Almondine Socks--Making Progress

Even though my sister and her husband were visiting for the last week, I've made respectable progress on Anne Hanson's Almondine sock from Sock Knitting Master Class. The sharp points on my Signature needles make easy work of k2tog and ssk decreases, plus they coordinate so well with the yarn (Kollage Sock-a-Liscous) that I just love to knit with them.

For me, this pattern is very straightforward and easy. I'm making the third size (9" foot circumference), but I plan to only work 4 repeats of the lace pattern (as for the second size) before I start the heel. Otherwise, I think the sock will be too long for my liking. I may also need to make the foot a bit shorter since my foot actually measures 8 1/2" in circumference). We'll see.
So far, the only adjustments I've made are to use the Old Norwegian cast-on (p.39) and I used one size larger needles (size U.S. 3) for the cast-on, ribbing, and the first 2 repeats of the lace pattern.
I haven't found anything tricky so I don't have any tips yet. Stay tuned.