Crochet Time

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving for those who are US based readers. If you are shopping on this Friday, I hope you find what you want. I will be snoozing in bed as I don't do early Black Friday sales. Heck I rarely even shop on Black Friday. 

I do have to go out, acupuncture appointment in the AM and I really should peddle a few miles at the Y as well. Anticipating a significant snowfall on Saturday, around 6 inches. 

Lots of crochet time on Thanksgiving, three football games to watch and I was staying home and not having to drive anywhere for dinner. I could fix myself a nice simple meals, stuff I can eat while watching TV and then get back to my project. First time in five years I was at home and I didn't mind the year off from being a social butterfly.  

Work in progress from last week is done. Yarn is from Lion Brand, Ice Cream Roving Divagation, color is Razzle. I really liked this yarn and when I went to look the yarn has been discontinued. BOO. They have other Ice Cream styles but they are a lighter weight yarn than what I normally used for my blankets. Oh well. Nice mix of blues, white and a lemon-lime color and soft. 

 

 Happy Weekend  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Happy Thanksgiving Eve here in the US. Hope you have all of your food shopping done. I went for groceries on late Monday AM. A little bit busy, but not bad. No lines waiting for cashiers. As I was leaving two men arrived with 8x10 inch paper, lists that the wives probably sent them to get stuff.  

Library hours for holiday, closed on Thursday, but open again on Friday and Saturday. Not to worry, I have a nice stack of books to read. We may be getting snow so will be nice to curl up with a good book or two this weekend. 

Library changes are coming for next year. The village board reduced the library budget by $300K, moving it to the police department. They have announced open hour reduction, closing at 8 PM instead of 9PM Monday to Thursday. Now I have been in the library that late and it is usually super quiet. Most likely affect those who come to use the study rooms. They may also have fewer programs, especially in the evening since the building will closer earlier. Programs usually started at 6:30 and ran for 90-120 minutes. No evening moves now either. Not sure if staff will be affected. For me personally I don't think these changes will affect me much. Bummed that they took away the funds. When I was on the board I was amazed at what they were doing with what I considered minimal dollars. 

 

Sonny Boy is a memoir by actor Al Pacino. He relates his early life and how he got into acting. Recounts getting some of his iconic roles during his career including Michael Corleone in The Godfather series. Unlike some recent celebrity books I have read recently, Pacino gave you enough information without boring you. 

The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an age of Extremism. A deep look at how the religious movement of evangelicalism has been taken over for political purposes. The polarization of religion and faith to secular needs. That the United States should be the new ordained kingdom of God. The author is the son of a clergyman so he is very knowledgeable on what he writes.

 

Hmmm, I don't buy books but I do find authors that I will then read all of the books they have written. I look for book series, then I know I will have lots of books to read. Just wish they would write faster! I want to know what happens next! 

Happy Reading.   

Work in Progress

Yes, working on something, but not that hard. While I normally crochet while I watch TV, especially sports, I have been watching the PBS shows on the American Revolution. Those require actual watching paying attention. So no trying to multi-task.  

Friend Dan was over yesterday to do some minor chores that I can't do myself. Up on a ladder to fix the gutter screen, re-caulk the bath tub, and carry up the old dehumidifier from the basement.  Hauled off an old dehumidifier to a electronic recycling place and they didn't charge for it either! After my haircut and library run I was going to do more yard work after, but it was damp and misty. Saved the yard stuff for another day.

 Ducky trying to be helpful and sitting in my lap. Sometimes more of an obstacle than a help. 

Which is why I do one giant blanket and not little squares. I did make a granny square blanket a few decades ago. The only one I made. I think I still have it stashed away somewhere. 

 

Happy Weekend. 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Getting closer to having the fall yard work done. Windy, rainy and colder weather has brought down 99% of the leaves. I need to blow the leaves off one more time and then mow. I hauled the last of the stuff to the compost pile on Saturday.  

I keep the cane handy if I need in case the bursitis in my hip gets to me. Better since I got an injection a month ago. Wonder how long it will last.  

I found a place for my silver bowl. It fits and it is someplace where I will see it as well. Moved a vase with some silk flowers to do this, but I haven't found a good spot for the vase yet. Eventually.  

The Book Supremacy Brooklyn and Derek are enjoying their honeymoon in France and Paris. Derek runs into an old MI-6 mate. Brooklyn finds a first edition copy of The Spy Who Loved Me in the bookstalls by the Seine. After they get home more of Derek's past with MI-6 seem to be surfacing and Brooklyn is dealing with jealousy from one of Derek's employees. 

Buried in Books, it is the week of Brooklyn and Derek's wedding. Just a few things to do, like book convention seminars, meeting old friends and finding a dead body. With a creepy guy who wants to crash the wedding. 

Yes I read these in story order, even if they aren't piled up that way. 

 

 Last one is for all of my librarian friends, past, present and future.  

Happy Reading  

Crochet Time

 The end of the outside yard work is in sight! The trees really started to shed leaves once we had a few nights of temps in the 20s. I worked really hard since Tuesday to get the leaves off the lawn. Every day a different section, not totally leaf free but I have to mow one more time which will get rid of them. Part of my motivation was that my lawn service was going to fertilize on Tuesday. On top of all the leaves not on the grass. So I asked if they could come back and they said they would delay until Friday.  Thankfully I had decent weather to work outside. 

