Worming through the books

What with sick children & visiting relatives over the last week or so, I’ve been unable to scratch my creative itch. And itching it is. I’m about 2/3rds of the way through quilting D9P (who knew straight lines could take so long?), there are a couple of very rough sketchs I’m hanging to refine, and an idea for a little watercolour painting. I’m feeling very inspired at the minute, and my brain is working overtime thinking about the 300 or so projects I want to tackle. (Ok, so maybe it’s only 30, but it feels like a lot!)

One thing I did manage to do though, is churn through a few more books. So, as of noon, Monday April 20, my reading challenge list looks a little like this:

2. Fishing for Stars – Bryce Courtney (fiction, new/gift) ***1/2 (Jan 09)

3. The Time Travellers Wife – Audrey Niffenegger (fiction, re-read for the 736th time) ****1/2 (Feb 09)

4. The Adventure of English:A biography of a Language – Melvin Bragg(non-fiction, re-read for the 312th time) ***1/2 (Feb 09)

5. Vet in a Spin – James Herriot (non-fiction, memoir, re-read) **** (Feb 09)

6. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie – James Herriot (non-fiction, memoir, re-read) ***1/2 (Feb 09)

7. Various Flavours of Coffee – Anthony Capella (fiction, library find) ***1/2 (Feb 09)

8. How to help you child read & write – Dr Dominic Wyse (non-fiction, library find) *** (Feb 09)

9. Before I Wake – John Scott (fiction, library find) (in progress, contemplating giving up!)

10. From Here to Maternity – Sinead Moriarty (fiction, chick-lit, library find) **** (March 09)

11. Dog Stories – James Herriot (non-fiction, memoirs, re-read) *** (March 09)

12. The Planets – Dava Sobel (non-fiction, astronomy, new/gift) **** (March 09)

13. Creative Play for Your Baby – Christopher Clouder & Janni Nicol (non-fiction, Steiner based play & craft, new) ***** (March 09)

14. The Writing Class – Jincy Willitt (fiction, light crime/homour, library find) **** (April 09)

      I quite enjoyed this book. An engaging writing style & well-thought-out plot had me hooked, as well as all the red herrings. I had a few ‘suspects’ in mind, and thought I wouldn’t be surprised, but I was! Explores the themes of trust & the idea that people aren’t always who or what you expect. I’m thinking this one will get another visit sometime down the track.

15. Australia Street – Ann Whitehead (fiction, drama, library find) **** (April 09)

    Another enjoyable read, exploring family relationships & dynamics. Well developed characters are easy to empathise with, and I found myself ‘taking sides’ in one of the marriage breakdowns!

16. Behind the Bestsellers – Jenny Bond & Chris Sheedy (non-fiction, literature history, library find) ****1/2 (April 09)

    Very interesting to read the histories & motivators behind some of the books that have had an impact on our culture. I also like it as a reference list for important books that I would like to read some day.

17. But Wait, There’s More… – Robert Crawford (non-fiction, advertising, library find) in progress.

If the boys will sleep a bit longer for me, I’m hoping to get this quilting finished & binding attached so I can stitch it down tonight. Then I want to hit the paints, plus I have a few ideas in mind for prettying up the blog a bit. Autumn is definately underway, and I have a few ideas for some clothes for the boys (particularly the toddler – baby has enough hand-me-downs from big brother that he could change 3 times a day and still not run out of clothes!), that I’m hoping to design, draft & sew myself. Plus I want to have a go at crochet again, and try a granny square or two. Try & knock out a few projects to clear my brain a bit.

Watch out Monday, I’m here, I’m ready, and I’m not thinking, just doing!