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Saturday, August 25, 2007

 

Monqui!




At last and finally, here is the famous Monkey sock. Hey, it only took me the entire month of August to finish one sock! But it was worth the effort--for once, I stopped being so FO-oriented and allowed myself to enjoy the process, and I ended up with something I rather like. I'm not making them to fit me, though. I normally need to cast on 72 stitches on size 1.5's to get the right circumference, and since I couldn't figure out how to re-size the pattern, I followed it exactly and cast on 64 stitches. No big whoop. I'll either put them in the Christmas present bin or hang onto them until next summer, and enter them in the textiles show at the county fair.


Whether it’s knit in a solid color like Kay’s, or a handpaint like Stephanie’s or Kelly's, the Monkey is a great pattern. The yarn is Artyarns Ultramerino, which I got in the Summer Stash Swap from the wonderful Jan.

During the knitting, I started free-associating on expressions with the word "monkey" in them, and remembered "Everybody's Got Something To Hide (Except for Me and My Monkey)", which is a track on the Beatles’ White Album. I owned the White Album (on vinyl, of course,) as a kid, loved it, and abused it. Abused it, how? the Beatles fans among you (if there are any, that is) may be wondering. If you'll indulge me, I've written the anecdote of my Beatle album abuse in the form of a script for a Southwest Airlines TV commercial.

Scene: A seminar for aging Baby Boomers. A roomful of fifty-somethings, myself included, and a facilitator, during the “icebreaker” session.

Facilitator: How many of you bought the Beatles’ White Album when you were in high school?

Most of the hands go up. People look around, nodding and smiling at each other, “right on!” a high-five, that sort of thing.

Facilitator: How many of you actually tried to steam off the cover, because your best friend told you there was an obscene photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono underneath, and you believed it?

I promptly raise my hand, smiling and chuckling—then looking around and seeing that no one else has their hand raised, but everyone is now staring at me with a “what an idiot!” expression, my hand comes slowly down and my smile fades to a look of pained embarrassment.

Announcer voice-over: Wanna get away?


*sigh* Photographic evidence of the incredibly gullible 14-year-old I once was. And Robin, if you're reading this, look what you made me do.

Not funny.

The Silver Lining, The Light At The End Of The Tunnel and so forth

I deeply appreciate your supportive words and suggestions regarding my plight. My husband came home last night, and we talked things over. He agreed that no, things as they are aren't working for me, and I got his buy-in to research decreasing my hours/days, or a possible job share. His travel schedule will be somewhat lighter now that school has started or is about to start, and that will also make things easier for me. I guess the most important thing is that I'm feeling about a thousand percent better about my life today than I was last time I posted.

I'm doing some mad dyeing this weekend, and casting on for the second Monkey. And tonight, Jason and I are celebrating our eighteenth wedding anniversary. It's actually tomorrow--but he goes back on the road again very early Monday. It's a family tradition. My mother married a traveling salesman, and so did I.


# posted by Sharon @ 10:25 AM
Comments:
Happy Anniversary!

Just a few years shy of the white album but I will say that when I heard "Hey Jude" on the radio as a child, I was afraid that once it was done being "popular" I'd never hear it again! HAH!

Yea, well my mother married an alcoholic and I had to work my way through a few before I found one that was sober! Traveling Salesman are o.k. in my book.
# posted by Blogger sophanne : 11:58 AM
 
Happy Anniversary!!
Glad to hear you are feeling better.

I finished my second Monkey last night. I didn't really enjoy the pattern but it looked so nice I kept at it.
Yours looks great.
# posted by Blogger Kelly : 1:35 PM
 
Your commercial is hysterical! I'm still laughing. Glad you're feeling better, and that hubby stepped up and gave you the support you need. I hope you're able to work out a good solution. And your Monkey looks great!
# posted by Blogger Yarnhog : 3:02 PM
 
Those are beautiful, of course and I hope that the rest evens out for you, love.
# posted by Blogger flutter : 3:32 PM
 
Happy Anniversary To Yooooouuuuu!!!!

Love the Monkey!Very pretty! :)

And I'm glad you're feeling better. Hope you can find a happy medium with work and knit time, etc.
# posted by Blogger Jen : 4:31 PM
 
Love your monkey That is one of the next sock patterns on my hit list! it is purdy purdy! I am glad you are feeling better. Thank you for your kind words.....when I am done being depressed and move into the anger, I will beg you all to pray for nor'easters.......I wanna see tons of trees fall on that 60 acres...no structure damage I just want them to see what John has to deal with every spring!!!! HEHE.........icarumba
# posted by Blogger HDW : 8:42 PM
 
Happy Anniversary! I'm sorry that you have had some emotional times lately (I'm so behind in my bloglines). I know you will work through it all and come out better in the end. :)
# posted by Blogger Leah : 7:13 AM
 
Oh my, I'm a day late but Happy happy day to your and your hubby!!!
My 21st is Thursday! Yikes. And I LOVED the White album and all the Beatles songs. But, no-sorry-never heard that one about the picture.hee hee, she got you good!
# posted by Blogger Olga : 7:18 AM
 
I LOVE your monkeys!! The pattern the yarn made is too cool! Good luck with the LYS, all I can think of is; DISCOUNT?! LOL...your little commercial made me LOL pretty loud, I am a Beatles fan, even though they broke up when I was only a year old...I had older brothers and a sister who played them constantly, and I always thought I was born a decade too late, but that's only the least of my neurotic fantasies.
# posted by Blogger Kiki : 4:32 PM
 
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