Been spending a ridulous amount of time driving as of late. or at least it feels that way...
(Zakum Bridge, around 10:30 sometime last week)
My former MIL's been having some health issues recently so we drove out to see her last weekend. Along the way, I disovered that Rhinebeck's a hell of a lot closer than I thought. As in 30 minutes before Grandma's house. Hmmmm....
Anyway, Grandma was having a 'no pictures, please' sort of day (something every 86 year old woman's entitled to) so, instead, we have scenery
(Mid Hudson Bridge, late afternoon, on computer enhanced dreary overcast afternoon)
Until this past week, there's been very little knitting. Around mid-June, the middle joint of my right thumb blew up like a balloon which put the kibosh on pretty much everything but reading. Not a terrible way to spend my free time. A quick look at this summer's reading:
Sizzling Sixteen, Janet Evanovich. Phooey. Yes, that's my official review.
Your Money or Your Life (2008 revised ed), Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez (revised by Vicki Robin & Monique Tilford). My first copy, purchased some 15 years ago, met an unfortunate demise this summer when it was left outside (oops!) and soaked by a heat wave induced thunderstorm. A bad ending for a good book. I've read it enough times that a replacement wasn't necessary but I was curious about the update and I just like having it around. Stuff that's less relevent or that's easily accessed on the interwebs was trimmed out, the numbers are updated to better reflect the times, and it incorporates a bit more of a crunchy granola global perspective. For me, my anti consumerism tendencies, and my dreams of simple living, it works well. Those who like to accumulate money for the sake of accumulating stuff would probably hate this book.
The Canon, Natalie Angier. Angier loves loves LOVES science -all of it- and, in writing this book, had an excuse to interview hundreds of scientists who were passionate about their fields. How cool is that? This a great book for reviewing the basics (especially helpful when you've got 4 science minded kids around the house) and getting an overview of science topics you've been avoiding (calibration, anyone?). PLUS, there's an enormous, wonderful section of references in the back, just in case you're compelled to learn a little more.
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards. For years, I drew and painted and somewhen in time, I stopped. I'm reading this in an effort to get the mojo back and maybe learn a little about art at the same time. Interesting so far.
And the grey hair marches on
Still haven't quite mastered the peering over the glasses "What the hell do you want, whippersnapper?!" look so I still occasionally end up with more of a 'frog eye peering out of the pond effect' The urge to crop it all down to the 2 inches or so of white growth is....well, ever present.