Sniff

Actually, the cold is finally showing some small signs of retreating. It has been a pig.

But the Wumpus cat actually took a tiny paw-step backwards today. Not so very far, so we think everything is still ok, but could do without the anxiety! I'm threatening him with the vet again, that might do the trick!

Although I would much rather have stayed in bed with the duvet pulled over my head this morning, the DSM dragged me out and took me to the Bead Fair at the Harrogate Showground. Come to think about it, staying under the duvet wouldn't have been all that comfortable, breathing difficulties...Anyway, not being all that early moving and having less oomph than usual, I Devised A Plan. We would go round the halls once, and then return to the stalls with the things I wanted. I was looking for certain things only - a vendor who did seeds beads in hanks or other large quantities instead of silly, mingy little tubes; pearls; a decent bead storage system; an interesting focal bead as a treat; and silver-plated Beadalon.

I was successful in everything except the last item. Obviously, UK vendors consider this way too extravagant, and anyway, the regular looks perfectly all right. Well, I don't think so. I do rather like those airy, floaty necklaces that have a few crystals and so on, with lots of exposed wire, but think that the regular wire looks tacky. Opinions? (Anyone who says, "Oh, those necklaces" is straight off my Christmas card list...) Is it worth sending to the US for the echt silver stuff?

I found a very unextravagant dichroic pendant, which I have tried to photograph and failed miserably. I'll try again tomorrow? If and when my head feels clearer still. I remain hooked on dichroic, love the way it sparkles. Plus most of the other special beads I see are those spotty things that look like they have warts. In very poster paint colours. (Could it be that after all my diatribes against the knitting snobs, I am turning in to a bead snob - perish the thought!) And small blue tabby point just burst into the room with some brio, so I think I may well be worrying unnecessarily on that particular score. That would be nice.

I have nearly finished the pair of silk crocheted mitts. Just got beads to put around the cuff - I just happened to have the perfect colour in the stash......