Aaah, springtime

A perfect day! The weather was glorious, upper 70's.

I took a nice long walk and listened to my audiobook, A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah. Heartbreaking, but so compelling. I am almost ashamed that these horrible atrocities were taking place in this world and it never crossed my radar. It's all the more poignant because my son is the age that Ishmael is when he was "drafted" (for lack of a better word).

Anyway, I need to take more long walks - it felt so nice.

I came home and read my newest library find, 44 Scotland Street, by Alexander McCall Smith. Wonderful. It was written in installments for a newspaper, a la Armistead Maupin. Completely sweet and enjoyable. A perfect springtime patio read. I'm halfway through and just started today. I told K that I felt like I was on vacation, reading my eyes out on our lovely patio, watching the birds scold my cat and eating way too much chocolate.

I felt unsure of my work on the Ariann sleeve, so I ripped it out and started over - I probably didn't need to do that. It's actually kind of fun, it is knitting up quickly and I've got it all charted out so I feel pretty confident in my progress.

I also hauled out the pink and lime green felted slippers that I started last spring. I don't think mine will make it much longer so I am starting their replacement. I made a ton of progress on the Lizard Ridge too - I am cranking out those squares.

What a lovely day, I couldn't ask for more. I am so lucky to have such a life.

Creativity

I am not a good blogger - so much knitting, so much reading leads to very little blogging. I am realizing that a blog without photos is b.o.r.i.n.g. but since we're running dangerously low on disk space on our home computer I don't want to download many pictures because they take up so much space. We are looking into getting a new computer after that stooooopid HELOC is paid off, which, fortunately, is on the horizon. Yay - debt free (notwithstanding a $120,000 mortgage, ahem). It makes it worth the wait.

Speaking of money, I have been able to save a ton since I've been taking the bus or light rail. Love public transportation! So much reading/napping/knitting time. And I listen to the beloved This American Life on my beloved Ipod. Life is good.

I justified the purchase of a few more skeins of Noro for the Lizard Ridge since I've been so frugal. I really need to take some pictures because I am quite enchanted with my little squares and should be documenting their progress. I've been trying to stay away from the fluorescent pink/yellow colorways, which is kind of limiting, but that would not go in my house a'tall. I really like the No. 185 (orange/purple/green) that I got from Supercrafty, and also No. 178, which is a really lovely blue/grey/green.

The LR is nice to work on at lunch, and while commuting in that it's so portable. I've been saving Ariann for the evenings. Last night I progressed to the part where I did the armhole bindoffs. I also started one sleeve (I chose the long sleeved version, but am considering frogging it and making the 3/4 sleeve version - it seems a little dressier, and hello! faster). I'm not understanding how the body and the sleeves connect, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. The Ariann is at the Slog Phase right now, but I don't want to stop. I've been making pretty good time on it.

I titled this post "Creativity" because I've been thinking how I'm lacking in this arena. I can't fathom writing a knitting pattern, or even really altering an existing one very much. What's the point when there are so many lovely patterns out there. And, I've been following Cara's progress on her miters and have become increasingly interested in trying out a mitered blanket. Coming up with the color combinations is more than a little bit intimidating, though. It's funny because as much as I love Mason-Dixon Knitting, the mitered blanket is not one that caught my eye until Cara posted about it (mostly for the seaming - that might kill me dead). Hers are amazing - I especially love the Chocolate one, #20. I'm kind of plotting out my next project - I should use the Brown Sheep cotton fleece I bought for the Cutaway, and maybe use it for Wendy's Sizzle (what was I thinking buying that pattern - I'm far too modest to wear something that low cut). Alas, part of my obsession with knitting lies in the acquisition of new yarn.

The mitered blanket project is one that I could buy the yarn incrementally, though, like the Lizard Ridge. That has been a great feature of the project.

I've been doing lots of reading, currently The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton. I just love her work and for some reason it's very surprising to me that these books were written in the '40's and '50's. She has a way of just making the era come alive. I've never been particularly intrigued by the Puritans and America in the 1600's, but this book changed all that. I also have her earlier novel Avalon on the nightstand. The King Arthur legend business has kind of skeeved me so I'll be interested to see what Seton does with it.

Spring is here - we had a lovely weekend and the first of the week was nice, but it's sunny but cold and windy out today. Wind sucks. I think I'll stay in and knit at lunch today. What a surprise!

No photos, no links - I am a sad sack of a blogger.

