Purple Rain, Books and More

 

Purple Rain is finished.  Pleased with how it turned out, and it wasn't the easiest to work on.  Squares were very different in size, some weren't squares, but rectangles as well.

These are the squares, or what a friend calls pieces parts.  I ended up moving a few squares as I was edging them for size.  You can immediately pick out the 2nd square from the right on the bottom row as one that got switched out in the final design.  This is the 4th one I completed while hubby and I were wintering in Hilton Head.  And you can probably also see some of the rectangles got turned a different direction to make things fit together better.

Wow, this was a real eye opener to me.  I know we've seen tv shows and movies where elite military personnel get by with things the rest of us would not; but I didn't realize how true it is.  Sad statement.  These guys we're suppose to honor, to thank for their service are drug traffickers, murders, steal from us.  This is the largest military base in the country and it's apparently not very honorable.  The police in the area are corrupt as well...not that that fact surprises me.  We've seen too many video's of police off the rails in recent years to think of them as friends like we were taught in our youth.  Seth Harp, the author is an Iraq Vet, and investigative reporter.  I gave this book 5 stars, had a hard time putting it down.  On Goodreads it has a rating of 4.08.  If you read it, please let me know what you think.  A friend lives not far from the base and when I was telling her about this book, she said she wasn't surprised.  It doesn't have a good reputation.

I found, The Resistance Knitting Club by Jenny O'Brien to be fascinating.  It's no secret I like WWII books with strong female characters; but I had no idea how knitting was involved in undercover work.  As a knitter, I found this truly fascinating.  Sweaters, scarves, hats etc with coded messages knit into the garments.  A family finds out their Grandmother was part of the resistance in Churchills secret army.  Morse code and knitting stitches.  I gave this book 4 stars and it's Goodreads rating is 3.93

Ben Sasse is a United States Senator and he seems to think the problems we currently have aren't political.  He thinks people are lonely.  I found his thinking a bit pie in the sky and fairly disconnected with everyday life.  I gave this book only 3 stars, while it's Goodreads rating is 4.17....so obviously, I'm in the minority on this book.

Typewriter Beach by Meg Waite Clayton was an interesting read and quite entertaining.  It takes place in Hollywood, Carmel by the Sea to be exact.  A pregnant star, a Hollywood fixer, and a Blacklisted writer.  Lots of secrets.  I gave this book 4 stars, but Goodreads rating is only 3.67.

I hate that this jerk is from my state of Ohio.  His comments sure haven't aged well, have they!

I thought this photo was quite powerful.  All names of men in the Epstein Files, and to date ........still no one has suffered any consequences for their disgusting activities.

People well organized on a beach...I think in California, but I saved this picture awhile ago and now am not sure of the location.  Should have written it down.

Still standing with Ukraine!

I absolutely LOVE this sign.

A Completed Project, Books and More

 

Red Stone Afghan is now complete, being blocked and drying here.  I used some tan, some black, and some red to bring the squares to size and crocheted them together with both red and black.  Pleased with how it turned out.

Here's the before but oriented differently.

A meme, but not a funny one.

Some protest signs I like.  The 2nd one I really LOVE!

Remember when you were kids and were taught the policeman was your friend.......boy have things turned upside down and ugly.

Fredrik Backman's "My Friends" comes highly recommended though it was not at all what I expected.  Dysfunction on steroids, maddening, sad.  Friends being more important to young boys then their families.  Growing up is hard.  The art tie in piece was sorta weird in my opinion.  But, saying all that, I did enjoy the book...you find yourself rooting these kids on.

The MAGA Diaries by Tina Nguyen was very disappointing.  I thought it might be helpful, that maybe it would help explain the cult a bit, but I didn't feel like it did.  She's hardcore MAGA, see's the light I guess, but doesn't really do much about it, IMHO.  

The Presidents and the People by Corey Brettschneider was an excellent read.  On one hand it gives you hope because John Adams, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, and Richard Nixon were all Presidents who did some pretty aweful things, things that were shady......things that put The Constitution in harms way, and we got through it...I guess that gives one hope.........but, all of them together don't hold a candle to how despicable The Orange Convicted FELON, Pedophile currently in power is.  John Adams had a war against the press and prosecuted his critics...sound familiar?  James Buchanan Colluded with the Supreme Court (so yet another time in history when our court was severely in the wrong....history does repeat itself.  Andrew Johnson a terrible White Supremacist who committed violence against his critics..........just like trump.  Woodrow Wilson pushed Jim Crow until it was the norm........going backward from President Grant.  Richard M. Nixon........well, like trump thought he had all consuming powers and could do whatever he wanted without any input from Congress.  Not to mention the crime that was committed.   An interesting read given what we're currently living through.  

No I haven't restarted my yoga, unless thinking about doing it counts.  I've been walking, but haven't calculated steps.

MAKE PEACE NOT WAR

LEAVE OTHER COUNTRIES ALONE

STOP STEALING OIL

STOP SIDING WITH ISRAEL

STOP TRYING TO STARVE CUBA

TA DAH, Blue Bird is finished, Audio Books, Meme Dump

 

Ta Dah, another afghan finish.  Had a few ideas as to the name for this, but had initially thought I would use both blue and pink/mauve to size (edge) and join the squares.  Changed my mind and went with all blue.  It's such a pretty shade of blue so have named this one Blue Bird.  Anyone immediately singing Mr. Blue Bird on my shoulder?

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actual
Everything is satisfactual.....and so it goes.  A Disney classic for sure.

I added a little scalloped edge to the afghan on this one.  A little different than the ruffle on Peppermint the previous afghan.  You might need to click on the picture to enlarge it to see the scalloped edge.

Christmas is past, but this meme still seemed appropriate to share.

Oh how I wish I could say this wasn't true, but sadly this is right on the mark.

This one just made me laugh.

107 Days by Kamala Harris.  I LOVED this book.  And the fact that the audio book is read by her made it even better.  Her code name was Pioneer, seems most appropriate as she is the ONLY woman to ever be elected as Vice President.  She is the ONLY person ever to have ONLY 107 to campaign for the Presidency.  I can't help but think, if Biden had made the decision earlier, she could have won and we would have had the FIRST Woman President EVER.  AND aside from all the historic importance of that, we would not be dealing with the world hating us, we would not be having sleepless nights from fear and worry about the horrible state of things.    I gave this book 5 stars and Goodreads average rating currently is 4.30.

You all know by now I like books with strong female characters, and boy does Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray hit the mark!  Frances Perkins changed history.  She was the first woman Cabinet Member and the longest serving Labor Secretary.  She worked with children in Hells Kitchen, she was active in Greenwich Village and met lots of influential politicians and artist.  She had a 20 year friendship with FDR and was his most trusted lieutenant .  I gave this book 5 stars and it's current average on Goodreads is 4.45

This book Cultish by Amanda Montell was recommended when I listed I had read The Cult of Trump in a Libby Group on FB.  So I nabbed it right after finishing The Cult of Trump.  I found this book a bit disappointing though it did have lots of information about cults in general., and what makes something a cult.  She discussed things like Amway, brand type cults, Scientology, and of course the trump cult.  I found some of her statements rather dismissive about the dangers of cults.  She seemed to think it was pretty common for people to fall into them.  I'm not sure I agree with that premise.  I gave the book 3 stars, it's Goodreads current average is 3.80.

I LOVED this book, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller is fun and funny, but at the same time hits on a very series problem which seems so appropriate to read right now with the influx in book banning by the far right.  I gave it 5 stars and Goodreads is 4.05.

**Seems I rated 3 of these 4 books higher than Goodreads, so if you read any of them, you'll have to let me know if you agree with my ratings or theirs.

I stand with Minnesota, not ICE

I stand with Ukraine not Russia

Impeach Noam and trump the FELON!!

**No exercise stats, as I've not done any calculations and haven't done of good job of recording, so need to see what I have.

Recently had a nice Chocolate Martini at one of favorite restaurants, CQ's here on Hilton Head Island in Harbor Town.  YUM!!

Some pretty flowers from awhile ago, that I kept forgetting to share with you from Dear Hubby.