It’s been a pretty quiet day today–a nice change from last Saturday. Mom and I ran some errands. We fed my car, bought an under-the-sink water filter at Home Depot for the kitchen, picked up a couple sweaters for Mom, paused for coffee at the mall, where I bought a couple shirts at Ann Taylor. (May I just say here that I think they have the best t-shirts around? Good shapes and colors, and they last forever, still looking good. They may be a little more money, but considering they frequently have them on sale . . . great tees.) Oh, and I also upgraded my cell phone. My new one not only has a camera (just in case I see something particularly blog-worthy without having my real camera with me), but also a speaker-phone, in case I need to talk in the car (which, of course, is illegal in NJ now).

  This afternoon, I gave Chappy a haircut and a bath. The haircut was planned–he’s been looking a little scruffy–but I decided mid-afternoon that he was smelling just a little too dog-like, because . . .

. . . Our lawn-guys came by–in the rain–to clean up our yard for Spring. (And, what fun that must have been for them, in that steady rain!) It was Chappy’s responsibility, of course, to keep an eye on them, and bark at them when necessary. The excitement made him the doggy equivalent of sweaty and rather . . . aromatic. This does happen from time to time, and the smell does go away once he calms down (and he had a bath last week, for heaven’s sake), but it’s the weekend, when he gets the privilege of sleeping at the foot of my bed, so . . . into the tub!

My dog, incidentally, has the most entertaining way of drying off after a bath. First, I try to rub him down with a towel, to get the worst of the drips out of the way. This I do while he’s still in the tub. Once he’s allowed out of the tub, we move to the “bull-fighter” method. I stand, holding the towel, and he runs back and forth, rubbing against the towel–or my leg, whichever is closest. (He’s never ridden through a car wash, but he would understand the principle right away.)

After trying to catch him with the towel, to make sure there’s no water dripping down his ears, and to make sure his feet are at least not soaking wet so he won’t slide too drastically on the floors, I open the bathroom door. This is where it gets fun! He runs down the stairs, and then basically “Blow Dries.” By which I mean, he runs fast enough around the house for the wind to dry his fur. Not only is this amusing and entertaining, it has the added excitement of rug-hopping. We have hard wood and laminate floors downstairs, with an assortment of area rugs and throw rugs as needed.

Chappy learned a long time ago that the floors are slipper and it’s easiest to come to a stop by jumping onto a rug. And so, when dashing about the house (which a friend calls “frapping”–Frequent Random Acts of Play), he runs from rug to rug to rug, with spins and pivots and slides thrown in to keep it interesting. In fact, he’s one of the easiest dogs to play with–you stand still, say, in the middle of the front hallway, and stamp your feet as if you’re about to give chase. He’ll charge from one end of the house to the other. You turn around (as he does also), so you’re facing each other, and stamp your feet again. Repeat as needed. Very easy on the person and fun for the dog–what could be better? We even sometimes play the variation where, he runs up to me with a toy, and I move my leg as if I’m going to get up to chase him . . . I don’t even have to leave my knitting.)

Speaking of knitting, I think my Brooks Farm shawl is almost done. (Hurray!) I held it out last night and, from the center point, it stretches to my fingertips, and down to my hips. Sounds like a shawl to me! Now I just need to find an edging pattern I like to finish it off. Can’t wait. As much as I’ve been enjoying the shawl knitting lately, I’m hankering for something with a little more structure. (Like, gosh, a “Nothing but a T,” maybe?)

Oh, and the noise of the title? First, the whirring of leaf blowers by the multitude of landscapers. (Okay, about 4 of them, but I didn’t actually count, and they made enough noise for a regiment.) It’s amazing how irritating an hour of non-stop, multiple [loud] leaf-blowing, right outside your house can be! And, right now, there is a bird somewhere out there cheeping. I know, that doesn’t sound like much. How loud can a cheep be? But I’ve been up here at my computer for almost an hour, and the bird has not stopped, and I can hear him loud and clear! How’s a girl supposed to sleep with this kind of noise??

And, congratulations to Greta for recognizing the source of yesterday’s post title. I think just about every curly-haired girl knows that rhyme . . . and it’s amazing how often it’s a propos!

I’ve gotten some interesting comments, too, from that “No Apologies” post–thanks! Keep ‘em coming!

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General • Permalink:Quiet Saturday . . . except for the noise! // 2 Comments »

Isn’t it Friday yet? Between my Uncle, my parents’ trip, and my boss being out this week, I’m starting to think this week won’t ever end!

I’m a little worried about my health, too. It just occured to me that it’s been one, even two months since I bought any yarn! Good gracious! I can only hope this isn’t contagious . . . now that would be a computer virus to worry about. I wouldn’t have any readers left!

Still, in the interest of the good health of all of you (I wouldn’t want you to catch this, because that’s the generous, thoughtful, selfless person I am) . . . yep, I just bought some yarn! I bought some Calmer in Coral to make a “Nothing but a T.” And while I was at this nice, UK website, I threw in a few extra balls of KidSilk Haze in Jelly, too, maybe for another “Birch.” Who knows? The price on the yarn, even with the exchange rate, was good, so . . . how could I resist?

  I’m having a good hair day, though an interesting one. Last night, when my hair dried, my bangs (or what were bangs when they were shorter) formed one, long, perfect ringlet right down the side of my forehead. It survived the night’s sleep and so today, I’ve got my usual head of loose, 3a curls, plus one stand-alone ringlet. Almost as if it feels it’s too good to fraternize with those easy-going curls. (Well, it’s mingling a bit, but still keeping to itself.)

Then, at lunch . . . you wouldn’t believe what our nice, residential street looks like!

  We’ve got the electric company digging up all sorts of things (like somebody’s gas line on Tuesday, causing a 4-house evacuation). They’re replacing the underground cables that have been, apparently, rotting for the last 30 years.

  Then, there’s the cable company, digging to upgrade to fancy, fiber optic cables (or something like that). Just on our walk around the block, I counted about 15 trucks! (Not including the one that was blocking me into the driveway, that they had to move so I could get back to work.) Sheesh. It used to be such a quiet neighborhood.

• Tags: General, Hair • Permalink:Girl with a Curl // 6 Comments »

One of the things I’ve noticed out in the blog universe is the number of poor bloggers who feel the need to apologize for not blogging more frequently.

This reminds me of people who start their letters–always, all the time–with “Sorry I haven’t written; I’ve been so busy.”

