Unraveled Wednesday: 10/21/26

I’m happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today with my last (for a little while anyway) dishtowel finally completed!

If I’m honest, I wrote that first sentence on Monday to motivate myself to finish it by today, and knit like the wind yesterday to get it done. This one is for Jess for Christmas. I may dig through my stash to see if I have enough cotton yarn to cast on another dishtowel for Jess, but that can wait until after the wedding. My gift pile continues to grow!

 

 

I'm taking a little break from dish towels to work on my colorful Hitchhiker. I've knit in lots of places, including my mother's viewing, memorial services for both my MiL and my FiL, and my father's funeral, but I don't think I've ever knit at a really joyous occasion like a wedding. I might try to get in a few rows at the rehearsal, if only so I can say that I've done it! 

 

What are you making this Wednesday in October?

Bit and Pieces: October 2026

I did a Bits and Pieces post last month, but since I'm not sure what to write about today, it's time for another one. 

Fall may be finally here to stay. We had some thunderstorms on Friday, temperatures dropped 25 degrees, and we had our first frost. John is all ready to turn on the heat, but since I just filled our oil tank at the slightly exorbitant cost of $5.86/gallon, I'm going to be wearing sweaters, putting flannel sheets on the bed, and delaying turning on the heat for as long as possible. Can we make it to Thanksgiving? We'll see!

 

John has finally listened to my nagging recommendation that he sell the old Jeep he had been trying to restore for the past four years. I don't begrudge him a project, but this vehicle was some sort of Frankenstein cobbled together from parts of various model years. As a consequence, nothing fit. The drive shaft for four wheel drive never got installed but had a permanent place in the back seat. A very pleasant man bought it two weekends ago, and the good news is that this frees up a garage for my car when it snows. Last weekend John sold the top he bought for the Jeep (that didn't fit) and a leaf blower that he restored. He said he's glad that he's cleaning out the barn. Since I'm a supportive wife, I didn't burst his bubble by pointing out that there are probably 30+ other things in there for him to sell. At least he's started!

 

 

I got a letter from the president telling me about how hard he has been working for better, more affordable healthcare for people and how he believed in returning money directly into the hands of the American people. I call BS, and I'm also lucky enough that I don't need the $90 and wish he hadn't decided to do this. It hasn't actually shown up yet, but it's possible that it will be there with my Social Security direct deposit next week. But when and if it does show up in my bank account, I'm donating it (plus a bit extra) to someone who needs it more than I do. I haven't decided yet, but I'm considering the library, our local food bank, or possibly Planned Parenthood. Maybe all of them because that might help with my simmering rage. 

After chatting with our County Clerk, I decided that voting in-person might possibly be safer than voting by mail. She said she could guarantee that ballots would be sent out but couldn't guarantee that the USPS would deliver them. Voting by mail used to be so nice and easy, but I'll be trying to figure out how to work a voting machine this year. Early voting starts here in NJ on October 24th, but I'll be busy that day.

 

Next Saturday, October 24th, Justin and Jess will be getting married. It's at a venue in northern PA, Tall Timbers Barn. Justin had very few opinions concerning the wedding but didn't want to get married at a fancy hotel or country club. Weather permitting, the service will be outside, so half of our family has been calling to ask whether they'll be warm enough. I don't know; dress appropriately! I honestly haven't had to do too much for the wedding, but as it gets closer, I'm surprised at the amount of manufactured drama. Weddings seem to bring out the the worst in people (and sometimes the best, too), but I've decided that I'm just going to smile, pay attention, and enjoy myself. I wouldn't mind if you sent good thoughts for a good time and good weather. (Maybe then the family members that want to wear sleeveless dresses won't freeze!)

Books on Thursday

I only read one book this week, but it was a really good one. 

Mary Lawson has written the kind of novel that reminds me why I love literary fiction. Set in Northern Ontario in the winter of 1969, Solace in Winter is a quiet, deeply moving story about ordinary people whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. There are no great mysteries to solve or nonstop action to keep things moving. Instead, Lawson gives us something much more satisfying: a keenly observed portrait of people trying to make sense of their lives, with all their complications, sorrows, kindnesses, and possibilities.

