I’m all over the place today, so let’s go random.

— Yesterday, while working on the sofa (seriously – I was really working!) I went to put one of my feet up on the ledge and notice what I thought was a pill on the back of my sock. I wish.

You know how sometimes you think things and then you write them down or say them out loud and you wonder if you just tempted the fates and brought on EXACTLY what you didn’t want? Well, that’s how I felt yesterday when I noticed the hole. The first hole I’ve ever found in one of my handknits. The first hole in one of my precious socks. The first hole in one of my jaywalkers. The first hole in my beautiful Socks That Rock.

I was devastated. I may have cried a little bit. For a good five minutes I wondered why we ever knit at all – especially socks – if they’re only going to get holes in them. Seriously. I was ready to quit on the spot. But then I looked at the hole – which, by the way, is on the LEG of the sock in a place that has never rubbed against any shoe – and I realized that it is only one stitch. It must have gotten caught on something and snapped. I have no idea. And I do think it is completely fixable. I mean, it is only ONE STITCH. I have looked at some options – namely at Grumperina’s recent post and the Knitty article she linked to and I will fix it, but for now, I’m not in the mood to be reminded that things don’t last forever. Hits a little too close to home. So I picked up the socks I’ve been knitting – the G-Rocks and January One socks and I got back on the horse. Hopefully I’ll have a perfectly mismatched finished pairs of socks to show you Monday.

— Reason No. 4,391,628 why I love The INTERNETTTTT. (See? No S!) The vast majority of blogs I read are knitting blogs – but I don’t just love them for the knitting. Lately I’ve been running down memory lane because of a couple of blog posts. First, Jane mentioned When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit in a post. This was one of my absolute FAVORITE books as a girl. I thought I had my dog-eared copy – the one with the gray cover and ink line drawing on the cover, but I couldn’t find it. So I went out and bought it and read it and loved it all over again. I was a little bit afraid that it wouldn’t hold up to my memories, but it did. And honestly, because of a part in that book, I can’t be sick without thinking of it. And then, just yesterday, one of the Two Black Sheep sisters (fess up! Which one of you was it?) mentioned my OTHER MOST FAVORITE book: The Westing Game. I’ve read this book more times than I can count. And as soon as I’m done the book I’m reading now, you can bet I’ll read it again. What I love about these posts is that these are books that are mine – that I never really talk about or ever really talked about growing up – I don’t remember my siblings ever reading either of these books or friends or anyone for that matter. Yet here are two people, who are really strangers to me, sharing something about them that is just like me. Thank you for that. It’s really a nice feeling.

So I’m going to throw out another title – a book that came along way before that Harry guy – Half Magic, by Edward Eager. I loved this book and I hope it sparks in someone else the same feelings the other bloggers sparked in me. Happy reading!

— I’m not sure how many ways I can say this, but I found someone else using a photograph of mine without my permission. In theory, I didn’t object to the way the photo was being used, and there was a link back to my site and credit for the picture, but YOU HAVE TO ASK ME FIRST! I’m not sure how much clearer I can be. I OWN the picture, I OWN the words. THEY ARE MINE. ASK ME FIRST. I hope this is the last to be said on this matter. (And, again, it’s not you. Unless you and I exchanged emails about this – where I was very friendly, I thought, and told you you could use the picture, just ask next time – then it’s NOT YOU.)

— I’ve been really missing my spinning lately. I waited forever for my WooLee Winder (over six weeks!) and then I got it and it was a disaster. I’ve been seeing all this great yarn being spun all over the place and it makes me sad because I’ve still got my wheel in time out. It’s not the wheel’s fault and after reading Judy’s post today, I’m going to spin on Sunday. Distaff Day. It’s as good a day as any and if the WW doesn’t work out – I’m taking that sucker off and I’m spinning without it.

— There will also be some swatching this weekend. Look what came in the mail today:

Margene has been singing the praises of Beaverslide Yarn (grow up Annie!) for forever. The Friday night before my birthday, after serious consultation with Margene, I placed my first order. Huckleberry Heather is the color and I love it. Get yourself some color cards. Totally worth it.

This yarn is a departure for me, what with it’s 10% Kid Mohair. I’ve gone on the record many times about how much I HATE mohair, angora, alpaca – any of those hairy yarns. But Margene assured me that I wouldn’t even know it’s there and then she sent me a snippet that I stuffed in my bra and wore around for the day and I barely noticed it at all – and when I did it was to remark at it’s softeness. I can’t wait to knit it up. What’s it going to be? A Central Park Hoodie. Because all the cool kids are making them.

The coolest part of my package from Beaverslide – the stamps!

This is so totally going to be a superhero sweater! Have a great weekend!
L, C