Well, didn’t we have fun today? That’s Ina, Risa, Jessica, Liam and Kim.

And, of course, our spinning wheels. Although, the one Ina’s spinning on isn’t actually hers . . . Risa brought down one of her (many) spares for her to try. There’s no question that she’s got drop-spindling down now, and Risa thought it would be nice for her to give a wheel a try. (As you can imagine, the rest of us . . . who already have wheels . . . didn’t encourage her at all.)

Risa cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch, and the rest of us brought salads and/or dessert. And Ina brought a little something else, too. A “Jersey Spnner” . . . a beautiful, lace frisbee . . . for each of us. Wasn’t that nice of her?

As you can imagine, I won’t be letting Chappy play with mine….

We had a lovely time, and Liam particularly enjoyed the swimming pool. But one of the moments I found most amusing? When we all walked around, taking pictures of each others’ yarn.

See? And it wasn’t just me, it was all of us, going from wheel to wheel with our cameras. It is so NICE to spend time with people who completely understand this compulsion to photograph yarn!

I brought home two bobbins of yarn ready to be plied, my Jersey Spinner, the rest of the fruit salad I brought, and, unfortunately, a headache from the sun. I am SO glad I thought to bring a hat with me. (Sunshine too easily gives me headaches which, along with the fact that I burn easily, is why I’m a shade-girl.) But I don’t care. I had a great time anyway, so it was worth a headache.

And Chappy forgave me for leaving him, just as soon as I got home. Apparently he and his grandma played in the backyard this afternoon while I was gone, so he’s happy and tired, too. Because, yes, apparently sitting, spinning, laughing, and eating good food for four or five hours can tire you out. (Or, me at least!) I got home just as my parents were heading out for a bite to eat. I made myself a quick omelet for supper, only had the energy to eat 2/3 of it (Chappy graciously took care of the rest), and then fell asleep on the couch for half an hour.

I tell you. This fun, socializing stuff can be tough!

• Tags: Finished Spinning, Friends, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Jersey Spinners // 9 Comments »

Certainly, a box like this is never a bad thing to come home to.

What’s that inside?

The replacement drive-wheel for my Little Gem II. And isn’t it a thing of beauty?

Andy at Majacraft had said that they felt (judging by my pictures) that the groove in my drive wheel was too shallow. Well, here’s the old one (on the right) and the new one (on the left).

What do you think?

Me? Yeah, I’d say the’s a bit of a difference, there!

Now, if you’ve been to Kim’s today, you’ll have seen that my spinning wheel is going to see/make lots of new friends at Risa’s tomorrow . . . which means I don’t have time to go to a hardware store to buy a 13mm wrench so that I can make the actual replacement . . . at least, not before going to Risa’s tomorrow, which means I’ll be bringing my completely-original Gem with me, not the new-improved version. But that’s okay–it’s a comfort to know that the under-study is ready and waiting in the wings

And, really, isn’t that wood grain just gorgeous? This wheel has such beautiful symmetry to it . . . even more than the original one. And, you know me, I LIKE things to look neat, even, and tidy.

So, let’s see . . . I’ve mentioned the NJ Spinning party going on at Risa’s tomorrow. I told you about my exciting new “wheel.” It’s Friday (and about time, too). I even skipped out of work a little early today so I could stop at the grocery store to pick up makings for fruit salad . . . I mean, I had practically nothing to do this afternoon at the office anyway . . . summer Fridays are like ghost towns.

All I need to do is pack up my fiber, my extra bobbins, my wheel, toss together the fruit salad (protecting it from family members who would want to eat it themselves), and I’m all set to go to Risa’s.

Well, all that, and explaining to Chappy that he can’t come this time. All those spinning wheels? He’d be bored, right? (Right??) I’m sure I’ll be too busy and having too much fun to miss him, but still . . . you can imagine how guilty this face can make me!

Hey, did you see the fabulous tutorial Marnie put up about using Excel to modify sizes for pattern-design? And Ysolda posted a great chart of “standard” sizes. (I mean, whoever actually IS a standard size? But you know what I mean . . . and does it really matter that they’re British standards and I’m American??)

• Tags: Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:New Wheel . . . Sort of // 7 Comments »

Four years ago . . . almost exactly . . . my niece and I went to Newport, Rhode Island for a weekend.

While there (I’ve mentioned this before), we toured the Mansions . . . you know the ones, the huge, elaborate, Gilded Age masterpieces (or monstrosities, depending on your point of view) built by the Vanderbilts and all their filthy rich cronies for little, summer cottages (cough).

Anyway, one of the design elements we saw over and over again was that of dolphins. Sculptures, candlesticks, tables, jewelry . . . all sorts of things. Except, I don’t think any of them had ever seen a dolphin, because these looked nothing like Flipper. Yet, they were charming in their nonsensical way, and my niece and I both loved them.

When we saw a pair of candlesticks on our last day, we decided that we would buy them and split the set–she’d get one, and I’d get one–a perfect memento from our trip.

Mine lives in my room, near my bed, with a little, red, round candle in its tail. And, really, it might not look like anything that Sea World would recognize, but I don’t care. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Brought to you by:

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• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday • Permalink:Dolphin // 7 Comments »

Finally! The sleeves are DONE.

Phew. I thought that really was going to take forever.

Now, what’s left is basically repeating that “doesn’t – it – look – so – narrow – in – comparison” back for the front sections.

I mean, really, look at the difference in proportion between the length of the rows for the back section and the length for the sleeves. I’m down to fewer than 80 stitches per row and, wow, what a difference. The few rows I did feel like they’re just flying!

So, let’s see . . . if it took me from February to June to get the sleeves done . . . and it looks like the rectangle making up the back is about half of the area of the sleeves . . . in theory, I should get this sweater done, let’s see . . . two more months?

Well, no, not really–this time, this is the primary sweater project. She’s not hiding in Celtic Icon’s shadow any more . . . and I’m not making a secret graduation-present sweater . . . so really, it shouldn’t take THAT long (grin). At least, it’d better not.

Do you know, though? I haven’t touched my lace in days, I’ve been so focused on getting these endless sleeves finished.

For today’s interesting link? This “Sorted Books” project . . . makes me want to go and play with my books….

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Finally! // 4 Comments »

Chappy wants to know why our town hates him tonight.

It’s the scheduled fireworks night of the annual Fireman’s Carnival, which is one of his least-favorite nights of the year anyway.

And yet, there’s a massive string of severe thunderstorms . . . As in, he’s huddled in a corner right now, listening to the thunder and the rain against the windows.

So, what is our town doing? Is it sensibly postponing the fireworks for a less stormy night?

No, of course, that would be sensible. If you listen to the booming very carefully, you can hear two, distinct types. The thunder, and the rhythmic booms of fireworks.

Which basically means that Chappy is suffering a double dose of his least favorite kind of “weather” phenomena.

(Yes, I know that fireworks aren’t weather . . . and I’m sure he wouldn’t enjoy a flood or tornado, either, but of the weather he knows . . . you understand what I mean.)

Poor little guy…..

• Tags: Chappy, General, Weather • Permalink:Thunder // 14 Comments »

Pretty, pretty fibers…. (drool)

We have here–at the top–a 4oz skein of Superwash Top in “Rust,” nicely orangey without being neon-bright. (Never a color choice I opt for.) And–at the bottom–luxury sock batts in “Blaze.” I bought three of the little, 50g bumps, made up of Superwash, silk, and nylon and are oh, so pretty and oh, so soft.

I pulled the Rust out of the box first and went, “Ooh,” and then I pulled the Blaze out and went “OOOOOooooooohhhhh” because it’s just so gorgeous. The colors (in each) are fabulous, but because of the silk and the nylon–that’s going to make great socks, I just hope I ordered enough–that blended batt just sparkles. And who doesn’t appreciate a little sparkle once in a while?

Where did I get them from? Abby’s Franquemont Fibers. I’ve been eyeing them for quite some time . . . I think I first saw them mentioned at Theresa’s Keyboard Biologist . . . . yep, I just went and looked. But please note that that post was from March and I managed to resist for three months before breaking down and purchasing some of that for myself. (I hope you’re impressed.)

It’s almost a shame I started spinning this pretty stuff last night, because now the new stuff will just have to wait . . . And then, this has been waiting since April. (We won’t discuss the fiber in the closet that’s even older–like the never-ending silk/merino that I promised myself I would work on next, but which I, um, didn’t.)

And, well, it really is lovely. 4 oz of Blue Faced Leicester from Vesper Sock Yarn, in the “Pacific” colorway. I’d actually forgotten the name of it, and was sitting there spinning and thinking how very “beachy” it looked with it’s sand-and-sky color combination. So I went and pulled out the wrapper to remind myself what it was called, and, well . . . there you go, it’s the ocean.

Although, of course, being an East Coast girl, I tend to think it looks more like the Atlantic….

It’s gorgeous stuff, too. Very summery, don’t you think?

You know, the ironic part about me and my spinning? When spinning, there’s nothing I like better than watching different colors play off each other. The natural combinations as you spin, and then the blending/barber-poling when you ply? I love that. I love a chance to play with color.

But when knitting, I like my yarns to be almost solid in color. Tweedy yarns are nice, subtle variations are enjoyable, but in clothing and knits, I mostly like solid colors. In fact, except for a couple of skirts, and maybe one or two tops with stripes, almost everything in my wardrobe is a (mostly) solid color. And that I love Amish quilts, with their simple, bold, geometrics above all other kinds. So far as design goes, I belong to the “A little goes a long way” school as regards patterns. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 70s?

Anyway, what this means is that I keep spinning these fabulous, multi-colored and/or variegated yarns–like the Crown Mountain Farm Sock-Hop rovings, or their Pencil Corriedale–and, while I enjoy spinning them, and love the finished product . . . I never want actually want to knit anything in them, which is a real shame (grin). Which is probably the main reason that I’ve given away the finished yarn from each of the three Sock Hop rovings I’ve spun. With love and good wishes, but mostly because I’d rather see the yarn used than have it sit in my basket, knowing it never would be.

