A friend of mine, older and diabetic for many years and suffering the foot problems that many diabetics get at this point, went to her doctor the other week and learned that he wants her to start wearing wool socks. 100% wool socks. No elastic, no "fillers". Just wool socks. Something about breathability I guess. Now, I know wool or cotton socks are wonderful things. Personally, I don't go for wool. Cotton, though, makes me drool from time to time. This friend was talking to my mom and wondering where on earth they expected her to find these socks- with no elastic or fillers. Simple, my mom says. Just ask Mary to do it. She knits socks, is currently into knitting socks, and would be happy to do it.

And I am happy, of course. I love the opportunity to sit down and knock out a few more pairs. It's the chance to perfect my technique. Also the excuse to buy new needles. I picked up a set of wood double-points for this project, and the wool, and I have to say that I'm completely sold on the combination of pure wool and wood. A drawback for me in working with socks thus far is that there is inevitably a point at which all my stitches try to escape on a tight corner. The wood needle is "sticky". The wool is also sticky. The two sticky things are making the socks easy to work. Easier to fold into my purse and expect to stay together.

If only the sleep that eludes me could be trapped like this wool on the needles. I could catch it and force it to stay on my brain, and then I would lose a portion of this zombie-like wandering through the rest of the next day. So far this week I'm choosing to look at it as a tailor-made opportunity to pump. I needed to start pumping at night to increase supply. Well, here we are. I'm awake, so I pump. And while I'm pumping, let's work on balancing the breastshield against my bent knee so that I can have both hands free. Then I can keep working on lovely wool socks.

Multitasking. Is there anything a mother can't do, when she's motivated enough?