Here’s a look at my Sundara yarn Black Lagoon socks. I decided to do a certain amount of texture, for a change. This is a first for me–except for the Jaywalker socks, every pair of socks I’ve made has been plain stockinette stitch. (And let’s face it, even the Jaywalkers are mostly SS, they just . . . zigzag.) Sundara actually blogged about this the other day, about how for variegated yarns, she thinks too much patterning can take away from the colors of the yarn. That’s the way I feel, too. It CAN work (and often does), but sometimes, really, you just want to let the pretty colors shine on their own, no visual distractions. (Maybe not in as extreme a way with socks as with lace, but . . . same idea.)

Which, of course, makes it ironic that I’d pick her yarn for the first pair of textured socks I’m making (grin). I like the look, though, and think that the yarn colors are looking just fine! (You may recognize the stitch? Maybe from something bigger and greener?)

Apparently, I’m just not meant to try the Silky Wool from Webs–sale or no sale. I mentioned the other day that my first color choice (#19–a pretty purplish-gray) had been discontinued and was no longer available. That was disappointing, but it happens. Fine. So I asked for choice number two, #8, the mossy green. Another e-mail. Sorry, it’s been backordered, but we have four colors in stock that have the 10 skeins you’re looking for. So, back to the website to take a look at the colors, and I say I’ll try #35–the ocean blue.

Guess what I just got in my inbox? Yep. Another e-mail. “Sorry, it’s been backordered.” Now, I understand that they may have made some sales while I was looking at the colors and all, but for heaven’s sake–they TOLD me they had it in stock! You wouldn’t think buying 10 skeins would be so difficult!

So . . . I just told them to cancel the order. Sigh. Well, the Silky Wool, not the Cascade 220 . . . although if I get an e-mail about that, I’m going to give up altogether!

Chappy’s been busy primping since I got home. Well, first, we went out into the (muddy) backyard to play–he was going to get a bath today no matter what, but at least this way he’d really need one, really have earned it, you know? Made it worth while? So, he chased his (muddy) tennis ball, laid down in the mud to chew on the tennis ball, and generally just had a good time. Then we came upstairs and he hopped into the bathtub and got a good, by then much-needed, thorough bath.

And then, he ran around the house, “blow-drying” and ended up with quite a hairdo.

  You can’t quite see it? Well, how about with these pictures?

He works very hard at getting his hair just right.

Because, well, a boy needs to look his best. Especially when he’s expecting not one but two house guests for an overnight visit from Friday to Saturday. And then a visit from three more friends on Saturday morning? It’s a shame they can’t stay longer, but Chappy’s planning on making the most of it . . . and so am I!

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Booking Through ThursdayThis week’s questions were suggested by Kim.

1. Do you have a favorite character(s)?
   This is another hard one, because there are so many to choose from! Mr. Darcy. Gabriel from Sharon Shinn’s Archangel. Francis Crawford from Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. Anne Shirley from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. (Gilbert, too.) Robinton from Anne McCaffrey’s Pern . . .
2. What book/author is he/she/it from?
   . . . But I suppose if I had to pick one, it would be Ramses from Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody mysteries–primarily the young Ramses. He’s the son of Victorian era Egyptogists and has quite a way with the mysteries his parents inevitably get involved in.
3. Why do you like this person–what is it about the way he/she was written that drew you to them?
   He is SUCH a unique character. As a child, he transcends “precocious.” He is appallingly loquacious, speaking in the most complex strings of clauses he can fit into basic sentence structure–and with a vocabulary to match. He’s devious about getting out to do what he wants–all while following the letter of the law as laid down by his mother. (Like his argument when he helped rescue his parents from a pyramid: “You told me not to go into a pyramid unless you or Papa were there, but since you were already inside . . .”) He speaks colloquial Arabic fluently as a child, has a penchant for disguise, has a soft-spot for animals (like the lion cub he steals and brings home) . . . He’s just a riot.
4. Is there something more you would like the author to tell you about them?
   I’d love more stories from the young-Ramses timeline. Where the series stands now, he’s a full adult, married, with twins of his own. He’s grown into a fine young man, but he no longer has the precociousness of his younger self, and I miss that. (The series in general isn’t as good as it used to be, mind you, but the earlier ones are gems.)

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Onward //