I understand, of course, the need to apologize. I’ve even done it myself. If people are counting on you (or you think they are), you don’t want to feel like you’ve let them down. And we do have a cultural need to avoid hurting people’s feelings.

The thing I wonder about, though, is why, on something like an online journal, we as a group feel the need to apologize for less-than-frequent entries. Of course, exceptionally long periods may demand explanations, if only to bridge the narrative gap, but several days or a week?

And anyway, there’s a distinct difference between an “explanation” and an “apology.” Isn’t there?

Personally, for the blogs I read regularly, I always appreciate new posts, and sure, the more frequent the better. But do I feel offended if someone’s been too busy to post for a few days? Like I’m being let down? Nah. A little worried? I supposssse . . . but only if they’ve dropped off the net for an exceptionally long time. In such a case, I do appreciate knowing that person is all right, and my natural curiosity is always grateful for explanations. (”So, that’s why!”) But do I ever feel that I deserve an apology? No. I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s sweet and polite, I suppose, but really, I’m content with a simple, “I’m back. Here’s what happened.”

(Okay, climbing off my soapbox now . . . not that I feel like I’ve been vehemently orating here, just expressing an opinion, but anyway, I’m done!)

And my explanation here, is that I really have no knitting content tonight. I have no new Chappy pictures. Nothing really interesting to say about my recent reading. (Unless you find it fascinating that I’ve read 24 books so far in April? No? I didn’t think so!) My parents did make it safely home tonight after travelling pretty much the entire day (from breakfast until they got home after 4:30). They’re both exhausted, and glad to be home–about as happy, I think, as Chappy was to see them. He had two lonely days while they were gone and I was at work, and today’s rain didn’t help.

I watched “Jack and Bobby” tonight–a show I very much enjoy, but about which I’m terribly worried. I’m not hearing encouraging things about its renewal for a second year, and yet, it’s so good! It’s more than just a “teen” show (which, you know, is good since I’m in my 30s). “Veronica Mars” is another like that–engrossing, well done, witty repartee . . . it’s all good. At least that one has been picked up for another year (thank heaven!). I’m worried about “Joan of Arcadia,” too, and have pretty much given up on “American Dreams.” (I’m just going to be grateful that we got three years of such a good show.) I hope “West Wing” manages to maintain its improvements from this season–not that it compares to the first three years, which were pure gold. And I’m loving “Gilmore Girls” these days–this season has been one of the best ever, I think. And then there’s “Desperate Housewives,” which I appreciate not because it’s a “soap,” but because it’s got a sense of humor. Give me drama with touches of humor any day!

And that pretty much sums up my television viewing for you!

And so we come to the end of this rather odd little post. Just me talking into the ether about nothing in particular. I mean, really, who wouldn’t find that riveting reading??

(Okay, just to be clear, that was a rhetorical question.)

• Tags: General • Permalink:No Apologies Here // 5 Comments »

Mom and Dad are down in Florida for my Uncle’s memorial service, so today, it’s just the two of us in the house. Me and Chappy. I even had a glass of Woodpecker Cider with my dinner, to drink my uncle a toast (a rare thing for me). We’re looking forward to having the folks home again tomorrow. Usually, I relish having the house to myself for a few days, but . . . not for this reason! I’d much rather they were home than gone because of this.

  I was asked to provide photos of my Peacock shawl, so I took it out onto the deck at lunch, into what sunshine we had, to give it a try. I draped it over the back of a chair, so that half is in view and half is in back. Since it’s unfinished, unblocked, variegated, and on a textured chair, I think it’s pretty hard to see anything like a pattern here–but trust me, it’s there! I’m on row 175 out of 223 “regular” rows, and then the edging rows. This still has weeks to go, I think!

I’m enjoying knitting it, though–even with those annoying marker movements. (Which, if anybody wants a tip, I’m doing ahead of time on the purl-back rows, rather than trying to juggle moving the markers at the same time I’m knitting the lace. I also put note on the chart as to whether “r/l” means to move them out from the center or inward toward the center, so I don’t have to try to figure that out each time!) It’s lovely, though, and it’s possible that I may choose to make it again someday in a solid color . . . just because!

  Then, since I had the camera and my knitting bag, I couldn’t ignore my Brooks Farm shawl, so here’s its picture, same place, same pose . . . doesn’t she look lovely? I love the colors. And boy, is it soft! (So soft, I readily forgive its shedding tendencies.)

  Hey, I even did some spinning last night! This is the first time I’ve touched my wheel in a week, which was the first time in over a week . . . I’m getting seriously out of practice (tsk tsk tsk). (Doesn’t it look cool in that picture? It’s amazing what a difference good and interesting lighting will do!)

In a non-knitting vein, here’s something kind of curious: The last several days, we’ve been getting phone calls for–apparently–some Flower company. Now, our house has an 800-toll free number. Don’t ask me why. I think it dated back to when my sister and I were in school–you know, the pre-cellphone days–so that we could always call home, whether we had change in our pockets or not. Just accept that our house has one. And apparently, some flower company has been giving out our number, presumably by mistake. I fielded four calls yesterday afternoon. After hanging up from the last one, I kicked myself for not thinking to ask where, exactly, they got the number from. I mean, the person read it out to me, so it’s not that all these (very apologetic) people have been misdialing! And the one name I was given (”Isn’t this Flowers Direct?”) is not one I can find on the internet. Sigh. I mean really. We couldn’t be a flower shop, my allergies just couldn’t stand it! So why won’t these people stop calling? (grin)

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Twos-Day // 5 Comments »

First, thanks to everyone who’s sent condolence comments–it’s very much appreciated. (And if I missed replying to anyone, I apologize; it was an oversight.) My parents are on their way down to Florida right now–their flight routed through Pittsburgh, for whatever reason–and the memorial service is tomorrow morning.

I had to take the afternoon off from work, too. The new vanities for our bathrooms were being delivered today (between 12:00 and 6:00, you know, just to narrow it down) and since my parents obviously couldn’t be here, I told the folks at the office that they would just have to manage without me for a few hours, even if my boss is out on paternity leave. (What can you do? You can’t plan time off for births or deaths! They happen when they happen.)

Naturally, of course, the delivery truck arrived at 5:50, when I would have been home for an hour and half already, but they did squeak it in before six! And also, of course, 3 minutes after my aunt called, looking for my Dad. (”I’m sorry, but, um, he’s on a plane right now. Can I give you the number of the hotel he’ll be staying at?”) So, unfortunately, my one chance to give her my condolences “in person” (as it were) was cut short. Of course! Still, I’m not objecting to the quiet afternoon to sit and think about my Uncle. I just wish I could somehow be at the service tomorrow–or to listen to it! (But it would be tacky to ask Mom to hold up her cell phone . . . not to mention the long distance charges.)

