Gentle Unravelers!
Welcome to the last day of November… and tomorrow begins December! And I am so ready for it!
Why? Well, tomorrow the first Holiday Christmas Gnome clue comes out! I have my yarn all set to go… and I am eager to begin!
And my Welcome December list? Well, it has so few things on it, I am kind of worried I am forgetting something!
- Finish the tree.
- Finish the watercolor cards!
- Pick out some good somethings from the grandkids “Amazon Wish Lists” (really… Genevieve says this should be #1 on my list based on the number of times she has mentioned it in the last week! Hahaha!)
And that is it!
Okay and maybe finish Steve’s sock… in between Gnome Knitting and doing some Pressed Flower repeats!
Speaking of Pressed Flowers, I have 28 inches knit… I am still not done with the first “plate” of plötulopi but I am still wildly in love with this knit!
However, my reading this week has been… curious! I am roughly halfway through A Marriage Portrait and while I don’t dislike it; it certainly is not Hamnet. My struggle is the rather abrupt switching back and forth in the time line. I need to look at the date and then figure out where “this” falls in the non-linear story line. I better get a move on and finish it though, it is due this week!
I also started listening to Time Pieces: A Dublin Memoir by John Banville. Oh my. It is delightful (and the perfect thing to ease into after Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell!)
And there you have my making this week. What about you? Are you experiencing any Holiday Crunch Time Knitting?
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Can’t wait to see your holiday gnome come to life . . . in time to join the rest of your gang of gnomes. 🙂 (And I felt like that a bit, too, with The Marriage Portrait. It is not Hamnet. But still quite good; you may feel better about it in the end.)
Like you I am trying to remember all the stuff I want to get done, that I have to get done and I wish that I could get done. I love the ease of a wishlist!!
The kids and their Amazon wish lists are such a hoot! I’ll tell you that I felt the same way about The Marriage Portrait when I was in the middle of it. I really wasn’t sure and I had a sense of dread about what was coming — but the ending really brought it all together for me. So hang in there!
Another person who felt much the same way about The Marriage Portrait here. It wasn’t Hamnet for me, and I thought about the chapters as either when she was a child or grown and married. I bet it will all make sense in good time. I am looking forward to your December gnome and maybe even a “group portrait”!
I have caught the gnome bug (thank you very much Kat), however, I need to wait to start til 2023. However, that Christmas gnome mystery looks very inviting!
And here I am loving “The Marriage Portrait!” The shifting time did not bother me at all. I have not read Hamnet, but have added it to my TBR list. No crunch knitting for moi. If I end up gifting the Christmas socks I’m working on, they will go to a friend whom I probably won’t see until January. No rush. Can’t wait to see your Christmas Gnome (maybe named Gnoelle??) and also Pressed Flowers.
No holiday crunch for me. But, things I would “like” to get done before Christmas.
As for books ………I’m really finding it hard to get stuck in to any. I’m going to hit up the Barnes and Noble this afternoon and maybe something will strike my fancy.
I look forward to seeing your holiday gnome!
I read The Marriage Portrait without any expectation that it would be like Hamnet. It took me some time to adjust to the time shifts, but I really enjoyed it, especially how it all came together in the end.
I have made the Pressed Flowers Shawl and Hat. So tempted to start the cardigan as well. I have Hamnet on TBR, and I have just added Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Thanks for the recommendation. I just finished Shrines of Gaiety, which I enjoyed more than some reviewers!
I look forward to seeing the next gnome and perhaps a family photo of the whole group. I’m the odd man out. I understand the premise behind The Marriage Portrait but it doesn’t rank in my top reads. I kept wondering if I knew more about visual art if I would enjoy it more. Today got away from me so I’ll have to finish my blog post in the morning.
I’m really excited to see this gnome! And I love how relaxed you seem about the holiday season. I’m hoping you settle into The Marriage Portrait soon — it seems like such a promising book!
So, I peeked at your Marriage Portrait review, and all I can say is…I was so glad! Not b/c it was the same as mine–but b/c it *wasn’t*. And it’s going to make for such good discussion. Can’t wait. (Hope I can make this one.)
And–isn’t it funny how when you’re really intentional and feel just fine with the decisions you’ve made about The Busy Times, well, it seems like “Wait! What am I forgetting? What’s missing!” I think we’ve conditioned ourselves, in a way… Sounds like you’ve made some lovely decisions about your season. And I cannot, cannot wait to see your watercolor card!
I am knitting away on a Musselburgh hat and I just finished Sea of Tranquility, it sort of blew my mind!