A Sock!

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I finished up the first of the worksocks I'm making for Third Son. I don't know why these are so not fun to make, (other than being HUGE) but I shall persevere. His birthday is the 19th and I want to get them to him on time, so I need to finish them up this week.

CrazyAuntPurl talks about stuff:

The other concept I got a handle on, finally, is that I AM NOT MY STUFF. I am not a better person if I wear designer labels. I am not a kinder, smarter or even happier woman if I have the most expensive handbag. I am not sexier or more successful if I drive a nice car or own my own home or get my nails done or have an ipod. I am not my stuff. I enjoy my ipod -- believe me it is a saving grace on the bus -- but I am not lesser of a human being for buying a refurbished one or not buying one at all. I am not my stuff. My worth as a human being is not contingent on driving a fancy vehicle -- and thank God, since my Jeep qualifies for extinction, I think.

Yes I love pretty things, and I like shoes and I love to shop at the grocery store and buy the stinky yummy expensive cheese. But all of it is just stuff. It took a while for me to disassociate who I am from what I have, and sometimes it was painful. I had given all these little things -- things with no value -- so much sentimental value that I had a house full of clutter and my life was cramped and confusing and uncomfortable. Because of stuff! Stuff I'd bought to make me feel better in a lonely and sad marriage, stuff I'd bought just because it was on sale, or because I thought it made me look better, or I thought maybe this one thing is what I need to make me happy once and for all. Can you imagine when I finally started getting rid of even the smallest bits of clutter how much my emotional load lightened? Being free of objects that had all these old ideas and memories and hopes wrapped up in them was like letting go of a false self.

Schaefer Yarns has new colorways, Sock the Vote, to honor the women involved in the 2008 elections. I have to agree with their view of Sarah Palin! Plain Jane Brown. :snort: Sorry, she just doesn't impress me as the brightest bulb in the chandelier! At around $26 a skein, I'm not gonna be buying any of them, but if I did, Michelle would have my vote!

Look at this darling little boy in the very cute hat!

FO

I joined a Knit-A-Long (KAL) to get next years' gifts done in an organized manner. The rules state that a current list of five projects is published and then regular updates on how it's going. I made my list yesterday morning and have already finished one project. I wanted to take at least one gift with me when I go to visit my son in March. So I made some fulled kitchen stuff...hot pads, and a cover for a skillet handle. The round hot pad and handle cover are crocheted. That's why I was able to finish it so quickly. I want to get some blue dye for them, though. Their kitchen is in blues and I just don't think the pink and purple makes it!

One of the nice things about making my gift list up now is it's fun looking through all the pattern sources for ideas of what to make. I do enjoy looking at other people's finished projects and seeing the changes they've made to the patterns, what it looks like in other than the recommended yarns, colors, etc.


I was able to work on the Jolly Roger for awhile last night while watching The Karate Kid and Hook with my granddaughters. It's moving along quite nicely. I'm sure my grandson will be tickled with it!