So I’m not dead! No, really. …Please, do believe me when I tell you that I’ve missed you. If y’all feel the need to give me a big old pimpslap for having been gone so long, I understand. I deserve it.

The last few weeks have been filled to the brim with sheer craziness. In a good way. The sad part is that I can’t tell you about a whole lot of it, just yet. So rather than try to retell the long and partially top-secret story, I will instead regale you with some random tidbits.

- Blue Sky Alpacas is the shizzle. Have you knitted with this stuff? No? Run out and buy yourself some. Seriously. I’ve been swatching stuff with it for a couple of weeks and it is nothing short of spectacular. It’s all good - the Alpaca Sport Weight is incredibly nice - but I am especially fond of the Royal, which is 100% Suri alpaca of a grade so rare that it must be gently plucked off the eyebrows of only the most pampered beasts. Or something. Wherever they get it, it’s astounding. The cotton is pretty danged nice too.

- The llamas and alpacas at Maryland Sheep and Wool back in May were ridiculously cute - dare I say redonkulous? - as evidenced by these photos:

The sheep were off the cuteness scale, too:

And then there were the baby goats. Goodness gracious were they cute! Even though this one looks like he’s in goat prison, he’s still awful cute:

Okay so these are oldies, at this late date, but you must admit they’re goodies. And I have a lot to tell you about, dear reader, so bear with me through a little catch-up.

- In vintage news, turns out the Vintage KAL is now linked to the V&A! I think to celebrate… I smell a contest brewing.

- I’ve recently become one of the lucky folks to end up on Ravelry. I can see how it’s an addictive little site… I could spend hours there, if only I had hours again! If you’re waiting, I won’t tell you not to whine and moan, because I whined and moaned incessantly until I got in. But don’t get too mad at the people who run the thing - apparently they’re busting butt. They say they’re about to quit their day jobs to run Ravelry full time, so that ought to speed up the process considerably.

More later, chiclets, as I get some photos uploaded! And soon, I promise this time…