Here’s what I read in August:

1. KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY by Violet Haberdasher. YA book, kind of a Harry Potter wanna-be, but enjoyable enough.
2. WRITER’S BOOK OF HOPE by Ralph Keyes. How DO you get a book published, anyway?
3. GAME OF KINGS by Dorothy Dunnett
4. QUEENS’ PLAY by Dorothy Dunnett
5. DISORDERLY KNIGHTS by Dorothy Dunnett
6. PAWN IN FRANKINCENSE by Dorothy Dunnett
7. RINGED CASTLE by Dorothy Dunnett
8. CHECKMATE by Dorothy Dunnett. The Lymond Chronicles, one of my very favorite historical fiction series.
9. BELLWETHER by Connie Willis. Funny and fun. It always gets classified as sci-fi, mostly because Willis usually writes sci-fi, but this one isn’t really. It’s just a good story and fun. Always makes me chuckle. (And I already know that Targhees are sheep.)
10. EIFFEL’S TOWER by Jill Jones. A look at the 1889 Paris world’s fair, where the Eiffel Tower had its debut.
11. IT’S A BOOK by Lane Snider. Children’s picture book, so adorable.
12. CHALICE by Robin McKinley. YA fantasy.
13. SAVAGE PEACE: HOPE AND FEAR IN AMERICA 1919 by Ann Hagedorn. History about 1919–I had no idea it was such a rough year. WWI ended, but it wasn’t exactly all sunshine and light.
14. SINGLED OUT by Virginia Nicholson. After WWI, Britain had lost so many men to the war, there were two million “extra” women–practically an entire generation with no-one to marry, at a time when that was the primary goal for most women.
15. GRIFFIN & SABINE by Nick Bantock
16. SABINE’S NOTEBOOK by Nick Bantock
17. GOLDEN MEAN by Nick Bantock. The best part of this trilogy is the illustrations. The story is told via the correspondence between the two characters, but instead of just the text, you get the actual mail pieces–postcards (front and back, illustrated by the characters who are both artists) or actual letters that you remove from their envelopes to read. Very cool. The story, I confess isn’t as charming, but definite points for presentation.
18. 10 LB PENALTY by Dick Francis
19. STRAIGHT by Dick Francis. Dick Francis mysteries are always comforting and enjoyable, and, well, I need a fix every couple months!
20. WEAVER’S IDEA BOOK by Jane Patrick
21. JIL EATON’S KNITTING SCHOOL by Jil Eaton
22. GIFTED by Mags Kandis
23. VAMPIRE KNITS by Genevive Miller

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in August 2010 // Add Comment »

Like Lorette, even though I don’t do memes very often, I couldn’t actually resist this one.

1. Favorite childhood book?
I’m terrible at picking just one, but “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett is right near the top. Her Sara taught me how to control my temper, and I’ve always been grateful. I couldn’t resist “Anne of Green Gables,” by L.M. Montgomery, either, or Madeline L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time.” I loved Louisa May Alcott, too, but my favorites were always “Eight Cousins” and “Jack and Jill” rather than “Little Women.” Then there was “Understanding Betsy,” “Caddie Woodlawn,” the “Little House on the Prairie” books, and the “Black Stallion” books. Let’s not forget Trixie Belden…

2. What are you reading right now?
Oh my. Um. Dorothy Dunnett’s “Disorderly Knights” (third in her series, the Lymond Chronicles). “Eiffel’s Tower” about the 1889 world’s fair in Paris that introduced it. “Singled Out” about the two million “surplus” women in Great Britain at the end of WWI (heart-breaking). “A Savage Peace” about America in 1919, just after the war had ended, but it wasn’t exactly peaceful. Oh, and a book about rhetoric and arguments whose title escapes me at the moment but which I’m too comfortable to get up and go look at for you. I think that’s everything. Unless you count the pile of WWI-ish books that I keep referring to while writing lately?

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None. I can’t remember the last time I checked a book out of the library.

4. Bad book habit?
None, really. I take very, very good care of my books.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
None (see #3).

6. Do you have an e-reader?
I do, I have a Kindle 2.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Obviously the answer is several. About the bare minimum is one fiction and one non-fiction, but there’s usually an assortment. Almost always just one novel at a time, though, and the non-fiction is usually a mix.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Not that I can think of. I still read at every possible moment I’m not doing something else.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Under Enemy Colors by S. Thomas Russell. Not so much because it was so terrible but because, under a different name, he’s one of my favorite fantasy authors, but I thought there was no comparison between the quality and subtlety of those books and this.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Just one? Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Hard to answer because I so often read straight out of my own library, but I’ll read just about anything, though I draw the line at horror (because I need to sleep at night) or books that are too R-rated because I just don’t see the point of excessive sex/violence/language in a BOOK.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Almost any good story, interestingly told.

13. Can you read on the bus?
If I ever actually rode a bus, yes. I can read anywhere except in the shower, and that’s because the water makes it too hard to turn the pages.

14. Favorite place to read?
I will literally read just about anywhere as long as my hands are dry and I’m not risking my life, but my two favorite places are my yellow chair in the living room, preferably with Chappy curled up next to me, or in bed. I curl up on my left side, prop the book against a heaped-up corner of the quilt and just read and read and read.

15. What is your policy on book lending?
Only to VERY trust-worthy people, and that very seldom because even so, I haven’t gotten all the books I’ve lent back. My sister’s the only one who is truly reliable.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
I’d say an emphatic no, but I DO sometimes put the tiniest one on pages with quotes I want to be able to find again.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
No.

18.  Not even with text books?
Really, no. I tried it, briefly, my freshman year of college, but couldn’t bring myself to continue. If I truly need to leave a note, I use a post-it.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
Um, English. It’s the only one I speak.

20. What makes you love a book?
Captivating story, great characters, wonderful writing … what more do you need? And if it’s informative, too boot? Perfection.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
See #20.

22. Favorite genre?
All sorts, but my comfort reading is usually fantasy/sci-fi. I find that they most take me out of myself when I need to relax.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
I can’t really think of any that I don’t read that I wish I read.

Favorite biography?
Um. David McCullough’s “John Adams” and his “Truman,” I guess. I love really good historical biographies. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals” is magnificent, too.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Probably, I guess, but I can’t really think of what it might be. One on dating, maybe, back when I was in my 20s? Do business books count?

26. Favorite cookbook?
Oh, harder than you’d think! The Home Cooking books by Laurie Colwin. The King Arthur anniversary cookbook I’ve had for about 20 years. Susan Branch’s books, if only for the sake of looking at them.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Um…

28. Favorite reading snack?
I don’t usually eat while I read, though I sometimes drink a cup of tea. I sometimes sit with a piece of cake and a book, but … mostly, just the book.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I suppose there are books that people raved about that I didn’t like… Most recent? The Art of Racing in the Rain.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don’t really have an answer for this because I don’t read book reviews all that often. Maybe the ones on Amazon.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I’m in the “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” school, which is why my book reviews are almost always positive in some way.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I really have no opinion on this.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I’m trying to remember feeling intimidated by a book … Moby Dick, maybe? Because it was so darn huge and boring at the same time? Deadly combination.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
None that I can think of.

35. Favorite Poet?
Billy Collins.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Zero.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
When I actually used to use the library? Pretty much zero percent. I always read them.

38. Favorite fictional character?
I truly don’t have just one, but I love the young Ramses Emerson in Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody books. He’s just such a loquacious, determined, amazing character, speaking like a college professor, almost, when he’s just a few years old, and able to get in and out of trouble with a remarkable felicity. He’s extraordinary. (Mind you, he’s just fine as an adult character, but it’s his childhood antics of rescuing lions and stealing from master criminals that I adore.)

39. Favorite fictional villain?
As in, the most villainous? Gabriel in Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
I can’t choose just one, that’s for sure. I pack more books for vacation than I do clothes, almost!

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
You can count this in hours, and I can actually pinpoint the day–moving day last year, when I didn’t get to read for practically an entire day. Otherwise, usually no more than four hours.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
There really aren’t that many, but that Book of Dr. Strange and Mr. something-or-other that was all the rage a few years ago. I absolutely hated it and thought that if I heard the phrase “the thistle-haired man” one more time I would literally throw it across the room. I found myself scrubbing my bathroom rather than pick it up to read. I got 300 pages into it and then just gave up to save what was left of my sanity.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Not much. My focus isn’t quite as good when I was younger and would read in the middle of the playground at school, but I can block out most distractions.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
There are some good ones. Lord of the Rings. Sense and Sensibility (the Emma Thompson one). The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Possession (though I know a lot of people hated the movie). The Secret Garden (the one from the 1990s with the gorgeous photography).

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Howl’s Moving Castle. Most children’s books. I have yet to see a “Little Princess” that doesn’t turn Sara into a terrible brat–and don’t get me started at them making her father still be alive.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Over $100 but less than $500. Not counting college textbooks.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I suppose I might do a quick flip-through at the bookstore, but otherwise, when I’m ready to read it, I read it.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Awful writing, awful story, extreme boredom, excessive R-rating type behavior.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Absolutely!