We had room for the new vanities in the garage–you know, once they were finally delivered–because my Dad, my brother-in-law, and my nephew cleaned out the garage on Saturday. (I’m thinking the physical purging was probably good for him that afternoon, anyway.) Here’s a photo of what was left by Sunday night. To my certain knowledge, various neighbors walked, ran, or drove off with my old bicycle, a badminton net, croquet set, old milk carton, a hula hoop, a nylon “tunnel” . . . and, oh yes, two bowling balls. That was highly entertaining.

The two little boys from the house diagonally across the street from us–about 5 and 4–decided to adopt the bowling balls (and the old, ratty bags–including one with my mother’s maiden name, which should tell you how old they are). Watching these two brothers struggling to carry the bags with 14- and a 18-lb bowling balls was greatly amusing. If we’d known how much sheer entertainment value there was in a pile of garbage, we could have done this years ago. (The second prize for entertainment was the neighbor who jogged by, picked up a fake terracotta planter and ran off with it.)

I’m on the last chart of my Peacock Feathers shawl–although it’s also the longest chart, and doesn’t include the edging. The fun part of the evening’s knitting, though, was when a series of stitches decided to slide off my needle while purling back on the plain rows. I don’t know how I managed that. Sure, every now and again a single stitch, maybe two, slips off the end, but I had about 12 stitches slide away the first time–which took me 20 minutes to recover and be sure I had all the YOs and such in the right place–and 6 stitches the second time. On the same row. Minutes apart from each other. I’m wondering if my guardian angel was involved, though–I was very much caught up in sad-Uncle-Richard thoughts, but having to concentrate hard enough to rescue my shawl helped alleviate some of that.

  The good news? The plying head for my Lendrum arrived on Friday. I haven’t even taken the plastic off yet, but I’m glad that it’s here.

• Tags: Family, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Mournful Monday // 3 Comments »

We got the call at 1:15 a.m. My uncle passed away this morning.

Goodbye, Uncle Richard. We love you, and we’ll miss you.

Richard Otto Boyken

August 9, 1929 - April 23, 2005

(Uncle Richard, my Dad)

For more pictures, you can see my earlier post: For My Uncle

• Tags: Family • Permalink:Goodbye, Uncle Richard // 16 Comments »

I still don’t have any good “progress” photos to show you, but I wouldn’t want any of you be to bored or feel like I’ve neglected you, and so I’m here to talk about, well, other stuff!

Let’s start with books, shall we? I think everyone knows I’m a huge fan of reading by now. Of my pile of 5 current reads, the one I’m turning to most–and talking about the most to poor innocent family members and co-workers–is “The Great Influenza” by John M. Barry, about the 1918 Influenza Pandemic which violently afflicted one-fifth of the entire world’s population with devastating results. Absolutely amazing story, and very well told. I’m still appalled that I had never even heard of this at all until a couple years ago. This was huge! And you know I’m really enjoying a non-fiction book when I (1) choose to pick it up in the evenings rather than whatever fiction I’m currently reading, and when (2) I can’t stop talking about it! Fascinating, really, in a scary kind of way.

And then, this book arrived today. I’m a huge fan of Carl Larsson’s paintings. For those of you who don’t know, he was a Swedish painter (1853-1919) who single-handedly shaped the way Scandinavians decorate their homes. The blurb on the back of the book: “…This is the first comprehensive book in the English language on Carl and Karin Larsson, whose country home, meticulously recorded by Carl in a series of beautiful watercolors, established the modern Swedish style. Larsson’s designs gave way to a new approach to interior design that continues to influence designers today.”

I’ve been a fan of his for years. His paintings evoke such a warm, homey feeling, bursting with life and love and color. In fact, I spent a year, back in 1994-95, recreating one of his paintings in embroidery–just because I loved it so much! I had it framed with the original notecard that I used to have taped next to my desk in college, just so you can properly compare the original painting to my copy.

To make this, if you’re interested, I traced the outline off the notecard and then blew it up on the office copy machine. Then I traced that onto cloth and then hied me and the picture to a (now closed) embroidery shop that used to have the nicest selection of unique threads and all sorts of fun stuff. I bought a variety of colors and textures of thread–which was fun all by itself. Then, for about a year, I’d sit in my chair each night, with an embroidery encyclopedia, looking for the best stitch for each piece. What stitch would look most like panelling (a staggered satin stitch)? Like a cotton skirt (weaving stitch)? Plant leaves (lots and lots of french knots)? It was great fun, and I loved every minute of it. So much so that this was the first picture I ever had professionally framed–because it deserved it!

  My parents went out for dinner tonight, so I rummaged through the refrigerator and pulled out a wide variety of vegetables. Don’t they look pretty? I like almost any vegetable, and this is a combination of asparagus, red cabbage, red bell pepper, onions, and brussels sprouts. Which I then tossed with whole wheat pasta and the merest splash of Ragu.

Here it is, all ready to eat. Bright, colorful, lots of flavors . . . but do you see the problem?

Come on. It’s right there.

This dish of food is huge! How could one person possibly hope to eat all of that?? But you see, that’s the problem. To do a dish like this right, you have to balance the different vegetables, one to the other, and then have the appropriate amount of pasta, but there are some things you just can’t do . . . small! For example, I started with the onion. Only half an onion, barely anything at all once it’s cooked down. Then just a little of the pepper, a slice or so of the red cabbage (which I think is great with pasta, by the way, and it adds such a beautiful purple color to the plate). A few stems of asparagus really isn’t that much, and I only had about 6 brussels sprouts . . . you wouldn’t think that so little vegetable would add up to such a large pile once it’s in the pot! And yet it does, every time . . . Really. There’s just no way to eat that much. It tasted darn good, though!

  Oh, and to get some fiber content–I will add this picture of this catalog that arrived today–Halcyon Yarn. Yum! I took its picture on my knee, just before I started flipping through it.

  And last, a snap I just took of Chappy, after he’d rubbed his head into the rug. Note the Mohawk style he’s got going there. That one lock of fur on top of his head has a mind of its own, that’s for sure!

