Unravelling Wednesday - Week 18 (of at least 24)

We got half way through our last lot of Stage 3 restrictions and they moved us up to Stage 4. Which means the usual, stay at home, wear a mask. They have shut all shops except food shops. Finally the hair dressers are shut. It's not that I have anything against hair dressers, I just don't think they are an essential service. Weirdest of all (emotionally, practically for me it makes no difference) is that we have an 8pm curfew. The shops and all that start tomorrow. Hopefully this will work.

Anyway, I'm staying at home and knitting and reading, so that's an opportunity. Also a bit of a lie, we're going out and running and doing Crossfit (by ourselves) in the park, It means I get to have some fresh air and be outside without a mask, which is all legal and endorsed.

This week in knitting - I started a pair of socks. These are the Bleep socks, from the Stranded in Oz club. I used the club yarn on my Teroldego shawl, so I used some HalfBaked Handyed self striping for these. So much fun. Despite the fact that they are an 88 stitch leg I got the first one done on the weekend. The second one is taking a bit longer - having to work for a living is cutting in to my knitting time!

In reading there has been a bit on the go. Leon and I are being steadily entertained by Quicksilver, the first in Neil Stephensons' Baroque Cycle. It's a long series, so that should keep us busy until the end of this plague.

I'm listening to Fail State, the second in John Birmingham's Zero Day Code. Watching his describe a world falling apart seems fitting for these times.

In eye-reading, Nicola Moriarty's The Fifth Letter is entertaining chick lit. I found it on my Kindle - I had it as part of Kindle Unlimited, which I finished months ago. Apparently they usually disappear if you cancel, but it was still there, so I read it. It's made me very greateful that even though I'm still friends with my school friends (who all had kids) I've also made newer friends.

As usual on a Wednesday, I'm joining with Kat and the rest of the Unravelled gang over at As Kat Knits.

And since it's the first Wednesday of the month, it's also time for the Yarnalong at Small Things.

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Linky Wednesday - the one with the pause

In meditation it's said that the pause between the in breath and the out breath is a gap, a space to rest. Well, I'm in that in-between space for reading, listening and knitting. This is a random photo of a highlight of my week - I filled up my lolly jar. These are just supermarket party mix. During the lockdowns, we sources a great pick-and-mix delivery service, but at some point they started sending from the UK, which is a bit silly. Rachey messaged me a new one she found, and I impulsed purchased a kilo of mixed lollies, and then she sent me a link to the biggest lolly shop in Melbourne, which also delivers sweets by the kilogram, so i think I'm sorted for the rest of the year! In reading I've just finished The Beckoning Lady by Margery Allingham . It's the second last book in the Summer of Mystery, and I have to admit, having now read nine Margery Allingham books, that they are OK. I wouldn't have read them if they were not connected to this club, but on...

Geogradiant MKAL Part 1 - that was unexpected (spoilers)

Stephen West released the first MKAL clue on Thursday night. I started knitting it without looking at spoilers. When I got up on Friday he had sent through an "alternative" clue one. I then went and had a look at the spoiler thread to try to work out what was going on. Which was that some people thought the pattern looked like a "German hate symbol". I knit on anyway, since I was half-way through. Then he took down the original clue, replacing it with a mitred square in garter stitch. The Ravelry forums and Instagram are a complete shit-show, even though Rav is being moderated. It's been a bit disheartening, having something that is usually quite light and fun weighed down with all this. I admire Stephen's quick and sensitive response to this drama. I also feel that anything can look like anything if you squint. To me this looks like a Celtic knot. I think mine is pretty, and I'll knit on through all crises.

Unravelled Wednesday - the one where it's ordinary

This week I finished my first book for the 2025 When Are You Reading? Challenge , which was The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker , which covered the pre 1200 time period. I loved it, it's a retelling of the siege of Troy from a feminist perspective. I haven't worked out what I'm reading for the 1200-1399 time period. Suggestions are welcome. I'm currently reading Central Station by Lavie Tidhar , which is science fiction set in a future Tel-Aviv. It's good, but there are loads of characters and I'm not overly invested. Although at least I'm having no problems telling the characters apart, they are very district. I just don't overly care what happens to them. I'm listening to a NetGalley review copy of Mona Acts Out by Mischa Berlinski , which is the story of a woman unravelling. It's very different from Mischa's other books, but quite compelling. I'm not sure what's next, probably something from Kobo-Plus, perhaps Regrets...

What I made, by Sharon

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