Tag: Yarn Along

The Only Way Out

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This fall I read my second murder mystery set on Grand Manan. As a disclaimer, I should mention murder is pretty rare on the island as is most violent crime. I sometimes forget to lock my doors and I leave the keys in my car while at work. I still have my car but sometimes the wind will blow my door open.

 

That being said, I really enjoyed the story in this book. It was written by an ex-RCMP officer who, while never stationed on Grand Manan, did work a few shifts on the island. There were some inconsistencies between real life and the book (some of which he acknowledges) but I didn’t find them jarring or disruptive to the narrative. The fact it was set in the 1960s also helped in that regard. In fact, it was easy to picture some of the places and events in the book: the unrelenting fog for days springs to mind. The mystery portion was intriguing enough to keep my interest without being so tense I couldn’t sleep at night (an important component of my nighttime reading).  I’d definitely recommend this book as a mystery and for its Grand Manan connection.

 

Fall also means a rash of birthdays with a double whammy in the middle of the month. Since their birth, my nieces have worn pink and purple which was sometimes the only way I could identify who was who. So, their birthday mittens reflected those colours. (My own pattern in Knit Picks Swish Worsted Brights Vibrant Violet and Pucker).

 

Linking up with other Yarn Along readers and knitters.

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Seven Days

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A couple of weeks my Facebook feed was abuzz about a mystery novel that was set on Grand Manan.  While it wouldn’t necessarily be a book I would choose to read, the idea of a book set on the island was too good to pass up.

 

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I have to admit, I struggled to get into the book. Parts of the book (particularly the geography) are so bang on that the parts that aren’t are even more jarring. Some of the descriptions of the island residents, their values, and the fishery aggravated me because of some of the inaccuracies.  About a third of the way into the book, I began to accept that while the book was set on Grand Manan, it wasn’t set on “my” Grand Manan. I started to enjoy the parts that rang true and let slide those that didn’t. I even realized that one of the things that bothered me from the beginning was actually part of the resolution. 😀

 

Had the book not been set on the island, I likely wouldn’t have stuck it out to the finish, but by the end I was anxious to see “who done it”.  I guess in the end it “got me”.

 

Meanwhile, I’m in the midst of seven days of travel for work. There hasn’t been a lot of knitting time until today’s meeting, but I’m working on finishing some travel knitting that I’ve been carrying for a while, namely a sock and a dishcloth.

 

Linking up with other Yarn Along posts.

The Rainbow Comes and Goes

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I’ve been on a bit of a non-fiction run with my reading lately. One of the hi-lights has been this autobiography, “The Rainbow Comes and Goes”, by Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper.

 

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I remember watching Anderson Cooper on “The Mole” (I was a bit of a reality show junkie for a while) and was amazed as he transformed into a serious journalist on CNN. Growing up in the 80’s I knew Gloria Vanderbilt because of her jeans.  Bits and pieces of her story crept into my consciousness but I didn’t really understand how varied her life was until I read the book.

 

The book itself is easy to read; it’s billed as a series of emails between the two over the course of a year. While there may have been some prompts to move the story along, it is like listening to a conversation between a mother and son who have lived remarkable (and tragic) lives in the public eye. Their perseverance though different ways of dealing with that tragedy is as fascinating as it is inspirational. CNN also aired a documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid” a few weeks ago that mirrored the book. I waited until I finished reading to watch it. As always, I’m glad I read the book first but it was interesting to add the visuals.

 

As for the knitting, it’s been a lot of mittens, because what child doesn’t want a pair of mittens for their May birthday? (As cold as it’s been, I’m not ruling out the potential for them actually to be used before next winter.) 😉

 

Linking up with other Yarn Along posts about reading and knitting.

 

Yarned and Dangerous

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When I left for vacation in February, I threw in a pair of socks I had started in 2013. I had knit the heel on the first sock and there they have sat since. I decided that they at least deserved to be finished and I’d have a pair to throw in the gift bag. I finished sewing in the ends…

All Dogs Go To Kevin

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A couple of weeks ago a veterinarian friend posted a link to an article about euthanasia for pets and the difficulties their owners have in deciding it is the “right” time. As anyone who’s had to make that particular decision knows, it’s not easy and there are no clear guidelines to when it’s the correct time. While reading the article,…

One More Shot

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There’s been a nip of fall in the air (not today, but other days recently) so I broke out the Annabel cardigan again. I started last winter and I’ve been working on it off and on but lately it’s been more off than on.  The cool weather inspired me to give it “one more shot” to try and finish it up.  I’m almost ready to cast off the bottom and then it’s just the sleeves. (My theory is if I use “just” it won’t be quite so monumental.)

A few weeks ago a blog post by Crystal Richard about Grand Manan kept showing up in my Facebook newsfeed; it’s always fun to see how others “see” us, especially when it’s a positive experience.  She also had a section of book recommendations.  I figured since she had such great taste in vacation locations, I figured I’d give one of the books a shot too. 🙂 “One More Shot” was a good, easy-reading romance. While at times the tension seemed a bit contrived, it still kept me hooked.  Definitely a good read.

Linking up with Small Things’ Yarn Along.