Wednesdays are for books (V)

One bonus side affect of being sick is that I have has lots of glorious reading time.

Feeling poorly, I decided to read the final in the Second Service series, The Best Man. While the previous novels started to get a bit similar, this novella was a fun romance, where all the previous characters popped up. I love a romance series where that happens!

I also love romance novel covers!

Then I started (and just finished) Spoonbenders by Darryl Gregory. I felt very lucky getting this as a ARC from Netgalley, because I've read and loved his previous books. This book was more fun and, to me, less menacing that his previous books. In the hands of a less talented writer the premise would be ridiculous, but he took me with him all the way.

I couldn't stop reading it, never got bored and it was the perfect blend of fun and interesting for this rather extended sick time off. Now I'm better enough to go to work tomorrow, and wondering what I should read next.

Still sick!

It's five days later and I'm still sick. I've got a diagnoses of bronchitis exacerbating my (usually very mild) asthma. I'm meant to be back at work tomorrow, but I just walked down the street to get lunch, and thought about getting a pedicure, but it seemed like that would take too much energy. My first world problems are out of control!

So, you would have through that all this sick time would lead to some serious knitting, and I have done some. On Sunday afternoon we went to hear my father's U3A (university of the third age i.e. old people) choir sing. I don't normally knit during live performances, but we were sitting near the back, and three rows in front of us there was a stereotypical granny knitting - straight needles and all. I had such knit envy, I had to join in.
And then there has been lots of sitting on the couch, with Netflix and Stan. I've finished the Millwater cowl for Elise and started on some matching mitts. 
Please excuse the unblocked photos, I'm going to block these with the matching mitts, and I'll post new photos then.

Sick day

I had a fair idea earlier this week that I was getting sick. I couldn't stop coughing, my throat hurt and my head ached. In spite of this (or rather because of it) I ran ten k's before work, and over the course of the day did 32 thousand steps. Why? Because I'm participating in the Global Challenge and there was a mini challenge to beat your PB. So I did, because I can't resist a challenge. And then today (Friday) I really did get sick. Not because of yesterdays activities, but just because it was always going to happen. 

So I spent today moving between the bed and the couch in our new flat, finally having some knitting and reading time. It was the first day I've spent here, and, despite me feeling like crap, I felt so happy to be here. I didn't do much in the way of unpacking or organising, I just sat, and rested, and admired the view. At some point this won't be our new flat, and I'll probably forget how special the view felt, but the sunshine and the sky will always make my heart sing.

Wednesdays are for books (IV)

And here we are again! The move has impacted on my reading time, as well as my knitting time. Last week I was about to start Robert Bennett Jackson’s City of Miracles, the third in the series. I’m really enjoying it, which is not surprising, since I really enjoyed the previous two books.  

It has made me think, in relation to the last few books I've read, that good writing is something I can read without thinking about the actual writing. Also, this book is urban fantasy, and has miracles in it, which seem totally believable, while the last book I read I could barely believe that she forgave her ex-husband. So, good writing is good. Which is not going to stop me reading trashy, poorly written books too, because I enjoy them in their own way.

 

Sunday's post - on Tuesday

I really planned to write this on Sunday – after all, all I was doing this weekend was moving house. Hence the fact that I’ve only just managed to sit down and write it on Tuesday, surrounded by boxes and half built furniture.

On Saturday I set aside the Village Sweater Wrap again,even though it is going quite well:

Elise’s birthday is coming in three weeks, so I thought I had best get on with her birthday present. Last time I knit this cowl it took me three days. This time, not so much.

I’m probably half way through – I’m using 5ply yarn rather than worsted – I think I thought I was ordering ten ply, but didn’t, and 4mm needles. I’m not sorry about the mistake though, it’s a much airier, lither cowl, and I really like how it is coming out. The main reason it is taking longer than last time is I have boxes to unpack, cupboards to put together, cats to calm down and  generally a home to put together. It's bedtime, and I haven't knit a stitch today. Still, once everything is calm and put together, I look forward to sitting and knitting on this fun project.
 

Once in a Blue Moon...

i buy yarn. Ok, that’s a terrible pun. Elise is having a birthday, and mentioned something about bright colours and a cowl. I lent her my Millwater cowl, when she went to New York in winter a couple of years ago, so I thought she might like one of her own. I ordered yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, because they are my go to yarn company when I want pretty colours. I had no idea what colour I was going together when I started looking, but eventually settled on “Leapfrog” in "Could Nine" an utterly delicious merino, cashmere, nylon base. 

They dye to order, so it normally takes about three weeks for a delivery to get here. When this one arrived, I opened it to this squishable yarn:

Winter and a lack of natural light did not help this photo!

After admiring it for a while, I realised it was quite similar to this yarn, that I dyed in 2010 (that’s a bit surprising to me. SEVEN years ago? Really?) I feel like they are quite a good match. So, I’m going to use the Blue Moon yarn to make a Millwater cowl. I should have loads of yarn left over, so I’m going to make matching mitts  and then, if I have time, I might “design” a pair of socks with a cable down the side, so everything can be matchy matchy. I should have time, after all her, birthday is not until the 7^th of July, and that’s three weeks away. If only I can find my needles and ball winder in whichever boxes they ended up in.

  

Wednesdays are for books (III)

This week I read and reviewed my second NetGalley advanced reader copy, which was A Year of Second Chances, by Buffy Andrews. When I started it, it reminded me of Claire Cooke’s The Wildwater Walking Club,  another book where insipid characters make unrealistic life transitions, and I really couldn't have cared whether they did or didn't.

 

I finished it, but I found it really unsatisfying, shallow and frustrating. In my ideal world, instead of things being rated out of five stars or ten or whatever – I would give them a thumbs up, or a thumbs down. Basically, knowing what I know now, would I read this? Would I tell my friends to read this? And for this book, it would be a thumbs down.

 After two books that irritated me, I’ve started Robert Jackson Bennett’s City of Miracles. it’s the third in a trilogy, so I can be reasonably confident that I will enjoy it.