Last week was spring break. We went to a science museum, a trampoline park, Candytopia. We ate good food, crafted, read books and know we’re getting back into the swing of things. Violet starts dive and Abram has baseball tryouts tonight. For as slow as February went, I don’t really know what happened to March and I’m sure April is going to fly by as well.
Knitting: I’m still working on the same sock – though I’m finally working on the foot so the end is in sight. I’ve been working on holding my yarn in a more ergonomic fashion (if I want to knit well into my 80’s I’m going to have to take care of my joints!!) and while I’m starting to get the hang of it – I’m slower. It’s a learning curve.
Watching: I did watch the final season of Catastrophe. I hated the ending. I got all the symbolism and I read all the critics RAVES and yeah, I get it. I just don’t like it. But I also kind of love it. I’m freaking conflicted. About the whole show to be honest. And Cheers. I really love this show so far.
Reading: I’ve been reading a ton (which is probably why I don’t have much completed on the knitting!). I finished You Think It, I’ll Say It which is full of short stories. I think I need more short stories in my in my life. I’m not good at putting down a book after I pick it up, so this gave me great stopping points and yet I still wanted to come back and pick it up so I went through it quickly. Also read All The Bright Places which I hated for lots of reasons but mostly because I think it romanticized things that aren’t in the least romantic. I’m currently reading There There which is a novel, but also a bit like a compilation of short stories, and it is so good.
Making: Tonight, I’m making these crispy smashed potatoes because they’re delicious. I have some extra white whole wheat flour that’s been sitting waiting to be used up so I’m going to attempt whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. I’ve found a slew of recipes online, but I NOW I don’t know which one to choose.
I’ve also been making progress on getting things organized and spring cleaned. We’ll be having a yard sale this spring. For as much of a not stuff person as I am, I sure do seem to have a LOT of stuff. I’m ready to have it find some new homes.
How about you? What have you been -ing this week?
What a fun spring break you had! Love all the photos š .
I had to google “ergonomic knitting” because I’d never heard of such a thing! Are you *just* changing how you hold your yarn, or are you changing hands? (i.e., going from continental to English or vice versa?)
Impressed by your reading list, once again! I just whizzed through Sophie Hannah’s “How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to ContentmentāThe Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life.” It’s got mixed reviews on Goodreads, but I LOVED it. I even took notes, and feel like it’s helped me turn a corner with a couple of situations that have been the cause of some extremely unhelpful ruminating over the last while.
When I first started using whole wheat flour for chocolate chip cookies I just subbed it in my regular recipe. (Do you have a regular recipe you usually use?) If you want to ease people in, you could go half whole wheat and half white, and then eventually get to 100%. The flavour is slightly different, but IMO it’s a nice change. Good luck, and let us know how it works!
Canadian Netflix doesn’t have Catastrophe š . But they did just get more episodes of Suits…
We’ve been spring cleaning as well. Gosh it feels great to get things aired out and cleaned up! May your yard sale go well š .
I’m changing how I hold my yarn, but not which hands I use. I’ve tried and tried and tried to hold my yarn in my right hand for a couple of different reasons, but I haven’t managed it. (Every one I know knits right handed, I guess I just like being an odd ball!) Despite holding my yarn in my left hand, I’d anchor the needle to my side and then loop the yarn around using my left index finger (this is the nonsense that happens when you’re self taught) instead of flicking my right hand needle to pick up the yarn (hopefully that kind of makes sense) which was a lot of extra movement and starting to really bother my left hand. Changing to a “true” continental knitting style made purling more difficult than my anchor and wrap method, so then I had to learn the Norwegian purling method. And this ALL started because Jesse got me a book on how to knit without throwing your whole body out of wack. HA!
I am definitely looking up that book. I think we INFJ’s can master the grudge. At least I know I can.
I do have a regular chocolate chip recipe. I haven’t thought of just straight subbing. Maybe I’ll try an online recipe and one where we just do a straight sub and see which everyone likes better. I have the flour…
Our Netflix doesn’t have Catastrophe either. It’s a Amazon Prime show so I don’t know if they’ll put it on Netflix. :/
It really was a lovely spring break. And now we’re getting great spring temperatures. (A little earlier than usual, but I’ll take them). And all the spring birds. I was listening to redwinged blackbirds the other day and it’s just my FAVORITE.
Hope your spring cleaning is going well as well!!
