Knitting, Crocheting, Audio Books, and Fitbit

 Another Afghan in the works.  Calling this one Fresh Mint.  As you can I have some really different sized squares and rectangles.  I've used this mint green to edge previously and since I'm trying to use up stash, decided I would use the mint green to bring the squares to size, but join them with light gray.  I don't normally join before edging every square, but was having a hard time reaching the rows above, so thought I could join the 3 rows, then move everything down to make reaching things easier.

Here it is before I started edging.  Plus, you can probably tell I moved a few squares around.  Had all the bright yellows at the top and the muted yellows at the bottom for one.

I've made some good headway with my shawl.  When Last I photographed it, I was working on the first green section, and am now on the 2nd green section.  As the triangle gets wider, the number of stitches per row really increases.  Make it seem slower for sure.

Three more Elin Hilderbrand books....sorta.  I didn't really care for Reunion Beach, as the Hilderbrand area was a book I had already enjoyed, and I didn't think much of the others.  The book is an apparent tribute to Dorothea Benton Frank.  I think I read one of hers years ago, but don't remember which one.  I've searched my 5 Libraries and haven't found any of hers as audio books, so probably won't pursue her books.  I did enjoy the first 2 Elin Hilderbrand books though, so put those on your list.

Camera Girl was fascinating.  I was a young girl when Jackie was the first lady, so didn't really know much about her.  This book covers her early years, prior being Mrs. John F. Kennedy.  She was quite accomplished, intelligent, and very full of life.

A story about a woman who defies social norms, her rich parents and follows her heart.  Inspired by the real life story of Samuel Bellamy of the high seas.  Pirates, adventure, and of course love!  Enjoy.

It's been so long since I've recorded my activity that Fitbit, the webpage apparently no longer exists.  I was floored.  You get a message that says you can check your dashboard in the app.  Well the format on the app is not nearly as good as what the  webpage was.  So, The only thing I seem to be able to find is daily averages for each month in miles or steps.  The webpage gave totals for the month which I preferred.  So it looks like the last time I recorded anything here was Dec of 2023.

Jan I averaged 3.85 miles per day

Feb 4.57

March 3.97

April 2.84 (the month I had my dental surgery)

May 2.94

June 3.85.   I don't know when the last time was I recorded planks, so I guess I need to start over on that.

Ukraine hasn't been in the headlines much lately, but I was please to see this sign of support on one of my recent walks through the neighborhood.

Summertime, Cocktails, Books, Afghans, Food....What are you up to?

 

Shades of Fall is the latest afghan.  It's been laundered and is drying/being blocked as we speak.  This is yet another afghan that will be donated.

It's oriented differently in this picture before I started edging and joining.  As you can see the squares weren't all the same size, some are knitted and some are crocheted.  Some are a bit more rectangle than square, so they weren't all edged with the same number of rows.  And I ended up moving a few squares around for sizing and color from this the original layout.

I enjoyed more Elin Hilderbrand books.  I've never been to Nantucket, but her books make me want to go.  This book will remind you of a movie, "Same Time Next Year".  I know you'll enjoy it.  Lots of different emotions come to light in this book.

Three women with problems need to escape their routine lives so they head to the beach.  Can 3 women get along in such a small cottage?  Can lives be repaired?  Can love blossom?  Lots of intrigue, hope you'll enjoy this book; I certainly did.

This book of Elin Hilderbrand has lots of emotion!  How does a dead woman control the events leading up to a wedding from the grave?  Love, scandals, betrayal......all take place.  Add this to your list, take it to the pool or beach with you and enjoy.

No, I haven't completely stop reading heavier books.  Maggie Haberman, A Whitehouse News Correspondent gives lots of back story how this sleazy man came to be.  While I knew of lots of his antics both before and during his time occupying our Whitehouse.........this book leaves no room for doubt about what a truly horrible human being he is.  The way he treated people makes you want to scream from the roof tops.  He is a true danger to us all.

I've added a new cocktail to my repertoire.   A Paper Plane.  Such a refreshing cocktail for summertime.

This is what you need to make the delicious cocktail: Lemon juice, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and Bourbon.  Garnish with a slice of lemon and or orange.  I  had lemon on hand..

Summertime isn't complete without a dinner of kababs.  Love veggies cooked this way, pair with pork, chicken, or beef.  We opted for chicken this time round.  Both Veggies and chicken were marinaded in olive oil, garlic, and paprika. 

