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.

Movie Monday - 11/5/2018

Movie watching season is upon us...fa la la la la, la la la la!

(And Countdown to Christmas has begun on the Hallmark Channel; so, I've been recording all the new ones to start watching after Thanksgiving.)

RBG is a documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I learned many things that I didn't know about her. I wasn't aware of her prior work with women's issues. I rather think that makes her even cooler in my book. I liked it.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a lovely little period piece based on the book by the same name. It's set in the Channel Islands after World War II. Lily James plays Juliet, a writer who becomes intrigued with the town of Geurnsey and its Nazi occupied past. A handsome farmer named Dawsey (Michiel Huisman) helps sweeten the pie, pun intended. It was sweet and I liked it.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on the memoir by Lee Isreal of the same name. Melissa McCarthy stars as Isreal, who wrote several biographies about powerful women in her heyday. However, tastes changed but she didn't; so, she found herself needing a job. She turned to forging letters and documents from famous people and selling them to make ends meet. Her partner in crime is played by Richard E. Grant. It was good.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a bit of the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen. Rami Malek plays Mercury. The actors that play the other three band members look a lot like the real band members. There is already controversy about the way facts were presented in the film, but I'm good with the movie and the acting. I liked it.

A Star is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, is the third iteration of the story of rather famous boy meets talented girl. He encourages her talent until it starts to eclipse his. Drama ensues. I think I like this version the best. The acting was very good, the singing was phenomenal. Who knew that Bradley Cooper had musical talent? Wowsers! He was awesome! (Besides writing and performing some songs, he directed and produced the film. ...Wowsers!) Lady Gaga looked beautiful and her singing shined. I liked it.

There are more good movies coming out in the next few weeks, and I'll try to see as many as I can.

MK out.

FO Friday - 10/26/2018

I've finished a couple of things since we last spoke. In a departure from my usual format, I'm going to be brief. Crazy things are happening at Chez Merry Karma.

I made a hat for my niece, using a pretty pink colorway of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino: 

I made a pair of socks for The Husb, using the Yoda colorway of Must Stash Yarn and Fiber's Perfect Self Striping Sock:

I made a pair of socks for me, using the Hippo for Christmas colorway of Lolodidit's Everyday Sock. I used Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Tart too (for the heels and a little on the cuff):

I finished one other thing, but I haven't completed the finish work; so, no pictures today.

MK out.

Book Chat - 10/25/2018

Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff is a behind-the-scenes look at the first nine months of Trump's presidency. It was entertaining.

Fear by Bob Woodward is another interesting look at the first year or so of the Trump presidency. The prose didn't flow as smoothly as in Fire and Fury, but it was good.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is sooooooo GOOD! You must read it. Growing up in the marsh of a South Carolina coastal area, Kya is abandoned by everyone in her life at a young age. She is left to fend for herself.  A local neighbor teaches her to read and another pays her for the mussels she brings him to resell.  She grows up despite all the odds. That's all I'm going to say, because I really don't want to spoil it. Read it!

MK out.