Monday, February 14, 2011

What I've Been Up To

I've been fairly obsessed with the Palisander, which I finished last night. It's currently drying (I'm hoping it will be dry by the time it cools down on Friday:

Before I start a new knitting project I'm trying to finish a hat and booties - the same as what I made for Blinker - in time for a baby shower at work the 28th of this month.

I finished two books, Mountain of Crumbs and The Blind Contessa's New Machine. I loved, loved, loved Mountain of Crumbs. It's a memoir of a woman born in the Soviet Union in 1955. Since I was born here in 1960 I found her perspective fascinating; it was a glimpse of what was going on for a girl/young woman on the other side of the Cold War. It is a very well written glimpse into a world I knew nothing of, but speculated on a lot (I also studied the Russian language briefly in high school). The Blind Contessa's New Machine was good, but I'm not sure if I liked the ending.

I saw a very good movie, Bomber. It was a Little Miss Sunshine type of a road trip, except it was a British couple and their adult son going to Germany. There was also a short on the same disc, Edgar which was great.

Since I am once again a Lady of Leisure - the bookstore is not only done with Christmas sales, but perhaps headed toward bankruptcy - I've started volunteering. The new "job" is sorting books at ARC's Value Village in Richfield. I figure since I used to work with books and volunteer as a tutor I would, now that I'm teaching, volunteer with books. It is very enjoyable. This morning there was a lot of folks talking about the Grammys.

Boy-child recently brought up the Chicago Boys which reminded me that we sat with a Chicago Boy at a wedding reception some years ago. Phone calls were made and he's hoping to be able to make contact with said "boy" (who was born and raised in Ireland, became a Chicago Boy and thus spent time in Chile. Funny how that works).

And for fun photos I have these two shots from the 46th street station. This is across Hiawatha, at a fountain place. Note that the water is still spilling out of the top of the ice. At night it is lit up different colors.
And what's not to love with this sticker, which someone put on the heat button box at the station.
What's new with you?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Palisander is gorgeous! How did I ever miss that in Knitty? Perhaps that will be a Red Scarf next autumn.

Value Village is not too far from our Mpls house (near 54th & Lyndale) -- maybe I'll see you there someday!

Rose the Gypsy said...

On the island of Kauai. It is cloudy and warm. Hot and sunny would be ideal. But this is still a great way to thaw out.

Sarah Morean said...

AHHHHH!!!!! I LOVE ARC'S! Does Mica Cowan still work there? She and I traveled together in college. She is one of my favorite people and I never see her anymore. Her mom used to work there too. Please tell her I say hi, enthusiastically.