Tofutsies Tidal Wave Socks Complete

Was not sure if I would like the Tofutsies sock yarn, but it sort of grew on me. Used the Tidal Wave sock pattern in colorways 736 Underfeet with 2.25 Knit Picks circs. On the downside, not only does the pattern not show up well, but the yarn had several knots and is quite splitty. Since I have slightly larger feet, thought I would need 2 skeins, but one would have been more than adequate... which reminds me of another downside~Same dye lot from both skeins but slightly different colors. Ahh, well it won't happen again because I will know that one skein is all it will take. Will use this yarn again in the future, but will drop to 2.0 needle for a little tighter weave in the sock, though I was able to get 10SPI and 13RPI with 72 stitch increase. These were done toe up and I used the Modified Russian Bind Off, which is just tee totally awesome!!! Will definitely use it again!

Quote For The Day

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway. ~Mother Theresa

Quote For The Day

The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Quote For The Day

May you live a thousand years, and I a thousand less one day, so that I may never know the world without you.
~Hungarian Proverb

Let It Snow!

Doesn't this look like a lovely Christmas snow? But alas, it is Anchorage, AK this morning. Our son Lucas is a Staff Sargeant in the Air Force and stationed at Elmendorf AFB. He was just thrilled to have this great spring snow (NOT!), which was apparently the largest storm of winter.

Miracles?

The Friday before Thanksgiving 1999, my father was diagnosed with cancer. It had already spread from his lungs to his brain and there was basically nothing the doctors could do except to keep him comfortable. The duration of his life, he took like a real trooper.. he never complained, he developed a peace that he did not have before and he would not talk about dying.

One evening, he and I were sitting on his back deck smoking a cigarette. I asked him, if it were possible, that when something happened, would he let me know he was okay. Of course, he didn't respond and I didn't even expect him to. My dad passed away July 4, 2000 at his home, where the sun was shining out front and it was raining in the back.

I came back to our house to discover that my Christmas Cactus's-located on my front porch in direct sun had bloomed. Odd, there had been no cold weather, it was 90+ degrees. Odder yet, they have bloomed every July 4th since Dad passed away.

July 3, 2007 our son-in-law passed away. Laura, our daughter, told me she had gone for a walk the next day and a butterfly kept following her. Over the next several days, she had several encounters with a lone butterfly.

I went to Washington to be with her as quickly as possible. At one point, I was sitting outside the base hotel on a park bench and a lone butterfly landed in my hair.

Yesterday was Laura's 24th birthday. Yesterday there was a lone bloom on one of my Christmas Cactus's. It is in my bedroom.. it has heat-not a forced bloom, and it has relatively no light. It was the most perfect bloom. I like or have to believe this one is from Josh... Just can't remember if I ever told him the story of my Dad or not...

I Have A Problem!

I think I have a problem... Have decided I like to start things, and buy yarn! Keep starting new projects or finding new ones to start and never really accomplish anything. A new box of sock yarn came today from Little Knits and last week a box of yarn and patterns from Patternworks. At this rate, nothing will ever be finished!

On a positive note, I did finish a pair of socks today. They are done toe-up on 2 circs with Knit Picks Swish Superwash in Merlot Heather. Used size 2 (3.0) needles... which means they will basically stand up all by themselves. It's okay, wanted a pair of really heavy boot type socks for cold weather BUT we will not discuss the fact that the first day of spring is this week or how long it took to finish this pair!!!! At least they will be finished for next winter!

I also started another pair of socks today made with JL Vinca yarn on size 0 needles. Not sure if I like the yarn, it is a little bit splitty and quickly creates a "halo". Now if I can get the heels turned on another pair, they will be done in no time and free up my needles for more.. or maybe I should order more needles from Knit Picks! Mmmm!