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Keep, keep, keep! It pains me to give them away.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Not that I can think of, though I long for the day when fantasy writers manage to think of something other than vampires and misunderstood teenagers.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
Nothing’s coming to mind.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Dust of 100 Dogs.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
That stupid Mr. Strange book whose title I don’t even bother to try to remember. I thought I would love it and it was godawful.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Fantasy and Sci-fi. Sharon Shinn. Anne McCaffrey. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller…

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:A Reading Meme I Couldn’t Resist // 6 Comments »

Here’s what I read in July:

1. MURDER GOES MUMMING by Alisa Craig (184 p.) Light, fluffy, cozy mystery with Janet and Madoc
2. A DISMAL THING TO DO by Alisa Craig (198 p.) Light, fluffy, cozy mystery with Janet and Madoc
3. TROUBLE IN THE BRASSES byAlisa Craig (212 p.) Light, fluffy, cozy mystery with Madoc (no Janet, she was home getting pregnant).
4. BEST OF ENEMIES by Nancy Bond (248 p.) A re-read of one of my all-time favorite YA books, about an “invasion” by the British at Concord, Massachusetts’ Patriot Day festivities. Love this book, love it. So much, that I finally bought myself a copy when I was around 25 because I missed it so much and they weren’t carrying it at the library anymore.
5. ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein (321 p.) Eh. I know this book has gotten raves, but it mostly left me bored. A life story as told by a dog.
6. COLD SASSY TREE by Olive Ann Burns (391 p.) Another reread from years ago, a nice bit of Southern Americana
7. MY LIFE FROM SCRATCH by Gesine Bulloch-Prado (225 p.) Part memoir, part cookbook, all about how Gesine (Sandra Bullock’s sister) left Hollywood to open a small Vermont bakery. It made me hungry.
8. FLEDGLING by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (375 p.) The story of 14-year old Theo Waitley, part one, as she begins to grow into her pilot skills.
9. SALTATION by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (325 p.) Theo part two, and ending at exactly the same moment as “I Dare,” did … with a “kinda complicated problem.” Can’t wait for the next one.
10. PEGASUS IN FLIGHT by Anne McCaffrey (290 p.) In the not too distant future, psychic gifts  can be measured and are scientifically proven to be true …
11. PEGASUS IN SPACE by Anne McCaffrey (373 p.) The followup, as Peter Reidinger discovers the limits of his own gift–teleporting to the stars.
12. THIRTEENTH CHILD by Patricia C. Wrede (344 p.) An enjoyable YA fantasy, the first in the “Frontier” series. It takes place in the late 1800s of a slightly alternate universe. Fun.
13. DRAGONHAVEN by Robin McKinley (342 p.) And the feel of the last one just fed right into this one, in a US just like ours except there are dragons.
14. EON: DRAGONSEYE REBORN by Alison Goodma (531 p.) An asian-inspired YA that was a little too cliche for me, a girl disguising herself as a boy to be eligible for great honors, yadda yadda.
15. WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead (199 p.) Oh, fun. A Newbery Award winner and totally enjoyable, with hints of time travel as the main character starts getting mysterious notes that tell the future.
16. WHITE DRAGON by Anne McCaffrey. One of my favorite Pern books, as Jaxom comes of age.
17. RENEGADES OF PERN by Anne McCaffrey (384 p.) Not really my favorite, but it’s the perfect (rather necessary) bridge between the last one and…
18. ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN by Anne McCaffrey (404 p.) Also one of my favorite Pern books, as the dragonriders finally manage to rid the planet of the deadly Thread.
19. TWELVE ROOMS WITH A VIEW by Theresa Rebeck. I found this on a list of “beach reads” and the story sounded intriguing–at her mother’s funeral, Tina’s sisters tell her that their mother inherited a 12-million dollar apartment in New York from their dead stepfather, but that his sons would be bound to protest, and that she should move in right away… It was fun, I enjoyed it.
20. POEMCRAZY by Susan Wooldridge (208 p.) Inspiration for writing poetry.
21. BETSY ROSS AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA by Marla R. Miller (362 p.) A biography of Betsy Ross which not only explores the “did she or didn’t she” mystery about her making the first US flag, but which tells about the world she lived in, growing up in Philadelphia, the most important city  in America at the time. Intriguing and enjoyable.
22. OVER HERE: THE FIRST WORLD WAR AND AMERICAN SOCIETY by David M. Kennedy (390 p.) History of World War I
23. BELLFIELD HALL by Anne Dean (300 p.) A Jane Austen-esque murder mystery.
24. THE ART OF KNITTED LACE: With Complete Lace How-To and Dozens of Patterns by Kristin Omdahl. (Review here at Knitting Scholar)
25. COMFORT AFGHANS: More than 50 Beautiful, Affordable Designs Featuring Berroco’s Comfort Yarn from Berroco. Designs by Narah Gaughan, Margery Winter and the Berroco Design Team
26. RING OF FEAR by Anne McCaffrey A horse-based romance novel which I basically only read because it’s by Anne McCaffrey. Since I’m not really a fan of romance novels, though, this isn’t one of my favorites, but still, every now and again it’s nice to revisit.
27. MARK OF MERLIN by Anne McCaffrey. Also a romance, set during WWII, focusing on a girl with her dog.
28. THE KILTERNAN LEGACY by Anne McCaffrey. Of the three, this is my favorite, Irene Teasey and her 14-year old twins inheriting an estate in Ireland. All three of these I have in one volume, called “Three Women, which has been out of print for years.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Reading List from July 2010 // 3 Comments »

Here’s what I read last month:

1. JENNA STARBORN by Sharon Shinn (381 p.) a sci-fi version of Jane Eyre (which, frankly, I prefer over the original which I realize is sacrilege, but what can I say?)
2. MOUSE AND DRAGON by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (357 p.) A new Liaden book by two of my favorites, AND it’s a sequel to one of my other favorites, telling the story of Da’av and Aelliana, right from the end of “Pilot’s Choice.” Love.
3. THE ONE THAT I WANT by Allison Winn Scotch (270 p.) What if you had a perfect life, and then one day, you were given the gift of clarity? And started seeing that maybe things weren’t as perfect as you thought?
4. RUNEMARKS by Joanne Harris (526 p.) A YA based roughly on Norse mythology, but telling what might have happened hundreds of years after Ragnorak.
5. EIGHT DAYS OF LUKE by Diana Wynne Jones (150 p.) And then, suppose the Norse gods were real, and Loki was imprisoned for something he hadn’t done?
6. BENEATH THE VAULTED HILLS by Sean Russell (480 p.) Book one…
7. COMPASS OF THE SOUL by Sean Russell (407 p.) …and Book two of this fantasy duology telling the story of Erasmus Flattery. I love this world of Farr the man has created, similar to ours from the 18th century, only, along with emerging sciences, there are the remnants of magic.
8. EMPATHIC CIVILIZATION by Jeremy Rifkin (668 p.) History book discussing the emergence of the concept of empathy, and how it has affected the evolution of civilization.
9. SPOOK by Mary Roach (295 p.) A scientific (if somewhat snarky) examination of the possiblity of life after death.
10. SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett. A classic! Mary’s parents are killed and she is sent to Misselthwaite Manor and finds a lost garden and a lost cousin and finally a chance of happiness.
11. WORLD WITHOUT END by Sean Russell. Book one…
12. SEA WITHOUT A SHORE by Sean Russell …and Book two of Russell’s other (well, his first) fantasy dualogy taking place in Farr.
13. MY MAN JEEVES by P.G. Wodehouse. Because, how can you go wrong with Wodehouse writing Jeeves and Wooster?
14. PINT OF MURDER by Alisa Craig (186 p.) Fluffy little cozy mystery about Madoc Rhys the Mountie and Janet Wadman.
15. PHOEBE’S SWEATER by Joanna Johnson (Review here at Knitting Scholar). Adorable little picture book with sweater patterns.
16. KNITTING MOCHIMOCHI by Anna Hrachovec. (Review here at Knitting Scholar). Also adorable.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in June 2010 // 2 Comments »

I don’t know how it happened.

But I seem to have fallen down and landed on the “Buy” button over at Amazon. Look at this pile of books!

• Sir Ken Robinson’s The Element
• Catherine Blyth’s The Art of Conversation
• Steven Pinker’s The Stuff of Thought
• James Thurber’s The Thurber Carnival (because I stupidly got rid of my copy last Fall)
• Mary Roach’s Spook
• Jay Heinrichs’s Thank You for Arguing
• Anna Dean’s Bellfield Hall
• Allison Winn Scotch’s The One That I Want
• Sharon Lee and Steve Miller’s Mouse & Dragon
• Joanne Harris’s Runemarks.