So, by rights, I should be doing all my spinning only from mostly-solid kinds of combinations so that I’d end up with more yarn I’d want to USE, which would mean I’d lose the fun of all those glowing color combinations . . . isn’t that ironic? Tragic, almost!

(Before any of you jump in, yes, I know, I could give the yarn to YOU when I’ve spun it–just to give it a good home–which is exceedingly generous of you. Really. I mean it. Because that’s the kind of person you are.)

How about you? What do you think of colors in yarn?

And, do you suppose that that beach-themed yarn, if I ever DO turn it into socks, will make me feel like I’ve got sand in my shoes?

Lastly, I only heard about this last night, but Annie Modesitt’s husband has been diagnosed with a nasty form of cancer, and she’s trying to raise some money to help cover medical costs by selling this pattern for a small donation. I don’t know if I’ll feel moved to make the dress, but giving her $4.50 toward devastating expenses? Yeah. That I can do. (For that matter, I just pre-ordered her upcoming book, Romantic Knits, too….)

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Drool // 8 Comments »

It’s been a while since I talked about my Tatami, but I am still plugging along at it. Slowly, ever so slowly.

And here’s where I am, and here’s my dilemma.

The sleeves–which ultimately are folded in half–are about 15″ long. They should be 20″ before finishing off most of the edges and narrowing back down for the fronts.

The tricky part here is that the yarn you see in the picture is ALL the yarn I have left. One full skein, about half of another one, and a tiny bit (which, actually, I finished tonight after taking the photo). I don’t think I have enough yarn to knit another five inches of sleeve AND the fronts. And since it’s handspun, it’s not like I can run out and get more. I mean, I might . . . or I might not . . . it’s going to be close either way.

Now, the important thing to know is that I started with four skeins of yarn. The first skein got me all the way through the first inch of sleeve. Which means that the remaining 14″ or so of sleeve have taken me about one and a half skeins. Which comes out to about 9.3″ of sleeve per skein . . . so that the 5″ still to go should be just about possible . . .

Frankly, though, I’m a little too afraid to risk it, but his isn’t necessarily a big problem, so long as I plan properly. So what I’m thinking about doing is stopping the sleeves at the 18″ mark. That’ll leave them a little less full than ideal for the pattern, but close enough, I think. A 9″ wide sleeve instead of a 10″ wide sleeve . . . a difference of an inch (or 2.5 centimeters). I can deal with that….

…Especially when you consider I have to be sure to leave enough yarn for the ties and for the seaming, huh? Certainly, the length of the sweater isn’t a problem. If it’s a inch or two shorter than the pattern, well, I’m only 5-foot-3, so it’s not like I NEED the length. Right?

Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.

Edited to add: Maybe I didn’t explain this well. Tatami is knit in one, big piece, starting at the lower back, working up to the sleeves, knitting them, and then continuing upward to the bottoms of the fronts. Then, it’s folded in half lengthwise and seamed up the sides/sleeves. I’m working on the sleeves now, and they’re now 16″ along the cuff . . . which would translate to an 8″-deep sleeve when finished. If I continue to 18″, they’ll be 9″ deep. The 20″ the pattern calls for translates to a 10″ deep, rectangular sleeve. The problem is not the length of the sleeves . . . it’s the depth. And there’s no way to add any contrasting color to them that wouldn’t make a horizontal stripe all the way across the front of the sweater. (Ick!)

And, obviously I’m having trouble actually FINISHING the Celtic Icon, since I keep finding things to play with. Like, I rummaged through my button container and found one, perfectly simple button that’s a great match, to be sewn at the neckline of the sweater. It just needs to be sewn on and some kind of loop-closure sewn to the other side. A bagatelle. (And don’t ask me why the picture looks so brown. No idea.)

Then I pulled out my beads and made this little zipper pull. The beads I think are perfect. The beadWORK? Um, not so much. My beading skills aren’t exactly ideal. For one thing, I really want someone to explain to me how you’re supposed to keep the main piece of wire/headpin STILL while you’re trying to wrap the end neatly around the shaft. I mean, the headpin is round, so as you (well, I, at least) start to twist the end . . . the headpin twists along, so that there’s no actual change in rotational position between the pin and its end. You know, like if your flyer and your bobbin are rotating at the same speed, you never get any yarn winding onto the bobbin. How on earth are you supposed to keep the blasted headpin from rotating?

Um, yeah . . . and then I wonder why my beadwork is lousy…..

Edited to add: And, the beaded zipper pull there? It’s on a lobster-clasp, so I can put it on and take it off as desired, like a necklace. It’s NOT a permanent addition to the sweater, really!

Oh, and no, I don’t know why Chappy did what he did yesterday, but no, I don’t think it’s a health issue (though I’m keeping close tabs on him for a few days, just in case). Usually, this sort of thing is a territorial thing, so about the only thing I can think of is that he’s decided he wants to move up the family ladder, and picked Mom as the next up up the chain of command. Or something like that.(Because, I don’t necessarily hold with the whole “dominance” philsophy. I’m a clicker-training girl at heart.)  Really, who knows? He’s not usually a territorial dog, and his house-training is pretty solid, and well, it’s one big question mark. I really don’t think it’s a health issue, though. And I don’t think it’s the start of any serious behavioral problems, either–although for a little while, he’s back on the “Nothing is Free” plan, where he has to ‘earn’ his privileges . . . just for a little reminder that, loved though he is, he does NOT outrank his Grandma!

Now, some random links for you:

Okay, this is funny–a man sent a digital camera through the mail, with a tiny hole in the box so that it could record its trip, taking one picture every ten seconds….

Ah . . . Indiana Jones is really back….

An ever-lasting lightbulb?

This man’s sidewalk art is just amazing–love this little raft!

And, folks? This looks like just about everything you ever wanted to know about blogging–or 120 resources, anyway.

And, finally? One of my co-workers was talking about this today–Paperback Believer. A blending of the Beatle’s “Paperback Writer” and the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” which works amazingly well–much better than you’d expect!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Talk About Tatami // 12 Comments »

I don’t know if, like me, you subscribe to the theory that cuteness is a survival skill. As in, our parents would likely have killed all of us at some point when we were tiny and rather obnoxious (not like we are NOW) if we hadn’t fortuitously been so danged cute. This is known to adults as the Cuteness Factor.

Well, don’t think for a minute that small, cute beings like toddlers, kittens, and oh yes, dogs, don’t know of this phenomenon and rely on it.

Like, oh, say for example, a dog….

Say, this dog, just, you know, hypothetically….

Say he were, one Monday morning, to go into his grandparents’ bedroom, jump up on the bed (for which he does not have permission in the first place), and then proceed to urinate on his grandmother’s side of the bed–including her pillow.

Purely hypothetically, of course.

One would think that said dog would be in danger of his life . . . or at least, in danger of being banned to his crate for the entire day (if not the week), or being sent outside on his own. Or not given any treats for the day. Something severe like that.

Well, see? This is where that Cuteness Factor comes in. Because (still hypothetically) by the time his grandmother had finished the umpteenth load of laundry (and after said dog’s mother had folded a fair proportion of said laundry to try to make amends for her recalcitrant child), it’s conceivable that said dog’s mother could come home from work and find him and his grandmother cozily sitting together on the loveseat in the dining room window.

That Cuteness Factor. I’m telling you, it’s powerful stuff, not to be toyed with.

Hypothetically, of course.

And before you say that you don’t believe that such an angelic face could do such a heinous act, I have to tell you, there were (hypothetical) witnesses.

Oh–and before I forget. CNN is doing a survey on people’s favorite past-times. Knitting is on the list, but not making the top 10 . . . You know what you have to do! We need to make our power known! Go vote!

• Tags: Chappy • Permalink:Cuteness Factor // 20 Comments »

I’ve wanted some Moo cards all my very own ever since somebody (Beth, perhaps?) handed me hers at Rhinebeck last year. Little, mini cards, with my own pictures, and my own information on the back–which can be anything. Business cards. Blog cards. Calling cards. Gift tags. Bookmarks. Birth announcements. Promotional pieces. Keyfobs. Magnets. Christmas tree ornaments. Made up with 50 photos, they could even be a set of cards for a Memory Game. Anything you can think of.

I mean, for $20 you get 100, good-quality, little cards, with as many (or as few) photos as you want, so I figured, why not indulge a little? Mine have my name, my blog address, and my blog’s “slogan” printed on them. (You know the one, “Books, Yarn, and a Boykin Spaniel. What more could a girl want?”)

Further, thanks to Wendy’s excellent timing, I ordered a Moo Card Case which came on the same day. So I am all set. (And, how nifty, starting next month, you can get Moo stickers, too.)

What else have I done today?

I plied the rest of my Tibetan Dreams singles. The color didn’t photograph as well as I’d like–it’s still as pansy-like as ever–but I’m glad to have that bobbin of yarn done and off my desk, where the bobbins have been sitting for at least two weeks now.

I plied using the method Abby talks about in this post. My word, that really IS easy! The hardest part was getting the tension on the wheel correct, but after that? She really was right . . . there was just nothing for my left hand to do! All I did was treadle for about 45 minutes, and let the wheel do all the work. I actually took a break after about half an hour–all that non-stop treadling, you know, what with the woollee winder and all. And when I came back to the wheel? I held a book in my left hand and read for the rest of the plying.

How can I, of all people, not love a method of plying that leaves me free to READ?

