Slice of Life

I've been posting a lot of crafty stuff lately. So much so, that some of you may be thinking, "gee, all this stuff is cute and all, but, what about you? Is your whole life about crafts?"

It's not.

For instance, last night, when I went over to Barnes & Noble for Fab Fibers (darn!crafts again!), I stopped to look at the New Fiction table. I mean, I may have a house full of books and not enough book shelves, but I'm always looking for something new.

I picked up The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise and flipped to a random page. (Because that's how I choose my books - I open them up, somewhere in the middle, and if the first few sentences I read make me want to read more, I take it home.) It was a passage about someone claiming a prosthetic from the London Underground Lost & Found, and...and I was totally hooked. How could I help it? Funny? You bet.

Work is work. That's probably enough about that. Except, we are getting some new software that will make my job easier, and that's exciting. But probably only exciting if you're me.

The Twins are doing fine. Both have their GED (flying colors, natch - they're both super-smart), and are looking for work. It's a tough world out there for the inexperienced, though, so nothing yet. Twin1 is also making serious progress towards a certain goal, and I'm very proud of him. I've always loved watching my kids grow and discover and learn. I suppose I just didn't expect that to continue into adulthood. (Not their growth - of course that should continue - just my fascination and awe.)

I've just started on my 3rd reading (in a row, not in my whole lifetime) of the Book of Mormon. I started reading my chapter a day when the Twins were in their Senior year, and when I finished it the first time, it just seemed right to start over. It takes about 9 months to read the whole thing, one chapter at a time. I'm trying to pay more attention and think it over more for this round.

I suppose I could say more. But I've got some serious crafting to do. Always another project waiting in the wings.

Just Right

One of my book club besties decided to host our meeting in the middle of the day, at her backyard pool. She sent the hubby off with the kids (after he grilled up our turkey burgers), and those of us that could get away enjoyed a fabulous lunch (followed by some fancy snow-cones) and a few hours lounging by and in the pool.

Now, I'm sitting at my desk, smelling of sunscreen, my hair in soft waves down my back, dreaming I'm still there.

It was just exactly what I needed. Thanks a million, 'Chelle!

The arrival of Mockingjay

My copy of Mockingjay arrived just before I left for work this morning.

The UPS guy knocked briefly on the back door (why the back? that always bugs me) and then left the package, plain brown cardboard, propped up against the pale yellow brick exterior.

I retrieved it, opened the package, and resisted opening the book.

Instead, I placed it on my armchair - my knitting/reading chair, the chair we sometimes refer to as the man-chair.

I open the front door, ready to leave the house, and I catch some movement, off to the left, just out of the corner of my eye. Then, oh my goodness, this gorgeous blue jay, with these impossibly long, brilliant blue tail feathers, is briefly perched, wings still out-stretched, on the arm of one of the deck chairs in the front yard. A seriously beautiful bird. Just for a moment.

I glance back at the chair, at the Mockingjay cover. The image of that bird, so similar.

It was hard not to just sit right down and open that book.

Three guesses what I'm doing with my Friday evening.

*blue jay image from here*

Hedgehog Elegance

I've just reached the part in this book from whence the title came. And it is brilliant.

The younger heroin, Paloma, is conversing with another tenant, a new tenant (unusual in itself, because these apartments, "apartments for rich people", are generally passed down to the next generation in the same family), about the concierge (our other heroin), and how she doesn't seem to be as unintelligent as she puts on. It is then that our young girl tells us that she feels that the older woman has the elegance of a hedgehog. "Covered in quills, a real fortress, but...on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary - and terribly elegant."

So much of this book is over my head. I haven't read enough philosophy. I haven't read enough Russian literature. Or seen enough films. The concierges grammar and knowledge are well beyond her station in life. She brought herself there. She reads and studies everything. I had to look up autodidact in my dictionary. It wasn't there. I had to figure out for myself what it meant, from the meaning of the word didactic (instructive), which was.