• Tags: General, Reading • Permalink:Other Than Knitting // 6 Comments »

So, I’ve been carrying that sock around in my purse, so as to be ready to knit at a moment’s notice. (I’ve never been a girl scout–dropped out after Brownies–but “Be Prepared” has always seemed like a good motto to me!)

Then, yesterday, just as I was walking in the door on my lunch break, my cell phone rang. This is unusual in itself because almost no one ever calls me, but my mom was at the grocery store and she often calls to ask verification questions about things we may or may not need. I thought it might be her, calling my cell, knowing I was on my way home and not at my desk at work. Meanwhile, Chappy is circling around in his greeting posture, eager to be petted, happy to have someone home–and you just can’t ignore that kind of enthusiasm. And, oh yes, the alarm was beeping its “You have 30 seconds before I call the police” warning.

So, I punch in the alarm code to appease that. I say “Hey Chappy” to reassure him that I’m glad to see him too, and then I reach in my purse to whip out my phone . . . and as I do, it catches on one of the DPNs and somehow tears it from the sock and flings it across the kitchen . . . Ack! My poor sock!

I quickly lunge for the needle to grab it before Chappy picks it up and runs off with it, and then stand there, weaving it back into my sock before I lose any more stitches. (As it is, two dropped, but I rescued them and everything’s fine.)

Oh! And of course, the call is from “Unknown” and therefore not one I want to answer anyway. (You know that if I hadn’t looked, it would have been an urgent call actually meant for me, don’t you? Because of course, that’s the way these things work.) Wrong numbers are bad enough on the regular phone, but they’re just really annoying on a cell phone.

Of course, if I had been doing this sock with the Magic Loop* method I usually use, this would not have happened.

Obviously, our foremothers and -fathers did not have to deal with cell phones as they traipsed around the countryside with their knitting!

*I know some people prefer the 2-circ method for socks, but the dangling ends annoy me as more than the extra points on the DPNs. I also know that some people don’t like to risk their good needles on a method that may put added stress on the cable joins, but my answer to this is that (1) I haven’t really noticed that being a problem, though I’m careful to avoid it, and (2) I mostly use Inox Express needles for this–they’re cheaper than Addis but give much the same knitting “feel.” Knitting needles are a very personal preference, I know, but I like the sleek, slippery, turbo feel. Although for DPNs (when I must use them) I prefer bamboo because they are not, in fact, slippery and at least usually cling to the yarn a little better than these did when they met up with my cell phone!

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Another reason not to like DPNs // 6 Comments »

I really have been knitting lately. First of all, here’s my sock–a couple more inches of the cuff and I’ll be ready to start number 2.

I also got my copy of Interweave Knits today. It’s got some nice patterns to it, but again, I don’ t know if I’m actually going to make anything from it.

My Peacock shawl is coming along. I’m on row 155 and just about to start Chart #6. It’s looking fabulous, but it’s still going to take a while. Each row is progressively longer, and I’m only getting through two rows a sitting, and with about 100 more rows (not counting the edging) . . . you won’t be seeing any finished object photos any time soon!

  Same thing with my Brooks Farm shawl. It looks and feels beautiful, but it too is getting longer with each row, and again, I’m only getting two rows done a night. Basically, if I don’t show pictures of the sock, there’s really nothing to show, and no proof that I am, in fact, making progress. But see? Here’s a picture of my knitting bag! There’s obvious signs of my having knitted on them, don’t you think?

And may I just say how much I love this knitting bag, that opens up nice and wide and stays open, easy to access or, say, take pictures?) Gotta love the Planet Dog doctor bags!

And thank you, everyone, for the kind comments about my uncle. It’s very much appreciated.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Progress Report // 5 Comments »

Well, Chappy and I had some very cute and amusing visitors today. Alexander and Katherine, Risa’s 18 month-old twins.

All three “kids” got along very well. Watching the twins, though, reminded me of exactly how much Chappy’s grown up. He was just about their “age” when I brought him home–into everything, never sitting down until he collapsed. He was so funny right after they got here–he hasn’t been this close to toddlers since he was about a year old himself. He kept leaning against my leg, watching the twins explore my kitchen, strewing Cheerios as they went. I think he was amused, but also kind of confused. (”I’ve never seen humans act like this!”) But he was also the first one there whenever they’d fall down, dispensing tickly sniffs and kisses to make sure they were all right. He was also very helpful about cleaning up Cheerio and cracker crumbs! (Nope, he didn’t mind having toddlers visit at all.)

In between laughing at (with) the kids and the dog, and the walk around the neighborhood, we naturally talked about spinning and knitting. Risa showed me the sock she’s reknitting, I showed her my Peacock Feathers shawl. You know, in between chasing after the twins and grabbing Chappy! (And thank you, Risa, for the angora that Yeti-the-bunny sent me.). It was such a nice visit . . . right up until the kids got tired and Chappy got antsy. The last fifteen minutes or so were . . . challenging! Great day, though. And gorgeous weather, too.

• Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Toddlers! // 3 Comments »

We interrupt our usual programming for some nostalgia. My Dad is down in Florida, visiting my Uncle Richard for what will be the last time, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them (and my Mom, and my Aunt Lois, too). So, I went through photo albums, taking pictures, and here they are.

The little cutie on his mom’s lap is my Dad, once upon a time. The young lad in knickers sitting next to him is my Uncle Richard, aged approximately 9.

This photo was about 9 years later, I think– my Dad looks about 10. My uncle is the tall fellow in the back (probably about 18). My guess is this was taken around the time he joined the army at the end of WWII. In fact, he was shipped out before his high school graduation, and on graduation day, my Dad went up on stage to collect the diploma for his big brother.

  Grandpa, Aunt Lois, Uncle Richard, Grandma, Dad. I wish I knew the year! I’m guessing my Dad’s about 13-14 here, which would put my uncle about 22.

  This one is from Christmas 1957. My Uncle, again, is the tall chap in the back; my grandparents are in the middle, and my Dad is down in front, almost 21 years old. (The other two people are my Aunt’s parents. I’m guessing she was the one taking the picture.)

A bad photograph of a bad photograph, but this was my aunt and uncle on my cousin Don’s [extraordinarily hot] wedding day, 1975. The photo may not be great, but they sure look happy!

At least a few years later (since this photo includes a grandchild). In the back, my grandmother, my mother (hiding), me (looking very, very 1980s), Dad, cousin Dianne, cousin Don. In front, cousin Robin, my aunt’s mother, my aunt, my uncle (in green), my aunt’s father, and Nancy, Don’s wife, with their daughter Katherine. This is the entire family at that time, with the exception of my sister, Patty, who stayed home that day. By the look of my hair–I was growing out a really bad Princess Di cut–I think this was my sophomore year in high school, so . . . 1982 or so.

