It's so cold this morning! The fire in my bedroom went out during the night and I woke up as frosty as a boar's arse in January. It's my own fault, I didn't think to put on more wood when I went to bed. The days haven't been terribly cold, but then an awful storm came through and now it's like autumn is done with us and winter's on the way. The apple tree is done and naked now. I picked up what fruit was left on the ground a few days ago, and took it out behind the house for the birds and bugs to finish off. The grass outside is all covered in frost and looks so pretty in the sunlight! I've got the fire going again, and I made sure the hearth in the front room was nice and crackling for Master Tumunir when he wakes.
It seems I made a smart decision with posting for my knitting! I got a message from a Miss Lumina (wait...isn't that Mister Leoffrith's lady?) about wanting some things since this is her first winter in the north. And then I had a late-night visit from Miss Gustine! She wanted her scarf mended, as it were full of holes. It's a strange and pretty purple color, but I think I found a yarn that's close enough to match without being too obvious. She threatened me with a wag of her little finger about not giving her a discount, and she were smart to do so, because I'd knit her a whole army of scarves for free. I gave her my shawl to wear home since she didn't bring another scarf with her, and I weren't about to let her go home in the cold like that.
No sign of Master Maurr yet. I wonder if I should write him back. Would he even still be there, with the other dwarves? I miss him. I miss the funny way he and Master Tumunir would banter back and forth, one so cheery and the other so grim.
I think I should pay a visit to Mister Dimheim. He's been quiet and invisible for too long and it's starting to worry on me. I did promise Mister Doc to make sure he was all right while they're away. I wonder if I could bring him anything to cheer him up. I'll think on it.
I will not worry about how I might feel being around him again.
Upon my word, guess who has returned to Bree? Stitches! Aye, Stitches, that odd and sad fellow who vanished without a trace last winter. I worried for him so. And then I sort of forgot about him in some way, because he never came back. He just appeared a few nights ago, just out of thin air, almost like a ghost. I were outside with Master Tumunir and here comes this young lad with a horse and if you believe it, a fox sitting on the horse's saddle. I couldn't wrap my head around the thought that I was really seeing Stitches, and Master Tumunir stood in front of me and barked at him and asked his business. I finally found my tongue and assured Master Tumunir that Stitches was harmless, and then brought him inside so he could sit and warm up, as he looked confused and lost and would hardly say two words at a time. I'm still not sure where he's been (he said some place, but I'd never heard of it), and he seems to have forgotten some of it himself, like his memory's gone wrong. Poor lad. He had a key in his hand and said he'd been left a house here in Knotwood. I don't think he even knows where he got the key, and I wasn't going to press him about it. Master Tumunir and I showed him where the house was, as it weren't too far from the Boarding House. I told him he could visit anytime, and I mean to check on him soon.
I'd better stop gabbing on paper and get myself up to make some tea to warm us up.
