tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83678063176799276292024-03-05T16:44:46.899-08:00The Apple BasketDorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-42103323925533054322014-03-22T13:36:00.000-07:002014-03-22T13:37:01.405-07:00Drive-by<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So,
I’ve been away from here for quite a while. Sorry about that – life has been
getting in the way, and I keep meaning to do a catch-up post, and that job
keeps growing, because there is more every week to catch up on, and ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So,
yes. I’m still here, I’m fine, I’m busy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Work
has picked up the pace somewhat in this second semester: the beginners’ book
has run out – finally – which means I need to provide texts and notes and glossaries.
And that’s fine, but a glossary for, say, a handful of smutty Catullus poems
*ahem* took me a whole day to make. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And thus the blog writing suffers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway,
I’m checking in to let you know I’m still here, and I do intend to get into
posting regularly again. No, I am not going to promise anything, no timeframe,
because then I’m only going to feel guilty if I don’t make it. I have a couple
of things I want to share, and I will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Enough
waffling: I have something for you today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As
mentioned before, I write microstories for two monthly contests in writing
groups on LinkedIn. In February, the required elements for the sci-fi story
were: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">a
crime, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">a
reference to a favourite author (or several), <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">and
a first person narrative. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As
usual, the whole story has to fit into one comment, so the limit is 4000
characters, around 620 words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This
is what I came up with to fit inside those parameters: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">FALL<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">by D C Mills<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Cause of death is obvious,’ I concluded, pulling off
my gloves. For the record, I added, ‘Severe head trauma as well as a broken
neck. Skull fractured, brain dispersed, spinal cord severed.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The man’s body had been found lying crumpled at the
bottom of one of the steep ladders going between decks. The cause of the fall
was another matter. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It wasn’t my job to investigate this: I was the ship’s
medic, and with the autopsy, my duty was done. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But I was curious. Besides, didn’t I have some
obligation towards the general wellbeing of the crew? If the ladders were
dangerous, I was the right person to point it out to the Captain. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And if Alvarez had been pushed – well, in that case we
had a murderer onboard. Another potential health risk.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I went to my office next to the surgical theatre to
address the database of the onboard computer system. The mainframe was a model
2.21-B, which had led to the inevitable nickname. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">People, particularly people placed on a ship in the
cold, dark void several light years from their home planet, have a need to give
familiar names to their surroundings. And this one was apt. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Sherlock,’ I said, ‘show me your surveillance images
from levels 4 and 5, by the cargo hold. Start with the time between 2100 and
0100 hours.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘You have calculated time of death to around 2300
hours,’ the computer said in its almost-human voice. ‘Why concern yourself with
actions taking place several hours before the fall?’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Alvarez was on duty in that period. I want to see who
he was talking to,’ I explained, as if to another person. ‘If he quarrelled
with anybody.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘You are looking for a possible murderer,’ Sherlock
said, ‘as well as a possible motive. I see.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I knew he was filing away this information along with
the vast amounts of data he already stored: Sherlock was built to be a learning
machine, forever expanding his knowledge and understanding of humans. His
proficiency at interacting had become quite remarkable and often made one
forget that he wasn’t, after all, human.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Several images appeared on the screen, in separate
windows. Not many people were moving about, and I quickly spotted Alvarez.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I observed the man during the last hours of his life.
He chatted with one, then another, of his mates. Everything seemed calm.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘I changed the lighting in your bathroom,’ Sherlock
broke in, ‘deducing that the uneven state of your shaving was a result of poor
light rather than a conscious choice.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I felt my cheeks and jaw line; the left side was
significantly more stubbly than the right. ‘Thank you,’ I said.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On screen, the end of Alvarez’ life drew near. The
person who shoved him was indistinct in the dim light above the ladder; only
height and body structure were discernible.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I gave the Captain a short list of suspects matching
this information, who could have been nearby at the time. Only three: Singh,
Adams, and Percy, all midshipmen like the deceased.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">They were called in for questioning and subjected to
further scrutiny: Sherlock was able to monitor them closely, as he had done
with me, to detect changes in pulse rate, breathing, skin temperature. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Singh seemed only remotely concerned. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Adams wept throughout and was barely coherent.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Percy was aggressive and rude.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After the interviews, Sherlock and I conferred: my
impressions versus his objective measurements compared against a database of
symptoms. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We agreed on the conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It turned out that Percy had attacked Alvarez out of
jealousy; this also explained Adams’ tears, as she was the object of the
quarrel, though preferring neither of the two men.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">No matter how advanced human technology is, it seems
that humans remain human, with the same fears and loves and weaknesses as we
have always had.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-36102398405608719412014-01-05T08:13:00.000-08:002014-01-05T08:15:16.302-08:00Resolutions?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have been quiet here for a while; at first because
of frantic pre-Christmas knitting, and later due to pondering how to proceed
with this blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I started blogging about a year and a half ago, mainly
to get my brain into gear again after a stress-induced depression. Thinking
about and writing essays kept me going and gave me an outlet for, well, scholarly
urges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Since then, though, I have started working again,
giving me plenty of opportunity to be scholarly, and I have joined several
writing groups on LinkedIn, including two monthly microstory competitions. All
this gave me the courage to enter NaNoWriMo – and write 50,000 words on the
sci-fi novel I had been planning for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">During November, then, I ignored the blog – guiltily
at first – in favour of novel writing. Over time I realised I have come to
prefer writing fiction to rambling on about my life. Fiction is much more interesting,
anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, all in all, the premises for the blog have
changed, and so the blog itself has to change. I may continue posting once a
week, skipping weeks when too much else is going on, and perhaps mainly writing
about knitting. And writing. I am even considering splitting the blog, keeping
this page for knitting-related chat, and making a new one for writing-related
chat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If I do, there will be a post and a link.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And as you can see in the sidebar, I now have a
