Migration

The first monkey sock sighting of the fall happened in my own backyard. It's a little early for the annual migration south to begin, but we've had strange weather lately; perhaps their monkey instincts are prompting them to prepare for an early winter.

I first spotted the male as he rested in the Mimosa tree. Then he fluttered down to join his mate in the spruce.

Knowing how monkeys find the sight of an uncovered human foot irresistible, I promptly flung off my sandal, laid on my back in the grass and ever so casually lifted my right foot straight into the air. The neighbors were astonished, but I knew just what to do. The male sock fluttered over and drew himself right over my foot. The female soon claimed my left foot. They appear to be made out of Crystal Palace Panda Cotton in chocolate almond.

Knitting, work, and -- what else? -- cats!

Bamboozle baby booties and hat in p-i-n-k! After two years of knitting, someone finally produced a baby girl. Just so I could knit something pink. It's my favorite color this year.

I love my work. It challenges and inspires me. But today? It was a DAY. Please send back the normal work place I love.

Work Haiku
You make me crazy;
you deliver solvency;
can I go home now?

And cats. Norah Cat exhibited signs of pending fertility, so she went to the vet this morning and mewed pitifully all the way there. I'm absolutely committed to spaying and neutering, but in the back of my mind I was thinking of junior high and adolescence. It wouldn't have been a good time to say "Welcome to womanhood. Please leave your working parts at the door."

Norah isn't traumatized at all. She's home and playing with a toy mouse. Atticus Cat, on the other hand, is disgusted. He enjoyed the day alone and thought the chit was out of his life for good.

Yarn Harlot

The Yarn Harlot was in town yesterday, and she was wonderful. She is self-effacing and yet wonderfully confident. Knitting seems so much more important than it did before I heard her talk. I might even feel a bit evangelical about knitting now -- watch out!

Sitting in the auditorium with fellow knitters was equally delightful. Knitters are spicy, welcoming, kind, and shocking. Who would have thought that was possible?

New Projects

Should I let the fact that I have a baby booties cast on one set of needles, a half-finished Monkey sock on another, and hubby's Christmas stocking on still another keep me from trying something different? Maybe it's all of the sockishness of my current projects, but suddenly, I must try the new, lacy Muir wrap from Knitty's fall issue. Srsly.

Conundrum

A coworker and his wife had a baby girl in August. I babbled on and on about how I could hardly wait to knit something pink.

Four skeins of Crystal Pink Bamboozle yarn are sitting on my bookcase just begging to be baby clothes. They've been there for weeks, and I still cannot decide what to make. I fear that I have contracted the dreaded knitters block.

Baby shower

Baby booties for sister-in-law's baby shower. Bamboozle in fruit salad.

Anything to make you happy

A wise woman (who is welcome to reveal herself if she wishes) told me that a woman will say to her spouse, her children, her parents, "I'll change anything about myself to make you happy -- if you'll only be happy." The woman, however, won't say that to herself.

I tried saying it to myself. The answer? I want to be stronger. For the first time in many, many months, I went to the gym and spent 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer. It felt good. It felt really good. I want to go back tomorrow.