Now, the yarn’s not perfect (when is it ever?) and it’ll take a little practice to get as good as Abby . . . because, well, look at her blog, she IS good . . . but I liked this method so much more than the “counting  treadles per arm length” method that I’ve mostly been using since I learned to spin. Go read that post of hers, huh? And watch the video. It’s revelatory. For that matter, her method of starting yarn on the leader is pretty much “Oh wow, why didn’t I think of that?” too. (Her ebay store is pretty great, too, but don’t say I didn’t warn you! Because, um, my own package is in the mail.)

Otherwise? I finished Harry Potter #3 as part of my weekly-Harry-Potter read, in preparation for Book Seven on July 21st. I cleaned the bathroom. I did some laundry. I baked a cake. Hung out with Chappy. Enjoyed the still-lovely weather. Admired my sweater and played with the idea of putting a beaded zipper pull on it . . .

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Moo // 9 Comments »

Really, I’m awfully pleased with the way I spent the first Saturday of Summer of Socks.

Mom, Chappy, and I drove down to Princeton on this absolutely gorgeous day, and met up with Jessica, the brain behind the S.O.S. madness. Her boyrfriend works long hours on the weekends and she was lonely for some knitting companionship, so how handy was it when Mom suggested Princeton as a destination for us, as someplace different to go? That’s the university right over there, on the other side of the street. Really, the weather today could not have been nicer. Absolutely gorgeous.

Naturally, we both worked on our socks. (Two pictures for you–one with flash, one without.) Her Monkey Sock looks great, don’t you think? (She was so worried about it last night.) And my “Walk in the Woods” socks that I started last month? I did one of the heels while sitting there, and will address the other one later tonight. Which puts me officially at the half-way point of the socks.

Oh, and Jessica? I told you I had a great link for your weekly link contest. This fabulous site for just about every variation on sock heels and toes I’ve ever seen. Fabulous resource.

Mom and Chappy? They just kind of hung out, chatted, and enjoyed the day. Chappy got some interesting sniffs, saw someplace completely new, met some other dogs (some friendlier than others!), and basically was just happy that he was spending the day with US, even if it meant an hour’s ride in the car to get there.

All in all, he’s had a practically perfect day. He got to spend it with Mom and me, which he loves, of course. But also, once we got home, he got a chance to go into the backyard, chew on his (brand-new-two-days-ago-but-now-defunct) tennis ball, and hang out on the deck with us for a little while. Then, around 3:00-3:30, we came inside, where he was able to take a nice, satisfying nap. Because being so cute is exhausting, you know!

So, maybe you’d like to have a look at my Celtic Icon, huh? (Like I’m going to give you a choice!) Considering that it was only about 72 degrees today, with a breeze and no humidity to speak of, it was ideal weather (or, as ideal as summer weather can be) for modelling a long, cabled sweater.

Because, yes, it’s done! The ribbon peeks out just the right amount, I think, but as you can see in that one picture, if I’m careless about having the hood right-side out, it likes to fold itself to the outside so you can see it. A bit of an exhibitionist, that ribbon, but since I love it and I picked it for its “pop” qualities, I’m willing to forgive that (grin).

I AM still playing with the idea of putting a single button near the neckline, so that I can wear it and have it stay on properly, without having to zip it. Because, you know how sweaters are, all soft and slouchy, and with the weight of the hood at the back, if I don’t have the sweater zipped, it kind of hangs unattractively off my shoulders. A button would prevent that, so . . . yeah, I’m leaning towards a single button, with a yarn loop to help hold it in place. The question is just whether it should be a fabulous, statement-making button, of something subtle that you wouldn’t even see unless you looked for it. I’m leaning toward the latter. The swirly ribbon is statement-making enough for one sweater.

Um, did I mention how lovely the weather was today? We passed a wedding going on at this gorgeous church, and look at the ride they’ve got for the bride and groom.
That’s a bright red, ‘57 Chevy limosine. I didn’t even know there was such a thing! But, ooh-la-la, is that ever the kind of vehicle you want to ride in on your wedding day. The bride and groom sure picked a great day for their wedding, whoever they are. I hope the rest of their marriage lives up to their wedding day.

And, of course, it’s the perfect Saturday Sky, huh?

Speaking of which, did you see that Sandy–Queen of Saturday Sky–started a Saturday Sky Flickr group??

Lastly, here’s a great point about creativity and unfinished-project guilt. You know, for those of you with numerous UFOs….

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Princeton // 18 Comments »

I’ve mentioned several times about how my Grandmother lost her diamond ring on the beach on Martha’s Vineyard, and my Grandfather reached down into the sand and miraculously pulled it up. It’s such a great family story, and one of my favorites, not least because it highlights my Grandpa and because I love the ring itself so much. (And began the legend that my Grandfather is excellent at finding jewelry.)

I thought I’d show it to you, because it’s thirty-one years ago today that my Grandmother (Mom’s Mom) died suddenly. I was only nine and I so don’t have as many memories of her as I’d like, but still. Every time I wear her ring, I think of her. I love it as a piece of jewelry because I think it’s stunning. It’s classic, with that “antique” look, but without being overdone or too busy. And yet, it’s not boring and plain, either. It’s just a gorgeous ring–one which I know I’d be happy to wear every single day, without getting tired of it. (As I’m sure my grandmother did not.)

But I also love the narrowing of the band from the years on her finger, and how the engraved tracing of pattern on the side of the band is almost completely rubbed away. It’s very definitely her ring, and the only real memento I have of her.

Well, that, and my Mom.

From what she tells me, she and I have pretty much the same best-friend kind of relationship that she had with her Mom . . . and the same occasional outburst of “sillies” accompanied by fits of giggles.

Really, I think Grandma and I would have gotten on just wonderfully. And somehow, I think she’d be pleased that I keep both her ring and her daughter so carefully in my heart.

Just a few more pictures, because this was fun….

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday • Permalink:Diamond // 17 Comments »

Starting off the Summer of Socks right, I DID work on my socks tonight. Oh sure, they’re not new today, but I didn’t sign up for the “Most Socks” contest because, well, I don’t stand a chance for that. I’m just here to have fun. For that matter, I don’t think I can get a “best vacation photo” with my sock, either, since my vacation was last month (grin). So, really, I’m just participating for the company.

And then, there are these two, new Japanese knitting books. Book number 10 from the “Let’s Knit” series, and a book on Fair Isle and Nordic sweaters. Some nice patterns, thought at first glance, none that blew me away like in my last order. Those cover sweaters sure are pretty, though!

Chappy’s pretty tired tonight. As beautiful as it was this afternoon, there’s still a little too much fresh-asphalt (and fresh-asphalt smell) out there to make a walk around the block a truly enjoyable experience . . . and, well, tar really isn’t good for paws  . . . or to be tracked into the house. So instead, at lunchtime, we went into the backyard with a tennis ball and the Chuck-it. It’s been the first time we’ve been back there in months, because all the variables have to be just so. Not too wet, not too dry–and not actively trying to grow grass seed. Miraculously, all the conditions were right, so off we went to play Fetch.

We were only out there for about ten minutes before he conked out. All that running, you know. He was taking breaks between each throw, so I brought him back inside, where he’d lay on the cool floor for about three and half seconds, and then move to a fresh spot . . . So I pulled one of Mom’s ice packs from the freezer and held it on his tummy for him, and oh, did he love that! Then, before I left, I gave him a Kong stuffed with peanut butter and kibble. So, he worked on that most of the afternoon (there were a couple pieces that got stuck). And THEN, we had a thunder storm or two, which, you know, are pretty worrying. At least to my boy, who’s decided this last year or so that he doesn’t like thunder. So, all in all, he’s pretty tired tonight. Happy! But, tired.

Okay–I’ve got about a foot of ribbon to finish tacking down…..

(Oh, and the post title? As I was laying out the stuff for the picture, I was thinking, “That’ll make a nice knitscape.” You know, like a landscape….)

• Tags: Chappy, General • Permalink:Knitscape // 6 Comments »

Since school is out for the summer (in most places, at least), here’s a school-themed question for the week:

1. Do you have any old school books? Did you keep yours from college? Old textbooks from garage sales? Old workbooks from classes gone by?
2. How about your old notes, exams, papers? Do you save them? Or have they long since gone to the great Locker-in-the-sky?

It shouldn’t surprise anyone to know that yes, I DO still have my old books. College textbooks, for example (although that Astronomy book that talks about nine planets? SO out of date now that Pluto’s been demoted). Will I ever need my Macroeconomics text book again? Probably not. Euripedes’ plays? Doubtful. Analyses of the 1984/88 Presidential elections? Really unlikely. Critiques of the Soviet Union? Um, does anybody even remember the USSR any more? But still, they’re mine. I paid for them with my hard-earned cash, and it should be pretty obvious that, once I bring a book home, it’s here to stay.

Although, actually, I HAVE weeded out a handful of the more egregiously-out-dated texts. Really!

As to notes? I do have some, mostly from the classes I learned most from, worked hardest in, or got really outstanding grades in. But mostly? No, those have mostly been recycled to the great locker in the sky….

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:School days…. // 12 Comments »

One more, tiny, little step and this baby is DONE.

I machine-stitched the ribbon in today after work. It goes all the way from the very bottom, up the front, past the zipper, around the hood, and back down the other front. I had just enough ribbon, once I’d spliced this piece together. (Because, of course I went for the swirly option.) There’s about 7″ left. Had I not had to waste about 6″ of it, overlapping for the splice, I would have had enough to put inside the cuffs, but . . . no complaints.

So, what’s left to do? I need to hand-tack the ribbon down on the inside edge to keep it tidy. That means more work with a needle and thread and MAY wait a couple more days, but I don’t care.

That’s it.

I started this eight months ago next week. That’s practically a baby! I can’t remember the last time any project took me this long. And even then, it would have been a hand-sewn quilt or an embroidery project, not a sweater. It’s such a relief to have this (almost) done!

I wouldn’t want you to think that, just because I haven’t posted in a week or two, that I haven’t been working on my shawl, though. (Shawl #3 from “Elegance Knits” book 11, you’ll remember, in “Curry” colored Zephyr lace.)

