Goings On

I sat down to write a post and began scrolling through the photos on my phone, which is what I usually do when I post.  As it turns out, I haven't taken very many pictures since the retreat, which was two weeks ago.  This is very unusual for me and I'm not sure why this is.  I've been working a lot, but that's not new.  I have been reading quite a lot, which doesn't really inspire a lot of photo taking, so maybe that's the reason.  I use the GoodReads app but only to keep track of what I've read and more importantly, of the books I want to read, as I come across reviews, blog posts, or other recommendations.  It's been a game changer for me, as I used to keep lists in spiral notebooks, which I never seemed to have with me when I was at the library or book store.  Now, when I visit the library, pretty much a weekly event for me these days, I just pull up my list and start searching.  Or just as often, I'll sit at home and use the online catalog to place a hold on a book from my list, then pick it up at my local branch when I'm notified.  I'll list a few of my more recent reads:

• On Turpentine Lane, by Elinor Lipman
• Paris for One and Other Stories, by Jojo Moyes
• Pied Piper, by Nevil Shute
• A Town Like Alice, by Nevil Shute
• We Are All Made of Stars, by Rowan Coleman
• The Novel Habits of Happiness, by Alexander McCall Smith
• Stone Coffin, by Kjell Eriksson
• The Cold Cold Ground, by Adrian Mckinty

 

This is a very eclectic list, but these are ones I'd recommend; but it definitely depends on the type of fiction you want to read, doesn't it? Some of these are quite dark and some are complete fluff.  I need both.

 

I took a picture of a shawl I started this week, when I need something to work on that was mindless.  This is a Hitchhiker shawl, using Dragonfly Fibers yarn in the Van Gogh's Sunflowers color way.  Perfect name for those colors.  I went to a coffee shop on Tuesday night to hear some Irish music and knew I'd need something to work on, so I grabbed this off of my yarn room floor.  

 

Lastly, I wanted to share another project I've been working on and that's me!  I went to the doctor in January and after she looked at the results of my blood work, told me I either needed to change my diet or I was running a serious and fairly immediate risk of developing diabetes.  So I cut out as much sugar as I could, drastically reduced the amount of carbs I eat, and increased protein.  Basically, I went on a diabetic food plan in order to prevent diabetes.  As a result, I've lost 31 lbs so far and I'm pretty happy with my progress.  It was super hard at first, but now it's become pretty routine.  A picture popped up on my Facebook page from last year's yarn retreat and I was so pleased at the difference, that I thought I'd share.

 

I still have more to lose but I'm happy with the direction I'm headed.

 

Hope all are well.