I got the sweetest stitch markers in the mail today. I bought them from Etsy. Aren’t they sweet? They came with a little organza pouch, too, which she actually sent separately, since she forgot to include it when she mailed the stitch markers. Wasn’t that nice of her? The best part is that they arrived on the same day.

I also got a pair of late recipe cards from Amanda’s Knit and Dish recipe swap from last Fall. Which reminds me . . . I signed up for part 2. How can I resist a chance to get 100 tried-and-true recipes for my collection??

It’s been a cold, blustery day here. Taking this Saturday Sky picture is as far out of the house as I’ve gone today. Some lovely, blue sky, but COLD. It’s only in the mid-twenties, and lots of gusty, blustery wind.

Mom and I didn’t even go out for coffee this morning–though we had some of the home-brewed variety in those cute, little, yellow cups from the other day. (Oh, and speaking which, it’s entirely possible (ahem) that I might have ordered their, um, friend while I was feeling blue the other night.)

Anyway, I’ve been doing stuff around the house today. I gave my room a thorough dusting and vacuuming (or at least, I tried to). The irony is that the dust and doggy fur and such can aggravate my allergies/asthma, so ideally my room should be clean, and yet since I’m the one who does the cleaning, I end up sneezing and coughing anyway. But then, I figure it balances out–I get it all over with at once.

I also gave somebody (who shall remain nameless for the sake of his modesty) a haircut and a bath today. He looks so LITTLE when he’s wet. It’s easy to forget how much of his visual “size” comes from those fluffy curls of his. When he’s wet, you can really see that lean waistline.

Of course, he was so shy about having his picture taken, THIS is what I got. He doesn’t like the flash on my camera (and never believes me when I tell him that I’ve turned it off), so his default reaction is to turn his head away whenever I point a camera at him. Which is why you can’t see his face in either of these, though I really kind of love the second one with that blur…. He WAS sitting like I asked, after all, just not sitting still!

Other than the bedroom cleaning and the dog cleaning, mostly what I’ve done today is read. I’m on my third book of the day, and would frankly be surprised if I don’t have it finished before going to bed tonight.

The first was I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak. I started this about 12:45 last night, right after I finished the book I had been reading. It’s by the same author as The Book Thief, and I have to tell you, I liked it SO much more. I am, however, aware that I’m in the minority in not liking the Book Thief, though. But the Messenger book? It starts when 19-year old cab-driver Ed Kennedy helps catch a bank robber. A few days later, he gets an Ace of Diamonds in the mail, with three addresses . . . and when he visits them, realizes that the people need help. But who is sending the cards? Why him? Despite the bad language (more than I thought was necessary, but not enough to be TRULY offensive, though it usually turns me off), the story was engaging and intriguing, and it kept me turning pages to find out where the cards were coming from.

The second book of the day was Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, for which I owe Julie thanks. I picked up the first book last weekend and then promptly ordered #2 and 3. This, the second book, came a couple days ago, and the third came in today’s mail–JUST as I was finishing “I am the Messenger.” Which meant it was safe to start Book Two without worrying about some awful cliff-hanger that would torment me for days. This series? Kind of a medieval Japan fantasy trilogy. (Well, now there’s actually a fourth book which won’t be out in paperback until June, but since it takes place 15 years after the action of the original trilogy, the wait won’t be unbearable.) Anyway, the trilogy begins when Takeo is saved by an anonymous warrior when his village is destroyed–a Lord who adopts him and trains him in the ways of a warrior, but also in the ways of the secret Tribe of assassins, of which Takeo’s father was one. It’s a well-written, enjoyable series with an interesting premise and a nice flow of action–whether that be in the form of fights or of events that move the story along. Either way, it doesn’t drag and is a page-turner in its own right. Which, should be obvious, since I’m now on page 50 of the third book…. As I say, I do think I’ll have this done before I go to sleep tonight….

Of course, that depends on what Mom and I watch tonight, since tv-knitting is my best and most productive knitting time. Last night, we watched Caroline?, a 1990 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie with Stephanie Zimbalist. Based on a book by E. L. Konigsburg (who also wrote one of my all-time childhood favorites), it’s about the mysterious return of an heiress, long-since thought dead, who shows up suddenly, and has a great impact on the lives of her new, much-younger half-siblings. It’s a tv-movie, of course, and so has a certain amount of corniness and melodrama, but still, it’s a good story. AND Stephanie Zimbalist looks just wonderful. I love just about every single outfit, every hair style in the entire movie. And, lordy, that woman has such wonderful posture. I want to stand and walk just like she does . . . (Hey, Laura Holt was practically my idol in high school.) One sad thing, though? When looking this movie up just now? The young actor who played Winston? He died in 1998 . . . how sad.

Oh, and the Endless Hood Extension? It’s faintly possible that the end may be in sight…. but, shhh! …Don’t scare it away!

Tags: Chappy, Reading, Sky // 3 Comments »