Finished things and blooming things and new socks

First of all, I have finished and mailed to Mom the pretty socks out of the pastel On Line yarn. They turned out nicely.

I was so pleased with them and so bored with chocolate brown merino, that I immediately contemplated another pair. Went off to the yarn store and was thinking of buying more in a different color pattern when I was thumped on the head by the gorgeousness of some Colinette Jitterbug 100% merino sock yarn in the Blue Parrot color pattern. Oh heaven. I can't believe I spent that much (classified) on a skein of sock yarn.

Here's the beginning of my Jitterbug sock:

The maroon and green bits don't come out very distinctly, nor does the enchantingly buttery texture. I am in love. Enough to have scouted out the newest colors for this spring and finding one that I crave.

However, I am rationing time with these socks and requiring a certain amount of work on Chocolate Brown before I can return to Buttery Socks. Fortunately the yarn is expensive enough so I won't be stockpiling it. And when I finish CB, I need to move on to the silk and wool fuzzy yarn for Marleen's present.

In other news, my doorway clematis, after 2 years of sitting and doing little or nothing, has gone crazy - it's grown most of the way up it's supporting string to the loggia and is covered with blooms. It had been sitting there in its pot and doing nothing for so long that I'd forgotten it was supposed to have lavender blooms.

And that's all from Chez Packratty. I have an *entire* weekend with no festivals, nothing scheduled, no work, no committments elsewhere and I intend to devote it to maintenance on Chez Packratty and on Mz. Packratty herself.

And lots of time with Charlie.