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Well, the knitting machine works - in less than a week I have made two lacy scarves and a jumper as well as a few bits and pieces to test out its capabilities. I managed to get hold of an instruction manual from a knitting machine shop in Brighton which I must have walked past hundreds of times without noticing its existence. The felting projects have not really happened yet as I need to find a way to stop the edges curling over and felting in on themselves, but I haven't really given it any serious thought yet. I think it could be difficult to get hold of 100% wool suitable for the machine - there seems to be acrylic in abundance, but that's no good for what I want to do. I guess it'll have to be online shopping again, but it's so difficult to show restraint when it's all "virtual" shops - my brain has come to believe that it results in "virtual" bills that are only paid "virtually" and don't exist in reality. If I had to hand over my hard -earned actual cash, I might think twice.

I know I said I was concentrating on the aran chair cover, but the machine seems to have taken over - must be something to do with the comparatively instant results combined with my impatience. I have done a bit more to the chair cover and am definitely on the home strait but it will still be a while yet before I can stand back and admire the finished article.

Time will be at a premium from tomorrow as I return to work after 10 weeks on sick leave. I don't know that I am completely ready to return and I'm not looking forward to it at all, but I feel that the longer I put it off, the harder it will be to return at all. I've also signed up for the next year of Experimental Textiles, so that's another night of non-knitting.

Still no photos of Bethany's top or the latest socks, this time I just forgot to whip the camera out and Bethany is now at her dad's until Tuesday night. I will try to remember because the top looks very effective so is worth a picture.

On a completely different note - Mollie has a double! I took her to the vet on Tuesday for her annual look-over and another cat came in who looked exactly the same as our very own Moll. He even had the same look in his eyes, the same white socks and white tummy, he was just missing the tiny white tip to the tail but they could have been twins. He was much quieter than Mollie who declaimed her displeasure to all who would listen! (although she went very quiet when a large dog came in). I wonder whether the other cat could have been one of Mollie's kittens - she had just given birth when we saw her at the animal rescue shelter, but the kittens had already been found a new home. I wish I'd asked now.