I realize I never posted a picture of the finished Grandiflora socks, which I completed over break:



I'm really not sure how often I'll wear them - they're a bit small which makes them hard to get on my feet (especially my left foot; the ankle is permanently a little swollen from an old injury). I really should have made the larger size, but I was all "Oh, 64 sts on size 1s is always big enough for my feet." No, not with these chevron-decrease type socks. (I wound up doing the long-ago pair of Jaywalkers on size 2s, and I think those were 72 stitches, and they fit well).

I also finished the first of the purple socks ("Beyond Basic Knits" sock yarn in a color called "Le Jardin"):



These ARE 64 stitch socks on size 1s that fit perfectly. (They are also plain stockinette). I really love the colors in this. Purple is one of my favorite colors, especially deep purples like this one. I've started the second sock.

I also started another pair. The last several times she's talked to me, she's mentioned the "nice soft socks" I knit for her (she had foot surgery some 20 years ago and still has a scar on the sole of her foot - Morton's neuroma). I think perhaps it's a subtle hint (or maybe purely subconscious on her part) that it's time for her to have some new handknit socks. Her birthday is the end of May, so if I work diligently I should be able to finish a couple pairs. I started the 'simple' pair - I had some pretty green self-striping Online yarn I had bought for myself, but which is in colors I know she likes. So I started a pair of socks of it; I'm already more than half done with the cuff on the first one. The second pair will be a pair of "Retro Rib" socks (from the Interweave sock book), only shorter in the cuff, of a denim-colored Kertzer sock yarn. (Those she MIGHT wind up getting after her birthday - not that she's totally unfamiliar with the event of getting a hand made gift late - if I get really busy with stuff).

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It was a nice quiet Easter. I staved off the "sad face" when someone at church said, "You have nowhere to go?" by reminding people that I am SO busy during the week that I welcome the quiet time off during the weekend, when I can do what I want, instead of what I need to do. At least the minister got it and made some comment about the importance of people taking a Sabbath.

(I really think that's one thing more outward-directed or "extraverted" people don't get about people like me: we really DO need time alone to recharge and it's not bad or strange or second-best; it's just different from how they are).

In addition to knitting, I also baked an applesauce spice cake (from the Farm Journal "County Fair" cookbook - it also has raisins and walnuts in it) and I made a really good batch of French onion soup.

Next week will be busy. It's our program review (fortunately, my involvement is limited: I wrote part of the Fish and Wildlife section's report (mostly number-crunching) and I meet (as do all the faculty) with the reviewers to discuss. I think our program is pretty good. ESPECIALLY considering the limited funding we always have to work with. So I don't really have much to say other than that I think we work well together and it seems we do a good job of preparing students for the workforce.) It's also the AAUW children's play week - the Theater department here puts on a play for schoolkids (mostly 4th grade and under) and we have to help out by taking the money, directing people where to sit, etc. My involvement with that is limited to Thursday (at the time of the signups, I didn't know how involved I'd have to be in Program Review and I REALLY did not want to tell my chair, "Sorry, I can't be here; I have to work the play."

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I am having some allergy issues. Against my better judgment, I went out Saturday afternoon and pulled allllll the bedstraw that had again invaded my yard (and most of the mouse-ear chickweed and the glechoma). I wore gloves this time - last time I got wicked contact dermatitis from the bedstraw (apparently 2% or something like that of the population does. Figures I'd be one of them). I still got a little on my wrists above where the gloves ended, but some Benadryl cream took care of that. But I've been sneezy and had a runny nose all day from having been out in the pollen.

Really, pulling is the best solution though. I have a very small yard (like, 1/8 acre - and I only did the front yard, which is less than half that) and I don't like using chemicals. And mowing does no good because the bedstraw just flattens down (it has retrorse hairs, kind of like Velcro, on it, so it will cling to itself) and then springs back up later.

Apparently I set off the chain of Neighborhood Yard Peer Pressure because my next door neighbors have been out all afternoon, mowing, and now (ugh) running a leaf blower (for like, an hour and a half. They must have blown the stuff practically up to campus by now).