Super Bowl Sunday

Well, not for me.  I am not a professional sports fan so I am reading my way through this game although my husband is watching it.  I am yearning for "Downtown Abbey" but it will have to wait a bit.

 "What am I reading", you might ask.  I am reading through my blog list which I try to do every day.  I have a very nice variety of blogs that I enjoy reading that cover a variety of subjects.  I get such pleasure and inspiration from these blogs and feel that I have actually made friends with many of the authors.  I start my day out reading a specific few and, as I sit with my cuppa and my computer in the early morning, I feel like I am having a nice visit with a friend.  Reading blogs is such a different experience from social networking (i.e. Facebook) -- much more rewarding and a lot less manic (read "political").

I am also reading a couple of new books.  One I am enjoying a great deal, the other, not so much.  "The Quilter's Apprentice" by Jennifer Chiaverini was a gift to me from my daughter.  She certainly knows me well and knew that I would enjoy getting into this series.  What's not to love?  I mean, quilting, a beautiful old mansion in Pennsylvania, a woman trying to "find herself", an older woman looking to/needing to connect -- I love books involving the human condition and this is brimming with that.  Throw in a quaint quilt shop (would love to own one!) and I am in reading heaven.  This book is a page turner and even though I am only about half done, I would definitely recommend.

The second book that I am reading --or trying to -- is one that caught my eye months ago but I was hesitant to acquire it so I waited until I found it on the discount shelf at the bookstore before I bought it and I am glad I waited.  It is "Wench" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and, while it has my interest, I am afraid it is going to be a lot more graphic than I like.  I am sure it involves the human condition as it concerns a posh vacation spot where wealthy plantation owners would frequent with their slave mistresses.  I am not sure I am going to get very far into this book as I don't think I will be able to handle the subject matter.  I will see and let you know.  I don't usually give up on books but I do read for pleasure and I am not sure this is going to be pleasurable.

I am finishing up some cross stitch Christmas ornaments that I started a while back.  They were supposed to be done for Christmas but I got sick and, well, it just didn't happen.  Oh well, there is always next year!  I especially enjoy doing the ornies from Little House Needleworks because they are challenging enough but quick enough to almost qualify as instant gratification -- providing you don't get sick!  These are the ones I am currently working on.

 

I had planned a flat finish for these but I really enjoy a pillow-type finish with ribbons and things so I think that is what I will do -- maybe with a velvet backing.  I have a lot of time to figure it out!

It has been a quiet weekend.  My knee and foot are killing me so I haven't been up and around very much.  I already have arthritis (first diagnosed at 34 years old! A couple of years ago) and then I twisted it badly trying to get up off the floor while babysitting.  I am ok once I am down but if I have to do much getting up and down, I am done.  So, between that and the plantar faciitis in my right heel, I am fairly useless.  In spite of that, and the headache I can't get rid of, I did do laundry today and rearrange my kitchen counters and swap some flour/sugar into new canisters. I wasn't entirely idle but I did do a bit of resting as I went.  All of this knee/foot pain is really tiring and I missed church today because I just wasn't moving around very well and, honestly, exhausted.  It took me all day to get any energy and it didn't last long.  I sound like an ancient, old crone but I am not -- however, I think my knees are at least twenty five years older than the rest of me.  Ouch.

On that note, I am back to my book.  I will review it later on.