So, here’s the progress photo. I’m about halfway through the first repeat of chart #2 . . . which basically means I’ve still got a long, long way to go, but it sure is looking pretty, and you can really see the progress of the lace pattern.

I’m going to need to move up to a longer needle, I think, for my next progress photo–I had to scrunch up one whole side to get you this picture.

In other news, tomorrow is the start of the Summer of Socks. I’m ready, although I’ll be starting off with socks that are already on the needles . . . though I WILL try to get a little more done a week than I have been doing. I mean really, the poor things deserve to come along a little faster. Although, since I’m approaching the heel and I only started them in May, they’re going much more quickly than my last pair of socks, which took three months.

Really, it’s hard to believe that I managed nine pairs of socks in the first nine months of last year. By my usual standards, that’s blindingly fast. But, anyway, I will definitely work on my socks tomorrow. Gotta start the Summer of Socks off right, right?

Oh, and our street? Well, the section in front of our house is done, but I had to move my car up the road at 7:00 this morning (in the rain), come home, finish getting ready for work and then walk back to the car (still in the rain) to head to the office. Which hike I repeated in reverse at lunchtime, except that it was sunny and really lovely . . . except for the fresh asphalt fumes. I’m not sure what they’ll be paving tomorow, but at least I should be able to reach my own driveway. They were also paving (or had closed for some other reason) the main road adjacent to us . . . which made my Dad’s trip out of the neighborhood to the golf course challenging this morning. Then I noticed that two lanes of Rt 46 in Denville had been paved sometime in the last 24 hours. AND Kim–who technically lives in the next town, even though she’s only about 3 miles away–had her street paved yesterday, too. I guess it’s in the air….

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:99.5% // 12 Comments »

I had some unexpected leisure time today, but as you can see, I put it to good use.

WHY did I have some extra time? Well, they’re re-paving my street today, for the first time in 20 years, and when I came home for lunch, I kind of got blocked in by the trucks.

Now, I probably COULD have gotten back out . . . eventually . . . but I’d already planned for this possibility at work, and had shut down my computer and done everything I could to make sure that, if I weren’t back for the afternoon, I was as prepared as possible. And, poor Chappy would have been all alone with the scary paving machines and multitude of trucks out there, poor guy. So . . . while I feel a little guilty about the afternoon’s work . . . um, I can deal. (We won’t discuss the fact that they’re STILL not done, which means tomorrow’s lunch-time could be just as tricky.)

Besides, as I say, I was productive. I hand-sewed my zipper into my sweater. Yay! That was the technically difficult part, what with the pinning and basting and all that. I could even stop here if I really wanted to. The zipper is back-stitched in and is pretty secure, if not the most tidily-sewn zipper seam ever. But, of course, I want it be as secure as possible.

And then, there’s the ribbon.

Which means, it’s decision time.

So, this is where we stand.

These two are my favorites. Three pictures of basically the same thing–the two ribbons against my sweater. The first, they’re pinned in as they would be sewn in, to get an idea of the way it would look IN the sweater. The second, they’re laid out, side by side in the sun, along the zipper. The third, waiting decision, huddled together in anticipation.

Now, I admit, I think the “ribbon” one is a slightly better match, color-wise. Its tone matches the purple really well. And it’s all one piece, which will make it easier to sew in. (Remember? The swirly one is cut about midway through–I SO wish it were in one piece.) But still, there’s a part of me that likes the swirly one better. Its color is more vivid, which makes it “pop” more, and the swirls mimic the cable nicely. And I do like its pattern a little better. Basically, the “ribbon” one is more refined, the safer choice. The swirly one is more daring but more fun. What mood do I prefer?

Oh, and there’s absolutely no question. The Cranberry zipper was definitely the right choice!

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Unexpected Leisure // 13 Comments »

Um, yeah…. so I got a little distracted tonight….

But, really, playing with the Candybar dolls is a lot more fun than typing on a keyboard that doesn’t want to make an RRRRRRRR….

Now, you’ll have to excuse me . . . this little spaniel wants to go running through that field and play . . .

• Tags: General • Permalink:Um, yeah…. // 5 Comments »

Well, I’ve gotten my zipper basted into the sweater, but I don’t know if I’m going to get any further tonight.

For one thing, I’m almost afraid to un-baste the two fronts together to make sure the zipper is perfectly centered.

For reasons unknown to me, it took me three attempts to get the fronts sewn together so that they met at both the top and the bottom. This is perplexing because they ARE the same length, and I WAS being careful, and yet . . . twice, I whip-stitched up the fronts and ended up with extra. But then, when I laid the sweater flat and clipped it togethe with my KnitKlips? Perfect.

So, I’m not having much faith in my seaming skills today . . .

But, still, the zipper’s basted in and that’s a huge step. Sometime soon, I’ll dig out the sewing machine and stitch it in properly, along with the ribbon. (On which I’ll make the final decision once the zipper is sewn in and I can baste the ribbon in properly.)

Otherwise, today? I baked my Dad a cake for Father’s Day. AND defrosted a pair of baby Stollens that have been hibernating since December.

And, oh yes, spent lots of time on Ravelry, getting my stash entered.

Which, of course, meant that first, I had to dig though my stash and write everything down . . . Apparently, I have 94 different kinds/colors of yarn in my stash.

Now, if only my “R” key would stop sticking . . . it’s driving me nuts. Which means, I’m signing off now, before I start rrrrrreally wanting to hurrrrrt my compute. . . . Er . . . computeR. (Arrrrrgh)

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Basting // 7 Comments »

So, first, finally, a new Saturday Sky picture. It’s been a while since I saw a skyscape worth photographing, so you can imagine how pleased I was to see this one.

But, second, what do you think of the new Header and design here at Chappysmom?

Really, other than rearranging the stuff in the sidebars, the only substative change was to the graphic in the header . . . what do you think?

(And, oh yes, the corresponding Button has updated, too.)

P.S. If the new header isn’t showing on your browser, it might be because it’s working off a cached version of my page–in which case, according to the nice people at Typepad, you should hold down the shift key and click on the Reload button to do a “hard-refresh.” I’m just saying, because the new version wasn’t showing up for me at first, either!

• Tags: General, Sky • Permalink:Makeover // 9 Comments »

What a nice mail day I had today!

First, there were prints of the graduation pictures I took last week. You know, I am required as a proud aunt to have them.

Then, there was this box from Mielke’s Farm.

A Katie-a-go-go. A completely collapsable, portable, tensioned lazy kate–which is large enough for three Majacraft bobbins–that comes in its own cute little carry sack.

Incidentally, to digress for a moment (as I love to do), has anyone else ever heard that tensioned kates are called “industrious,” and it’s only the untensioned ones that are “lazy?” I came across this in passing somewhere or other and have been trying to find verification of it. It’s such a nice, handy little semantic idea, but I have no idea if it’s true. I’ve only been able to find two mentions of it anywhere online, but it seems like such a simple way to verbally differentiate between the two kinds of kates . . . lazy or industrious . . . without having to spell out the tensioned/untensioned element. You know, “My industrious kate,” instead of “My tensioned lazy kate.”

Well, you know, assuming we spinners managed to spread the word to all the other spinners so that they’d know what we were talking about so we wouldn’t have to spell it out all the time, “My industrious kate, you know, my tensioned lazy kate?” Because that would be as silly as Rachel Ray’s “EVOO ” abbreviation–handy when writing out a recipe, yes, but she always says it aloud, “Use some E-V-O-O, you know, that’s extra-virgin olive oil, and …” which completely defeats the purpose of the abbreviation. But I like the idea of the clear differentiation.

But then, who knows, hordes of kates around the world might rise up (or lay down, as the case may be) upon hearing that they’ve been reclassified, and complain about suddenly being labelled as lazy or having to be industrious, when up until now, at least they were all lazy together . . .

But, okay, back to ME.

Here’s a picture of the kate (lazy or otherwise) set up and ready to go with my two bobbins of Tibetan Dreams singles. String to tension the bobbins, and then the yarn feeds through the loop in the center. (Similar in concept if not in beauty to the Will Taylor kate that Abby has. I mean, really, his really IS gorgeous.) Clearly I haven’t tried it yet, but I do like that it’s portable and therefore versatile and easy to toss into a spinning bag. I mean, sure, it cost more than Theresa’s, but…)

What else did I get in the mail?

A (non-knitting) friend in Portland (the one on the West Coast) saw some articles in the newspaper that she thought I’d be interested in and sent me clippings.

(ahem) Why she thought I’d be interested, I have no idea.

Thanks, Carolyn!

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Another Mail Call // 7 Comments »

I’m not entirely sure, but I think this is a Japanese Cherry Tree. But no matter what it was, it was stunning when I took its picture last month.

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Cherry? // 2 Comments »

First, thanks for all your opinions on those ribbons the other day. My two favorites are the bottom two–the Ribbon Jacquard and the Jacquard Swirls. I’m not going to make a final decision until the zipper’s in and I can pin them in and see how they’d really look. Now, don’t get me wrong, the top two would look good, too. If I had ordered only one of these, any of them, I’d be happy to use it. The grosgrain is a little “too” cranberry a color, though, so isn’t as good as match as I’d ideally like. The brown-with-dots looks good, too, except … it’s brown with pink dots and the sweater is purple–neither pink or brown–which makes it a less-obvious choice.