Oh, and the new issue of Vogue Knitting there at the bottom.

With all this new reading material, it’s a good thing I’m making progress on my knitting, huh? I know, it’s a lousy picture. I didn’t have the space to lay the pieces out nicely, and they’re all curly around the edges … all of that. But it DOES prove that I’ve been working on my sweater, huh? The two fronts are done and I just started the sleeves.

You’ll be glad to know that Chappy (and the rest of us) are doing well with the work going on, even if they’re not going quite as fast as we’d like. They power-washed the building on Monday. (Wow, the deck looks so much better already.) They haven’t started painting or staining yet, though, which means Chappy still doesn’t have access to the deck for his bathroom, which is kind of inconvenient for all of us.

He was so good on Tuesday, though. Even with all the noise and the unfamilar routine, he didn’t go crazy-barking. In fact, if anything, he was a little clingier than usual. In fact, before I left for work, he followed me into my room and curled up on my red chair. That’s unusual for him. I told him that, if he wanted to, he could come back and sit there any time during the day, if he needed a break.

Well, when I got home on Tuesday, Dad explained how he had gone looking for Chappy, to check on him. He wasn’t downstairs. He wasn’t on his pillow or the couch in the living room. He wasn’t sitting by the door or in the kitchen. So, he came upstairs–Chappy wasn’t in his crate. He was, in fact, on the red chair. A place where he never sits during the day, and rarely at night.

Aww. Such a smart boy! Frankly, I don’t think he’s upset at all that it’s been quiet the last couple days. Even if the rest of us are kind of anxious for them to get the deck done, already…

The hardest question now?

What do I read first?

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Accident // 1 Comment »

Here’s what I read in May.

1. SEEING A LARGE CAT by Elizabeth Peters (386 p.)
2. APE WHO GUARDS THE BALANCE by Elizabeth Peters (376 p.)
3. FALCON AT THE PORTAL by Elizabeth Peters (366 p.)
4. HE SHALL THUNDER IN THE SKY by Elizabeth Peters (400 p.)
5. LORD OF THE SILENT by Elizabeth Peters (404 p.)
6. THE GOLDEN ONE by Elizabeth Peters (429 p.)
7. CHILDREN OF THE STORM by Elizabeth Peters (400 p.)
8. SERPENT ON THE CROWN by Elizabeth Peters (350 p.)
9. TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD by Elizabeth Peters (381 p.)–Because it’s fun to read the Amelia Peabody books!

10. LAPSING INTO A COMMA by Bill Walsh (227 p.) One of the best titles for a style guide ever. Useful information, too.

11. DUST OF 100 DOGS by A.S. King (329 p.) Well, this IS an interesting book. It’s YA, and completely unique. Emer is a pirate in the caribbean who, just as she is killed, is dusted with the ashes of 100 dogs and doomed to live 100 dog lives before being reborn again as a human, hell-bent on retrieving the treasure she buried. Fantastic writing, a little violent.

12. GENERAL WINSTON’S DAUGHTER by Sharon Shinn (342 p.) YA. Averie visits occupied Chiarrin to see her father and her fiance. She’s thrilled to be there, to learn the new culture, but there are rebels and it’s not as safe as they think…

13. SOMETHING MISSING by Matthew Dicks (292 p.) Interesting. Martin is a thief. A quiet, unassuming thief who never takes anything that will be missed. Some toilet paper, extra towels. The occasional piece of extra jewelry. Then, one day, he accidentally knocks a “client’s” toothbrush in a toilet and is wracked with guilt. He can’t bear the thought that she will use a contaminated brush and suddenly he starts doing little things to help, thinking of himself as a guardian angel. In doing so, he meets a woman, falls in love, and ultimately becomes a hero.

14. HEART OF GOLD by Sharon Shinn (359 p.) One of my favorites. Favorite book from one of my favorite authors. Love it.

15. QUATRAIN by Sharon Shinn (369 p.) Four short novels, one from each of her primary worlds. All good, even if I do prefer full-length works.

16. BALANCE OF TRADE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (454 p.) A stand-alone Liaden book, and one of my favorites if only because Jethri is such an appealing character, and I love seeing the two worlds trying to get to know each other. I still hope for a sequel one of these days.

17. CRYSTAL SOLDIER by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (321 p.)
18. CRYSTAL DRAGON by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (359 p.) These two go together, kind of pre-Liaden books, telling the story of how Cantra, Jela and the Tree all came together and fled to settle Liad.

19. LORDS OF FINANCE by Liaquat Ahamed (505 p.) History book about the financial geniuses who more or less brought about the Great Depression. Interesting, even if some of the economics went over my head.

20. FREEDOM’S LANDING by Anne McCaffrey (342 p.)
21. FREEDOM’S CHOICE by Anne McCaffrey (293 p.)
22. FREEDOM’S CHALLENGE by Anne McCaffrey (277 p.)–A nice little sci-fi trilogy that starts just after an alien force coming to Earth and carrying away whole cities into slavery, and follows Kris Bjornsen to the planet Botany, where she and her fellow “settlers” try to survive, and, oh yes, to defeat the Eosi who caused all the havoc. It’s a fun series, if a little “convenient” that the people who get dropped on Botany just happen to have the perfect skills for what they need to do. (Oh, and there’s a 4th book but it’s pretty atrocious, so I mostly just pretend it never happened.)

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in May 2010 // Add Comment »

Here’s what I read in April.

1. BELONG TO ME by Marisa de los Santos–second book, telling about Cornelia’s married life in a new neighborhood. This is only this woman’s second book and I’m already pantingly eager for her to come out with a third.
2. SWEATER QUEST by Adrienne Martini (full review here at Knitting Scholar)–The story of a woman daring to knit an Alice Starmore design in one year.
3. THREE MEN AND A MAID by PG Wodehouse–A light bit of fluff from the man who brought us all Bertie Wooster and Jeeves … not that they’re in this one, but does it matter? He’s always fun and lighthearted to read.
4. BEEKEEPER’S APPRENTICE by Laurie R King
5. MONSTROUS REGIMENT OF WOMEN by Laurie R King
6. LETTER OF MARY by Laurie R King
7. JUSTICE HALL by Laurie R King
8. LOCKED ROOMS by Laurie R King–My favorite (to date) books in the Mary Russell series, telling about Sherlock Holmes’ 15-year old protege.
9. ENCHANTED GLASS by Diana Wynne Jones–A new book by DWJ is always a treat, and this was fun as always.
10. WRITING JANE AUSTEN by Elizabeth Aston–An interesting idea–a struggling novelist gets the chance to complete a recently discovered, unknown manuscript from Jane Austen … except, she’s never read a Jane Austen book in her life (and is proud of it). Yet, she kept putting it off and putting it off until I wanted to slap her … though her JA marathon once she finally started was the highlight of the book.
11. MISS HARGREAVES by Frank Baker–An old book from the beginning of the last century, telling the story of Norman, a man who, on a whim, makes up an old acquaintance … and then she shows up, just as he described her. Hilarity ensues. (Nice companion to that PG Wodehouse earlier)
12. NORTHERN KNITS by Lucinda Guy (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
13. SOCK KNITTER’S WORKSHOP by Ewa Jostes and Stephanie van der Lineden (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
14. ONE BALL KNITS: GIFTS (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
15. KNITS MEN WANT by Bruce Weinstein (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
16. KNITTING GREEN by Ann Budd (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
17. SATURDAY STYLE by Doreen Marquart (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
18. COLOR KNITTING THE EASY WAY byMelissa Leapman (full review here at Knitting Scholar)
19. KNITTING LACE by Suzanna Lewis (full review pending at Knitting Scholar)
20. TWEED by Nancy J Thomas (full review pending at Knitting Scholar)
21. MUMMY CASE by Elizabeth Peters
22. LION IN THE VALLEY by Elizabeth Peters
23. DEEDS OF THE DISTURBER by Elizabeth Peters
24. THE SNAKE, THE CROCODILE, AND THE DOG by Elizabeth Peters–Because how can you not enjoy a fun Amelia Peabody mystery? A Victorian Egyptologist bashing about Egypt with her husband and precocious son, solving murders…
25. POWER CABLES by Lily Chin (full review pending at Knitting Scholar)
26. GET SPUN by Symeon North. (full review pending at Knitting Scholar)

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books from April 2010 // Add Comment »

Here’s what I read in March. (No fooling.)

1. Plan B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller–Reread of one of my favorite sci fi/space-opera-ish stories.

2. How to Knit a Love Song by Rachel Herron–Rachel’s new book! Review here.

3. I Dare by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller–Reread of one of my favorite sci fi/space-opera-ish stories.

4. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford–Absolutely fascinating story. I really had no idea how enlightened and even-tempered dear Genghis was … as long as you were either fighting on his side, or surrendered promptly. Really fascinating, really enjoyable read.

