I've been on a Dorothy Sayers read-a-thon. I started with "Strong Poison" in June (as per July 4th blog post). I finished "Have His Carcase" mid July. And then devoured "Gaudy Night". I just finished "Busman's Honeymoon" August 18th. Of the four, I think I enjoyed this last one the best of all...although I wouldn't have if I hadn't read the first three to understand the background of their relationship.
These four books are the main books that deal with the Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane's relationship. I loved the interactions between those two characters (and Bunter!)...with a few mysteries thrown in as well. There was quite a bit of French and Latin thrown in also. Most of that I had to let go over my head. I would have loved a translation of the French letters near the end though.
Sayers also started "Thrones, Dominations" but it was finished by another author....who also wrote another Peter/Harriet novel after that. I'm still deciding if I should continue on. There have been very mixed reviews about both of those novels. But I don't know how I can resist not reading them....even if the last reads more like FanFiction rather than something Sayers would have wrote. Not all FanFiction is horrible.
Here is a website with the chronological list of the Lord Peter Wimsey short stories and novels with some reviews and plot points.
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Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
A Twilight Moment
You know you've read too much Twilight when.......
You try to drink a Frosty (from Wendy’s) with a straw. You work and work to get the thick Frosty through the straw. You irritate the burned spot behind your front top teeth (from eating corn on the cob the night before).
You taste blood but continue to try to get the Frosty up the straw.
The Frosty is now about an inch and a half above the cover. You stop and access your lack of progress and see moisture in the straw near the top. You watch it roll down and meet the Frosty and realize that moisture is a drop of blood. You suddenly feel like Bella….drinking blood from a straw. You almost make your kids puke when you mention this as you are drinking it. LOL
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Yes, that happened this past Saturday between the church and the reception of my cousin's daughter's wedding. We had a nice time at the wedding. I've forgotten how much fun I had as a kid at family weddings when we'd get to dance with cousins and other relatives we rarely got to see. It's my kid's turn to have that fun and we were almost fun suckers by leaving early. So glad my youngest cried to stay longer. Only wish I would have gotten out to dance. She said later she would have danced if I would have.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
New Driver and other sundry items
Yep! That day back in June when my oldest took her driver's test...she passed with flying colors! She didn't have any point deductions at all. Yippee! But scary at the same time. She's taken me to work a couple times so she can "have the car" while I work. Weird feeling...
Exercising is still going good. I finished my 30 day challenge a week or so two ago. That was on the medium level. I'll be starting another 30 days on the hard level hopefully next week. I did a hard workout today...one of the preset ones. Boy...that really got me sweating. Then I did the body test on Wii Fit. So far I lost about 5 pounds since mid-January. Probably would be more if I'd give up ice cream...oh well. I have noticed my muscles are more toned and I get less fatigued. My upper back doesn't hurt as often anymore either so that is good news.
Reading....I'm reading a Dorothy Sayers book at the moment. "Strong Poison" was first. The second story is "Have His Carcase". I'm maybe 5 chapters into it but having trouble staying awake at night. Long days at work and getting to bed too late/getting up early to exercise is beginning to take its toll. :yawn:
Knitting....I'm working on this year's Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery shawl. That is slow going too. No working on that in spare minutes or it would be tinking galore. But it is a pretty blue ...."Jazz" from Knitpicks...hence I've nicknamed this project "Jasper". Yes, a Twilight reference.
Exercising is still going good. I finished my 30 day challenge a week or so two ago. That was on the medium level. I'll be starting another 30 days on the hard level hopefully next week. I did a hard workout today...one of the preset ones. Boy...that really got me sweating. Then I did the body test on Wii Fit. So far I lost about 5 pounds since mid-January. Probably would be more if I'd give up ice cream...oh well. I have noticed my muscles are more toned and I get less fatigued. My upper back doesn't hurt as often anymore either so that is good news.
Reading....I'm reading a Dorothy Sayers book at the moment. "Strong Poison" was first. The second story is "Have His Carcase". I'm maybe 5 chapters into it but having trouble staying awake at night. Long days at work and getting to bed too late/getting up early to exercise is beginning to take its toll. :yawn:
Knitting....I'm working on this year's Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery shawl. That is slow going too. No working on that in spare minutes or it would be tinking galore. But it is a pretty blue ...."Jazz" from Knitpicks...hence I've nicknamed this project "Jasper". Yes, a Twilight reference.
Mandala Pictures
This pattern is Mandala. It was last year's Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Knit-a-long. The Ravelry pattern main page has some pretty pictures of finished shawls.
