Reverie

reverie 001
Originally uploaded by loobles2002

Hat number two for my week of knitting hats. Pattern is by Amy M Swenson and is free on Knitty. The yarn is 100% Ronaldsay Wool (dk) from the Orkney's which was a lovely gift from a friend who lives there.

It's a great pattern, easy to knit and lovely to wear.

Been busy.

 As well as having a weeks holiday and celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary (which involved being out and being social virtually every day and most evenings last week) I was also productive.

The post below this one shows how many books I've managed in my '52 Book Challenge' and these photos show what is off the needles and wheel in the last few days.

Above is the wonderful Camden Cap by Woolly Wormhead - I love it. But the brim is a bugger! I used milk bottle plastic but it was a pig to put together. I need more hats this winter so already have another one under constructions- this week is 'Hat' week.

Below is one third of some spinning - merino/angora blend which I call 'Frosted Winter Berries' - I have a plan for this if the yardage works out OK.

 And lastly I zipped up a pair of new dog walking Frankenmitts as my other ones have now seen better days (dog leads are hard on gloves). I used two different types of lovely warm alpaca yarn so they should keep my paws nice and toasty.

Books 84 - 89

'The Sign of the Four' and 'Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Format - Audio Book.

Continuing with my plan to read/listen to the whole of Sherlock Holmes. Am loving every second of it and it is helping me through an awful lot of knitting and spinning.


'Whispers Under Ground (Rivers of London)' by Ben Aaronovitch
Format - Kindle

Third book in the is series so far and I loved it. I had read reviews that felt it was more of the same but I actually thought this book was different in some ways because all the characters and the backdrop had been set in place in the first two and this one allowed more of the actual plot to run its course and tell the story without so many explanations - it also carried on the much bigger underlying plot line that was started in the previous books. I look forward to the next one.

'Monday to Friday Man' by Alice Peterson
Format - Kindle.

An OK light read bit predictable for my taste - one good point there was a Scottie called Trouble in it!


'Email from a Vampire' by Nigel Cooper
Format - Kindle

I came across whilst looking at another book in a similar vein, the author had written a review on the other book and had the cheek to basically say - that his book was much better and people would be better off reading his - so I took him at his word. As I didn't read the other book he may be right, his book may be better, but if that is the case, than the other book must have been pretty dire. It was predictable and what could have been a pastiche on 'The Vampire Lestat' became a weak sub story line that seemed rushed and weak. The main plot didn't really bring anything new to the whole vampire genre and none of the main characters had that much depth. It was OK and a light read but I have read far better many  times.

'The Girl who Fed them Bones' by Tim Roux
Format -Kindle.

Meh! Unusual to read a book that leaves me completely cold - but this one did. All the characters seemed weak and self centred and the whole thing was as appetising as a bowl of cold tapioca pudding! *shudders*

Time was flown by again...........

Don't know where the week has gone. Been busy. Eaten tapas with some good friends. On holliers now for a week to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

Back in a week.

Books 74-83

Books 1- 6 of 'The Black Dagger Brotherhood' by J R Ward
Format- Kindle

I know I shouldn't (in a way) but I love theses books. They tick all the boxes for me, though reading six on the trot did mean I struggled to finish number six and had to read something completely different and then go back to book six, they have violence,  the undead, vampires, sex (good sex) and a bit of intrigue too. I will read the others - think there are 11or 12 and  then read her angel series as well, but need a respite before I go on.

'Ayala's Angel' by Anthony Trollope
Format - Book

My all time favourite Trollope. I have a lovely little 2nd hand copy with wafer thin pages which is a joy to hold and to revisit this book was just a total pleasure (it was my something completely different from above). I love all the characters in this book and how their troubles, romances and lives intermingle. I love the names and the social settings, I love the anti-hero Tom Tringle Jr, I love the hero Col Jonathan Stubbs, I just love this book.

'Mansfield Park' by Jane Austen
Format - Audio Book

This used to be one of my least favourite Austen's - the only one I liked less was 'Northanger Abbey' but I have had a true change of heart about this book and it now is up there with 'P & P' and 'Persuasion'. I have a thing for Henry Crawford and his designs on Fanny, I love Aunt Norris - she is evil and I find the whole blindness of Edmund wonderful.  I can immerse myself completely in the story time and time again.

'A Study in Scarlet' by Arthur Conan Doyle
Format - Audio Book

Well I haven't read any Holmes this year (as far as I can remember) so I decided to go back to the beginning and to start my way through them again. I've missed having Holmes in my life this year. Have loved listening to this.

'Wallis - Secret Lives of the Duchess of Windsor' by Charles Higham
Format - Book

It has taken me ages to finish this and I have struggled with it - not because it isn't interesting or well written but because within the first few chapters I really came to dislike her. She comes across as an unpleasant character who was vain, egotistical and selfish. I kept putting the book down in disgust.The author writes well and it is easy reading but this one will be passed on to the charity shop as I never want to read about her again.

Hat and booties for baby raptor

Hat and booties for baby raptor
Originally uploaded by loobles2002

Knit for a FB buddies forthcoming bundle of joy.