Bullet: DODGED.

As in, I was sweating bullets when that October Surprise aka SNOWMAGEDDEN passed through here this weekend because I was *sure* the power would go out, given how many damaged trees there are now from that pesky Irene. It flickered enough to keep us in a state of anxiety about it but crisis averted! WHEW. This should be the last one we sweat through too because the electrician is finally coming this week to wire up a generator all 'proper like' so we will, at the very least, be able to keep the fridge and water running for future outages, which is all I really need to keep me happy. Unspoiled food and toilet privileges and I can live like a king  queen. :)

It's good too because I had SO MUCH work to do this weekend if I hadn't been able to get to it a total nervous breakdown would have imminent. Exhibit A:

Beads made this weekend. As in, the last two days. 

TWO. DAYS. 

(There are at least 400 beads there, believe it or not. *I* believe it because I've lived it but you? You might have some doubt.) 

My left hand is BUSTED like woah now though. Sorry sorry state it's in. I was cleaning and stringing them for over an hour and had to walk away because my left hand isn't working any more. (So I went on to...........photo taking and TYPING UP a blog post...........because *THAT* will surely help things. *eye roll*) I'm hoping two Advil get it 'back' enough in the next hour or two because I have to start digging into another stack of orders this afternoon. I'm down with the whole 'making hay while the sun is shining' thing re: working a lot a lot a lot.............. until my left hand stops actually working because the muscles on the top of my hand are busted from twirling mandrels for umpteen million hours. (Unlike over-knitting, which targets my right hand, I can't be going WHOOPSIE and dropping 1000 degree hot-like-FIYAHHHH things in my lap when working because of numbness. Doesn't work.....not without some serious burning of shit.......or skin.) So we'll see how this week goes. Worst case scenario I'm calling a time out, closing up shop, and taking a week or two off. I could use a break so it won't be the worst thing ever. :)

Anyhoo, I'm now going to show you some things that totally doesn't jib with the hand issues of above but 1) the mitten knitting all took place the weekend before and 2) 97% of the sock knitting took place earlier last week i.e. I've done nothing at all this weekend, knitting-wise. So trust me - I'm not compounding the issue the last few days like a fool. :)

So yeah. I finished the second of the big giant Man Mittens started in September in preparation for last week's Stitches East:

Yay! One pair of unfinished mittens done, one more to tackle.

And mad love was given to a an ever-hopeful thought of finishing up some October socks. (Pattern: Monkey!)

Outlook now: dark and cloudy given my numb hand. But I managed to get 3/4ers of the way through two-at-a-time socks so I made good progress before the shut down.

Also making me sad:

OH NOES!!

My favorite pair of socks, with both heels found to be held together by nothing more than magic dust and a prayer. The stitches seem to be, quite literally, held together by nothing more than a whisper. It's like watching a slo-mo train wreck. You know it's going to blow out and turn into a raveling mess at some point real soon but it's going to taunt me in the meantime until it happens.

I feel certain a new heel could be put on by picking up the stitches where the heel turns but I'm not sure I have the stomach for such fiddliness at the moment. I have to contemplate things for awhile and come up with a plan of attack. The rest of the socks are in such good shape, tossing them, at this point is just NOT an option. 0_o

Edit to add: Ravelry says I finished those socks in Feb. 2009. So nearly three years of wearing them once a week for 5 months a year (they really are my favs).........yeah, I can see why the heels are blown out. Plus, note to self: STOP 'SKATING' AROUND ON THE WOOD FLOORS ALL THE TIME LIKE A BIG IDIOT.)