Then, for the two jacquard ones–I admit to being, at this moment, partial to the one with all the swirls. Just, two things . . . even though it will be in the inside, I’m afraid it’s just a little too busy. But more importantly, I only noticed when I unrolled the entire thing–it’s cut at just about the midway point. The pattern is lined up and it’s held with scotch tape, so I didn’t notice it until I was laying it along the edge of the sweater to test the length. Clearly, I can’t sew the scotch tape into the sweater, and once I remove it and trim the edges, the pattern won’t line up any more. I could certainly overlap the edges, but that won’t look exactly wonderful. Add to that the fact that this would be the center part of the hood, which you’d see every time I’d ever wear the hood. Of course, there’s not enough length to slide the “join” where it might be less noticeable . . . I ordered 4 yards, which is enough to go all the way around the edges, with just about 6″ to spare. Plenty if it were all in one piece, but not enough to have room for “fiddling” with a join.

So . . . it’s possible I’ll go with the “Ribbon” which is a little subtler than the other but still smashing and gorgeous and has been one of my two favorites from the very beginning. Hey, maybe I’ll sew the swirly one inside the sleeves, just for kicks!

Now, also in that post, you may have seen all the “intimate” pictures of my Gem? I’ve mentioned my drive-band problem a couple of times. (Beth was nice enough to email the manufacturer for me, and everything, although she got pretty much the same answer I had gotten in November . . . why, oh why isn’t her shop a couple of states closer, anyway? If you’re in Michigan, you should really check it out, it sounds so great.)

Well, anyway, there’s a Majacraft Spinning Wheels group at Yahoo!Groups, and Andy-from-Majacraft recently joined and has been a great fund of all sorts of useful information, as you’d suspect. He said he was determined to help me figure out what my Gem’s problem was (hence all those photos of the drive band). He posted today that they’ve decided that the groove in my wheel isn’t deep enough, so . . . they’re sending me a new drive wheel. How great is that, huh??? You’ve got to love a company that stands behind their products. Which, of course, is why I’m telling you, because who doesn’t like to hear that? For that matter, that Yahoo group is chock-full of all sorts of useful question/answers, too . . . you know, in case you have a Majacraft yourself.

I can’t wait to go tell my Gem and let her out of the corner. On Sunday the drive band issue was SO bad that I literally could not spin for more than 60 seconds at a time . . . maybe, on the outside, two yards-worth of yarn … without the band slipping. I really didn’t do the last bit of my Tibetan Dreams roving justice, I was so upset with my wheel and just wanting to get it all DONE so I could move on to ply on my Lendrum and leave the Gem in the corner in disgrace. It’s never been that bad before! But since help is on the way–although I don’t expect it for a couple weeks, at least–I suppose I’ll go forgive her and give her a nice hug…

1. Do you cheat and peek ahead at the end of your books? Or do you resolutely read in sequence, as the author intended?
2. And, if you don’t peek, do you ever feel tempted?

Well, this has been a fun one to read responses to–most people seem to be entirely one one side of the line or the other, with very little crossover. Me? Well . . . I’ve always kind of liked to be “in the know” . . . Some people have compared this to hunting for Christmas presents and spoiling the surprise for yourself. Which is a fair comparison. So, maybe you should know that, when I was little, I always used to look until I’d found ONE present that I knew was for me. I’d act all surprised on Christmas morning (apparently very convincingly, since Mom didn’t know any of this until I told her a few years ago)–but I loved knowing just that one thing in advance. I would never have wanted to know all of them, and neither would I want to know all the details of a story’s unfolding in advance of the first read . . . but a detail or two?

Well . . . the honest answer is that yes, I’ve been known to peek at the end. Not, usually, to read the ending, but to glance ahead to see if a character-in-peril appears later on, or if the couple that I think is going to make a pair of it actually does–just the kind of quick info you can get from a glance at a page. It’s like the “next-week” scenes for a television show–nothing that really spoils anything else. Does knowing that Romeo and Juliet die spoil watching their play? Does knowing that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy end up together ruin the pleasure of watching their understanding of each other grow? We all know that Scrooge is going to turn out to be a softie, but Dickens’ Carol is just as captivating as ever. Heck, you can read an entire plot outline of a beautifully-written story and it still won’t spoil the actual read because that’s where you get the rich word play, dialogue, shaded meanings that the author created. It doesn’t matter if Godot comes, it’s the waiting that matters–whether you know if he shows up or not.

All in all, I’d say Marianne said it just right. Getting a glimpse at how a given situation might turn out doesn’t spoil the actual read for me any more than knowing the entire plot spoils any of my multiple re-reads. (You’ll remember that, if I like a book, I’m going to read it many, many times.) And yes, I also agree with her about the happy-ending thing . . . if it’s not going to be happy, I want a chance to brace myself. Do I peek every time I read a new book? Absolutely not. Do I, for example, want to know ahead of time if Harry Potter survives to the end of the Deathly Hallows? No, no, no. (I’ll avoid the Table of Contents, too, since the chapter title “Phoenix’s Lament” spoiled the big death for me last time.) But on occasion, a quick little glimpse into the future . . . who wouldn’t take a little precognition once in a while?

Although really, given a choice into psychic gifts, I’d pick teleportation, thank you. Think of the gas money and travel time I’d save….

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Updating // 5 Comments »

Thanks for your kind compliments on my not-quite-done sweater. It is SUCH a relief to have it so close to completion. I’ve enjoyed making it, but I was seriously starting to think it was never going to be finished.

So–the Cranberry zipper. I entirely agree.

Which leaves me with one more decision. Picking a ribbon to line the zipper with. You know, to sew on the inside to cover the zipper tape, like Grumperina did. I ordered an assortment of ribbons from J.Caroline, which came today.

I’ve already got this narrowed down to my two favorites, but I’m not going to tell you which two they are–I want YOUR opinion:

Burgundy Grosgrain.

Dot Jacquard in pink/brown.

Burgundy Ribbon Jacquard.

Plum/Pink/Burgundy Jacquard Waves.

What do you think??

Ideally–and assuming I bought enough–I’d like to go all the way up the front edge, around the inside of the hood and back down the other side . . . I just hadn’t thought about the hood when I ordered the ribbons, so . . . I won’t know if I have enough until I try it!

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Ribbing // 21 Comments »

Well, it is large, and rather on the long side, but I suppose it’s not too bad a fit . . . (Please just ignore that it doesn’t at all go with my outfit, okay?)

Although, no, it didn’t shrink at all in the dryer, so far as I can tell. I could try tumbling it again, on a higher heat, but . . . I think I’ll just accept it the way it is, huh?

It really is a beautiful sweater. The cables (seen best here) are just luscious. And, what with its voluminous size, it should be really quite cozy, huh? A good layering piece in the fall and winter? It’s a lovely weight, too–not too thick and heavy, which should make it very wearable . . . well, in terms of layering.

The next question is about which zipper to use. I’ve got two to choose from. I’m showing you two pictures here–they’re identical except that I used the flash in one and not the other. The zipper on the left in each photo is the Cranberry color, and the one on the right is the Plum.

Now, by rights, the Plum should be the one that works best . . . you know, what with the yarn being Plum and all. But really? I think the Cranberry is the best match. This yarn looks so different in different lights . . . sometimes almost burgundy, sometimes almost brown . . . that I  think the Plum zipper is way too purple for it.

The zipper length, as seen here, is several inches shorter than the actual sweater–which, let me hasten to assure you, was entirely planned. As soon as I realized that this was going to be a monster, coat-length kind of sweater, I planned accordingly. There was no way I was going to be able to wear this with a zipper going all the way to the bottom hem. (It would look too much like a mini-dress, for heaven’s sake, not to mention being a lot more awkward to wear.) So I bought a 22″ zipper and hoped for the best. As long as I sew it in properly, I think that will look just fine when worn . . . the zipper not meeting the hem.

Really, I HAVE thought about this.

And, the other ideas about closures? Buttons, frogs, metal clasps? I think the frogs and the clasps would take away from the sweater–one at the neck, maybe, but otherwise, no. The front cables are too close to the center, it would look too busy.

Buttons? They could work, they really could, but as soon as I realized that that would mean not only more knitting (No, no! Not that! Anything but that!) but would add width to the already-large sweater, I kind of lost interest in that idea.

Although, come to think of it, there’s no reason I couldn’t do a zipper AND a single, pretty, decorative, button at the neck . . . That could look kind of nice, actually . . . And provide options. I’m a big fan of options….

Speaking of which, did you know the new Knitty is up? It’s got some decent patterns in it, although as a rule, summertime knits leave me feeling kind of bored, so the lack of enthusiasm isn’t necessarily a true reflection on the quality of the patterns this time around. The only one I felt any enthusiasm . . . as in, “I might want to make that,” was the Wisp scarf/shawl. It’s light. It’s lacy. And again, full of options.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Nearly Iconic // 19 Comments »

Well, Celtic Icon is now completely knitted and seamed. The only thing left to do is to sew the zipper in, and that’s got to wait until it dries . . . which means, really, probably next weekend. I tend to like to concentrate on stuff like that and while I certainly could squeeze in a zipper-sewing session after work one day, it’s usually the kind of thing I save for weekends.

Besides, the ribbon I bought to sew into the inside to make the zipper look tidy hasn’t arrived yet.

I DID toss this in the drier this morning but don’t actually know if it made the least bit of difference. I’m not going to hold the whole thing up by the shoulders to check, either, because doing that with a wet sweater is generally a bad idea (grin). You know, what with the weight pulling the wet sweater completely out of shape and all . . .

Of course, if it didn’t shrink at all . . . and honestly, I don’t think it did . . . I’ve got to decide what I want to do about that well before I sew the zipper in. Like, for example, I could try again, with the drier on the “regular” setting rather than the “delicate” setting. Maybe there wasn’t enough heat? Or, I could just resign myself to the fact that this is the size the sweater wants to be and just deal with the fact that it’s about 2 or 3 sizes too big. Which makes it a whole lot less likely that I’ll ever wear it, after all that work (sigh).

