1. Hannaford, how I love thee, despite your credit card scandal. I went to the Maine grocery store yesterday and just about swooned. First, after shopping in NYC and MA, let me tell you how cheap prices now seem here in Maine. Second, all my favorite foods are back, none of which were carried by any of my local NYC markets (and I use the term "market" loosely). Third, there were about twelve people inside the store and I shopped leisurely. The wide aisles allowed passage of more than one person. There was nothing harried about the trip. The produce looked like produce and some of it was even locally grown or organic. The fish counter did not reek. They happily bagged my groceries without pointing to a tip jar. I was delirious.
2. On the other hand? I've been out of the city a week now and have walked to and from the car. That's it. The rain isn't helping, but that is kind of a ridiculous excuse because I walked in NYC in all sorts of weather. Because I had to. And just as my body ached when I first moved to NYC because of all the walking, now it is complaining about sitting around all day. Something must be done about this.
3. Television is not helping problem #2. There's a TV in every room here at T.'s, and I am back to competitive channel flicking. It is difficult to knit when one of your hands has a death grip on the remote and is compulsively hitting the "next channel button". Grrrr.
4. I did spend a few hours with Augusten Burroughs new book, A Wolf At the Table. He is one of a handful of writers that I will actually buy hardcover for, and I have reread all of his previous books so much I can quote passages verbatim. I was really looking forward to this account of his relationship with his father, who is missing from much of the other books, but this book really disappointed me. There was nothing funny about it, and I found the writing to be choppy. It also made me hug the Chloe dog an extra couple of times; dogs do not fare well in this book!
5. Two books that are making me itch to make things: A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd, which is full of beautiful designs for sweaters, scarves, and socks. There's even a sweater design called Halcyon! I am enthralled. I want to buy my own sheep. The other book is called Simple Sewing with a French Twist by Celine Dupay, which I have been eyeballing for months. There is a really nice sewing primer in the front of the book, and there are some really cute patterns for things that I want to make once I haul my sewing machine and fabric out of hiding. Birthday money well spent.
6. Sarah McLachlan singing The Rainbow Connection is also making me ridiculously happy at the moment.
This week: hopefully the sun will come out and I can spend a day or two sitting on a beach or a rock near the ocean. I also hope to get in touch with a few friends, get my hair under control, and finish knitting a pair of socks. Ah, vacation...
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