Ah, I see (with the knitting, I mean). It’s too bad you couldn’t get yourself going with a true continental style! My grandmother-in-law knit continental and it seemed so much faster. Mind you, my auntāThe Knitterāwho comes from The Netherlands (the continent!) knits English-style and is super-fast. I was taught English-style and could NOT manage to teach myself the continental way when I tried a few years back. It’s SO hard to un-learn something like that! (Maybe it’s just me being generally uncoordinated, though; I can’t even throw a frisbee…)
I’m not sure if *all* INFJs hold grudges, but when INFJ is combined with HSP and GAD and OCD and is bullied and misinterpreted and abandoned… oh my š . The criticisms over the grudge book were mainly that she was too long-winded with her stories and wasn’t a therapist, but hey, I love stories and can appreciate down-to-earth common sense advice, as well as the fairly liberal use of swear words! The book made me cry in spots (in a thank-you-for-understanding-me kind of way), laugh in others, and felt overall like a good kick in the pants. Which I desperately needed!
Iām learning ātrueā continental now which is slowing me down some because Iām having to learn something new, but I imagine it will pick up once I get used to it. But Iāve also seen some English knitters that are FAST!!
Also I donāt know GAD, so Iām going to have to look it up. Iām sorry youāve had such awful experiences. <3
I’m an INFJ, too, Marian. You know we’re only 1% of everyone, right? Explains a lot, doesn’t it? š
I’ve suspected that you might have been, but you’ve never said! Ah, *everything* makes sense now š .
Your photo reminds me that I’ve never had a macaron. This isn’t on purpose, but I do think I’m missing something good. Also crispy smashed potatoes sound good, too. I must be hungry this afternoon. I need some carbs.
Honestly? I feel like theyāre prettier than they are tasty. We ordered a slew of goodies, but not a single macaron.
Before I say anything else: I LOVE Violet’s hair! She looks so smart and sophisticated.
I still haven’t watched the rest of the last season of Catastrophe, but I did read a few pieces analyzing the end of it, which now makes me actually want to watch it. I suspect I might have the same reaction as you. For a random watching: I saw the other day that the first season of The Waltons is on Netflix, so I watched a few episodes. It was terrible (acting and writing) and weirdly fascinating and it made me sad because the values I saw imparted are so different from what our culture/media is saturated with right now. I only watched two episodes, but both seemed to be pushing the idea that we should be tolerant of others, not be quick to judge each other, and that we’re all basically OK.
I have been reading Us Against You by the author of A Man Called Ove (can’t remember his name just now). I never read Ove because everyone was reading it and I just got this idea that I wouldn’t like it, but I am really liking Us Against You. I’m not sure if you would? But I’m guessing you’d like it more than that YA novel. It’s about hockey, but really about conflict and small towns and violence.
My biggest -ing the past week has been traveling. Spring break was amazing this year. It looks like yours was really nice. I hope you’re all ready for the final push of the school year. I can sniff summer just around the corner (but don’t want to rush through spring, which is always my favorite season when it comes).
I love it on her too!! Itās PERFECT for her. I love/hate how grown up sheās become this year. (Ambivalence seems to be a theme for me this yeae.) Iāll be sure to pass along your kind words as well!
I did read Bear Town which I think was the prequel to Us Against You. I loved Bear Town. Iāve loved everything Iāve read by him. (And especially, Ove, because the main character made me think of my momās dad. SO MUCH.)
Glad to hear you got to enjoy some spring break travels!! Iām thinking some Waltonās might be fun. I LOVED it as a kiddo.
I loved The Waltons, too. I remember being in my early 20s and watching old re-runs and feeling so comforted by it. Realized last night that it’s on Prime, not Netflix. š They only have season 1; I’m thinking I might like later seasons a bit better.
I was going to say that Violet looks so much older all of a sudden, but I didn’t want to draw attention to that. I know that ambivalence well.
And: OH, I watched the rest of Catastrophe. I am so glad I did! I wouldn’t have without your thoughts on it. I hated how awful they were to each other. I loved the final scene. They are both such flawed people and really different from me (I have different sorts of flaws), so I sometimes have a hard time relating to them. It’s hard for me to understand how they can like each other, sometimes. But I loved the ending. I don’t have to get them as individuals to get them as a couple, if that makes sense. The final line was perfect. Maybe that’s all we really need–someone who doesn’t want to watch us drifting alone?
I’m glad I could peer pressure you into watching the end of Catastrophe and that you shared your thoughts on it with me. š
I also appreciate your sensitivity. I’ve been finding myself looking at old photographs a lot lately. I absolutely, unequivocally LOVE this stage, but I feel a little bit as if I’m on a train that is picking up speed and rapidly chugging out of control!