Doctor's Orders

Lorette, The Knitting Doctor, told me to give my confounded shrug one more go, then ditch it and move on.  That's just what I'm doing, and, so far, so good.

Very cold here today, but no ice or snow.  Grave disappointment.

Since it was such a freezing, grey day, and since I'm still trying to stay out of harm's way in the house, I've spent all day in my room, knitting, reading, watching movies.  I think the last time the Alphabetical Authors project was brought up, I was on "Q" --- Daniel Quinn's My Ishmael.  "R" was Lisa Rogak's Dogs of Courage.  "S" was Cain, by my beloved Jose Saramago.  It's a slim book, yes, but I read it in one sitting.  Saramago's stories and his words transport me.  This time, it was no different.

Right now, I'm reading Boots On the Ground By Dusk, by Mary Tillman.  Her son, Pat, a former NFL player, joined the Army Rangers after 9/11 and was killed by friendly fire.  Only it took the family months to be told that, and they were given several versions at that.  I'm not sure they have the Truth to this day.  It's a sad, infuriating, yet interesting read.  I very well remember Tillman's NFL days, and all the turmoil that surrounded his death.

It being Inauguration Week and all, thought I'd join in the patriotism and stuff.  I've been to Washington, and would love to go back.  Took a tour of the White House, but, nice as ours was, it could never match up to this:

Go On!

Starting our four-a-day regimen today.  Hope you took your vitamins!

Pair Sixteen

Pair Seventeen

Pair Eighteen

Pair Nineteen

And this has nothing to do with KH or KC, but, Happy Birthday, Misha Collins!

Persist!

Looks like everyone made it through what I thought was a pretty difficult day yesterday.  The winners were Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Rudd and Liam Neeson.  And we're still not anywhere near the end of the first round!

It's tradition not to have any voting on the weekends, so these are the last brain strains you'll have to endure until Monday. . .

Pair Thirteen

Pair Fourteen

Pair Fifteen

Acquired Tastes

I do not drink coffee.  Yet coffee houses are, generally, places that I like.  Ironically, my two favorites (one old, one new) both have canine-inspired names.  There's Fido, near Vandy, in Nashville (the old) and Lost Dog Cafe, (the new), in Folly Beach.  (Although, I got the best white hot chocolate ever from Black Magic Coffee in Folly Beach.)

I do not remember ever having been to Charleston.  After going yesterday, I know I would remember, as it is so pretty.  (At least the parts of town I drove through.)  Just for an example, look at the stunning Charleston Bridge:

The reason I went into Charleston was knit.  An internet search had shown 3 yarn shops within easy driving distance of Folly Beach --- one which sounded more like a needlepoint store, two which were definitely knitting-heavy.  Knit. was the nearer, so I stopped on my way back.  And, OH. . .  Just OH.  It was a fantastic find, if only for the amazing clearance room (yes, clearance room.)  My budget had not been broken at the beach, so there were dollars left to spend.  Rather than try to tell, or show, what I got, I will do my best to keep you updated when I use something I got there.  If you are ever near enough to downtown Charleston --- and you're a knitter, of course --- you must, must, must treat yourself.

I have begun this pattern with this yarn in this colorway.  That is a pretty bad photo of the color --- it pops with turquoise.  Maybe I can get a nice picture of it myself.  At any rate, both the pattern and the yarn purchased at knit.

So, now I am back.  Look how much Madeleine missed me while I was gone --- look at the excitement at my having returned.