5. Initiate Brother by Sean Russell–Reread of one of my favorite fantasy books, part 1

6. Gatherer of Clouds by Sean Russell–Reread of one of my favorite fantasy books, part 2. Asian-inspired, beautifully written, wonderful story. Great.

7. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold–Loaned by a co-worker, interesting. I’d been curious but not curious enough to buy a copy.

8. Broken for You byStephanie Kallos–Reread of her first book. Just lovely, with a nicely played out ending. Love.

9. Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker–Intriguing story of a girl who’s been raised by her father to be perfectly safe (no cooking, she could cut herself. no playing outside, she could get skin cancer), but when he gets sick, she leaves to go looking for her brother … and finds out that her father has been lying all these years.

10. Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen–A Jane-Austenish kind of romance.

11. Copenhagen Connection by Elizabeth Peters–Light fluff, but entertaining. I mostly read it this time around because it so nicely matched the movie Mom and I had just watched. (“Year of the Comet”)

12. Client by John Grisham–Young Mark Sway witnesses a mob lawyer’s suicide and suddenly the FBI and the mob all want to talk to him.

13. Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett–My favorite of this, a favorite author’s works. I don’t know why this particular story resonates so much, but I love it. Sabine is newly-widowed, her (gay) magician husband having suddenly died from an aneurism. It’s only then that she finds out he had lied about his childhood and his mother and sisters–whom he had never mentioned–were alive and well in Nebraska.

14. Paris to the Moon by Adam  Gopnick–Memoir from the five years he and his wife spent in Paris after their son was born. Charming.

15. Love Walked in by Maris de los Santos–Her first book, and also a favorite. It all starts when a man who looks just like Cary Grant walks into Cornelia’s coffee shop…

16. Toe Up Socks for Everybody by Wendy Johnson (Review here)

17. Natural Dyeing by Eva Lambert and Tracy Kengall (Review here)

18. Knitwear Design Workshop by Shirley Paden (Review here)

19. Emma by Jane Austen

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in March 2010 // 5 Comments »

Yes, that’s me with Rachel’s new book.

You DID know that our very own knit-blogging friend had her new novel published, didn’t you? It came out yesterday. How to Knit a Love Song.

Romance isn’t my usual genre, but I’m nothing if not supportive of a fellow knitter-writer, so naturally I bought a copy. It came today, and I read the whole thing. (What? Like you didn’t already know that I’m a fast reader?)

The book begins with Abigail driving up to a rusty gate, ready and eager to claim her inheritance. Her dearest friend and mentor has died and left her a cottage … the problem? It’s uninhabitable, and her nearest neighbor (the dreamy cowboy Cade) is hostile, to say the least. His house, her cottage, and the ranch he runs all belonged to his aunt–a woman who seems to have a remarkable similarity to Elizabeth Zimmermann. She, Eliza, is described as being one of the great knitters of the last century, famous for her ingenuity and fearlessness.

Against his will, and hating every minute, Cade lets Abigail sleep in his spare room while she gets her cottage set up, and it doesn’t take long for sparks to fly. Cade is furious about his aunt having broken up his property. Abigail is just relieved to finally have a place to call her own, and a chance to get away from her ex. (Well, more of a stalker, really.) She is determined to turn the cottage into a yarn shop, and Cade is just as determined to prevent it.

Of course, things don’t go as the two of them planned, either of them. There are a series of events that throw them together–a torrential rain, a bat, a stray alpaca, a fire … and they both recognize their attraction.

Are the basic plot points kind of predictable? Well, yes. Except for some minor details like Betty being a natural spinner, and Abigail’s perfect charm for the farmers at Tillie’s, I wasn’t really surprised by any of the things that happened … but that doesn’t change the fact that it was an enjoyable book. You did a great job, Rachel!

But, what I really want to know? What happened to Clara after the scene in the alley? And, did Betty ever come back to spinning?

If you didn’t already know, the book is available from Amazon.com both in paper and in a Kindle edition.

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:How to Knit a Love Song // 4 Comments »

Here’s what I read in February:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

8. Writing to Learn by William Zinsser

9. Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier

10. Local Custom by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
11. Scout’s Progress by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
12. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
13. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
14. Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

15. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
16. Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott

17. Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia McKillip

18. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

19. Sock Club by Charlene Schurch & Bet Parrott

20. Nature’s Wrapture by Sheryl Thies

21. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books from February // 2 Comments »

Here’s what I read in January–a remarkably short list for me, but I blame that on the “fiction diet” I put myself on, to encourage me to work on my OWN book…

1. Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure by Matthew Algeo (226 p.) Such an adorable book, really. After Harry Truman’s presidency was over, he and Bess took a road trip, driving cross-country. No Secret Service. No security. No entourage or motorcade. Just he and Bess and a bunch of road maps. How cool is that? Imagine how surprised the police officer who pulled him over for speeding was?

2. Abigail Adams by Woody Holton (412 p.) A new biography of Abigail Adams, and quite enjoyable, too.

3. Respect the Spindle by Abby Franquemont (135 p.) Great book on spinning.

4. Essential Guide to Color Knitting by Margaret Radcliffe (313 p.) Really great book on different ways to use color in your knitting. Seriously, one of the best references I think I’ve seen.

5. Reversible Knitting by Lynne Barr (192 p.) How can you beat a knitting book that not only has creative patterns, but 50 brand-new knitting stitches, all reversible?

6. Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert Bly (375 p.) Tips and rules on how to be a great copywriter

7. Script and Scribble by Kitty Burns Florey (186 p.) A book on handwriting, old styles, methods of writing, and how to improve your handwriting in general. Fun little book.

8. Dreadnaught by Robert Massie (908 p.) This monster of a history book has been on my shelf for years, and I finally got around to reading it, and am glad I did. A look at the events that led up to WWI (with an emphasis on the navy), focusing on each of the people involved. Love that.

9. Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (313 p.) Based on her blog, Orangette, a book of stories and recipes about her life.

10. Under Enemy Colors by S. Thomas Russell (491 p.) One of my favorite fantasy authors (Sean Russell) writing under a different name, this is a story about events on a British navy ship during the Napoleonic wars. It was enjoyable, but a little too heavy on sailing details for my taste. Good, but … I wish he’d go back to writing books about Farrland.

11. The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg (464 p.) A new book by a fantasy author I usually enjoy, but, I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the right mood, or what, but this one didn’t quite do it for me.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Reading List from January 2010 // Add Comment »

(And, no, I’m sorry, I really could not think of a better title.)

My Redhook is almost done–I’m working on the button band and collar–one, long piece of knitting. Right now, it looks rather bag-like, all gathered up around the front edge, as I go back and forth on the short rows that shape the collar. Incidentally, I used the flash when I took this picture, so you can see all the different shades of color in the yarn–really such pretty colors.

Going forward, I still haven’t picked a pattern for my Aran cardigan. I’ve got the yarn ready, though. See?

I finally got a drying rack so that I could hang my yarn to dry. Not only did I wash the yarn I reclaimed from my Celtic Dreams, but I finally got around to washing the rest of the cormo from Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm. (It was my share or Cormo from MVFF which doesn’t really exist anymore, of course, even though Susan now has her Juniper Moon Fiber Farm.)

The rack is interesting, actually. It’s designed to balance over a bathtub, but since the tub in my shower has one of those fiberglass, sculptured walls, it doesn’t have a ledge on the inside wall. So, I’m drying in my parents’ bathroom–particularly handy, in fact, since they don’t use their bathtub–they both use the shower stall instead. And, actually, I balanced it on the edge of the counter instead of the tub because it was easier to reach that way (grin).

The bad part, of course, is that the light in there is entirely artificial since there’s no window, so the light was pretty bad for pictures.

It was otherwise a pretty standard Sunday. Laundry. Baking. Cleaning. Writing. Reading. And about the reading? You want a shock? Including three knitting books that I’ve read for reviews, and the book I’m just finishing now? I’ve read six books this month. SIX! How is that possible?

Well, it’s possible because I’ve put myself on a fiction diet. I have a fiction addiction, you see, and NEED stories and characters and plots to keep my head happy. It’s one of the reasons I read so much. The problem right now, though, is that I’m trying to work on MY book, and if I scratch that fiction-itch by reading other people’s books, it’s too easy to avoid my own. So, for now, I’m only letting myself read non-fiction. And my book, of course, which is coming along.

Chappy’s been quiet today. He’s been reluctant to run up the stairs, and a little more clingy than usual. I’m not worried about him, exactly, but I hate when he’s not himself.

• Tags: Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Random Stuff // 3 Comments »

Here’s my December reading list:

1. Archer’s Goon by Diana Wynne Jones (341 p.) YA book … Howard comes home from school one day to find a goon in his kitchen, demanding his father write 2000 words for Archer, or he’s not leaving. But, who’s Archer? 2000 words of what?

2. Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia McKillip (291 p.) A beautiful little fantasy book. You have orphans adopted by the kingdom’s library, a new, very young, queen who seems to be able to do magic, a magic student sent to study to help his uncle’s ambitions but who starts to love Nepenthe, one of the library’s orphans, and a mysterious book, written in an alphabet that looks like thorns, that seems to tell the story of the most successful conquerer the world has ever known … but what does that have to do with Nepenthe, who only wants to see how the story ends.

3. Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones (293 p.) An odd little YA book. It’s not told sequentially at all (on purpose) and is a big confusing, though ultimately that’s because the characters are confused themselves. It all centers around Hexwood Farm, where strange things seem to be happening … but they’re stranger than you think, and connected to an intergalactic dynasty. Throw in a splash of King Arthur-type heroics, all of which seem completely unnecessary except for getting out of the wood … or are they?

4. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (237 p.) One of the best inspirational writing books, this basically takes one of Lamott’s writing seminars and puts it in one volume for everyone else–what can you expect from your first drafts? What do you do when you get stuck? Light and readable and chock-full of good advice for writers.

5. String in the Harp by Nancy Bond (365 p.) I’ve loved this YA book for as long as I can remember. It tells two stories–a displaced American family trying to settle into a new, strange life in Wales after losing their mother in a tragic accident, and that of the ancient bard Taliesin. One one of his lonely walks, Peter found what appears to be Taliesin’s harp key, and from then on, it “sings” to him, telling him the story of its owner. It’s a wonderful book, and I always enjoyed reading about the family’s domestic struggles just as much as the parts about Peter figuring out what the key wants him to do. This one is an old, old friend.

6. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (177 p.) Speaking of old friends, imagine being a boy and running off to the Catskills woods to live inside a hollow tree with your specially-trained falcon named Frightful. Seems unlikely? Well, sure, but it’s also the idea behind this great back-to-nature adventure story. The author, years later, wrote a couple sequels to this, but they can’t compare to the original … which is particularly handy to read if you ever plan on trying to boil water in a leaf one day.

7. Island of the White Cow by Deborah Tall (234 p.) I’ve had this book since college and love pulling it off the shelf every few years. It’s a memoir of the author who, right after college, spends 5 years on an isolated Irish island with one of her professors. They embrace the traditional lifestyle in their house with no electricity or running water, but all the time witness the hardship and grief of the islanders, stuck with no apparent future. It’s a wonderful picture of both the islanders but also of the way we view the world.

8. Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett (498 p.) A fantasy book with a large dose of Jane Austen. There are so many features of Austen (and the Brontes) in here … the manners, the poor daughters trying to find husbands, the entailed estate … all that, but there is also something mysterious going on among those people who can do magic. I enjoyed this one, but didn’t love it. It was a good read, but it felt like something was lacking–though I can’t say exactly what. No regrets about reading it, though.

9. Matters at Mansfield by Carrie Bebris (286 p.) Speaking of Jane Austen .. imagine a series of mysteries where Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are the sleuths who solve the murders. Yes, a bit of a long-shot, especially when you pull in the characters from other Austen novels–in this case, Henry Crawford, who elopes with Darcy’s cousin, Anne de Bourgh, just as her mother is arranging a marriage for her. Um, well, I would have enjoyed it more if one of the characters hadn’t apparently died TWICE, after having created an entirely false identity for himself years before and getting amnesia … a few too many narrative stretches all at once there, for me!

10. Foundation by Mercedes Lackey (418 p.) Well, I like Mercedes Lackey, and Valdemar is an appealing place, but this book felt like it was written on auto-pilot. Mags is a little too quick at picking up the Herald-trainee lifestyle after living his entire life in a mine, and that’s just a little too unbelievable that he would be asked by some of the most powerful people in the city to help them, when he’s only been a trainee for a couple months. And then, there is a big deal made out of the bodyguards to a foreign embassy, and were they trustworthy, did they have some ulterior motive? Yet, they disappear from the story with no conclusion, and there’s an abduction of one of Mags’ friends thrown in that seems completely out of place. I know that this is meant to be the first of another trilogy, but usually the plots are more tightly constructed than this. It wasn’t awful, it just wasn’t as good as some of the others.

11. Storm Warning by Mercedes Lackey (438 p.)
12. Storm Rising by Mercedes Lackey
13. Storm Breaking by Mercedes Lackey (435 p.) One of the better Valdemar trilogies, with the effects of the millenia-ago mage storms reflecting back onto Valdemar, leaving them trying to figure out how to save the world–even if that means dealing with age-old enemies at the same time.

14. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky (352 p.) Not technically out until next week, I got this as a review copy. It’s the first Delinsky book I’ve read, but I enjoyed it. Susan is the high-school principal in a small New England town who learns that, not only is her 17-year old daughter pregnant, so are two of her best friends–all “good” girls but making Susan’s accomplishments as principal pale beside her supposed “bad-mother” skills. In some ways this was predictable, but it was a good story–and, the best part? (And apparently the reason I got the review copy?) Susan and her three best friends run a hand-dyed wool company and yarn and knitting run through the entire book. ALL the main characters knit to ease their stress, so, what’s not to like?

15. Morning Glory Farm by Tom Dunlap. Mostly a cookbook, but also partly a paean to a way of life. This book tells the story of the family who run Morning Glory Farm on Martha’s Vineyard. Filled with gorgeous photos and some tasty-sounding recipes (I haven’t had time to test any of them yet), it captures what a family farm really should be.

16. Keeping Days by Norma Johnston (238 p.)
17. Glory in the Flower by Norma Johnston The first two “Tish Sterling” books, which are sadly out of print, these are also books that I’ve loved since I was about 13. Tish is a sensitive teenager growing up in 1900 in the Bronx. She’s got an older sister who is a beauty and being courted by their father’s best friend, a down-to-earth grandfather, a high-tempered mother who tends to speak in half-sentences, and … well, she’s got a bunch of characters making her life interesting. I love these books and dearly wish they were in print again–if only so I could get copies of books 3 and 4, too!

18. Titanic’s Last Secrets by Brad Matsen (308 p.)  A really interesting analysis of what really caused the Titanic to sink. (You know, other than the iceberg.) This tells the divers that found something new, but also the people who built the ship in the first place. Really enjoyable read.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books I Read in December // Add Comment »

My favorite books from 2009. Remarkably light on the fiction side, I know, but rather than buying new books, most of the fiction I read this year were books I’d read already.

Fiction:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Anne Barrows

Once Upon a Day: A Novel by Lisa Tucker

The Only True Genius in the Family by Jennie Nash

Non-Fiction

The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman

The Match by Mark Frost

The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin

A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams by Michael Pollan

Notes from the Underwire by Quinn Cummings

13 Ways at Looking at the Novel by Jane Smiley

Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath

Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind by Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer

The Candy Bombers by Andrei Cherny

Titanic’s Last Secrets by Brad Matsen

I read fewer books this year than usual. In fact, except for 2000, this is the year with the smallest tally since I started keeping count in 1996. I blame the packing/moving.

How many? 226 books, of which 62 were new–the rest were re-reads.

And a recap of my readng lists:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:2009 Favorites // Add Comment »

Let’s pause for a brief moment of silence, for today, on the darkest day of the year, a light in Chappy’s world was snuffed out.

Well, not a light, exactly, so much as one of his cherished possessions.

His food dish.

Chappy has had his “Life is Good” food dish for four and a half years now. It was a birthday gift for his fourth birthday, which means he’s been polishing it clean for more than half his life now. They’ve had so many happy meals together. Over three thousand breakfasts and suppers, cooked specially for him by his Mom. Every now and again, he’d have lunch, or would find a treat hiding in the dish, waiting to be discovered.

They had good times together, Chappy and his food dish.

Sadly, a suicidal jar of applesauce leaping from the pantry this morning, took Chappy’s beloved dish with it. The tragedy was witnessed by his grandma who was shocked at the event. “It just jumped from the pantry. There was nothing I could do,” she said, the horror plain in her voice.

Chappy is mourning.

Chappy’s food dish is survived by its mate of four years, the water dish, whose eyes haven’t been dry since the accident. I suspect her faithfulness, though, as I hear she’s already shopping around for a new mate.

In lieu of flowers, Chappy asks that you put extra food in YOUR dog’s (or other pet’s) food dish tonight, in memorial of a food dish that made him so very, very happy. (Or, well, he says you could send him biscuits, but that’s what he ALWAYS says.)

Even the sunset made an extra effort to be glorious tonight.

Actually, that brings up an interesting question–someone on Ravelry pointed out that while, yes, today is the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year, the actual earliest sunset of the year happened two weeks ago, but that when her physicist father started to explain why, her eyes glazed over. So now I’m curious–doesn’t anybody know why this is? I had actually noticed that the daylight was lasting longer these last few days, but hadn’t pieced that together.

On a happier note, look what I got in the mail today:

A copy of the new Abigail Adams biography by Woody Holton. I’m really very excited about this. I saw it at the bookstore last week, but since I AM trying to save money and not buy as many books, I put it back with a wistful, “Maybe when it’s in paperback.”