Fast-forward a bunch of years, and here are the two brothers, on the golf course, where they’re the happiest. That’s my uncle on the left and my Dad on the right, circa 1997.

And here’s another, more recent shot, at the award ceremony from my uncle’s golf club’s Member-Guest tournament in 2003.

We love you, Uncle Richard.

• Tags: Family • Permalink:For my Uncle // 7 Comments »

  Not only did I enjoy the lecture last night, I got quite a lot done on my sock, too! When I left the house, I just had the toe done, but between waiting for the lecture to start and knitting through to the end, well, I’m almost ready to turn the heel. Wow! I’m really liking the Lorna’s Laces yarn, too.

For the record, Clinton was very interesting. He avoided discussing actual politics (i.e., Democrat vs. Republican), but instead talked about the U.S.’s role in the world. As in, we’re part of the global community and should be working on strengthening those ties and actually participating in the “global interdependence” rather than just trying to go our own way. “We need to have a strategy of not only fighting our enemies, but making more friends and fewer enemies.” Amen. And here’s a link to the article in the local paper this morning.

http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news5-clintonspeech.htm

http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-4/111345456629760.xml?starledger?nmr

Tonight, lucky me, I get to go to the dentist. Now, I really like my dentist–he’s one of the nicest people you ever want to meet, and his staff is just as nice . . . which, all in all, is fortunate because if I didn’t like him, I’d never get there at all! I wouldn’t even be going tonight if one of my teeth (or fillings, I can’t tell) hadn’t chipped the other night and required an emergency repair. Sigh. I know I could avoid these things if I actually went for those darn 6-month check-ups, but I always put it off . . . Stupid. I’m supposed to know better!

My parents are on their way to the Atlantic City airport for their flight to Florida. (They couldn’t get flights out of Newark, which is much closer.)  Sigh . . . I’m sure neither of them is going to actually enjoy this trip . . . .

• Tags: General • Permalink:Clinton Crossing // 1 Comment »

It’s another beautiful April day–sunny and lovely. My mother’s running around, trying to get packed for tomorrow’s trip to Florida to see my uncle. My mother, you see, likes to plan her packing and tends to start about two weeks in advance of any trip, just so she’ll have plenty of time to tweak what’s in the suitcase. Two days’ notice just really isn’t enough for her!

I’m sending some baked goods. Every year at Christmas, I make Stollen* for the drooling masses . . . that is, my Dad, my uncle, aunt, and cousins. It’s a family tradition which they all adore, but which (frankly), isn’t cared for by me, my sister or my mother. So each year, I make 6 loaves, give two of them to my uncle-and-family, and my father gets the other 4 all to himself . . . and still complains about getting shorted! (The Stollen is a story in itself–the most obstinate, difficult, recalcitrant bread recipe you ever want to meet, and even with years of bread-baking experience, one which invariably causes me to get frustrated and/or lose my temper. As in, this is the one day of the year I can literally clear the house–my parents scatter to the hills on Stollen Day (yes, it’s capitalized). It’s a sign of how much I love my father that I do this every year.)

Anyway, since my uncle is obviously not going to be around for Christmas this year, I wanted to send him something. Of course, stollen would have been ideal, but there was no way I could squeeze in the time around work and tonight’s lecture. So instead, I baked little fruitcake-muffin kinds of things–remarkably similar to stollen, except leavened by baking powder rather than yeast. (I am so glad I had leftover candied fruit in December, and that I didn’t throw it away when we were cleaning out the cabinets a couple weeks ago!) They’re not little stollens, but they are reminiscent of stollens, and anyway, I know he’ll appreciate them and he’ll know I love him.

The lecture tonight is Bill Clinton, speaking at my alma mater, Drew University. I’ve never heard a President (ex-, current-, or, so far as I know, future-) speak before, and I’m looking forward to it. Without wanting to get sucked into politics, I’ll just say that I’m a registered Independent and have voted Democratic/Republican roughly 50/50 since I started voting in 1984. I think Clinton will be an interesting speaker–he’s charismatic and can be charming, and it should be an entertaining couple of hours.

And, oh yes, to get some actual knitting content in here, I’m bringing a sock to work on during the lecture. It’s Lorna Lace’s Shepherd Sock, in the “Mixed Berry“ colorway. I just started it last night so that I would have something to bring. In otherwords, right now, it’s a toe.

*For those of you lucky enough not to know who don’t know, Stollen is a German Christmas bread, rich with butter and eggs, and laced with a small ton of candied citrus peel, raisins and almonds. (This is not the recipe I use, but at least it’s got a photo!) Some bakers sprinkle theirs with confectioner’s sugar when they’re done–I don’t, it just gets messy–and I’ve even seen recipes that have marzipan baked in somehow. In my family (that is, my Dad says), what’s really important is the fruit. He’s tried to convince me that my Grandmother ( a truly wonderful baker whose pound cake I’ve lusted after for years and who I wish I had asked about it when she was still alive) put in more fruit than I do, but I don’t see how it’s physically possible–either for my (at the time) ageing Grandmother, or for the bread. Yeast can only do so much! In fact, I’m always stunned when my stollen dough rises at all–with all that butter and fruit, you’ve got to love an organism that determined to make the dough rise. I always have a picture of little 98-lb weakling yeast, arms pressed against the dough, knees shaking, saying, “It’s too heavy! I can’t lift it!”

• Tags: Baking, Family • Permalink:Stolen Stollen // 2 Comments »

A lovely April Monday, today–low 60s, sunny, nice breeze. Just about perfect if you don’t have any allergy problems. Even so, I got Chappy out for his walk this afternoon, where we saw his two favorite neighbors. You’d think they were family, Chappy greets them with such enthusiasm! Whether they’re outside or not, it’s impossible to walk past their house without his stopping to make sure they’re not there before moving on. (He does this in front of a couple doggy-friends’ houses, too . . . there are some sections of our walk that take longer than others . . . “Come on, Chappy!” It’s cute, though, he’ll finally start walking, but continues to look longingly back over his shoulder, like a toddler whose mother is dragging him along. “But I want to look over there!”)

My Peacock Feathers shawl is coming along, slowly. I haven’t gotten more than two rows done a night in the last week–partly because the rows are getting longer all the time, and also because I’ve been tired and have been fizzling out earlier in the knitting evening. Ditto with  my Brooks Farm yarn shawl . . . it’s coming along, but the rows are getting longer and longer and, well . . .

