Monday, March 30, 2009

My first sock and up to book 54


sock1
Originally uploaded by readingknitter01

So I have completed 54 books through March 28 (aiming to get to 60 this month) and made my first sock!!! It's a teeny one but it has all the parts and helped me understand sock construction.

New books:
52) The Blue Corn Murders– by Nancy Pickard–4–a nice comforting mystery with strong women and interesting scenery
53) Odd Thomas - By Dean Koontz–4- my first book by Dean Koontz and I liked it
54) Execution Dock– by Anne Perry–4.5–the latest Monk book and excellent as always–as I read in a review “exquisite period detail” brilliant, page-turning thriller-I read it in one day- could not put it down.

55) Dexter in the dark by Jeffry P Lindsay- audiobook-4.5--just as good as the first one

Friday, March 20, 2009

I reached 50 books this year!!!! And March is not over

And I have reached the second buttonhole on my February Lady Sweater-the first sweater I have kniot for myself as an adult.


48) **Appointed to Die** by Kate Charles- **4.5**- David and Lucy and the horrendous dean
49) **Heartstopper** by Joy Fielding-- audiobook--**3.0**-- it was too long and too many side plots-but a nice surprise ending
50) **Knit Two** by Kate Jacobs--**4.5**- I thought at first I wasn't going to like this one and then I realized that I really did!!! So much so that I've read it in less than a day.
51) One false note-- by Gordon Korman--3.5-- audiobook- 2nd book in the 39 clues juvenile series-I borrowed the first book from my 9 yr old nephew at Christmas-2 orphans are following clues all over the globe that focus on famous people who are supposedly related tot heir family- this one is about Mozart-in Germany and Venice. I am going to check to see if my nephew has learned anythign from following the clues.


Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Springtime Lace


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Originally uploaded by readingknitter01

I am still knitting away-now making lacy knit fingerless mitts for my daughter to wear in a lovely spring green

New author/old friend

I am up to 46 books by mid-March- so I will reach 52 this month. Stephen White is a new author to me and I like the 2 books I have read. And a comfort book this times as well from David Eddings fantasy series The Belgariad-I've read this one at least 10 times.

43) Dead Time by Stephen White- 3.75- new author-couple is psych and DA-and there is also the cop friend- a fairly common formula with some differences, including the setting in Boulder, CO
44) Secret Sins by Kate Charles- 4.5- more C of E murders-I especially liked the characters in this one.
45) Magician’s Gambit by David Eddings- audiobook-5– my comfort books- re-read for at least the 10th time
46) Dry Ice by Stephen White- 4.5- this one preceeds Dead Time and I wish I had read it first
47)Appointed to die by Kate Charles--4.5-- this time the C of E setting is even more self-contained-Malbury Cathedral- where a new dean radically upsets everything- new characters and old mix with David and Lucy

Monday, March 9, 2009

More March Reading-5 books in March so far

#39--Evil Intent by Kate Charles- 4–another Church of England liturgical mystery-
a series of mysteries that occur in different Church of England parishes- the cast of characters changes but usually contains some of the same people although in different roles or situations-and the religious background (with prejudices and dogmatism and the infighting of the papists versus the "real" church) makes a great backdrop for rich character and plot development. These books are all about the characters and how they live and behave in a fairly regimented situation– I have enjoyed all that I have read so far!

#40-- Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear- 4.75- the latest Maisie Dobbs mystery takes place over Christmas/New years 1931-32. It’s interesting to see what has and hasn’t changed about “asylums.”As always, she gives us a masterful picture of the times as well as an indepth look at how society of the time treated the war-wounded and others whose minds were damaged by everyday life. It’s also a fascinating look at how WWI impacted the understanding of traumas and war and psychology. All of her books are superb and well worth reading and re-reading.

#41--Uncoffin’d Clay by Gladys Mitchell- 3--an English countryside mystery very much in the Agatha Christie vein, including some of her racism. It was okay but I won’t search this author out again.

#42--A dead man out of mind by Kate Charles-- 4---another Ecclesiastical murder

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

February Fingerless Gloves KnitAlong


Cast on February 2 and finished on February 28th!

Monday, March 2, 2009

My traveling scarf returned



I sent this off in September 2009- and it traveled to 5 friends around the US- all of whom added sections in nicely matching colors- before it came back to me in late Feb 2009!

Above is a picture of the whole scarf

Reading and knitting in March 2009

Yesterday I cast on the fingerless glove pattern for March- Swan Maiden- a lacy glove in tiny, tiny lace-weight yarn.

And I finshed my first book for March (Book #38 for the year)--

The world according to Bertie- by Alexander McCall Smith- 4

-I love this series (44 Scotland Street) and especially Bertie, the 6 yr old genius tyranized by his mother. This book has some interesting developments that may bode well for Bertie--and Bruce gets his comeuppance! Funny, tender, lively social commentary on Edinburgh written by someone who clearly loves the city.

Finished my Feb Knit along ......

and read 19 books in February!!! The last two were-

ho-hum--

Run for your life : a novel-by James Patterson; Michael Ledwidge-- I like the characters (Mike Bennett and his brood of adopted kids) but these books are more and more like plot outlines and less like real books


and brilliant--
Darkly dreaming Dexter-by Jeffry P Lindsay; Nick Landrum; Recorded Books, Inc.; NetLibrary, Inc.- this is indeed very dark, but also well-written, absorbing, and surprising. Also disturbing, but I can see why it’s gotten such rave reviews.


The Knit Along was a very elaborate fingerless glove pattern. I also got my traveling scarf back--photos of bot to follow soon.