Knitting and Reading

and of course, packing. It is not that I really have all that much to take home, it is I don’t want to leave the extra suitcase here. Good thing that my Frequent Traveler card with Lufthansa entitles me to the extra suitcase (and only a bejillion miles to go to reach Senator status).

Reading

I had mentioned the reading in the my first note this year. I am attempting to shift my reading to free sources as much as possible. It may stop me from spending as much on books (all formats) as I did last year. There is a lot of material free (B&N, Amazon, iTunes and even occasionally on Audible). In response, there was a wide variety of reading from all of you. Ron, for example answered –

What am I reading? Just finished the “Hunger Games” Series after Deb kept telling me I need to read them. I could not put it down, 3 books in 7 days, over 2000 pages. Well written. Interesting fiction with socioeconomic subtext about distribution of resources (food) in American future at some distant point yet to come. It is not deep, but it will grab your attention and hold it. It reads like an ancient Roman story set in the future… food and blood sport used as tools to control the masses. Play the colonies against each other for the good the the empire. I am probably going to read them again to see if I missed anything… It is about to be released as a single movie, that has a big list of stars in the key characters.

These are books in which I, to this point, have had no interest. I had mostly heard teens talking about them. After being totally irritated by poorly written wizard stories and sparkly vampires, I had been ignoring YA fiction. Sounds like these might actually have some redeeming worth and I might reconsider.

Ignoring all those books out there which fall into the SVS group (stupid vampire stories), I have been listening to mostly mysteries and the occasional non-fiction.

For something completely different in non-fiction, I would recommend “Looking through a Keyhole” a memoir by Julia Spencer. With sharp, clear prose Ms Spencer unflinchingly interweaves her past into her present situation. Having inherited retinitis pigmentosa, she must come to grips with going blind; changing her life, reclaiming independence and finding her place in the world. This is also a story of Irene – a golden lab – who makes the difference. Most of us have issues with trust, wanting to do things for ourselves. Having to define relationships, especially in one’s seventies is really pretty impressive. I don’t know how the book would read – I have it in audio (and at $3.95 it is cheaper than print) and the narrator is awesome.

Otherwise, have deleted a number of free books, read a couple of so-so urban fantasies and am working my way through some of the early Sharon McCone books by Marcia Muller (again, Audible has nice sales).

Knitting

One does not want the daughter of a knitter to get cold. Someone who has moved to Chicago didn’t have a decent warm neck scarf. So, I knit her a scarf

just the pattern portion of a larger shawl design

just the pattern portion of a larger shawl design

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5 Responses to Knitting and Reading

  1. Carmen says:

    That should be really nice for Chicago weather. You are a way-good knitter! Did you get the alpaca home safe and sound?

  2. Helen says:

    You don’t want to be knitting scarfs for here… 38 deg C yesterday and 39 deg C today!

  3. Cat says:

    Well just divide things equally between the two suitcases…. J
    I really do like those cats – think the pattern may be on Ravelry so I may have to consider whether I can use the chart in something else!

    Bit warm for knitting at present – expecting 37’C today.

  4. Ruth says:

    in keeping with Readin Free in 2013 I am currently enjoying on my Kndle, with the Freankensocks group on Rav, The House of Seven Gables. So far, I’m happy with it. Not so free reading….Up From The Projects, and autobiography of Walter E Williams, a favorite economist of our family. I know…what kind of family has favorite economists?! And yet…hubs, and at least 2 of the boys will make this claim. 🙂

    Knitting: Scarf of Shadows ( Dr watson’s scarf seen in new movie) and various baby hats and socks.

  5. Mitch says:

    Did I ever mention that one of the coldest places on Earth, or so it seemed at the time, was the intersection of Wabash and Wacker where winter winds from the lake would funnel along the river and through the sky-scraper canyons to conferge on that spot? I waited there at 7:30 a.m. to transfer to a bus to take me to Navy Pier where I attended college. Fittingly, the place is now an amusement park.

    Black cats. Nice touch.

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