Twitter account: a new way to practice formulating concise statements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But let's get on to the important matters: </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">First, the Christmas presents:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5rvRFn_I81Myc07N6p_Z0nxdiFKJAUcYiUfeuxaS4025ImKj0-3wL5pbrb3z8fm04serQyYRC5nM4XZV5nRsvWl-tFlSAKIsHbgle57wAFf90ia7t35uDukeBmXBkeGQBrpfsr1KAFIM/s1600/Armada+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5rvRFn_I81Myc07N6p_Z0nxdiFKJAUcYiUfeuxaS4025ImKj0-3wL5pbrb3z8fm04serQyYRC5nM4XZV5nRsvWl-tFlSAKIsHbgle57wAFf90ia7t35uDukeBmXBkeGQBrpfsr1KAFIM/s1600/Armada+(5).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For my mum: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spanish-armada" target="_blank">Armada</a> by MMario</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuNVFMDLJ0lvMpjhotW5kvOIzmxIf3OEjDYnwvu2h3qBm-FVfmW-0pranVaP-bs9a1dHIDEKr-YQw9x_uHi8hBWr6wuEpBQXWp3j9q1sm6CHr4K9wypw63_oGan411PgIce3mUSxZS9XQ/s1600/Primrose+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuNVFMDLJ0lvMpjhotW5kvOIzmxIf3OEjDYnwvu2h3qBm-FVfmW-0pranVaP-bs9a1dHIDEKr-YQw9x_uHi8hBWr6wuEpBQXWp3j9q1sm6CHr4K9wypw63_oGan411PgIce3mUSxZS9XQ/s1600/Primrose+(5).jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura in Primrose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj-0G4yMSb5KiKccWmx5tIekE2rUmyD0V6ebfK43dO7nE6MFX7BOo8PKcPQMiOxDOZvL83iEMl_FjHkbQssLZ_N21qNwRV7Qx_vZjfqYixgM7xiZbvmu2E2zhnsuboN4WQmYsOQouV7Ev/s1600/Promethium+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj-0G4yMSb5KiKccWmx5tIekE2rUmyD0V6ebfK43dO7nE6MFX7BOo8PKcPQMiOxDOZvL83iEMl_FjHkbQssLZ_N21qNwRV7Qx_vZjfqYixgM7xiZbvmu2E2zhnsuboN4WQmYsOQouV7Ev/s1600/Promethium+(1).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For my dad: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/foot-hugger-socks" target="_blank">Foot Hugger Socks</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUu3AmsEU3XHquht_0-REY5ihpt4PeW2pZkdjcxxRfXAn3haTYyV9UBdss6tzJUyhM4Kj74Wcyw6gUhJcPduofEYLDVL0tZ8DV_NeJN4edubDzt59kpCVA1GuCBhYs3rTi4r-4gOxooga6/s1600/Mini+Me+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUu3AmsEU3XHquht_0-REY5ihpt4PeW2pZkdjcxxRfXAn3haTYyV9UBdss6tzJUyhM4Kj74Wcyw6gUhJcPduofEYLDVL0tZ8DV_NeJN4edubDzt59kpCVA1GuCBhYs3rTi4r-4gOxooga6/s1600/Mini+Me+(1).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Emil: Mini Me (a smaller version of V for Victor)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3gHkwiXp_peN1keT-m8Sn9cJ-fWpBD7VFuk2e6zc-NmQfyaHSAnIqhaVE3tfSGGB-qIHFB55avpvnk3hGQSkOArSPGG5AmTPVcN397_DxPopwiT94LzpDH7dEKMT_S3ai_qZxyfLdkzx/s1600/Sea+Star+Orange+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3gHkwiXp_peN1keT-m8Sn9cJ-fWpBD7VFuk2e6zc-NmQfyaHSAnIqhaVE3tfSGGB-qIHFB55avpvnk3hGQSkOArSPGG5AmTPVcN397_DxPopwiT94LzpDH7dEKMT_S3ai_qZxyfLdkzx/s1600/Sea+Star+Orange+(4).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For Emil: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sea-star" target="_blank">Sea Star</a> by Hansi Singh in orange (favourite colour)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCI45cvAoKnDV2EbTGGv9bGv2DmYrvc_Z2RETBYllDgn4FdNPBXmVsEoYXWdFPAIiecN1giHvIHrtUXXtyzENbaTrzH9pALkrsY9YoPoCiEwC6TCbJn2-DIbrS5YiKNJi0Qxgkh93j5-T/s1600/Hands+of+Blue+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCI45cvAoKnDV2EbTGGv9bGv2DmYrvc_Z2RETBYllDgn4FdNPBXmVsEoYXWdFPAIiecN1giHvIHrtUXXtyzENbaTrzH9pALkrsY9YoPoCiEwC6TCbJn2-DIbrS5YiKNJi0Qxgkh93j5-T/s1600/Hands+of+Blue+(10).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hands-of-blue" target="_blank">Hands of Blue</a>; I also made myself a pair, so we can be Two by two</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ywk2-lJr6irmYMSe1ApNZgyX83EVCyKsZ-YXjn1pRWd0iEVCcCXz2GhIRLQICcvpk21yJBPD7bgZt0XFR94zm_1aSw2_wsUdOQLDgMwCbL7cdFOL1awmGpAjtVwkaQQ07JrqbjTKGYVq/s1600/IMG_4917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ywk2-lJr6irmYMSe1ApNZgyX83EVCyKsZ-YXjn1pRWd0iEVCcCXz2GhIRLQICcvpk21yJBPD7bgZt0XFR94zm_1aSw2_wsUdOQLDgMwCbL7cdFOL1awmGpAjtVwkaQQ07JrqbjTKGYVq/s1600/IMG_4917.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura and her <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/comfort-of-a-friend-doll-shawl" target="_blank">doll</a> wearing <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/comfort-of-a-friend-girl-shawl" target="_blank">Comfort</a> shawls by Laura Ricketts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On 24<sup>th</sup> December, a knit-along began in the
aplayfulday group on Ravelry, making projects designed by Carol Feller. I cast
on for an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/iced" target="_blank">Iced</a> cardigan in Aran weight cotton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVieUxOHuufwRDlxjOvGRmTM-2H6xJSBEavIJQsF6C52Xt6nMdlaDTF8RqGV866wCZ92KVtKzSn_ziJKKEUdQthsz4fhHEq3sEXrMyMAOQcnmGDcnCi8nA72sWTcs036QmVaVjVUuuq8h/s1600/Hexiflats+Jan14+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVieUxOHuufwRDlxjOvGRmTM-2H6xJSBEavIJQsF6C52Xt6nMdlaDTF8RqGV866wCZ92KVtKzSn_ziJKKEUdQthsz4fhHEq3sEXrMyMAOQcnmGDcnCi8nA72sWTcs036QmVaVjVUuuq8h/s1600/Hexiflats+Jan14+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Inspired by the hexipuffs I made in November for the
Great Ormond Street beekeeper project, I decided to challenge myself to making
a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/the-beekeepers-quilt-3" target="_blank">hexiflat</a> (non-stuffed) a day in 2014. So far, I’m doing fine – I have made 5
and am not bored yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s a way, of course, to use up scraps and leftovers
of sock yarn, all those little bits that could be made into stripy socks, if it
didn’t mean having to weave in a million ends. With the hexiflats, the ends are
just pulled inside and left there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And next month, in February, the Winter Ravellenic
Games 2014 take place, concurrently with some sports event or other somewhere
in Russia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I joined Team Sherlocked as well as Team TARDIS,
intending to knit a blue cardigan for the other and something for the one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This ‘something’ is going to be rainbow-coloured due
to the well-known controversy over Russia’s attitude towards gay rights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Just as a f*** you to Putin and his gang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the whole context of gender queerness, I am fairly
boring: a female in a woman’s body, formerly married to a man – won’t be doing
that again, though – and personally not very interested. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In principle, though, I believe everybody is entitled
to their preferences and to do whatever they want with whomever they want, as
long as everybody involved wants to be involved and nobody gets hurt. And it’s
nobody else’s business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I am perfectly aware that knitting something
rainbow-coloured, and even wearing it in public, is not particularly brave, as it
involves no risk to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But I can knit rainbows in February and make it a
statement of support for everybody’s right to be themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And with this, I wish you all a happy and fruitful
2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-62341671634171731482013-12-08T07:43:00.002-08:002013-12-08T07:44:46.306-08:00December Fun<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I feel like I have nothing to write about this week:
all my knitting is Christmas knitting and thus secret; I haven’t done anything
exciting or thought any profound thoughts; and I am reading a bunch of books
all in a jumble, trying to catch up with my Goodreads challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I had the last classes of the semester this week, and the
exams are done and sent. So I have no more work until I get the exams back on
the 20<sup>th</sup> or thereabouts. Apart, of course, from figuring out what to
read next semester ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We had a storm on Thursday, raising water levels along
the West coast and in the internal straits. Living as far inland as you can get
around here, we only had the winds, no flooding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thomas got home early, though, when his school was
closed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Victor was going out in the evening to a school board
Christmas dinner meeting at a restaurant downtown; I didn’t like the thought of
him walking to the bus stop and waiting there with tree branches being tossed
about, so I drove him. As we approached the restaurant, an ambulance was pulling
away. It turned out that one of the ornaments hanging between buildings in the
pedestrian street area had been blown down and hit someone on the head. Good
thing Victor wasn’t out walking there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I went back home, made dinner and then read (and
knitted) until Victor sent me a text just after 10 o’clock: ‘Want to go driving
in the snow?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Snow? Yep, the storm was now a snowstorm. Careful
driving ... when I got to the restaurant again, the wind had dropped
temporarily, and the street ornaments were innocently lighting up the pristine
snow. Victor was outside tossing snowballs. It was a winter wonderland idyll.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, it stopped snowing, and the wind picked up
again, gradually subsiding during Friday. The remains of the snowfall were
washed away by the rain today. Not so pretty winter weather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As mentioned, it’s all Christmas knitting, and rather
frantic at that. I had decided, sometime around December last year, to NOT knit
for Christmas – or not for everybody, at least, maybe a few items. Then I got
the teaching gig and scaled down my plans even more; and entering NaNoWriMo, I
practically dropped all but four gift knits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, I emerged from under the NaNoWriMo rock,
December arrived, and the Christmas knitting plans blossomed ... Ideas keep
cropping up, completely ignoring the rapidly dwindling number of days until the
big evening. So, I am busily knitting secret stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">No, wait, I did knit something for public viewing: a
bunch of hand-dyed Hexipuffs for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/hand-dyed-beekeepers-quilt-challenge" target="_blank">Great Ormond Street Hospital blanket</a>.
