Thesockladyspins

 THAT WAS THEN THIS  IS NOW In a fit of depravity I ripped the above sock out, just wasn't happy working on it, so now its toast. And I feel better even seeing the small leftover balls. Went thru all project bags looking for my Koigu yarn, and in the bag found a glove already started. Back now to my much loved gloves. A number of years ago traded two different people gloves for 5 balls of Koigu each (was much cheaper then). Plus had bought lots from eBay, so have enuff to make many more pair, especially since I save all left over little balls.  Eventually I'll go back to making socks (its in the blood). I'm not taking orders anymore tho, will just make what I like (especially Monster Socks).  Maybe now and then a pair of fair isle type. Its going to be a brown and mild Christmas, one of the few since I've lived here. Snow in forecast for the middle of next week. The  best part of the holiday season  (IMHO) is the World Junior Hockey tournament, in Europe...

 Finished the third pair of the 3 I promised to finish before starting anything new. Even tho  I wanted to have them sorta identical my fingers just wouldn't let that happen. I did keep  the top, heel and toe the same and for me that's quite an accomplishment.   Now back to a pair I started mid June to originally go to Vancouver area, turns out the lady that ordered them changed her mind when husband was on a prolonged strike. So  will finish and ad to completed sock book. Its the sock on the left in the pix. Got a bare skiff of new snow last night, not even enuff to make ground look white, and according to long range forecast not looking good for a white Christmas.. If this  comes  to pass it  will be only 2-3 since I've lived here (47 years).

Decided to finish anything on needles before starting something new. So far so good. Thought about doing current pair identical but while still on ribbing (before coffee) I didn't count ribbing right so ended up with to many rows of first colour, not wanting to rip back just carried on. Will likely be fraternal since I'm out of more than 2 otheer colours needed. Got a skiff of snow, barely enuff to cover the dead grass. May end up not having a white Christmas, if that happens will be only 2 or 3 since I've lived here (47 years).  A neighbour going to town yesterday asked if there was anything I wanted, milk, bread, eggs, spinach and butter will do nicely. Can go back to my favourite breakfast scrambled eggs with spinach on toast. And of course spinach goes nicely in almost all the soups I make.   Weather continues unseasonably warm, way milder than usual. Often December is close to being the coldest month. Not complaining, easier on propane.     

Just started a pot of burger vegetable soup, ex ex lean grass fed ground beef, homecanned stewed tomatoes, local carrots, potatoes, garlic and store bought celery, and wishing I had a couple handfulls of fresh baby spinach to throw in. When all is cooked etc. will add a cup or so of macaroni. Enuff soup to last me thru the weekend. Neighbour just picked up two bags of trash to go to the dump on her way to Tatla, pretty much on her way. She also took a parcel to go to Quesnel with socks for Lyn I. saves me a trip out to mail them. Hoping they don't go down to Vancouver before coming back up here for Q delivery, prolly close o 1000km out of the way to do it that way. But Canada Post works in strange ways. Second pair going to Q well underway, 22 rows ribbing and about 20 rows of patterns, using bright colours for the patterns as per request. Trying to limit knitting time to about 30-45 minutes then with long breaks in between, certainly seems to help arthritic hands. Weather co...

Just lazy I guess. Since I last wrote I did finished the blue pair going to Quesnel and started the second pr also going to Q. Last Christmas time I recieved a leather bag in the mail from an anonymous source, never did find out who sent it, and a week ago a second bag arrived also from an uknown source, different from the first. Its extra large and will make an excellent overnight bag. I did get to the October Nicola Valley Spin In, held in Merritt, BC. Was a very good time especially getting to see my BC family. Roomed with Gail and Vicki, in a way to small room at the Comfort Inn in Merritt. When we do it again in May will make sure I get a bigger room with more than two double beds. Didn't know my pix was underway. Not much else worth writing about. Winter is on its way and I'm well stocked on yarn, groceries and such. Produce is about all I wish for.

4 more pair on needles, work on each for at least 10 rows every other day before putting it down. Blue pair is farest along and have everything ready for sock #2. Blue pair will be identical all the others fraternal. A couple of nights ago bout 9pm saw a blue heron land in tree just south of the house, watched it preen for some time and when it was to dark for a pix 2 more landed in tree beside the first. Same day saw a kingfisher dive towards the river. Bear activity has cooled down, assume they are over at the Chilko River system fishing for salmon. Last black I saw was just its backside as it headed for the west fence got a quick pix but not worth posting. Nothing much happening in my wild mountain valley these days, some ranchers have finally been able to start cutting hay, and everyone else is hoping for rain. So many bad fires in BC again this season.

