Sock Dream Addict

I know a lot of women have lifelong love affairs with shoes; I've never been one of them. (Though my sister definitely is!)

Except that now I am addicted to legwear. See, until two or three years ago I practically lived in jeans. After working for years in print shops where I did a lot of customer service and had to dress up some (hose, even!), I got a job where I could wear jeans. This coincided nicely with my messier art classes, by the way, which further encouraged the wearing of jeans. (Have you tried throwing pots in a skirt? Or welding? Or building large sculptures? Besides the inconvenience, you'll ruin a lot of pretty clothes!)

After I graduated, though, I really got sick of always wearing jeans and wanted something that felt more feminine. Enter an article on Boundless webzine pointing out that skirts are an easy way to feel feminine.

Thus began my skirt-wearing kick. I now own only one pair of decent jeans (the rest are ratty, worn, and possibly paint-stainted). Most of the time, I wear skirts. And that began my interest in interesting legwear. It was about that time that I found Sock Dreams, this incredible online store that sells the most unbelievable socks, tights, leggings, and leg warmers.

True confession time...
I own a fair number of Sock Dreams socks. I have a pair of Super Stripes (red and black), two pairs of Super Ms, three pairs of Inklined Knee Highs (two of which are discontinued colors), Diamond Rib Knee Highs in Bordeaux (a dark red), M Squared Knee Highs in Dark Red, and a couple of others I can't remember. I also have a pair of Simone's Black Sleeves, which have been a lifesaver in this insane cold snap Atlanta's having.

And today I ordered a pair of the Super-Long Ribbed Leg Warmers (charcoal, of course). Because waiting for a bus in twenty-four degree weather (wind chill in the teens) while wearing a skirt? Oh yeah. I need thigh-high leg warmers.

So consider this revenge on every woman who has enabled me into new addictions...like BPAL and Malabrigo.

Another Mom Update

So...my mom started chemo unexpectedly yesterday. She thought she was going in for a consultation; instead, they sent my uncle to get some food for her, so she could eat before it started.

It is in her bone marrow, which make her cancer Stage IV. They gave her only two of the drugs they will be giving her, since they're waiting for some test results. Fortunately, she didn't have any serious reactions. Her only reaction was a bit odd: it made her very hot. Apparently, chemo gives everyone else on the Prime Material Plane serious chills. That's my mom for you!

My brother is trying to help her, work, and keep up an A average in school. Oh, and take care of my grandmother, who lives with them. That in itself is a big job, because she won't do anything for herself if she can help it...even though she has better mobility than my mom does healthy!

My uncle is shouldering the rest of the burden for my grandmother and mom. It's such a blessing that he is retired and lives only a few minutes from my mom! But he's the type who loves peace and solitude, which he does not get at my mom's. My mom's chatty even under normal conditions, but the medication is making her ramble (and not always coherently, either). We measure my uncle's day by how many miles he has to walk for his sanity. Friday was six; Saturday required nine.

Oops.

I hate to admit it, but I think the stress is making me a little bit cranky and restless. I feel so bad about that, because I have an absolutely wonderful husband. I thought I was doing great and was stress free, until I developed a cold sore a few days ago. Apparently my body knows me better than I know myself; I only get those when I'm stressed.

Oops again.

On the good side, this might fix several problems my mom has had over the past couple of months, at least once all the chemo and stuff is over. So yay!

Halloween Aftermath

This year was my first opportunity to decorate for Halloween to my heart's content...and in my own style! I really had fun, though a couple of planned projects never happened.

For most of my shopping, I headed to Jo-Ann's and hit the autumn and Halloween decorations. Most of them were at least 60% off; I was late decorating because of my mom's illness. The hall table featured a clearance-table skull candle (which looked like it cost a lot more), a cheap black plastic tray that will be re-purposed later, and a pretty goblet-type candle holder. (I tinted the water with food coloring and floated candles in it.) The feathers came from the autumn clearance section.

Add a wild-looking twig wreath, a basic evergreen wreath, and a can of spray paint. The result was two fun yet spooky wreaths. (See the black bird? That was a Christmas dove, painted black with India ink. 40% off from the new Christmas decorations.) Sadly, the flash reveals all the green underlayer of the wreath on my door. In person, it just looks black.


But the coolest part was in the craft room. I hung one of my black veils from the ceiling and suspended a ghost in front of my window (white gauze and styrofoam balls). It really looked awesome from the street, even if it's rather distant.

Okay, okay. The shrunken heads were pretty cool, too. AND when I told my husband what I was making, it left him speechless for the first time ever.



Edited to add: When I went to post my blog today, I realized I never hit "Publish Post." So here it is, a few days late.