Tag Archives: reading

There is Always Time for a Quickie….

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Post! Your dirty minds should have seen that coming a mile away! 😉

I cannot believe I have somehow managed to neglect my blog for a week and a half – it this blog was a child the state would be involved. There was drama but frankly I am just not in the mood to dissect all of it at the moment (or ever). Not to mention the fact that whenever I go near my computer I am bombarded with all the things that need to be done of the silly machine like:

  • Making new business cards.
  • Making care instructions for all the new knits.
  • Updating my Ravelry page.
  • Updating my Etsy page.
  • Replying to a million emails I would rather avoid (the ones I want to respond to I try to do in a more timely fashion).
  • and of course…Updating my blog.

It’s been a bit of a struggle since I’ve been on a ruffle scarf binge again. I wanted to be able to buy a pair of needles for the Katniss Cowl. I got the needles but managed to much up the pattern so badly that I am seriously considering just doing it all over again – I owe it to my niece  and more importantly I owe it to Lolly over at Lolly Knits. Silly genius made me a perfect pattern and I’ve mucked it up.

Let’s talk about what the hell I’ve been up to – if you’d like to, of course.

** BOOKS **

  • I read Delirium to see if it would be something Gloria would be interested in, since I have heard such wonderful things about Before I Fall. The whole romance thing is something she wouldn’t be interested in and I found it a bit lacking, especially since reading quite a bit of really good YA fiction. If this can count as a review here it is – this book is the first in a trilogy and I haven’t bought any of the other books yet. Enough said.
  • The End of Your Life Book Club was…Amazing. It is one of those that after you finish reading you almost cannot start a new book, it feels too close to cheating. I love this book, and if you are a lover of books, reading, family and life then seriously go find a copy.
  • I am so glad I am almost done with The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club – it’s bloody awful! Set outside of London the completely formulaic story may not have sucked that bad if the author would capitalize ever-single-solitary word she wants to emphasize. Every time I saw something Capitalized it took me right out of the story.

** MUSIC **

I could try to explain why I love this music but eh, I just wanna share what I’ve been listening to. Here is Imagine Dragons Radioactive though, the music video is painfully stupid but if you just listen to the song it’s all good!

** KNITTING AWARDS **

The lovely bloggers who’ve nominated me for these wonderful awards deserve a proper “Thank You” shout out, which I will put in the Award section on the upper part of my blog. But if I blog it here their blogs might get read twice!

Go check out some amazing blogs and keep posted for their long overdue tributes on the Awards section of the blog.

** KNITTING **

  • The Reversible Cabled Scarf was a stash-buster which made me so utterly happy that I made two. I found it on Ravelry originally, but when I went to find the link it’s gone. I remember it was free though so if you have an interest lemme know.
  • The Herringbone Stitch cowl is made with the same roving yarn was the cabled scarves, in honor of Lolly and her Katniss Cowl pattern. Plus, I wanted the yarn out of my stash.
  • The cowl was a purchased pattern from my LYS and it turned out amazing! And yes, I did find another WIP in the bottom of my bag – it’s like Mary Poppins’ freaking knitting bag!
  • The baby hat was from Itty-Bitty Knits with a few alterations on my part, when the I-cord is place I will get a proper picture. I am pretty sure it is going to be adorable.

** THE END CREDITS **

If you’ve made it through my ramblings good for you because I don’t think I could! I can’t wait to get down and dirty with the Knit Along details, get some more knitting under my belt and do Lolly some justice with that cowl. You know, if I didn’t have a full-time job I could get a lot more done! 😉 Well Friends and Neighbors, hope all is well, cannot wait to catch up with all of you and hope to hear from you soon!

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This is the scolding look I get from Max when I don’t blog enough. Scary, isn’t it?

♥ 100th Post GIVEAWAY! ♥

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When I started this blog I wondered if I would last a week, now here I am several months later getting to share my 100th post! I am going to say thank you a million times over at the bottom of the post, but let’s get to the good stuff shall we? Time for the GIVEAWAY!

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The rules for this giveaway are pretty simple actually, as much as I would like to use this post to up my numbers, I decided to go a little bit of a different way. So, here we go:

  1. First of all, list YOUR passion (knitting, crocheting, writing, art, etc.).
  2. List YOUR Etsy Page -or- small business website (if applicable).
  3. List YOUR FAVORITE Etsy Store Page -or- any small business site (a link is preferable, but I can look it up).
  4. Tell me a bit about WHY you love this store.

That’s it friends and neighbors, easy as pie. I want to be able with my 100th post to highlight all the talent out there in the our community. I want to shed some light on all the small businesses out there that are just trying to make a go at something they love.

The drawing will be up for one week (thus ending next Wednesday the 21st) and on Thursday I am going to announce the winner AND an entire post with links to your stores and your favorite stores. If it kills me I am going to promote all the hard-working folks out there just trying to make a name for themselves.

And for all your hard work?

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** A MYSTERY GOODIE BOX FULL OF THINGS SUITED TO YOUR CRAFT/PASSION**

Within my budget of course, but you would be amazed with what I can do on a shoestring budget. The winner’s tastes and treats will be centered around the information you provide me – you won’t be disappointed!!

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I guess I am not totally beyond shameless self-promotion, but I want to reiterate that doing the following WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE DRAWING – THIS IS JUST OUT OF YOUR KINDNESS AND YOUR INTEREST IN….WELL…ME.

  • Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllNightKnits – All Night Knits
  • Follow me on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AllNightKnits – All Night Knits
  • Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelFolk4 – @RachelFolk4
  • Follow me on Instagram: http://instagram.com/allnightknitter – allnightknitter
  • Follow me on WordPress: Below ↓↓

I know somewhere in my mind that I will never get the following I would get if this is mandatory, but I just to want to roll like that. I hope that I have proven myself worthy of your following – that is the best thing I can hope for! 🙂

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When I started this blog I was floundering. Trevor and I faced the tremendous weight that I may never be able to carry a child and the thoughts were all consuming. We both have parents that are ill (my Mom with COPD, Trevor’s Dad with alzheimer’s and Trevor’s Mom with Diabetes) and the weight and worry that we 1) couldn’t fix it and 2) couldn’t make them grandparents was crushing me alive. It was hard to even take a breath; all my close friends are pregnant or new parents and I had never felt so alone in the world.

Then came this blog, this blessing. I know it sounds like I am laying it on pretty damn thick, but I wonder if I’m doing it any justice. With you I have shared my family’s history, some of you know who my GG is just by name and through you she still lives on. I have shared hilarity (my neighbors bumping uglies) my fears (my Panic Monster) and my simple joy of knitting.

Every day I am inspired by all of you, your posts have pushed me to try new things, learn new things and I have become very close to some of you – as close as the internet will allow. I guess you can say that you, my very own version of the constant reader, reminded me how to breath again.

So thank you, thank you so much.

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One more quick thing. If you feel like this blog is serving a bigger purpose than just a giveaway then please re-blog this post. The more people who see it and respond to it means the more small businesses that will be highlighted. I am just one little person who really wants to make a difference – if you can, please help!

A Quickie – I Believe I was Buried Under Ruffle Yarn

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I have been working doubles for the past few days, thus no posts. Add to that the pressure of 1) trying to figure out how to organize a Knit Along 2) work being so busy I cannot even read my blogs and of course 3) F&*King Ruffles…

These are just the NON-dupliaceted ones.

These are just the NON-dupliaceted ones.

These are just a few – a few – of the ruffle scarves I have finished. Basically what you are looking at is all the different yarn colors, if I had taken pictures of all the ruffle scarves in my house right now I never would have gotten around to actually writing this post. I’ve missed blogging, I’ve missed reading your blogs. I miss living in a less ruffly world 😉

These are just the NON-dupliaceted ones.
These are just the NON-dupliaceted ones.

** WHAT I’VE BEEN READING**

Since I didn’t have time to check my book reviews with Rob over at Rob’s Surf Report (my new best friend for helping me figure out how to write a decent book review) I am just gonna show you what I’ve been reading this past week or so.

A special thanks to Hannah Rose over at A World Created for suggesting Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. This books was a rarity, something as hard to find as good Mexican street food in Ohio. It was incredible, anyone interested in period pieces, not shy of a little gruesomeness and a truly unique experience go check it out.

