Stuffed-up November Blahs

We have a cold.  Both Mr. D. and I are afflicted and we have both missed some work. The fact that it happened to be a Champions League/Europa League week had nothing to do with it.  We're mostly better now, at least I am.  Tragically, we do not feel well enough for yard work, but that's fine, because I'm not obsessing nearly enough about the bulbs I haven't planted, the woodpile I haven't dealt with, the fencing I haven't finished, or the compost heap I haven't moved.  Unless I work myself into a full-blown anxiety attack, I probably won't get around to it until next week, and when I do it, I'll be out there red-faced and weeping about how much it sucks to do yard work.

It is no longer warm enough to lounge outside, and not quite cold enough to light a fire.  Tiki has probably enjoyed his last outdoor sunbath of 2010.

Kirby too.  Kirby likes to be with us when we do yard work, but he also likes to follow his nose down the street, so we tend to keep him inside, and he glares at us through the windows.

Sick days mean knitting days, and that means I finished off a pair of minis from leftover Lorna's Laces.

I also started Mr. D's annual Christmas Sweater:

It's a plain pullover with no interesting details that might lead someone to mistake him for a homosexual.  *eyeroll*  Its name is "The Toad" because that's what color the yarn is.  I've given up on the pretense of surprise.  He knows I'm going to knit him one every year and my bigger job means less time alone this year to knit in secret.  It's also excellent mindless money knitting, so perfect for watching football.

Did you know that with wireless internet you can watch football in bed even though you can't get cable in the bedroom?  Perfect for sick days.

Please notice that we have an expensive down comforter (there used to no be heat here before the Hellhole Project).  The comforter cover is nice, and pretty, and white, and too big to fit in the washing machine, and it shows dog marks very well.  To avoid having to take it to the cleaners every week, we also have a cheap, washable bedspread that we throw over the nice comforter, because we can easily wash that every week.  I am susceptible to bronchitis, so I try to keep the dogs outside the covers.  That means when I'm not in it, the covers are flipped into place and the cheap bedspread smoothed over the lot to make it more or less dog proof.  There's no reason why you should care, but it's background for the photo.  Tiki has rebelled against my system.  He used his digging skills the drag back the bedspread and the comforter so he can make a nest in the blanket.  It's wool, it's fuzzy, and it's snugglier than the smooth, non-fuzzy bedspread.   And he can't be bothered to lift his head to say hello either. Jeez.  Rescue an unwanted beagle and treat him with a little kindness and pretty soon he develops a sense of entitlement.


And this is what happens at my house if you stand in the kitchen and eat an orange: