New Years, Stash Busting, Exercising and Books!

 

Happy New Year to you all.  This was a LONG time ago, neither hubby or I had gray.  Plus, we no longer party out over New Years.  We were skiing in Holiday Valley back in the day, had party hats, noise makers etc.  Hope you all had an enjoyable and safe New Years.  We had a nice meal, toasted in the New Year with some bubbly, then called it a night.  I'm feeling tired today, not used to staying up that late.

Sherbet Baby Blanket is finally done!!  It's drying and being slightly blocked.  I edged with a small crocheted ruffle.  Need to get it in the mail for my great niece.

Haven't recorded exercise in a while.  October I knew was well down, but hadn't recorded the stats.  81.05 miles (average of 2.6 daily), November was better 99.4 miles (average of 3.31 daily).  December was up at 109.15miles (average 3.5 daily).  My high for December was 23,341 steps (10 miles with a low of 4,019 just 2 miles.  I'm pleased that steps/mileage is up...AND Starting Dec 1st I was able to start doing planks again...my elbow no longer a problem.  Before the injury I was doing 55 second planks with 14 seconds of rest x 4.  When I restarted I started with 30 second planks with 10 second rest x 4 and managed to do that 10 times in December and then upped to 35 seconds x 4 and did that 6 times.  So 16 planks throughout the month.  I also restarted doing knee lifts a count of 50 and did that 12 times in Dec, along with a fast count of 100 walking in place 9 times in the month.  Let's see what January brings.  

This is what 41.5 pounds of yarn looks like!  This is a drop in the bucket of my yarn stash.  My daughter convinced me to do some sorting.  I had lots of baby yarn, variegated knitting worsted, and tons of white and off white yarn that was left from projects, and a good deal of yarn that was donated throughout my 14 years of running a charity that benefited Homeless.  The 41.5 pounds is being donated in multiple places where it can be used.  This is all yarn that wasn't suited to my particular charity.  It took multiple days to roll the yarn in balls after doing lots of detangling.  My daughter will distribute this once back from the holidays in St. Louis.

An interesting historical fiction about a woman, a Black Woman passing as White and being a part of Old Hollywood with all it's glamour.  Very insightful.  I enjoyed the story.

Another historical fiction post World War II.  A story about a rather dysfunctional family, their lives from being rather poor to becoming rich.  Lots of entanglements between family members.  Extremely enjoyable with Tom Hanks being the moderator.  

Classified as historical fiction.  This book takes place in Georgia in 1958 during the horrible Jim Crow period.  10 children, different fathers, and a horrible mean spirited and aggressive controlling mother.  A story about survival.

Another historical fiction.  A lot going on in this book, betrayal, love, isolation, and adapting as one comes of age.  The Marsh Girl is a naturalist...self taught.  You root for her throughout the whole book.

Still blogging about my tour of The UK, The Military Tattoo