Wednesday, April 04, 2007

a-CHOO!!

I think I sneezed about a hundred times this afternoon.

I suddenly came down with a cold. I mean *suddenly*. One minute I was fine, happily working away; the next minute my face hurt, I was congested, I was sneezing, and I couldn't hear out of my left ear. I am now home, with tea and (radioactive) cat to comfort me.

I have apparently contracted a bug.

Not this one, though. He's a cutie, isn't he? I spotted him while going out to watch the scrub jays harrassing the cat. They do this with some provocation, to be fair.

** UPDATED TO ADD ** -- thanks to Perry and others who helped me identify this little guy as a Coccinella septempunctata larva (Sevenspotted Lady Beetle). I love ladybugs!

Sorry for the long silence. Passover got in the way, plus I kept leaving my knitting at work (why it was there in the first place is a mystery). But now I can show you:



Exciting black stockinette, mostly, but what's relevant here is that I finished the back of Bristow and I'm 1/3 of the way into the left front! I really want to take this to Australia with me, and it seems I have at least a faint hope of making that deadline.

And this is some so-soft Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud destashed by April, knitting into Christine (Talullah's World)'s lovely "Gift of Friendship" scarf, using yes! the new Addi Turbo Lace needles. It's really hard to find these in stock anywhere; I only managed to get size US #4s. But they are absolutely as great as advertised. They are the nicest needles I've ever used for lace, and maybe for regular knitting as well. The tips almost magically zip into the stitches. Christine's simple, seductive pattern is pleasant to knit, and the needles only enhance the good experience. This is my first time knitting with laceweight yarn, and it's a bit nerve-wracking, but I think, thanks to a good pattern and good equipment, I may survive ;-)

8 comments:

Jen said...

Sympathies on the sudden cold. Hate when that happens!

Cool picture of the bug. I'm always doing that, wandering around the edges of fields with my camera, taking photos of bugs sitting on leaves. Usually when we go for ice cream - we finish our cones, Gryphon naps in the car, I go bug-hunting around the edge of the meadow by the parking lot. :)

Christine said...

I had that bug last week and I reaaaaallly feel for you! Not a nice one at all. Hopefully it won't hit you as hard or long as it did me, the kids got a shorter version of it.

Bristow is looking great!!! As is your very first lace project!! I'm glad that you are enjoying it!

Perry said...

Cute baby ladybug! Or rather, what a scary-looking baby ladybug, but it's a voracious eater of garden pests even as a youngster, so that makes it cute in my book.

Earin Marybird said...

I have often wondered what the heck that bug was. I see them all the time.

Lace always seems so intimidating to me. I am impressed! Did I miss where you said what part of Australia? I've been to Queensland but never down south. Will you be able to blog? I hope you are feeling better. Colds are so nasty.

Anonymous said...

is it awful that i shuddered when i saw the bug pic? i am so not a bug person. but the lace project! how exciting. i also love the alpaca cloud, except that i found that i was allergic to it. how terrible! anyway, i hope you feel better! butter always swears by echinacea (sp?)...i always go for juice.

Christine said...

So sorry to hear about your cold :(. Hope work stays quiet so you can rest.

Anonymous said...

That Bristow sweater is going to be really pretty. I can't wait to see it when it's done!

Take care and feel better soon!

Aime

Zarzuela said...

Sorry to post this here, but I can't seem to find an e-mail for you. I was just checking blogs and your ring code isn't working. I think it just didn't make it into your sidebar. Can you update it and let me know? Or if you'd like to be removed, let me know that too. Thanks!

Jessica