I have been sick. I am still trying to shake off a cold that hit me after I came back from the US. It started out as a really, really sore throat (that still lingers) and has now blossomed into a runny nose cold. Nothing helped my sore throat. I tried lozenges, gargling with salty water and the stuff the doctor gave me, antibiotics, anti-inflammation tablets, ibuprofen for the pain, etc BUT nothing helped. The only thing that gave me some relief was inhaling steam infused with a little eucalyptus oil from my bathroom sink. I can't even drink beer......how depressing.
However, it is a perfect summer day here in Tokyo and I have decided to drive that cold from my body with vitamin C and exercise. Wish me luck.
On a much happier note, the Secret Pink Earring Swap is getting very exciting. We now have a total of 27 ladies taking part from five different countries - woohoo!! Remember if you are interested, you can still sign up by sending me your name and mailing address by Friday June 18. Details of the secret earring swap can be found here.
On a knitting note, I was feeling so low on the weekend that I couldn't bring myself to pick up my needles. Currently I am working on Stripes Go Round from the latest Interweave Knits, except I am knitting it in one colour using Elann's equivalent of Cascade Fixation. Now I just want to let you know that I do love my Denise interchangeable knitting needle set BUT using the size 5s in the round just doesn't work for me. The connecting cord is just as thick as the needle so the knitting needs to be forced around the tube (which sucks) - at one point I was forcing it just too much and the needle broke from the connecting cable!!! Disaster. My life is a wondrous joy now as I purchased some delicious clover 3.6mm bamboo circulars and they couldn't be more wonderful to knit with. I also wanted to add a little skull and cross bones intarsia pattern in the bottom of this top, but what I have read about doing intarsia in the round sounds very scary. So far I have let the idea go.
Moral of the story: Use Denise for projects that require larger needles - size 7 and up are fine.
I realized just before I left for the US that both the front and back piece of Carla are too short - the lacy pattern makes it very difficult to measure. So I need to rip both the front and back piece and knit a few rows more before the raglan shaping, and I have a few rows left of the 2nd sleeve. Maybe I can finish her by the end of this weekend.
Although I couldn't pick up my needles, I didn't seem to have any trouble ordering more yarn on the Internet (Elann) - didn't seem to hurt too much to lean over and get that credit card out of my purse - can't stop feeding this addiction :) The yarn is for the free flirty skirty pattern (beware - this is a link to a PDF file) featured on the Interweave Knits site. Mine's gonna be pink...of course.
Here are some more pretty pink earrings from Hawaii to get you excited!!!
Sorry to hear you are sick. Summer colds are the absolute worst!
I love that striped sweater from Interweave. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
Posted by: Amy | June 14, 2004 at 10:00 PM
ugh, being sick in the summer is the worst. i'm not sure if they have it in japan, but there's a product called zicam that works wonders on shortening colds from weeks to days. i highly recommend it.
also, i've just started to learn how to knit! i'm 28 and learning (not bad!).. i got "knitting for dummies" and it's a great step-by-step book. i was wondering, though, if in the future, you would be interested in compiling a link list of places you buy yarn or patterns on the internet. it's hard to find good place through google. it would be a good resource!
feel better kat!
Posted by: gleek | June 15, 2004 at 02:38 AM
Nothing like summer sweats and snuffles ... ugh, hope you feel better! Will send you high doses of Vit C (raspberry flava, yum and pink!)... funny about the salt gargling, my mom used to get me to do that all the time when I had a sore throat. Is that a Chinese-thing?
Am in Portland at the mo, scoped out a yarn place for you, will send link. Feel better and remember, better out then in...
Posted by: swirl | June 15, 2004 at 03:50 AM
Hope you feel better soon! Being sick is not fun at all!! Maybe that credit card therapy at elann has put you on the path to a speedy recovery.
Posted by: Mariko | June 15, 2004 at 05:39 AM
Feel better soon.
Posted by: joselle | June 15, 2004 at 11:33 AM
hey wouldja looky there - pink frangipanis!!! my absolute fave.
hope the cold is nearly gone now. thanks for the yummy pasta sunday. this second week of pure hell is nearly up. i can't believe i have come this far without a complete meltdown.
db, i love the new banner. time for me to get some new banner action happening too, methinks.
Posted by: frangipani | June 17, 2004 at 12:11 AM