Back To The Grindstone

 Way back years ago, when I first started working at ADP, even before the current facility had been built and we were in the back room of what we colloquially refer to as "the old plant", I had a coworker who would say every single day at the end of lunch break, "Well, back to the grindstone,''  as she slapped her hands down on the lunch table.  Every.  Single.  Day.  

That's what I felt like this morning when that alarm went off way too early.  Back to the grindstone.  The good news is, this is my last full week of work for the year!  Thanks to judicious use of my vacation days, I have a long weekend every single weekend from here until January.  Maybe I can catch up on some of the stuff I need to get done...like finding an oral surgeon who can get me in before November.  I need to get on that, or it will be November, and I won't even have made the appointment.

All right, then, moving right along.

My long awaited new Kindle has arrived!  

OK, it wasn't actually that long awaited, as I ordered it Friday and got it Saturday.  That's capitalism for you.  But, since it was a different size than the old one, I also had to order a new case and screen protector.  Those didn't arrive until today.   In the meantime, I just left said Kindle in its protective plastic bag, and played my games through the cellophane.  

That's a word you don't hear much any more.  Does anyone still call it cellophane?  Or am I just an anachronism?  Wait, don't answer that...

Anyway, the case and screen protector arrived today, and the Kindle is safely cocooned in them, 

and game play...um, I mean reading...  may commence. 

In knitting knews, I finished the second hat.

 I think this one will fit much better.  That bit to the left is the yarn I had left over.  I was tempted to make a pompom out of it, but I decided against it.  Mainly because I detest making pompoms. 

For the last several days, I've had a skein of yarn whispering my name.  I'd gotten it out a while ago, and just laid it on a book shelf in the craft room.  Every time I walked past, it seem to mock me.  "Wind me!" it said.  Yesterday, I finally gave in and wound it.  

While I was trying to figure out what to do with it next, I got out the old sock yarn blanket and added a square to it. .

Once I'd seen how it is going to knit up, I knew the yarn would be perfect for a beret or tam with a snowflake - like pattern.  I got onto Pinterest and almost immediately found the perfect one.  Unfortunately, I can't share with you right now, because this is going to be a Christmas present.  

This pattern is knit from the crown down instead of ribbing up.  You cast on 8 stitches to double pointed needles and increase as you go.  After nearly poking my eyes out more than once, I still didn't like the way it was looking.  I pulled it all out, and tried again.  Same result...then I remembered!

The belly button cast on!  

By that time, it was way past my bedtime, so I waited until today to try that method, and it worked like a charm.

That bit sticking up in the middle looking a bit like an umbilicus is the belly button cast on.  It'll be removed at a later date and the hole tightened up.  

And finally, more bad news.  I lost another friend to COVID yesterday morning.  

He will be missed.  

And I found out, Beverly and James both have it now.  This is Bev's second time through.  

Now, I think I'll go to bed early and hide under the covers for a while.