Last weeks work in progress has become a finished project. Yarn is from Lion Brand Mandala, color is Warlock Sorcier. Colors look different in these pics than to the eye, stripes of browns and greens to my eye, but the greens look blueish here and the browns purple.

This was yarn I picked up at JoAnn's during the clearance and I was grabbing anything I think would work. When I started to work on it I noticed that the yarn was a 3 weight yarn, not a 4 like I normally do. I used a hook that was one size smaller as well. This worked up much differently in terms of how much yarn it took. I used 3.5 skeins which were 5.3 ounces each, normally I use nearly 6 skeins. 

Blanket is the usual size, approximately 30x50 inches. I can also tell that it is much lighter in feel that my usual weight yarn. I had been wondering how a 3 weight yarn would work, now I know in case I find yarn in that weight that I might want to use.  

I have two extra skeins that I didn't use. Those will be passed along to my friend and her church group will make good use of them. 

In some ways every day is a crochet day or at least a potential crochet day. I do need to give my achy hands a rest now and then. 

Of the following things I crochet and buy yarn. I don't do the others as what I make I use the same pattern. I might look at new patterns and stitches but really stick to my tried and true things.  

 Happy Weekend. 

 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

I came home on Saturday night with some extra hardware. I won what can be considered the member of the year. 

The Wuesthoff Award is Milwaukee Region’s highest honor, given annually to a member for long time meritorious service to the Region. The recipient is chosen by previous Wuesthoff recipients who are current Milwaukee Region members. 

You may only see a few names on the base, the bowl was out of room and there are around 60 more names on there. Award was first given out in 1955.  

I am trying to figure out where to put this for the next year. Then I turn it in and get a smaller bowl to keep for good.  

 A bit less reading time, trying to get the yard work done. It finally got really cold and windy. That finally is getting the leaves to fall off the trees. I spent over an hour on Tuesday just clearing one area. They happened to be working on picking up the piles in the street. They worked around me so I had time to finish that section of the yard. 

Plus my lawn service was going to do the final fertilizer application. Since I didn't have the leaves up I asked that they come back in a few days. So I have to finish up before Friday.  

All That Glitters an amazing true story of Inigo Philbrick who was plead guilty to wire fraud, schemes to defraud or obtain money or property. He was an art dealer in London. Author is a former art school student, business partner, friend of Philbrick. 

Selling Sexy the ups and downs of the business Victoria's Secret. Mainly a look at the business and marketing side of things. The development of the brand, the original catalog and the televised shows. The models who made their name by being the "Angels". Also the relationship of executive Les Wexner and Jeffrey Epstein. 

The Story of Perfume is a lovely book that covers the topic from ancient times in Asia, Middle East. On to Europe where in France it came to the fore front of use. Originally used as a way to mask odor before better personal hygiene kicked in. Now a billion dollar business. From collecting flowers and herbs to synthetic oils, mixed just right to please. Plus the gorgeous containers designed by Baccarat, Lalique and others. Lots of pictures.  

 Happy Reading 

Little Crochet Time

No completed project this week, but a work in progress which is about 75% of the way done.  

Must get the outside work done. I only have two smaller areas in the front of the house that need to be cut back. Then I just have leaves to worry about. First the leaves must come down from the trees and they are very slow to do so this fall. 

I did spend an hour blowing off the worst of the leaves under the maple trees. If I get motivated tomorrow I may mow that section of yard to get the grass shorter. The leaves will blow off easier. Depends on how my back feels.  

Project Feeder Watch has also started for the winter. Citizen science at work reporting bird sightings and numbers. Helps track migration, population numbers and such. I need to get the extension cord hooked up to the water bath. It was frozen Thursday AM when I got up. Wasn't paying attention to how cold it was going to get! 

Mostly my yarn fills my closet. I haven't gotten so bad that yarn has taken over the house. I haven't purchased any more yarn since May when JoAnn's was in their final clearance days. I still look at things in catalogs and online, but don't actually buy anything.  

 Happy November!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Less reading time and more outside work. Tuesday was less windy so I could get some of the leaves blown to the curb. Also hauled some of the stuff I cut down last Friday off. Much of this stuff is woody so I might just wait and leave this stuff for the spring brush pickup. 

My perennial garden is a mess and I have thought I could use a flamethrower to kill things off. They actually make them for home use! I was thinking I would have to get a small propane welding type thing, but no! I won't do anything until spring. I have turned off the outside water faucets and I won't do this unless I have a way to kill any fire!

I still have the smaller front flower beds to work on, then just leaves and mowing. Not too bad, plus the maple trees still haven't shed their leaves yet.  

Halloween was busy, way more people than usual and not little kids either. Max number in the past was around 30, this year 70-75! I came in when I ran out of candy.  

State of the Onion is the first of ten books in the White House Chef Mystery series. Olivia "Ollie" is an assistant chef at the White House and is a candidate to take over the top spot as executive chef. She helps foil an intruder into the grounds, but now her life seems to be in danger. Plus there is a new Etiquette Affairs person who is sticking his nose into everything to deal with. 

Murder is Binding a small New Hampshire town recruits people to come and open small bookstores. They do, but then things change when one of the bookstore owners is murdered. Did a local or a fellow store owner do it? I personally couldn't get into the author's style of writing, won't be reading more. It is an active series with the author writing more. 

Once Upon a Spine Brooklyn is finally meeting her in-laws to be. Also trying to figure out who is spreading graffiti on some of the local businesses. When a local store owner is killed and another seriously injured, Derek and Brooklyn come to the rescue. 

  Happy Reading