21 Days

. . . or at least, that's the required time that I must wait before I can file a complaint against the Post Office for LOSING MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY PACKAGE.

For my dear Mum's birthday, I knitted her a pair of Trekking XXL socks, and they fit beautifully.
They were nice and long.
They were soft and comfy.
They were special.
And now they're gone. *Sob*.

I have a personal theory that Postal Carriers must suffer from some bizarre form of "cold feet syndrome", because this is the third, yes THIRD pair of hand-knitted socks that have been mysteriously way-laid.

Thankfully, having had prior suspicions of Post Office mail fraud when it comes to hand-knitted socks, I put a hefty amount of insurance on the package, which I mailed first class. However, the Post Office, like most government run "highly efficient" entities (please note that the previous phrase was dripping with sarcasm), does not dole out their money easily.

Nope. You'd think that I mailed the package so that it would get lost on purpose, just so I could collect blood money from them. (Although, come to think of it, perhaps I should start having a sock-vendetta against them. That'd be a great way to get more money to add yarn to my stash . . .).

First, I have to fill out a 60-page report (not really, but it seems that long). Then I have to have a letter from my mom stating that she never received the package (hopefully the Post Office won't lose the letter she sends), then I have to have a signed statement from a reputable source that the item in the package was worth the amount that I insured it for.

Tell me, how I am going to get a reputable source to state that hand-knitted socks are worth $75 of insurance? Thankfully, I have "people", so I think I can work this one out (i.e. I go to local craft stores so often we're on a first-name basis. Yes, I know, it's sad). Still, if I weren't already drooling over how much yarn I can buy for $75, I think I'd just give up the whole thing as not worth the bother.

All this, and my poor Mum still has no birthday present.

So, even though I've started an obscene amount of new projects, I cast on one more, so that I could get her a pair of birthday socks. I'm not as happy with these as I am with the Trekking, but it's the best I could do in a short time. I hope she likes them (and I REALLY hope she actually GETS them this time . . .)

Pattern: Basic Sock pattern of 52 stitches knit with size 3 needles
Yarn: Lion Brand Magic Stripes
Size: Women's size 8 with a 3 inch cuff and a short row heel