Rainy Friday

I'm rocking the drowned rat look today. I biked to work in the rain, and it wasn't just drizzle today. Not super heavy, but heavy enough. It was FABULOUS! I had the streets mostly to myself (besides the cars), and it wasn't really that cold; I wore knee-high wool socks under my pants and they keep me pretty warm even when wet.

I had on a rain jacket, no problems there, but my shoes are soaking wet. Ah well. I brought extra socks and I keep a pair of sandals stashed under my desk at work. I'm wearing my red Hawaiian shirt today (made in Hawaii!) in honor of the weather.

See, I really really needed to move around today, quickly. And for a bonus, when you're sweating, the rain isn't really all that noticeable (except when it was whipping into my face. bleh. Need to get clear goggles or something).

I love my parents and enjoy having them around, but I'm also used to my own ways of doing things and it's stressful to me to upset my routine. Doesn't that just make me sound fusty? But it's true, and it's easier to cope with if I acknowledge it. I've also gots lots of fun psychological baggage and that always comes screaming to the fore when family is around. Oh, nothing horrible, just regular stuff.

Mom & I are spending evenings knitting on the couch; it's pretty awesome. She and Grandma taught me to knit in the first place, and now I'm showing her how to do sock heels. (She decided to make Christmas socks for everyone this year (sock gifting is our obscure family tradition) and she chose 4 different patterns with 3 different heels and hasn't ever done socks before. Although the beauty of doing an ENORMOUS sock on worsted weight yarn is that you can see everything you're doing really well.)

She picked up heel flaps just like that (ha, ha, 'picked up'). I haven't ever done afterthought heels but the directions were enough that we worked through them together, and tonight it's a short row heel. Meanwhile I am working on mittens for the nieces. Whoosh, they go fast (and I am a slow, slow knitter).

Tomorrow we'll hit the downtown farmer's market, and maybe the Japanese Garden, and perhaps some Fabric Depot goodness or just lounge about and play a couple games. I'm really grateful they were able to retire this year, because they're getting up there and I thought they ought to have some time to enjoy themselves. They seem to be having a pretty good time with it.