I love palindrome days… and this is one of those days! (See how I find joy in the little things? lol)
Anyways… THE Advent Calendar arrived! And they LOVE it! I am not sure who loves it most though… Heidi or the kids! (And Olivia will have a Nana-made Advent calendar next year, promise!!)
But, holy cow was it a bitch to photograph! I made little button “hooks” on the back and I was worried that if I “hung” it on the shrubs, they would tear… and I really did not want to make any more hooks! lol Anyways, I sent along some 3M hooks for her to affix to the wall to hang it on. (The hooks on my mantle provided the most brilliant trial run but sadly… it is way too dark in my living room for good photos)
I heaved a huge sigh of relief that it arrived and safely! Thank you postal workers!
(One aside… the binding… which is brilliant!! I followed these instructions and my mind is blown! They worked PERFECTLY! I am STILL in awe of how well they worked!)
And now I am back to thinking about knitting more on The 2nd Sock in between doing some holiday decorating… no tree up, yet… but the box moved to the living room yesterday afternoon so the plan is for that to happen sometime today. Thinking about one…hopefully doing something about the other! Ha!
The reading has been a bit stunted because of you know who being home for 5 days for Thanksgiving. But I did find some moments to finish Matrix. Kym might have said it best last week… and I agree… I cannot wait to discuss this very, very curious book!
The English Spy by Daniel Silva
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just when you think you have figured out how Silva writes a novel… he throws you a huge curve ball. This book is that… and it is excellently thrown!
One last hurrah before Gabriel takes over The Office? Yes? No? Maybe? This story unfolds with just the “inside characters” Friends on foreign forces… as it were. This story takes Gabriel to uncharted territory… places he has never been and makes places he loves – less lovable.
I loved every minute of this book!
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have never read any of the Wallander books, and I was in need of a bit of a “palate cleanser” and this very short book fit the bill perfectly.
It is a most excellent introduction to Kurt Wallander… a very troubled police officer. He has problems galore in his personal life, but boy is he good and piecing together a mystery!
This won’t be my last Wallander book!
Matrix by Lauren Groff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh boy, this book… what a very curious tale! The writing is really beautiful… but the story sort of missed the mark for me. (Yet, still… 4-stars)
I really was loving the story of Marie being uprooted from all she knows and sent off to a monestery. (nunnery? I am really not sure what to call the religious order!) Anyways, I loved the start of Marie finding her way, making friendships… family, really… with the women.
Where the story began to derail for me were the “visions” – which to me seemed improbable, at best. And also… I began to detest Marie and her ever growing ego. These changes were not good ones for her at all. No one likes someone who thinks they are all that… and I thought Marie neatly fell into that category. There are more visions with even more improbable results…
And the ending… all I could say was WTAF. Really? I read this book for the Read With Me book club and I am very much looking forward to listening to what others thought and talking about this book!
That is all I have for today… are you in the frenzied making of the season?
As always, if you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
Oh gosh! That Advent Calendar has to be the BEST!!! I love it Kat – so fun. Glad to hear it arrived safely and is well loved at its new home. I’m still waiting for Matrix to be available for me. Every time I read someone’s review/reaction to it, I get a different picture of the book. I’m curious to get my hands on it!
Yep. Matrix is a very . . . curious . . . book. 😉
And, Kat. That advent calendar is absolutely wonderful! The kids (and Heidi!) are going to treasure it as a December ritual forEVER. XO
what an adorable advent calendar!!!! I haven’t seen one like that 🙂 I have the one my mom made me when I was pregnant with our daughter and we lived far away in Texas.
I’m so relieved that the amazing Advent calendar made it there safely. It’s amazing and the kids are going to have so much fun with it!
Describing Matrix as a curious book is perfect — it’s wonderful in some ways and weird in others, but I think that makes for a really great discussion, and I’m really looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts.
The Advent calendar is the best! I could imagine it a bit, but the real thing is so much better. I love the little buttons, the snowflakes you embroidered, and Who Hash! I will most likely never have grandchildren so I might need to make something similar for myself. Well done, Kat!
P.S. I think your review of Matrix is spot on!
I love that advent calendar and good the kids are enjoying it!
My post today is : https://needlesandwool.blogspot.com/2021/12/first-day-of-blogmas-2021-plans-for.html
Take care!
Where are the links?!
My Unraveled post is ay https://km-kat.com/2021/12/01/unraveled-wednesday-12-1-21/
The advent calendar is fabulous! It’s going to bring so much holiday joy to the kids for years and years to come!
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE the Advent calendar. 🙂
I’m sure your grands will love it every year.
I’m reading lots of weird and wonderful comments about Matrix that I’m wondering whether I should have put it on hold or not. I suppose the proof is in the pudding and I’ll make of it what I can when it arrives.
Your Advent calendar surely puts you to the top of the ‘bestest bestest’ ever
Hooray for a safe arrival of the Advent Calendar. It is a real treasure. I make a few handmade gifts and they are finished. I’m sort of flitting around knitting projects and had a busy day today between regular cleaning chores and grocery shopping.
Your Advent Calendar is wonderful, Kat!! Brava!!
The Wallander TV series with Kenneth Branagh is quite good…
That Advent Calendar! Oh my goodness – how fun is that?!
You know, I always THINK the Kurt Wallander series is something that I’ll love, but all of those books have fallen flat for me. I’ll be interested to see if you keep going with the series and how you end up liking them. Maybe I’ll have to try them again!
That Advent Calendar – wow!!!! (and thank you for that binding tutorial … bookmarked!)
I loved Matrix – and Marie! She had great vision for that community and managed to make so much of it a reality in a way that truly worked. Lauren Groff is a must-read author for me; I can’t wait to see what she writes next.