**  WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO**

This is my favorite Bon Iver song – Skinny Love

** MY PLANS FOR THE WEEK **

  • Get my Ravelry Page updated – it is so far behind.
  • Get all the Stitch Patterns put in the upper header.
  • Make a bazillion more ruffle scarves.
  • Organize this Knit Along -or at least get a good idea of it.
  • Write my 100th post!! 🙂
  • Figure out what to write for my 100th blog post 😦
  • Knit squares for the Get Well Soon Blanket (more on this is the person I am knitting for will let me discuss it).
  • Mid-Ohio Fiber Fair in Saturday!
  • Sleep.

** THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND **

I have no idea where the next 100 posts will go, what direction content wise. All I know is that, just in case I forget to mention this in my 100th post, without you bloggers I wouldn’t be becoming the knitter I always wanted to be. So, thank you.

Oh yea! This is the cartoon my husband gave me this weekend assuring me this is how he felt. Well friends and neighbors, even though it was a joke you have to wonder!

Poor Trevor is Living in a House of Ruffles!

Poor Trevor is Living in a House of Ruffles!

One Lovely Blog Award!

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One Lovely Blog Award.

One Lovely Blog Award.

Receiving blogging awards is still such a surprise to me. When I started this blog almost 18 weeks ago I never imagined anyone would read it let alone recognize my existence with an award. This particular lovely came from Movies, Silently. I love her blog, it was in fact one of the first blogs I started reading when I started my blogging adventure. Silent Movies are her specialty, but it doesn’t stop there. She’s cunning, funny, stylish and her posts are always a fantastic read. Seriously, do yourself a favor and pop over there – I will wait. 🙂

So, down to the rules of the award.

  • Add the “One Lovely Blog Award” image to your post (Check!)
  • Share seven things about you (Check!)
  • Pass the award on to seven nominees
  • Thank the person who nominated you and add a short blurb about them.
  • Inform the nominees by posting on their blogs 

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** So, 7 new (and supposedly interesting things about myself) **

  1. I met the love of my life when I was 17 years old…on a blind date. We both worked for the same chain of movie theaters and a friend thought it would be the perfect set-up to get Trevor to run into her arms (we really are that different, and difficult ;)). Eight months later we were engaged!
  2. When we moved into our condo in 2004 our next door neighbors were meth addicts. These were the scariest moments of my life! When their cat wandered into our yard with infected wounds from being punctured by needles Trevor and I gave them two choices; 1) Give us that cat and go away or 2) we are going to call the cops and have you arrested. Fatty never liked us, but I think we gave him the best (and last) 3 years of his life.
    With his Lick ‘n Kick.
    Very Fat Cat Under the Table.
    Hungrily Eyeing a Piece of Bologna.
    Seriously…Kitty was HUGE!
  3. It has become a good luck/ family tradition for the men in the family to get heat stroke on their wedding night. My grandfather, my dad and my husband were all incapacitated on their wedding night. We got home, I put my husband to bed with Advil and Gatorade and went downstairs and ate the white chocolate fondue pot he had prepared 😉
  4. When I was I was working at the hospital in college, I was going through the ER to get to my car and saw a man self-canabalizing. That’s right friends and neighbors, he was eating his own fingers. I dutifully told the nurse what was happening in the hallway and the proceeded to go get my own lunch.
  5. In high school I was running after my crush after a concert. Being that I was in high heels and a skirt (and horribly clumsy) my shoe got stuck in-between the sidewalk and the grass propelling me, and my skirt, forward. After recovering from my humiliation ( it didn’t take long, stupid crap like this happens to me all the time) we realized the foot was in fact very broken. On the plus side, my crush carried me to the car, ER and home. Then made a joke to carry me around all the time. I was elated – and that feeling never changed, even after I found out he had a crush on my brother.
  6. My all time favorite band is The Smiths. You may think it’s music to wallow in, but I love it!
  7. I have an unnatural love for horror movies. After my OCD made normal things in life seem terrifying, watching a horror movie – and being scared and something you SHOULD be scared at – makes sense. There is not a lot I haven’t seen – and Martyrs is the best/worst of them all.

Okay. Done! Now for my nominees!

  1. A World Created – Hannah, until we started conversing I thought that all internet friendships were supposed to be creep and weird. Now I know that a true bond can be created out of kindness and passion for your craft. Every post seems better than the last.
  2. Traveling the world….and much more – Your blog shows your deft hand with your craft and a sharp wit that makes your posts a pleasure to read. Bonus, you were the first person to really help me make the Katniss Shawl for my niece – I am indebted to you!
  3. Lottieknits – You know why you are getting this, your kindness knows no bounds. For the rest of you – go read this blog! It has snippets of everything you would ever want to read about. It has been a constant source of inspiration to me.
  4. lollyknits – Just another blogger that I desperately wish was my next door neighbor. Decisive and funny, her posts are a joy to read. Her pictures make me jealous (this is a good thing and a compliment) and again – another kind soul that is always willing to lend a hand.
  5. MonsterYarns – Although it seems like everyone already knows this blog, I am going to suggest you quit reading mine and go straight over yonder to MonsterYarns. The post is fabulous, the writing superb! Not to mention that some of the comments I have received from this blogger are hilarious!
  6. Rob’s Surf Report – A great writer, blogger and friend. There is always something to heavily consider after reading his posts – and not commenting doesn’t feel like an option. I am inspired by the free way he writes and voices his opinions.
  7. Creative Writing with the Crimson League – This is a newer blog (for me) that I’ve started following. Do you have a blog that you just cannot skip, even if you’ve been up for 20 hours? If not – head over, you shant be disappointed!

Alright friends and neighbors, two posts in one day again but totally worth it. Signing off for a bit and I will see you tomorrow….unless something else decides to flood. 🙂

The Flood

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Before I begin the retelling of this story I want to get you in my mindset – why this was so frightening. Trevor. Cannot. Swim.

Something Mild

Something Mild

The vacation was a surprise gift from my mother and father in law, something neither one of us saw coming. After seeing how difficult this year has been for us they wanted to give us the vacation we crave, and what we craved more than anything was the cabin in the woods. This was where my family always escaped to in the summer, the place where Trevor and I went on our honeymoon. This was our happy place.

Luckily, before the sky opened up I remembered to take some photos.

As you can see the cabin we stayed in was built up on the hill, away from the lake. We never thought in our right minds that this was going to be a saving grace.

The first day it rained, but only slightly. It was more like a humid blanked had been draped over us, we couldn’t have cared less. It was our place, and it was our time to be away from phones, computers, work, money and every other care in the world. We listened to music, we danced (I know, so darn sweet it makes my teeth hurt), we cooked, we read, we walked….we did all the things we always did when we came here. This was Friday. By Saturday, things started to change.

By the time we lost power on Saturday we had 5 inches of rain and the lake, a runoff from the river, had risen to engulf what was left of the land between cabins. Our cabin was the highest of them all, and thus suffered the least amount of damage (and no damage to the car). We though this was going to be a great story! We played Scrabble, took a nap and went about preparing to read for 24 hours straight – heaven in our books.

But it just kept raining.

We kept reading, eating fresh fruit and drinking copious amounts of coffee, and we listened to it rain. We came to the decision very early in the morning that it was time to get out.  Well, that just wasn’t going to happen.

road-river

At this point, the Evil Dead was playing over and over in my mind. Trapped in a cabin, no phone and no way to contact our family. We were trapped here – and my husband cannot swim. I will be the first to admit that after I took the photo my Panic Monster reared its ugly head and I had a full-fledged meltdown on the road. Trevor was calming, comforting, and more than anything he was reasonable. We would go back to the cabin and read, waiting for the storm to stop. Ash Caves floods all the time, and the flash floods dissipate in hours due to the great civic engineers that plan for this.

So back to the cabin. The rain never relented its beating on the roof and slowly the pages of our books begin to wilt with moisture. Between the two of us though (I figured I should add this) we finished:

By noon, the poor couple across the lake tried to make a run for it. Their car seemed to disappear into the mud and the water rose very, very quickly. The clawed (yes, they clawed) their way out of the car and back to the cabin. This is when the network of people trapped in the valley went to their canoes and began helping one another. I wish I had taken pictures of this, but truth be told I was so scared of having Trevor in that water that I forgot to breath. With my foot he was adamant I stay inside, so me and my panic attack medication became old friends again.

We traded food, books, movies (some had portable DVD players and laptops that still had batteries) and board games. It wasn’t long after this that the man who owns the property showed up in his boat, ready to get us to the pay phone to call whoever we needed. Trevor took this picture when he made it up and called our parents and my brother respectively.

View from the Phone.

