Good News and More Good News to Come

I haven't formally declared Friday to be a day for encouraging or happy news on the blog, but it's starting to be a regular occurrence. Something about the end of the week, when we're all ready for work to be done and the weekend to start, seems like a good time to focus on the positive. So I have some more of that today.

First of all, our family has finally been reunited, as the Mister finally tested negative on Wednesday! He'd felt pretty much back to normal last Thursday and really only had a few days of sickness, but we were being very cautious and staying apart/wearing masks until we were sure he was no longer contagious. I'm still sleeping in the guest room until I have a chance to strip the bed and wash everything (and to be perfectly honest, I haven't minded the snore-free sleep!). Rainbow actually was sleeping with me until last night because I think she was anxious about her dad, but her only bad sleep habit is stealing the covers.

Speaking of Rainbow, we decided that it was high time she get her booster shot, so we took care of that yesterday:

The cutout behind her is Dr. Jonas Salk, who you have probably heard of for his efforts to create the highly effective polio vaccine, but you may not know that his research and the trials for the vaccine where done here in Pittsburgh. Fun fact: That cutout used to live in my office because of a big event we did years ago to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the polio vaccine!

After yet another hiccup with the sweater sleeves (I apparently wasn't paying enough attention and knit a half dozen or so rows on only one sleeve rather than both), they're back on track. I've finished the first section of increases and have eight more sets to go. Here they are with my hand for scale:

I think I really need to buckle down and work on these every moment I can find if I want to get the sweater done on time, especially because I need to allow time for blocking and drying. Of course, if I don't manage to get it done, I'm sure my brother will be happy to get an almost-done sweater as a gift.

I am still spinning a bit each day for Tour de Fleece, and as of this morning, this is all that's left to spin to finish the singles for this project:

That's maybe an hour of spinning time left, so I'm hoping I can squeeze that time in today, provided work cooperates.

As to the additional good news to come, it's some really good news. You may remember that almost exactly a year ago, my brother- and sister-in-law lost a baby. A few weeks ago, they told us they were expecting again, and on Wednesday, they went into for their scan to find out the sex. This was the sum total of the communication we received from my brother-in-law afterward:

Yes, that's exactly what you think it is in the middle! He'll be making his arrival around Thanksgiving, so this rainbow baby will be needing some fall/winter knitwear. Once the sweater is done, I'll be knitting some tiny things for my new nephew -- and Rainbow has already started a crocheted blanket that is flying off her hook!

I hope you've found some happiness and joy this week in spite of, you know, everything. Happy weekending, friends!