For anyone doing or thinking of doing the Slalom sock (It was in a recent issue of Yarn Forward magazine, don't ask me which one as my brain isn't working right now. But it had pretty fingerless lace mitts on the cover) don't make the same mistake I did, there's a typo in the chart that just doesn't sit right with me. So my tip of the day is to either follow the written instructions, or if you're the type of knitter who's more comfortable with charts rewrite the chart yourself in line with the typed instructions.

Freshly off needles are lsb's heel less socks, unfortunately the pictures don't show how bright they really are.















As per usual straight after this post is up I'll be starting on another replacement project. This time what I think is going to turn out to be a very nice pink version of Polly's slalom socks, and as lsb's purchased a camera battery for me as a reward for passing my last exam of the year I may actually get round to posting pictures on a regular basis.

Finally a picture of some knitting. The office hasn't been too busy today so i've managed to get a little work done on some simple socks (apologies if the quality's rubbish, i've only got my phone camera at work) which started off as my revision socks, to keep my hands busy and my mind sharp while trying to revise for my last exam (which i passed by the way, go me) and stop me tearing my hair out in frustration. Lsb's socks are coming along really well and with us both having next week off i can see them getting finished. I'd better trundle back to work now and see what great opportunities are to be had in the world of specialist community nursing.

I really can't believe it's been close on a month since I updated, but things have been so busy of late. Obviously as I said before we had a bereavement in the family last month, and that upset life a little. This past week hasn't been such a good one either, I started a new placement - which always seems to mean I catch either a cold, sore throat or the flu. This time it was a cold that knocked me for 6, with only the energy to very weakly work on lsb's heel less socks (of which the first one is finally finished - never again. The pattern's lovely, but 3 pairs of socks in a row in the same pattern is a bit much. I want a rest) as always picture to follow when the camera's working which of course it's not, as I've still been unable to replace the battery.

It's also been a bad week as I was recently told by someone I worked with last year that my favourite patient has died. I know it's probably unprofessional to admit to having a "favourite" patient, but I don't know how else to describe this man, and I'd just like to pay tribute to him if I may. This man was a very unique individual, a mellowed out former hell raiser left over from the asylum days who had more scars from fights and scrapes than your average boxer, who always had a story to tell, he'd seen it all in his time and stood as a testament to how the so called "good old days" weren't actually that good at all for the patients who were subjected to what we would now consider barbaric and inhumane treatments. He always had something entertaining to say and whether it made sense or not he always brought a smile to my face and he knew it. He had no real family who cared about him which always upset me, but given that he'd spent most of his adult life hidden away in an asylum it shouldn't have really surprised me. He had the most beautiful singing voice I've ever heard, and his renditions of Danny Boy brought a tear to my eye. I was genuinely upset when I was told of his death because it was so sudden and he'd been so very young in my eyes to go, but I feel so blessed and so fortunate to have known this man because I know there'll never be a character like him again. And with the existence now of newer drugs and better therapies I'll never again see someone with the level of long lasting side effects as I saw both in this man and in his peers. I will genuinely miss this gentleman and will always remember the lessons that I learned from him.

I really wish I had more to post at the moment, things at university and a recent family bereavement have tended to put knitting a little lower down my list of priorities than I would have ordinarily liked. In fact with the exception of the work I've done on my current travelling project (lsb's heel less socks, which I'm about two thirds of the way into the first sock) I've done very little knitting at all lately. I have however in between bursts of studying various bits of mental health law and legislation etc managed to spot one or two knitting books I rather like the look of. So far I've set my sights on The AntiCraft's book, and One Skein wonders (what can I say, I'm a sucker for something small and quick to knit, it helps me get my fix easier). Anybody got either of those books and found them worthwhile?

I finished off the heel less walking socks on Sunday night, and promptly cast on for another pair in the same pattern and some sort of opal I think (the ball band fell off a long time ago and as it was a present from my ever knitting mother during one of her stash clearouts I haven't a clue) for lsb who has been hanging round my elbow whimpering like a sick puppy for another pair of socks. I'm making somewhat slow progress on them right now, but not for want of trying. I've been extremely busy over the past week trying to revise for my upcoming exam not leaving very much time for anything else.

I've definitely got the sock knitting bug again and right now I'm falling in love with the Opal Feeling yarns - there's just something about stripy socks that speaks to my more non-conformist side, I have to confess to wearing the brightest stripiest pair I can find on a regular basis at work just to rebel against the very bizarre uniform policy that seems to involve only wearing black socks. I have no idea if there's a correlation between the colour of a nurse's socks and their skill as a nurse but seen as my socks are generally hidden by my shoes and trousers I don't see the harm in wearing something bright on my feet.

At last, a picture of my heelless walking socks. I'm starting to feel good that I'm making a little progress on them almost daily, even if it's only on the train to and from university. To be honest this is the time of year when things as a student get very busy and with only three weeks of university left and about four assignments to write for later in the year knitting has a tendency to take a back seat while I run round like a headless chicken trying to get everything done with time to breathe. Though I will say this for knitting - it certainly destresses me when I'm feeling really wound up, and rather stereotypically or not I do tend to recommend knitting to my patients, particularly those who have high levels of anxiety or want something to do with their hands after giving up smoking.