I set this aside for a while, feeling overwhelmed. But now that I've picked it back up, I don't want to put it back down again until I'm done.

very quick read

Picked up The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner last night after knit group.

Done already.

Yup, that was a quick one. No chapters, just a straight read, all the way through. I got almost to the end before I was too sleepy to read last night, and then picked it up this morning and finished the last couple of pages.

Better written than her earlier stuff. But, it did leave me wanting just a bit more. I wanted a little more background or something on some of the other vampires, the ones Bree gets to know a little.

And, did I miss something? Has Edward always had red hair? Did I miss that in the other books? I'm sure that could just be me, missing a detail. I just never had him in my head with red hair. I mean, really? Is that what color his hair is supposed to be?

I Want Sprinkles!

Went to the Cake Wrecks book signing last night up at Kings English bookstore in SLC.

Lots of cake. Lots of fun. Jen and John are basically just as much fun in person as they are on the blog.

And, in case you were wondering the same thing, yes, this is a full-time thing. They even have an assistant.

Also, she wore the boots!

(and...I forgot my camera...oops)

Recent Reads

I'm still trying to make my way through The Zombie Survival Guide. I don't know why it isn't holding my interest, because it's actually a fun book. Maybe it's the similarity to non-fiction?

In the meantime, I finished Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. Surprisingly good. A bit silly here and there, but at no time did I feel the urge to throw the volume across the room, nor to bang my head against the headboard in frustration. I'm seriously considering getting the prequel, Dawn of the Dreadfuls.

After that, I read The Alchemist. This is one of those books everyone seems to have read, and also something I thought I'd read already. Apparently not. Twin1 saw me with it, says, "that's a good book." Which leaves me wondering how I missed that he'd read it. Very good read, definitely worth owning. The sort of book I'll read again.

I tried to settle back into Zombie Survival, but it couldn't compete with the newly purchased copy of Marley & Me starting at me from the other side of the bed. That cute puppy face won out. I'm about 1/3 of the way through, and loving it.

Yesterday, just as I was about to leave work, I got the email telling me Major Pettigrew's Last Stand was waiting for me at the library. I could not resist. I know it's mine until June 8, but I couldn't help it, I opened it last night.

I used to be a one-book-at-a-time gal. Not sure what happened.

Reading tidbits

I'm currently reading both The Zombie Survival Guide and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. This has made for some interesting moments.

I'm just past the weaponry section of ZSG, and just past the engagement of Charlotte Lucas in PPZ.

Monday night, reading PPZ, the ladies encounter that rarity of rarities, a baby zombie. Neither Jane nor Lizzie can bring themselves to kill it. I'm thinking, "Hey, zombies cannot procreate, so how do you suppose that zombie baby happened?" And a second later, "yeah, cuz zombies are real" simultaneously thinking, "well, it could have been turned zombie, just like the adult zombies."

Then, later that same night, I'm falling asleep reading PPZ, and I hear a noise. My half-awake brain says, "oh, no, what if that's a zombie?"

I'm not sure how much more I can take.

Nature Girl

I like Carl Hiaasen. I loved Hoot. He's very good, has nifty historical details and a lot of "save the planet" material worked in so that it seems normal. I like that.
But why, I often wonder, do male writers feel the need to write about sex so darned much? Or to spell out all the gruesome details of some injury for you?
Both of these, in abundance, make this totally inappropriate reading for not just my boys, but possibly a lot of my adult friends.
Perusing the titles of his other works, it strikes me he may be the Michael Moore of literature. Okay, if you like that sort of thing.
At least I have nothing to complain about as far as the writing skills. Good solid story.