Everything that could happen in June did. Ongoing issues with toilet (not flushing), so started with Rob local plumber in to run the snake thru the system to see if that might help, it didn't. So new toilet ordered. That covered first part of June . June 16th had several bumps removed from my arm at the clinic in Tatla Lake, disolving stitches inside and abunch outside. Then not making smartest decision that I'd ever done drove straight to Merritt, good bit of bleeding involved. June 17-18 was the Nicola Valley Spin In in Merritt, a really good time. Karen B and Shelia Kirk taking on the problems of the world. Drove back home on the 19th, with a bunch if groceries in board. Harris girl unloaded the car in minutes. 20th saw a sow black bear with two tiny this years cubs. 21st Rob installed new toilet, working well again. Cutting it close. 22nd my brother Mike and wife Sheila arrived (they are from Virginia and their first trip to my place). Think maybe he was enamo...

May 30th had a visiting grizzly complete with two yearling cubs, camera at hand got 3 pix before she and cubs wandered off. 2023 season off to a good start, 2 blacks and 3 griz in my yard. Sock knitting continues as always, pix of latest finished pair of Monstersocks. As soon aas they were finished started another pair using a midnight blue Hawthorne from Knit Picks, but instead of Monstersocks am going back to old standby fair-nordic patterns, dk blue will be main colour then orange, med gray, red and white for the patterns. Fairly conservative for my knitting. Went into town on Monday, oil change, checked in at Speedy Glass about a new windshield (come back in a week), picked up my new glasses, then a motel for the night. Tuesday had dentist appointment at 9 am, think its the last for a while, then renewed ICBC (license plate and insurance for another year), picked up some groceries and lastly Kal Tire where I finally got winter tires off my Subie (they go back on October 1).

1st black bear of 23 season on Saturday 20th, up close to dark willow bushes so didn't get a pix, 2nd yesterday in bright sunshine. June is usually the most active they are in my yard, almost always see the most then. For the grands of neighbours that haul my trash to the dump. Made them a size and a half bigger than last winters socks, so they should be good for next winter. Made 3 trips to town from middle of April to middle of May, first was for dentist (expensive), optometrist needed new glasses, a really big grocery order (first one in 6 months), and to drop off inc tax stuff to the accountant. Next was for follow up at dentist and to sign inc tax papers. Third was for fun the Williams Lake Spin In, got to see lots of old friends. One more to go glasses are ready for pickup. My lilac bush is about to explode, love the smell but can't bring any into the house or I am stuffed up in the first 30 minutes and have breathing issues.

Sorry about neglecting the blog, stuff got in the way. Did finish the bugly socks (I'd hoped for really ugly didn't quite pull it off). So tried for another pair, this time closer but still no cigar. March was not a particularily good month for me. Had a big birthday that I'd just as soon forget, weather was lousy, 6 months now without a trip to town and car problems. Finally had to have vehicle towed to town, turns out it was major battery issues. Car was in town over a weekend and when notified that it was ready I was lucky to catch a ride in with a neighbour going in the next morning. When we got to town Linda Lou dropped me off at Downtown Service, got car and first thing went and got a haircut (first in almost 7 months, 4 inches curly stuff removed). Then briefly into SaveOn for produce and left after that for home. Even without driving in knew that I was going to be tired, sure enuff a quick nap in Alexis Creek helped. Now knitting shortie socks for the ...

First butt ugly Monstersock finished except for dealing with the ends. Each end is either knit in or out so all I have to do is trim (shag) each end so hopefully nothing will show up on the right side. Second sock started while watching the football game yesterday. Several daytime highs now above freezing means my driveway in places is solid ice, ever so glad I'm not planning on going anywhere.

First off I want to thank everyone that left a comment after the last post. Gathered up a bunch of odds and sods, enuff I hope for another pair of Monstersocks, this time not much advance sorting. Kept the mostly light shades in one bag and the much darker colours in another. Started with a light colour then two of the darker. Aiming for the ugliest Monstersocks ever. The two bags on the floor beside my chair, reaching in and knitting with whatever I've grabbed. Then keeping the just finished ball out of the bag so I don't end up using the same until time to start over with the colours. So far the sock is suitable ugly. Its now been a bit over three months since I went into town, middle of October started with a bad cold then the weather turned crappy, kept putting it off. Even walking with a cane my balance isn't the greatest and am terrified of falling so just stayed home. Audra and another neighbour have brought me milk, eggs and bread from Tatla, that plus c...

After finishing this pair of blues and green I easily had enuff of the yarn used to make another pair. But just to be safe and sure I added the ball of the purple. Second sock of the new blues, greens and purple almost down to the heel. And I finally finished the red socks for Lynne A. I have another pair of socks with patterned foot on the go but I think it will be the last pair I make like that, arthritis in my left hand makes it hard to hold the second colour while doing patterns. The weather has finally got itself back to normal January temps, still in the low 20's° F but so much easier to take than the -37° below zero F. If you are a regular reader of my blog please leave a comment once in awhile.