Imagine my surprise when a couple days later, I won a copy at the Wonders & Marvels blog. (Note the blog post by the book’s author, about Abigails foray into “junk bonds.”) Talk about great timing! Abigail Adams has always been a hero of mine, and it’s been a while since I read a biography about her, so I’m really looking forward to this. Thanks, Wonders & Marvels!

• Tags: Chappy, General, Reading • Permalink:Moment of Silence // 10 Comments »

Here’s what I read in November–a somewhat smaller list than usual but, you know, there was all packing, furniture moving, unpacking, rearranging, and all that other stuff.

1. The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn

2. Quatrain by Sharon Shinn–New book by one of my favorite authors, comprised of four stories, each set into one of four of her worlds from other books. Enjoyable enough, even if I prefer full-length fiction. (Like that’s a surprise, right?)

3. Beauty by Robin McKinley

4. Belgarath the Sorcerer by David Eddings

5. Polgara the Sorceress by David Eddings

6. Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner–Great book filled with wonderful advice, guidance, and wisdom for writers.

7. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

8. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

9. Magician’s Gambit by David Eddings

10. Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings

11. Enchanters End Game by David Eddings

12. The Enchanted Sole by Janel Laidman–review here at Knitting Scholar.

13. Vintage Knits for Modern Babies by Hadley Fierlinger–review here at Knitting Scholar.

14. Sword and the Satchel by Elizabeth Boyer (Old and out-of-print, but still fun)

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:November 2009 Reads // 3 Comments »

Here are the books I read in October. (You’ll have to forgive the short descriptions because, well, we’re moving TOMORROW.):

1. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (405 p.) An Amish girl murders her newb0rn baby … or does she?

2. An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan (218 p.)
3. Duty and Desire by Pamela Aidan (238 p.)
4. These Three Remain by Pamela Aidan (335 p.)– Pride & Prejudice told from Mr. Darcy’s point of view.

5. Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath (252 p.) Why do some ideas or marketing ploys stick, and some don’t? Fascinating look at why.

6. Fledgling by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (375 p.) A couple years ago, the authors wrote this book live, without a net, publishing one chapter a week of the draft on the internet

7. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (324 p.) What if you needed a boy to fight a war to save the world? You turn it into a game, of course!

8. Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card (469 p.)– The Ender’s Game told from Bean’s point of view

9. Gateway by Sharon Shinn (280 p.) New YA book from one of my favorite authors. Except … I think this is the first book of hers I didn’t love. It wasn’t dreadful, but I thought it was predictable.

10. Knitter’s Book of Wool by Clara Parkes (207 p.) Clara’s excellent new book about wool, wool, wool. Review here at Knitting Scholar.

11. How I Learned to Cook edited by Kimberly Witherspoon and Peter Mehan (306 p.) It took me a while to get around to reading this, but it was fun–first-person accounts by a whole slew of professional chefs about how they got into the cooking business.

12. Joust by Mercedes Lackey (442 p.)
13. Alta by Mercedes Lackey
14. Sanctuary by Mercedes Lackey
15. Aerie by Mercedes Lackey–a series of fantasy books in an Egypt-like world with dragons, this tells Kiron’s story, from becoming a “dragon boy” to when he escapes serfdom back to his own country. The first one is my favorite, the next two are good and round out the story nicely. The fourth? Kind of a waste of time.

16. Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffrey (468 p.) Naturally, Anne McCaffrey’s dragon-rider stories are my favorites, this is the last of the “real” ones, written mostly by her, with her familiar characters. Even if it’s not the best, it’s good to see Lessa, F’lar, Jaxom, F’lessan and the rest again.

17. Jovah’s Angel by Sharon Shinn (389 p.) The second of the “core” Samaria trilogy, telling Alleluia’s story, when suddenly, Jovah no longer hears the angels and calamitous weather threatens everyone.

18. Swing, Swagger & Drape by Jane Slicer-Smith. Review here at Knitting Scholar.

19. Getting Things Done by David Allen (259 p.) Well! I wish I’d found this one about three months ago. (Or six … or even a couple years ago.) What a great system for organizing your time … it’s just … right now, with the current house-moving chaos, it’s impossible to put any of this into effect! It’s great though–definitely recommended.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in October 2009 // 2 Comments »

I promised you pictures of the yarn I bought yesterday.

Three skeins of “Calypso” yarn in the “Saturn” color by Creatively Dyed Yarns. (I blame Kim for this because she showed me the skeins in her bag and made me want some of my own. I bought more than one skein because I wanted to do something other than socks … so, this will either grow into a lace shawl of some kind, or (if I can find a suitable pattern) a lightweight sweater, which I think I would simply adore.

Also three skeins of this yarn from the Spinning Mill in Melville, New York (who does not appear to have a website I could find). I had tried to buy some of their yarn last year, but she didn’t take credit cards. (No website, no credit cards, how quaint!) I made a point of looking for her yesterday and got this beautiful stuff. (To give you an idea how nice? Everyone who saw it asked if it was Briar Rose yarn.) Unfortunately, it’s  not the color I wanted last year–another woman beat me to it by about 15 seconds, darn it. That shade was close to this, but with more green … but, still, this is lovely.

Now, I told you the other day about the man from the used bookstore, who took away 6 boxes of the books I laboriously weeded out from my library? But that there were still a lot more left?

Since Dad, Mike, and Tyler moved the desk out of Mom’s office yesterday–it’s now standing on its side in the living room, trying to trick us into walking into it face first as we round the corner from the stairs–that opened up that floorspace. So, to get a better idea of what books I would still HAVE, I moved all the ‘get rid of’ books to the floor.

What? Doesn’t look like that big a pile? How about some different perspective?

That entire pile is books. There are (I think) 9 paper boxes full of them (that’s the smaller-size paper boxes, that hold 5 reams of paper), and then each of those boxes is piled with books up to the window sills.

No, I didn’t count them, but there are a LOT of them! And now I need to figure out what to do with them … preferably something that does not involve my having to pack and carry them somewhere (since the point of weeding them out in the first place was to avoid moving with them so we wouldn’t have to go to the effort of carrying them ourselves).

How many books did I weed out?

I’m not actually sure, but you can see that these cases–which had been overflowing on every shelf–now have huge swaths of empty space AND that includes books that I took out of my bedroom closet.

The two shelves on the other side of the table are even more dramatic–the case on the right which is currently sporting some horizontally-stacked books–is now my entire general fiction (trade and paperback size) collection. I emptied out the shelves from the left case so that, when the movers come to pack up the books a few days before we move, I’ll know that all the books on the right are fiction. (The books on the left are mostly writing books and essays, and will go upstairs.)

That’s actually the other thing I have to figure out now … what goes WHERE. Not just furniture and such, but which/how many bookcases will I have upstairs in my room, and which (the rest of them) will be downstairs? I know that, upstairs, bare minimum, I want writing references, knitting/craft books, and my photo albums. Cookbooks will be in the living room, right next to the kitchen. Everything else will be downstairs. But … if possible, I want a bookcase next to my bed, like I have now, with some of my favorites on it–I’m just not sure how that space will work.

But, also, we need to figure out the arrangement for the bookcases downstairs–we’ve got a long wall we can put them on, but between Mom and me, we’ve got something like nine short bookcases and four tall ones (plus two wooden shelving units) … and some melamine cubbies, too. Since we’re consolidating and we don’t have to worry about not blocking windows, it would be easier to get rid of some of the short ones and substitute more of the tall ones … except, then we’d have to BUY more tall ones, and that’s not really an option. So, I’m mentally running floorplans in my head to figure out how things could look or will look or should look, while still finding room for all those short bookcases which are (mentally) eating up wall space at a frightening rate. (It helps, though, that they’re all white; it does not help that they’re different heights.)

Anyway, this has been my day–moving books from here to there, trying to arrange things so that, when packed, I can find stuff later.

The joy of trying to bring my database of books up to date at the end of this–of somehow eliminating all the books I’ve gotten rid of while keeping the ones I still have in an excel sheet that’s over 3000 lines long is going to be … fun. Well, no, actually, I’m shaking in my boots at the thought of the amount of work that’s going to be! But, well, that’s not something I need to worry about for months, right?

Want another look at the discard pile? I told Mom that I’m trying to build her a new desk to replace the one they moved out of the room yesterday.

And, honestly, I don’t know what we’re going to do with all of these …

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading • Permalink:Wait, How Many? // 10 Comments »

Here’s what I read in September:

1. Mystic & Rider by Sharon Shinn (440 p)
2. Thirteenth House by Sharon Shinn (423 p.)
3. Dark Moon Defender by Sharon Shinn (435 p.)
4. Reader and Raelynx by Sharon Shinn (420 p.)
5. Fortune and Fate by Sharon Shinn (403 p.)

6. Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (227 p.)
7. Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (248 p.)

