Yopping Update #29 - Knit knit knit and a book sale too

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Good Day, dear Reader,

I have spent the last week  - 

a) mostly in my jammies because I had some kind of virus (not CoVid), 

b) reading and learning the ins and outs of the Harry Potter House Cup challenges,

c) knitting endlessly on the plain section of my latest gansey,

d) binge watching pretty much everything (see a and c above), oh and this:

My novel will be on sale on Amazon.com (not sure about the other Amazon platforms) for $1.99 for 48 hours starting January 17th, 2022 at 8am PST.  With the Amazon self publishing platform I am allowed to run a promotion once every three months.  If you want to help spread the word to others please feel free.  I got my first cheque from Amazon at the end of December.  Drum roll please........$48.93 Canadian!  Hoo-hoo - I am trying not to spend it all in one place. 

White-Rabbit

Still, it does mean I am now not just a published author, but also one who has been paid!

On the knitting front I finished two wee gnomes for my December 2022 Advent calendar, and each gnome was submitted to the Harry Potter House Cup challenges - one for the Potions class, and one for Defense of the Dark Arts.

qualified for potions class because duplicate stitch is irritating!

qualified for Defense of the Dark Arts because it evokes a happy memory

NB: Duplicate stitch still irritating

The socks from last week I submitted to the Care of Magical Creatures class  because I read that if you find a frozen hummingbird you should bring it inside and but it in a sock to wam it up so that when it can fly again it doesn't fly all around your house.  When you see the sock start to move you can release the wee little bird back outside.  Good to know if our temperatures drop into the minus degrees again like they did for that ten days in December. 

I have taken up another challenge to get my dear old spinning wheel spinning again.  This is another Harry Potter House Cup challenge to craft something with vintage (older than ten years) tools, yarn or pattern.  Since my wheel was made in 1971 it definitely qualifies. 

I have some lovely blonde locks to spin (not sure of the breed), and it will be a nice break from the knit, knit, knitting I am doing to get my gansey up to the definition ridge so I can begin the patterning. 

the two markers indicate how much I can do each day

I have knit about 8 1/2 inches so far and want to have 12 inches to add the extra length.  I can knit about 1 1/2 to 2 inches a day.  286 stitches on 2.25mm needkes in stocking stitch.  I have to wear a thimble on my right index finger to protect it from the pokey needle.

I have been out for a few walks despite not feeling so great some days.  Last Sunday we went for a walk and I saw a Kingfisher catch a fish, and then take it into a nearby tree to savour it.  I got a video but it is pretty blurry, still you can see it flicking the fish around in its beak.  

All the Christmas decorations are put away, except for the window lights which come down today.  My craft room is once again tidy without all the extra furniture and plants stashed in there to make room for the tree and a keyboard my husband and I set up.  I reorganized all my plants, and planted the Amaryllis bulb Santa brought me for Christmas.  My kitchen nook has become my little greenhouse/solarium it seems. 

I am feeling better today.  My fever has finally broken, my head isn't as congested, and I am feeling more energetic.  I had to line up (in our car) for forty-five minutes on Tuesday to get a CoVid rapid test kit as my doctor wanted me to be tested.  The test was negative, but I still self-isolated all week so not to spread whatever it is to anyone else.  

Today?  Well besides knitting, I HAVE to dust some surfaces and vacuum.  I might even wash a window or two so that when the sun comes out (IF the sun comes out) I won't be horrified at how grimy the view is.  

So that is it for me this week.  Other yoppers updates can be found on the top right hand side of my blog.  

I wish you all a good week, a safe week, a healthy week, and a week where there is some joy and maybe even a happy surprise or two.