SockTart

Given the choice between pretty flowers, and having to dodge bees to get into my house…I guess the answer is that the flowers have to go.

Spring of 2006, I stupidly planted some Hollyhocks in the side garden near the only door to the house.  In my defense, I didn’t realize that they grow to such a prodigious height, or that they bloom quite so…uh…much.  You see, they didn’t grow a lot last year, so I was totally unprepared for them to shoot for the sky this year.

And with them came the bees.  After they were planted last year, we realized that there’s a small hive under our porch cap.  We haven’t figured out how to get rid of them yet (will need Dad’s help with this, as it’s a job he’s done before in the old Arnprior house). But yeah.  It was bad enough when the plants were growing up around the mailbox (I have an ongoing feud with the mailman, lazy arse bugger), but they bent in front of the door during a windstorm recently.

So…yeah.  Once it got cool and dark out, I got our edging trimmers, and did a trim back of the hollyhocks right next to the door.  I feel sad, because they were damned beautiful flowers…but I’m more than a little terrified of bees.  And as I just stated, given a choice between bees and flowers, I’ll get rid of one to minimize risk of the other.

RIP Hollyhocks.  Next year, we’ll keep you in the back yard.  Should be a lot safer in the back garden than in the side.

Today I start my new shift hours.  They asked me to come in for a 7am start as of this week, instead of my usual 9am to 5:30pm shift.  On the whole, I don’t mind this.  It means I get home 2 hours earlier, and usually the early mornings are fairly quiet.

(Robin would also like to interject that I totally miss rush hour)

The only problem is the having to wake up at 5am, minimum, in order to be at work on time.  I didn’t get to bed until around midnight.  I’m pretty tired right now.  We’ll see if I’m more awake and aware for Part 2 of our Karazhan raid tonight.

Almost halfway through Hedera #2.  Still working away on the remnants of Skein #1.  Makes me wonder if I can get some socks for my niece and nephew out of the remains of the other socks I’ve completed.  Hmm….

Tried my hand at kitchener stitch last night.  Muffed it up.  I’m going to have to revisit this sock & pick back so that I can give it another try.  Well…third time’s the charm, I guess.

Immediately cast on with the remnants of the first skein.  I’m determined to actually use up one of the balls before moving on to the second.  Because I’m sometimes weird that way.

Robin’s sis now wants to knit herself a pair of hedera.  And Baudelaire.  And Monkey.  I made the mistake of introducing her to the Knitty Archives.  Something tells me this will cut into *her* Warcrack time as well.  As long as I’m not the only one!

m’kay.

So I picked up a pattern for my friend Morgan today, and while I was at it thought to myself “Self?  Why do you not go on the Great Yarn Hunt for that skein of yarn you have been lusting looking for?”

You see, I’ve been wanting this lovely yarn that is a variegated yellow.  I’ve since found that it is a Yarntini colourway.  Can I find it on Loopy Ewe or Sweet Sheep?  Nope.  Yarntini’s site is similarly unhelpful.  Seems that everyone has bought all the yellow they have, and there is no more (at least for the time being).

I have checked to see if there are any other yellows out there that appeal…but after looking at every single bloody shade of magenta under the sun, with cyan a close second.  Very little yellow that isn’t mixed with about three other rosy or blueish colours.  Piss me off.

So yeah.  Strangely enough, we need better yellows.  If there are any Dye-ers out there reading this?  Yellow.  Please.

Piss me off.

I booked two days off work this week.  I was going to do such various things as sit around and knit, or get some cleaning done.  Instead, I wind up fighting off The Summer Cold from Hell.  Came home from work on Tuesday after fighting a sore throat all day, and now?  Sinus headache.  Spent part of today in the bath, trying to relax my neck muscles and being generally “amphibious”.
The Dayquil seems to have kicked in, though. This is a good thing.

Speaking of knitting, Hedera is coming along fine.  I tried working with it on Size 2 circs, but they look rather…uh…loose.  I’ve since started the “second” sock with the ribbing on size 2, and the body on size 1.  I’ve turned the heel on that sock and am working on the gusset.  If it fits, then Sock 1 will be frogged back, and done the same way.

If I didn’t mention it, Robin’s socks are done.  He’s happy about that.

Pictures soon

3 hours sleep.

Damn you, JK Rowling.  And paranoia.  And freakin’ heat wave.

I just want to make it through til at least 6pm tonight.  That way, I should be safe and cozy at home.  I don’t care if I sack out on the couch.  Or whatever.  Yeesh.

Feel like someone hit me with a ton of bricks.

That was my question last night upon looking at the bar tab from FATS (apparently “crown float” is how they classify a drink such as a “Black & Tan”.  I’m still a little disturbed that my Guinness came from a can.  Heathens).

