Registry - of sorts

Folks have been asking - as I knew they would.  So Amanda & Ned provided me with their wish list.  Here we go:

We know so many makers & artists. 

Obviously anything handmade would be 

loved & appreciated.

Stuff:

• A free standing ice maker

• Hot/Cold Watercooler

• Slow cooker 

• 3-D printer

• Ceramic kiln "doll" size

• Kitty cat accessories - https://www.catastrophicreations.com  (certificates available)

• Sous vide

• 3D scanner 

• Mortar & pestle 

• https://onefastcat.com/products/cat-exercise-wheel

• Staub 5- qt cast-iron pumpkin 

• Dry measuring cups & measuring spoons in glass, wood, or metal

• Fiesta ware - Bistro bowls of all sizes & Heart bowls

• Extra large drinking glasses (plain glass is fine)

And Things (for which we are saving up if you want to pitch in)

• Wide clawfoot tub

• Tile for bathroom/kitchen

• Home improvement/DIY's

• New pull out couch/one large enough for guests to sleep on

• Our eventual honeymoon in Japan

So there you have it.  Thank you for being part of Ned & Amanda's life. 

Much love,

sash

Reflection time

I'm trying to avoid getting all moody & existential.  Instead of reviewing my life choices, let's talk quilts!

Since January - 

• Completed
• Spousal unit's Asian themed BOTM - FINISHED & in our room
• Libby's bunnies - FINISHED & mailed to Tacoma
• Broken Dishes for my belle soeur - FINISHED & mailed to Japan
• 2 seam X-blocks in yellow & batiks - FINISHED & gifted to friend in Montana
• Tula - Acadia - FINISHED & gifted to a friend in Montana
• On-point QAYC strips - FINISHED & on the bed in my sewing room
• Baby Martin - FINISHED & delivered
• Pink/red/white split rail w/fox minky - FINISHED & delivered to baby Willow
• Loly's baby - FINISHED (including quilting at home) & delivered to baby Jasper
• Made Progress
  • Tiffany stained glass - just needs binding
  • Mystery quilt in yellow to red - just needs binding
• Scattered Showers - about 1/2 way thru the in-house quilting
• Um - honestly can't remember but probably not done...
• Improv Project (à la Joe Cunningham) in orange & yellow
• Rainbow diagonal jelly-roll race
• Started
• Antique Lace for Allie & John - 80% pieced
• Water Lilies - 25% pieced
• Quilt Limbo (no progress since January)
• Turquoise disappearing jelly-roll...thing
• Random 4 patches with blue minky
• Pulse
• half hexi baby quilt
• Neeky's cousins - needs binding
• Vintage butterfly - repair or frame up??
• Pentecost banner - serious remediation required

I wanna be Miss Armstrong!!

These

 Three

Books!     

I stumbled upon the first one, which was WONDERFUL.   Excited to read the whole series, I devoured book 2 & then discovered, woe is me, that book 3 was only just released!!  Why did I assume there were 10-15 of these in the world already?

Sigh.

Cozy mysteries with amazing female characters & a delightful supporting cast, these are a perfect summer read.

The audible version is terrific.  I "read" it at 1.35 speed.

xoxo
sash

Goals

I've got all the books.  I know that the way to success is setting goals, planning your work, working your plan.  Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie, Francis Martin, Zig Zeigler - I've read them all.

But this isn't that kind of goal.

In fact, less & less of my life is set up with that kind of goal.  I understand the value &, if inspiration strikes, I will fall back on those techniques.  But for 2017, I'm setting some goals that are less about achieving & more about being.

Goals 2017

1. Stop doing shit I don't want to do.
2. Believe that "I don't want to" is a completely valid reason.  Maybe not the most important reason, but still a valid point to consider!
3. Keep reading the things I love & stretch to add a little more non-fiction, poetry, & the classics.
4. Remember the things I enjoy.  Sewing, puzzles, cooking, hitting things with sticks - those are all things that I want to do more - I just have to remember to DO THEM.

