It's About Time I Finished Something (Part 2)

Something snapped in me this year. I think it might have been my sanity. I signed up for the silliness that is NaKniSweMoDo. That is, National Knit a Sweater a Month Dodecathon. It is nearing the end of the fourth month and I have only completed two sweaters. I do have a tank that is nearing the halfway point and another cardigan that is ~75% finished. I would be even closer on the cardi, but it was just too hot this week to think about wool, even Silky Wool.

Project: Must Have Cardigan by Patons

Size: Medium

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino in grey (6 skeins)

Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm)

Notes: This was actually a fairly fast knit. I started the back in December, but only knit about three inches to check gauge before shelving it until New Years Day. I finished on 12 February. It wasn't difficult and the instructions were quite clear. I did add two inches to the body and at least one to the sleeves. I do wish that I had made the next larger size as this is a bit more fitted than I would like. Of course, I could lose those 25 pounds that have been haunting me and then it would fit much better. Alternatively, I could send it to my sister in Minnesota who is the one who actually needs a wool cardigan. And, yes, I have considered knitting a second one for myself and sending this one to my sister.

It's About Time I Finished Something (Part 1)

Well, it's about time I started posting about the things that I have been finishing! Let's start off with something simple.

Project: Noro Striped Scarf

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden in #84 and some other color (lost the ball band)

Needles: US 7 (4.5mm) straights

Notes: What can I say? Yes it is another striped scarf. This is the third that I have done. I think it turned out well and it looks great on the recipient. It wasn't my colors at all, so it was tough for me to judge. It is just the right color for the woman to whom I gave it and that is what matters.

It Must Be Monday

You know that it is Monday when you are greeted at 6:00 a.m. by a very, very large crane blocking your street! We were actually happy about this because it meant the end of darkness. Around 9:30 Sunday night we heard a loud "POP!" and the lights went out. It turned out that the transformer in our neighbors' back yard blew out. This morning the nice people from SoCal Edison came with a crane to take out the old transformer and put in a new one. We now have electricity and all is good. Considering that it was in the upper 90s today, we were quite happy to have A/C available when we came home.

Curl Up With a Book Sunday Returns!

It has been far too long since I posted last. Where have I been? Well, there was lacrosse, and work, and more lacrosse, and much more work. You get the picture. There was also some knitting in there somewhere. I'll catch you up. Or not. You know how it goes. First off, we have a book review. Too bad it wasn't a better book...


The Last Mission by Harry Mazer

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
The Last Mission was a pick from my book club for the History/Historical Fiction month. One of our members is working on a biography of her father who flew in WWII and was a POW for several years. Her hope was to pick up something from this book that would help her on her way. Alas, there was little to be gleaned from this volume. Mr. Mazer has written many young adult books on WWII, but sometimes I wonder if he really decided to whom he was writing. This book, for example, seems to swing wildly between a book aimed to relate to young men, a book clearly for adults only, and an anti-war treatise. Much of the book was obviously aimed at young wannabe heroes, but the language, while probably authentic, wasn't necessary for the audience. Sorry, but I don't hand books to my 11 year old that are sprinkled with the F-word, no matter how true that is to the period. Given that my father, a WWII veteran, who was known to pepper his language with colorful expletives, never used the F-word (to my recollection), I wonder how true to life it actually was! It wasn't necessary and annoyed me greatly.


The anti-war rhetoric tacked on literally at the very end was also odd. I don't disagree with the sentiment, it just seemed disjointed.


So, if you are determined to read every WWII-related book out there, here is one for your shelves. I can't recommend it for young adults because of the language and I can't recommend it for most readers because it just wasn't that well-written. Character development was minimal (even for young adult book standards). The best I can say is that it was a quick read.


View all my reviews.