I finished spinning half of my apple green roving on my Lendrum and will start the second half tonight. It’s not quite a full bobbin, which makes me think that I’ll be able to ply the two when I’ve got the second one done, whether my plying head has arrived by then or not!

On a sad note, my uncle isn’t doing at all well. His lung cancer has spread to his brain. I usually only see him about once a year as it is, but . . . I miss him already. He’s the only uncle I have (my Dad’s only sibling; Mom’s an only child), and the thought of the world without him saddens me greatly. He’s 75. They’re giving him six weeks.

• Tags: Family, General • Permalink:Sunny April Monday // 4 Comments »

My sinuses are, at least, making progress, though I have a nice, deep cough (which appalled any number of my co-workers today!). I’ve actually been able to breathe through my nose all day, but I have absolutely no sense of smell today. None. I can’t smell the Vicks Vaposteam I’ve got in my humidifier, I couldn’t smell the tomato sauce at supper, I can’t smell that cute, sleepy-puppy smell Chappy gets when he’s all warm and sleepy. Nothing. I’m assuming that my sense of smell will come back, of course. This has happened to me once before–when I had a chest cold at Christmas. Which surprised me–the cold was more cough & fever than sniffling & sneezing–and yet my sense of smell disappeared. And now that my nose is clearer, but my sinuses are clogged further up, back in my head . . . again, no scents. Prior to December, I can’t remember this ever happening–even with a cold, I was able to smell something! What a weird week this has been . . . my sinuses, my eyelashes, and now my sense of smell. Sheesh!

  On the plus side, this lovely book arrived yesterday. It’s got some beautiful things in it. (And, frankly, a couple items I thought were really pretty ugly, but my discretion requires me not to name names.) The shawls are gorgeous, and the patterns look great. I’ve been looking forward to this book coming out in paperback for months now, and am delighted to have it.

I do have one complaint, though. As each pattern is introduced, its name is written in a large, transparent, blue font in the background of the pattern . . . but no header at the top of the page. If it were just an artistic device, or something to identify each page of the pattern, fine; but it’s not. That’s the only indication of the start of each pattern, and it’s darn difficult to spot! Not to mention hard to read. On subsequent pages (for those patterns which go beyond one page of instructions), the pattern name is identified at the top right of the page (often on a photo page, or buried at the inside margin of the book), but spotting the beginning and end of each one (not to mention reading the name) is difficult.

  Here’s a photo of Chappy, napping in his crate. Please note how he’s covered his head with one towel, while using the other as a pillow to cushion the edge of the doorway. Naturally, he did this himself!

I hope everyone has a good weekend. Mom and I are going to buy twin-gifts tomorrow, and my friend Cindy is coming for dinner tomorrow night after she closes up her shop. I haven’t seen her since January, so it will be good to see her. (Of course, the cooking part might be challenging–I can’t taste a thing, practically, so no matter what I choose to cook, it’s going to have to be something pretty basic–nothing you need to taste to determine whether it needs more salt or extra oregano!) And, do you know, she’s never even seen either of my spinning wheels?? Gracious!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Friday Progress // 3 Comments »

Okay, I just saw this . . . a spinning wheel for the car! Gotta love the ingenuity….

http://www.themerlintree.com/oops011.htm

And, okay, is it silly of me to be concerned that the number of subscribers to my blog at Bloglines has dropped in the last few days? I’m sure it’s nothing personal, but . . . it’s like I want to ask, was I boring? Is it something I said? You didn’t like the pictures of Chappy? I haven’t been knitting enough? The list of books I read last month pushed you over the edge?? Maybe I’m just too insecure and can’t handle rejection . . . (grin)

I watched the season finale of West Wing last night . . . this used to be my favorite show by far, but just hasn’t been the same since, well, about season 4. (Season 2 is still my favorite.) This season has been better than last year, but still not as good as it could have been. (And, sorry, that episode at the beginning of the year, with Leo’s heart attack? One of the worst ever!) I enjoyed the season finale, though–not the least surprised that (gasp) Jimmy Smits’ character became the Democratic nominee. (I mean, talk about a no-brainer!) I thought Leo came across as pretty inconsistent, though–he has that little chat with Josh about how Santos is the real thing and he thought he’d found the last one. Next, he’s telling Santos he should quit. Way to be supportive, Leo! Then when the President steps in to help get Santos the nomination . . . they pick Leo–the man who’s been waffling on him for the last several episodes–to be the VP-nom? Sheesh . . . I love Leo, but usually he’s a little more decisive than that! I can’t tell you how worried I am about next season–the one with the budget slashed in HALF.

• Tags: General • Permalink:Hitchhiker // 10 Comments »

  Look what came in the mail today! 9 ounces of roving from Left Hand Pinkie (recommended by Tina). Very nice colors–yellows, oranges, and reds.

I’ve been working on my Peacock shawl, and my Brooks Farm yarn shawl, and the spinning on my new Lendrum, but unfortunately, none of these projects has moved forward enough to be worth taking or posting fresh photos. I mean, progress IS being made, but it’s hard to see it in a picture. I’m on row 141 of my Peacock shawl, and am still loving the KnitPicks Shimmer. The turquoise colors are just perfect for the sheer peacockyness of the thing. Really lovely.

My new “Spin-Off” arrived this week, too, though I haven’t felt like reading it. You know how it is when you’re feeling slightly miserable and cranky–”comfort” activities are the way to go. For some, of course, flipping through a magazine is probably just right–no absurd amounts of concentration needed–but I’m first and foremost a book-lover, and when I’m sick or tired or irritable, I just want to curl up with a good book and get lost in it. You just can’t do that with a magazine!

And, the book I’m reading is very, very good. “The Unicorn Hunt” by Dorothy Dunnett. This is the fifth book in her eight book “House of Niccolo” series. Without wanting to gush too much, may I just say that these (and her 6-book Lymond Chronicles) are perhaps the best historical fiction, ever? Incredibly elaborate and multi-layered, complex, challenging . . . just, wow. Not for the faint of heart. Both series starts kind of slowly, but they build and grow and pick up speed, until they charge to a huge, satisfying ending, with all the many, many loose ends tied together. Love them. All of them.