Will show update on my shawl next post, with some exercise stats such as they are.  Hope you're all doing well and staying hydrated with the intense heat much of the country is experiencing.

Knitting, Reading, Yard Work and More

 

Current Project, a triangle shawl.  Love the colors.  I bought the variegated several years ago on girls trip with my daughter.  It's Knit Wit Yarn, wonderful feel.  They had a National Park Series, Grande Portage Natl. Memorial.  Didn't think I had enough yardage so this past month when she, hubby and I were spending a week in Park City, I visited the yarn shop there and found the yummy blue and green to blend with it.  After starting with the variegated, I stripped it with the blue every two rows to get the shaded effect, then did the solid blue, then stripping again to fade out of the blue, variegated next, stripped with the green to fade in.  Hope using all 3 skeins will give me a nice size shawl for the upcoming fall and winter.

A beautiful baby blanket my Darling Daughter knitted.  It's being block here after it got a soak bath.  Click to enlarge to see the cool texture.  I've always loved blue and green together.

The beginnings of the curly lilies.  Love how this look ruffly.  Such a vibrant color.  

Book #1 of a 3 book Series.  Yes I'm on a Elin Hilderbrand kick of late.

Book #2

Book #3.  Family life gone amuck!  Follow the money....fowl play, double life, mystery family, mystery....who's going to jail?  LOVED the series.  Add this to your fun summer to read list.

And because one can't really ignore real life, please please add this book to your list, SOON!  Jonathan Karl has known trump longer than any White House correspondent.  Didn't most of us think after Jan 6th, we had gotten rid of this man, or maybe it was just wishful thinking and hoping and praying.  

At some point I'll go and add up my steps/miles; as it's been awhile since I've documented and reported on it.  Sadly I've had too many interruptions in my exercise program.  The Dental Surgery really did a number on me.  I am back to walking, doing yard work, and mowing; but haven't restarted other exercises.  Why is it so hard to restart once you break the habit?

We're approaching The 4th of July.  If you're traveling to celebrate with friends and family, please be safe.  

MIA, Catching Up

 

It's important to know the difference and why you should not say Happy Memorial Day to anyone.  That's like saying Happy Funeral Day.  My Father, Uncles, and Grandfather all served; but I am lucky that they all returned safely, so I honor them on Veterans Day.  For those of you who have lost a loved one in service to the country, I honor and remember them and am sorry for your sacrifice.

As a person that doesn't really like winter, it's I think a bit odd that I decided to read/listen to this 4 books series by Elin Hilderbrand, but I've been taking a break from some of the heavier books I've been into of late (WWII, politics etc).  This is book #1

This is book #2

This is book #3

And this is book #4.  Lots of characters in this series.  At the center of things is The Quinn Family, owners of the Winter Street Inn during the Christmas Season.  Eggnog, and Whiskey and prison terms, a surprise pregnancy, Santa kissing who?  Subplots a plenty between a hedge fund manager, a drug addicted wife, a music teacher with an interesting and frustrating love life, a bartender, a French maid, a marine in Afghanistan, and a Famous TV Anchor.  NEVER a dull moment.  I've enjoyed many books by this author who writes about Nantucket, her home.  A fun, and entertaining diversion from life and all the things in the news currently.

Catching Up:

• I've been MIA since returning from Hilton Head with lots of appointments.  The most involved was dental surgery, Gingival Graft that turned out to be far more involved than was anticipated.  I'm 5 ish weeks since, but not yet completely healed.  Eating and exercising have been difficult until just recently.  
• I am now back to going for walks and mowing; but have no exercising stats for several months to record
• I've been involved with the planning of our 55th high school reunion which will be at the end of the summer
• hubby and I have finalized the details of our upcoming tour of Sicily in the fall

We recently finished watching this series.  I really like Jeff Daniels; though the series is a bit dark...........realistically so when you think about small towns in the rust belt.  Thus far there are 2 seasons, and there's debate about whether or not there will be a 3rd season.  Just have to wait and see, I guess.

I'll post a picture of the almost finished afghan, the last one I worked on while still on Hilton Head Island, in the next blog post.  For now, I'm anxious to get blog walking and see what you all have been up to in my absense.