I think that's it.  Yeah - I wanna be healthier, be more accountable, clear out clutter.  Floss more.  There's always that list.  But my goals are about happiness, calm, family, & peace.  Right now, as our world shifts around us, those things seem the most important.

Oh yeah - my reading goal.  That's why I STARTED this post.  I like to see how many books I've read in a year.  A good way to keep a tally is the Goodread's goal.  But because it's more about record keeping than about achieving a goal, I always dither about the number.  If I set it too low, I end up changing it over and over.  But heaven help me if I set it too high & feel like I'm somehow FAILING at reading?  Last year I set it at 78.  That's 1.5 books per week.  I ended the year at 119, so that was definitely a safe number.  So I wanna bump it up this year.  I thought 8/month would be good.  That's 2 per week, almost.  But that is 96 and my favorite number is 97 so, duh, time to round UP.

Therefore:

      5.      Read 97 books this year.  Or more.  Or less.  Whatever

You have goals for the year?  Wanna hang out & work on a puzzle?  Whattya gonna read this year?  Can I borrow it when you're done?

Oh - and no matter what - remember that I care about you.  Things feel uncertain (at best) right now.  We need to stick together.  I see you.  I'm here for you.  Really.  

xo
sash

MAKE IT A SHIRT!!!!!

Killer Kitty Needs To Be A Shirt!!!

Click HERE to vote!!

Ghosts of Writers Future?

There is a bizarre juxtaposition between the ephemeral nature of mankind & the vast lifespan of the written word.  Or even, in modern times, the data-entered word.

I'm accustomed to the Linked-In invites from friends who were probably not aware of being linked-in even before passing away & who are certainly not, at this point, requesting my connection.

I'm comforted by revisiting a blog or facebook account,  looking at photos, & reading comments from other bereaved friends.

I'm a little surprised, I must admit, when my "New Books By Authors You've Read" list from Goodreads is dotted with new releases from authors who are dead.  It's sorta amazing to me.  I've never finished writing one book, & these people are still creating from beyond the pale???

OK - I'm going to set that aside for now & get on with the books.  Some exciting stuff from authors (living & not-so-much) coming out this month.

From the vault of Terry Pratchett

This is the 5th & final book in The Long Earth series.  It's supposed to ask (& maybe answer) questions about  The Nature of Things (note the capital letters).

I'm more addicted to the Discworld series (rumor says there's another Tiffany Achin book in that vault) but perhaps this finale will inspire me to reread the whole Long Earth series.

From Stephanie Perkins (of Anna & the French Kiss, etc) there is an anthology of YA short stories. Check this out:

Doesn't it just call out for a porch swing & some sweet tea?

From Sci-fi to YA - how about some magic?  From Charlie N. Holmberg (Paper Magician Trilogy) there will be a new (stand alone?) released on June 28th. 

This looks delightful (that cover is so pretty) & engaging.  Another good summer read!






There are also new releases in June from

Rita Mae Brown

David Levithan

Larry Niven

Janet Evanovich

AND, returning to the less corporeal authors releasing books this month, a new book from Franklin L. Dixon. Yeah - you read that right.  Those Hardy Boys are at it again!  And yeah - I know it's a pen name that has been passed along for generations now.  It's still just a little weird & disconcerting to have Frank & Joe show up on my newsfeed. 


It's not going on my summer reading list, but for sentimental reasons, here it is: 

So many nights reading Nancy Drew 
(then the Hardy boys & the Bobbsey Twins).
So many pictures of Parker Stevenson cut
from Tiger Beat magazine.
(Shaun Cassidy just never did it for me). 

What new (or old) releases are on beside your lounge chair this summer?  For more ideas, check out the upcoming releases page at Powell's or Goodreads.

Maybe instead of being disoriented by books from the dead, I'll just be reassured knowing that, if the authors never stop publishing, I'll never run out of books to read!

Happy Reading,
sash