Quite pretty, if I may say so myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Most of this year, I have been ahead of schedule on
the Goodreads challenge, preparing for November. Still, I managed to fall
behind; as of now by two books. So, I am doing what I do when Christmas
knitting: I am reading a whole bunch of books at once. Because more books at
once means you’ll finish them faster, right? Just like having five active wips
lying around means you’ll knit faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, here’s the list:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am dusting off my Greek, which has been sitting
neglected in a corner for about a decade, by reading through a grammar and a
book for beginners. These are called BASIS and PROLOGOS (yes, in capital
letters); I’m reading them in conjunction and surprising myself at how easy
Greek is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The last so far of the <i>Gaunt’s Ghosts</i> novels by Dan Abnett is <i>Salvation’s Reach</i>, living up to, if not surpassing, the standard of
the series as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the audio side, I’m listening to <i>Great North Road</i> by Peter F. Hamilton. I
know what you’re thinking: why choose an 18-hour book when you need to catch
up? It gets better, though: the 18 hours is only the first half of the book. It’s
an 1100-page book on paper. </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Facepalm.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Luckily, it’s a good book. Beginning in Newcastle in
the winter of 2143 CE, it opens with a regular cop crime story, a murder whodunit.
The call about the body dumped in the River Tyne comes in, of course, twenty
minutes before the end of Sid Hurst’s and his partner’s shift. And so it goes,
the story being told with a high level of everyday detail about life in the 22<sup>nd</sup>
century. Not surprisingly, knowing Hamilton’s work, the murder has
trans-stellar connections, and thus an expedition is mounted to the planet St.
Libra near Sirius, travelling through the gateway just outside Newcastle. I can’t
say much more without spoiling anything for those who may want to read it, so I
won’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Great
North Road</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> is on my phone for
on-the-move listening; on my laptop for lace-knitting listening I started <i>Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?</i> by
Jeanette Winterson, her memoir of mainly her adoptive mother, referred to as
Mrs Winterson, who was Pentecostal and manic-depressive. The title, apparently,
is quoted from Mrs Winterson’s reaction to Jeanette wanting to be with a
girlfriend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’m not sure how well I like this book; Jeanette’s
upbringing was surely horrific, no doubt about that, and you have to feel for a
child who was oppressed, not allowed books, threatened with Hell, and beaten on
a regular basis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But the narrative is rather heavy on theory of
religion and comparative phenomenology; it does seem unnecessary to bring in the
structuralistic jargon at every turn to explain or reflect on religious
practices and her own reactions to her childhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are more books on my Goodreads ‘currently-reading’
list: <i>The Age of Innocence</i> is
currently on Craftlit, and <i>Mrs. Appleyard’s
Year</i> on Forgotten Classics, so the pace of those two is chiefly outside my
influence; I just listen to an episode or two when I get around to it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, that’s it for this time – have a great week, have
fun, don’t get blown away or buried in snow, and most important of all: when
confronted with the glitzy Christmas catalogues urging you to spend, buy, shop,
and purchase –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">DON’T PANIC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-83755658116566386372013-12-01T06:57:00.000-08:002013-12-01T06:59:11.007-08:00Still Here!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Yes, I’m still here, though I have been away from this
space for a while. I apologise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Undertaking a challenge like <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a>, of writing
50,000 words in 30 days, teaches you a lot. I learned – well, that I could do
it, and that it was both more and less difficult than I would have imagined. I
also learned that other activities, particularly writing, are pushed aside for
the time being; I couldn’t face spending writing time on something that didn’t
add to my word count.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Writing a 1,000 or 600 word microstory will take me at
least a whole day: I have to come up with the world, the characters, the plot;
and the language needs to be polished in order to get as much information as
possible into a limited number of words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, on that background, writing 1,667 words on average
EVERY DAY seemed a tall order. But then, writing a novel is completely
different. I know, I was surprised, too. Who would have thought it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For one thing, the word count is not limited – on the
contrary, the task is to put many words down; and the NaNoWriMo fora (I will
not write forums) have, of course, a thread for exchanging dirty tricks to
swell your word count. I only read it last night AFTER validating my text, I
promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Writing 1,667 words in a context you know already,
describing the background, developing characters through action and/or
dialogue, giving a bit of back story or moving the plot forward is very much
easier than creating a whole new world. And you can ‘laugh in the face of
linearity’, as one of the pep talks put it: write a later scene, an earlier scene,
put in some dialogue, describe a place where your characters will be next month
or next year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the other hand, it has to be done every day. Before
November, I had for a few months written one and then two microstories for ‘my’
LinkedIn writing groups, and really felt that my writing time was quite taken
up with those. How, then, could I write all those words in a month? But that feeling
of my time being filled with writing only came about because I could ignore the
story for days, not writing, but maybe thinking about it, and then return to it
when the deadline loomed. In November, the two microstories were back stories
to the projected novel and so belong to the same universe, and they were
written rather quickly compared to earlier months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have, of course, been thinking about this particular
story for months, if not years. It is a sci-fi adaptation of the Argonautika,
the ancient Greek legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece aboard the ship Argo. I
have worked with the Argonautika for many years: my MA thesis, written back in
1998, described the types of heroism found in Apollonius Rhodius’ Hellenistic
version of the legend, and it has stayed with me, in the background, ever
since. The sci-fi idea emerged only last year, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the central story line is there, but of course the
ship is a space ship, the islands and lands visited by the crew are planets,
gods and magic are replaced by advanced technology. The crew does not consist
entirely of young men; some of them are women. Obviously. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have changed the first names of the characters,
keeping the initials: Jason becomes Jack, his cousin Akastos becomes Aiken,
Atalante is allowed on board in my version and is called Alasen. The ‘bad guy’,
king Pelias who grabbed the power from Jason’s father and sends Jason off on
this suicide mission, was renamed sir Percival after the bad guy in Wilkie
Collins’ <i>The Woman in White</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The frenzy is over, I made it. So what now? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, this coming week is all about work: I have the
last few Latin lessons of the semester, and the exams need to be sent in by
Friday. The exam date is the 19<sup>th</sup> December, and the administration of
course wants them well before that. And I need to proofread the Greek exams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I have accepted the invitation to write a couple
of microstories for upcoming anthologies, among those a pirate story. Not space
pirates for this one, though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">NaNoWriMo have, apparently, editing months in January
and February; I may take up that offer and get something resembling an actual
novel out of the mass of words I have. In that context, I also need to decide
where to cut – not cut out parts or chapters, but where to divide one book from
the next. This mini epos, a 180-page paperback in the English translation, is
swelling to the length of several novels when written as a novel. So, I’m all ready
for next November!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As might be expected, I haven’t done a lot of knitting
this month: all those evening hours usually spent watching TV, or quiet hours
in the mornings with an audio book, have been spent writing, writing, writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, my Midnight cardigan has received scant attention;
not because I’m bored with it – far from – but, well, see above. I am looking
forward to finishing it, because then I shall wear Midnight (get it? Discworld?
