I blame Wendy and Rock Chick both.

Because of them, I ordered these:

Copper River Primero, 100% Kid Mohair yarn and:

  Santa Fe Duet 55% kid mohair and 45% fine wool.

They look gorgeous, don’t they? And the texture on the mohair? Unbelievable–I was drooling all over my keyboard. I can’t wait to see it, smell it, touch it, feel it!

They have a free shawl pattern on their site, which I may make, with these two yarns knitted together . . . or . . . I may not. Don’t know! I just know I had to order these. Just couldn’t help myself. (I’m starting to have as little self-control with yarn as I do with books. This could be a serious problem. . . . Can somebody say “yarn diet?”)

Oh, and if you’re drooling, too, these are ordered from Brooks Farm. I understand they’ll be at Stitches West this weekend which doesn’t do me much good here in New Jersey, but hey . . . Why should I be the only one [feebly] trying to avoid temptation?

Oh, and Alison said “Wow, you are brave popping that sweater in the machine to felt! Very inspiring. Great job kicking off the fixin.” Thanks for the compliment–it took me longer than I like to admit to put that sweater in that hot, hot water!

Next up is fixing the zipper and the hood in my Debbie Bliss cabled jacket. I’ve never been happy with the zipper (not to mention having picked a really hard color to match for the sweater), and the hood is a good 2″ too long, so I may as well fix that, too!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Here’s a photo of the ongoing progress for my Pi-are-Square shawl. Well at least, it’s an attempt at a photo of my progress . . . This is one of the hardest projects to photograph, and I’m not even sure the picture looks different than the last one I posted! It’s hard to see the actual patterns to the lace, of course, and I don’t expect to get an actual look at them myself until I’ve got the entire thing done and blocking. I like the shade of red a lot, but am not really enjoying knitting with this yarn. The sizing (which I’m told will wash out–it’d better!) makes it stiff and harsh to my fingers–more like string than yarn. But I do like the color quite a bit, and it’s stiffness may actually aid the pattern, in that it’s not as likely to slide off the needles . . . At this stage–in the last section of stitch increases–I’m getting two rows done a sitting. I’m about a quarter of the way through the section and then, of course, have the edging to do . . . once I figure out which one to use. (But, at two rows a night, I’ve got better than two more weeks to decide, so, no rush.)

Meanwhile, I’m having a good hairday today, and refreshingly, don’t look like a ghost in this picture . . .

Chappy’s stretched out next to me and has obviously given up trying to find his Grandpa (who landed safely in Florida yesterday and who has already played two rounds of golf). Chappy was looking all over the house for him this morning. He saw him leave with his suitcase yesterday, but I think he was hoping he would have snuck back in during the night. Ah well . . . In the meantime, he’s keeping close tabs on me and Mom.

Next up for the evening–get some spinning done, help Mom with a little plumbing problem, take my shower, make some tea, and then sit and knit in front of the television–West Wing is on tonight (still Must-See for me, even if it can’t compare to season two), and so is Jack & Bobby, which we’ll tape and watch tomorrow. (And no, don’t have Tivo–it’s apparently not compatible with our cable service. Go figure.)

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Tags: Chappy, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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  Well, my socks are coming along. They just about come up to the balls of my feet, and everything! And now I know why so many people in the knitting community have been raving about Koigu. Nice yarn and what beautiful colors! It didn’t photograph as well as I’d like–there’s more green and yellow in the real thing . . . it’s like the photo picked up all the subtle colors and left the primary ones alone.

And, today, my order from Allegro Yarns came–my Fiddlesticks Yarn Peacock Feathers shawl pattern, and a lovely green yarn in the color, “Peacock.” (Honest!) Given the choice, though, I think I’m going to try the Knit Picks yarn I got last week–I like the blue/green/turquoise thing for a peacock feather shawl. I think I’ll save the green (which is really pretty, mind you!) for something else.

