Potholders

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Unraveled Wednesday: 1/31/24

I'm joining Kat and fellow Unravelers on this last Wednesday in January. I have made progress on the Funfetti Hitchhiker, but I'm still two rows and a bind-off away from completion. Then there is also blocking and baking a matching Funfetti cake for a photo shoot, so I'm sparing you from yet another photo this week of knitting that looks almost like last week. You did convince me that ribbons were a pretty dumb idea (but in the nicest of ways)! Instead, I've compiled a list of other "making" I've been doing this week:

  • dinner (every damn night)
  • grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch
  • the decision to finally buy a new printer
  • a monumental effort to clean out the computer desk (which yielded two bags of trash)
  • the effort to find out where to recycle old printers (Staples but they weren't happy about it)
  • progress on the three NetGalley books I need to finish
And because every blog post needs a photo, I also made a purchase that I hope will serve me well through this year's election nonsense. 


I've already had my fill of political discussions with a few people and I may just resort to carrying this mug around with me. In a foolish move, I sent my "I Just Want to Do Some Knitting and Pretend Trump Is Not President" mug (it was a real thing!) to Goodwill after the 2020 election. I was too busy dancing in the street to remember that he could run for a second term, but I will buy another one if I have to.

I did read a great book last week, The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. After several failed attempts to read two of Dave Eggers' books (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and A Hologram for the King), I gave up on him, figuring that I just didn't want to read about existential crises. But when I saw that he had won the Newbery Medal for The Eyes and the Impossible I decided that it was worth a try. It certainly was.

Johannes is a dog that lives in a large coastal park and he proclaims that he can run at the speed of light. There are also three bison that live in an enclosure in the park; they are Keepers of the Equilibrium. The bison have tasked Johannes with being The Eyes and reporting back to them what is going on in the park. He is assisted by a squirrel, a raccoon, a pelican, and Bertrand the seagull. Then changes begin to happen and Johannes has some decisions to make. The author warns in his introduction that" ... most crucially, no animals symbolize people. It is a tendency of the human species to see themselves in everything, to assume all living things, animals in particular, are simply corollaries to humans, but in this book, that is not the case." Sorry, Dave, it was hard for me not to apply some symbolism.

Charlotte's Web is one of my favorite books and will always be my benchmark for animal stories. The Eyes and the Impossible doesn't quite reach Charlotte status but it is a darn good book. With a little weirdness, some humor, excellent writing, wonderful characters, and a strong plot, I can't think of any reasons not to read this book. You can treat yourself to terrific narration by Ethan Hawke and listen to the audiobook. The only things you might miss with that are some exceptional illustrations by Shawn Harris that other reviewers have raved about. I'm going to the library as soon as I finish writing this to borrow the hardcover version so I can see the illustrations and read the book again. You should definitely consider doing the same thing. Four and a half stars rounded up.

What are you making and reading this week? 



16 comments:

  1. A Bonny Rated 4.5 Star book is one that I must immediately stop and see if my library has it (it does) and place it on hold (I am #11 in the queue...)

    As for my making... with The Great Return of The Water at 11:30PM last night, I have a Water Based Task List today... which will include making dishes clean, making the shower clean(er), and making the kitchen clean by mopping the floor. Then, once that is all done... maybe I will begin the Great Sweater Wash... which will be a process because there are LOTS of pieces and not lots of drying space.

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  2. What a PERFECT mug. I hope it brings you some relief (however small) during what promises to be a looong and stupid year. (I never thought anyone would be duped into Trump again. But here we are. . . ) And, like you, I've never appreciated Dave Eggers . . . but now I'm all ready to read The Eyes and the Impossible! It sounds fantastic.

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  3. What a productive week you have had!! I cannot wait to retire (my refrain, it seems) and have time to go through so many drawers and cabinets and GET.RID.OF.STUFF. "The Eyes and the Impossible" has piqued my curiosity - I just requested it from my library (so I can see the pictures) and I'm #18 in the queue.

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  4. I think we're all going to need that mug this year! I look forward to seeing the finished Hitchhiker next week (I'm sure it'll be done long before next Wednesday!). I'm working to finish up a shawl, too, and I finally got Absolution from the library after a long wait.

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  5. I need that mug. I have a big meeting with my new found family in a couple of weeks and I have no idea where they fall on the political spectrum. It's terrible to have to think that way but it could end up being an awkward afternoon. I'm not good at smiling and nodding. Maybe I should just wear the pink pussy hat I knit for the Women's March to lunch and get it all out in the open....lol.

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    1. Best of luck meeting the newfound family! It could be awkward but it could also be wonderful. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the latter.

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  6. Staples is never happy about anything tbh. I am trying to shred once a week and get caught up and then maintain getting rid of unwanted papers.

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  7. What a fantastic post -- and great laughs! Sounds like you're all set, but, should you need it in the future, BestBuy has recycled some real dinosaurs for me. I was a bit sheepish bringing them in (so bulky!), but they took them...and kindly!
    Before the day is over, I plan to complete January's 'entries' on my temperature project. And I just started listening to Caleb's Crossing.
    Enjoy the celebratory matchy-matchy cake!

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    1. I don't have a Best Buy nearby so I took the printers to grumpy Staples. I will keep Best Buy in mind for next time. I don't know what I'm looking forward to more - finishing the Hitchhiker or having some cake!

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  8. Okay, just requested the book from the library. Thanks! Also, I took a screen shot of your mug for my Thursday Rants post. Thanks again!

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  9. That mug just might be the best mug I've ever seen. I might need that saying on a hat and a shirt, too.

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  10. Perfect mug, Bonny, although I am not sure I can be that courteous these days about this election, truly. I am beginning to think we are a nation of morons, and that is not a productive way to think, nor a happy one, I might add. I saw a bumper sticker a while back that said, "if you are not enraged, you are not paying attention". I may have to get one of those. It would keep people guessing about what exactly I am enraged about - LOL. Glad you have found some great books! I need to see if I can find them in my library. Neither library I belong to has Absolution, and I am still hoping they get it. I took about 5 old computers to Best Buy after I destroyed the hard drives, and they were so happy to take them that they helped me carry them in. And we have a hazardous waste recycling center that takes old computers one at a time. Do you have anything like that where you are? I am looking forward to that cake and HH picture!

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  11. Thank you. I may just make a trip to the library for that book. I've been reading about it in several bookstore newsletters. I can also relate to making dinner, every damned night. I try to find pleasure in cooking but it's a struggle. Now baking, I can get behind but we don't need all the baked goods, all the time.

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  12. oh that mug (and the one you let get away!) ... I'm still knitting Bousta. and reading too many things - but today was 100% on The Blind Assassin ... it's so good!!

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  13. Here in the UK we too face an election this year, that mug would be most apt here. Try not to let it get you down.

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    1. I hope your election is not filled with loudmouthed liars spouting nonsense and at least some of your candidates are not as odious as at least one of ours is!

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