A long week from h-e-double hockey sticks

This week for me was long and it was hard. I'm finished with my 23874183742981230948320 (only a slight exaggeration) different meds, and I worked a full and complete week. I finally am MOSTLY caught up with work.

The entire week, in general, was just really long and really draining. I don't know if the weekend is long enough to re-energize, but I'm hoping that it is.

I am really proud of my hufflepuff team in my absence for winning the quidditch match, even down a player. :D

Finished Socks!

(behold) the MIGHTY MONARCH
Pattern: Butterfly Socks by Wendy Johnson
(from Socks from the Toe Up)
Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm
Yarn: Knit it Up! Silky
Colorway: Sunflower
Mods: Well, funny you should ask about that, because clearly my socks look nothing like the picture in the books....
SEE:
Wendy's Socks (pink) vs My Socks (yellow)

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN????

Well, back in January the Yarn Harlot had a post about her self imposed sock club, where she talked about the error she had made in her January socks by not reading... She says something about how we do a thing a certain amount of times and then we quit paying attention and we don't READ the instructions. Well, that is exactly what I did! I decided that once I read "start the lace pattern from the chart," that I no longer needed to read instructions. THEN after one repeat of the lace pattern, I found it so intuitive that I closed the book and didn't open it until last week to double check the gusset & heel directions. At that point, I looked at the photos in the book, though "huh, mine looks different" and forged ahead. I was in pain and on meds from my wisdom tooth extraction so I couldn't be bothered to investigate. The next day Veronica came over and I showed her. She looked at the book pointed at the instructions where they CLEARLY state "Row 9: knit 6 ... then the lace pattern from the chart..." (I paraphrased) rather than the previous instructions of KNIT 1 then the lace chart. That would have staggered the "butterflies" and my socks would then have matched the book socks. Oh, well. I'll call it a "modification." They look nice the way they are.

My original plans for photoing these socks were going to involve black tights and a fuchsia background like The Cocoon, but then it was such a nice spring day (well, spring for me, other places would probably cal it a hat summer day. :P) and I am in a good mood because I've eaten my first solid foods in over a week, and I've moved and I have a pretty pool and I wanted to show off a bit. :D Can you blame me? I mean really, it is BEAUTIFUL out! BEAUTIFUL! So I went outside with the socks and the camera and Rocky followed me watched me for about 30 seconds, got bored with me and he rolled around in the grass. I think I need to video him rolling in the grass. It's got to be one of the cutest things EVER.

AND now I can knit a second pair of the same pattern correctly, and they'll actually look totally different! I mean Dr. Mrs. the Monarch need sock too right?

I mean, it's not like I've already decided on how to proceed with that... Not at all, I don't have a yarn picked out or anything.

Week 3 Homework - Care of Magical Creatures

Part One: Please Describe and Explain 5 items that you would use for the care of Magical Creatures. ie: mittens for handling of poisonous plants, goggles etc. There are no wrong answers as long as they can describe how the object is used. You will received 5 points for each described item and 5 points if you post an original photo of everyday items found around your home to represent each item. (originality marker rules applies for photos)

My Originality Marker: Nibbler
My very own magical creature given to me last Christmas as a gift from Rowena.

Item #1: Gloves
To be used for handling creatures that would be dangerous to touch with bare skin. Helps to protect from bites, burn, poisons, and other potential harmful ailments to the hands.

Item #2: Goggles
The goggles are two-fld in their use. One use is they are perfect for wearing to see underwater in order to care for magical creatures who live in the water. The other use being they're protective eye wear in case a creature spits something rather nasty into your eyes.

Item #3: A Mesh Bag
A mesh bag has multiple uses for care of magical creatures. It can be used as a net to catch creatures, or as a bag to carry around supplies.

Item #4: A leash
To be used for walking around creatures in captivity so that they get exercise and aren't so cooped up that they wind up killing or injuring each other. (Side Note: Not recommended for blast-ended skrewts.)

Item 5: A bass guitar
Used to lull dangerous three-headed creatures to sleep musically.

Part Two: Complete the following quiz about House Elves. 5 points for each correct answer.

1. Please describe the physical appearance of a house elf.
Large bat-like ears, bulging eyes, short, spindly arms and legs
2. Kreacher is the house elf of which wizarding family?
The Black family, and then later willed to Harry Potter
3. What is Hermione Granger making for the house elves?
Elf sized hats and socks and other clothing items
4. How do you free a house elf?
It's owner must present them with an item of clothing
5. What does S.P.E.W. stand for?
Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare

Part Three: Bonus/Extra Credit assignment. For a bonus assignment, knit or crochet a SPEW project that will be sent to our lovely Ms. Mooney as part of this year's S.P.E.W project. You will receive 25 points for your completed project.
To be completed at a later date.

Transfiguration Homework

I wanted to do better magi and make a better go at this assignment, but my time in the hospital wing hasn't left me in the best of shape, so I'm taking the easy out:

Bowtruckle

Rememberall

Golden Snitch

Hagrid's Rock Cakes

Decoy Detonator

Nose-Biting Teacup

Spectrespecs

Time Turner

In Love

Have you ever seen ANYTHING so pretty?

And it's so soft and beautiful and I'm in love... I did have 4 skeins but I shared and handed one over to Rowena. She's currently knitting the most beautiful, most soft socks ever... (AND doing it two-at-a-time).

**sigh**

Today is the surgery day. I'll be in the hospital wing a bit. I've started my homework, but I'll have to upload pics and do some slight typing.

Cheers