Another Ta Dah, Finished Project, Roses and Books Oh My

 

Falling Leaves is drying after being laundered.  This was the easiest project so far this year, as these were all crocheted squares (no knit squares), and while all are not granny style squares they were fairly close to the same size, so that required a bit less work on my part.  This ghan is a bit more narrow than I like, but working with the squares that I had this was the way to make the pattern of squares work.  It's unusual for me to have so many similar squares to work with.  My daughter and hubby like symmetrical things and so they liked this one..........me, I've gotten used to working with some of this and  that and sorta prefer the less symmetrical designs.  Either way, it will keep someone warm.  All the afghans I put together from pieces parts are donated to Homeless Shelters.

The before picture, though turned the other direction.  This ghan didn't change much as I worked on it.  Forgot to mention above picture it's edged with really dark green, though it may look black in the picture.

This one is the next project, though after looking at it awhile, I moved a few squares since this picture.  This will probably be the most tedious of the ghans so far this year, as the squares are really different sizes, some are squares, and some are rectangles and some are knitted.  I'm not sure I have enough of one color to do the edging and sizing for this, so may do a bit of a design/pattern with edging in order to use multiple colors....we'll see how it goes.  Current plan is to edge the middle row both horizontally and vertically in brown and do the 4 corners in the dark green, lighter green, and or blue left over from the previous ghans.  Trying hard to use my stash and not buy more, particularly after the work my daughter and I did over Christmas to sort and roll and donate 41.5 pounds of yarn.  Buying would add to the stash and that's not the goal.  Soooo, we'll see how this goes.

More gorgeous roses.  These white roses are tipped in pink and are so pretty.  Hubby brought this home yesterday.  I missed taking a picture of the last roses he brought home that were purplish.  

Post World War II, Paris and it's people are trying to rebuild.  Families are separated, missing and or dead and somehow life must go on.  The captivating story of two strong women from the same family generations apart finding a future with the commonality of a small neighborhood bakery.  A most enjoyable book.

Set in 1916, an intriguing story with a World War I nurse.  She finds herself in the middle of deadly secrets as she carries a personal message from a fallen solder to his family.  Lots of surprises in this book.  I'm not typically a mystery book lover, but found this book hard to put down.  I also didn't know befpre reading/listening to it , that it is  book #1 in a series, so now I need to find the listing of how many books are in the series and get them on my list.

I've read/listened to a good number of Kelly Rimmer's books and always enjoy them, and this was no different.   Though set in 1970/current day we're transported back to the cold war, double agents, injuries and danger.  Family loyalty vs patriotic duty with some very tuff decisions to make.  

Purple Haze in Stages, Falling Leaves, Exercise and Books!

 

Purple Haze.  Hubby mentioned this name, so I went with it .  Does it remind you of Jimmy Hendrix?  Here it's laid out to dry.

Here it is in stage 2, I've edged the squares to even up sizes, and tied the squares together to begin joining them.

Here it is before anything was done.  It changed quite a bit, and I did move a few squares around after edging.

Waiting in the wings is Falling Leaves.  This is most unusual in that I had enough donated squares to make a pattern.  The green squares aren't quite the same size of the orange and variegated, and the yellow aren't granny squares; but this one should require less work to size things up to join.

February was a pretty good month in terms of activity.  My mileage went from 115.48 miles in January to 127.83.  I went for 10 actual purposeful walks in January and 15 in February.  Hubby fixed up the bike from Goodwill so I managed to get 6 bike rides in afterwards.  Planks are both up and down.  They're up in that I increased from 45 seconds x 4 to 50 seconds x 4 partway through the month; but my total repeats are less.  I did planks 17 days in January and 15 days in February.  Sadly I neglected to document 2 days in February...so don't know what I did those days.

Help Me to Find My People.  I returned this to the library only partially read.  I tried several times to get into it; but found it bland, and very repetitive.  Lots of stats and references to other books and authors exploring how slaves felt being sold, being separated from the families.  They felt bad.......I don't think you need stats to know that.  They felt fearful, they felt useless.  It's not rocket science.  Everything about slavery was horrible.  Most people know that, except for White Supremists. 

Hush Harbor was frightening, thought provoking and difficult.  An uprising because cops killed a Black American who was un-armed.  Sadly, we've witness this is the news far too often.  This book shows a group of people fed up and fighting back.  I found it chilling, but highly recommend this book.

Kinfolk........small town life in Alabama, a dysfunctional family. An un-educated girl finds a family can be more than blood.  It's a heartwarming story with some dark undertones of what people live with.  It's read by the author which made it even more enjoyable.  Highly recommend this book.