No? Go read.).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2czRfukQjcdwbkXD64RWU36uTZMhnI-LMp-M01ES5rTw82vbxG3HXnTtYJjtbo3dIQZbDdVfSV1FKIR50yuswcjHAZNem3IQes5zT2xEf_d7-owWZeXWRvkrRq41ZdFQ4lXE6vcI-gvu/s1600/Hexipuffer+2013+11+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2czRfukQjcdwbkXD64RWU36uTZMhnI-LMp-M01ES5rTw82vbxG3HXnTtYJjtbo3dIQZbDdVfSV1FKIR50yuswcjHAZNem3IQes5zT2xEf_d7-owWZeXWRvkrRq41ZdFQ4lXE6vcI-gvu/s1600/Hexipuffer+2013+11+%25288%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If you want to try out the hexipuff thing but not
necessarily make a whole blanket, you can join the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/hand-dyed-beekeepers-quilt-challenge" target="_blank">Hand-dyed Beekeeper's Quilt Challenge </a>and donate a couple or a handful towards a blanket for the Great
Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am using half-skeins from previous plant dyeing
experiments; they are too small even for socks for my little feet, but a
hexipuff uses no more than 3 grams of fingering weight yarn. So, they are great
for using up leftovers. And there are two added bonuses: the ends are pulled
inside the hexipuff, and the hexipuffs, apparently, aren’t sewn together at the
end, but tied. All this pretty much removes the reasons why I normally cringe
at the thought of making a scrap blanket: sewing and weaving in ends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As you have probably gathered, I am seriously considering
this whole hexipuff craze. There are, of course, groups on Ravelry for knitting
365 hexipuffs in a year, a puff a day, and I am a sucker for silly challenges. First,
though, I am trying the concept out for a week or ten days for the hospital
blanket; if I can’t make it through those, or get fed up, I won’t take on a
whole year of it. We’ll see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Christmas knitting is underway; more on that after
the big evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Today, of course, is the 1<sup>st</sup> December, the
day for beginning the whole advent calendar thing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I literally did nothing about it until yesterday
evening, when I had sent my text to the NaNoWriMo word counting robot, had my
text validated and been declared a ‘winner’ – a.k.a. made it through the 50,000
words. Only then did I go out to buy the requisite candles, and Victor pulled
out the Christmas boxes to find ornaments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I haven’t been reading much, either, this month – so little,
in fact, that I am falling behind on my Goodreads challenge. Never mind,
though, there are four weeks left in which to catch up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I am still reading <i>Blood Pact</i> by Dan Abnett, one of his Gaunt’s Ghosts novels, that I
started reading in Nottingham <i>(gasp)</i>
three weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Audio books are a bit easier to get through – not that
I mind reading, obviously, I’ve just been spending my time writing instead (did
I mention that already?). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I found <i>The
Constant Gardener</i> by John le Carré on CDs at the library, so that has been
playing in the car. It’s a classic le Carré post-Cold War story, in which the
secretive bad guys aren’t the Soviets, but the giant pharmaceutical companies
using poor Africans as guinea pigs for their drugs and giving not a fig when
they are maimed or die from the side effects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The title character, a British diplomat investigating
the murder of his wife, has ample cause to reflect on the appropriate behaviour
of real spies while travelling the world in search of information and at the
same time trying to avoid being killed himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After the thriller, I turned to evolutionary biology,
in this case <i>The Story of the Human Body</i>
by Daniel Lieberman, a thorough – and sometimes repetitive – account of the changes
in the human body over millions of years effected by the environment, in both
natural and cultural evolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is somewhat scary to be reminded of how unhealthy
the agriculturally based diet is compared to a hunter-gatherer diet, and how
harmful a sedentary lifestyle is. Not that Lieberman is a proponent of the
trendy paleo diet: there is too little evidence and too much variation in the
lifestyles of actual hunter-gatherers across the globe to ascertain exactly
what one ‘should’ or should not eat. The overall picture is clear, though: a farmer’s
diet, rich in sugars and starches and poor in fibre, minerals and vitamins – in
other words, a cereal-based diet – is bad for your teeth, digestion, weight, metabolism,
&c.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I haven’t yet gotten to the chapter about how bad
chairs are for you, but I’m sure it’ll be fun ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s about it for this time; I will end on a musical
note, with Victor (in the ponytail) and his friend and co-conspirator at the closing concert of a
talent weekend at the Aalborg International Guitar Festival last week. They
performed the same duo, ‘Rondo in G’ by Ferdinand Carulli, at a local café in
Viborg only this Friday. My pictures from that are crap, though, as I forgot my
camera and had to use the one in my phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Have a lovely week – I will be back next Sunday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-74045672580244094552013-11-10T09:40:00.000-08:002013-11-10T09:41:56.223-08:00NaNovember<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, the format will be slightly different:
fewer words, more pictures. I am writing on my NaNoWriMo project, and although
the number of words in the universe is infinite, the number of hours in a day
is not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So this week’s post is more of a picture gallery with
comments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Last weekend, Andreas and I went to Nottingham, UK,
for the Black Library Weekender II.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We rented a car this time instead of taking the train
between Birmingham (the airport) and Nottingham, so I got to drive on the left
side. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The car rental wanted to give us a Peugeot 308 which
was ... okay ... I guess, but then they couldn’t find it at the car park and
gave us an Opel Astra instead. Happy times!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJ3d2zNR6ioYzkBV-_rAMrFw_N-zsC7uqz3JmiF6D6gA0qMIkVEgYzzwdSsll_gKH4nsXaKGZFoOYEYPexo9sluiF7M_n_1i6Ln9RvOo0jfcYG5cZrx27dlQhV2edthywDt-YeC9FywL6/s1600/IMG_4500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJ3d2zNR6ioYzkBV-_rAMrFw_N-zsC7uqz3JmiF6D6gA0qMIkVEgYzzwdSsll_gKH4nsXaKGZFoOYEYPexo9sluiF7M_n_1i6Ln9RvOo0jfcYG5cZrx27dlQhV2edthywDt-YeC9FywL6/s1600/IMG_4500.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">During the weekend, I read this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZUcVJHZVI9YxsCikmtcM5Jfiuj7XH-OdzE5jxZ4uLgOGNZYXidqq8zAcxiHm9PcjBchEbgnuHeEAUCQQPV7s1IwTc9L6NciwD-zG-4cqdiPom5esJnPrVd2Uk7EtMPrr0bZ3Vm4eoxOA/s1600/IMG_4514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZUcVJHZVI9YxsCikmtcM5Jfiuj7XH-OdzE5jxZ4uLgOGNZYXidqq8zAcxiHm9PcjBchEbgnuHeEAUCQQPV7s1IwTc9L6NciwD-zG-4cqdiPom5esJnPrVd2Uk7EtMPrr0bZ3Vm4eoxOA/s1600/IMG_4514.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">and knitted these – <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribbed-watchmans-hat" target="_blank">watchman caps</a> in Peruvian Highland
wool for Andreas (black) and Victor (green):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDRaUyBcpcjx1BlWdv_YUrGrF3rGA5QuCuNJzmFyEF6CY8gk-pT7elU4n16_JjKbqnvYVbaVKGnt7fp28vDF3nwA4KFvcZc3NsH8dBsSXWr4K-1jAwD0Ey1kk2n-4YjhYJZ9x-S6s5CxA/s1600/Camo+Caps+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDRaUyBcpcjx1BlWdv_YUrGrF3rGA5QuCuNJzmFyEF6CY8gk-pT7elU4n16_JjKbqnvYVbaVKGnt7fp28vDF3nwA4KFvcZc3NsH8dBsSXWr4K-1jAwD0Ey1kk2n-4YjhYJZ9x-S6s5CxA/s1600/Camo+Caps+%25283%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">and bought these, co-authored by Dan Abnett and his
wife Nik Vincent:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcxF7qRk15pG557LTKBINIVs9zgRng4QvtOEsSSi-f8XKhOZq48jpSnan7WIUz1NxVuIKl-QFrX1OImghNVUOoEgbpJDRHb2YINypo0V9ZbEW9sJpDiHt5O4utmqELGXVSkn754TThysC/s1600/IMG_4515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcxF7qRk15pG557LTKBINIVs9zgRng4QvtOEsSSi-f8XKhOZq48jpSnan7WIUz1NxVuIKl-QFrX1OImghNVUOoEgbpJDRHb2YINypo0V9ZbEW9sJpDiHt5O4utmqELGXVSkn754TThysC/s1600/IMG_4515.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We went to Dan’s book signing on Sunday, and Nik