View from the Phone.

As you can see the rain had finally stopped, but the damage was done – we weren’t going anywhere. The gentleman told all of us not to fret – I am going to quote verbatim here:

“Of course I’m not going to charge you! Trying to leave here is as useless as tits on a nun!”.

So we ate marshmallows, read, played massive amounts of Scrabble and waited for either the cabin to go into the water or the water to recede. Finally, the next day the water seemed to be going down at a comical rate, like a giant stuck a straw in the lake and was taking monster gulps. The irrigation systems were back on track, we still had no power but who could care about that! I should thank my Dad for instilling in me the need to 1) Over-pack both clothes and food and 2) have a small, odd fetish for flashlights/lanterns/candles and everything else you could need to see in the dark.

We called home again, this time able to walk more than we paddled and for the first time in days I took a big deep breath. This was still our happy place – some stupid flash flood wasn’t going to take that away from us. When we were finally able to maneuver the car out we thought we were footloose and fancy free.

Ha!

The funniest (or saddest, I am choosing funniest) is that when we hit a hole backing out the trunk popped open and the bag with my knitting and our books when right into the water. I got out of the car and just hollered and laughed, go figure huh? We waded in thigh high water to retrieve what we could (we lost two books and two and a half knitting projects) but who cared? We laughed the whole way home.

Looking back it is already taking on the quality of a good story, a damned good story in my opinion. If all works out, this is what my NANOWriMo novel is going to be this year, there are too many “what if’s?” to ignore the possibility of a great story. As for Trevor and I, we are glad o be home, clean, feed and curled up with Max who refuses to leave our side. All in all, I have to say it was a truly epic anniversary!

 

Read-A-Thon Day #4 – Book Spine Poetry & Tears on My Pillow

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SpinePoetry2Okay Dokey folks, time for some book spine poetry brought to you by Oh, Chrys!! I thought about going through my library and amassing this amazing poem…then I decided that would feel like cheating. As my Summer Reading List is always evolving – based on what we get from the library primarily – I tried to do the best with the actual books on my list. So, as sad as this may be (much like my real poetry, which is why I would never share it) here is my Read-A-Thon Book Spine Poetry Challenge!

Delirium in the woods,

Gulp.

The shinning girls double feature,

The good nurse.

Wow, that was painful! Hope you’ll stay with me through the second part of this post after that atrocity! Just trying to stay authentic, that’s how I roll! 🙂

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›››› Tears on My Pillow ‹‹‹‹

  • The Girl in the Green Raincoat

    The Girl in the Green Raincoat

    Author: Laura Lippman

  • Style: Quality Paperback
  • Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
  • Length: 158 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-06-193836-8
  • Year: 2008
  • Publisher: Morrow
  • Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Share a quote from your current read or tell us about a book that really pulled on your heart strings. What was it about that book/quote that made you cry?

She knew what it was like to fight for her own life, but this had been different. She was defending her daughter. Now she could only hope that she hadn’t killed her in the process.

Page 147

Obviously this quote was at the end of the book just by looking at the page number. I had invested hours of my time becoming immersed in this story – invested in the characters. Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan novels are of course part of a series, so this book brought me back to characters I have followed for years. I have been following Tess through all sorts of painful and dangerous shenanigans in Baltimore, so when this novella came out after being published in The New York Times Magazine I jumped on it.

In this book, my Tess – after years of rejecting the idea of settling down – is seven months pregnant and on bed rest. Firstly, I was amazed that Lippman went this direction with the character, as a private detective a baby just didn’t seem to fit. I went in a bit weary but Lippman didn’t disappoint me because Tess was as wary of it as I was!

This quote pulled at my heartstrings and indeed made me tear up because I understood, at a very personal level, the idea of protecting your unborn child no matter the consequences. She was so worried about becoming a mother, her lack of motherly instinct, but when the time came it just kicked in. I’ve been told that is how it really is when you have a child. We have never gotten to the baby part, and I was holding my breath to see if Tess did. Want to find out if she got there? Well…READ THE BOOK!

Read-a-Thon Day #3 – Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee!

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Hello again friends and neighbors! I am really sorry to be doing this whole two posts a day thing but so much love and effort has been put into this read-a-thon that I think they deserve their own posts. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

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** Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee! Participation Post **

Introduce us to your favorite fictional female – What does she look like? Is there an actress that you think of when you think of the character? Is she tough or timid? You could do a mock interview with your character, or create a bio/resume for her.

With so many strong female character’s out there, how can I choose just one? Well, I can because I have to for the purpose of this post I suppose – so let’s see.

I think my all time favorite female fictional character (wow, try saying that one 5 times quickly) would be Frannie Goldsmith from Stephen King’s The Stand. I know I talk about this book all the time but I just love it! This is a collection of completely amazing characters facing the most horrific situations – good or bad they flourish in that role, right to the very end.

Frannie is…amazing to me. When I first started to write up how I felt about this character I was being overly dramatic about the whole thing. I was trying to write like a literary critic – which I am not – so I scrapped the whole thing. Instead, I would like to outline for you the reason that I love her as a character.

  • She remains undaunted by the horrible plague that swept the world. While it of course affected her, it was her resilience to take it day by day that I was so impressed with. Frannie did what needed to be done, stiff upper lip, strong willed and determined to keep living.
  • Pre-plague she didn’t want to marry Jess, the boy who got her pregnant. She was young, but old enough to recognize that what she wanted was the baby – not the man.
  • She fell in love with Stu Redman (my favorite male character in the book) in a very non-sensational way. They were thrown together and yes, she felt safer with a man, but she would not settle for Harold or anyone else. She found love in tragedy, and embraced it much the way she would have pre-plague.
  • She had the strength to carry on with a pregnancy that was a 50/50 shot of being doomed. As someone who has had so many reproductive problems – this strength was startling to me. She defended her life and the life of her child right till the end of the story.
  • Even after being confronted with copious amounts of reasons to just give in, she never – ever – did.

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↑ Molly Ringwald in The Stand Miniseries – NOT WHAT I PICTURED! ↑

I have often imagined Frannie in my mind, and these are the actresses that came closest to looking how I pictured her (if you morphed these three together in some way it would be perfect):

Jennifer Lawrence
Rachel McAdams
Elizabeth Olsen

Well that about covers my love affair with my favorite female character. I hope you’ve enjoyed (or survived) this post. If you haven’t read The Stand – go read it – seriously! 🙂

Read-a-Thon Day #3 – The Mysterious Page 99 Test

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Since quite a few books suddenly turned up at the library today after sitting for months on our queue there is an abundance of new things to read! This is both a blessing and a curse; a blessing because books! YEA! and a curse because I really need to get on it. It seems a bit fortuitous that they all showed up during the read-a-thon. So here goes the 99 page test!

** Rules **

The object of the game is to pick a book you have not yet read, turn to page 99 and read that page. Then you give a synopsis of that page and tell us if, based only on that page, would you want to read this book.

  • The Good Nurse

    The Good Nurse

    The Book: The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder

  • The Author: Charles Graeber
  • The ISBN: 978-0-446-50529-1
  • The Synopsis: Page 99 outlines a conversations between two employee’s discussing the accidental overdose of two separate patients in their care. This isn’t a spoiler – the guy was found guilty. The two are mumbling against one another about whether or not these deaths are not a police matter due to the type of drugs found in each overdose. Is it an accident? Is it on purpose? Well – neither know, and they are both clearly befuddled about it and very hesitant to involve the authorities. To me, they both seem like weak, resistant members of a staff that couldn’t fathom the idea of purposeful overdoses occurring on their shift.
  • Would I Still Want to Read This Book: Yes! How could not want to read what happens next! Do they call the police? Do they ignore it and crazy nurse goes somewhere else? Do more people get hurt as a result of the huge decision based on what these two decided? How could you not want to know! Fact of the matter, it is going to be hard not to stop the book I am currently reading just to find out!

Read-A-Thon Day #2 – You’re the One That I Want!

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PsychopathTest-Cvr-FNL

Okay friends and neighbors, it’s day 2 of the read-a-thon and I just finished The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson. I have to tell you, this book was delectable! The book discusses so many different aspects of psychology that I just found fascinating. It included; Scientologist views (very anti-mental health care), criminal profilers, psychopathy in the incredibly successful (i.e. CEO’s, Career Military, Politicians, etc.) the Bare Method, mental institutes – I could go on and on. I never believed I could be so naive of how the industry works and the  subtle nuances of how mental health is evaluated.

