If anyone out there is looking for a quick amusing read, go find Unwed & Undead by Mary Joyce Davidson. Don't be put off by the fact that it seems to be another "Vampire" novel. The main character is a sarcastic shoe-loving woman. It's great. So good, I rushed right out and bought the second one Unwed and Unemployed and am contemplating ordering the 3rd in hard back (yep, that good). I've been passing them around a work. One of my co-workers said they reminded her of the Stephanie Plum novels, ass-kickin' bounty huntress vs. ass-kickin' vampire. Pretty good anology.

I also read finished another book over the long weekend, in between unknitting and the headache. Jodi Piccoult's My Sister's Keeper. Maryann from the knitting posse lent it to me. It was excellent. I will admit to crying at the ending. I'm also reading Gold Coast by Nelson Demille. I've finished 128 pages and so far it's all been set up for the story...at least I hope there is going to be some additional action somewhere in here... Oh well, at least it's a good book for work reading...categorized by 40 page reading bursts 2-3 days a week on my lunch hour. I'm up to 37 "books of literary value" (as opposed to trashy romance novels...) read this year. I would have to say I'm probably going to make my 50 book goal for the year.

The book reviews were really an attempt to detract from the fact that I am in a knitting funk. Everything I start lately has been ripped out...for myself or the attempts to actually start my x-mas knitting early. Dud, dud, dud. I'm almost afraid to start something else for fear that it will end up being ripped out. I don't have a single pair of socks on the needles. I've ripped out 3 different pairs I had started. What is the world coming too??? Thankfully, I started my Socakpal2za socks very early and finished the knitting before the funk hit. I realized last night that it was almost time to send the Sockapal2za socks of to my sock pal and, of course, I've procrastinated weaving in the ends to the dead end. I'll have to get to that this weekend so I can see them safely off in the mail next week.

I have received renewed knitting inspiration today in the form of the new Knitty.com. Wow!! What fantastic patterns this time!! I absolutely love the Samus, Arisaig and the Cinxia. Perfect sweaters right in time for fall. Also liked the Falling Leaves socks and the Teddy Bear pattern. What fun! All in all, I'd say this is one of their better collections of patterns. I also loved the articles. As a beginning spinner (read trying and impossibly clumsy at it so far) I appreciated the article on spinning by Miss Amy Singer. It's nice to know I'm not the only one feeling clumsy. I do think I'll continue trying with the spindle before making a jump to a wheel. Maybe even take a few lessons. We'll see. Up next though, packing for the big move. It's going to be very sad packing away all my yarn. On the upside, I will actually get to catalog my stash. New organizational possibilities abound with a new apartment...