showed up at the right moment, so I not only had my books signed by both of
them, but was able to give Nik the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bequin" target="_blank">Bequin shawl</a> prototype. And Nik, of course,
IS Alizebeth Bequin, so that was just perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwm9MYeMeJuwkozEpPDdsLeIhwf2Rg912Y1r1WYShjghrCftU-Gb-P6SOMLSWTfQW0Xn3JvjTdophbZtHbqGgwwCKLBxwz5gALV-p1oF6tqqGkXKksY9ZjlF52XneCJJYpdn0_S41XWi5S/s1600/IMG_4504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwm9MYeMeJuwkozEpPDdsLeIhwf2Rg912Y1r1WYShjghrCftU-Gb-P6SOMLSWTfQW0Xn3JvjTdophbZtHbqGgwwCKLBxwz5gALV-p1oF6tqqGkXKksY9ZjlF52XneCJJYpdn0_S41XWi5S/s1600/IMG_4504.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We went to all the best seminars, obviously, several
of them on the Horus Heresy series which I haven’t read yet </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">(hangs
head in shame)</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is from the final megapanel on Sunday afternoon,
featuring seven authors and an artist – a big hit this year was the release of
a 100-page Horus Heresy graphic novel, <i>Macragge’s
Honour</i>, written by Dan Abnett (third from the right) and drawn/painted by
Neil Roberts (far right).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Andreas bought this, of course, and had it signed by
both of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">What else?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I started a pair of socks, my Storm socks in the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/foot-hugger-socks" target="_blank">Foot Hugger</a> pattern and Arwetta Classic in the colourway Perfect Storm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">During this week, apart from desperately trying to
catch up on sleep and NaNo word count and laundry and not saying stupid things
in front of the students – Latin sometimes doesn’t make sense, when you’re
tired – I felt cold and cast on for a cardigan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/same-same-but-different-contiguous-walnuss" target="_blank">Same Same</a>, a top-down cardigan featuring
the contiguous sleeve construction and pleats at the fronts of the saddle
shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’m using Kauni ELC, a blue-black combination, which
is why my cardigan is called Night Skies:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ7JjWvuRM2QJyjBUwKlTI0uX_ewmOaZOPtCJuYM5pM4f6ZZOU7ZjY75uJXBBFwnD7FyIbi0tmertOnYs6tyL99aOSj456w2lg9L2zIma0SVaucvVi3JOEmDyh8vgSn09fas9oHUiLTvS/s1600/Night+Skies+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ7JjWvuRM2QJyjBUwKlTI0uX_ewmOaZOPtCJuYM5pM4f6ZZOU7ZjY75uJXBBFwnD7FyIbi0tmertOnYs6tyL99aOSj456w2lg9L2zIma0SVaucvVi3JOEmDyh8vgSn09fas9oHUiLTvS/s1600/Night+Skies+%25281%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Tis the season and all that, and although I am NOT
knitting for everybody this year (see above re hours in the day), there will be
a few knitted Christmas presents. So, until after Christmas, I have knitting
that I’m not showing. I have started one project, that much I’ll reveal for now
:o) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s it for this time, then. I am going back to my
novel writing – I will be back next week, possibly in picture mode again, we’ll
see – and until then:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Have a great week, take care, have fun, happy
crafting, and happy writing if you’re into that sort of thing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-71435429859032404112013-10-31T03:28:00.001-07:002013-10-31T03:29:33.852-07:00Halloween? Where?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I am posting early and not much. Next time
will be better, I promise – this weekend, Andreas and I are going to
Nottingham, UK, for the Black Library Weekender II. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Very exciting; I have been looking forward to it for a
long time, much more, of course, than last year, when I didn’t really know what
it was all about. Andreas didn’t either, exactly, but at least he knew a lot
more about the whole world of Warhammer (and still does).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have planned and am packing my knitting and all the
inconsequential stuff (clothes, passport, all that); also getting the house in
order for the ones left behind: tidying, baking, grocery shopping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I am concentrating on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/foot-hugger-socks" target="_blank">Coalminer socks</a>
for Thomas; I’m trying to get them done by end of play today, so he can get to
wear them. I’m on the leg of the second one, toe-up, as you may recall, so there
is a chance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And now for the Travel Knitting: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Black Library Weekender events are mostly panel
talks, Q&A sessions and the like; so for listening in dimly lit audience
rows, a simple, ribbed hat in aran weight wool on 4.5 mm needles seem like the perfect
project. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Andreas decided he needs a hat soon, and Victor concurred
on his own behalf. They both prefer something simple, masculine, and non-fussy,
so I found the simplest hat possible, a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribbed-watchmans-hat" target="_blank">ribbed beanie </a>that doesn’t really
require a pattern, but the photos of soldiers in the snow sold the concept. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I ordered some Filcolana Peruvian Highland, 2 skeins
for each hat, in black for Andreas and hunter green for Victor. So that’s that
taken care of. Yarn and needles packed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jSY7RzSj7hG3pq1lfreZIph5R05F19JjTpgTipdu_4Ee3yT3smgEzGY4C0W7EyNdEa-UQkj6a2QMHVr_bbw1aG3SJXmOR9NnWlJcJWuw5JBj05q3wCVVUTQ2rSnZoslzK3xLzU3QTAzF/s1600/Vindepind.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jSY7RzSj7hG3pq1lfreZIph5R05F19JjTpgTipdu_4Ee3yT3smgEzGY4C0W7EyNdEa-UQkj6a2QMHVr_bbw1aG3SJXmOR9NnWlJcJWuw5JBj05q3wCVVUTQ2rSnZoslzK3xLzU3QTAzF/s1600/Vindepind.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For variation, I will be knitting socks (for me, this
time) on bamboo needles that won’t be taken away at the airport. I’m using my
own Foot Hugger pattern and the Filcolana Arwetta in the colourway Perfect
Storm that I bought a bunch of last year for my BOTI scarf and then used less
than half of, because I decided to do the TARDIS section in solid blue. So,
lots of lovely sock yarn – and it’s in a skein, so I get to try out my
nøstepinn to make a centre-pull ball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ve finished a couple of books this week, somehow:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Dead
Beat</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> by Jim Butcher,
book 7 of the Dresden Files. In which our hero stands up to fight against the
disciples of a notorious necromancer, rescues a polka-playing mortician, and is
required to consider the attentions of a fallen angel. Also, there’s a
dinosaur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Winter Ghosts</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> by Kate
Mosse, another story set in the Pyrenees in southern France, where in the 14<sup>th</sup>
century, the Cathars hid in mountain caves in an attempt to avoid being
slaughtered. I have previously read <i>The
Labyrinth</i> and <i>The Cave</i> by the
same author. While reading this one, I had a feeling that this author writes the
same story in different variations – some authors do that, and it gets old
pretty quickly. Part of the reason for this turned out to be that the novella <i>The Cave</i>, which I have read a few years
ago, is in fact the same story as the one in <i>Winter Ghosts</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The October group read in the Ravelry group on
Goodreads has been <i>The Yarn Whisperer</i>
by Clara Parkes – apparently a wise and witty book of a life in knitting. I say
apparently, because my copy arrived from Amazon this Monday. Still in October,
still, theoretically at least, with enough time to read it before the end of
the month. This week, though, is one of those weeks from Hell in which
everything wants to happen at once. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I have mentioned, Andreas and I are leaving for
England on Friday morning – very early. So everything that needs to be done
around the house this week needs to be done by Thursday. Which is today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And this week, Victor and a friend of his from school have
been trying out university life in a 4-day training programme at Aarhus
University, meaning that I on Tuesday and Wednesday was the one to drive them.
