I took the day off from work today but did NOT spend it lounging around on the couch with Chappy (as much as he wanted to). No, I spent a good portion of it sorting through books and trying to figure out which ones I’m willing to get rid of.

This is NOT an easy process. And I’ve only just begun. I sorted through the books in my bedroom closet, and through the cookbooks, but have yet to touch the rest … part of the problem? The sheer logistics of where on earth do I PUT all the books I’m willing to part with until they’re actually out of the house?? The table in the office is, as you can see, already pretty full, and I’ve only barely begun. We’re talking 1,000 or more books, you know?

Once I sort a little further, I WILL be offering some of these to you folks, because I’d like to see them go to friends.

One thing I must do, though, before parting with any knitting or spinning books? I absolutely MUST write reviews for them first for Knitting Scholar. Because, of course, anything else would be just … short-sighted.

I’m enjoying looking at all the books, though, and I find some of the categories to be interesting. Like, I have quite a few books about homes, architecture, and what makes a HOME. Not to mention the importance of having space of your own. I have books on decorating, even though I’ve never had a home to decorate. Books on manners. Books on etiquette. Books on hair styles and makeup. Books on fashion, even though I’m not remotely a “fashionista.”  Not to mention knitting, spinning, sewing, embroidery, quilting, weaving, beading, dyeing, and bobbin lace.

And that’s JUST from the closet in my bedroom.

(And, um, we won’t discuss how I knocked over my sewing basket and spilled all the thread and straight pins on the floor, right? But if we WERE discussing it, I’d be sure to tell you how very, very good Chappy was in not coming near the pile to check out the thread while I scooped up pins. Would you believe that I have spools of thread that date back to my grandmother? The one who died when I was 9?)

I actually got some spinning done yesterday, by the way. (One of the advantages to pot roast and baked potatoes is that all the hard part is done way before the guests arrive, so there’s plenty of time to sit and relax.) I finished the second bobbin of Jessica’s “Thinking about Fall” that I bought last autumn–the braid of roving that served Mom as a scarf on a chilly, NJ day.

I techically started to ply it last night but that pretty much means I dug out the next bobbin, threaded the leader, and spun a few yards to get it started, and then more or less stopped. Because, well, I’m a little tired!

One other thing I found in the closet? However many years ago, I had one of those 365-page calendars of New Yorker cartoons and I kept a stack of my favorites. Mom and I went through them today and chuckled and chortled, and well, here are four of my favorites (which, yes, belong to New Yorker magazine). I love the Mrs. Coffee one, and Mom almost fell over laughing at the one with the cow bell…

1. Top Left, 2. Top Right, 3. Bottom Left, 4. Bottom Right

Look! New baby lambs–Dakota and Delaware!

And, you know, of course, that tomorrow’s Chappy’s actual birthday, right??

Tags: Reading // 7 Comments »