Hello there! January (and a rather large chunk of February) came and went and how I’ve missed my corner of the interwebs! I didn’t start the year with any resolutions, words, or big goals. Mostly, after the holidays, I just wanted a chance to catch my breath. I did eventually set a few intentions but the pace this year is far more deliberate and slow.
Knitflixing: I’ve been watching Glee while working on a pair of Hermione’s Everyday Socks. I didn’t realize until after I started watching it that there is a lot of tragedy surrounding the actors who star in it. It’s been such a fun guilty pleasure, but after learning that, I have very mixed feelings. While knitting, I’ve also been listening to the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast. Marian has mentioned it a few times, and I’m so glad she has. I really love it.
Reading: I found”Where the Crawdads Sing” underwhelming, but I don’t know if that was because everyone has been raving. I read Circe and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. (Thank you for the nudge, Rita.) I checked out “The Almost Nearly Perfect People” from the library three times but never managed to finish it. I liked it but needed time to set it down and as it was a library book, that just wasn’t possible. I also read “What We Talk About When We Talk about Rape” and consider it required reading. I’ve read a few other not-as-notables, but I always share my reads on goodreads if you want to come and find me there.
Making: sandwich bread. It was not good. It wasn’t BAD. It just wasn’t good. As everyone in our family is working on developing a growth mindset and I’m trying to lead by example, I bought a book that talks a lot about the science of baking bread, and I’m going to try again but with a little more guidance. Other random bits:
- So many school days called because of weather. I’m still discombobulated due to the lack of routine.
- Jesse and I had a mini-trip to Aruba. He had meetings for work and I tagged along. We were going to add a few days and make a vacation out of it, but that didn’t work out as planned. Still, it was a nice couple days of sunshine and warmth. I didn’t realize how DRY it is there. Very desert-y.
- I didn’t rejoin Facebook after my usual holiday hiatus. I went a step even further and deactivated Instagram. I have this niggling thought/challenge in the back of my mind to go the whole year without either.
- I bought each of the kids (and myself) sketchbooks and it’s been really fun. Some of us need to work on the whole “growth mindset” thing though and not worry about the art being perfect. I’m not naming names though.
- Orange roses are my favorite. A friend gave me some earlier this year and now they’re the only kind I want. I bought these for myself the day before Valentine’s Day at the grocery store. Jesse called me while I was checking out so I told him “Hey, you bought me roses for Valentine’s Day.” The guy standing behind me laughed and when I hung up told me to tell my husband “that he had done good.” I don’t know if he was talking about me buying my own Valentine’s Day present, but it made me laugh.
So that’s me. How are things in your corner of the world? What are you making, reading, watching, listening to, etc. etc?
Hi Kate 🙂 !
It’s so nice to see a post from you and to hear all you’re doing. The photos are beautiful, as always. Love that your whole family is working on a “growth mindset”! We could use some of that here, too, and no, I’m not naming names either 😉 .
I think the man in the grocery store was paying you a lovely compliment 🙂 .
I think the next pair of socks I knit will be Hermione’s Everyday as well—I love that pattern and I’ve got the perfect skein for it. (Your yarn is so pretty!) Oh, I finally finished my sweater! Other than that, just plugging away at the usual. Getting through my coursework, and doing a bit of reading (still on The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, which I’m “reading with a pencil”—underlining and circling and writing marginalia to punctuate my disbelief/anger/sorrow). I ordered Matt Haig’s new book (Notes on a Nervous Planet) from the library and am hoping it will come in soon. Also, finished Suits, but only Season 7, as Canadian Netflix doesn’t yet have 8. And started Black Mirror, which—oh my gosh—is frightening at times. Have my older son home for Reading Week, and in a couple of days my daughter and her BF will arrive as well. Trying to keep up with all that (cooking/baking/cleaning?) while trying to get my final assignment done. Yikes. Speaking of which, my son put a load of laundry in the washer and left for a lunch date. I guess I’m hanging it all up, sigh.
Disjointed reply:
How was Reading Week? (What exactly is Reading Week? We don’t have one of those here.)
You finished your sweater!!! I want to see!!! What a great accomplishment.
Isn’t The Death and Life of the Great Lakes books amazing/awful? I found it absolutely fascinating and a whole lot scary.
I’ve had a couple friends recommend Black Mirror, but I’m decidedly in the no column. Way too intense for me.
I really should be tackling some laundry right now too, but I’m procrastinating! We had another snow day this week (I think we’re going to be in school until July!!) and I just can’t seem to get into a good rhythm.
Reading Week is a university thing, or at least in Canada it is. It’s historically been one week in February—meant for reading/studying, but also a great time for skiing!—but in the last few years many universities have also had a fall Reading Week as well, in October.
(My kids’ week is going well! Lots of CC skiing for daughter and BF, and now they’re here and studying, and lots of getting together with friends for my son.)
I will have to take a photo of my sweater and email it to you, as I’ll probably never get around to blogging about it 🙂
Each episode of Black Mirror is different, so maybe some would be ok for you. IIRC, you watched Outlander? *I* couldn’t do Outlander, but I’ve found the first couple of episodes of Black Mirror to be ok. AND very thought-provoking! Time will tell if I’m having to switch off future episodes, though…
ANOTHER snow day?! Wow! I’m a creature of habit, so would find that disruptive too 🙁
We DID have another snow day and we’re supposed to be getting another snowstorm this weekend! And yet another this week. February has brought us so much weather. I love snow and am not complaining but the closings have created a lot of kerfuffle with school and activities.
I think a reading week sounds lovely! Like a spring break but more wholesome.
Please do email me a picture of your sweater!
I’ve never been to Aruba and had no idea it was dry. I assumed it was sub-tropical.
I don’t think I’ve ever had any orange roses. Some of our shrub roses outside the house are apricot, but over the years they’ve gotten more yellow than orange. Now I want a bouquet of orange roses to put in a vase in the foyer. Guess I’ll just have to make that happen.
I deleted my FB account years ago. I’ve never regretted leaving there and feel that I’m a better person because of it. What everyone else thinks about me deleting FB is none of my business. ?
You have shrub roses? Are they terribly difficult to maintain? I always feel like people who keep roses must be REAL gardeners and so my roses will probably always be of the grocery store variety!
I don’t know how I missed this. I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for a post, and here there was one and I didn’t see it. I need a better system.
What I wanted to say was: Me too on Crawdads. The first half was pretty intriguing and had some lovely writing, but the second half veered a little too close to Nicholas Sparks land for me. Still lovely writing, but the plot felt a little too rushed and the characters too…perfect. I don’t think love works like that. Or people. I haven’t wanted to say out loud too much that it wasn’t really for me, so I’m glad you did. 🙂
Like Marian, I am sure that the man in the line was paying you a compliment. Probably wishing he had a wife who would buy her own gift and laugh about it. 🙂
Well, I’m terrible about having a routine about writing, so it doesn’t surprise me much that you missed it. I have a little more time lately and I’m hoping to get into a better blogging rhythm again. I find I do more reading, crafting, picture taking, when I’m posting it on a blog.
I’m glad to get your comments whenever you get a chance to visit. 🙂