No problem in the mornings – except maybe for the poor kids who had to be ready
at 6:30 AM to go with me – but in the afternoons, I had to stay at uni until
they finished at nearly 4. Long days for everybody. Luckily, the father of the
other boy works in Aarhus, too, so he was able to drive them on Monday and
Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And happily, they are having great fun with geology,
physics, maths, data science and all that. So it’s all good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Oh, and we had a storm on Monday, in the late
afternoon and evening. Our area wasn’t one of those most affected, though we
did have fierce winds and bits of trees lying around everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Victor and his geology group for the day were supposed
to have been out digging in the University park, but that was deemed too
dangerous, so they got to play with sand and clay indoors instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thomas was out having a driving lesson that was cut
short when the warning announcements on the radio included Viborg: the police advised
against all unnecessary driving. So now, he has tried driving in a storm – quite
useful, though he was glad to have an experienced driver by his side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, what would be a sane reaction to a very busy week
inaugurating a rather busy month? Well, to sign up for NaNoWriMo, of course! If
you are not familiar with it, this is National Novel Writing Month – the ‘national’
part ought maybe to be replaced by ‘global’, as this is the nature of online
activities. So, we could call it GloBoWriMo instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The idea is to write 50,000 words on a new novel
during November; on the first draft of it, anyway, as editing and rewriting
will have to be done later. And probably finishing this first draft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have no idea whether I will be able to write an
average of 1,667 words a day for a month, but I’ll give it a go, in between
everything else going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, wish me luck!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And that’s that for now – I have to go and get the
cake out of the oven, review my shopping list, and try to write a short novel
synopsis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I will be back next week, so until then: have a great
week-and-a-half! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-46188323236812684812013-10-27T05:24:00.000-07:002013-10-27T05:25:34.559-07:00A chalice, a compass, a shield<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The weather has turned from glorious sunny autumn to
rainy, semi-chilly autumn – the trees are still showing their fabulous colours,
though they are shedding leaves at an alarming rate. Or a rate, at least, that
increases on windy days. No surprises, there, really: it is late October, so
what can you expect other than rain and wind? And days growing shorter (if that
makes sense).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am busy knitting socks and more, writing, teaching,
getting ready for November – all the usual, in short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Among other activities, I’ve joined a sci-fi group on
LinkedIn – and wouldn’t you know it, there’s a microstory competition running
over there as well as on FWG! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The monthly deadline is on the 22<sup>nd</sup> – so this
Monday, I had to decide whether I was going to participate straight away or
lurk for a while before trying to answer the question: </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><i>Can I write sci-fi?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The required elements for this month’s stories were <i>deception</i> and <i>fire</i>, the word count 600. I sat down at my laptop without a clue:
no story, no idea. I typed in <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">sci-fi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">deception<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">fire<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">An image came to me, I wrote it down; and from there,
a story emerged. So a couple of hours after having nothing but the keywords, I
had posted a story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There is to be an anthology – or several, actually –
of these stories; for this, one is allowed to edit the story to a maximum of
725 words. My ending could certainly use some clarification, so those extra
words will come in handy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And then, of course, I had to edit my October
Skeletons story for the FWG contest to post it before the deadline on the 25<sup>th</sup>.
I ended up rewriting half of it, as it was too long – 1,189 against a maximum
of 1,000. It came out at exactly 1,000 words. Phew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This microstory writing is fun. It reminds me of
school assignments, except of course with a lot more freedom; but I enjoy
working from prompts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is one reason why I have a set of <i>Rory’s Story Cubes</i>, the Voyages version.
The set contains 9 cubes, each with 6 different images. So, you can grab three
random cubes, roll the dice, and get 3 images to write from. Like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">An elephant, a ladder, and a mushroom or toadstool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A map, a circus tent, and two people of very different
sizes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A sunrise or sunset, a bowl of something hot
(porridge? popcorn?), and a doorway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sometimes, the images go suspiciously well together:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Waves, a crab, and a submarine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So far, I have only played around with these cubes –
one day (ha!), I will challenge myself to write a microstory from such a roll
of three dice and see what comes out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We are all back at school and work, now that the
autumn break is over; the count-down for the Christmas holidays hasn’t quite
started yet, but it will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I gave my students another little test this week, and
thus gave myself a pile of tests to grade. That was ... interesting. Most of
them still have quite some work to do, before they are ready for the exam in
December; these mid-term tests are intended to help them focus on their weak
points – to strengthen them, of course – and to show them the layout of the
exam, so they know what to expect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ll give them another one sometime during November.
Mwahahahahaha ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s been a long time since I last commented on
podcasts; I follow quite a few, both radio produced and indie, on a number of
subjects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Recently, I was told of a new podcast called <b>Ewe University</b>. This is hosted by
Kristine, a.k.a. halcyarn on Ravelry, a psychology professor from Illinois; she
talks of knitting, sewing, and psychology at an introductory level. She does
speak a bit slowly at times, but it makes for comfortable and cosy listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the short story arena, I have taken up <b>The Moth</b> podcast again, which features
real life stories told onstage. <b>Selected
Shorts</b> pretty much speaks for itself; and I’m trying out <b>Snap Judgment</b> from NPR.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The complete list of my current listening choices can
be found in the sidebar, and all these podcasts are available for free on
iTunes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdkQq4PjPVeMDWeOvlAu5sgrVifexEeYQTCGjQh3IfCa8LDAMhOTCtWgFPhY2zlD3pjMxW02tsOQ_TwMkr5gNm-knI9dUvH2br1-UOI4nVZJ731Zjixg5S3KYtcdNc4QcPlBKGZs5ode1/s1600/Coalminer+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdkQq4PjPVeMDWeOvlAu5sgrVifexEeYQTCGjQh3IfCa8LDAMhOTCtWgFPhY2zlD3pjMxW02tsOQ_TwMkr5gNm-knI9dUvH2br1-UOI4nVZJ731Zjixg5S3KYtcdNc4QcPlBKGZs5ode1/s1600/Coalminer+%25281%2529.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’m done with the first of the Coalminer socks for Thomas
and onto the second – yay! The plan is to finish them before I’m off to England
on Friday, so I am knitting along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And the pattern is done and done, revised, edited, beta
knitted by my sister, and up on Ravelry as <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/foot-hugger-socks" target="_blank">Foot Hugger Socks</a>. Yay again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My Mermaid dress hasn’t seen much action; I knitted
about 15 cm of it, realised I had the wrong stitch count, and frogged it. And
this week I have mostly been knitting socks, so I haven’t even re-knitted the
frogged part yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Maybe this afternoon will see some progress: it is the
last Sunday of the month and thus time for my local knitting group.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubLZPHv4aBygcXuxLrPfOZJLfEylN4lqPL8FbWQxquW4VovtyrPQh1tey9kRyhN6t3Pi7cfAAQ0ijgmWUEmShQ7Yei8PSDYFW7_QSDcF9swPScgptKcoGlJhlwH_jHF8V9uq1C2RE9BYE/s1600/Mermaid+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubLZPHv4aBygcXuxLrPfOZJLfEylN4lqPL8FbWQxquW4VovtyrPQh1tey9kRyhN6t3Pi7cfAAQ0ijgmWUEmShQ7Yei8PSDYFW7_QSDcF9swPScgptKcoGlJhlwH_jHF8V9uq1C2RE9BYE/s1600/Mermaid+%25281%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My sister invited me to join a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/hand-dyed-beekeepers-quilt-challenge" target="_blank">group</a> for the knitting
of hexipuffs for a Beekeeper’s Quilt for the Great Ormond Street Hospital. I
have seen and heard about the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-beekeepers-quilt" target="_blank">Beekeeper</a>, as has probably everybody on Ravelry,
but never felt inclined to make one. It’s the same with any blanket made from
many smaller parts, be it squares or hexagons or what-have-you: the barrier for
me is the sewing up of the darn thing – so contributing individual hexipuffs to
a joint project is a lot easier. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The required yarn is hand-dyed sock yarn. I have a
bunch of half-skeins from plant dye experiments; they are too small to be
useful for much and thus obvious for hexipuffs. I believe this is exactly what
people do: use leftovers and scraps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am reading <i>Selected
Stories</i> by Nadine Gordimer, a selection (well, obviously) of stories from
five different shot story collections published over a span of several decades.
