FO Friday - 1/18/2019

I finished this shawl last month.

Pattern: The Girl from the Grocery Store by Joji Locatelli
Yarn: The Plucky Knitter Plucky Single in Loch and Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Conference Call.
Comments:  I love it. I love the colorway. I love the yarn. Thank you to my Grocery Girls Spring Swap from 2017 swap partner Danielle for the gorgeous merino and silk blend yarn. It's the onlyPlucky Knitter yarn I've ever owned. The colorway I chose on TML, one of my all time faves, looks great with it. I enjoyed knitting the pattern. Thank you Joji!

Can you tell I like this project very much?

MK out.

Movie Monday - 1/14/2018

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women tells the backstory of the man who created the Wonder Woman comics. WW had a rather kinky start. There was a little art imitating life going on since her author, his wife and their research assistant were engaged in a polyamorous affair. Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall and Bella Heathcote star in the film. It was interesting.

Steve Carell, Timothee Chalamet, Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan star in Beautiful Boy. The film is based on the true story of a father and his drug addicted son. It was sad, but very good.

Naomi Watts and Sarah Silverman, an unlikely pairing as they play co-workers and quasi friends, star in The Book of Henry. Naomi's oldest son is convinced that the neighbor is abusing his step-daughter who is a classmate of his. He tries to convince his mom that they need to help. There were moments that I really had to suspend a little belief, but in the end, it turned out really good.

MK out.

WIP Wednesday - 1/9/2019

Happy New Year people!!!

This October will ring in a big birthday for me...you know, the kind that ends in 0. Since it's the new year and all, I've been taking stock. I'm a fairly organized person, but if you guys looked in some of my closets right now, you would think otherwise. I've let my paperwork managing skills fall by the wayside over the past 15 years for many reasons that I won't elucidate here. 

Y'all might remember that I did a big decrapification of my house about 10 years ago. Well, since then we've moved, and there was further decrapifying, but the paper monster followed me here, and it's gotten scarier. It's taken residence...without paying rent. I think it's time for an eviction.

Last week, I was reflecting, as one frequently does at the beginning of a new year, that my mind doesn't feel as peaceful as it could. I thought about all the things that might be causing this unrest. As I was looking for something in my office closet, I realized that I felt uneasy standing in there.

I noticed the same discomfort in a few other closets. I examined the contents of the closets and besides finding a little general clutter, I noted bags and boxes full of paper. Paper that needed to be filed. Paper that needed to be shredded. Paper that required some other action. I came to the realization that in regards to paper management, I had been doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

About the same time, the universe sent me a message about a workshop to go paperless. I checked into it and decided to join. I've declared this year to be The Year of MK. My birthday present to me is to whip my house into shape and achieve the peace of mind I deserve.

Today, I spent some time in my office. 

I'm sorry I didn't take a before picture. I'm showing you a during picture. The office has become a bit of a dumping ground for boxes and containers of paper. (Maybe, because the closets are already full?) The plan is to spend 15 minutes most days doing a little decluttering. I got a little zealous today and worked for 30 minutes.

These two crates were full of papers that needed either shredding or recycling. Now, I can repurpose them.

Finally, here's a little knitting content:

I'm making a Humulus sweater using Madelinetosh DK Twist.

MK out.

Movie Monday - 12/31/2018

The documentary, Won't You Be My Neighbor? is about the life of the beloved Mr. Rogers. His wife, sons and sister appear in the film. I miss him. It was good.

Chappaquiddick is a dramatization of Ted Kennedy and the accidental drowning of Mary Jo Kopechne. It gave good insight on the machinations that followed the event. Jason Clarke plays Kennedy and Kate Mara plays Kopechne. It was interesting.

Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck star in The Old Man and the Gun. It's based on the true story of Forrest Tucker, who led a life of crime and even escaped prison to continue his line of work. It was very good.

Based on a true story, Green Book chronicles the music tour by classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley that he takes in the Deep South in the 1960s with his driver/body guard Tony Vallelonga. Mahershala Alli and Viggo Mortensen star and it's really good.

Eighth Grade, starring Elsie Fisher is about the angst of middle school/almost high school. It was cute.

Happy New Year to all!

MK out.

FO Friday - 12/7/2018

Finished objects! 

You read that right.

Pattern: Hermione's Everyday Socks (just on the front of the leg and instep) with a contrasting Eye-of-Partridge Heel.
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in Birthday Cake and Madelinetosh Twist Light in Antler for the heels.
Comments: With a name like that colorway, they were the perfect socks to make during my Birthday Month. The speckles kept me amused too.

Pattern: Plain Vanilla Socks with a contrasting Fish Lips Kiss Heel
Yarn: Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs Strychnine - Gothsocks in Red Queen and Miss Babs Yummy 2-Ply Toes in Ghoulish for the heels and toes.
Comments:  This yarn was from deep stash...very deep stash. I like the contrasting colors. They look rather Suessical, but they could pass for Christmas socks too.

I still haven't done finish work on an FO from several weeks ago. Maybe, I'll do it before the end of the year. No promises.

Then, there's this little number:

It's how far I've gotten on a Hitofude since July of 2016. I've tried to get back to it and finish it, because it's not a hard knit, and it's supposed to go fast. 

BUT...it wasn't sparking joy.

 I took a long, hard look at it and realized that I wouldn't get much wear out of it. I'm going to frog it and reclaim the yarn for something else.

Don't know what yet.

MK out. 

(Always click on the pictures to see the whole thing if your device cuts them off.)

Book Chat - 12/6/2018

This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

Rosie and Penn have five kids, all boys, except the youngest one wants to be a girl.  It's a good story about family, well-intentioned secrets, fairy tales, the middle way, how life is hard and how life is good. I really liked it.

MK out.

Book Chat 11/29/2018

Still Lives by Maria Hummel

Kim Lord is an artist who stole gallery worker Maggie Richter's boyfriend, new gallery owner, Greg Shaw Ferguson. On the opening night of Kim's new show at Maggie's gallery, Kim turns up missing. Maggie starts suspecting everyone she knows. It was good.

When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker

Luke Richardson comes home after his wife Natalie's funeral and begins the task of finding the new normal for their kids and himself. Then, letters from Natalie start arriving. OMG! Read this book. It was very good. 

The Briefing:  Politics, The Press and the President by Sean Spicer

Spicer chronicles his time in the White House under the Trump Administration. It was an interesting perspective.

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

Emily Havistock finally meets her boyfriend Adam's mother Pammie. At first, the older woman seems a little dotty. As time goes on, Pammie is hateful to Emily, but only behind her son's back. What gives? Read it and you will find out. It was good.

MK out.