This, you see, is the most frustrating part for me about making sweaters. I really do all the things I’m supposed to do. I knit a swatch first. I wash and dry the swatch before I measure it. I check all the math to make sure that I do, in fact, have the correct number of stitches before I start the actual sweater. I check my gauge as I go. All the stuff you’re supposed to do. But then I either end up with something that doesn’t fit straight off the needles or, worse, I get one that changes size when I wash/block it, no matter how careful I am about things like water temperature, and supporting the sweater when wet so it doesn’t stretch. I hate ending up with sweaters that don’t fit (me).

And since I AM careful about all these things and I DO check the math and all the rest, I can’t imagine what I could do differently. It’s just as bad as having something you’ve cooked come out completely wrong. You can follow a recipe exactly and still end up with something inedible, either because the ingredients weren’t right somehow, or you mixed it wrong, or the phone rang at the wrong instant . . . a reason that you may or may not be able to define. But usually, a meal is the effort of an hour or two, and not usually a big deal when it doesn’t work (unless you’re trying to impress your new in-laws, or your boss, or make your spouses absolute favorite childhood meal for a special birthday). But when you’ve worked on a sweater for weeks or months and you end up with something unwearable . . . just too depressing.

Like I said, I’m not sure at this point how well this is going to fit. It looks lovely, though. And it’s such a relief to have it done.

Well, all but the zipper!

The specs?

Pattern by Fiona Ellis, and from her book “Inspired Cable Knits”

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold’s “Silky Wool” in the Plum colorway.

Needles: US Size 3 Addi Turbos.

Started October 2006.

Finished June 2007.

• Tags: Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:All But the Zipper // 16 Comments »

Yep, camnesia at its worst. Today, while Mom and Dad were at Graduation Take Two, I went over to Kim’s to knit with her and Risa . . . plus Liam and the twins, who didn’t knit but were all happy to play. It was a lot of fun, and it was nice to have a chance to drive around Mt Tabor. I see it every day, but have never made it past the post office. But, I never took a single photo.

Anyway, we sat in her charming little house and knitted, then we all walked to the park and let the kids run around and climb and jump and stuff, and then we headed back to Kim’s, where it took about 20 minutes to get the twins ready to actually leave. (Well, they were having fun.) Afterward, Risa and I took the twins out for lunch . . . um, Risa? I hope I didn’t speed off so fast that it looked like I was making a get-away . . .

I really was gone a lot longer than I planned to be. I had initially thought I’d be home around 1:00, not 3:00 . . . I mean, my parents made it all the way to Pennsylvania, sat through a 450-student graduation ceremony, stopped for ice cream, and still made it home before I did. But, who cares, right? I had a great time. It’s NICE being able to knit with friends!!

Two nifty things to show you…

An amazingly helpful look at plying over at Abby’s Yarns.

Then there are these great cupcakes! (Seen first over at Norma’s) With a tutorial, too. That kind of attention to detail is always impressive.

And, oh yes, one other thing….

• Tags: Friends, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Camnesia // 6 Comments »

Here they are. My niece and nephew, the graduates.

My nephew’s graduation from 8th grade was this morning, which makes him a freshman in high school now. He’s certainly got the inches for it. He’s getting taller all the time, and is still as smart and funny and entertaining as he was when he was, well, shorter than I am. He is so not a little boy any more, and there are glimpses of the handsome young man he’s becoming.

My niece’s high school graduation was supposed to be tonight, but they postponed it until tomorrow morning. There were a line of thunderstorms crossing Pennsylvania, and the school board opted to delay the ceremony . . . (Um, the fact that the storms aren’t actually going to reach eastern PA until about 11:00 tonight, well, we’ll just ignore that.)

But still, here she is also–all set and ready to go. I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of her. Smart, pretty, caring . . . her college major is going to be Environmental Engineering because she is passionate about saving the environment.

Did I mention that she’s smart?  Her final ranking in her class? Twelfth. Out of 430+ students. She’s graduating with a 4.151 GPA, for heaven’s sake.

I hate to say it, but I never worked that hard while I was in school…. I was a whole lot more willing to “coast” as long as I got mostly As with some Bs mixed in. Not my niece. She works hard.

Did I mention how very proud of these two I am?

Now, the Mystery Project?

It’s a Ribby Cardigan.

I made this in Cascade 220, in what will be her college colors.

And yes, she liked it so much (or at least said she did) she was willing to try it on for me in the 90-degree heat. (That’s 32-Celsius for those of you outside the USA.)

Phew!

My nephew’s gift, though? Um, well, he liked it all right . . . so much so that he had asked for pretty much exactly the same thing for his birthday. So that means that, yes, I got him a good gift, but, well . . . a little redundant. Maybe I should have knitted him something, too? Sorry, Ty!

Despite the delayed graduation ceremony . . . which means that Mom and Dad have to head back to Pennsylvania in the morning. Which will be particularly interesting because not only will there be all the graduation traffic (last year, apparently, the traffic backed up for miles, trying to get to the school), but also, there’s an antiques festival in the center of town, too, to add to the traffic.

Not to mention that this means my father is going to miss golf two days in a row.

And, last but not least, I want to show you these, too. Yellow roses which I sent up for my sister’s birthday yesterday. What with all this graduation-chaos, and all the preparations she was doing yesterday, I wanted to be sure that she had something special to make her smile in amongst all the busy stuff.

All in all, it’s been quite a day!

• Tags: Family, Finished Knitting, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Milestones // 6 Comments »

A couple more pictures from Donaroma’s Nursery and Landscaping Services on Martha’s Vineyard. Their display at the entrance is always lovely.

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• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Cart // 5 Comments »

Well, that’s half the hood done . . .

See? The center-back cable is already knitted up from the back of the sweater. That part’s been done for months.

Then, tonight, I finished the left side of the hood. (Well, I haven’t woven in the ends yet.) That’s the rectangle you see on the left.

The right side of the hood, I just started. It’s about an inch long, so it’s got a few more hours of knitting to go.

Still . . . once that’s done, all I have to do is seam up the hood and all the knitting will be DONE. I can’t tell you how excited that makes me.

After that, yes, the plan is to gently wash this and then toss it in the dryer for just a few minutes, to shrink it ever so slightly. And, no, I won’t leave the room, and it will barely be out of my sight . . . I mean, of course, I can’t see through the dryer door, not having x-ray vision, but you know what I mean. Then, I’ll sew in the zipper and the entire thing will be done in record time . . . only eight months from start to finish!

Still, as you know, it’s not like I’ve done nothing else in the interim. There is that Mystery Project still unaccounted for. Well, all will soon be revealed, as it’s in one of these two packages, which will be opened tomorrow.

Silly as it is (and I am assured that it is silly), I’m a little nervous–not that the recipient won’t like it or won’t appreciate it–I’m quite confident that he/she will–but that, still, they’ll have hoped for something else. Or will be disappointed in some way. Which is probably nonsense, but still . . . it’s the pre-gift-giving jitters. The kind you only get when it’s a present you’re really excited about giving.

(Not that I don’t hope the person getting the other present won’t also be thrilled, of course. I very much hope he/she will be. It’s just . . . I didn’t make that one!)

Mom and I had chinese food for supper tonight, and this was in my fortune cookie. Now, what kind of fortune is that? Not only isn’t it a fortune . . . I mean, are any of them any more? They don’t tell fortunes, they give pithy sayings like “The road is dark before the sun rises.” Mom’s fortune tonight just said, “Love.” All well and good, but I’m all for it, but not much of a fortune. But still, it’s better than this. What on earth does, “The rubber bands are heading in the right direction,” mean?? Is it a secret code that should have been inserted into the bag of some local spy? You know, something along the lines of “The crow flies at midnight?” Is it supposed to be some weird variation on the “marching to a different drummer” theme? I have absolutely no earthly idea.

Now, Chappy wanted to thank you for the compliments on his cute baby-tummy from when he was a puppy. . . . Um, if we get a few more, maybe he’ll forgive me for posting such embarassing pictures in the first place. Really. When he got online this morning, he was really quite upset. “Mo-o-o-o-mmmmmm! How could you?”

For weekend plans . . . since mine is actually starting tomorrow, what with the graduations tomorrow . . . did you remember that Saturday is Worldwide Knit in Public Day?

Not only that, but starting on Saturday, I’m re-reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the thirteenth time, because six weeks from Saturday is when Book Seven finally comes out. And, just like I’ve done for the last two books, I’m working my way up to it in anticipation, by reading one book of the series per week right up until publication day. Laura, in fact, liked the idea so much, she started a read-along for it which, obviously goes into effect on Saturday. I’m not officially a member of the read-along, but, you know, am doing it anyway because I was planning to do it since long before it was a read-along. I’m looking forward to it–it’s a fun series to re-read, but the best part is that, working on a weekly cycle, starting each book on Saturday, it’s going to culminate with the newest, and final volume when it comes out on July 21st. (Why yes, I am excited about that, thanks for asking.)

So, speaking of reading . . .

Almost everyone can name at least one author that you would love
just ONE more book from. Either because they’re dead, not being
published any more, not writing more, not producing new work for
whatever reason . . . or they’ve aged and aren’t writing to their old
standards any more . . . For whatever reason, there just hasn’t been
anything new (or worth reading) of theirs and isn’t likely to be.

If you could have just ONE more book from an author you love . . . a
book that would be as good any of their best (while we’re dreaming) . .
. something that would round out a series, or finish their last work,
or just be something NEW . . . Who would the author be, and why? Jane
Austen? Shakespeare? Laurie Colwin? Kurt Vonnegut?

——-This question has generated some interesting answers. Unlike some (like the “where do you read” question of a couple weeks ago that almost everyone answered the same way), there’s been very little overlap in the answers. I like that! For myself? I’d really love another Jane Austen book . . . would love to know how the “Watsons” was going to play out. Susan Dexter hasn’t published anything in years, and I would so love to know more about Crocken’s future that she hinted at in “Wizard’s Shadow” but never followed-up. I would have loved another Frances Hodgson Burnett story along the lines of “Secret Garden” and “A Little Princess” because I loved them so much, and “Lost Prince” and “Little Lord Fauntleroy” just don’t cut it. I wish Sean Russell would hurry up and write another book–preferably one in the Farr world. And Laurie Colwin? Oh, how I’d love another book by Laurie Colwin . . .