We’d been invited out by Dale & Morgan, and so spent the evening having yummy food, drinking yummy drinks, and screaming at each other over the speakers.  Bars are definitely not conducive to the one thing that is their purpose: Socializing.  The only other downfall we seemed to see?  Tyler has pointed out that here in Canada, a Pint is not a Pint.  He’s looking for his standard UK Pint, that he gets in the pub.  We don’t have that.  Maybe our favourite Microbiologist (at least the one in The Family) needs to start his own pub?  Pints with a PhD.  There ya go.  He can tell you all about the bacteria in your glass, and why it’s important not to use antibacterials while you’re chugging it all down.

A point in favour for FATS?  I requested the Mushroom Swiss burger without the bun…and the waitress didn’t even blink.  They even gave me extra salad.  Booyeah.

The Sock also made it to the pub, at least until they turned down the lights.  Morgan snatched it out of my hands to inspect it, then tried to start knitting away merrily in her tipsiness.  I practically screeched at her to stop, I’m afraid.  I was in the middle of turning the heel.  Thank goodness I was able to frog back and repair because it threw me off balance to the point that I mucked up a little farther down.  It’s all good now.  The first Hedera is getting closer to done.  It’s very pretty too. There’s just one part of the heel flap/gusset that I don’t like, and will need to find a way to tighten up.  Hrmf.

Robin’s socks are also done.  I decided to get that right out of the way on Thursday/Friday.  By the time he woke up on Friday afternoon, he had new socks.  He’s happy they’re done…but sad that it’s too hot to wear them.  I’m sure that come the Fall he will be begging for more socks

No Karazhan raid this weekend due to the aformentioned trip to the bar.  I’ve been told that I need to appear online more often.  While fun, this may impede my sock progress (grin).  We’ll see what happens :)  I think that our guild leadership just wants a little Shadow Priestie lovin’.  Mana battery my left buttock

‘kay.  So Jaywalker was frogged and reattached to the leftover yarnball (this is why I don’t toss out those remnants, hee!).  While skein #1 is recovering from being a Jaywalker, skein #2 is getting knit up as Hedera.  Because the women in my family have big honkin’ feet, they’re being knit on size 2 circular Addi Turbos with the Hot Magic-Loop Action.

The Regia, which was making Ugly Monkeys, will instead become Jaywalkers.  The chevron pattern will suit the yarn a lot better.

The cuffs of Robin’s socks still need to be finished.  I’ll probably work on that on the 2 extra days off I’m taking next week.

After that…well…we’ll see where we go from there.

‘kay.  So now I’ve got a decision on  my hands.  I’ve restarted the Monkey socks on larger needles.  However, I’m rethinking  the pattern with that particular yarn.  I’m also rethinking my jaywalkers with its particular yarn.

You see…the Regia would likely look better as Monkeys, and the Lorna’s Laces would look better as either Monkeys or Hedera.  I’m just being honest here.

So.  More thinking to be done.

Things I’m thinking of in no particular order:

- Why the hell do I keep hearing Chris Issac’s “Wicked Game” all over the place?  Hello, folks, this is NOT a new song!

- I’m thinking of frogging back the Monkey sock (still not finished) and doing them in a size larger needle.  That is, if I decide to use that particular yarn for it.  I’m still not sure I want to inflict that atrocity on my SiL or my Mum, both of whom have larger feet than I.  I mean…I want Mum’s socks to be unique, but tastefully so.  Kinda.  The colours are kinda the sort of colours that I envision Shawn wearing, but I’m not sure she’d want ‘em either.  Tell you what, Shawn…if you’re reading this?  Take a look at the picture posted the other day and let me know if you’d be willing to entertain letting that particular colour/pattern of sock into your house.  Thanks!

- I played with the Swift last night.  Got my Jaywalker yarn prepped for finishing The Second Sock (there is a perverse part of me that is thinking of actually frogging back sock #1 as well, and just doing both from the cuff down because I’ve now figured out the much vaunted Heel Flap).  Might actually fix that flashing / pooling issue.

- Also wound the yarn for Robin’s Second Pair of Socks into balls last night.  I have a feeling it’s a variegated pattern, which will work well for my purposes.  I’m thinking of actually doing an actual pattern.  Aren’t I just a smartie?  I think I’m addicted to using my swift.

- Rumour has it that Mum & Dad will be delivering some furniture to the house today.  With any luck, we’ll get the Rec Room cleaned, and be able to bring The Couch Of Holding to our downstairs.  It is THE most comfy couch EVAR.  Grown men easily succumb to Napping when around this couch.  It is one of the few sofas I know of that will easily accommodate the napping of a man 6′5″ or taller.  The sofa is mighty.  Worship the sofa.

- I forgotted my headphones at home.  I wanted to listen to some Lime & Violet podcastage during my lunch hour (I’m getting caught up.  I’m on episode 6.  Feh).  The iPod is in the car, and the headphones…I THINK they’re in The Basement of Doom at home.  Next time I shall have to remember my headphones. Then I wouldn’t be subjected to my workplace playing Chris Issac over and over.