August 01, 2008
Reading: Crazy Aunt Purl
Ok, I'm not quite finished this one, but so far I've been quite enjoying it. I'm not divorced and I've never directed traffic with my bra on my head (not counting that one time in college....) So far it's a quick easy read that draws you into her topsy turvy life without bringing you down. I'd recommend it as a light read, but you may want to pick this one up at the library. I'm not sure I'll want to re-read this one repeatedly so it's shelf-space vs. expense is not equal.
Continue reading "Crazy Aunt Purl"
February 15, 2007
The Cheese Log: In the Beginning
There was cheese.
Oh wait.... No there wasn't.
In the beginning, there were cows.
...and sheep.
...and goats.
...and dogs.
Ok, to Americans the dogs thing might be gross. But hey, they lactate, don't they? I bet somewhere in the world they make cheese from dog's milk. Let's not be so ethnocentric, eh?
Continue reading "In the Beginning"
Reading: Marley & Me
Last week I was at our monthly Paws for Love meeting and a friend had just finished Marley & Me. When she went home, she left it for someone else to take. Unable to resist the opportunity to not hit the hold list at the library, I took it home. It was excellent.
I do not own a yellow lab, but I do understand the whole "worst dog in the world" concept quite intimately. (Don’t we all, really?) I have also known my fair share of labs that could be Marley’s twin.
Weighing in at 304 pages, the length seems to fit perfectly. It is well paced and at no point did I find myself wanting to skip ahead or find myself completely lost. John Grogan is known for his light, personable writing with a penchant for good-hearted humor. This book is no exception. I found myself reading into the wee hours of the night (the fact that I start reading at eleven doesn’t help) and finished it in about four nights of reading. It was engaging and entertaining. Partway through I thought that I would be disappointed at the end, craving more insane-canine antics. Quite the opposite was true as I wrapped up the novel last night. Grogan did an excellent job of winding us down to the conclusion at exactly the right pace, leaving us contented to set the novel down, both nostalgic for the past and optimistic for the future.
I won’t recap the book more than this…. Young couple decides to get a dog, picks a boisterous lab, and lives with the consequences. Ok, a little more. The story follows this family’s growth as it adapts to a string of changes including starting a family. We meet Marley as a young pup bursting with way too much energy, watch him flunk out of obedience school, and finally grow old and need more human assistance. Any dog owner can relate to this story, but anyone who has lived with a less-than-perfect canine companion will find themselves flinching, groaning, laughing, and crying right alongside the Grogans.
Continue reading "Marley & Me"
On the Needles: She is sooo my daughter!
Yesterday I offered Beth Ann two Size J crochet hooks to choose from. Her face lit up and she exclaimed, "I've never crocheted on a Brittany!"
Note that she can not read. She was able to recognize a Brittany needle (hook) by the packaging. I would normally point out the fabulous decorative tooling at the end as a point of rapid recognition, but she had never seen a Brittany hook before. She simply couldn't know that this was unique. She is my daughter. That is the best explanation. She just knows a good quality hook when she sees it.
February 09, 2007
Reading: The Ringworld Engineers
Continue reading "The Ringworld Engineers"