You know what I’ve noticed in the last two days? My eyelashes–which have always had a nice, natural curl–are suddenly straight. Just in the last couple of days! I can’t think why! Could this be some, weird side-effect to the allergies? Am I going to have to buy an eyelash curler, or will they resume their usual curl? Weird!

In reading up on sinus/allergy problems in the last day or so . . . it’s amazing how many contradictions there are! Like, two reputable doctors say that humidity is bad–can lead to mold–and you should get dehumidifiers for your house–especially your bedroom. Other sites say that moist air is easier and better for your sinuses and that you should, by all means, have a humidifier in your bedroom. One site I saw today said to drink plenty of milk because the calcium is good, but then, literally two lines later, said to avoid all dairy products because it promotes mucus. (What exactly is milk, if not a dairy product? Isn’t it basically the ultimate dairy product?) Sigh.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Roving // 6 Comments »

Okay, I’m just going to admit that I’m verging on cranky today. It rained all weekend (well, though most of the afternoon yesterday). New Jersey has even declared a state of emergency because of all the flooding. That, of course, meant no fun outings with my poor Chappy, who hasn’t been in the car in months and hasn’t had a walk in days. My allergies were just terrible yesterday–I was blowing my nose about every five minutes all morning (once I finally got up, because . . . hello! . . . lost an hour’s sleep because of the time change). I took a Claritin which didn’t seem to do anything to dry up my sinuses until about 3:00 in the afternoon, but which did make me feel jittery and cold and generally icky . . . on top of the miserable sinuses. (In fact, my fingernails are blue right now as I type this. I really hate allergy/sinus medicines!) I also woke up in the middle of the night (rare) and had trouble getting to sleep again (beyond rare) because . . . again . . . the Claritin was making me jittery. I was lying there at 4:00, trying to relax enough to go back to sleep, but my foot kept tapping with sheer nervous energy. Of course, that means I was not ready to get up this morning, at what felt like an hour earlier than usual (as if Mondays aren’t hard enough!). So, I’m sniffling, shivering here at my desk, and . . . oh yes . . . it’s that time of month, too. Joy!!

I agree with Rose, can’t we just start the weekend over again??

On the plus side, I did get to hear all about the new twins from their proud papa this morning, who came to work for a few hours today. (He’s leaving early to visit the wife at the hospital, pick up his 22-month old from the neighbor kind enough to be sitting this morning AND has to get the water out of his basement from the weekend’s torrential storms!

Yep, it’s just that kind of Monday!

• Tags: General • Permalink:Cranky Monday // 4 Comments »

  So . . . I came home from work today, and found this at my door.

  And look at what was inside! Yes, that’s right, a Lendrum Double-Treadle spinning wheel!

  Naturally, Chappy had to check it out, make sure it was okay.

  Here are my Lendrum and my Kiwi getting to know each other. The Lendrum is a little taller, but the Ashford has better posture.

  As you see, we’re getting to know each other . . .

(Yay! Something fun to do this weekend–we may get 2-4″ of rain tomorrow, and it’s entirely possible that I won’t be going out at all . . . so at least I’ll be able to have some fun! Talk about good timing. . . . Thank you Woodland Woolworks!)

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:It Came! It Came! // 5 Comments »

Okay, here is a picture of my stash–Half of one of my bedroom closets.

There are three bins across the top filled with yarns like Kidsilk Haze, Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, plus some assorted sock yarns and such. The top two shelves of the bookcase are filled with knitting books. (All my other craft books–embroidery, spinning, quilting–are on the other side of the closet.) There are several skeins of Manos del Uruguay hanging from hangers, along with my drop spindles. Roving for spinning is sitting on the basket (filled with pattern pamphlets) on the floor. . . . Well, you can see for yourself. Pretty much everything is labeled. (You can enlarge it if you like.)

I know it doesn’t look like much compared to some people’s, but my family thinks I’m nuts to have so much yarn in my closet.

And I will say that this does not compare to my library (aka the book stash)!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:April Flash! // 3 Comments »

It’s been an incredibly wet Saturday–lots of rain, gusts of wind, and we’re supposed to get thunderstorns later. I’m not sure how much rain we’ve gotten, but as of 8:00 this morning it was about 2/3″ and it’s been raining pretty steadily all day, and they’re forecasting about another inch tonight. Mom and I went out for coffee this morning (I brought my knitting), but otherwise, it’s been a lazy, stay-at-home day. I read the new Elizabeth Peters book (not one of her best efforts), played with my new Lendrum (nice, but I still can’t get the hang of the long-draw method), balanced my checkbook, and that was about it.

I’m sorry to hear about the Pope, though not surprised. I think Annie said it best:

We can rage against the dying of the light, but we have to rest sometime. I pray for the Pope’s peaceful passing. I am not Catholic, but I do admire the Pope as a leader. I absolutely do not agree with the Catholic church on so many things, but there is no question that Pope John Paul II was a man who believed at his very core that he was acting and doing what in his heart he believed was the right thing for his followers. And I respect that conviction and that strength.

On the plus side, I got a call today–my friend and co-worker, Jimmy, became the father of twins today. Six weeks early, but mother, baby boy (Andy) and baby girl (Didi) are doing fine. He and their 22-month old have the house to themselves for a couple of days (the boy came through normal channels, but the girl went for a little drama and requested a C-section . . . I guess coming last after two brothers, she wanted to be sure her arrival was noticed!). The twins should be in the hospital, breathing in some extra oxygen for about two weeks, but they’re healthy, everybody’s fine, and Jimmy is over the moon. Beginnings as well as endings today, folks!

Now, without further ado, here’s my reading list for the month of March.