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Half-Hooded // 9 Comments »

I got some handmade soap today. From Blessed Juno’s site. Including a fresh bar of her (limited edition) HandKnit soap. I’ve read about her soaps all over the ‘net and decided to give them a try.

This was a tricky proposition for me because I’m very sensitive to scents and I was a little wary about ordering them scent-unsmelled, as it were, but have to say they’re lovely, and I’m very happy with my choices. As I said, I ordered the Hand Knit (which is the one with the “newborn” label, cautioning me to let it sit for a couple of weeks to let as much water evaporate as possible, to make it last longer). And then there’s the citrus-y “Sunshine” which I like quite a bit, and “Tangent” with mints and tangerine. Plus a little bonus bar of “Gentle” to try out. All in all, I’m quite happy with this . . . although I haven’t brought myself to actually USE any of them yet. Right now, they’re just concentrating on looking (and smelling) pretty.

Come to think of it, Mom used to put a bar of soap in my dresser drawer, when I was little, to keep things smelling fresh . . . I wonder if this soap would like to hang out with my yarn . . . ?

Ooh, I got my invite to Ravelry today. Woohoo! Now I just have to figure out what I’m doing . . . (grin) (Guidance, anyone?)

This picture is for Chris.

A Baby Chappy tummy.

I know that I, for one, find that irresistable.

(Wow. I can’t believe that was almost six years ago . . . and, at least, I’m pretty sure that’s Chappy. If it’s not, it’s one of his brothers who looked just like him and enjoyed sleeping in Chappy’s favorite position, so . . . )

Of course, this one is pretty cute, too . . . and I know for sure that this one IS Chappy since, you know, it’s in my house….

• Tags: Chappy, General • Permalink:Suds // 17 Comments »

Well, I did pretty well in “new media” today.

The new issue of Spin-Off, which of course, is always good to read, and I liked this issue.

And Paul McCartney’s newest CD, Memory Almost Full–available at a Starbucks near you!

Because, yes, Starbucks now has its own music label. Which just seems so . . . I don’t even know how I feel about that. I mean, sure, why shouldn’t they generate their own music, when they’ve been selling CDs for years? And Paul McCartney . . . well, you know I’m a fan of his, and have been for years. What a coup to get a big star as their first artist. (Because even if you’re not a fan of Macca’s, you have to admit that he definitely does qualify as “big.”) But at the same time, there’s something about his leaving the Capitol/EMI, who have produced his albums his entire career to sign on with a coffee company . . . How very commercialized, twenty-first century of them. And yet, the music industry is changing (iPod, anyone?), so why not? Starbucks probably has a better distribution system in place these days than record stores. Or something like that.

Anyway . . . the “Meyesight” page on Paul’s website is kind of interesting–kind of like a video bulletin board–you can drag frames around the “desktop” and watch different clips of things . . . different! My guess, though, is that you need to be a real Paul-fan to watch all of them….

So, in other news? Um . . . not so much. There’s a nifty little typing-test/game site over here at Fingerjig.

Oh, and I’ve got about 7″ of the left side of my hood done now . . . Yep. That’s just zipping along (grin).

• Tags: General • Permalink:Media Blitz // 12 Comments »

Exciting, I know. Here’s the beginning of my sweater’s hood.

Well, of course, I’ve already got the cable that goes up the back and over the top of the head finished–it was part of the sweater Back. This is the left side. I knit this piece straight until it’s 10.5″ and then start shaping it a bit. Repeat on the right side, and then sew the sides to the cabled section. (Yes, more seaming!)

No complaints, though. I’ve got, oh, 4-5 inches here from one night’s knitting, so it’s not going to take forever to get this done.

Now, as to the sizing. The sweater really IS a little too big–not just too long. So, what I think I’m going to do–once the hood is done–is to wash this and then put it in the dryer for just a few minutes. Just enough to “tighten” it a bit. Not enough to really shrink or felt it. Just to make it a tad smaller.

Clearly, this will take split-second timing! I’ve done this once before, on a sweater in Jo Sharp’s Silk Road Aran which frustratingly came off the needles the perfect size, but when I washed it, it “bloomed” enough to fit my father. (If I tell you he’s almost a foot taller than I am, that should give you an idea how much that stretched.) But, anyway, I think five minutes in the dryer, on the low setting, should do this sweater some good . . .

Right?
(Please do give me your opinions!)

Also, I’ve decided that I WILL go ahead and use a zipper to close this. I don’t think anything else would look quite right. Buttons wouldn’t be an awful choice, but the cables come so close to the front edge, I think they’d be more likely to take away from it . . . not to mention the fact that knitting on button bands would make the sweater still bigger, which wouldn’t particularly help. Knitted frogs would be too busy that close to the cable. And I DO already have zippers. So yeah . . . that’s the way the sweater will be closing.

You know, once I’ve got it done…. I mean, really, finally, completely done.

(Like that’ll ever happen…..)

And, lastly, I really, really needed to share this.

Pooch Cafe from yesterday.

Chappy knows just how he feels. And our old mini-dachshund, Jilly? She absolutely hated vacuums, with a passion . . . She would SO have gotten this cartoon.

Really, you know, Pooch Cafe is one of my very favorite comic strips. Poncho almost reminds me of Calvin, and there isn’t another strip out there that I read every day.

Although, of course–and he’d want me to remind you of this–Chappy has absolutely nothing in common with Poncho. Except, you know, being a dog….

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Still Endless // 8 Comments »

Today?

Basically a repeat of yesterday.

Seaming the sweater. (Done, by the way. Now I just have to knit the hood.)

Reading.

Sewing with Mom.

Spending time with Chappy.

All pretty much just like yesterday.

Which doesn’t leave me a whole lot to talk about, but I did want to share this picture of my African Violet, which is just about to bloom again. The last time it bloomed was in January, just a few days before it needed emergency surgery. I had been thinking that it was looking a lot healthier lately, finally recovered from the shock. Then, seeing the buds made me even happier. It’s so nice when things work out the way they’re supposed to, huh?

• Tags: Uncategorized • Permalink:Do-Over // 7 Comments »

Most of the seaming for my sweater is done. I’ve got the fronts, sides, and back sewn together, and the only thing left (for the moment) is to sew the sleeve seams.

(You can see that they’re clipped together by my KnitKlips–a gadget that comes in very handy indeed . . . and works better than pinning pieces together with cable needles, which is what I’ve done for years.)

Since it took me about three hours to get this far, though, I’ve reached my “seam” limit for the day. Sewing up the length of the sleeves is just going to have to wait until tomorrow.

Naturally, though, sleeve seams or not, I had to try it on.

So . . .

Well, first, it comes past my hips. So it’s long. More like a coat than a hoodie. I’ll know better how it fits once the rest is done so that I can try it on with everything hanging the way it should. The plastic KnitKlips on the sleeves, for example, made them hang a little differently than they will when closed with, you know, yarn.

At that time, I’ll figure out whether I want to close this with a zipper . . . although I will NOT put a zipper all the way to the bottom, because that would look terrible when worn. I figure . . . 20 or 22″ of zipper would be plenty. Either that, or I’ll knit in a button band. Or, come to think of it, hooks/eyes or snap tape could work, too…. (Although, that doesn’t come in colors, that I know if, so that would probably look awful.)

It’s a tad on the large side, too. (I tell you, my knitting gauge is just ridiculously loose–no matter how many swatches I do!) On the plus side, the sleeves didn’t come out impossibly long . . . an inch or so longer than I would have liked, perhaps, but not nearly as bad as I was afraid they’d be. Phew! And hey, I could always toss it in the dryer for a few minutes to shrink it just the tiniest bit… (gulp).

Anyway, this is mostly how I spent my day. Unlike some people, I don’t like hot weather. And while today didn’t get past 85 or so, it was still muggy and sticky and . . . ick. So it’s not like I was going to go and hang out outside or anything. In fact, I didn’t make it further than the mailbox all day–which, incidentally, is why I don’t have any Saturday Sky for you.

No, I worked on my sweater, did some reading, spent plenty of time with Chappy, drank some tea, ate some fruit . . . all in all, a pretty good Saturday. Quiet, but you know what? That’s fine. My asthma has been bugging me all week–ever since the irises last week–but add in hair color on Thursday night and a co-worker’s really strong perfume, and yesterday was worse than usual. In fact, I sipped coffee pretty much all morning, and had more when I got home from work, so that my hands were trembling ever so slightly from the caffeine last night (grin). Anyway, that always makes me feel . . . squicky. My lungs feel kind of tender, like the way your stomach feels the day after a stomach flu. Better, for sure, not exactly in pain, but kind of flat and limp, like it’s feeling a little sorry for itself . . . so relaxing without having to do anything too strenuous was nice.

Not, of course, that sewing eight sweater seams was relaxing, exactly . . .

Last–check out this blanket for those who love to read in bed… How great is that, huh? And ideal if one person in bed likes lighter or heavier blankets than their partner. I saw this over at 50 Books and at Kimbooktu yesterday. So cool.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:So…. // 11 Comments »

Just some pictures from Donaroma’s Nursery and Landscaping Services in Edgartown, Massachusetts.

It’s really such a pretty garden center.

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• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Donaroma 1 // 3 Comments »

Here’s my reading list from May:

1. CRYSTAL DRAGON by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (359 p.) Science Fiction, the second book in this “pre-Liaden” series–the one which explains how the Liaden universe started. (The Liaden universe, for those who don’t know, being the “main” story these authors write . . . they do other writing, too, but so far as I’m concerned, the Liaden universe is the point. That said, I don’t love these two “Crystal” books as much as the others, but still . . . it’s kind of fascinating, watching the story come together.

