See this little cow tape measure with the tail pull? Isn’t it cute? I thought it was cute, too. That’s why one of them came home with me awhile back.

Last Saturday, I pulled out my little Cow from its safe place in one of my knitting bags and used it to measure my progress on the green sweater (which seems to advance in tiny increments smaller than the actual row gauge).

Last night I reached for little Cow to measure the new progress on the green sweater (still advancing in tiny increments). Cow wasn’t there.

Where is Cow?

I searched everywhere. In the cushions of the chair. In every single knitting bag (even ones containing dormant projects that haven’t been opened for way too long). On the ironing board. In my office, where I was knitting samples for the next sock class. In the stash boxes. In the pockets of the jeans I wore on Saturday. Even, lord help me, in the fridge and the pantry (this was Kentucky Derby Day, and I did have a mint julep or two, after all).

Cow was nowhere to be found.

I accused Moo Cow (that’s the cat Moo) of pilfering her namesake. Although I grilled her unmercifully, she just lay there looking innocent and purring. She knows nothing, or so she claims.

If you are holding Cow hostage, please post the ransom amount in a comment.

Poor little lost Cow. The grass isn’t really greener in the other pasture I just want you to come home!