Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The Bargain

I've been trying to read an older David Baldacci book from years ago (Simple Genius) and while I ordinarily like reading this author, getting through this book has been painfully slow. Painfully. So I made myself a promise, conquer row 164 and then go visit Amazon to buy Tess Gerritsen's new book, The Silent Girl.

Even though I finished row 164 without incident, and I did buy the book, I thought better than to start reading it right away. I'd already dithered away a lot of time worrying unnecessarily about stupid row 164 and after I finished it (did I mention kerfuffle free?), I stepped back a moment to take stock. At about the same time I finished that row, I added the third and final cone of yarn, Louet Gem's, containing 512 yards per cone, and thought I should look at the beginning of the pattern to assess how much was truly remaining.

While I had the feeling that I only had two reasonably easy charts left to knit, and was therefore approaching THE END, as soon as I added that yarn, I realized that while it may feel I'm at the end of things, I'm not. Since the pattern calls for 1,500 yards of fiber, clearly the shawl is only 60% complete.

So I'm bargaining with myself today: if I can finish all of chart G and half of chart H, I can start the new book. If not, I'm stuck with Baldacci until I do. I keep hoping the book will get good, but as long as it isn't, I'm doing more knitting than reading.

On the hunt for 15 more markers that I know I own because I just bought a package of them, I found $40 laying at the bottom of a purse I haven't used since my last vacation in February. Whatever shall I do with such a windfall? I'm thinking another pedicure may be nice.





11 comments:

Rose said...

What a great find!! Go for the pedicure; I want to see what color you choose this time!

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

woo hoo, what a find! i LOVE stuff like that. happy reading. if i don't love a book i get rid of it, can't be bothered with it. it'd better hit me in the first few pages or i'm outta' here!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxo

Brenda said...

I remember reading Simple Genius a while back and I really liked it. I just finished his latest book and Micheal Connelly's latest and I really struggled through Connelly's. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through it..but did. I am looking for a new book to start so maybe I will try The Silent Girl. I haven't read any of her books yet.
Sounds like the shawl is like trying to quilt a King Size Quilt by hand. It does seem to take forever!

Rudee said...

Brenda, don't start with The Silent Girl as it's the last of the Rizzoli and Isles series. You can go to Gerritsen's website to view the books in order. Happy reading! Love, love, love Tess Gerritsen.

NCmountainwoman said...

The $40 is "found money" and must be used only for something you enjoy so make the appointment for your pedicure.

Unknown said...

Cell phone people annoy me.

Congrats on getting through row 164 without incident.

Great find. Go do something to pamper yourself with it.

I'm re-reading a very long book called And Ladies of The Club by Helen Santmyer.

lovestitch said...

Such a great find! That's really great to have 'the lost money' back after such a time! Pedicure is a good idea! Go on! :)
Hope your days are always wonderful and cheerful! xoxo

Gail said...

I was taught to always finish a book, so I have struggled through a few and punished my self by continuing to read. I think that may be a silly thing to have been taught but it stays with me through every thing...finish what you begin.

Now, if it's a bad book, I leave my book mark in it and save it for a time when I have no good reads waiting.

What perfect timing for found money! Pedicure...it will be free since you didn't know of the misplaced money, it won't count.

Enjoy you time of relaxing.

Celia said...

I say chuck the book! Life is too short to struggle through a book you don't want to read.

$40. Woohoo!! Hope you get something nice with that.

J'Ollie Primitives said...

Forty bucks for a pedicure?? Clearly I'm in the wrong profession. Must find new job...would like a job naming nail colors....

Congrats on getting through row 164!

Knitty said...

I just ventured from my usual pink-red-coral polish palette and applied a similar color to my toes, Wet & Wild's Stream of Wonder.

Thanks for posting the clip of The Who. I'm in an odd mood and listening to them is good. The wine I'm drinking isn't hurting either. ;-)