8. Fair Isle Knitting by Alice Starmore (199 p.)

9. Seven Towers by Patricia Wrede (264 p.)

10. Daughter of Witches by Patricia Wrede (215 p.)

11. Word Play by Peter Farb (367 p.)

12. Passage by Connie Willis (780 p.)

13. Safe-Keeper’s Secret by Sharon Shinn (222 p.)
14. Truth-Teller’s Tale by Sharon Shinn (276 p.)
15. Dream-Maker’s Magic by Sharon Shinn (261 p.)

16. How to Cook a Wolf by MFK Fisher (200 p.)

17. Princess of Flames by Ru Emerson (327 p.)

18. Gemini by Dorothy Dunnett (672 p.)

19. Fifty Acres and a Poodle by Jeanne Marie Laskas (272 p.)

20. An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott

21. Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in September 2009 // 1 Comment »

Here’s what I read in August:

1. MERLIN by Stephen Lawhead (447 p.) Second in his King Arthur trilogy, telling the story of Taliesin’s son and how he came to be Arthur’s mentor

2. PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Justin (256 p.) A childhood classic, and such a fun, creative one–lots of wordplay and imaginative, outside-the-box thinking. (Subtraction stew!) Always enjoyable, and a long time since I visited.

3. ARTHUR by Stephen Lawhead (443 p.) Third in the King Arthur trilogy and about, well, King Arthur. It’s as good as the first two, except the story is split between three narrators and that irks me and throws me off–just as you get attached to one narrator, they’re gone…

4. PILOT’S CHOICE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (598 p.) Two novels in one volume, from the team’s Liaden universe, telling the story of Er Thom and Anne Davis’s wooing (and their son Shan), and Da’av and Aelliana’s meeting (parents of Val Con). Love stories with a science-fiction backdrop, purely wonderful story telling.

5. KNITTED COMFORT FOR THE SOLE by Lena Maikon (127 p.) A collection of sock and slipper patterns, review here at Knitting Scholar.

6. LIADEN COMPANION VOLUME 1 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (303 p.) A collection of short stories in the Liaden universe–as much as I am not a fan of short stories compared to full-length novels, these, because they’re liaden, are wonderful.

7. LIADEN COMPANION VOLUME 2 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (303 p.) Second collection, not quite as strong as the first, but still good.

8. KNITTED GIFTS by Ann Budd (143 p.) A collection of knitting patterns for gift-giving, and they are wholly delightful! Review here at Knitting Scholar.

9. BALANCE OF TRADE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (451 p.) A stand-alone Liaden book, telling the story of Jethri as he becomes an apprentice trader to a Liaden master. I love reading his story, and so hope the authors give him a sequel one of these days.

10. DESIGN IT, KNIT IT by Debbie Bliss (146 p.) A look into the mind of a knitting designer, and why/how she makes some of the choices she does–along, of course, with some of the patterns. (Review here at Knitting Scholar.)

11. CRYSTAL SOLDIER by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (321 p.) A pre-Liaden history, of how Jela (with his tree) and Cantra meet, and the kind of danger they and the universe are facing … all of which…

12. CRYSTAL DRAGON by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (359 p.) … will ultimately lead to the story of the Great Migration to the Liaden universe.

13. 13 WAYS AT LOOKING AT THE NOVEL by Jane Smiley (570 p.) A thorough analysis of what novels try to do, and some of the factors that make them successful (or not). As well as a brief synopsis of the 100 Great Books she read to be able to make these comparisons. Excellent.

14. AGENT OF CHANGE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The story of Val Con and Miri’s first meeting–a Liaden book, of course, and since it’s the first one, it’s the shakiest in terms of tone, but not the least bit shaky in terms of the story being told.

15. CARPE DIEM by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Val Con and Miri get stranded in a backwater world but make the best of it, because, well, they needed a vacation anyway. Totally enjoyable, one of my favorites.

16. PLAN B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (330 p.) As the Liaden Department of the Interior moves directly against clan Korval, the family puts Plan B into effect, and ends up on Lytaxin, under attack from the Yxstrang.

17. I DARE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (467 p.) The ultimate (so far) Liaden book, where Korval brings the fight back to Liad and back to the Department … it’s a grand conclusion of the story, and then, right at the end, this enticing tease that makes you want more (as if you didn’t already). “It’s kind of complicated.” Man, I love these books.

18. TWO CHEERS FOR DEMOCRACY by E.M. Forster (363 p.) A series of essays, mostly written around WWII, about politics, writing, art, and the things that make democracy worth while. Excellent. I haven’t read these in years, but they’re still great.

19. CAPRICE & RONDO by Dorothy Dunnett (539 p.) Book 7 in the House of Niccolo series that I’ve been slowly working through over the last few months (instead of galloping through like usual). The penultimate book, where Nicholas finally works through his troubles and is allowed back home.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books from August 2009 // Add Comment »

Here are the books I read in July:

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (318 p) The first book of hers I ever read, about terrorists hijacking a dinner party and ending up trapped with their hostages for weeks, while little by little, they all start to mingle… Fabulous writing, abruptly sad ending.

2. Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley (472 p.) The bad part of this book? All the spinning references drive me nuts because I’m not sure the author really understood what a spindle WAS, so her descriptions of the spindle ends doesn’t really make sense. But, otherwise? Lovely retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story.

3. Chalice by Robin McKinley (263 p.) Unique little book, with Mirasol, a wood-keeper, trying to find her way as her country’s new “Chalice”–a position both ornamental and deeply-rooted–during a time of crisis. It’s a YA fantasy and in a totally new world.

4. Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith (214 p.)
5. Court Duel by Sherwood Smith (245 p.) A duo of YA fantasy that is mildly diverting at best. I kept wanting to shake the main character for being so darn dense and stupid, not to making massive mistakes just because she insisted on being dense and stupid. Grr.

6. Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn (355 p.) Also a fantasy, about Corie, who spends each summer at the castle with her half-sister, and the rest of the year studying to be an herbwoman with her Grandmother. This wasn’t my favorite SS book the first time I read it, but I find it classically charming–it’s got all the classic elements of a good fantasy book–and it keeps pulling me back.

7. Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip (278 p.) Modern day fantasy with one of those alternate “faerie” worlds shouldering up to ours, when the main character returns for her grandfather’s funeral. McKillip is always good, but the whole “faerie” kind of thing leaves me bored–it’s a rare, rare book about that alternate world that can interest me. (And the little bit that the Castle Auburn book touches on it is about as far as I care to go.)

8. Sword of Orion by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (276 p.) Sci-fi book by one of my favorite writing teams that has promise, except that it has a cliff-hanger ending and it doesn’t look like they’ll ever write the second book, so …

9. Nimisha’s Ship by Anne McCaffrey (355 p.) One of the rare misses for McCaffrey. Nimisha–a society girl by upbringing–designs spaceships instead, until one day, on a test run, her ship gets caught in a wormhole. Um, interesting moments, but not really my favorite. One reading every 10-15 years is plenty.

10. Notes from the Underwire by Quinn Cummings (254 p.) I’ve already told you about this one, and I even interviewed Quinn over at my writing blog. What are you waiting for? Go read this funny book already!

11. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (336 p.) I read this just to get it off my TBR pile and (yawn), now I understand why it remained unread for so long. (See note above about not liking alternate-world Fairy Tales.)

12. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (316 p.) Ditto about the TBR pile, but a yawner for an entirely different reason. By page 100 I wanted to slap every single person in the book, including the narrator, and so I gave up on the rest of it.

13. Bucking the Sun by Ivan Doig (409 p.) One of those family epics, taking place in the 1930s on one of the New Deal’s dam-building projects. Doig is a great writer and this was a good book, but still, family-epics that stretch over years aren’t usually my favorites (Dorothy Dunnett notwithstanding), and the “frame” of the story, of most of it being told in a flashback after two naked bodies were found in a submerged truck, frustrated me. I don’t mind the flashback conceit, but hiding the identity of the two people seemed excessive–like he was trying to keep up the tension about “who was it?” through the entire book, but the flashback chapters were so long (like, 90% of the book), they kept pulling attention away from that, so why not just say who the people were up front?

14. Eventide by Kent Haruf (306 p.) The main reason this stayed unread for so long? The fact that he leaves out all the quotation marks around his dialogue drives me nuts. But, still, Plainsong was so charming … I didn’t much like the sequel, though. Too much abuse, too much violence, too much sadness. Not what I needed this month.

15. What If 2 by Robert Cowley (427 p.) One of my favorite kinds of history book–it tells what really happened, but then asks, but what if, and briefly explores why that one person, or that one telegram affected millions of lives… Each chapter is written by a different historian, and some were better or more entertaining than others, but the book as a whole was intriguing.

16. Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones (375 p.) What if there were magicians in the world, trying to keep things moving in the right direction? And what if one were to die from old age, leaving his young protoge to pick a successor? And what if that happens just as the empire a couple worlds over fell apart and he had to find its missing heir at the same time? And what if it all got resolved at a fantasy-lover’s convention? Yep. Fun!

