Movies and Christmas and Cats, Oh My!

I had intended to write on here regularly but life has gotten in my way.  I know I promised a review of Plain Truth by Jodi Piccoult but I finished that so long ago that I no longer remember any of the things I wanted to say about it. 

This is what I have been up to.

I reread Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (for the sixth or seventh time)  after seeing the film with my friend Abby.  We had such a good time and will be each other's dates for the next two movies.  The movie was brilliantly made.  Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was on the edge of my seat during the tense moments.  I admit that I had tears come to my eyes when Katniss gave her speech in District 11.  It was much better than the first movie.   I cannot wait to see what they do with Mockingjay especially since it deals with the dark underside of war.

As an aside, I love Effie Trinket.  Her character just makes me smile.  I loved the butterfly costume she wore in this movie.  I couldn't find a picture that made it look as spectacular as it looked on film.

We have decorated our house for Christmas.  We usually get our tree on the first Saturday of December but this year we got it a week earlier.  I am so glad we did because it was windy and in the single digits this last weekend.  I found more penguin ornaments and we finally got rid of the string of old fashioned large bulbs.  My penguins are up around the house.  I decorate with penguins because I absolutely love them and out of sheer laziness.  If I don't feel like taking down my Christmas decorations until February, it doesn't look so bad.  Penguins are more wintery than Christmasy. 

If you look closely at the right side of the Christmas tree picture, you'll notice something new.  We added to our family!  That's right.  We got two kittens.  I only intended to get one but I was having such a hard time choosing between the feisty one or the calm one.  Ken decided we should get both of them since they would be happier together.  He now claims that it was because I "would still be standing there trying to pick one."  They have been a great addition and have brought a lively element to our house.  Not to mention that kittens are absolutely adorable and clumsy and hilarious.

 

 We named them Ferris Mewler and Cameron Frye.  I had the name Ferris picked out (thanks Bloggess for such an awesome cat name) and Cameron just seemed right for his shy, timid brother. 

They are little hellions.  So much for having a quiet one.  Ferris has bonded with Ken and Cameron has decided to be mine.  So yeah, we now have five cats.  I'm still not changing the blog name.  Maybe a subtitle would be fitting.  I still maintain that I'm not a crazy cat lady because one cat lays under our bed and snores all the time and my husband decided to keep two of the four cats.  So technically, I only have two cats; my husband has two and his son has the sleepy old one.

I tried to take a cute picture of them in Ken's hunting boots but cats are not very cooperative.  I also apparently really need a pedicure.  I still may crop this picture and use it on the Christmas card.

As for reading, I haven't had a lot of time.  I know.  I have to make time.  Finding time to read is difficult when you work from ten in the morning to ten at night and still need to spend time with your family and friends.  Not to mention that cleaning is necessary so my house doesn't look like an episode of Extreme Hoarders.  I also crocheted a baby blanket for my little sister's baby that should arrive next month.

My schedule has settled down and I have picked up a book again.  I'm reading a little bit every day.  I had no idea how much I need to read until I didn't have time.  I could actually feel my brain cells shriveling up and dying. 

Oh, and I seem to be coming out of my depressive episode.  I can't describe how that feels.  I almost feel like I'm physically lighter.  There is light at the end of the tunnel. 

A Little of This and a Little of That

I haven't been reading much lately.  I have been working a lot and had things going on on my days off.  I picked up a few books in my downtime but put them down a chapter or two in.   Finally, I grabbed Jodi Piccoult's Plain Truth, which has been sitting on my bookshelf for over a year.  I loved My Sister's Keeper and Salem Falls so I figured I should go with a book that's a sure thing.  I'm hooked but am reading it slowly.  I'm hoping to have a review of it up next week.

The reason this book is turning into a slow read is because I have a few other projects going at the same time.  I've painted my living room walls and ceiling.  I still have the trim to paint and then I want to install crown molding.  Then new light fixtures.  And then I need to switch out all the cream colored light switches and outlets to white ones.  Then either find or sew new curtains and hang blinds.  It's a huge project for someone who can only work on it two days out of every two weeks.  My goal is to have it finished by Christmas.  I would like to have a New Year's Eve get together. 

I've also been busy working on a few knitting projects.  I go to a knitting club at the public library one town over and have learned a little bit.  I made lots of granny dishcloths just to get used to it.  I tried making a Dalek dishcloth from a pattern online.  It turned out pretty good if you ignore a few mistakes.  Not bad for following my first pattern.  Now I am attempting to knit socks.  The best thing about knitting club is that there are all different levels of skill.  Some women are very good and some still only feel comfortable with the dishcloths.  We encourage each other and learn new skills and ooh and ah over others' projects.  It's a great group of ladies.

I wanted to put pictures up of the progress in the living room and of my knitting projects.  First it didn't happen because my camera was dead and I couldn't find the charger.  Now I found the charger but I can't find the camera.  Just my luck because I was really excited to put up a post of the Dalek dishcloth. 

We're Having A Heatwave, A Tropical Heatwave

I wanted to put up a post today on the desk I bought at a rummage sale for two dollars.  I haven't even gotten to it at all this week.  It's been too dang hot.  There is no way in Hades I will be outside sanding when the temps are hitting the low nineties.  I live in Wisconsin because we are only supposed to get a week of super hot weather a couple days out of the year.  I've been kicking back, laying on the bed with a fan blowing on me (that's right, no AC), and watching Netflix for the last three days.

I picked up a piano off the street over the weekend and I have the feeling this is going to be a HHHUUUGGgggggeee  project.  My husband is not happy since I pushed it home while he was at work.    It needs to be refinished.   And tuned.  And it also needs two new caster wheels that cost twenty dollars a piece.  You know what they say.  There's no such thing as a free piano.

I'm working on finishing Atonement by Ian McEwan. I can't wait to finish it.  Not what I expected at all.  I also have a few books on hold at the library that are waiting for me right now.  I have no idea why the books all come at once.  And usually when I have five others that I just checked out a few days earlier.    I believe it is an evil plot to make sure I can't finish my books.

Since I'm kind of on the subjects of libraries, you should check out this website. 

Have a great weekend everyone.  It's going to cool off here so I'm sure I will.