Merry Easter

It's a cold and snowy Easter - perfect for knitting, which I intend to do after our Easter dinner at Mom and Dad's (where we'll see my adorable little tiny nephew, Thad).

I have some catching up to do - Hawaii was all that I expected and more. Loved it. I read an entire book - Innocent Traitor, by Alison Weir, that was fab, and I knit three Lizard Ridge afghan squares. I've got the pattern down pat and so it's going pretty quickly. I'm running out of yarn so I bought three more skeins from Supercrafty that I'm anxiously awaiting. Good price, too. I'll put up a picture of the six squares - they look pretty good if I do say so myself. I tend to like the more earthy ones, but Kureyon's colors are pretty bright, shall we say. It's a good, portable project.

Still working on Ariann, too -# (*&^% buttonhole and all. I kind of screwed it up, but I'm not about to go back. I can't imagine wearing it buttoned anyway. I used the technique in The Knitters Book of Finishing Techniques, and I screwed up somewhere along the way. Oh well. I'm still enjoying the process - it's a very enjoyable knit. I haven't figured out why it looks the way it does - gnomes as Crazy Aunt Purl would say.

I have more books from the library: The Winthrop Woman, by Anya Seton, Avalon also by Anya Seton and Mistress of the Art of Death, by Ariana Franklin. I think I'll read the Franklin book since there's a wait for it at the library, but I'm anxious to read The Winthrop Woman - Seton's book Katherine is one of my all time favorites.

I just couldn't take anymore...

Of this book, that is. I have a hard time not finishing a book once I've started, and this one was intriguing in certain aspects but I started to feel that there was some stupid gimmick that would be revealed in the end. Hated the characters. I don't really know why I picked it out from the library because the other book I read by the author Jennifer Egan, Look at Me, was pretty awful as well. I think I gave myself permission to quit because I didn't want to haul the thing to Hawaii. I need to stop thinking I have to finish reading what I start (it's not like I'm that way in other aspects of my life, sadly). Anyway, I picked out Blowing My Cover, My Life as a C.I.A. Spy, by Lindsay Moran and started it on the bus this morning and it looks light and fluffy, just what I need right now.

I ripped out my work on Ariann - I did the first buttonhole too soon. I could have fixed it by just spacing the other buttons differently, but I really don't want to have to figure out how to do that. I love the pattern and I love the yarn. I'm a little unsure how the sleeves will attach but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I want to bring it with me on the plane - the TSA guidelines recommend bamboo circular needles, but it's still up to the screener. I hope I don't look too threatening with my little knitting project. I'm actually quite annoyed about it. I'll bring the envelope to mail the needles back if need be. Sheesh.

I cannot wait for Hawaii! Four more days... Not that I'm counting or anything.

Progress

I finished all the blocking for the Princess pulli - the fabric is so incredibly soft and wonderful. I'll definitely be using the yarn again. And I am almost finished with the zipper for Ribby. Now that it's spring I have two nice new winter sweaters. I did not plan this well at all. At least my Ariann will probably be finished in time for fall '08.

I broke down and got a subscription to Interweave Knits. I'm looking forward to it. I barely read the Self magazine that I subscribe to and I end up buying IK at the grocery store anyway.

I am loving the book that I'm reading, it's Baker Towers by Jennifer Haigh. She wrote Mrs. Kimble which I read a few years ago and really enjoyed. I could actually concentrate on it while I was on the train this morning, which is rare.

Tonight is the last Lizard Ridge class. I finished a square and it looks pretty good. It's weird how the colors come together. There are mistakes - a couple of wraps that I didn't hide, and the night before last when I was working on it I got off track when I was counting, but it isn't apparent. I don't think I'll re-knit it. Hopefully I'll get better at recognizing the wrapped stitches when I'm on a purl side. Julie re-wrote the pattern to show exactly where to hide the wrapped stitches - I got a little careless towards the end.

Woo hoo

Lizard Ridge was making me c.r.a.z.y this morning - the yarn was a snarled mess and I could not figure out how to hide the short rows. I checked my books (The Knitting Answer Book had a terrible explanation unfortunately, but is otherwise a terrific little book; KnittingHelp.com was useful) and was finally able to remember what the instructor had said to best do them. Anyway, once I figured it out I was able to cruise. I love it when I finally figure something out.

Went to the library and got a bunch of books on Hawaii, and One Mississippi by Mark Childress and A Whistling Woman by A.S. Byatt. Add those to the ever-expanding queue. Crazy in Alabama is one of my favorite books so I was happy to find a new book by Childress.