Okay . . . want to get some spinning done before bedtime…!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Well, Chappy was in rare form this weekend. Last night, while I is the shower, he stole my last skein of Dale of Norway yarn from my chair and turned it into this:

He chewed off the wrapper and luckily didn’t damage the actual skein too much. He’s not a destructive dog, but thievery is one of his favorite games–he steals a slipper or a towel (generally something soft) and then waits until someone comes to get it. His patience while waiting is impressive, and he’s pretty good about giving up his prizes, though he may run around the dining room table a few times before he’s willing to concede. Anyway, I rerolled it into this:

Which, this evening, I turned into I-cord ties for my green hood which is now completely done. I’m counting this as part of the February Fix because it could have sat in the closet without ties almost indefinitely. I had it on my bedroom chair because of the February Fix, and then Chappy provided some, ahem, additional incentive to do something with that last skein of yarn instead of just letting it sit there! That’s two problems/projects, though, that I’ve addressed because of this group. Incentive is good!

I did get my hair cut yesterday, and I think it’s a good one–I always have a hard time telling for the first day or two. The first day, well, it’s never, ever styled by the stylist the way I would do it. And, of course, the extra handling during the cut breaks up the curl clusters, and it generally looks pretty bad that first day. (I had it pulled back in a barrette all day.) Then I gave it a protein treatment last night–something I haven’t done in a while–using the Ouidad Deep Treatment and the microfiber heated turban I got for Christmas. And so it wasn’t looking its best today, either–the protein is good for the hair and good for the curl, but it’s a little drying, and I think that basically my hair was feeling a little sorry for itself. That will hopefully change by tomorrow.Still, Before and After shots, for what they’re worth (with the caveat that flash photography tends to make me look like a ghost):

Again, it’s hard to say for sure, but it seems like a good cut. It doesn’t look like she took off a lot of length, but some of that is because of the curl . . . and I do still want to grow it out some more.

Also, did anyone see what the Animal Planet was airing during the Super Bowl? It started at 3:00 this afternoon (EST) and went until 9:00.

Puppy Bowl! This was hilariously cute. A “stadium” filled with romping, playing, fuzzy puppies. And that was it, for six hours. Nonstop cuteness. I especially liked the “Bowl Cam” they had hidden at the bottom of a water bowl, that the puppies kept pawing at. Just silly, wholesome fun, and remarkably watchable . . . at least, for dog lovers. For those of us not interested in football, it was actually not bad at all!

Tags: Family, General, Hair by Deb
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First, I’m just so glad the work week is over. It’s Friday, and that means Chappy gets to sleep on my bed tonight (a non-work-night-only treat for both of us). I can also stay up later reading without guilt, knowing I can sleep later tomorrow if I need to.

Though, not too late–I’ve got a haircut in the morning. I’m a little nervous about it–it’s my first one since August! I haven’t gone this long between cuts since I wore my hair one-length and past my shoulders in college. Since I’ve been encouraging the curls, though, and since I told my hairdresser, Jen, that I wanted to grow it out, she gave me a great cut that had a shape that “grew” well. (I couldn’t believe how short it got last winter–shorter than it’s been since the early 1980s.) She gives good haircuts, though–one of the only hairdressers I’ve ever had who (1) really listens and (2) pays close attention to what she’s doing–she doesn’t get distracted chatting, or cut on auto-pilot. I really like that about her.

And then, my most recent order from Amazon came . . . more books! I love books…. Two are children’s books that I just wanted a copy of (and which I highly recommend, by the way); One knitting book, one autobiography about a Chinese family that comes to America, and a series of humorous essays by the scientist Richard Feynman. Yay! This brings my library up to 2,573 volumes.

After my haircut tomorrow, my parents and I are going to the NJ Home Show to look at things like acrylic bathtub/shower inserts–the kind that fit into the existing space in one, big piece, in one day. Also at kitchen cabinet refacing. Our house will be 30 years old in November and deserves a little sprucing up, especially in the bathrooms! I still can’t believe we’ve been here this long. I remember that we moved out of our old house the day after my 9th birthday (and that I wasn’t allowed to take the shrink-wrap off of some of my birthday presents because Mom had to pack them!), and into this house several days later. Except for college, I’ve lived here ever since, though thank heaven the decor has changed! Though my parents made some wise choices–the mandatory 70s panelling is white, with black molding trim, and so still actually looks just fine in our family room–not dark and dated. The kitchen, too–dark wood cabinets with white counters that actually still look white. The appliances have changed (white now, instead of the original Harvest Gold), but except for some nicks and scratches, the cabinets don’t look nearly as dated as some of the other houses in the neighborhood. I love this house…