2. STRAIGHT by Dick Francis (323 p.) Murder mystery. Derek Franklin’s brother dies suddenly, leaving him trying to figure out his brother’s gemology business . . . except, someone appears to be trying to kill him.

3. PROOF by Dick Francis (334 p.) Murder mystery. Tony Beach is a wine merchant, and when a tragic accident introduces him to Gerard MacGregor, he gets swept up into a mystery about identical wines being sold under different labels…

4. TO THE HILT by Dick Francis (322 p.) Alexander Kinloch is an artist who wants nothing more than to stay in his remote Scottish cottage, until one day he is mugged and violently beaten by men asking, “Where is it?” just before he finds that his ailing stepfather has sent him a priceless heirloom to be kept safe . . . but has no idea where it .s

5. SHATTERED by Dick Francis (289 p.) Gerard Logan is a glass-blower whose jockey best-friend is killed, leaving him with a video tape, which is apparently sought after by a lot of violent people….

6. 10 LB PENALTY by Dick Francis (273 p.) Young Ben Juliard gets pulled out of his training to be an amateur jockey and put on his father’s campaign trail as he runs for office . . . but then a bullet is fired at him, and suddenly, the son must protect the father . . .

7. DRIVING FORCE by Dick Francis (318 p.) Mystery. Actually, one of my least-favorite Dick Francis mysteries–centered around an ex-jockey who now runs a horse-transportation business, whose drivers pick up a hitch-hiker who dies unexpectedly…

8. WHAT LINCOLN BELIEVED by Michael Lind (314 p.) A kind of dry little history book about, well, what Abraham Lincoln believed in–to the best of the author’s knowledge at least. I didn’t love it, but I suppose it had its moments.

9. LONGSHOT by Dick Francis (320 p.) A starving writer takes a job writing a biography of a successful horse trainer, but shortly after he starts the job, a dead body is found in a neaby wood….

10. THE DANGER by Dick Francis (320 p.) Andrew Douglas works for a firm that helps rescue kidnap victims, but when he discovers a “practitioner”–someone who does this for a living and is preying on the racing community, he has another problem. The villain learns about him.

11. WITCH WAY TO MURDER by Shirley Damsgaard (292 p.) First in a series of mysteries. Ophelia is a small-town librarian who just happens to also be psychic . . . not that she wants to admit to it. Add in a grandmother who’s a kindly witch . . . An okay book.

12. LOST AND FOUND by Jacqueline Sheehan (278 p.) I enjoyed this one. On her husband’s sudden death, Rocky quits her job as a psychiatrist and heads to a little island and becomes its animal warden, rescuing a black lab that had been shot.

13. LITTLE WHITE HORSE by Elizabeth Goudge (238 p.) A childhood classic. Orphaned Maria goes to her uncle’s distant house, to find that everything is wonderful, but there’s a mystery….

14. DOG’S GUIDE TO LIFE by Jack Cotton (31 p.) I spotted this at the bookstore and thought the dog on the cover
looked kind of like Chappy. I picked it up and started flipping through
it . . . the illustrations looked amazingly like Chappy . . . So I
looked even more carefully. Yep. Moose, the dog whose “philosophy” is
expounded here, was a Boykin Spaniel.
Naturally, I had to buy it, right? The illustrations are adorable. The
book itself is pure, sentimental fluff . . . but that’s not necessarily
a bad thing, right? And the illustrations that look so like Chappy were
worth the $5.99.

15. MY LATEST GRIEVANCE by Elinor Lipman (243 p.) Fredericka Hatch grew up more or less as a college mascot. Her parents are house-parents, and she was born at the dorm and grew up there. Then, one day, her father’s ex-wife come by too.

16. ASTRID & VERONIKA by Linda Olsson (246 p.) Veronika moves to Sweden to concentrate on writing her novel, and befriends a lonely old woman . . . nicely written and all, but I found it a little dull.

17. POCKETFUL OF NAMES by Joe Coomer (413 p.) Hannah is an artist living on a lonely little island off Maine, jealous of her privacy. Then one day, a dog washes up on shore. Then she gets a letter from her half-sister, sending her a boy desperate for a safe place away from an abusive father. Little by little, she opens up. Now, I didn’t love this one as much as I liked his “Beachcombing for a Shipwrecked God,” mostly because I was a little dissatisfied in the ending, but still . . . a really good read.

18. HELLSPARK by Janet Kagan (332 p.) This one, I bought because I heard that this was one of the very favorite books by two of my very favorite authors. It’s a sci-fi book from a couple of decades ago. Tocohl is the ultimate translator, a “hellspark,” able to interpret language and customs from vastly different societies. Then, one day, she is called to a distant planet to see if a species shows signs of sapience… Really very good, despite the awful title.

19. LOCAL CUSTOM by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (296 p.) First part of the combined, sci-fi “Pilot’s Choice,” it tells the story of Anne Davis and Er Thom yos’Galan–two people from vastly different societies, struggling to find a way to be together, with their son, Shan. (Who, later, is one of the main heroes of the “core” books of the Liaden series.)

20. SCOUT’S PROGRESS by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (309 p.) Second novel in “Pilot’s Choice,” this telling how Daav yos’Phellium and mathematician Aelliana Caylon–parents-to-be of Val Con yos’Phellium–meet.

21. DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM by Diana Wynne Jones (345 p.) Young Adult fantasy, really–imagine a world right next to ours, where things like magic, dragons, griffins, wizards are all real, normal life. Except, OUR world has discovered this and turned it into basically one, big theme park. (Admit it, it’s something our commercial society would DO.) Except now, after 40 years, they’re fighting back and trying to figure out a way to get out of the demon-bound contract. To this end, Derk is named this year’s “Dark Lord,” the person the tourists are meant to defeat at the end of their 6-week tour . . .

22. WALKING ON EGGSHELLS by Jane Isay (237 p.) A non-fiction book that looks at the relationships between adult children and their parents . . . It’s written by a mother who’s struggling with her own. The problem for me is that I DO get along with my parents, so many of the issues she talks about don’t apply to us. And, it’s written more for the “bereft” parents, feeling unloved and uncared for by their adult children, than it is for the children themselves . . . pretty one-sided in that way. Which, ultimately, made me just kind of sad. I gave up halfway through because the anecdotes (which pretty much make up the entire book–there’s not much “text” to link them) were just one misunderstanding blown out of proportion after another . . . almost always to the detriment of the parent. It’s entirely possible that a parent would have an entirely different opinion of this book, and I’m certainly not saying it was without interest . . . just . . . it wasn’t one I could really connect to.

23. YEAR OF THE GRIFFIN by Diana Wynne Jones (267 p.) The sequel to “Dark Lord of Derkholm,” taking place several years later. Now, Derk’s youngest daughter, the griffin Elda, has enrolled at the University to learn magic . . . except, the teachers aren’t exactly the most qualified, so she and her new friends start reading and experimenting and trying new things . . . not to mention turning back a series of assassins and other catastrophes that the teachers don’t seem to notice.

24. MAGICIAN’S GUILD by Trudi Canavan (365 p.) First in a trilogy. During the annual “Purging” of all the poor people from the slums of the city, a girl throws a rock in anger . . . which goes through the Magicians’ shield, for the first time ever. Meaning that someone outside the Guild has magic, thus beginning a search for her–both for the politics of it, but also because untrained magic is dangerous.

25. LOST CONTINENT by Bill Bryson (299 p.) Let’s see, what to say about this book? See, I was taught not to say anything if I can’t say something nice and, well, that’s the problem. Witty and well-written as this book was, apparently the author’s sole purpose of writing about his driving tour of something like 38 U.S. states was to pick snide fun at pretty much every thing and every one. He’s funny, it’s true, and he certainly can write. But . . . his sniping got on my nerves. He complained about scenery, prices, food, the people, accents . . . and it took about 50 pages before he found something he actually liked enough to compliment. I try to go through the world looking for things to enjoy or appreciate, and it just seems wrong to me that he  basically went on this trip to find things to complain about, in however amusing a way. Although, I must say, that he ended the book with pure grace, bringing it full circle to Des Moines, where he started, in the nicest way.

26. WINDS OF FATE by Mercedes Lackey (458 p.) First book in a trilogy. To save Valdemar, being attacked by King Ancar’s mages, Elspeth heads off to find allies and training for her own mage gift….

27. NOVICE by Trudi Canavan (461 p.) Second book in a trilogy. Sonea is now a full-blown novice at the magician’s guild, but she is daily being bullied by the other less-talented but wealthy students. And then there’s the High Lord–head of the guild, but a secret practitioner of black magic . . . who learns that she knows his secret.

28. HIGH LORD by Trudi Canavan (526 p.) Third book of the trilogy. Sonea is tempted to learn black magic herself, despite knowing that this could get her expelled from the guild . . . or exiled from the country altogether.

29. WINDS OF CHANGE by Mercedes Lackey (472 p.) Second book of the Mage War trilogy–Elspeth has found allies and a teacher all right, but before they can help Valdemar, they first have to defeat Mornelithe Falconsbane…

30. WINDS OF FURY by Mercedes Lackey (423 p.) Third of this trilogy–with Falconsbane (apparently) defeated, Elspeth and her allies head back to Valdemar, ready to take on Ancar…. Perfectly good trilogy and all, even if it’s not my favorite of hers….. Good escapist reading for a holiday weekend.

31. BOOK BY BOOK by Michael Dirda (170 p.) I don’t quite know how to explain this book. Each chapter looks at different aspects of life, followed up by good quotes and suggested books . . . all of which sounds dreadfully dull and dry, but it was actually a quite nice little book. Next, I have to go look up some of those books that I haven’t heard of . . .

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books I Read in May // 9 Comments »