It was a nice and cool, end-of-winter, rainy day. Everything is greening up and the bulbs in our yard are popping up. I can't wait for spring to get here.

Book list

I clicked on a link to a blog that listed 100 books, with instructions to bold the ones you’ve read, italicize the ones you want to read, cross out the ones you won’t touch with a ten-foot pole, put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf, and asterisk (*) the ones you’ve never heard of. I took a preliminary stab at it but I want to come back and add some commentary. Why so many Harry Potters?

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown) - quick read, I enjoyed it.

2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) + Good!

3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) + Love love love. Everything about this book is good.

4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell) Love love love. Haven't read it in a loooong time

5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)

6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)

7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)

8. Anne of Green Gables (L. M. Montgomery)

9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon). + Good, read three from the series before I got a little tired of it.

10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry) No likey.

11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling). + Eh. Can't remember which one this is - I read the first three before I got bored.

12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)

13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)

14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)

15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden). + Beautiful

16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)

17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald). Blech

18. The Stand (Stephen King). Read in high school. I think he's a really good writer. Don't know what that says about me.

19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)

20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte). + Just recently finished and loved it.

21. The Hobbit (Tolkien). I read it in high school and couldn't keep track of the characters or what they were doing. Obviously, I'm not cut out for fantasy/sci fi.

22. The Catcher in the Rye (J. D. Salinger). I read it a couple of times in high school.

23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott). Read to me in childhood. I should re-read it.

24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold). Blech. Totally stupid.

25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)

26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)

28. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis). + Eh.

29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck). Read in high school. Should re-read.

30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom).

31. Dune (Frank Herbert)

32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)

33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)

34. 1984 (Orwell)

35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley). Kind of Sci-Fi - but I still enjoyed it.

36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett). I read this right after I finished up a monumentally busy time at work and it was the perfect read to decompress. It was like a big drink of water when you're hiking in the desert.

37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)*

38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb). Everything was tidied up too nicely.

39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant). 'Eh. Someone well versed (no pun intended) in the Bible would enjoy this more.

40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) +

41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel). Read in high school and liked. I don't think I would like it so much now.

42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini). Excellent! One of my favorites.

43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)

44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)

45. Bible

46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) +

47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)

48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt). Good, too sad. The mother made me crazy. A character whom I absolutely loathed and hated and despised.

49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck). + One of my all time favorite novels.

50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb). Same criticism as the other book by the same author.

51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver). Blech. Don't like BK. Her characters are either all good or all bad - very little depth.

52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)

53. Ender’s Game * (Orson Scott Card)

54. Great Expectations (Dickens)

55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)

56. The Stone Angel * (Margaret Laurence)

57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)

58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough). High school. I just noticed a bunch of her books on the shelf at the library.

59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood). Read right out of college. Just thinking puts me back in the yard at 2029 Columbine St.

60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger) Loved! Yummy book love. Time travelling and all.

61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)

63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)

64. Interview with the Vampire (Anne Rice). I was maybe...compelled by this book. I read it a long time ago and remember feeling like she really made vampires seem real. I don't think I would have the patience for it now.

65. Fifth Business * (Robertson Davis)

66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)

68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)

69. Les Miserables (Hugo)

70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) Should re-read

71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding). Cute at the time. I have no desire to read any more of this kind of book.

72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez

73. Shogun (James Clavell)

74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)

75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett). Need to re-read.

76. The Summer Tree * (Guy Gavriel Kay)

77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith). Loved.

78. The World According To Garp (John Irving) Good. I wish the Cider House Rules was on this list - excellent book. A fave.

79. The Diviners * (Margaret Laurence)

80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)

81. Not Wanted On the Voyage *(Timothy Findley)

82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)

83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)

84. Wizard’s First Rule * (Terry Goodkind)

85. Emma (Jane Austen) +

86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)

87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)

88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields). + Was just not all that impressed

89. Blindness * (Jose Saramago)

90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer). Read in high school and it prompted a big Jeffrey Archer kick.

91. In The Skin Of A Lion * (Ondaatje) Creepy title

92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)

93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck) +

94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd) (yeesh. Hated this book.)

95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum) I liked RL very much for a while.

96. The Outsiders (S. E. Hinton) (oh, yeah, baby. About a thousand times in high school)

97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch). Good.

98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford). Read in high school and enjoyed. Don't think it's my cup of tea anymore, though.

99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)

100. Ulysses (James Joyce)