Yoga, Running, Knitting, Reading ... my favorite things :-)

What's Happening?

Easter was very nice.  My mother-in-law visited from Chicago.  We dyed Easter eggs and did a little knitting.  We attended a lovely Easter service at St. Paul's in Wilmington, NC.  Afterward, I cooked a brunch: grits, an egg dish, salad, and banana pudding for dessert.

Also, I really enjoyed watching the Royal Wedding over the weekend!

What's off my sticks?
I finished knitting my mom's socks for Mother's Day just in time.  I think they turned out very well, my best socks yet :)


What's on my sticks?

I started knitting "Charlie the Ceiling Monster" out of Rebecca Danger's The Big Book of Knitted Monsters: Mischievous, Lovable Toys.  I'm going to use Charlie as my yoga monster since I have gotten back in the swing of yoga again.  My work, Wilmington Access for Teens or WHAT, is offering a free yoga class starting this Monday.  I'm very excited.   

Knitting News
The exciting part about knitting this monster is that I learned some new skills: 1) how to cast on using the long-tail cast-on, and 2) how to knit in the round using the magic loop.  I learned how to do the long-tail cast on using you-tube.  The magic loop is taught very well in Rebecca Danger's book.  She includes simple instructions along with useful pictures.  I'm enjoying the magic loop, it is pretty mindless and relaxing once you get used to it ... perfect for TV knitting.  I don't know if I would want to use it for sock knitting though.

What am I reading?

I love listening to books on Audible.  I listened to Haruki Murakami's book, What I Talk About When I Talk about Running to help inspire me to train for a 5K I completed with Fred (my Border Collie), Paws 4 People.  If you run, you would probably enjoy this book.




I also listened to Jodi Picoult's The Pact.  I could not put this book down, it was a very good read.  I highly recommend adding it to your wish list. 

I really enjoyed listening to Nora Roberts's third book of The Bridal Quartet, Savor the Moment.  Only one more to read, I will be sad to finish the series.

On my Kindle, I just finished Jessica Berger Gross's enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds With a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer.  I really enjoyed this book, it is educational, but also very entertaining.  I felt like the author was an old friend by the end of the story.