Everything is New Again

It was 2 degrees when I got on the train this morning. I hadn't looked, assuming the temperature drop (back to -1F) was coming tonight. My ears hurt even with my hat. Note to self, warmer hat tomorrow.

I'm back to work this week and had students for orientation yesterday morning. I felt for the ones joining us from California. They are not prepared, even knowing they are coming to a cold region. 

Yesterday my last Senior Fall Academy project was approved! This officially makes me three projects away from graduation.  I hope Sherri has something exciting in mind for us, her first graduates.

A month winter break before we are into the final knitting semester and so I have been working on projects that have nothing to do Academy or gift knitting or anything. First up is some Malabrigo Caracol in the Camaleon colorway. It is beautiful yarn and looks like stained glass.  I bought it on quick trip to Milwaukee with BrineyDeep.  The pattern I am using is Faucett, a Franklin Habit Knitty favorite. The stitch pattern is very easy and in larger yarns goes very very fast. It also gives you a nice long fabric, which was my goal here in order to get a decent size long cowl I can wrap several times.  I just finished Skein 1 last night. 

I also started a pair of socks on New Years Eve. This was a little more challenging than expected. My hands have changed in the last few years and I knew that even though it was STR Mediumweight (a remnant or some such from a grab bag), I would need to use a size 1 (2.0 mm) needle. Only, all of my stitch counts that I default to would be wrong.  

A stitch count that works with these needles, yarn, and my feet appear to be sorted out; I will know within a few more hours when I turn the heel.  We have candidates in at work for position this week and that has afforded a little extra knitting time.  

This week has not seen me knitting much on public transit. Everyone is piled in with their puffiest coats and I am readapting to routine. Perhaps next week if we get out of the single digits.  

In the interim, there will be a lot more lotion and moisturizer. My everything is dry. (I was going to say hands but it is so much more. My face, my legs, my hair -- all of it seems to be dry and static-y.)