I suck at reviewing books (I’d rather talk about them and inevitably spoil them) so I guess I will just say this: If you enjoy non-fiction books that; make you squirm, make you think and generally keep you reading even though you know you’re starving then pick this puppy up!

My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 5 Stars!! – Well, they’re hearts but you get the point.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“You’re the One That I Want” Participation Post

  • List your must-have summer reading (the ones you read over and over again) or give us some of your favorite recommended summer reads.

Summer is a fantastic time for reading, the days nice and long and the sun refueling me from a long winter. I tend to read books I haven’t read in the summer, eager and ready to venture into new and exciting places. I save my favorite for the long winter months when the books are as comforting as a knitted blanket and a cup of tea. For the sake of this read-a-thon I will give you a list of a few books that I can read over, and over, and over, and over again and again!

  • The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss – First romance novel I ever read and I will admit it, I bet I’ve read it more than 10 times…all 600 pages of it.
  • The Stand & It by Stephen King – Comfort food, book style. These rather epic tomes feel like coming home to family the characters are so vivid. Sometimes, being reminded that humanity and the belief in magic is not lost is what the doctor ordered. What can I say? I am a Stephen King fan.
  • House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski – Every time I open this book, with its warning “This is not for you” I am once again reminded that not everything has already been done. The style, format and narrative is so unlike anything I have ever read before, and every time I read it I discover something new.
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – This is the newest to the collection. I’ve read it twice already and seem to itch to want to read it again. Working in the ICU all through school, life with illness resonates very deeply with me and this is a heartbreakingly beautiful book.

There are more, and if you are interested click →HERE← for more information!

Getting bored yet? NO! There is still so much more good to come….although Max sympathizes.

Max Feels Your Pain at My Diatribe.

Max Feels Your Pain at My Diatribe.

* New Books to Get My Greedy Hands On *

Books that I want to read this summer? Good grief, the list is ridiculously long. I feel a bit behind in all my reading because I have spent so much spare time knitting and stupid, pesky work takes up way too much time! I have a list for this read-a-thon by it is by no means all-encompassing – so here are the books I am itching to get my greedy hands on!

** Click on the links to read a real review and summary of these amazing books on Amazon. This is not a marketing ploy, they’re just better at summarizing than I am! **

Congratulations, you have made it to the end of a post that was far too long! I cannot help it, something about talking/typing about books just prevents me from keeping it short and sweet. So, friends and neighbors, PLEASE share what books you want to read or think I should read…your suggestions are freaking priceless!

 

Class Orientation for Read-a-Thon #SummerLovin13

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Well friends and neighbors, looks like this week is going to be a multiple post kinda week. I love it, I just hope to not bore you to tears!

Class Orientation” Participation Post:

  • Introduce yourself and set your goals for the read-a-thon. Some interesting information to include in this post would be Where are you blogging from? What got you into blogging/reading? What is your favorite genre? The possibilities are endless, just be creative!

Hello! My name is Rachel and I am blogging from the Buckeye State (Ohio) in the United States. This is the first time I have participated in any group activity in the blogging world, I’ve only been doing this for about 15 weeks so I will try not to judge myself too harshly. I stumbled upon this read-a-thon from a fellow blogger and knew it was something I just had to get involved in.

* * * * * * * *

I started my blog as a way to share my knitting and my families history of knitting with anyone will to read it. As I progressed and the weeks went by, the blog has morphed into something quite different. I talk about books, movies, knitting, my challenges with OCD and even my daily life. It is now akin to a diary that I put out for the world to read, and the feedback has been invaluable. More than just feedback, I have become suddenly immersed with people from all over the world who are passionate about what they are doing – the whole surreal experience has opened my eyes to all the wonderful things there are to do in this world. Suddenly, my bucket list has grown exponentially.

* * * * * * * *

Perfect Example of How I Read!

Perfect Example of How I Read!

I have always been a reader, which is odd because my parents are most certainly not readers. My mom was always sewing in her spare time and my dad takes great pleasure in admitting he has never – and I truly mean never – read a book in his life.

Even as a kid I used to go buy poster board, line it into graph paper and keep track of all the wonderful books I could get my hands on. My parents thought it was odd, my brother thought I was a dork (even though he was a huge reader and probably my inspiration for starting to read such great quantities of books) but I loved looking up and remembering all the amazing places I had been with these books. Far away lands with eccentric characters – all while never leaving my room.

After graduation, literature and college where were one in the same. I tore through the classics in a desperate fury to talk to others about it. The air on intellect on a college campus can be pompous, but hey – it was college.

After my second and third graduation,  I realized that reading was just going to be one of those things I could never give up. I read constantly – I even listen to audiobooks when I am working out, knitting, gardening, cooking…pretty much whenever I can. I am a bit pickier with what I read now, having established that I love all genres but now old enough to recognize okay writing from exceptional writing.

Did I mention I have a library in our home with over 1,000 books? Yup, this kid (and her husband, niece, brother, friends) get quite a bit of use of the books amassed in the basement.

* * * * * * * *

So my goal for the read-a-thon….READING! I have so many books on my TBR list that it is embarrassing. I have been working on getting a business off the ground and in doing such haven’t had as much time to read as I would like. So for this week I am putting all other distractions aside and plunging into some amazing books.

Honestly, this was far over due…and my cat loves it!

Max is a Happy Cat When I am Reading!

Max is a Happy Cat When I am Reading!

Stitch Week 15 & Finding a Blogging Rhythm & Nerdtastic Photos

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Before I start, the Read-A-Thon Schedule is posted! Click →HERE← for info!!

Ahhh…It feels so good to be back at the computer with a clear head and something new to share! Thankfully this week I did not lost GG’s notes – not moving around a whole lot was quite helpful as it turns out. So, with no further adieu – here is Stitch Pattern Week 15!

Full Length of Footsteps Pattern.

Full Length of Footsteps Pattern.

Since I went through all of my stitch dictionaries and normal internet sites searching for a name, to no avail, I am naming this the Footsteps Pattern. It looks a bit to me like murky steps in crackled snow. That could be the lingering effects of pain killers but I like it and I am going to stick with it.

For those who read the blog the following content needs no explanation, but there is hope that there will be new readers out there! So here is the low down: My explanation is bolded and it’s italicized – it may also be a bit snarky if the mood suits me! 😉

** The Pattern as GG Wrote It vs. The Pattern That Makes Sense…To Me. **

  • r1k2p2 – Row 1: K2, P2 across entire row. (Very kind of you GG- my thanks go out to where ever you are).
  • r2k2p1addp1over – Row 2: *K2, P1, YO, P1; Rep * across the entire row (I thought about taking back my thank you – what does add mean? Well….I went with YO).
  • nrk3p2 – Row 3: K3, P2 across entire row. (It appears that numbers were becoming a hassle, so nr is taken as “next row” in my book. It feels a bit like a guessing game doesn’t it?).
  • nrk2p2 – Row 4: K2, P3 across entire row. (Alright, simple enough….feel like I am getting my footing back…haha….footing….get it?….bad foot?…Never mind)
  • nrk1k2-p2 – Row 5: *K1, K2tog, P2; Rep *across entire row (now the “2-” I am again left guessing that it is “k2tog”. In reality, I may be messing this whole thing up).
  • k1addk1p2 – Row 6: *K1, YO, K1, P2; Rep * across entire row. (Good grief, not even a “nr” – just a space from here on out).
  • k2p3 – Row 7: K2, P3 across entire row
  • k3p3 – Row 8: K2, P2 across entire row (Again, I am guessing that the “p3” was written wrong – not enough stitches to cover it and it doesn’t really work with the rest of the pattern).
  • k2p1p2- – Row 9: *K2, P1, P2tog; Rep * across entire row (Whew, it’s over!!)

Fun with photoshop and loads of apps up above today, I am getting more and more intrigued about messing around with hues and saturation to make the stitches pop. I think I may be finding a nice rhythm with it, or perhaps I just really like playing with photo editors. Either way works for me.

There is a part of me that thinks I cannot find this pattern because I have translated it incorrectly. Honestly, the stitches are a little wonky but I still think it is fun – not to mention it is just a dishcloth. Hopefully I have done the old girl some justice!

** Blogging Rhythms **

So the question I want to pose to you today is how much should one publish in a post? I tend to get overly excited about all the things that are jumping around in my mind and end up with very long posts. I wonder if I could reach more people (or just keep them interested) if I posted more often with less content. So, friends and neighbors, what do you think?