1. BANISHING VERONA by Margot Livesey (321 p). An interesting little love story . . . Verona shows up one day and disappears the next, leaving Zeke trying to find her while she tries to find her brother, who is in trouble . . . kind of sweet.
2. ALLERGY AND ASTHMA CURE by Fred Pescatore (232 p.) Pretty much what it sounds like—a diet/supplement/exercise approach to solving (or at least helping) allergies and asthma.
3. A DOG YEAR (209 p.)
4. DOGS OF BEDLAM FARM by Jon Katz (251 p.) Life of an author with Border Collies. The first tells the story of Devon, a troubled dog, who comes to live with the author and his two Labs. The second tells how he bought a sheep farm for his (now) three Border Collies . . . I still like the first a little better, but both were good and touching. I love a good dog story, and this man tells a good one.
5. JOUST (442 p.)
6. ALTA (434 p.) by Mercedes Lackey. The first two of a fantasy trilogy that takes place in an Egyptian-type world with dragons. Some of her best work since she conceived Valdamar, I think, and Kvetch is a wonderful protagonist as a serf who is taken to be a Dragon Boy. I’m looking forward to the third one, coming out in May.
7. ESSENTIALS OF YARN DESIGN by Mabel Ross (126 p.) Ways to spin consistent yarn, to specifications (instead of just taking what you get!)
8. WIZARD’S SHADOW by Susan Dexter (277 p.) Classic fantasy story. The peddlar Crocken makes a deal with a shadow (yes, a literal shadow) to take him on a journey . . . pretty standard kind of story, but a wonderful author . . . I wish she were still writing!
9. 1812 by Walter R Borneman (204 p.) A look at the War of 1812, which I know very little about. Well-written, well-researched, informative, and enjoyable. Good history.
10. SUPERFOLKS by Robert Mayer (231 p.) On the surface, the plot of this book sounds a lot like the plot of the movie the Incredibles . . . but I didn’t think it was nearly as good. Basically just a comic book about a washed-up superhero, but without the graphics or pictures or colors . . . and therefore, not nearly as much fun. Interesting, though—it was written in the 1970s and some of the references to “current” public figures was kind of neat, in an anachronistic kind of way.
11. GUARDIAN OF HONOR by Robin Owens (409 p.) Another fantasy book, but not as good as the others—a young, lawyer gets pulled into an alternate world to be their “savior” and, naturally, she is incredibly powerful and incredibly smart, and of course, she falls in love with a man whom she can’t stand . . . not horrible by any means, but pretty predictable. Average.
12. MARCH by Geraldine Brooks (280 p.) So . . . while Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy were getting to know Laurie and John Brook . . . what do you suppose Mr. March, their father, was doing off in the Civil War?? Great idea—I always enjoy knowing what’s been going on behind the scenes—but I was disappointed in this book. I didn’t find his story to be nearly as interesting as it could have been. I’d been looking forward to this for months and felt pretty let down.
13. CRYSTAL SOLDIER by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (321 p.) If you’ve read any of their Liaden books, you’ll understand when I tell you this is the story of the roots of Korval—the meeting of Cantra and Jela, way back before anything resembling Liad even existed, and when there is a galactic war going on . . . Their writing is always good. I missed the “universe” I was familiar with, though, so I followed this with:
14. BALANCE OF TRADE (451 p.) A stand-alone by the same authors. Well before the stories of Val Con, Miri, Shan, and Patricia, but with Liad and Terra firmly established as trading partners/competitors. Jethri is a great character, and I hope they give him a little more to do in the future.
15. NICCOLO RISING (470 p.)
16. SPRING OF THE RAM (469 p.)
17. RACE OF SCORPIONS (534 p.) by Dorothy Dunnett. The first three books of her 8-book series, The House of Niccolo. Favorites. Elaborate. Complex. Amazingly detailed. Historical, 15^th century Fiction. Working on book #4 right now.
18. GENERAL WASHINGTON’S CHRISTMAS FAREWELL by Stanley Weintraub (176 p.) I was disappointed in this one, just like I was the last book of his I read—great concept, great story, but . . . the writing just bored me.
19. TREASURE FOREST by Cat Bordhi (284 p.) Ugh. A young adult book that, if I’d read when I was about 10, I probably would have loved . . . Now, I still read young-adult level books, I think the writing is as good if not better than many so-called grown-up books, but this was just . . . ugh. Wordy. Sentimental. Hard to follow. Too little plot . . . Boring.
20. TWO-END KNITTING by Anne-Maj Ling (203 p.) Knitting book that looks at the Scandinavian technique of “twisted” or “twined” knitting. It’s a great technique, and it’s nice to see another book about it, but I thought the (out-of-print) book, “Twined Knitting” was a better description of the technique.
21. SUNSHINE by Robin McKinley (389 p.) A coffee-shop baker, famous for her cinnamon rolls, is kidnapped by vampires, but happens to meet up with (and rescue) a vampire who actually has a sense of honor . . . completely unlike her other stories, but written with the same attention of detail and the same creativity. Considering I’m not overly fond of vampires . . . this is the third time I’ve read it.
22. HISTORY LESSONS by Dana Lindaman and Kyle Ward (372 p.) Two things to say about this book—it looks at the way U.S. history is portrayed in textbooks in other countries, which is fascinating. Seeing how schoolkids are taught about is is enlightening. A very good thing. Nicely edited book, lots of work, lots of approaches. All good. The problem is that, this way, you end up reading the same kind of thing over and over . . . the Revolutionary War from the British perspective, the French, the Caribbean. . . and, sadly, reading the same facts again and again gets kind of . . . boring. Not to mention that, since all the excerpts are drawn from text books for children, the tone is . . . less than challenging! I think this makes a great reference, but as a “straight read,” it was less than ideal—not the book’s fault!
23. KNIT HAPPENS by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (328 p.) This small gem of a book is just a delight for anyone who knits (or who knows a knitter). It’s filled with little essay-like “meditations” about knitting, obsession, family, stashes of yarn . . . all things that any person who knits can appreciate. Each entry is short and sweet–some only a paragraph long, some a page or two–but they’re unreservedly fun. Each is headed by a delicious quote, too, by knitters and non-knitters alike, and then summed up in her own, sparkling way. I read her blog every day (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/) and her book is a delight.
24. MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn (440 p.) The newest book by one of my favorite authors, and the first of a new trilogy. Much more classic “fantasy” than she usually writes, but great characters, interesting story, and . . . well, she’s a favorite for a reason!
25. SURELY YOU’RE JOKING, MR. FEYNMAN by Richard P Feynman (346 p.) He’s famous, of course, for being an expert in physics, but this book is like sitting down with him and listening to him tell funny story after funny story—the tone of voice is perfect and accessible and this was entirely enjoyable to read. (Like, the time he learned how to break into safes while working in Los Alamosduring WWII; or the time he . . . )
26. OPINIONATED KNITTER by Elizabeth Zimmerman (128 p.) A reprint of a decade’s worth of her “Woolgathering” newsletters—patterns for knitted items interspersed with friendly chattings . . . and tributes from her daughter and others, since of course, she passed on several years ago. She is renowned in the knitting world!
27. REVERSING ASTHMA by Richard Firshein (341 p.) Another “how-to” kind of book, whose title pretty much says it all.

Currently reading: “American Brutus,” “Suburban Safari,” “How Dogs Think,” “Scales of Gold”

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:March Reading // 4 Comments »