Going home early

 So, Saturday morning I woke up sneezing (I had coughed a bit on Friday, but I honestly thought it as having worked in the herbarium/one of the PT techs burning popcorn in the microwave when I was there). Nope, it's a cold. First one in three years. (And yes, I took a COVID test Sunday morning before church despite not having a fever or body aches: negative).

Colds stink. I had forgotten how they are, for something that is really rather minor, kind of unpleasant. 

It's also possible this could be allergies but at this point I think it's a cold, because the cold and precipitation should have removed pollen from the air.

Yeah, we got this today:

They sent us all home at noon. I was seriously considering canceling my afternoon lab (it's one that typically runs long, I have a couple students with a sizable commute, and I didn't want people to have a hard time getting home. But then an e-mail came in a bit after 10 saying that classes after noon were cancelled, and the university will be closed tomorrow. 

I did carry home my systematic botany books and the little Leuchtturm notebook I'd been taking reading notes in, but didn't get anything done this afternoon because I really did feel kind of crummy. 

Maybe tomorrow. 

Hopefully, we only get sleet/graupel (that's what you hear in the video - sleet pellets) and not freezing rain. Stuff coming down already frozen won't take down power lines, but freezing rain, which freezes on contact, will weigh down lines and tree branches and lead to power outages.

I would not be surprised to find classes cancelled on Wednesday as well; it doesn't look like it will get any better before then. I assume my PT appointment tomorrow at 3 won't happen but if they've not called by 10 am I might call them, I don't love the idea of driving across town through several four-way stops (not great on good days with other drivers) to get there.

I did start a new project. I realized I start giving exams this week and wanted something new (I forgot the vest I had ongoing, but whatever.) I had downloaded (from Ravelry) a free sweater pattern called Crayon Etching. It was designed for Noro Kureyon but I had enough Aya in stash (similar weight but different fiber composition) and decided to try it. I don't remember why/how I got the Aya, I am wondering if it came from Elann on a closeout.Normally Noro is pretty expensive.

Anyway, I decided to give it a try. I"m not convinced it will WORK, I'm going to work a bit more and check out the gauge (without washing/blocking, but I can always play around with that if it's CLOSE to right unwashed). 

The first bits are tricky - short rowing to start the increases for the raglans (and also maybe make the front and back a little different). I want to get up to the "plain" raglan part before Thursday when I would give my exams.(I am about halfway there).

If it doesn't seem like it's going to work I could still wind of some other yarn I have, for a plain turtleneck from a pattern in Simply Knitting. (I have a *lot* of sweaters-worth of yarn on hand. 

It looks asymmetrical because that's the shortrowing; the front part is at the bottom. Perhaps it's done that way to provide a bit more fabric for over the bustline.

It's knit in linen stitch, which is slow and also tight - I am knitting a worsted weight on US 11s, which is a much larger needle than I'd normally use (the typical size I'd use for stockinette with a yarn of this nature is 7 or 8)

If it doesn't fit when I get a bit more done, I could either find someone to pass it on to, or I could just unravel it and try again. At this point it *seems* like it should fit - the neck line is right, anyway - but it's hard to tell.