Distractions and Socks

I seem to have been distracted of late by things like this:

Planting the vege patch - peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes and zuchinni

Removal of the old garage slab

Was fun to watch

Children playing outside

EQC are paying for this to be removed due to earthquake damage

And be replaced with this instead; I'm expecting the grout on this to behave much better as they're all stuck down properly, and they're pretty.

Have been trying to get a date for the new slab to go down; was told around Show Weekend, which is over a week ago now.    Will ring again tomorrow and hopefully get hold of the guy.   Also got a replacement letterbox and have painted the numbers on it (due to having problems in the past with people removing the metal ones) and also have a new wheelbarrow to put together; yay!

I've also been re-reading the whole Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series, just wish the later ones had a little less explicit sex as the actual stories are really enjoyable.  Reading tends to cut into the knitting time, as does re-doing the whole computer system 3 times.   Hopefully it's all sorted now though.

Despite all that I have managed to get some knitting done.   I currently have 4 pairs of socks on the needles.   2 of those are colourwork and are also on hold while I finish the other 2.    The first of the others is a test-knit for Valerie of Wandering Cat Yarns; the socks are called Elm Tree Socks, they will come in 2 sizes; be available for sale on Ravelry.com and look like this:

Aren't they pretty?

I've cast on for the second one and they are my home knitting at the moment.    My second pair on the needles are a plain pair for eldest in charcoal commercial yarn.   They're my knitting while waiting socks.
I'm also working on the skirt for my eighteenth century outfit.   It's all cut out, just need to do the waist area and it's done.  I've used a second-hand sari in silk with machine embroidery for it; hopefully it looks good when done.   I've got Bonnie (my dressmaking dummy) down to the right size to be me with the stays laced how I wear them so I can use her to fit my polonaise after this.  Need to try and get it all done before the holidays; it's impossible to get cutting out done when there are boys in the house.