This pattern had 5 clues. Each of the first four clues had four different charts to choose from. So many options for the final shawl. The last clue was the edge. There was only one choice for the edge but you could substitute with another edge that had the same number of row repeats or if you were willing to do the math. I went with the given chart for clue 5.
I was nervous about the blocking but it was a snap with a 70" round plastic table cloth.
Oh...here's my project page at Ravelry.
This pattern had 5 clues. Each of the first four clues had four different charts to choose from. So many options for the final shawl. The last clue was the edge. There was only one choice for the edge but you could substitute with another edge that had the same number of row repeats or if you were willing to do the math. I went with the given chart for clue 5.
I was nervous about the blocking but it was a snap with a 70" round plastic table cloth.
Oh...here's my project page at Ravelry.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
New Computer
Well, the new computer is here. But I can't seem to manage to get the pictures in the right place. What this means is that no pictures of my finished items are being posted. :sniff:
I've had the computer for a few weeks but I haven't had time to deal with the issue since I'm a bit busy with a new part-time job and we are trying to adjust our schedules to that. Yes, you did read that correctly. A new part-time job. Dh's job is tenuous at best and even his self-employment is having a bit of a down turn.
I'm off for a few days for appointments...much needed hair cuts, dentist, and oldest dd taking her driving test. The computer getting tweaked is high on my list of things to accomplish this week. Can't wait to post some pictures!
Oh yeah....Twilight......Hogwart's Professor has a new website for Twilight related posts. This article written by a guest author really explains Bella and Edward's relationship very nicely. And along those same lines....Subtlynice has updated her version of New Moon from Edward's POV. Reading today's updated chapter reminded me of Arabella's article.
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I've had the computer for a few weeks but I haven't had time to deal with the issue since I'm a bit busy with a new part-time job and we are trying to adjust our schedules to that. Yes, you did read that correctly. A new part-time job. Dh's job is tenuous at best and even his self-employment is having a bit of a down turn.
I'm off for a few days for appointments...much needed hair cuts, dentist, and oldest dd taking her driving test. The computer getting tweaked is high on my list of things to accomplish this week. Can't wait to post some pictures!
Oh yeah....Twilight......Hogwart's Professor has a new website for Twilight related posts. This article written by a guest author really explains Bella and Edward's relationship very nicely. And along those same lines....Subtlynice has updated her version of New Moon from Edward's POV. Reading today's updated chapter reminded me of Arabella's article.
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Friday, May 22, 2009
Busy Month
Since the last post....
House sat/Nephew sat while sis and her dh were picking up their oldest from college. Got locked out of their house without a key. Library card to the rescue. (Oldest dd's idea.)
Two days later...finally got the muffler repaired. Now I'm not so noisy.
A couple days after that...Prom for my oldest homeschooled daughter. Who would have thought! She went with a friend from church. His mom works for the DPI (Department of Public Instruction). And dd ran into two 2nd cousins while she was out for the night.
And there was a wedding shower, various church duties, "behind the wheel" class, dentist...once every month for braces, our wedding anniversary which I wasn't home for but we are celebrating tonight with cupcakes that the kids are making.
A bit of unplanned reading was thrown in the mix....The Host by Stephanie Meyer. I didn't really want to read it but my sister had sent it home with me so I figured why not. It made me cry (of course) but some of the characters really were very similar to Twilight characters.
Oh and knitting! Another pattern almost ready....plus the free one still. My Mandala is very close to being finished. (pattern ravelry link) Just another hour or two of knitting then on to the blocking. This year's Mystery shawl started this past weekend but I won't let myself start it until I get last year's shawl done.
But the biggest trouble this month was the computer dying. The one with the patterns and photos and all the other important files. We still don't have the new one here but it will only be another week or so. Luckily we have an old ancient computer upstairs that the kids use and we've got a wireless router. So except for all the files and programs and pictures on the main computer (which is a big BUT!) online life continued mostly uninterrupted.
How could I forget about exercising???? I'm still at it! Back to 5 days a week and sometimes weekends. I was able to save up enough of my exercise incentive pay to buy the new EA Active Sports program. I'm only on the first day of the 30 challenge so the jury is still out on which of the three exercise programs I like the best. This one this morning really had me sweating! But I like the flow of the Wii Personal Trainer and the fun of the Wii Fit. So most likely I'll be doing a combination of two of the programs each day for an hour's worth of exercise. Now if only the scale would start showing some signs that I've been exercising consistently since mid-January. :sigh:
EDIT: It isn't called Wii Personal Trainer. It is called Wii My Fitness Coach.