17. Chuck Comic by Peter Johnson et al. Graphic novel/comic book based on the TV show Chuck–of course!

18. Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones (468 p.) What if there were an alternate universe where there was magic and the king of England travelled all the time and was under attack by a false Merlin (a high governmental post)? And what if Nick Mallory from Deep Secret got involved?

19. Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones (345 p.) Now, imagine another universe alongside ours where magic is real, as are griffins. Now imagine (it shouldn’t be hard) that some entrepreneur from our world took over that entire world and turned it into basically an entertainment park, complete with Tours (guided by real wizards)? Then suppose that that world is tired of being treated as if it weren’t real and wanted to figure out a way out of its contract. Fun and mayhem ensue. Delightful book.

20. Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones (267 p) Sequel to Dark Lord, taking place 8 years later when Derk’s griffin daughter Elda heads off to University to become a wizard in her own right. Also fun and entertaining.

21. To Lie with Lions by Dorothy Dunnett (626 p.) Book 6 in the House of Niccolo Series, where Nicholas finally finds his son and escalates his competition with Gelis into a full-blown war. (And, can I tell you how much I hate how Gelis stomps on just about every good and wonderful moment in his life? No wonder he fights back so viciously.)

22. Silence & Shadows by James Long (407 p.) An ex-rock star, trying to forget his own past, gets named as director at an archaoeological dig, where they make a truly amazing find.

23. Taliesin by Stephen Lawhead (486 p.) First book in Lawhead’s King Arthur series, starting with the story of Charis, who lives in Atlantis before it disappears, and Taliesin, the greatest bard.

24. Socks from the Toe-Up by Wendy Johnson (Reviewed here.)

25. Arctic Lace by Donna Druchunas (Reviewed here)

26. Classic Knits by Marianne Isager (Reviewed here)

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:Books Read in July 2009 // 4 Comments »

Remember the other day when I talked about Quinn Cumming’s new book, Notes from the Underwire?

Well, I’m here to tell you that (1) this book was wonderful. I enjoyed it more than any other new book in ages. I was laughing so hard, I had to cover my mouth to avoid waking up the family.

But, also, (2) She’s doing a blog tour and came  by my Punctuality Rules writing blog today.

Come over and see!

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:Notes on Notes // 1 Comment »

I haven’t done a Booking Through Thursday post in ages, so …

An idea I got from The Toddled Dredge (via K for Kat). Here’s what she said:

“So here today I present to you an Unread Books Challenge. Give me the list or take a picture of all the books you have stacked on your bedside table, hidden under the bed or standing in your shelf – the books you have not read, but keep meaning to. The books that begin to weigh on your mind. The books that make you cover your ears in conversation and say, ‘No! Don’t give me another book to read! I can’t finish the ones I have!’ “

This is particularly timely for me, since you know that I’m in the process of winnowing out at least a third, if not half, of my 3,053-volume library, and I can tell you that the long-term residents on this list of Unread Books will definitely be going bye-bye. It’s no reflection on them, I’m sure, just … I’ve obviously lost interest.

So, here they are, the poor 28:

1. Angels & Demons, Dan Brown (It’s an old copy, I’m not really sure how it got into my library in the first place)
2. Flesh and Spirit, Carol Berg (Definitely a keeper, her books are great. I’m just waiting for the rest of the series.)
3. Dark Mirror, Juliet Marillier (Ditto.)
4. Stardust, Neil Gaiman (Not sure about this one)
5. Windhaven, George RR Martin and L Tuttle (Lost what little interest I had)
6. Guinevere: Queen of the Summer Country, Rosalind Miles (Ditto)
7. Perilous Gard, Elizabeth Marie Pope (Bought 2 of her books at one time and hated the other one)
8. Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson (I tried but couldn’t get into it, which really disappointed me.)
9. Household Gods, Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove (Lost interest–it’s time travel, which I love, but seems pretty depressing.)
10. Fresco, Sherri S Tepper (Sadly, Tepper is one of those authors I admire and feel I should love, so I keep buying her books and then, um…)
11. Singer from the Sea, Sherri S Tepper (Ditto)
12. Beyond Bullet Points, Cliff Atkinson (One of these days I’ll read this and my nonexistant business presentations will sing.)
13. Western Canon, Harold Bloom (This was a Christmas gift, and I tried, but honestly, I was bored by the end of the prologue.)
14. John Adams: Party of One, James Grant (Really not sure why this one isn’t read yet. I love John Adams and it seems like a perfectly good bio … maybe it’s just that I’m still full from David McCullough’s excellent book?)
15. Bookseller’s War, Heywood and Anne Hill (Honestly, can’t even remember why I bought this one)
16. Postwar, Tony Judt (A good history book waiting for the correct time)
17. Dreadnaught, Robert K Massie (Ditto–though this one is a lot more “warlike” than I usually enjoy. I can only handle so many details about military strategy at a time.)
18. Asthma-free Naturally, Patrick McKeown (No idea why this one is still unread–what am I waiting for?)
19. Battle Cry of Freedom, James M McPherson (Same as the last history book–it’s excellent by all accounts, I just haven’t summoned up the moral courage to tackle it yet)
20. How I Learned to Cook, Kimberly Witherspoon and Peter Meehan (I think I’m still having trouble getting past the typo on the cover.)
21. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte (No, it’s true, I’ve never read this, but feel I should–pity it sounds so depressing. I’m really not a dark-and-moody romance kind of girl.)
22. Red Moon and Black Mountain, Joy Chant (A fantasy book I’m not certain why I bought in the first place)
23. Ragtime, E.L. Doctorow (Purchased because I adore the musical, but I’m guessing they don’t burst into rousing choruses in the book, right?)
24. Bucking the Sun, Ivan Doig (I’ve only read one other book of his and adored it, so this one is waiting for just the right day)
25. Eventide, Kent Haruf (I don’t know why I’m waiting on this one, except the fact that there are no capital letters and quote marks for the dialogue keeps putting me off)
26. Infamous Army, Georgette Heyer (Um…)
27. Trivium, Sister Miriam Joseph (A little too school-textbook-y, but still sounds interesting.)
28. 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel, Jane Smiley (Yes, I really do plan on reading this one day!)

Interesting variety, huh? And, honestly, every other book in my library is one I’ve read or at least read part of, for the ones that I hated and couldn’t finish. You know, not counting the dictionaries because I will NOT try to make you believe I’ve read every single word in the dictionaries. Or in every knitting pattern, either, but you know what I mean!

And, um, so what if it’s not Thursday yet. It’s my blog, I can post when I want to (grin). Besides, since I took Monday and Tuesday off from work and had a short week last week, I’m not really sure WHAT day it is. But I DO know that I worked hard today and am tired! So, take what you can get and be grateful… (bigger grin)

• Tags: Reading • Permalink:Unread // 23 Comments »

It’s a serious thing, turning 8.

In sharp contrast to the frivolity of the weekend, Chappy spent the day in quiet contemplation of the responsibilities an eight year old must face….

Okay, maybe he wasn’t THAT serious, but he has been kind of quiet today. I had the day off from work, you’ll remember, but he’s spent most of it napping. Except for the walk, of course. And that period when the thunderstorm with the heavy rain went through, when he huddled in the corner of the dining room until it was over. I don’t know … maybe he’s not enjoying this “getting older” thing. Or maybe he’s just stiff from all that romping!

Check out the loving post his Grandma wrote today.

And, go wish Amy a happy birthday, too!

I got two things in the mail today, though, which is always a plus.

Three Rowan magazines (#25, 27, 29)–which count as one item–which I won from Claudia’s MS Ride contest extravaganza. Woohoo! I never expect to win anything, so this was a special treat, even if I AM in the middle of trying to get rid of books and magazines. (Irony, anyone?)

The other was my copy of “Notes from the Underwire” by Quinn Cummings, of the QC Report (a hilarious blog you really should be reading). I will further attest that–even though I’m only on page 55–this book is so darn funny, my parents were complaining that I was laughing too loudly. By all means, you must check this out! Wondering why? (If my opinion isn’t good enough?) Check out the first stop on her Blog Tour and note the witty, funny answers and then try to tell me you’re  not curious.

And, darn it, now I’m in the mood to watch Goodbye Girl again.

Speaking of old movies, Mom and I watched 1972′s What’s Up Doc the other night, with a very young and good looking Ryan O’Neal and a very young, good looking Barbara Streisand. With the exception of poor Madeline Kahn’s hair and wardrobe, it stood up remarkably well. SUCH a funny movie, with the obligatory car chase up and down the hills of San Francisco.

Did you hear the Knitting Song? Sweet and folksy.

Okay–have a good night, everyone!

• Tags: Chappy, General, Reading • Permalink:Eight. // 13 Comments »

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 • Permalink:Weeding // 7 Comments »