Tags: General by Deb
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Well, I tried my first “February Fix.” I have this pair of Lopi sweaters, knitted way back in 1989 when I began “serious” knitting in college. The brown one was my very first sweater, and the green one–with, I think, 3 more stitches per row, but knitted back and forth rather than circularly–was my second. As you can see, the gauge was (ahem) rather different), even though the basic sweater shaping was the same . . .honestly! Anyway, the green one never fit quite the way I would have hoped, and the front corners have always hung low and long, and basically, I wore it over my pajamas for years–nice, big, warm sweater. But I thought it would be nice if it fit just a little bit better, so I decided I’d try gritting my teeth and full the thing–my very first attempt at felting anything.

As you can see, it certainly did shrink down in size . . . after I fought with it for a while. First, I tried the washing machine, but it felted the right side (left of the picture) and barely touched the other side). That I did myself, by hand, in the bathtub–an experience I am not eager to try again. Hot, steamy, aching arms . . . really not that fun! But at least the sides ended up symmetrical. (They are, really, even if they don’t quite look it in this photo–it’s just the way it’s laying on the floor.) The only problem is now it’s just a tiny but too small. Granted, I tried it on earlier over a thick shirt and it would no doubt fit better over a t-shirt, but the sleeves are just a little tight and about half an inch shorter than they should be. Sigh. But at least I tried something new! I do like the way the color intensified, though–it’s a much brighter shade of that green.

Speaking of something new, I got two packages in the mail today. One was this lovely jute tote bag from Levenger.com. They have great things; their slogan is “Tools for Readers,” but their bags are also great for knitting. This one was on sale for $30, with a matching leather pouch for inside. Very nice. Then the yarn is “Shimmer” from KnitPicks in the color “Turquoise Splendor.” It’s a lace-weight Baby Alpaca/Silk blend and very soft. I bought it to, well, try it (of course), but also as back up in case I’m not happy with the color I ordered for me “Fiddlesticks Peacock Feathers” shawl. I’m not usually a fan of turquoise, but this seemed like a very good choice for that shawl. (You can’t really see the green shades in the picture, but they’re there.) Oh, and the first volume of Barbara Walker’s stitch collection. I have the second one already and figured I should really have the first one to go along with it.

My Pi-are-square shawl is now at the “slowly-creeping” stage–we’re into the last increase section and it took me over an hour to do two rows tonight. Which means two rows is obviously going to be about all I can manage in any given sitting. I also got some work done on my newly-restarted socks while watching the “Happy Days Reunion” special with Mom, while recording it for my niece–a new H.D. fan. (She’s got a picture of Fonzie in her bedroom.) Up until the last season or two, that was SUCH a good show! My opinion is that it wasn’t jumping the shark that marked their decline; it was when Ritchie left the show. Up until then, though, it was all pure gold. “Laverne and Shirley” was pretty darn good, too . . . and even “Mork & Mindy” had its moments . . . mostly thanks to Robin Williams! (And who could argue the logic of having your baby born old and “ageing” into youthfulness? Just imagine having the wisdom of age and the energy to do something with it! Always made a certain amount of sense to me, even if it was ridiculous on the show…)

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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(Not exactly an exciting title, but hey, I can’t always be original.)

First, thank you, Samantha, for the gift certificate for Adagio tea. I’ve heard good things about their tea and am looking forward to giving it a try. Yum!

Second, I’ve been driving my mother’s car around today, which is just weird. It broke down last Friday and got a new battery. Then it broke down on Monday (in the exact same spot), and got a new alternator. But still . . . the windshield wipers are sluggish and the battery warning light on the dashboard is intermittently coming on. She has an appointment tomorrow at Infiniti, which is only a couple miles from our house, so there wouldn’t have been any crisis . . . except she had to go to my sister’s tonight. My brother-in-law has a medical procedure in Morristown tomorrow–about two hours from their house–and so they have to get an early start tomorrow, but somebody has to get the kids off to school. So Mom volunteered to go up, spend the night, and watch after the kids in the morning. All of which was planned over a week ago, before her car started acting up . . . and Patty’s house is still an hour away.

