Crochet

I'm pleased that I've learned a new skill set. I'm on project two of single crocheting a scarf. The first one had some mistakes, as I expected, but I was still proud of the finished product. The second scarf is for me, colors "Oceana". It's going to be long and narrow, able to be wrapped several times. I can't wait to see how it's going to turn out! There's a huge sense of accomplishment in making something by hand, that I can't adequately explain. I want to learn to double crochet next, followed by knitting. It'd be nice to be able to make pretty things. And eventually, I'd like to pass these skills on. I'm already working on a recipe book, making sure I document my 'signature' meals.

I'm thrilled with my progress so far. I've taken a small break from reading to crochet, but I will come back to it shortly. I can never stay away from a good story for too long.

Here's a picture of the first completed project, modeled by my toddler;

Happy Homemaking!

Technology...

Is my nemesis today. I've tried a million times to upload a picture and it doesn't seem to be working. Riddle me this; how can a person who can read HTML have issues with a click here uploader? It's madness. Total madness.

Tonight I'm trying a new recipe from the Cooking Light magazine. The link is: Chicken with Honey Beer Sauce. I'm hoping it's delicious. I need a new chicken recipe under my belt, and this looks beyond simple.

In other frigid news, we got another six inches or so yesterday. I would like to take Sammy outside, but the windchill is in the negatives. Bummer. Here's to hoping tomorrow might be a bit warmer, so we can make a snowman!

I bought two more books today; Blood of the Lamb by Michael Lister and Dead Center by Danielle Girard. Both are crime drama. I'm taking a break from supernatural/fantasy series for the moment, as I just finished 5 in a row.

Any good book rec's are welcomed!

Edit: Hah! Take that! I fixed it. /fist pump

Weird Wednesday

Today has been odd. You know when you're agitated with something or someone and you rant to a close friend/family member? I did that this morning. And then, the weirdest thing happened; I got two phone calls that were complete rants about more serious things. Is it bad that I totally feel better about my small stuff? And then I wondered to myself, "Do I sound like this?" and if I do, I'm sorry. Man, what a downer. So, now, I'm turning all that excess energy into cleaning the house. I'll make things brighter until I feel brighter. And it's totally worked.

Just a weird Wednesday.

I have several books in the queue, but haven't started a new one yet. If everything goes smoothly for the rest of the day, I might start one. We'll see.

This weekend we have two parties to go to, a half hour apart for start times. How do you choose who to go to first? And who to be late to? Or do you not go to one? I'm still trying to figure out how it's going to work.

In the meantime, I guess I can sit and admire my clean house.

Mother Nature, Monday

As I'm sitting inside today, my Dad tells me that the actual temperature is -15 degrees. The windchill? -41. That brings a whole new meaning to 'cold'. I'm grateful for a warm house and a roof over my head today. Maybe I'll put that in the gratitude jar. Here, it's cold, with a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Thankfully, B is working from home today.

This morning I finished the book, Champion by Marie Lu. It's the final book in the Legend series. I wanted it to continue on further than it did, but I liked the way the author ended it. The characters were developed wonderfully, and I find myself thinking about them, even after I've finished. It's a mark of a good series. (Like, In Death's Eve and Roarke!)

Now, onto something else... Although I'm not sure what the next book will be.

Warm wishes on this cold, snowy Monday afternoon.

Timebound and The Line

The first book of the year has been completed! A few days before January 1st, I stumbled upon a new subscription called "Kindle First." If you're a Prime member and subscribe, they send you an email with a choice of four books. Pick one of four, and buy it for free.

The first book I read (last year, hah!) was called Timebound by Rysa Walker. It didn't qualify for my 2014 reading challenge, but I'm compelled to review it any way. Clearly, as the title implies, it's about time travel. More specifically, bouncing in between times, without damaging the timeline. This book asks, "What would happen if someone wanted to shape history?" It's an interesting question, and though the main character is young, the journey was interesting. It really lends credit to the phrase, "Time is relative." I know a few of the reviewers weren't happy with the book, but I soaked up the details. There's a bit of history woven in, (not as seamless and amazing as A Discovery of Witches) and it's interesting enough to keep you flipping pages.

The second book I've read this week, or the first for the year, whichever way you want to look at it, is The Line by J.D. Horn. This is my second pick from the Kindle First subscription. It's about a young woman, Mercy, twin to Maisie, who finds herself powerless in Savannah's most powerful witching family. First, let me say, I was really reticent to read another young adult witch novel. There have been some really great ones, and some really cringe-worthy. This was a really wonderful surprise. Mercy, an almost twenty-one year old, is introduced as a fun-loving girl who gives the Liar's Tour of Savannah. At odds with an old aunt, she's mostly called 'The Disappointment' within the family for not showing any magical ability at all. And she takes it in stride. The journey was full of twists, some expected, some unexpected, but I was really pleased with how the author had Mercy deal with the plot twists. She truly was a young woman to admire. I'm happy that I found this author, and the second book in the series is coming out July 15. (Ironically, the same day as the third book in the "A Discovery of Witches" series.)

Now that I'm two books into the week, I find myself itching for another really good supernatural/fantasy book. Maybe I'll roll the dice and get lucky with an Amazon recommendation. I will say I did buy (paperback) The Diviners by Libba Bray, and I haven't been able to get into it. It's been sitting on my nightstand for two weeks, which isn't a good sign. Sorry to those who like it, but I'm thinking it falls into the 'might be a best seller, but not sellin' me on it' category.

New Year, New You

Well, not really. Same me, new goals. I'm holding myself accountable for this year's book challenge. I'm already focused on health and losing weight, so that's just more of the same. I think this year's resolution is to communicate more. It's easy to let communication slide, so this will be my focus. 2014 was brought in at the house, in front of a fire, with a healthy glass of wine and my husband by my side. Pretty great start! This morning was pancakes and bacon for the boys and later we'll take down the tree. Tomorrow we're supposed to get a decent amount of snow, so maybe a last minute run to the store for milk is in order. I'm looking forward to this year. We're hoping for good health, good luck and fertility. C'mon baby #2, we're ready for more!