For those of you not familiar with the intricate details of the Harry Potter series, Dobby is a house elf. Dobby was particularly fond of socks and has begun using his earnings to buy yarn and knit them himself. After HP tricks Dobby's master into freeing him from his servitude he knits Harry a pair of mismatched socks: Dobby now gives Harry the socks, one red, with broomsticks, the other green with Snitches, that he has knitted for him... For many HP fans, mismatched socks are synonymous with Dobby Socks.

Check out the Socks for Seeley. For the uninitiated, a group of us on Ravelry decided to make socks for David Boreanaz's character, Seeley Booth on the TV show Bones. He and his character are well know for "wild" socks. Here's the socks we knit which should be winging their way to him even as I type. (Mine are the red and white striped ones on the right side.) If you're a fan of the show, keep an eye on Seeley's socks! You might see one of our pair.

We rearranged the kitchen in anticipation of our new stove and refrigerator. The new fridge won't fit in the space the old one sat it, being too tall. So we moved the small freezer where the fridge was and the fridge across the room to the corner where the freezer was. This required the table and the trunk o' yarn to change places. The room looks yards bigger, airier...just nicer all the way around.

The weather continues to be hot and muggy.

Here's a neat contest over at Knitting a Giraffe! Hurry, though!