Yarn Along

Of Hooks:

I'm working on Adele's mermaid and it is taking FOREVER...mostly because I am avoiding it because it stresses me out.  Though I have followed the pattern exactly the same as before and used exactly the same hook size, this doll turned out to be twice as big.  I figured I would chug through and just use up a bit more yarn (not a bad thing) but then when I saw that the largest doll eyes were teensy compared to the head I was at a standstill. 

Do I embroider the eyes?  They could be pretty but I like the more 'simple' black eyes, less detailed and often less 'gaudy'.  Plus, I don't have loads of experience embroidering realistic eyes so there is always the chance of botching it up badly.  That held me up for a while.  I eventually decided to use the doll eyes and embroider some black eyelashes on top to make them look bigger but hopefully keep it simple and clean looking.

Then, there was the fact that Adele' wanted the exact same coloring as the other mermaid which to me was kinda boring.  If you make the same doll twice- why not make them with different personalities and styles?  I spent a few weeks trying to coax a few different colorations/ hair options out of her but she held fast.  Okay fine.  Same colors!  Her doll, her choice.

And then there was the worry that the sizing is going to mess up the decreases in the tail and it will be a short, stubby mermaid...or maybe a super long tapered mermaid.  And WHY is it so different anyway? 

All of these things have discouraged me from picking it up.  Long intervals of ignoring it, coupled with my bad habit of not marking where I left off (because of course I will remember, ahem.) means the body and tail is turning a bit wonky shaped as I probably repeat rows or delete rows over and over again. 

*sigh*

I like how it is turning out but I will be happy when it is done.  I refuse to start any other yarn projects until this one is done!

Of Books:

I finished HOME by Marilynne Robinson and I have to say it has been my favorite of her books thus far.  And that says a lot because I loved Gilead and Lila.  HOME is exquisite.  The end, in particular, touched me deeply.

I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction and I always have an audiobook and a real book going at the same time.  The audiobook for when I am doing household chores like deep cleaning a room-or everyday cleaning the kitchen- folding laundry, etc.  And also a real hold-in-your-hands, read the little letters and turn crisp pages book for at bedtime. 

My current audiobook is Bill O'Reilly's Killing the Rising Sun about how America vanquished World War II Japan.  I am finding it hard to find time to listen to it though because it is written in gruesome, sordid detail and my children are always surrounding me.  I don't want the children listening to some of the things that I have had to listen to so I am careful to only turn it on in those few moments I find when I am alone.  I don't really like listening to it myself- it is gruesome and sad and horrific. But this is history and one needs to know where we have been before we know where we will go.   I have always thought of the Japanese to have been the victims of World War II- I've really only thought of those poor Japanese Americans unconstitutionally interned into camps in the US and the victims of a horrendous, atrocities of an atomic bomb (or two).  This book has jolted me to see the atrocities inflicted BY the Japanese.  No book is written without bias, as we all know.  Sometimes it is hidden better than others.  I've only read a few of Bill O'Reilly's books but this one seems to show the most clear bias of the ones I have read.   The Japanese are portrayed as only horrible and awful and the Americans were always honorable and good.  We all know this is not the whole story and not always true.  That said, it has given me a more balanced view of World War II Japan not being only victims.  And it has reminded me, as all historical war books do, how ugly and terrible war is.

My honest-to-goodness book to read at bedtime is Jack and Jill by Louise May Alcott.  It is syruppy sweet and the children are honorable and good and kind and just lovely.  Maybe a bit flowery but perhaps the pages overflowing with goodness and kindness and empathy and innocence and honor is just what I need to offset the harshness and ugliness I see in my other current 'read'.

... linking up with these ladies ...