Embossed Leaves Update

Lately, the cost of things has really gotten me down. It's absurd. The dollar seems to have virtually no value. Everything is expensive. I filled the gas tank in the Equinox yesterday, $79.41. For the first time in my adult life, I've really curtailed my spending habits on the necessities. We eat steak less often. Once a month or so. That's probably a good thing. We eat out less. We drive less. I try to work from home one day a week, saving $8 in gas and whatever I would spend eating out. Another good thing. I'm also trying to limit the use of electricity here. I've been going around my house checking to see what's just plugged in and not doing anything. There are tons of things plugged in that don't need to be. I wonder how much I spend just keeping little lights on electronic appliances? Plus, the five computers, various ones plugged in. No need to keep that printer powered on all the time. These are called Vampires. So, not only do we have the knitting gremlins but we have vampires. Additionally, please consider all the non-green things that have to happen in order for you to have food, eat a cheeseburger. They have to raise the cattle, truck them food, the cattle produce methane, (from the stuff that comes out of the cattle), they have to transport the cattle to the slaughterhouse using gas, transport the meat to the butcher, wholesaler, supermarket you have go there, buy it and bring it home (assuming you don't walk to the market you'll use gas). Please do your part, continue to knit socks and try and reduce your carbon footprint. Watch out for those vampires and gremlins.

All of this leads to global warming, melting the ice caps and reducing the glaciers in Greenland drastically. Go GREEN.

Can you tell that I have been watching "Earth, the Biography" on TV lately? Excellent series. I knit to it all the time. Knitting can almost be considered going green. The lambies produce methane of course but a little wool goes a ways. I'll have to start spinning. I'm still kicking that around for my fall project. September always inspires me to do something. I love those first crisp days of autumn, which I call, "First Day of School Weather", makes me feel motivated. Of course, when I was a kid, September was cold. It kinda doesn't get cold anymore.

But anyway, wanna see my socks? I really wanted to have them done today. I may be able to finish them, we'll see. Here's what they look like lately:

As of yesterday, midday:

As of this morning:

Three things you'll notice, "What's wrong with this girl? She needs more solid sock yarn, the pattern is beautiful and lost here". Honestly, I wasn't expecting this to be as variegated as it came out. I was thinking more white...

Secondly, it's only a little bit larger. I finished the gusset decreases and I've moved the socks to have the instep on one side and the sole on the other. I'm about 6 rows into the foot now. Sailing through now! Two reasons I haven't finished: 1. I had some minor surgery on my right index finger's knuckle. Not a big deal but it hurts a little when its stretched.

Finally, the last reason is that my son has been on a puzzle kick. He wants so badly to be able to do a 500 piece puzzle. We just graduated to 300 pieces...

First, it looked like this:

And, two hours later:


It was done. So, not only do I secretly color in their coloring books but I also play with their toys. Honestly, I really coached alot here but he's gotten really good at puzzles. I showed him 'puzzle strategy', I like to do all the ends first and then sort out the pieces. This wasn't difficult at all but he's only 6. He was very happy to do this and get it all together. Sock knitting had to stop for a bit.

So, I can probably finish the socks today. We'll see. First karate, then they'll go in the pool and I can knit after that. DH is at work...I'm planning my next pair now, as we speak.