I'm Toe-ing

I tried on the Dusky Blues sock last night and decreed that it was time to toe.  So I got out my little markers that remind me which decrease to do where and got started.  I think I'm about halfway and will easily finish sometime today.  Which means I get to grub around in my vast bin in sock yarn so I can cast on another sock.  I'm kind of a sock dud.  I'm not intrigued by fancy sock patterns, I like 'em plain or ribbed or whatever this fancier ribbed pattern is I'm knitting right now (it's the Campfire Sock) (the socks stay up better using this pattern), it's the variegated yarn I like.  At least I'm true to my habit of only knitting one sock of any particular yarn.  Three times I've knitted a pair but never wear them at the same time.  Never.  How boring would that be?

I crocheted another hexagon for OJ's stocking yesterday but spent most of the day (when not on the phone or with a customer) in the back room cutting out another shirt.  I dug out some shiny, slick fabric and got the pattern pieces pinned on and then came to my senses realizing that I'm not a shiny slick kind of woman.  I'm more utilitarian and comfy so I unpinned the pattern pieces and told the fabric that its future is as purse linings.  It seemed mollified.


I'm having such a good time making these knit shirts that I went to Jo-Ann after work to see what I could find.  Actually I had 60% off and 50% off coupons that were expiring yesterday so I went to see if I could spend them.  Naturally the fabric that I wanted was already on sale (40% off) so I couldn't use my coupons.  I only bought this black knit because I found this little piece of sunflower fabric which is enough to make sleeves (and maybe the neckband if I cut carefully) so even though I was peeved about my coupons not working I bought it anyway.  I did tell the young clerk that they need better signage because the signs on the racks had a 10/19 expiration date so I thought I was home free.  Bah.


The juncos have arrived in force, pecking at any seed that's fallen.  They're very focused little birds. Durwood said one of the hawks spent a lot of the afternoon looming from atop one of the crooks, then moving to the privacy fence, then to the planters by the shed hoping to catch a chipmunk unawares.  I'd have liked to see that.



October 27--Carl Schneider, MB-009 Biking.  Caleb ducked his head to let an overhanging branch scrape over his helmet instead of whipping across his face.  His eyes teared from the wind and his hands felt numb from the cold and his tight grip on the handlebars.  He and Ethan were riding the trails in Bear Creek Park for maybe the last time before the snow came.  Yesterday's wind and rain stripped the last of the leaves from the trees, hiding the trail in places, obscuring puddles, and making some of the turns slick.  He watched Ethan disappear over the hill above the creek and heard his yell of triumph turn to a scream.  Caleb tried to stop before he went over but the leaves were too slippery.  He couldn't stop.

It's chilly today.  I'm wearing a wool sweater, short-sleeved and short-waisted, but still it's a wool sweater and it's October.  I wonder what the Farmer's Almanac says about the coming winter.  I should pick up a copy.  Durwood would like that.  I'm outta here.
--Barbara