Last post of May (Technically)

This has become the blog that should have been. It was all thought up and ready to go (well, except for minor details like, say, typing it) when some terrific storm cells marched through the area. Between the hail, intermittent lightning and tornado sirens, somehow posting seemed neither the safest nor the most logical of choices at the time.

So, do me a favor, okay? Pretend it's Saturday while you're reading this. I'll even adjust the date, if that will help.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog post.

I. Am. Tired.

You'll get more on the trip over the next few days. Suffice to say, I made it to my friend's place, made it to the interview and said things of an interviewish nature, then returned to the friend's place, where I was treated to Chinese at a local restaurant (excellent), Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull (okay) and mad packing for an equally mad return trip (much more eventful than the trip out). There are stories to tell. But not now.

Now I just want to sleep. I was pleased with the pack for the trip situation, though. Here's how the ginormous amount of "keep busy" stuff was used:

Books--Three read and the fourth well into. Only two extraneous. Pretty good for roughly three days on the road, all told.

Magazines--Both read cover to cover. Interesting, though I could have read more lace history in Piecework and not been bored.

CDs and movies--Bit of a bummer. The mini-DVD player only held a charge for about two hours, max. Never have I mourned my iPodless state more.

Extra yarn for corrupting kiddies--No kiddies above 2 years in my immediate vicinity, darn it. So I corrupted the only other people available.

Stanley decided to crochet a scarf like Stanley's, while Stanley-with-the-scarf-already-done thought a blanket might be nice, as he will be visiting the United Arab Emeritus, France and possibly Ireland this summer. Stanley-with-the-scarf fell victim to the purl-without-paying-attention syndrome and decided to keep it in as part of the design pattern. While I'm not sure about it myself, I felt letting him have his creative freedom was more important than my measly opinion, especially as he did a crochet edge for the whole thing as well. Thing 3 approved (as did Thing 4 with Stanley's scarf).

And hey, the dudes finished their first solo projects. Way to go, S & S! (Yes, there are no limits to the odd ways in which I will attempt to amuse myself while on a long trip.)

The sock monkey butt socks were finished. (It's Sockina Cotton #03/Garden, btw.)

And I do mean were. While taking the picture you are currently viewing, I realized that with the Kitchener stitch, I had (uh-duh; I did mention I'm a newb, right?) created an extra row of pinkish-tan, making the band before the toe slightly bigger on one sock.

I'd like to say that anal-retentive me did not grumble and fret that everyone who looked at my feet any time I wore them would notice and mock me for my only slightly-off-match-up on the socks. I'd really like to say that I did not frog back, with lots of muttering and cursing of my own self for weaving in ends far more thoroughly than I'd ever thought myself capable of and that I am not now sitting with a toe-less sock waiting patiently for me to get back to it and its short rows with its purl and knit encroachments (we loves the encroachments, we do; total fun).

I'd like to say that. So, er, let's just pretend that I did, shall we? Thanks ever so much.

I did the provisional cast on for the Leyburn,

but quickly realized that I did not have a small enough crochet hook with me and the toe was coming out with stitches that were a bit more open than I would want in a sock when I stretched it.

I also realized that I'd made a fatal error in checking out the different Leyburns being done by Raverly people, and that I actually, truly and really wanted to do the Ley's in variegated yarn. Socks that Rock (Cracked Canyon in process with Zeitgeist Yarns--Ravelry link--and another colorway which had some bright white in it--bwa ha, just double checked--Knitters Without Borders knitted up by the YH) were what really caught my eye.

So...I'm definitely still doing the Leyburns, but I've decided to check out Socks that Rock and go with a colorway that looks Leyburny/Me-ish to me. Especially as a quick peek confirmed that Cracked Canyon isn't available. Maybe it was her stash, or maybe part of the current Socks that Rock Club. (We wants to do the STRC someday, we do, we do.) Meanwhile, I found more possibilities than I needed to by running over to the Blue Moon Fiber Arts site. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing...

With my pretty purple yarn, I'll be doing this the Shetland Lace Rib Sock (free pattern by Marguerite Byrne). I'm looking forward to experimenting with lace and learning a new heel. I think the color and the lace patterning will complement each other extremely well.

Until next time, when you'll either hear about trip news (delays, exciting Stanley and Stanley moments and young love) or a bunny butt (yep, a bunny butt).