These are South African stories, dealing with questions of race and apartheid –
the introduction notes how the stories are dated by, among other things, the
appellations for black people: are they natives, Africans, or black? – of love
and loss, life and death, money and the lack thereof, identity and roles – and all
of it set in the nature of the land, the veld and the city.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The stories, though separate entities each with a
value of their own, blend into a picture of life in South Africa in the
twentieth century, seen from a white perspective; but seeing through
inconsistencies and hypocrisies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A clear example of this is the story <i>Happy Event</i>, in which two women find
themselves unwantedly pregnant. The white woman goes to a nursing home for a
couple of days and afterwards rests to get over ‘that business’, before she
resumes planning her and her husband’s trip to Europe. Her black servant gives
birth alone, in secret, in the middle of the night; she is grudgingly allowed a
day’s sick leave when she cannot handle the week’s laundry the next morning.
She is later found out to have smothered the child and is sentenced to six
months’ hard labour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My audio book of the week has been <i>The Sisters Brothers</i> by Patrick deWitt,
read by William Hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a Western set in 1851; Charlie and Eli Sisters
– Eli is the narrator – are gunmen, killers in the employ of a shadowy figure
known as the Commodore. The central job in the book is finding and killing a
man who is said to have stolen something from the Commodore and is currently
located in San Francisco; so the brothers travel from Oregon, where they live,
towards California. On the way there, they encounter a number of more or less
savoury characters, who all have an impact on the journey. And once in San
Francisco, they find events turning out rather differently from what they have
been led to expect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The tone of the narrative is down-played,
matter-of-fact, but thoughtful. Eli tends to ponder deeply on the nature of
things; his life, his relationship with his older brother, and horses. The
outdoor life of the travellers is described convincingly: nature, weather, the
frailties of the human and equine body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One thing I missed was a clue to the ages of the two
brothers: they are obviously experienced in their work, and Eli in particular
thinks of retiring. The reader gives Charlie a slightly wheezy voice that
sounds aged to me, or worn. They are not old, though, not even middle-aged;
they could be in their early thirties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All in all, I enjoyed this book; recommended for anyone
who likes a classic Western.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s it for this week; next week I will be posting
early, on Thursday, before Andreas and I are off to Nottingham, UK, for the
Black Library Weekender. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Until then: have a great week, be happy, be healthy,
take care!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-89244501420128442622013-10-20T07:29:00.001-07:002013-10-20T07:32:29.604-07:00What's the Question, then?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week is week 42 in the calendar (hence the silly
title of the post), and so the autumn break week. Kids are out of school,
parents and grandparents are busy entertaining the little rascals, and
facilities everywhere are brimming with visitors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnyCpTKE1dYjJWAHQtfRK3av7XL9JRdFimt6Hzci-WRiJskwbX5gYiorHFcb-7jvGu1k6efcF__14fKeXVyWRuF9AiQ9ipeKWO7Zp6geSzEquMXDoJAixLiYk7j3wkuFIazp8QEvmcXGE/s1600/2013+Oktober+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnyCpTKE1dYjJWAHQtfRK3av7XL9JRdFimt6Hzci-WRiJskwbX5gYiorHFcb-7jvGu1k6efcF__14fKeXVyWRuF9AiQ9ipeKWO7Zp6geSzEquMXDoJAixLiYk7j3wkuFIazp8QEvmcXGE/s1600/2013+Oktober+%25283%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We made a family outing on Monday, going to the <a href="http://www.dengamleby.dk/" target="_blank">‘Old Town’</a> in Aarhus (Den Gamle By). This is an open air museum, built as a small
town on a site inside the real city on Aarhus; they take apart actual old
buildings, mostly from the 18<sup>th</sup> and 19<sup>th</sup> centuries, and
move them to the site. Workshops, living quarters, and shops crowd alongside
each other, with mannequins in quite a few of them and live people dressed up
and working in others, particularly vendors of pastries and sweets. Horse-drawn
carriages rumble through the cobbled streets carrying the <s>lazy</s> footsore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We ate our lunch in the walled garden of a merchant’s
house, basking in the sunshine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A new addition to the site is a 1974 street with
shops, posters on walls, and an apartment building housing four apartments as
they were at the time: on the second floor to the left lived a single woman, a school
headmistress, with Persian carpets, nice old furniture, and a lot of books.
