I'm already on the heel of the second sock. Apparently, once you get the hang of it, colorwork doesn't have to take any longer than a plain sock. Lessee... I think I started around October, give or take a month. Six months for the first sock, and three days for the second? That's not totally fair. I did take time out to make another pair of socks for Tom, and a sweater, a blanket, several hats, and at least ten scarves. Most of the difference in time elapsed for the second sock, in comparison with the first, reflects focus.

While working in the garden this morning, I got a 2x4 in my eye. Well, when I got it out, it turned out to be a tiny speck of dust, but it sure felt like a 2x4 when it fell in. I had great fun, pulling down the past-their-prime jasmine vines that are threatening to overwhelm some of my backyard fruit trees. I like pruning and weeding more than planting. When I first took possession of this house, I was delighted that there was an overgrown elderberry bush, sorely in need of pruning, in the back of the yard. That thing kept me busy and entertained for weeks.

It's Tom's birthday today, so I'm cooking. A chocolate layer cake just came out of the oven, to be replaced with a noodle kugel for lunch. I'm sure he knows there's going to be a cake; he tells people he married a shiksa so he could have a proper cake for his birthday, even when it falls during Passover. The kugel will be a surprise.