A helluva week

Well! I've had better weeks, let me tell you. My dad had a heart attack - he's home now and doing fine, but still...

And I've had a week-plus of pain and discomfort - a kidney stone? Gall bladder? Ovarian cancer? But it seems to have been none of the above, just a UTI that blocked my ureter and caused my kidney swell. Swollen kidneys are no fun, let me tell you. It's still bothering a good bit. I was supposed to be spinning at bryghtrose's today, and then that changed to I was supposed to go visit my dad, but frankly, after this post, I'm going to go have a lie-down.

And the hotwater heater crapped out again, for the fourth time in three months. Maybe it's fixed now, but we'll see. And I have still to deal with my cat's joint problems worsening and a boatload of work-work, all due by the end of the month and on and on...

You know, the usual nonsense that hits everyone sometime.

But at least all those doctor/ER/radiology visits have added up to a lot of knitting time. Here's the red-and-blue zigzag afghan, about 80% finished.

That's Sophie, holding down one corner for me. She used to be a black cat, but in middle age, she's turning into a brown cat. This throw is turning out very nicely, so nicely that my friend Sue - yes, that Sue - has been hinting broadly, excessively, unashamedly, that she deserves this much more than the the couple who are getting this as a wedding present, that only she can appreciate the work and color sensibility, not to mention how well it would go in her living room, and so one. Piffle, I say .... but I might have a good bit of this yarn left over, so we'll see.

And do you remember that gorgeous blue BFL I was spinning up last time? Well, it has turned into 600 yards of the nicest, sproingingest, maybe a tad overspun but still lovely, DK-weight yarn I've ever made. I've started knitting myself a basic shell with it -

and it feels wonderful - sort of like a good-quality wool-cotton blend, very soft. On size 6 needles, I'm getting about 19 stitches/4 inches, and that's providing a nice drape, as well. I'm thinking of some sort of asymmetrical V-shaped opening at the neck - maybe a straight-line opening straight down from the right side of the neck opening, with an eyelet grid between the opening and the shoulder. Then, imagine how if the fabric is slashed straight down from the neck (not literally, of course, but I hope you get what I mean), the triangular piece of fabric directly in fron of the neck should hang open. I'm thinking I could encourage that triangular to curl back on itself and be weighted a bit in the corner by a heavy bead. Then, between the neck and the other shoulder, maybe the eyelet grid again, maybe a sinuous cable or two.

I'm hoping 600 yards is enough, but if not, I have another 4 ounces of BFL roving in a different, but related colorway, that I could spin up for additional yardage.

I'm sure that's all as clear as mud. If my drawing skills were worth mentioning, I'd draw it for you, but I don't think it'll help. You'll just have to wait and see how it turns out. That's what I'm doing, too.