sweater grows slowly

 I've mostly been working on the newest sweater, with (of course) interruptions for other things.

It's complex, and it's dk weight (so small-ish gauge) and you knit the whole thing at once until you "divide" for where the sleeves go in (no seams; the parts are not knit as separate fronts and backs):

and here's a close up of the stitch pattern thus far. When I finish a couple more rows I change to bigger needles and start the cabled pattern that makes the design. This is just an eyelet plus rib:

Saturday I did run to JoAnn's; bought a few things for future projects. Went to Brookshire's, got fancier foods than I can get in town (they have a better produce section, for example). Also just getting OUT of town is something.

The construction is still a thing but the bridge is a little less scary now because they've been able to widen the lanes a bit. I'm hoping they finish this soon. 

I am contemplating the idea of eventually (like, within the next month or so) going to Quixotic Fibers for in person yarn shopping. I do not NEED yarn but there is just something about being inside a dedicated yarn shop, run by knitters or crocheters, who know yarn and care about the craft and are interested in what you want to make and can share advice.

I also got ahead on the grading (went in Saturday afternoon to do it) and got the exam for the end of this week written - I think maybe I'll take a hat I'm working on for invigiliating (this will be the first time of knit-and-invigilate since early 2020! All my exams up to this point were online and when we were more worried about "fomites," I would not have brought my knitting in to campus for fear of contamination). 

I guess it's good to be back on campus even with the precautions and the slight concern about "breakthrough" infections (anecdotally: they seem a lot more common than reported, I know of several people who have had them, most recently the sister and partner of an aunt-by-marriage, though in their cases maybe there were issues of immune suppression - apparently the man had had cancer earlier and recently concluded treatment). It's still extra work with having a Zoom option for people isolating (or "sick," I had several people on the sick list this morning and I wonder if "I might have been exposed to COVID" is the new euphemism for hungover, though I suspect my voice is louder over Zoom than in person). And I don't love the seating charts, and I suspect the students do not, but whatever. 

It DOES look like we'll be able to "give it up for Day 15!" again this semester; that will be Friday, and so far no huge outbreak of cases, so hopefully we stay in person? A lot of the students ARE choosing to get vaccinated, which will help with that. 

But being on campus does mean a little change-of-scenery every day

Like, I saw this:

It's an attempted murder! (heh. Get it?)

I also mowed the lawn this afternoon - in addition to doing a workout this morning, which means I get to sleep in a bit tomorrow (don't need to do a work out, it's a rest day). Also it's my one-class day, so that's easier.