So, since I work just on the other side of town, I offered to trade cars for the day–she could take my (healthy) Volvo to Pennsylvania, and I would sedately drive from one side of town to the other in her Infiniti–a lot less worrying for all of us, especially my mother (the Queen of Worrying). It’s just odd to drive a different car–you get so used to the sensitivity and feel of your own car (and I love the way my S60 handles).

Luckily, my B-i-L’s prodedure is relatively minor tomorrow, so we’re not too worried about him. I’m more worried about my uncle, who was hospitalized with chest pains this week. His heart was fine, but there’s some kind of “mass” between his lungs and they’re waiting for test results. (sigh)

For tonight’s knitting content, I did the final increase on my Pi are Square shawl, but it took me a small age to knit my way back across the row. This last section is going to take longer than all the rest, I can just tell. (And then let’s not forget the knitted-on edging to finish it off.) I also frogged my socks–I wasn’t happy with the way the toes were shaped, and figured now was the time to fix it, before the pair got too big.

Jessica wanted to know how I have time to do anything other than read? I just read preternaturally fast. I’ve been reading since I was three, and the family joke is that I’m trying to read everything. I’m not, really, since I like to re-read old friend-books almost as much as I like to read new ones, so that affects my odds (grin). (For the record, I read 320 books in 2004. 142 of them were new reads, the others were re-reads. Considering that I read fastest when I don’t already know the ending, I sometimes wonder how much I’d get done if I didn’t do any re-reads at all . . . .)

Lastly, I jinxed myself yesterday–Chappy didn’t get a walk today, though it wasn’t the fault of the weather. I had to cook for him at lunchtime if he wanted to have food for supper tonight. He did get a chance to romp in the snow, though, so he forgave me just as soon as I opened the back door . . .

Tags: Family, General by Deb
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  Just to prove that I haven’t spent all my time reading lately . . . Less of it than usual, in fact . . . Here is the pair of socks I started last night. I know, I know, it looks more like a really weird pair of shades, but it is in fact two toes–just not deep enough yet to really look like toes yet!

(But you know . . . sunglasses! In high school, my friend Dawn had a pair that was like plastic blinds–just horizontal plastic slats–that worked remarkably well (and which we thought was very cool). How neat would it be to knit, say, a lace pattern over sunglass frames? You’d be able to see through them, yet they’d block some of the sun–even if they weren’t really safe enough for driving . . . hmmm! You heard it here first, folks!)

Anyway, in addition to the Koigu socks, my pi are square shawl is coming along. Here it is, draped over the edge of my bookcase. I’ve got about 4 more rows before the next–and theoretically the last–increase, but I don’t quite believe, at this moment, that it’s going to be long enough in another 52 rows . . . but it probably will! I just need to see it to believe it.

Here’s another look–I tried to get the “square” section in the photo. The diagonal running from left to right is the demarcation between the circle portion and the squared-off fronts. You can just barely make out in the picture, the last set of stitch increases, where I did “dummy” ones into the garter stitch, square section, before starting a vine-lace panel down along the front edge. (This will all be much easier to see once I get this blocked, trust me!)

  Let’s see, and then there’s the spinning. I finished my second bobbin of wool from Grafton fibers (which looks a little smaller than the first one. I don’t think I divided very evenly! I really need to get a scale one of these days.) It’s a deeper blue/green combination, almost jewel tones. I decided I wanted more, but couldn’t remember which colorway I had ordered, so I ordered this, more turquoise-colored batt, which I’ll spin next, and then ply with the original colors. If all works out correctly, it should be a very nice yarn when I’m done. . . I hope!

I am a little concerned, though. I’ve been trying to figure out the long-draft method (or at least, something that resembles it), and I have a feeling that some of the singles in this bobbin aren’t twisted quite enough. And I know some is over twisted. I just hope it all holds together . . . (grin)

When you use “singles” in a sentence, is it a plural or singular noun?

Meanwhile, our weather allowed Chappy and me to get a lunchtime walk for the fourth day in a row (shhhhh . . . don’t tell anyone . . . I don’t want to jinx it). This is the most exercise I’ve gotten in almost a month….

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I just started reading “American Jezebel,” a bio on Anne Hutchinson (kicked out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony way back when), written by Eve LaPlante–her 11th-great-granddaughter–and I came upon this sentence (page 21):“Shocking many, Puritans wore hats in church (following Jewish practice), refused to bow or kneel during worship (which they saw as a violation of the third commandment) and allowed pigs and chickens in the church, and some of them didn’t even know the Lord’s Prayer.”