** Some Goofy Pictures for Surviving My Diatribe!! **

Flowers in the Park - Before the Foot Injury.

Flowers in the Park – Before the Foot Injury.

Niece with a Magnifying Glass.

Niece with a Magnifying Glass.

Hubby Magnified!

Hubby Magnified!

All Formal for a Wedding. Not Really Goofy but Fun!

All Formal for a Wedding. Not Really Goofy but Fun!

Just a Quick One So You Know I am Not Dead

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Still alive here in the Buckeye state, so no worries there. The foot is still attached so I am considering that one for the win category. It has been bundled in this contraption until we see if we can afford health insurance.

Boot for the Klutzy.

Boot for the Klutzy.

My biggest concern is that I broke the same bone I have already broken in this foot. I talked the doctor out of surgery (screws, rods…eww) because my hand was broken at the time as well. If this is the case, then I may be majorly screwed. Or….it could just be a really bad sprain that will heal on its own. I am hoping for the latter.

It has  been made more difficult because I cannot use crutches for long periods of time due to my hand, so I have been taking the pain medication for my hand (and well, I guess my foot now too), which is something I tend to avoid. I hate pain medication, it makes me fuzzy and goofy.

Because of this I haven’t really been doing my knitting for fear of making a mistake. Instead I have been working on my parents anniversary party – invitations, knitted stems and pom-pom flowers (those are very difficult to mess up) and a photo album of their 30 years together. More on that later.

dark-placesI finished Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places, which was amazing right till the end – where for me it faltered. She had something that was really evolving into something amazing, but I felt like there was a short cut taken – like it was planned all the time but the planning was unneccessary.

I still really enjoyed it and it has been nice to relax with a good book. It was on my read-a-thon list but I have so much I want to read that updating shouldn’t be an issue.

 

 

 

I will be back tomorrow friends and neighbors with this week’s stitch pattern, no worries! Thank you all for your kind words and support – I will be back in the saddle in no time at all. Till then, try not to fall. 😉

Oh SO Many Goodies

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Sitting here with my Sweet Tea and contemplating how to go about all this information, I have come to conclusions that I will do it in quick bursts. Otherwise I am going to be here all night and bore you to tears with a post resembling an epic tome.

So let’s get to the goodies!

˜ The Sweet As Honey Hat ˜

Frannie in the Bar

Frannie in the Bar

This is where the Sweet As Honey Hat got placed today to my utter amusement, there is nothing quite like seeing a Styrofoam head in your liquor cabinet. Also, Gloria and I have named her Frannie – in case you are curious the male head is Stu and the dressmaker dummy is Beverly. That’s just how we roll in the Folk Household.

The slouchy beehive hat was so much fun to work up with super shiny aqua yarn, this hat is begging me to wear it, although I know I can not. It should be posted on the Etsy store within the week, as soon as I get the okay from the designer on Ravelry.

˜ I Am Making Socks…..No Really….I AM TOO!! ˜

This is a very condensed version of the conversations T and I had this morning as I pulled out size 2 needles and very, very fine yarn. I know it was out of concern that he questioned my choice of knitting but I will sooner eat my fingers off than deem them worthless.

Before the accident I was one of those super scary-fast knitters, and I could handle any size or any type of needle with ease. I took it for granted of course, now with a hand that is absolutely stubborn I have to go much slower and it still turns purple when overused. I remind myself to laugh at this, as if I had consumed forbidden candy from Willy Wonka’s Factory instead of intense swelling – otherwise I would pull my hair out.

The process is slow but I will keep all of you updated on the progress. I am really quite excited!

Cast On - CHECK!

Cast On – CHECK!

Finish Cuff Ribbing - CHECK!

Finish Cuff Ribbing – CHECK!

Sidebar: I may be sending out desperate requests at some point. So far I have frogged one row, and dropped….oh dear me….14 stitches. This is something I haven’t done in years, I actually had to go on Knitting Help’s website to figure out how to use a crochet hook to fix my goofs. I remain undeterred.

˜ Knitting Bucket List & Facing Reality ˜

A long time ago (this morning) I thought I was a pretty advanced knitter, until I sat down and thought about it. I have mastered the basics and even some of the higher skills, but there are so many things I have not done that keep me from claiming what is rightfully mine…damn it.

There are only so many times I can complain about my hand before it gets annoying, so I will just skip it. Anyway, a lack of confidence has kept me from trying the more advanced techniques and skills that I am now currently lusting after, thus starting a pair of socks that scare me more than a centipede in my shower. So here is my “by the end of 2013” to-learn/try bucket list:

  • Socks.
  • Double Knitting.
  • Lace Work.
  • A Garment – probably a cardigan – and assembling the pieces.
  • A Shawl.
  • Looming – My uncle wants to make me one he saw on a retreat, God love him!
  • Weaving.
  • Spinning.
  • Dying yarn.
  • DUH DUH DUH….Try to learn how to crochet…again.

Okay, HUMONGOUS list of things to learn knitting wise but I am ready to branch out from my comfort zone. I am going to need to return to those things occasionally to retain my sanity anyway. I just feel like life is too short to say I haven’t tried all I can try.

RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LOVELY IF YOU CARE TO SHARE!

˜ My Mom and Dad’s 30th Wedding Anniversary ˜

Here is the a few pics of the progress thus far. There is way more going on but this is what I have stopped and taken pics of – more to come!

First Trail Vase...Needs Work.

First Trail Vase…Needs Work.

I currently have around 60 stems done and the pom-poms are very easy to make. Another 40 and I should be done.

** Thank You for Hanging In There…How About Some Pictures? **

Truthfully I should have spread this out a bit but I wanted to share it all so badly, plus my mind is busting with all sorts of new things I want to write about. Thanks for hanging in there friends and neighbors, until tomorrow!

Max and Knitting 9080917256_f74afe64ce_z 8743224879_130919f9e3_z 8721635015_3bc96a02b2_z 8749406529_ea206e6011_z 8814364371_ac0867f725_z

July Read-a-Thon Update!

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Perfect Example of How I Read!

Perfect Example of How I Read!

Here I go again posting twice in one day! In my defense, this weird sleeping means that everyday kind of feels like two – that and the fact that there is so much to share.

In July I am doing my first ever read-a-thon, which seems crazy because my wedding anniversary is the 5th and my parents anniversary is the 9th (thank God the party isn’t until the 16th)! My husband has agreed to go along with the plan and I can see the excitement building as we traverse our library in search of goodies. This is what I am thinking:

July Read-A-Thon Book Candidates!

July Read-A-Thon Book Candidates!

Okay, right quick:

  • Dark Places: Love Gillian Flynn – Sharp Objects (in my opinion) was better than Gone Girl so I am very excited to read Dark Places.
  • The Handmaiden’s Tale: Have heard nothing but praise for this book, found it for a dollar at my local used bookstore and snatched it up.
  • The Girl in the Green Raincoat: LOVE Laura Lippman (I am trying to get some female authors in this challenge as well).  I picked this up planning on reading it right away and of course got distracted. Bring in to Laura Lippman, I’ve been waiting!
  • The Psychopath Test: A friend from High School mailed me this book all the way from Switzerland with an emphatic note to READ IMMEDIATELY. I plan on complying.
  • Gulp.: Mary Roach, who also wrote a book called Stiff (read it, you won’t be disappointed) came out with this earlier in the year and it is just the type of !thing that makes me want to giggle with unadulterated glee.

That’s all for today (part 2) friends and neighbors. If you have anything you want to add or suggest, lemme know!

Summer Lovin’ Read-a-thon – I am SO Onboard with This!

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This seems a little fortuitous as I was just talking to another blogger about the idea of a book club or read-a-thon! I am so excited, this is the first thing I have ever participated in as a blogger. I am SO excited!

SummerLovinBadge3_zps9c4006b6

Looking for a way to clean out your TBR pile? Want to join other book lovers and bloggers to discuss those have-to-have summer reads?

 Join us for the annual Summer Lovin’ Readathon!

The week long read-a-thon will start Monday July 1st with daily events and giveaways. Then come and join us for a 24-hr marathon read-a-thon starting Saturday, July 6th from 10:00 a.m. EST to Sunday, July 7th at 9:59 a.m. EST.