Jack, a widower living a quiet, solitary life in his cabin, finds his routine turned upside down when he encounters an injured dog and then a seriously injured young American fleeing the Vietnam War draft. Suddenly, his home becomes a place of refuge, and his solitude gives way to the demands and complications of caring for others. Jack's daughter, Sally, isn't nearly as comfortable with these unexpected changes, and her reaction adds another layer to the story. Lawson understands that even well-intentioned acts of kindness can stir up uncomfortable feelings and expose differences in how people see the world.

What I loved most was the way Lawson shows people gradually finding their way toward one another. These characters have their own histories, disappointments, and private burdens, and they don't always understand each other or know what to say. But sometimes simply being there, offering help, or taking the time to listen is enough to begin changing things. The relationships develop with a naturalness that makes them feel true to life, and the emotional impact sneaks up on you rather than being forced.

And then there's Lola the dog! There's something especially touching about the way an animal can bring people together, offering affection and companionship without the complications that so often accompany human relationships. Having recently read another novel featuring a dog, I'm becoming quite a fan of the role a caring canine can play in a story.

I also appreciated that Lawson doesn't turn these ordinary lives into something artificially dramatic. Grief doesn't disappear overnight, family tensions aren't magically resolved, and kindness doesn't solve every problem. Yet there is hope here, and it feels earned. The novel is a reminder that people can make a difference in one another's lives through small, seemingly insignificant acts of compassion.

Solace in Winter is gentle without being saccharine, poignant without being manipulative, and utterly compelling despite its quiet pace. I was drawn into these lives and found myself caring about what happened to the people inhabiting Lawson's snowy corner of Northern Ontario. Sometimes a book doesn't need dramatic twists or larger-than-life events to leave a lasting impression. Sometimes it simply needs to remind us of the good people can do for one another. This one did exactly that, and Lola made it all the better. Four and a half stars. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and Vintage Digital for providing me with a copy of the book. It will be published on November 19, 2026. There is a Goodreads giveaway for this book for the next week if you are interested.

Now I'd love to know what you are reading! 

Unraveled Wednesday: 10/14/26

I’m very happy to join Kat and the Unravelers (even though there's not an official linkup) today with a finished hat. Ta-Da!

I'm quite happy with it, especially since it's something I've thought about making since the first one ended up with holes in it. It only took me 13 years, but better late than never. 

But wait, there's more!

I'm still working on the dish towel for Jess for Christmas, but I'll admit that I am getting a bit tired of dish towels.

I was inspired by Sarah using STR from her stash, so I dug out the two skeins of Fire on the Mountain STR that have been marinating in my stash for 11 years and started ...

 ... a Hitchhiker. I honestly felt a bit sad after finishing the hat, but starting this colorful Hitchhiker cheered me right up. 

What are you making this Wednesday in October? 

Ravelry links: 

Woodsy Association Hat 2.0

Cilantro Tea Towel  

Books on Thursday

I read a couple of ARCs this week (and I'm catching up on a few other, too.) It's an embarrassment of riches, with the added benefit that these two were pretty good. In somewhat related news, Goodreads has finally instituted half (and even quarter) stars! I've wished for this for a long time, and it's nice when something good happens (however small it might be).

 

In Luna, Phoenix, Queen, Julie Orringer takes a complicated web of characters, relationships, secrets, betrayals, and losses and tells the story through a chorus of different voices. What I found especially impressive is the way each POV reveals things about the other characters that they themselves don't or can't see. With every shift in perspective, my understanding of the people and their relationships changed a little, and Orringer uses that mechanism beautifully. These are complex, deeply human characters, and none of them can be reduced to a single motivation or judgment.

I won't repeat the plot details here, as the Goodreads description already gives you plenty to go on. What stayed with me was the exploration of trust, betrayal, truth, connection, obligation, and devotion, and the unsettling ways that love can coexist with all of them.

And then there is Luna. This astonishing, horribly injured dog becomes an unexpected throughline connecting so many of these lives and experiences. I loved the way Orringer allows Luna's story to echo and illuminate the larger story without ever feeling forced.

The writing is beautiful, the characterizations are exceptional, and the ending feels exactly right. Orringer has woven all of these voices and stories into something intricate, heartbreaking, and ultimately moving. I was completely absorbed by this exquisite book, and I'm fairly sure that it will be one of my favorite reads this year. Four and a half stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with a copy of the book. It will be published on October 13, 2026. 