My question is, how many pigs and chickens DO know the Lord’s Prayer?

(And, don’t editors actually edit sentences anymore?)

Now, speaking of books, here’s my list of books read for the month of January. (The AOL Favorite Fiction group posts monthly lists, and it seems a waste to type the whole thing in and then not share it with all of you, too.) Twenty-six books for the month, with a total of 9,209 pages.

1. BROKEN FOR YOU by Stephanie Kallos (368 p). I very much enjoyed this book, an eldery woman learns she has a brain tumor and decides to open her house to a boarder . . . sweet, moving story. It’s rare for me to read a “Today Show” pick, but got sucked into this one—and was glad I did!
2. KRISTIN LAVRANSDATTER #3: THE CROSS by Sigrid Undset (424 p). The final in this Nobel Prize-winning trilogy. Excellent, but darn it, it seemed like everyone died! Deeply religious books about medieval Norway, a great deal of discussion about sin and the meaning of sin.
3. TRUTH ABOUT BEAUTY by Kat James (318 p) . Pretty much a self-help book, one that takes a fresh look at beauty—instead of cosmetics and diets, it looks at how simply being healthy can and does make one beautiful. Interesting, grain-of-salt reading.
4. ASHFORD BOOK OF SPINNING by Anne Field (151 p). Beginner’s how-to book about spinning. Figured it went with my Ashford wheel . . . not that I need an excuse to buy books!
5. JACKIE BY JOSIE by Caroline Preston (314 p). A re-read from years ago. Josie, a young mother and PhD candidate is hired by a celebrity biographer to research Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ life. A nice story, with parallels between what Josie finds in the archives and what goes on in her own life. It deserves to still be in print.
6. ANGELICA by Sharon Shinn (485 p). Her fourth story set in Samaria, telling of how Susannah becomes angelica to Gaaron’s Archangel. I love this series of books—not quite science fiction, not quite romance, not quite fantasy . . . they are completely unique and beautifully written. Love them
7. SPINDLE’S END by Robin McKinley (421 p). Young adult retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with special emphasis on spindles and really helpful wild animals.
8. SAFE-KEEPER’S SECRET by Sharon Shinn (222 p). A stand-alone YA book that takes place in a world where secrets have their own power—there are “Secret Keepers” who will share but never tell a secret, but keep it safe until it’s time to be released by “Truth-Tellers.” It all starts when a baby is left at the house of a secret keeper, who is told it’s the bastard child of the King …
9. LAMB: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST’S CHILDHOOD PAL by Christopher Moore (444 p). What a silly story . . . Levi (also known as Biff) is brought back from the dead to tell his version of Jesus’ (also known as Joshua’s) story. I didn’t find it riotously funny, but it was certainly different and entertaining!
10. PATTY JANE’S HOUSE OF CURL by Lorna Landvik (292 p). The tale of two sisters, crossed in love in cold, wintry Minnesota. The first novel of a really good author.
11. DECIDER by Dick Francis (318 p). Classic D.F. mystery—the hero gets caught up in the shenanigans of the Stratford family and their racecourse.
12. WHERE THE HEART IS by Billie Letts (376 p). What does a 17 year old, 7-months pregnant girl do when her boyfriend leaves her at a Walmart and takes off? Lives IN the Walmart, of course. . . the story of Novalee Nation. Lovely little book, made into a movie several years ago. The only original “Oprah’s BookClub” selection I ever enjoyed—probably because it’s one of the few that leaves you feeling good and not depressed!
13. LACE FROM THE ATTIC by Nancie Wiseman (95 p). It sounds like another mystery, but in fact, it’s a knitting book, giving lace patterns from a Victorian notebook found in the author’s attic.
14. A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT by Sebastien Japrisot (327 p). The story of Mathilde, a French “White Widow,” whose fiance was executed, along with 4 other soldiers, by being forced into No-Man’s Land on a cold winter night during WWI. A mystery, in that she seeks to find the truth as to what happened that night, a love story in that she does not or cannot let him go. Good story.
15. BLUE RODEO by Jo-Ann Mapson (318 p). A woman moves to New Mexico after her divorce to provide resident-status for her newly-deaf teenage son, so he can go to a state run school for the deaf.
16. WILDER SISTERS by Jo-Ann Mapson (364 p). Rose and Lily both find themselves back at their parents’ ranch when their own lives fall apart—Rose’s as a book-keeper to an alcoholic veterinarian, Lily’s as a medical-supply sales rep in California.