You can chat about your progress on Twitter all week long using the hashtag#SummerLovin13

THE RULES:

1.) You do not have to be a blogger to participate in the readathon, but you must be signed-up in the linky below (if you do not have a blog – just link up to your Twitter or Facebook post saying you are going to participate in the readathon – Use #SummerLovin13)

2.) You must be 16+ to enter the giveaways

3.) All giveaway winners will be randomly chosen through Random.org

4.) Giveaway entries will be verified – no cheating!

Sign-up now by adding your name and a link to your sign-up post to the linky below. Then be sure to grab one of the Readathon buttons to add to your blog!
**Links must be direct links to your sign-up post in order to qualify you for the giveaways**

We are all about making things easy – so, here is a pre-formatted entry blog post for you! Just copy and paste into your blogs HTML post entry. Easy!

Interested? → CLICK HERE ←

Welcome Distractions

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As anyone who has been made redundant, or has lived with someone who has lost their job you’ll understand that it can make someone quite jittery. As good as a mood as I’ve been it, it has been a bit hard to keep my focus on just one thing – my mind is a tad jumpy these days. I am combating all this with a few simple (or lots of not so simple, depending on how you look at it) things to keep my mind busy.

˜From My iPod to My Ears˜

  • In audiobook world I am listening to Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth. I always wanted to read this book, but the epic tome is over 1,400 pages long and more than a little daunting. When I found the audiobook at the library I was delighted to see that the narrator was well-known and well-respected, so I snatched it up. Twenty-nine, yes 29 CDs later he was all queued up for my listening pleasure – which so far it has been.
  • The xx are my go to band for pumping me up. I know all the words to every song, both on xx and Coexist. Sometimes you need to sing out loud – in some cases very loud – to relieve unwanted stress. I just try to be careful that I am not causing anyone else any stress with my singing! *Blushing*
  • The Complete Goldberg Variations on Bach by Glenn Gould is another one of those things that I just couldn’t live without knowing it exists. Spanning several decades (1955-1981) the recordings are fantastic, you can hear Gould talking in the background (which doesn’t take me out of the moment) and the music is divine. I can do anything with this playing in the background – if anything it helps me concentrate. I am so glad I grew up with a next door neighbor that played in the symphony, I’m a total classical music whore! (Yup, try to reconcile that statement in your mind 😉

˜On My Bedside Table˜

If you thought I was monogamous with my knitting, you should see how many books I balance at any given time!

  • Platform: How to Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt was recommended to me when I first opened my Etsy shop ( I dearly wish I could remember the blogger). Non fiction that reads like a college text-book, it outlines the best ways to start a business – and more importantly how to be successful in this endeavor. Mine is highlighted, bookmarked, written in, post-it-ed and anything else you can imagine. I like going back and rereading certain sections when I feel it is necessary.
  • Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris is also non-fiction, but of the short (and mind-blowingly hysterical) essay style. This is great to read before bed when you know you won’t be able to log serious reading time. Just read an essay, wipe the tears from your eyes from laughing too hard and turn out the light.
  • A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin is something I never expected to get into. I was at a baby shower for a friend of mine (she’s on her fourth baby by the way) and she ranted and raved about how good these books are. So I figured if someone with four kids had time to read, and enjoy, these books then I should give it a go. So far it is actually quite enjoyable – I just hope it keeps it up, once I start a series it is a OCD thing that I have to finish it. This means if it sucks, I suck it up. So….fingers crossed!

˜On My Knitting Needles˜

So many projects, so many different gauges and techniques needed – I love variety. If I had to knit just one thing at a time my poor head would explode, I need the option to change routes when A) my hand is sore B) I simply cannot do another cable or color change or C) I want to watch a movie at the same time.

Men’s Cabled Beanie
Length-Wise Scarf
Another OSU Buckeye Hat
Roman Pillar Baby Blanket
The Fault in Our Stars
  • Men’s Cabled Beanie – This one is great because every row is different, no repeats on this baby. I tend to gravitate to this pattern when I need a solid distraction from the world. Just me, my needles and my counting.
  • Roman Pillar Baby Blanket – This is a 6 row repeat that I just can’t seem to finish – it’s like I develop ADD the moment I pick up the needles. Luckily, there is only 7 more inches to go. I just need to push through.
  • Length Wise Linen Stitch Scarf – Nice and neat, easy to repeat. I like working on this sucker when I am watching TV or find my mind is a little distracted. It is also great to work on in the car when going to see my mother and father-in-law.
  • The Fault in Our Stars Scarf – I have no idea what I was thinking when I casted on seventy (70) stitches in the round for this scarf. All I know is that Gloria and I loved the idea, wanted it made and so shall it be. I just have no clue how long it is going to take, knitting endlessly in the round can be really tedious.
  • Another OSU Buckeye Hat – You guessed it, a family member asked me to make them (for free…grr…) the hat I have on my Etsy shop site. Since I have no backbone – and I was in a spectacular mood this week, I relented. I am just hoping for good word of mouth at this point.

˜In Which I List Everything Else I Do to Keep From Pulling My Hair Out˜

  • Learning to spin.
  • Working – Have I ever mentioned my job? Eh, it’s not really worth mentioning.
  • Playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf – OCD porn I tell you! Collect things, cross them off lists….amazing. Plus, Gloria loves it so when I play too much or too long I just send it to her house.
  • Cleaning the house.
  • Organizing my workroom.
  • Cooking all sorts of new things, within our budget of course.
  • Long walks.
  • Taking/Editing loads of photographs.
  • Gardening and drying fresh herbs.
  • And of course…Making Lists.

I think that may be all I have to start this Monday morning with a bang. I sincerely hope I haven’t bored you into a coma. It feels good to write, to share – cathartic is the wrong word but the best I can come up with at the moment.

So, friends and neighbors, what do you do to keep yourselves busy? I love new ideas!

Stitch Pattern Week 10 – A Misbehaving Hand & WIPs & Photos for Fun…Oh My!

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I feel as if I have been quite neglectful of my blog here recently. Since the little setback with my hand I’ve lost a bit of my knitting confidence, afraid that I’ll make a mistake on something simple and feel utterly lost on how to proceed. Luckily I did this weeks stitch pattern on the 12th, so here it is friends and neighbors – The Chevron Stitch!

The Chevron Stitch

The Chevron Stitch

I’ve gotta tell you, GG really gave it to me when I found this pattern. She called it the Triangles Stitch (no help there) and the instructions….I thought I would rather curl up and die than try to figure this out. Once I figured it out, which admittedly took way to much time, I was on a roll. It is a simple, dimensional and textural stitch, and now that I know what is going on I think I want to try to work with it in another way.

*Please forgive me in advance if there are any errors in my typing, I am going at this using the hunt and peck method to avoid straining my hand. I am normally a decent editor, but after a while I get tired of finding all these stupid mistakes caused by my misbehaving appendage.

 * * So GG, What Torture Awaits Us This Week? * * 

My notebook on how to discern crazy.

My notebook on how to discern crazy.

r1 k1 p7k1 – Row 1: K1; *P7, K1; rep. from * till end (okay, not to bad so far, she even gave me a space between row and pattern. I doesn’t last but hey!, I will take what I can get)

r2 p1 k7p1 way – Row 2: P1; *K7, P1; rep from * till end of row (what does way mean? all they way? way to go? I am way laughing at you? I think it’s the latter.)

3 k2 p5k3 –  Row 3: K2; *P5, K3; rep. from * till last rep., P5, K2. (We’ve given up the niceties of putting “r” in front of the row, I am sensing a deterioration! Not to mention that the last repeats of the rows are not as written, I am filling in the gaps here.) 

4 p2k5p3 – Row 4: P2; *K5, P3; rep from * till last rep.. K5, P2. (Okay, now we’ve almost given up on spaces. Luckily the pattern was obviously starting to take shape, so an intuitive leap wasn’t that far)

5 k3p3x5 – Row 5: K3; *P3, K5; rep from * till last rep., P3, K3 (I am sure the “x” was a “k” at some point or another, or maybe she just got tired of writing down the letter “k”? Your guess is as good as mine.

6p3k3p5 – Row 6: P3; *K3, P5; rep. from * till last rep., K3, P3 (All right, GG is getting really, really tired of writing this pattern. Even her handwriting is starting to take a nosedive, she just wants to knit people!)

7k4p1k7 – Row 7: K4; *P1, K7; rep. from * till last rep., P1, K4 (Almost there, hang strong!)

8p417 – Row 8: P4 *K1, P7; rep. from *till last rep., K1, P4 (While I am sure she understood this jumble of numbers (and if you think about it, it does follow a pattern) but how on earth could she share this with anyone?)

