Slowly gaining speed

Unlike me, Milo has never felt better.

Thank you for all your kind words during my recent near-death-experience illness. My brother-in-law has taken to calling me Typhoid Mary and has renamed our home The House of Pain. I have never been so sick for so long.

I was only totally flat on my back for 3 days, but the recovery period has been very slow. Maybe not eating anything for several days (not to mention not touching a drop of coffee for over a week) took a bigger toll on me than I realized because it's been almost two weeks and I'm just now starting to feel totally human again. As a person who likes to be able to get things done, it's been pretty demoralizing to have day after day of fatigue, and I truly started wondering if I'd ever be able to get back to normal.  Fortunately, my appetite is returning, I drank coffee yesterday and today, and I think I might be able to eat a normal Thanksgiving dinner by next week. Sadly, my love of squash and pumpkin collided with my severe intestinal problems and at the moment I can't even look at orange food. Hope that passes.

I finally managed a shop update, albeit a small one. I have two regular skeins of Dark Malachite:

And one large skein each (5.8 ounces, 629 yards) of Pomegranate [SOLD], 3-Day Weekend [SOLD], and Evening:



I'm afraid I have nothing else in the queue as of this morning, but next I'll have more of the sock yarn, plus what may be the last batch of Real Vermonter yarn for the year. I'm taking ideas for the next round and if I get my act together maybe I'll post a poll to help me figure out what you guys would like in terms of Real Vermonter yarn weight and fiber content.

I have been knitting, actually. Rogue is mostly done except for the top of the sleeves. I put it on hold while I switched to a Christmas-gift knit which I can't share here. You see, we went to my stepson's first college wrestling tournament in Rhode Island this weekend, and I needed something really portable. Then, on the spur of the moment, we went back down to Mass. on Wednesday night to see him wrestle in his first college dual meet, because he nailed a starting spot in the line-up and we were very proud of him. For the record, Wednesday night is the first time my husband and I have gone away overnight without any children in 8 years. All you single and/or childless people out there, think about that.

I finished my first large skein of Opus 2000 yarn:

My husband has basically declined my offer of a sweater for him, so it's going to be a big oversized warm one for me. However, I've stopped spinning it to make way for another Christmas gift project. On the spur of the moment the other day, I found a cool pattern that looked suited to a very drapey yarn. So I grabbed some fawn alpaca I have (which is for sale except I haven't put it up on the website):

ran it through my friend Donna's drum carder and soaked it:

And dyed it up:

I'm planning on spinning it and then Navajo-plying it to keep the colors somewhat distinct. The pattern I'm knitting up (secretly, of course) lends itself to subtle striping and I think this might work. Wish me luck.

That about covers everything. I'm almost better, I'm going to get back to dyeing (and to all my devoted customers, thank you for being so understanding about delayed shipments and any mixups that may have occurred during the Dark Days. I hope it never happens again!) I did, however, want to share one customer's results with some roving my daughter rainbow dyed. This spinner turned this merino superwash:

into this:

And through the magic of Navajo plying, kept the color gradations and knitted the yarn into Fetching:

(For the non-spinners, I will mention once again that Navajo plying is sort of like making a long crochet-chain with one strand of yarn. Because you are not twisting two or three different strands together, Navajo plying keeps each section of color pretty much intact. Margene did a nice comparison between standard plying and Navajo plying, if you are interested.)

Milo, no longer looking like a kitten, has dodged a bullet twice in the past two weeks but I won't be rescheduling with the vet again. Wednesday he gets tutored.


Ignorance is bliss, right?

Comments

[Alotta.knittin]

So glad to see you back on my screen! Sounds like a really wicked bug had you in his grips. And as usual, beautiful fiber and a luscious kitty are candy for these sad eyes today. (Thank goodness it's Friday. I couldn't take another day of this week!!)

Here's wishes for a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving (hold the orange stuff), surrounded by family and friends...and maybe the odd critter here and there.

[Pat]

Thank goodnes you're OK. You really had me worried. Glad to see you're up and around again.

[margene]

Be well soon! Love the rainbow colored mitts. Last winter I bought some alpaca wool roving from you and have been thinking of spinning it and then dyeing (I'm no good at dyeing roving) to make a vest. I'm going to watch your progress with interest!

[Helen]

That kitten is definitely a cat now, isn't he? With a big old tom's head. It looks like you'll be catching him in the nick of time. I'm glad you're feeling better, but do be careful for a little while yet; those fatiguey bugs can hang around if you don't treat them with the proper respect.

[Angie]

I'm glad you are feeling better, and can enjoy a cup of java! I hope you continue to get your strength back.

That Milo has gone from cute kitten to a fine, handsome cat. He looks like he's gonna be a big one. Poor Milo..his life will never be the same.

