I aten't dead.

Merely suffering from an excess of Noro. Virus.

Serves me right for gloating about scoring some - the next day, both the DSM and I awoke feeling......oh, help. The rest of that Tuesday passed in a merciful blur. He has recovered well, for me, it has taken a little longer, dammit.

It meant, also dammit, that I had to miss AH, which annoyed me royally as I had really been looking forward to it. But I did get to York with everyone else for the festive picnic with the mater, so that was good.

All my good intentions of a graceful, stress-free, slow approach to our own midwinter festival went right out the window of course. And do you know, I am finding it matters not one whit. We have everything we need for a not too overindulgent time without me spending several overheated hours in the kitchen; the house is, or will be clean and tidy enough; some of the decorations have found themselves slowly gathering and attaching to suitable points; and in a very little while, I will finally have got around to wrapping the presents I have for the DSM!

Best of all, over the last couple of weeks, a social programme has kind of arranged itself. We had already booked to go to the theatre in Manchester on Saturday. Then at the anniversary do (from whence came the norovirus, somehow - several of the guests have also reported getting it) I had asked old friends over for a low-key lunch on the day after Boxing Day. But we were suddenly included in my niece's gathering of the clans for tonight, and the logistics of that mean that my sister will be with us for tomorrow, Christmas Day. During which we shall have one friend drop in, and we shall walk up the river to drop in in our turn on others. Snow would be the icing on the cake (groan) but that ain't going to happen. Plus there are further delights in store for the New Year weekend.

You know, I think we deserve this....

My weakened state of the last week has resulted in some fibre stuff getting done, but no pictures thereof. I dug out and finished off two of the three pairs of socks that were just lying around, and about time, too. I have knitted no less than three individual "Fetchings", of which two are a pair - the first came out too small, so I tweaked. I have cast on a scarf/stole with the purple cormo yarn. Too soon to tell yet if it will work. I could have done a better job of spinning this, although not exactly my fault as it was the first time I had ever tried it. Lovely stuff, but I was taken aback by how much it altered after washing.

Yes, I know. I should have sampled; well, I did, but I didn't wash the sample. So, all my own fault. Now I need another source for cormo roving, to do better next time.

I managed to get back to spinning eventually, and have nearly finished the last of the Abby batts. The final one has a kind of hairlike "bite" to it. I am spinning it very fine, and I think, unfortunately, that it will be perfect for lace. Ah, well.

And finally. The Solstice is passed, and Yule is in full swing. Enjoy your season however you celebrate it. I tip my glass to you all.

Often!