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House sat/Nephew sat while sis and her dh were picking up their oldest from college. Got locked out of their house without a key. Library card to the rescue. (Oldest dd's idea.)
Two days later...finally got the muffler repaired. Now I'm not so noisy.
A couple days after that...Prom for my oldest homeschooled daughter. Who would have thought! She went with a friend from church. His mom works for the DPI (Department of Public Instruction). And dd ran into two 2nd cousins while she was out for the night.
And there was a wedding shower, various church duties, "behind the wheel" class, dentist...once every month for braces, our wedding anniversary which I wasn't home for but we are celebrating tonight with cupcakes that the kids are making.
A bit of unplanned reading was thrown in the mix....The Host by Stephanie Meyer. I didn't really want to read it but my sister had sent it home with me so I figured why not. It made me cry (of course) but some of the characters really were very similar to Twilight characters.
Oh and knitting! Another pattern almost ready....plus the free one still. My Mandala is very close to being finished. (pattern ravelry link) Just another hour or two of knitting then on to the blocking. This year's Mystery shawl started this past weekend but I won't let myself start it until I get last year's shawl done.
But the biggest trouble this month was the computer dying. The one with the patterns and photos and all the other important files. We still don't have the new one here but it will only be another week or so. Luckily we have an old ancient computer upstairs that the kids use and we've got a wireless router. So except for all the files and programs and pictures on the main computer (which is a big BUT!) online life continued mostly uninterrupted.
How could I forget about exercising???? I'm still at it! Back to 5 days a week and sometimes weekends. I was able to save up enough of my exercise incentive pay to buy the new EA Active Sports program. I'm only on the first day of the 30 challenge so the jury is still out on which of the three exercise programs I like the best. This one this morning really had me sweating! But I like the flow of the Wii Personal Trainer and the fun of the Wii Fit. So most likely I'll be doing a combination of two of the programs each day for an hour's worth of exercise. Now if only the scale would start showing some signs that I've been exercising consistently since mid-January. :sigh:
EDIT: It isn't called Wii Personal Trainer. It is called Wii My Fitness Coach.
--
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Fitterknitter Blogged!
Thank you so much for blogging about my Pi Cloth pattern! You are the first to blog about one of the patterns that are for sale. I do appreciate the kind words.
I'm really glad to see that other knitters are enjoying the patterns and that the patterns are serving the purpose to which they were intended. Practicing skills on a smaller scale is not as intimidating as tackling a huge project with expensive yarns.
I do use these pretty cloths to give a little sparkle to my day when I'm doing the dishes by hand...which is every day...no dishwasher here! But if someone feels these are too pretty to use they would make some plain Barbie very lovely when she wears her beautiful new shawl to accent her outfit.
Anyway....check out Fitterknitter's website and Yahoo Group and the pretty lace note cards.
She is working on rewritting and charting the book entitled The Art of Knitting which was published in 1897. What a project! I've got problems trying to read the written directions of current day British knitting patterns. All the different abbreviations for YO usually get muddled in my brain.
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I'm really glad to see that other knitters are enjoying the patterns and that the patterns are serving the purpose to which they were intended. Practicing skills on a smaller scale is not as intimidating as tackling a huge project with expensive yarns.
I do use these pretty cloths to give a little sparkle to my day when I'm doing the dishes by hand...which is every day...no dishwasher here! But if someone feels these are too pretty to use they would make some plain Barbie very lovely when she wears her beautiful new shawl to accent her outfit.
Anyway....check out Fitterknitter's website and Yahoo Group and the pretty lace note cards.
She is working on rewritting and charting the book entitled The Art of Knitting which was published in 1897. What a project! I've got problems trying to read the written directions of current day British knitting patterns. All the different abbreviations for YO usually get muddled in my brain.
--
Friday, May 01, 2009
Smiling Diamonds Square Cloth
Here's the latest $1.00 pattern!
This cloth is knit in the round on four double pointed needles. The border is knit on and uses a triple join on the corners to allow the border to lay flat. After blocking the cloth measured 10.5" square.
The yarn is Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc America's Best Article 960, Perle Cotton and the color is Capri Blue. I love this thinner cotton. The cloths are so soft and just the right weight (about 24 grams).
I'll be adding the side bar link soon. But in the meantime here is the Ravelry link for the Smiling Diamonds Square Cloth.
And a link to purchase the pattern here in this post.
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