Reading Material
Well, I’d say it’s about time for me to finish off the top of my bag, huh?
Because, here, you see (looking kind of dark), the knitted reproduction next to the original I’m trying to recreate. Not that it’s exactly looking its best at the moment (the knitting) since it doesn’t particularly stand up very well at the moment. I kind of hooked the needle point protectors over the piping on my ottoman to hold it up long enough to take the photo.
What I need to do at this point is knit the tube/sleeve/facings . . . whatever you want to call them . . . into which I’ll be inserting the bag frames. That shouldn’t take too long. And I’ll be making one side about two or three rows bigger than the other, so that hopefully, when the whole thing is done, the two halves will overlap and fit snugly.
And then, I really need to think about handles! And pockets. And that lining . . . Maybe a button?
Now, reading material. I got two good things in the mail today.
First, a new Dick Francis book. My horse-loving cousin got me reading his horse-racing mysteries back in eighth grade, and I’ve been enjoying them ever since. It’s been about 5 years since he came out with a new book, though, and I’ve had this pre-ordered for months. Had almost forgotten about it, in fact, until it arrived. I admit that I’m a tiny bit disappointed that the main character is Sid Halley–he rarely ever uses the same protagonist in more than one book, but this is Sid’s fourth appearance . . . and, I hate to admit it . . . he’s not one of my favorites. Obviously, as a former champion jockey forced to retire due to injury, the author has a special place in his heart for him, though. I was going to start this right away, but now . . . I think I’ll finish the Lymond Chronicles (best historical fiction author ever) I’m reading, and then give the earlier Sid Halley books a quick reread before tackling this new one.
But the other thing that came? Whole Dog Journal, one of my favorite periodicals. And the best part? Oh, do they ever have an article that’s right up Chappy’s and my alley. “Teach Your Dog to Read.” Seriously. You can even get flash cards. (The stick figures are particularly cute.) Not only does this sound like a whole lot of fun, but there really are some practical applications–especially for service dogs. How helpful would it be for a seeing-eye dog to be able to determine which is the ladies’ room rather than the men’s room? Or spot the sign for the ATM? It could really happen.
Hey–did you know ChicKnits has a new pattern? Ariann, very pretty!
And–if you haven’t, Celia is still taking donations for her Asthma walk. As a person who now seems to have asthma, let me tell you, it is not fun!
Oh, and whoa! That editorial is taking no prisoners….
Anyone want to live in The Shire?
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Okay….I did this kind of thing during boring classes in school, but I was never anywhere near this good!
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Tannenbaum.
House Calls
Love those homes – a little out of my price range, but really cool. DH thinks the novelty would wear off, but I sure don’t – I collected all those David Winter cottages too and always dreamed of living in one – that and an old Victorian – minus ghosts.
Wow… Thanks for sharing that editorial
Hmmm penspinning… I never got a hang of it. I wouldn’t do it in class either, after once flicking my pen in such a way that it flew all the way to the other side of the class and nearly took someone’s eye out LOL. But sure is fascinating to watch!!!
Cheers Eva
are you going to felt your bag? and the book sounds interesting. i read ALL of the black arabian books, lol. (the protagonist’s name was alex, or alec, i remember that, you know the one, where hte kid & the horse get shipwrecked?)
i’ll check out the links later, i’m running a bit late (or should i say, my son is, lol)
I hope you find something to heal Chappy’s skin problems and that it gets better soon. Let us know how the reading lessons go!!
I’ve already purchased Ariann, big surprise. I hope Chappy is an apt reading pupil, but I suspect he will be. Thank you for the link to that editorial.
I absolutely loved the concept of the Shire… until I encountered a reference to Thomas Kinkade, and then I closed my browser with a bloodcurdling shriek of horror.
I’ll be watching anxiously to see how your bag turns out. I just love me a good bag!
Let us know how Chappy’s reading lessons go! Your point about the seeing eye dogs was well-taken; I’ve always wondered about that.
Thanks for the Shire link. The houses are pretty (and I love old houses), but they look a little too historical Stepford for me, as if you planted the wrong flowers in that neighborhood, you’d be severely fined. We have a lot of neighborhoods like that around here. It makes me want to put a sink on someone’s front porch when no one is looking!
i’m with debby on the shire — haha. bessie the back-hoe would definitely get us a hefty fine.
that editorial is awesome — unfortunately not everyone is getting that side of the story. the nbc journalist taibbi who reported on it on the today show the next morning made it sound like clinton totally overreacted too. and it pissed me off.
maybe they’re so good at the pen spinning because of the dexterity they get from eating with chopsticks. I’m going ask DH if he can do that! (He’s from Nagasaki).
What have you been thinking about for straps? Just saw an interesting cabled strap over at Cursing Mama’s – looked like it would reduce the strap stretch factor.
Hey! Thanks for the plug!