 

 

It's been three months since Margaret's husband, Derek, died. It has also been forty years since their eleven-year-old daughter, Jeannie, disappeared while delivering newspapers. In An Unlikely Visitor, Joanna Cannon introduces us to a woman who is struggling to imagine a future without the man she shared her life with, all while carrying the weight of a loss that never truly healed.

Everything changes when an unexpected visitor arrives at Margaret's home. Together, they decide to finally search for answers about what happened to Jeannie all those years ago. What follows is part mystery and part meditation on grief, but more than anything, it's a story about finding hope after unimaginable loss.

As Margaret retraces the past, she learns powerful lessons about life, love, forgiveness, friendship,healing, and herself. Cannon has a wonderful gift for creating deeply compassionate characters, and Margaret's quiet courage made her impossible not to root for. My heart cheered with hers and broke with hers as she slowly opened herself to new possibilities.

While the mystery itself kept me engaged, it was Margaret's emotional journey that made this novel so memorable. It's a gentle, moving story that reminds us that even after decades of heartbreak, it may not be too late for hope, healing, or a new beginning. It was four stars for me.

This unlikely, yet emotional story stayed with me long after I finished it. Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me with a copy of the book. It will be published on October 20, 2026.  

 

Now I'd love to know what you are reading!  

Unraveled Wednesday: 10/7/26

I’m happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today with the beginnings of a badger. 

I was glad to see that the badger only uses four colors and they are all in fairly discrete blocks. He doesn't look too badger like now, but hopefully he'll have the right half of his face done next week and then the hat will be finished!

 

I also cast on another dishtowel; this one will be a gift for Jess. I'm using my favorite color along with my favorite pattern, so I'll still have to make another one exactly the same for me. It is good to work on in the evening when it's really too dark to stitch on the hat. I need lots of natural light for that. 

 

 

What are you making this first Wednesday in October? 

Ravelry links:

Cilantro Tea Towel  

  

Read With Us: It's A New Book!

It's time for us to announce our RWU Fall book and it's a good one; maybe almost as good as our Summer book!

It's Partita by Barbara Kingsolver.  

I can't say I'm wild about the cover design, but I will say that the story between those covers is brilliant. If you've read Demon Copperhead, you might be expecting another story in a similar vein, but let me tell you right up front: Partita is a completely different book. And, in my opinion, so much better! While I recognize that Demon Copperhead has plenty of admirers, Partita struck me as a much more intimate, thoughtful, and beautifully constructed novel. It's a book that drew me in and gave me plenty to think about, and I found myself appreciating Kingsolver's writing in an entirely different way.

At its heart, Partita is a story about life, art, love, and the choices we make along the way. Livia Cable has settled into what appears to be a comfortable life in the farm country of Tennessee where she grew up. But a phone call from someone in her past sets in motion a reconsideration of the life she's built and the person she might have been. As the story moves between past and present, we get a closer look at the relationship between the lives we imagine for ourselves and the ones we actually live.

Kingsolver has given us plenty to talk about here: the compromises we make, the pull of the past, the role of art in our lives, and the sometimes complicated relationship between personal happiness and the responsibilities we take on. There's also much to appreciate in the way she develops her characters and allows their lives to unfold.

And isn't that what we enjoy about Read With Us? We don't have to agree about everything, and we certainly don't have to come away with the same interpretation. We just need a book that gives us something to talk about, a few questions to wrestle with, and perhaps a different perspective or two.

The hardcover and audiobook versions have a (somewhat) manageable hold queue at my libraries, so I hope that is also the case for you. The book is just being published today, so I urge you to get your hold requests placed early. I read the Kindle version (and by read I mean that I raced through it in two days). I will be rereading it by listening to the audiobook version.   

Kym, Carole, and I will be talking about the book, giving additional information, and doing promotional posts throughout July. Discussion day for Partita is scheduled for Tuesday, January 12, 2027 at 7:00 pm Eastern time, so mark your calendars. We'll ask questions on our blogs that day and then host the always educational and illuminating Zoom discussion. This is one of my favorite novels this year, and one that is also very discussable, so I hope you'll Read With Us!