* * THIS IS ABOUT TO GET REALLY FUNNY, PREPARE YOURSELVES * *

R9 to16. work beg sets backwards. (Umm…SERIOUSLY! This was how that pattern ended, with a cryptic instruction so insane the CIA couldn’t crack it. Thank goodness for the internet.)

  • Row 9: Rep. Row 2.
  • Row 10: Rep. Row 1.
  • Row 11: Rep Row 4.
  • Row 12: Rep. Row 3.
  • Row 13: Rep. Row 6
  • Row 14: Rep. Row 5
  • Row 15: Rep. Row 8
  • Row 16: Rep. Row 7

* * WIP it Baby, WIP it All Night…ALL NIGHT! * * 

There was no WIP Wednesday this week due to my hand, but here is a run down of what’s currently on my needles.

  1. The Fault in Our Stars Scarf
  2. Baby Blanket
  3. A Duo of OSU Buckeye Hats (I cannot wait to finish these!)
  4. Knitted Necklace (certain to be a disaster but I can handle 3 stitches at a time.)
  5. Magical Thinking Scarf (I really need to think about where I put it, I can’t find it!)

* * Photos For Fun * * 

I may not be knitting all that I would like to, but that hasn’t kept me away from taking photos and playing with filters. These are some truly bad photos I admit, my hands are shaky and my positioning is for crap. This will not deter me however, I love taking a walk and just snapping away. Enjoy!

So here we are friends and neighbors, at the end of a labor of love post. I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen and read. As always insight in welcome and I hope to hear from you soon!

Lists are Calming – My Favorite Authors From A to Z

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Dear Panic Monster,

You may have my attention after a particularly rough day, but I think I have you beat. It started with part of my oven falling on my hand that ended up with me in the Emergency Room – hyperventilating. My hand is all better, stuck full of drugs and relieved of it’s swelling it is the only thing that feel alright right now. OCD sucks, I know there are worse things but I will be damned if I can think of them right now. Thank God for Dragon Dictate. So, to calm my troubled mind here is a list of my favorite authors from A to Z.

Ah…sweet release. Just thinking about ole curmudgeonly Maugham makes me feel so much better! I never noticed that my authors are almost exclusively male and I find that rather odd, maybe it is time to give some female writers a bump on my “to read” list.

So friends and neighbors, do you have any favorite authors? The ones that make your toes curl, your heart race or quite your mind? If so, I am dying to know!

Wednesday’s WIPs & Setting a Good Example

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Hello Wednesday, I cannot believe you are here already! This week seems to have sprouted wings and flown away from me a bit. So many things to do and so very little time. The needles are busy here in the Buckeye State on all sorts of goodies. As I am sitting here in my knitting/reading chair and looking at the profuse amount of yarn around me I am a bit terrified, how did I end up with so many things on the needles at once? Let’s see if I cannot break it down a bit:

  1. The Fault in Our Stars Scarf (my first every design!)
  2. Roman Pillar Stitch Baby Blanket (super-duper snuggly and soon will be off the needles)
  3. Magical Thinking Scarf (saw the yarn, thought of Joan Didion’s book and went with it)
  4. Stitch Pattern Week 9 ( better be off this morning – No peeking at the pattern yet though!)
  5. Another scarf (oh…when did I start this? Oh Right! Super soft scarf for a friend with radiation burns…that needs to get done yesterday…)
  6. Chevron Stitch afghan (this doesn’t need to come off till December 24th at the latest)
  7. Hot Water Bottle Cover (off the needles…NOW!)

Too many things going at once? Nope, don’t think so. When it comes to knitting I am like a swinger – married to knit but will knit anything….anytime and anywhere! 🙂

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

-Good Examples-

As the weather warms and summer approaches that means more time for me and the munchkin. My brother works at Muirfield and the summer’s are so busy that I get to have her all to myself, where as in the winter I have to share her more than I would like. As she has gotten older and developed more of a personality and we have grown closer, she seems more and more adult every time I see her. In the back of my mind though, as we spend this time together I worry I am a bad example.

Due to a series of unfortunate events (putting it lightly) I am not where I thought I would be at 28. When I lost functionality in my hand I just quit writing, taking photos and expanding these things that used to be concrete dreams. I gave up a bit – okay, a lot – and it has been through knitting, my husband and the munchkin that I am slowly getting back to where I want to be. This doesn’t erase the fact that I am still not there, and since Gloria’s mother is not in the picture I want to be a strong female role model for the munchkin. Am I cut out for that?

Mental illness makes me goofy. My OCD panic monster has given me noticeable quirks that have always been accepted by the munchkin, but is seeing them bad for her? I try to get her to read as much and as often as possible (without being pushy), but do I know what is the best things for her to read? She spends time in our library at home, but have I filled the shelves with the best possible things for her to read?

We play Scrabble, we read, we talk about writing, we watch movies, we giggle….we do cool aunt stuff. I just want her to know how proud of her I am, and I want to be someone she can look up to.

So friends and neighbors…how do you set a good example for the people in your life you love? Any advice is good advice in my book.

* * * *

-Finding My Way Back-

I am trying to get back to my photography roots, trying to remember my dreams. Have a look!

Oh So Pretty
A Play with Light
Lilacs
Good Morning
Street Lamp at 3am
Nature Reflected
Cherry Blossoms

My Conflicted Mind – Part 2

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Part 2 – Nostalgia vs. The Future

I think that this quote is maybe the best way to describe my current dilemma. Yes, I live with multiple dilemmas.

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?

–Henry Ward Beecher

I LOVE bookstores, and the older the books in said bookstore the more I like them. Rarely do I buy a book fresh off the presses, with the exception of a handful of writers that I cannot resist reading the day it is published I like the hunt of finding a used book. Half Price Books is maybe my favorite place in town, it and my knitting store are places that I can get lost in for hours and never consider it wasted time.

When my husband and I bought our home we decided that it needed a library, it was something we had both dreamed of having at our fingertips as “adults”. It started pretty simply with copies of our favorite and most believed books we moved out of our parents home with and a dash of academic books for reference. But it kept growing and growing…then it grew a little more….then it took over the house. Our complete basement, the biggest single room in the whole house now contains over 2,500 books. Is this extreme? Oh God yes it is extreme, but that doesn’t detract from the beauty of the thing at all. It is this eclectic mix of old and new, signed leather bound tomes and mass market paperbacks. Organized by genre, then by author -Oh dear! My OCD is showing!- it is accessible, functional, and fu*%ing amazing!

To the casual observer, it may seem as if two people and 2,500 books seems more like severely organized hoarding, but they would be dead wrong. Our friends and family have been using our library as much as we have, for years they come and ponder our stacks, borrowing what suits their fancy and always coming back for more. Two years ago a dear friend of mine made library cards for us to give people, as well as a computer program that would scan bar codes so we would always know where our books were. This may be the most epic-ly unique present I will ever receive and they’re actually used. It becomes a joke when we have friends over for dinner, they’ll creep down to the library while I am cooking and gladly present their library cards and books as they are getting ready to leave. The warm feeling of being able to share this with the family I was born into and the families I have made is akin to hot tea with honey on a rainy day. There is nothing better.

Well, maybe if I give them a sweater to wear while they are drinking tea with honey and reading a book might top it. Although that may be too good, some things our mind will just never be able to fathom.

The library grew even more with the arrival of my niece. First with storybook’s full of whimsical pictures, textured pages and magical places that will resonate into adulthood. When she got older it was on to starter chapter books; she devoured these books with the same insane enthusiasm that I have always had for books. She would read them, then try to read them aloud to us and ask every question imaginable about them – then promptly demand another book. Now that she is in the sixth grade, and has a reading level closer to a high schooler, the books we already have are working their way into her repertoire. She hasn’t outgrown that greedy lust for books (I hope she never does) but she posed a question to me recently that got me thinking. Why not just use an eReader?

eReader? Blasphemy! Oh the terror….the HORROR!

Right?

When I see people using eReaders, I am rarely seeing people read. Playing games and surfing the Internet is mostly what I see when look around. If the whole idea behind an eReader is to read, then you think you would see a lot more people doing that instead of playing Angry Birds. Granted, I have nothing against technology, my iPod Touch is never far from my grasp and our iPad (which my husband and I share) is excellent for work and doing crossword puzzles. When I think of buying my niece an eReader I get the sneaking suspicion that she would not be using it just for reading, if I am lucky enough to have her using it for reading at all.

