56 today

Today is my birthday. I'm 56. I have done very, very little housework today (you really can't do NONE or the place would fall apart) and have mostly been enjoying my crafts and messing on the computer. Tonight, we're going to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. Mmmm.

I'm getting a repetitive motion pain in my pointer finger, which holds the crochet hook, so I'm trying to take longer breaks between rows or rounds. One thing I've been doing lately is choosing one project from each of the magazines I have and writing out the instructions in my own words. A little time-consuming, but it makes it so much easier than constantly looking back and forth between the small print on the magazine page (I don't wear reading glasses but it's still annoying). I can see what the 'repeat' of the pattern is and just write it like this: "Repeat is SC, Skip One, Ch 1."

I also 'translated' a cute pattern for a floppy bunny that is originally written in British English. What they call "Double Crochet" we call "Single Crochet." Confusing!

Finished!

I just finished the pair of socks I started about a year ago! The last 25% went by really quickly. I'm sure I'm like a lot of people when I say I'm motivated to get something done when the finish line is close.

As I said in a previous post, I sort of 'get it' now. I actually started a second pair last night, even before these were finished. I divided the yarn I have into 2 balls and I'm alternating between each sock so they will be done together. Can you believe that in one evening I've already gotten them to the heel part? Okay, full disclosure: for these I'm using medium weight yarn and a slightly larger hook. They may end up being slippers if they are too thick for shoes, but I'll have fun with them.

The pair above are from the booklet "Paton's Stretch Socks: Sweet to Your Feet." Honestly, I got impatient with the tiny little single-crochet rows. You can see where I switched to half double crochet. You (the handful of faithful readers I have) know me--I never make anything 'exactly' the way it is written out.

BTW, yesterday was my 55th birthday. Mike and the kids took me out to a Chinese Buffet. And...they bought me a NOOK color! It is awesome! I've already downloaded things onto it. LOL, I can even read this blog on it, since I can get on the internet.

My first download? "Food Network Magazine." I also found a slow-cooker cookbook for about a dollar. How cool is that?

BTW...is it sox, or socks? Oh, never mind--"sox" gets a squiggly line.