[jill]

Milo looks like a smug little bugger,what a satisfied little kitty smile...Our mouse dragged a tea bag into the stove the other day and I didn't notice it till it caught fire under a fresh pot that was whistling...He got frustrated over the size I cut the Bokchoi and it was stuck but nibbled in the back burner...I will be sending you pics of the new kitten and senior cat we will be adopting on Monday...feel better, xojill

[Carole]

I'm glad you're feeling better but sorry it took so long to get this way. Milo is so big! Sigh. They grow up so fast.

[Andrea (noricum)]

I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling so sick. I hope you're 100% soon! Those Fetchings are gorgeous!

[Lee Ann]

Wow, that's a hefty hunk o' Milo, there...

Soon to be a Big Dumb Boy Kitty. Yay. Front porches across your town will thank you.

I'm very glad to hear you've rejoined the living. Poor you! Take care...wow, no coffee...ouch.

[marianne]

sending more get-all-better-soon thoughts your way!

Milo is such a big boy! he does look very smug.

pretty pretty fiber! pretty pretty yarn! pretty pretty Fetching!

[Kathy]

Fingers crossed that you'll be in good shape for Thanksgiving.

Love those rainbow mitts -- so cute!

[Becky]

Do you think Milo is totally ignorant of what's about to happen? I think the first picture in your post may say otherwise.

Glad you're feeling better.

[Kristen]

Stomach bugs are the worst and you had an awfully potent one. Glad you are feeling better. Now you and your husband will have to get away when you are really 100%. Oh and I wish I had known you were in RI, I could have met you and brought you some chicken soup!

[Mia]

Milo is going to be pissed at you. Maybe if his daddy takes him in, he will get pissed at his daddy.

And the caffeine withdrawal is what has prolonged your recovery. But happy to hear that you are feeling better.

[Donna W]

Milo is one happy cat and it shows. Since he is still young he won't even know what he is missing after his visit to the vet. Glad to hear you are recovering. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

[chris]

Sounds like you had a nasty one. Take care of yourself and feel better soon!

[JessaLu]

oh he looks so relaxed...poor thing. ;o)

Thanks for reminding me - I need to call the vet for Jazz!

Hope you feel better by Thanksgiving!

[lisa]

Glad you're feeling better. (my family has often called me the same thing). Milo is still so cute.

[ShadowDancer]

So glad to "see" you feeling better.
Nothing quite so awful as feeling sick for that long.
Now then, about this yarn... you really must stop showing it in the blog. You create all sorts of covetous moments in MY house, and I am on a strict yarn diet (both b/c I could insulate my house, and b/c we're cash strapped, and I'm not allowed to use piano, trombone, or clarinet lesson music for yarn). So.. stop it. I want it ALL and I can't have ANY and it makes me pout. It's a most unbecoming look.

[trek]

Welcome back.

c|_| a cuppa caffeine on me

[Teyani]

so glad that you are beginning to feel more human gain. interestingly enough, it was orange food with me too (ugh) I wonder if the norovirus has an affinity with orange food? I may be off them forever.
love those rainbow mitts gorgeous and that fawn alpaca.. yummm.

[lindy]

glad you are feeling better,
Milo is soooo big and cute,
the snip may slow him down a little!

[Amanda]

So glad to have you back in the land of the living! :)

[jillian]

Ouch - what a nasty bug! Glad to hear your starting to be on the mend. And right before the holidays - that sux :) Milo is huge!

[Manise]

Oh, "tutored" is your way of saying *neutered*? Cute! Good luck and hope your alpaca turns out the way you envisioned. Glad you are on the mend.

[joan]

I agree with Becky... it looks like Milo knows something's up!

[Dorothy]

Glad you are beginning to feel well again! Sounds like a really bad one.

Love how the yarn your daughter dyed turned out. It made some very beautiful Fetchings.

I hope your holidays are much better and you are back on orange foods by then.

Poor Milo. My Sam knew something wasn't quite right, but after a few days, he forgot all about having it done. Same thing for Apollo (the dog).

[Dee fm KS]

Hiya, I know you sell yarn through your online store, but do you sell any through a shop int he Burlington area? I have a son who wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas and I told him enough of your yarn to make a pair of socks.If you don't sell any in the
Burlington area, can you recommend a good shop there? He does not do internet or credit cards. By the way, I love that bright primary color yarn and I love your almost all one color yarn. Thanks, Dee

[Dee fm KS]

PS- so glad to see that you are getting to feel better. Dee

[Jean]

Glad you're feeling better. Take care so you'll be 100% for Tday!

[janna]

Look what a big boy Milo has become! And so handsome! Glad you're feeling better, but it sounds like you should continue to take it easy a little longer -- I hope someone else is cooking Thanksgiving dinner!

[Anna]

I'm so sorry you've been sick!! The afghan is actually making some progress since I posted. It may actually happen!

Maybe your husband should do either the spinning or the knitting. It could be a cooperative venture!

[Spinning Fishwife]

I think if you asked Milo he'd say it was a fair swap...a short, cold and hungry life outside (with bits) in exchange for non stop food, warmth and love for the next fifteen or so years.

There's enough unwanted kittens in the world, after all.