However, I am willing to acknowledge the fact that she has a point. I have almost no doubt in my mind that if I live to a ripe old age I will see the end of print, newspapers and books will be a relic as handy in modern society as a gramophone is today. But my books! I feel like reading is an active thing, a living thing that has a power over me. The spicy smell, the weight, the sound pages make when you are reading at a frantic pace to see what happens next is all part of the experience. Used book in particular show their use and their love, I guess books for me are more like pieces of art. Take away that experience and you are left a cold device that sucks up energy, could die if not properly charged (and if this happened during a particularly intense part of a story it would most likely in my case end up shattered against a wall) and will become obsolete when the newest model comes out.

There is a part of me that also sees the good in an eReader though. When you don’t print paper you are not cutting down trees. I try to be eco-minded; we have compost bin, recycle regularly, grow our own herbs and vegetable, buy energy star rated appliances and use the stupid lightbulbs that are good for the environment if not our eyes. Even part my business is based on sustainable ways to clean your home without waste, but I just hate the idea of giving up my books.

So here I am, sitting in a room surrounded by books debating on abandoning their sweet, therapeutic texture to try something cold and sterile that is the future. Can you be nostalgic for something that is still around? I am.

My Conflicted Mind- Part 1 (Oh My! So Fancy!)

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Part 1 – How Best to Spend Time on Your Bum

I didn’t realized until we went on vacation this past weekend that I am not reading nearly enough! I know knitting is a passion – I have lots of passions – but my first true passion was always reading. From a young age I became a library scavenger,  spending hours amongst the stacks careful in my selection and confident in my choices.  As a teenager and college student I read for both pleasure and academics, sometimes they came together like with William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury  which is still one of my favorite books today. After I finished college I was reading about a book a week (this is an average I am pulling off Goodreads here) which seemed to satisfy my needs quite well. But since knitting has morphed from a passion to a possible business venture my reading has dropped by the wayside. My spare time is spent reading other blogs, knitting, blogging and then some more knitting. It is quite a dilemma.

So, at around four o’clock this morning I picked up Just One Day by Gayle Forman,  a book my lovely niece left at my house and which had peaked my curiosity. I got my niece started with her first two books, both of which I highly recommend, and the book seemed to be taunting me all night long. Knit, purl, knit, purl -look at book- knit, purl, knit -look at book- knit…oh Sh!$ that wasn’t right! After having a few disastrous rows completely shatter my focus I went ahead and fixed the work so I could continue on with the pattern and put it aside, then I dove at the book with a single minded purpose. I was going to read.

And read I did. But there was something missing from the magic I usually feel when I am reading. Typically, I pick up a book and have no problem losing myself in an imaginary world which always seems that it was created just for me. The weight, texture and smell of the book all invaded my senses and I become more and more curled up in the couch, as if protecting the book from being snatched out of my hands. The books was a quick, easy read and very enjoyable but still….what was missing? Where was the magic? Well friends and neighbors (yes, I am stealing this from Stephen King) there was also guilt invading my imaginary world.

While trying to lose myself in my story I was constantly distracted by other things; I should be blogging, I should be taking pictures, I should be knitting, I should be doing my budget. I have begun to loath any thought that starts with “I should…”. Knitting, blogging, editing pictures and reading all involve sitting, which is a concept I take issue with. When there is abalance between activity and leisure the world is pretty much okey dokey in my book -pun intended- but when you spend so much time sitting in comparison to moving, I feel like my time sitting should be productive. I row every morning, and usually run every night. The best part of being an insomniac is that there are more hours in the day to accomplish everything you want to, but between work and sitting at home working I just feel lazy. So now the internal debate of how to handle all the things that bring me joy while off my feet is raging in my head.

How to handle a conflict of interest with two things you love? Striking a balance seems the best way, but can that fully eradicate the feeling of guilt? When you know how short and precious life is, how can you not want to do everything you love everyday? Besides the fact that I know this is an impossibility, I am still going to figure out if I can do it. Denial is a strong motivator.

Want to get to know me a little better? Here are some of my favorite books (or at least the first ones that popped into my mind). Enjoy.

Stay tuned for Part 2! And if you are still with me, let me know what you like to read or how you balance your time, I would love any suggestions I can get.

The most technologically efficient machine that man has ever invented is the book.

-Nathan Frye

The Cabin in the Woods

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Oh sweet oasis, how I have needed you! We have been renting cabins in Hocking Hills for years, the quaint cabins are set deep into wooded groves surrounding a lake where you can frolic in the clear water or waste an afternoon in one of the boats just drifting away the hours. I love it here, it is the only place I’ve ever been to that can completely purge my scatterbrained mind so completely. It is my Heaven on Earth.

Hocking Hills

Pieces of my most favoritist place on Earth!

I packed my bag with almost no care; changes of clothes and my ever ready dopp-kit were thrown haphazardly into a duffle bag with almost no thought, except maybe for comfort. It was the other bag, the goodie bag of awesomeness that I took care with; my camera, my iPod and it’s speakers, two books and a couple of WIPs for good measure. These were the items I cared about, the ones that wouldn’t make a trip into nature feel complete without their presence, and the best part of this nature is NO CELL PHONE SERVICE. That fact alone removed the knots in my shoulders and the heartburn that starts in my knees.

When we arrived, did I mention my husband was along for the trip? Well, he was, so there. Where Trevor and I are concerned there is no such thing as awkward silences, and being in the cabin we tend to do our own things together. If that makes sense. We’re both so absorbed in soaking up the carefree vibes that even being apart brings us together. This probably makes no sense, every marriage is a secret between two people as it should be, but I always feel closer to him in the cabin. Getting away from all the distractions that make you want to pout like a big, pissed off baby are all gone and you are just with each other again. Peace can do that I suppose.

The view from the cabin's deck.

The view from the cabin’s deck.

Anywho- Arriving made the stress melt away almost immediately, as if it never existed. We curled up on the outdoor couch and began devouring the books we had brought. Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects and John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars were my picks for the weekend and although they fall on very different ends of the literary spectrum, they were both incredible. If I had half the talent of the book reviewers I have read recently I would review them for you, but since I don’t I highly suggest you look into them for yourselves! There was a natural, natural to me it seems, migration from the couch to the boat with our books, the water lapping against the sides lulls one into a story, and for me this is the most conducive environment for creativity. So, on to the knitting.

WIP- Baby Blanket

WIP- Baby Blanket

Of course I only took one picture of things I am working on, I am prepared like that! The baby blanket to the left is for a friend of mine. I always do a swatch to see not only gauge and texture, but also to frame. I think it is nice to have a frame swatch of the baby blanket you bring your baby home with to keep as a memento, plus I never feel like I am wasting yarn! This swatch is going to suck to frame because the texture is so raised, the the blanket (God willing) is going to be beautiful.

Second in progress baby blanket.

Second in progress baby blanket.

This second guy here is also a baby blanket but will be far easier to frame. I love doing baby blankets for people because it is fun to always try out a new stitch pattern. I sit down, or email people all the different stitches and patterns that are available to them and let them choose. We go through size, weight, pattern, color and of course material. Most choose acrylic for obvious reasons but I have made several christening blankets from silk that were just a joy to have on my needles. Also, just as a forewarning, this will probably be my stitch pattern for this week. It was taken from my great-grandmother’s book and is absolutely hysterical the way she wrote it.

If you’re still with me, thanks for hanging in there because this post is turning into something more like a tome. The vacation was great, the knitting is fantastic, but life can still suck the root when you get back home. The biggest part of living in a society where everyone is sharing everything is that, well, baby pictures are everywhere. Baby pictures, pregnancy pictures and manically grinning families is something you are bombarded with on a daily basis. The biggest hiccup in my life is that I have always suffered from severe emetophobia; a fear of vomiting. To be honest just typing that word has the ability to make my heart start to race and my palms sweat. When you desperately want to be a mother but know that where you are now, even with therapy and medication (yup, they medicate phobias) would never work, it is fucking devastating. Pardon the foul language but I know no other way to get my point to bluntly across.

Knitting baby blankets is something I do because I LIKE doing it. The idea of making something that will bring a new life into their new home is pretty amazing, it just knowing you may never get to bring your OWN baby home in your creation that is devastating. I won’t go any further, for another post perhaps, just popped into my head. Even if nobody reads this at least the thought is out of my head, forever in black and white, and I can go back to doing what I do, going back into the real world, needles clicking all the time.

Besides, who looks happy to see us!

Look at the excitement!

Look at the excitement!