library love

I went to my local library last night to pick up a book I'd had on hold for me. A book I had to pick up now, or it would go to the next requester, never mind I never got a phone call or email telling me it was waiting for me. Humph.
That's hardly showing my love, is it?
The thing I love, is how much my library card can do for me.
See, I went in for this book, Mrs Mike, which I'm now going to have to speed read to be able to discuss with my book club next Tuesday. That's my fault, I didn't try to get it from the library until last week, at which time all were checked out. Naturally. Hence the hold request.
But I digress.
So, I pick up my book, and head for the automated check-out, when, out of the corner of my eye, I see the displays of "new fiction". I like new. Let's see what they've got over there...
A few moments of browsing later, I find Mr. Darcy, Vampire. As in, Miss Elizabeth Bennett's one and only true love, but now he's undead. Which could explain an awful lot.
I flit out of the library, two books the richer, and head for the grocery store to buy lunch fixin's for Twin1 and Twin2.
Which is when I realize why I love my library card.
I leave the grocery store, $33.60 having left my account in payment for said lunch fixin's, and I think to myself:
I (and the Twins) will consume this food, and it will become part of me, and I will enjoy it. And I'll still be out that $33.60 at the end of it. On the other hand, I will read my books, they will become part of me, I will consume them, in like manner, though possibly over a much shorter period of time, discuss them, and enjoy them (at least, I expect I will enjoy them), and then, having given no money whatsoever for this privilege, I will return these books, because that's how it works, that's what is expected. And they will still be part of me.
Dear Library, I know I don't visit as often as I should. But, may I say? I love you.

PB&J on white

I was crocheting a new project last night, a PB&J, from this great book I just got,

and suddenly, just after finishing the 3rd "bread" piece (you need 4 of them for a sandwich, because you sew 2 together for each piece of bread, so they aren't floppy), and found that I only had about a yard of white yarn left. Thing is, I remember when I bought that skein of Vanna. And I am pretty sure I can name everything I've used it for. It doesn't add up. Largest item I recall would be the vanilla swirl cone; but how much yarn can go into something only about 4" tall and 2" around at the base, tapering to a point? I used it for the eyes on Nubby, but not much went into that. The white bits on the fox, again, not much there. Middle of the failed Oreo, but that was just chain however many and then sc back. The popcorn was Sugar-n-Cream yarn. The garlic was in Fisherman, Wool-Ease. Baby socks were in a sport-weight. What else have I knitted or crocheted in white recently? It just doesn't seem like I could have used up the entire skein yet. What am I forgetting?
Anyway...
There I was, only minutes into a school program (that deserves a post all it's own), and out of yarn. Luckily, I had the crust, pb, and jelly colors there, so I did the crust on the 3 completed pieces, and then got about 1/2 the pb done before it was time to put it away. I had another skein of white at home, so I was able to complete the rest of the bread and put the layers together. I'm seriously going to make an entire loaf of sliced white bread for my friends' play kitchen (not a play kitchen for herself, you understand, it's for her grandkids). Hmm. How to do the heels? I'm gonna have to figure that one out for myself, I bet. And I'd like something better than a plain plastic bread sack to put it in. Except fabric isn't transparent, generally, and you should be able to see it through the sack, just like real bread. Sheer fabrics aren't going to be sheer enough. Vinyl is likely to rip at the seams. Shoot, I'll just have to do the sack in cotton, appliqued or stamped cute like a fancy bakery bread bag. It needs to be practical and easy-care more than anything. Or, I guess, I could just put it in a plain sack, twist tie and all, like real bread, and if/when the sack wears out, just get another. Easy enough. Except, "plastic bags are not toys" and all that. Grr.
Now, to design those heels...making one side in crust color doesn't quite seem enough...they'll need shaping...
How many skeins of white yarn do you think it will take to make a loaf of sliced bread?

DUH! Just realized where all that white yarn went! The eyeballs. I made 10 of them, 8 went in gift baskets, and mine are put away with the Halloween stuff in the attic. Well, that clears that up, anyway. I kept looking at all the stuff around the house, trying to remember if I'd gifted something that used a large amount of white.