Getting Ready for Fall

What's Happening?
     

      It was my birthday, August 1st.  My family visited me in Wilmington and we had a wonderful time.  My husband took me to Thalian Hall to see Always ... Patsy Cline.  We really enjoyed the show.  My best-friend, Susan, gave me a gift package from Adagio Tea including an amazing tea kettle that quickly warms water to temperature of your choice.  If you want green tea, you set it to the "green" setting, same for black tea, etc.  It also came with a tea sampler and I have really enjoyed trying different types of tea.  I have enjoyed drinking Adagio Tea so much, I decided to join the tea of the month club. 

What's off my sticks?

    Shocker ... I knitted another monster.  She is named Lurleen, the Laundry Monster.  She was fun to knit, but I'm going to take a little break from monsters for a while.  Not for good though, because I promised to knit monsters for two friends at work who are both pregnant, one with twins!
 
What's on my sticks?

     I just started a pretty big project.  I am knitting The Alpaca Blanket from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.  So far, it is not too difficult and an enjoyable project to knit.  It will be nice to wrap up in a warm blanket in the winter while I sip tea, listen to books, and knit. 

Knitting News

     If you have not yet joined Ravelry, I highly recommend it.  Ravelry is a social networking site for knitters and is so much fun.  You can keep track of your own projects, see other knitters' projects, and find tons and tons of new patterns.  Join by going to www.ravelry.com

What am I reading?

     I just finished reading Jaycee Dugard's memoir, A Stolen Life.  This story is a little difficult to read, because of the horrible life events Jaycee was forced to endure.  But, I am still very glad that I read this book.  She is an amazing woman.  She inspires me to become a much more optimistic and appreciative person.  As sad as her story is, she remains strong and hold onto a very positive outlook throughout her time as a captive.  
     I just started reading Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden.  I have read only the first chapter so far.  This book received rave reviews on Audible and I really look forward to enjoying it.  Here is the publisher's description: "A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, a maze, an aristocratic family, a love denied, a mystery - The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric, and a compulsive [read] about the past, ghosts, family, and memories from best-selling author, Kate Morton."