Re-run Mode: nothing much to see here...

I feel as though we are caught in a repeating loop. My son and his family have returned to live with us again. 

It is very good to spend time with the grandkids. I gave three of them some beginning knitting lessons this weekend. Two of them seem to enjoy it. The other enjoys playing with the yarn, so maybe I'll try crochet with her, next. The youngest also wants to learn, but at a very spirited five years old, it may be more than my patience can withstand. I'll probably give it a try. Yikes!

They are beautiful children, eh?

That knitting boy is the baby that I am holding in my profile picture. The picture was taken eight years ago tomorrow. He is growing up so quickly!

Lots of knitting is being done, but I have nothing much to show for it. I've had a bad case of 'startitis' lately. I have begun several projects and they're all quite lovely, but nothing is getting finished. I have an original sock design in two-color stranded knitting, a few socks from various monthly challenges on Ravelry, a test of another designer's pattern, a shawl (that one is going to get frogged...I just don't like the design), a pair of fairly plain-vanilla gift socks for traveling and conversational knitting, and lots of ideas on the back burner. 
I also have a sweater partially knit from heavy wool yarn that was donated to my knitting group. I pulled its bag from a pile and found the half-knit sweater and the pattern and extra yarn to finish it, but I am going to rip it out and reclaim the lovely wool, perhaps for some felted clogs to warm my feet this winter.

I am finding it harder and harder to give away socks. I love doing it, but financial restrictions have put me on a no-new-yarn diet, and I'm getting to the point where all of the sock yarn I have left (and don't get me wrong, I have a LOT!) is precious to me, and I can hardly bear to part with it! How selfish, eh? I have so many pairs of beautiful socks that I can hardly fit any more in my very large sock drawer. So with every pair I whittle away at the stash, deciding which of the lovely colors I like less than the others. It's like giving children up for adoption.

By the way, I do have a child whom I might be convinced to adopt out. Or maybe I could swap him for new yarn. I'm just kidding, Nick. Sort of.

These two pair are gone as gifts:

They were socks that I donated as door prizes at the annual Tennessee Lunch Run. The striped socks went to Shelly in South Carolina. They are a basic ribbed sock knit from some of my favorite Opal sock yarn from Germany. The grey and red pair went to Charlie in Tennessee. They are from the pattern "Simple Skyp" by Adrienne Ku at Ravelry. The yarn is Kroy Sock, another favorite.

Then there were these little socks, knit for my newest great-nephew, who lives just down the road from me a bit. I am ashamed to say that I have seen pictures, but have yet to meet him in person. It seems that we are always busy, ill, tired whenever we pass his house, or that he has been away with his mom and dad.

I have nothing else finished to show.

I am a slacker.

The summer was cool and damp, and is showing serious signs of giving way to an early fall. The black walnut trees are nearly bare of leaves already, and trees in the marsh are setting themselves ablaze with the first fall colors. Winter will be here soon.

We tried to get the pool taken down this weekend, but were thwarted by rainfall.

Perhaps we will get in one more trip on the motorcycle before snow falls.

It's late, and I'm tired.

Good night.

Be safe.

Be well.

Be happy.