Books and More Books

 I have turned into a book dragon.  Collecting books faster than I have been reading them.  It may have been pointed out that the books exceed my current shelf space.  So there is only one solution that I am on board with. I will take 30 minutes a day to read the books until the piles are depleted.  I know that this will take longer than the other suggestions that I have received and rejected.  

As I finish the books, I will give you the title and author with a thumbs up or down.  Then if they are not autographed copies which I intend to keep, I have developed a plan of action.  

1. Try Bookman’s first. This is because I can take the exchange credit and trade for new socks for a local children’s clothing bank  that I like to support, this is a win-win for me.

2. One of the tiny free libraries around Tucson.  If by chance I finish a book while traveling, I will try to find a tiny library to leave it at or a coffee shop with a bookshelf.  

If you have any other ideas please let me know in the comment section.  

A New Spot

 I think I have found a new favorite reading place.  I have decided not to share the location. I know this is totally selfish on my part.  I just don’t want to arrive and find that I have absolutely no place to sit and read.  

On A Fiber Hiatus

 Well it seemed inevitable to everyone else but me.  The arthritis has moved to both shoulders. The right shoulder is worse than the left.  Until the pain goes away on its own or we figure out what the real damage is and repair it, I will not be working with fiber.  

So the game plan is to rest and read.  I know I did child care and reading until my 40th birthday when I went to try something new on a whim and became hook on fiber.  Well in the last almost 25 years there have been a lot of books written.  I have amassed a few and will try to read as many as possible.  I have pulled my reading glasses out.  First on my list is The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.  

Six Plus Heat

 It was a 6 jigsaw puzzle day. I had physical therapy for my right hand today.  After a few errands and lunch it was nap time.  Afterwords I could not hold a knitting needle or do any spinning. So I listened to a book and did jigsaw puzzle after jigsaw puzzle this afternoon.  

It was also pretty hot outside today with another day of 110f temperatures.  This being Tucson it is not unusual for this time of year before our summer rains. No matter what they say on the national news broadcasts.  I really hope we get some rain in the next week or 2. Otherwise it will be a very long hot summer.  Also for those of you not use to this kind of heat if it is going to be above 90f you want to start your walk or hike very early and plan to be OFF the trail by no later than 10 a.m.   Then go hydrate. If you feel thirsty you are already low on water. No matter what ads you see or read, water is the best summer drink around.  

I will see where my hand is tomorrow.  Maybe after my early morning errands I will actually be able to spin a bit or do some sewing. Maybe it will cool off tonight a little, it’s still 92f at 11 p.m.  

TTFN

Reading

 Today did not go as planned.  I had a bad night and slept in.  Then for brunch I had a high fat but delicious meal.  Let’s just say my body did not like my choice.  So nothing got done on the new pattern.  I did manage to get through another 2 hours of my new audio book.  I am currently reading The Witch Elm by Tana French. So far it’s really good   I just finished Where The Crawdads Sing which is another excellent book   

Planning for 2022

 As 2021 comes to a close and we’re getting ready to enter the zillion th year of COVID19 and all of its variants I am beginning to wonder if it would be better for me to leave Facebook and cut down on my other social media.  Instead spend my time reading, walking outside and crafting.  After all if the science is to be believed the Spanish Influenza of 1918  took 3 years to settle down.  I know people traveled a lot less back in 1918. I hope all the traveling people are doing now does not  prolong the current pandemic. 

I have literally no place to go. No travel plans. I have lots of projects, lots of craft supplies, lots of books and  most of all lots of time.   What I don’t want is an email box that is overflowing with junk mail.  Spending time on social media  tends to add to that.  I deleted over 1000 emails today and did not make a dent.  I have to think on this.  I will keep my blog though.  

Blankets and More

 I have 6 more blankets to knit unless I have too much yarn left over and then it will be anyone guess.  I basically have 2 large tote bags full of yarn for blankets with 4 partially completed blankets inside. Plus 2 more that I had inherited, one with no additional yarn and 1 with about half the yarn I need to finish it up. I am of course stash diving. 

I really want to buy more yarn. I just can’t until I have completed a whole lot of projects.  So every project finished and every skein of yarn used up, I am closer to being able to go out and buy new yarn.  

