I can’t believe today is the last day of February. I know it’s a short month and all but I blinked and it was gone. My checklist of things to get done this month is woefully unchecked (so much for my word of the year) but we had 60° weather in February so getting outside and soaking up the faux spring took priority. The warm temperatures were quickly followed by a return to winter with 12 inches of snow so getting out an enjoying the winter was important too (because it’s still warmer than usual for February).
This weekend I went to the movies to see Hidden Figures (very good) and then watched the Oscars (wow, that Best Picture ending…). I wanted to see if my all time favorite ended up winning an EGOT. (He didn’t.) I haven’t seen 90% of the movies that were up for awards so it was mostly about all the pretty dresses. Emma Stone and Viola Davis wore my favorites.
Knitting: Still need to get buttons for Violet’s sweater (see that whole nothing getting checked off my list thing) but Abram’s sweater is coming along quite nicely. I’m 3/4 of the way done with body and then just have the sleeves to go. I’m really liking how it’s knitting up and the yarn is so sproingy and soft. There is quite a bit of variation in the yarn as I go along so I’m having to alternate skeins which isn’t my favorite, but it’s worth it.
Reading: I haven’t read anything since we last chatted. I’m going to be reading The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf this month and I have The Underground Railroad and the first book of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place in my Amazon cart, I just haven’t pulled the trigger.
Watching: I found Suits on Prime which Marian has mentioned a few times and have enjoyed what I’ve watched so far. It’s quick and funny. It’s that kind of puffy drama that’s fun but not devastating. I also started Big Little Lies on HBO and I know I’m going to get sucked in. Which brings me to my Lenten sacrifice.
As you may know, tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and we Catholics kind of make a big deal about Lent. I haven’t always been the best about observing this season (I can’t tell you how many times I’m mid-bite into some tasty meat when I think, “Oh crap, it’s Friday.”) but this year I’m tackling something that has become a bit of a surprise problem for me. I’m giving up “screen time”. I’m still kind of surprised at how much of sacrifice this is going to be for me (As a kid, my mom never once grounded me from the television and when I asked her about it she said, “It wouldn’t have been a punishment, you never watched anything.”) But I’ve found myself staying up later than I’d like (and MUCH later than I should) to see what happened on the most recent episode of Scandal (and Billions and Big Little Lies and so on). In true Mardi Gras fashion, I’m going to binge watch the crap out of some shows tonight and then turn it off and focus on the things that REALLY deserve my focus. Should be an interesting Lenten journey!
So…what’s new with you? What have you been watching, reading, cooking, making, etc, etc?
Hi Kate!
I agree — it is good to get outside and take advantage of the warm weather whenever it comes! We had been unseasonably warm this February as well (which I found really worrisome; if this is February then what is the summer going to bring us?!). Unfortunately, we didn’t get the same dump of snow at the end of it that you did — I had been so hoping for snow!
So I did end up reading the first book in The Incorrigibles series … and while it did have many charming and funny moments, I can also see the reasons it’s getting a few lukewarm reviews on Goodreads. (I did like it well enough to want to read the next one, though 🙂 .) I’ve been slowly making my way through North and South (and really enjoying it) and am currently reading A Series of Unfortunate Events aloud to my 11-year-old. My older son had read all 13 books way back when, but I hadn’t read them with him so am now enjoying the opportunity to finally see what these are all about.
With regards to your giving up of screen time for Lent … I can totally see how that might be a difficult thing to do. If I recall correctly, you’ve said that your husband is often off puttering on projects in the evenings? I know that when my husband is away on business I really look to the TV as company — somehow it fills an almost-empty room in a way that is a bit different than the radio… I do also think that because of Netflix we’ve largely lost our patience!! We used to have to watch our show once a week — and cliff-hanger or not — be forced to wait seven days for the next instalment. I confess that I am TERRIBLE at keeping from binging when the series is good! (Thank goodness I’m not watching any series right now — it means I’m reading and knitting more than usual 😉 .) My husband and I did just watch quite a good movie this weekend: The Man Who Knew Infinity. No Oscars-watching for me … I don’t think I’ve seen even one of the nominated films!
Knitting — another pair of socks for my daughter. And I did finally steel myself enough to actually purchase the sweater pattern I’ve been looking at for months (Vanadium). Now I just have to find yarn. I LOVE the colours you’ve chosen for Abram’s sweater (I can see the photo below on Instagram).
Have a good week, Kate 🙂
Gorgeous sweater pattern, Marian! I need to find a pattern for Jesse’s as Abram’s is coming along quite quickly – though I imagine now that I’m not watching any shows it will slow down quite a bit. My knitting is almost 100% in front of the television.
Jesse does a lot of work from home in the evenings. His job keeps him pretty busy but he always wants to be home for dinner/bedtime so most nights he’s finishing up things in the home office while I watch TV and knit. I’m hoping I’ll finish up some projects around here but the home office is also my craft space so it kind of limits the work I can do in there (someday I’ll finish up that quilt!)
Sorry to hear you didn’t get the snow. We got more today but it’s supposed to be 6o° on Sunday again so I’m assuming it won’t be sticking around.
Oh, yeah…February. Good riddance, but dang it went fast.
I have seen quite a few of the movies that were nominated, but hadn’t made it to Moonlight. It’s next on my list, Hidden Figures got a little too Spielburged for my taste. (Yeah, I really doubt the guy took a sledge-hammer to the colored restroom sign.) But the original story is so cool I forgave it all its swelling music and kind of cartoonish characters. It never let me forget that I was watching a movie, though. I so wanted to love LaLa Land, but…I just didn’t. I actually fell asleep several times. It was visually gorgeous and Emma Stone seems to be a very sweet person, but she just didn’t have the singing/dancing chops and the storyline was thin. Also saw Fences. Viola Davis absolutely deserved her win, I thought. And I did see Manchester by the Sea, too. Not quite sure why Affleck got the nod, but that movie was a really good (but devastating) one. Last weekend I saw I Am Not Your Negro–and that is one of the best movies I’ve seen this season. Really inventive and so powerful. I love movie season, so I don’t think I’d ever choose to give up screens for Lent. And now that I’m mostly home alone 50% of the time, that would be a really hard one for me. I’m interested to hear how that goes for you. Is it all screens, or just TV?
What I am supposed to be doing right now is putting up the post for our first book discussion (as tomorrow is March 1st), but it’s late and I’m late and I’m trying to come to terms with doing it imperfectly. I’ve had migraine last two days and I know I need to go to bed. Just wanted to pop in and chat with you first. I’m behind with everything the past few weeks. Yeah, February. Giving that month the stink eye. Glad to be starting a new month.
I’m so sorry to hear about your migraines! I know how debilitating those can be! Thank you for saying hi despite your head. I love hearing from you. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
I didn’t watch La La Land. My “mom’s movie group” went but I wasn’t able to go – they all seemed to like it but I never felt a huge urge to see it. From what I saw of the Oscars, I definitely want to see Fences. I heard from a few people that Denzel Washington got robbed. Not sure if I’m in a hurry to see Manchester by the Sea but Moonlight is definitely on my list now.
As for all “screens”, I’m mostly focusing on shows/movies because that is where I spend the great majority of time wasting – at least in the evenings. I’m working on limiting social media time sucks too, but more in a “doing what is good for me” kind of a way than a giving something up for Lent kind of way.
Looking forward to reading the book discussion when you do feel better and get it up. Perfect is overrated. It’ll still be there when you are feeling better!