17. KABLOONA by Gontra de Poncins (322 p). True story/memoir about his experiences living with Eskimos for a year in the early 20^th century, before their culture was too “sullied” by contact with the white man (aka Kabloona). Interesting, and good reading for a blizzardy weekend!
18. CITY OF SORCERY by Marion Zimmer Bradley (423 p). A Darkover novel I haven’t read in years—Magda and Jaelle guide a search team into the mountains, looking for a hidden city of legend. More of an “adventure” book than many of the Darkover books are, but good.
19. MARY THOMAS’S BOOK OF KNITTING PATTERNS by Mary Thomas (299 p). It sounds like all this is is a dictionary of patterns, but it’s more . . . she presents them in such a logical fashion, with explanations of why and how each group of stitches vary from the ones that have come before, it’s an education in itself.
20. BY THE SWORD by Mercedes Lackey (492 p). A “Valdemar” book that tells the story of Kerowyn, a mercenary soldier. (It’s better than I make it sound, believe me—Lackey tells a good story.)
21. EIGHT DAY S OF LUKE by Diana Wynne Jones (150 p). Very much a YA book, but I can’t resist the introduction of Norse gods into the story . . . Luke, for example, is really Loki, the god of mischief. Then there’s Mr. Fry, and Mr. Wedding… they’re all very much toned down from their classic selves, but having read the Norse legends, I can’t help but enjoy this little peek at how they might fit into modern day England. (Again, it’s young adult, so there’s not that much substance to the story, but it’s entertaining all the same. DWJ has been a favorite of mine since 6^th grade and I still enjoy reading her books.)
22. LUCY CROCKER 2.0 by Caroline Preston (362 p). Lucy Crocker and her husband, years ago, created the most famous computer game ever, but now she’s stalled on the sequel, and just found out he’s had an affair with the company publicity director. So, she ships their precociously-computer genius twins (who have been running a software consulting company since 4^th grade) off to a wilderness camp—adequately unprepared though they are in terms of physical skills—and heads off to her father’s old, cabin in Wisconsin. This is the only other book by the woman who wrote “Jackie by Josie” (#5 on my list, above) and is also out of print. I’m so glad I found a copy to buy, though, as I definitely enjoyed this.
23. HELEN AND TEACHER by Joseph P. Lash (786 p). A thorough biography on Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, which only took me 24 years and 3 months to read. (grin) My parents gave me a copy of this massive book for my 14^th birthday, but I never got past the first section on Annie’s childhood . . . until now! I’m glad I finally read it—there were so many things I didn’t know about both of these remarkable women, and I am, as ever, blown away by Helen Keller’s accomplishments, her skills, her personality, and her spirit. Remarkable woman.
24. PLOT AGAINST AMERICA by Philip Roth (390 p). What would happen if Charles Lindbergh had been elected President in 1940? Told from the point of view of a young jewish boy in Newark NJ, this is a good supposition of what might have happened (although, one of the major plot point/explanations at the end is really a stretch . . . but hey, it’s fiction). My only complaint is that the next to last chapter summed up the major plot points, only to backtrack for the last chapter, when I sat there thinking, “But you told me that already.”
25. AMERICA’S WOMEN by Gail Collins (452 p). A historical look at women and women’s roles in America from Virginia Dare through today. (Well, the last chapter was the 1960s, but the epilogue brought it up to the 2000s.) Incredible amounts of research—the end sections of bibliography, index and so on was a full 100 pages long, and for a book with 452 pages of text, it was pretty exhaustive. A lot of good information crammed in there, even if it had a slightly “women’s studies” slant to the whole thing, which isn’t really all that surprising!
26. THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini (371 p). Not a book I normally would have picked up, but since it was voted best for 2004 . . . got to admit, I liked it quite a bit. Moving, beautifully written story about a Amir, growing up in Afghanistan with his servant and best friend, Hassan, and what happens to them when war comes. Really good—glad it was recommended.

Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading by Deb
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