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."

Monster Madness!

What's Happening?

    Thank goodness, it is finally summer time.  I have been trying to spend as much time as possible at the beach or at the pool.  This blog will probably be a little bit short so that I can go enjoy the outdoors :-).

Whats off my sticks? 

       I am having so much fun knitting monsters from Rebecca Danger's monster book.  I also have really enjoyed knitting in the round with the magic loop method.  The two monsters to the left are Charlie and Harold.  The monster below is Baldwin, he was a gift for my little sister.

What's on my sticks?

     I'm knitting another monster, this one is tiny and knit out of the same pretty yarn I used to knit Baldwin.

Knitting News
     
     I joined Audiobooks about one year ago, and have really enjoyed listening to books while I knit, ride in the car, and go on my afternoon walk with my dogs.  I highly recommend the service.  There is an Audiobook app, so you can listen to your books directly from your i-phone.  The books are cheaper than purchasing an audiobook from a retailer.

Here is one of my dogs, Daisy, relaxing while I knit ...


What am I reading?


    I have been reading so much, on my Kindle, on audiobooks, and from real books!


    I read the entire Nora Roberts', "Born In" Trilogy: Born in Fire, Born in Ice, and Born in Shame.  The trilogy is addicting and very entertaining.  The books made me feel like I had taken a trip to Ireland.

I'm almost finished reading Nora Roberts', "Chesapeake Bay" Saga.  I've finished: Sea Swept and Rising Tides.  I'm currently listening to Inner Harbor.  After I finish this series, I plan to switch to a different author for a while.  As much as I have enjoyed these books, I need a break.  Any suggestions are welcome!

On my Kindle, I'm reading, a vampire / witch romance, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.  The beginning was a little slow, but ever since the main character, a witch, attended a yoga class filled with witches, demons, and vampires, I've been hooked ;)

I'm also reading a paperback edition of Kitchen Chinese written by Ann Mah.  My mother-in-law picked up this book on her trip to China ... thank goodness this copy is written in English.  It is a very addicting novel about a woman about my age who goes through a career crisis and decides to escape her troubles by moving to Beijing in the hopes that she can succeed as a journalist.  I highly recommend this book.