As for the craft room that was turned into a storage room, John think he can rearrange the room so I don’t have to look at all the storage stuff. This happened after he heard me dragging my rocking chair to another room.  The chair is just to big and bulky for me to lift.  

I also started listening to a new book today. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. I have finished 9% of the book and I don’t want to put it down.  Mr.Vance is an excellent story teller.  I can’t wait to listen to more as I knit tomorrow.  

Happy 2020

This is the first morning of 2020.  This year I will put a few goals in writing.  They are in no particular order.

1. Teri would like me to read 100 books this year.  A more realistic goal is 12.  So I will strive to read 12 books and any extra books read is a bonus for Teri and Bookman’s.

2.  I will try to finish 100 craft projects this year.  With a minimum of 5 dozen hats, to be knit over the summer.

3. I will try to publish 4 patterns this year. I hope that this is not too ambitious for me.

4. I will try to enjoy my retirement and get out more.

I could add more, but this is all that I am willing to commit to this year. I have not set goals since so last century. This list is doable if nothing major happens this year.

Random Acts of Cleaning

I find it simply amazing that such a random act like packing can lead to a random act of deep cleaning. Tonight while refreshing my kit, I noticed that my toothpaste had expired. So in my search for a good tube of toothpaste I inadvertently cleaned out a drawer.

What lead to this, is that I am leaving the guys home to go to a fiber retreat this weekend. I will be at Sheep Thrills in Prescott Arizona. Hopefully doing a lot of knitting,Spinning and relaxing.

The Laundry Room Won

The score is 6 for the laundry room, 0 for me. So I started a load of laundry after dinner. I really hate doing laundry after dinner when Eric is not sick.

I also scored a copy of Mitch Albom’s book The First Phone Call From Heaven. I can’t wait to start it. There is a big however to this. I don’t get my new glasses for 2 weeks. With these glasses I. can only read clearly with my left eye, because my right reading lens needs a new script. The only other solution is to read the book upside down and backwards. What choices.

I am finally feeling better following the hand surgery earlier this year. I am starting to get more things done around the house. This week I finished knitting hat then started a another hat. I finished weaving a child's scarf and will start another one when I warp the loom again.

In The Blender

Eric had a rough night last night and I don't even remember what time that I got him settled down for the night.  All I know is that 6 am came much too quickly. Eric's bad night lasted for most of the day. So,Eric skipped his day program and helped me sort the double pointed knitting needles by size. I now can say that I know where most of my double pointed knitting needles are. I think that I can lose quite a few before I have to run out and buy replacements. Of course there is still the odd one floating around the house and a set with each hat knitting bag. I keep one bag for knitting animal fiber hats and one bag for plant based fiber hats. The are no bags for petroleum based fiber hats, as I feel that no one should be forced to wear clothing made from a non-renewable resource.

I think that I will be putting all my knitting accessories in one spot too. I have not decided what I will put all the accessories in yet. That and single pointed straight knitting needles will be done on Friday. I find it kinda of odd that after over 30 years of marriage that I am finally starting to understand my engineer's mind for organization and that sometimes less is more.

I usually do not run the washer and dryer after 100f, but I got a late start at  laundry today. Even though I was finished with the laundry by 10:30 am it was over 100f already. It did feel on the cooler side today at lunch time it felt a bit chilly at 105f with a light breeze after last weeks 115f and 116f days.

I also found time to start knitting a new wool hat tonight and am halfway through with it. I think that is is time to go do some reading.

Saturday

OK, we actually got out of the house with Eric today. We took Eric to see the new Harry Potter movie. He is a big Harry Potter fan and dress up like Harry every Halloween. This is the best Harry Potter film yet and the special effects are awesome. No I am not going to tell you anything more, but if you are going to knit during this movie I recommend a very light yarn. I am no spoiler. But I will say that if Teri does not find time during finals to see this movie I will go see it again. Enough said.

Here is one spoiler that I am willing to give away. I just picked up the November copy of Simply Knitting and I will be making the blue shrug on the cover for Teri and I. I will let Teri pick her yarn out when she is home for winter break. The cowl on the front cover looks cool too.

As you can tell from this blog I did get a full nights sleep and Eric is doing much better. A lot of knitting got done today but I have so many projects going on at one time that nothing got finished. I guess knitting is like reading, I have to have a couple of books going at one time too.

Well it is time to do some more knitting.