Turn that frown (or sock) upside down

As I prepare to post here for the first time in months, I'm horrified to find that the socks I'm blogging about I very fittingly dubbed "Spring Socks" - they feature a flowery lace design and I used a springy colorway of Malabrigo Sock and I remember hurriedly completing the first one in order to teach a class last April.
And I was feeling tickled that I'm finally in the homestretch of completing the pair...until I realized that it's autumn now.  Sigh.
The first one did spend some months as a loner until I pulled the pattern back out, determined to work up the mate for sock club at the Knitty Gritty.  However, a couple months went by without any real progress beyond the cuff and a couple rows of the pattern stitch, which for some reason (probably my lack of attention) just was not coming easily.

But last month I was teaching Judy's Magic Cast On at sock club, encouraging the participants to try toe-up socks, and I ripped out what little I had of my Spring Sock #2 in order to use the yarn and needles for the lesson. Then I realized something:  I really don't care for cuff-down socks.  There I've said it.  Me, the guru of the Who Knits Socks in Florida? club.  Can't stand them. I always have trouble casting on, I always have a struggle joining in the round on two circulars because I always forget how, and once I finally accomplish that I'm faced with and inch or more of boring ribbing until I get to anything remotely entertaining.
So I kept going with my cast-on example and began working the Field of Flower mate from the toe-up, opposite of how the pattern is written.  And here I am zipping along, having a grand time, and almost finished, just in time for sock weather, if there is such a thing here, which there isn't.

I worked the pattern stitch rows in reverse order on top of the foot, then referred to Wendy Johnson's Socks from the Toe Up to work the heel construction that most closely resembles the flap and gusset on #1 sock (which I barely remember).  Now I've rejoined the leg, memorized the pattern stitch and am literally working circles around this thing.  Surely 18 rounds of ribbing won't be as boring when the result is a complete sock, rather than just a cuff.
Granted, my progress was aided this past week by several hours on planes plus a lengthy delay.  But by the end of sock club tomorrow I'll be nearing the finish line.  Hooray!  I won't have to change my project name to singular "Spring Sock" after all.
The socks might not be exactly identical - sock #1 is a shop sample so I had only my Ravelry photos to refer to - but they'll be close enough.  Let's face it, they're socks for heaven's sake.  And this is Florida.  Who knits socks in Florida?