Directly above her was a commune: four adults, all students, lived here among
shelves built from wooden beer crates, posters from the Denmark-China Friendship
Association, wicket chairs and a bunch of knitting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">To the right were a gynaecologist’s office, orange
furniture everywhere and huge ashtrays in the kitchen and waiting room; and
above that lived a nuclear family, Mum, Dad and two kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After all of the old houses, we needed refreshment and
walked into the city proper to go to Starbucks – in September, the first two
Danish Starbucks outside Copenhagen Airport opened, so this is quite a novelty
for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My parents and Thomas then drove home (Andreas had
opted out of the whole show, deeming recent Danish history to be not
interesting enough for the effort), while Victor and I stayed in Aarhus to wait
for evening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We were going to a guitar concert; the Scottish
guitarist David Russell (who lives in Spain) was playing at Helsingør Theater,
an old theatre from Elsinore that now sits in the ‘Old Town’, actively
functioning for performances. I have been there once before for a performance
of Euripides’ tragedy <i>Ifigenia</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, we had a couple of hours to kill and went into
Bruun’s Galleri, a mall mostly populated with clothing shops. I managed to find
me a pair of nice boots – I was looking for that kind of boots, mind you, not
just shopping to pass time – and then we ate (at Sunset Boulevard, where our
order number was 42!) and walked back up to the theatre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">David Russell is an absolutely brilliant guitarist –
and a pleasant person; he seemed open and present, focused, of course, while
playing, but making contact with the audience in between. He talked a bit about
the pieces he played, and at the end, came back onto the stage twice for
encores. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We got seats right at the front, because Victor, with
professional interest, wanted to be able to watch the finger placements and
moves up close. And he won a CD in the raffle giveaway; so we listened to
guitar music on the way home, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKJI1YQhmCcr3-N7dAxDMr7hY89-qe3DsFtNMGRPqUxAt_qwrKcGLYVLuEJzzCi3V5KyvBT40wvtpN_1hBgAdbXdkg-Ymhz1A5YZsGzj7fbcNlQj_HlRguFUJZT-U8WbJXWORfdV5cFgA/s1600/OWLS+%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKJI1YQhmCcr3-N7dAxDMr7hY89-qe3DsFtNMGRPqUxAt_qwrKcGLYVLuEJzzCi3V5KyvBT40wvtpN_1hBgAdbXdkg-Ymhz1A5YZsGzj7fbcNlQj_HlRguFUJZT-U8WbJXWORfdV5cFgA/s1600/OWLS+%252821%2529.jpg" height="320" width="221" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">While in picturesque environs in the Old Town, I had
some photos taken of my purple O w l s top – and then I cropped the pics to
only show the top itself. So it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I finished this week the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/greyfriar" target="_blank">Greyfriar</a> socks for Victor,
from the pattern that I will release soon; I got to the point above the heel
and the ankle de- & increases on the first sock before Monday – so the straight
part of the leg has the same length as a David Russell concert. The other sock
had a more fragmented build – but it looks just the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDmYMfl3s60Q5qILweLKhi6wV7nALSo7p9IF_UA2DuBBYWAxsLDXY3MWJ22QUdooeLbIq2X9AcwZ5Ydb7VCXSQyf2PpL3il6vgsj18PpzEBP26_EmDTUsGRzE4wBg58FODBlcf-M7ArZ9/s1600/Greyfriar+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDmYMfl3s60Q5qILweLKhi6wV7nALSo7p9IF_UA2DuBBYWAxsLDXY3MWJ22QUdooeLbIq2X9AcwZ5Ydb7VCXSQyf2PpL3il6vgsj18PpzEBP26_EmDTUsGRzE4wBg58FODBlcf-M7ArZ9/s1600/Greyfriar+%25284%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s been mostly about socks this week, knitting the
grey ones for Victor and ordering Arwetta for three more pairs, two for Thomas
and one more for Victor (Andreas doesn’t want hand-knitted socks, that’s why I’m
not knitting for him). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It was very satisfying to just order six skeins of
yarn, knowing that my PayPal account had ample funds from pattern sales; this
is the first time I have been able to do that – and there’s still more than
enough for a hoodie’s worth of Peruvian Highland, when I get round to that
project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Still, the Leaf Cardigan has had a bit of attention: I
decided to go with the leafy lace pattern on the sleeves, too, so the knitted
part was frogged and the new sleeve begun. So far, so good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwe6yIzXjfx0RQqmFarDixqgcaeO6qB_FyGabaXWhWaySFDhUuiwoVYU8_d_gKcHHqFRmPbXWqKP6fbr0vIEB7UVEbyJZ397sllg5qyeUdKKbwSaAyQ_G_jJYgIDstJOp-gCJx6dH4AkK/s1600/Mermaid+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwe6yIzXjfx0RQqmFarDixqgcaeO6qB_FyGabaXWhWaySFDhUuiwoVYU8_d_gKcHHqFRmPbXWqKP6fbr0vIEB7UVEbyJZ397sllg5qyeUdKKbwSaAyQ_G_jJYgIDstJOp-gCJx6dH4AkK/s1600/Mermaid+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Having knitted monogamously on the grey socks for
several days and looking forward to making another pair of grey socks from the
same pattern, I cast on for a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/rondeur-2" target="_blank">dress</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, something had to give, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, I am using the Rondeur pattern again, this
time in the Kauni EZ that I bought at the craft fair (Husflidsmessen) in
September, in a variety of blues, for just this purpose. I plan to continue the
increases below the waist, until the skirt is wide enough, and to make long
sleeves like I did on the Charm tee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, I finished <i>Gone
Girl</i> by Gillian Flynn, the story of Amazing Amy and Naughty Nick; as
always, I don’t want to spoil it for you, if you haven’t read it and plan to –
on the other hand, I do need to make a short comment, and since Goodreads decided
to be weird for several days (not loading the CSS file), I’ll put it here. I
will use a small font size, so you can scroll past it easily, if you don’t want
to read it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a seriously creepy book with a grim, dismal
ending – not the one I could have wished for. You know it’s going to go wrong
when Amy decides to come home to her ‘new Nick’, not only because her optimism
is juxtaposed with Nick’s thoughts of killing her. And then she gets herself
pregnant. Just thinking of the child: another life that is going to be
completely ruined. How could he ever grow up to be normal or well-adjusted or
balanced? And of course, Nick’s life will be a nightmare forever; I know how it
is to tread on eggshells in your own home, and my ex was an amateur compared to
Amy. Ugh. I hate it when the sociopath wins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One of the other writers in the FWG, in the short
story contest group, wrote a book – well, quite a few of them write books, some
even for a living, but one lady mentioned her book and that she gives out the
first forty pages for free. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I downloaded, read, and decided to get the whole book
to find out what happened next. The Kindle version is only $5, so no problem.
Anyway, the book is <i>Up in Smoke</i> by AA
Abbott (pen name); it deals with the tobacco industry, the world of finance,
international smuggling, love, death, and betrayal. Some get what they deserve
in the end, some don’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In two weeks – less, actually – it is time for the
Black Library weekender II, and Andreas and I will be going to Nottingham
again. I’m getting back into the Warhammer 40,000 universe, so far by reading <i>Pariah</i> by Dan Abnett, the latest instalment
in the Inquisition series comprising the Eisenhorn trilogy, the Ravenor trilogy,
a handful of short stories, and now the first book in the Bequin trilogy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The early appearance of Alizebeth Bequin in the first
of the Eisenhorn books was, as you may recall, my inspiration for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bequin" target="_blank">Bequin shawl</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As ever, I enjoyed Dan Abnett’s writing – and finding
the answer to an intriguing mystery concerning identity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It being a break week, and as I have not only caught a
cold, but also had a joint in my lower back / pelvis manipulated back into
place, I have been lying down quite a bit this past few days, resting and reading.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I also read <i>The
Sea</i> by John Banville, the reminiscences of an old man, newly widowed and
returning to the seaside town of his childhood. I liked this book, but not as
much as his <i>The Infinities</i>. Both
novels deal with the complexities of family life, intergenerational traps; in
both books, trains and the Greek gods play their parts. Maybe I preferred <i>The Infinities</i> because the gods were
more prevalent, more directly interfering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I started today on a Nadine Gordimer short story
collection, <i>Selected Stories</i>. I find
that writing – and telling – microstories has reinvigorated my interest in
reading them, in the composition and discipline required to make up a good
short story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, this is it for now – I will be back next week,
and until then: have a lovely week, enjoy and take care!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-50144041339337259932013-10-13T14:27:00.000-07:002013-10-13T14:31:46.393-07:00Mostly Knitting<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Autumn break is coming up, a welcome breathing
space during the long stretch from August to December, between the summer holidays
and Christmas. This break used to be called the ‘potato break’, because the
school children had to help at home, getting the potatoes in before the frosts.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, it is for many families more of an action-packed
week, with child psychologists cropping up every year to remind stressed out
parents of stressed out kids that a few days at home, doing not much, is in
fact better for everybody than running around from theme park to museum to
activity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IWyjCcF8OM4CSmoZulrXn-0bRWzDMdTtR6rXwDlunU9lxp1s3Jw6s8Hpvo0tMwP5MZA6AqFl-tImsAhS7ODApbOOwcPOLIlzbSUHvE1ZBugprsYJ7Al8-5jAoa7rIE0b6nIYghsglvMq/s1600/2013+10+06+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IWyjCcF8OM4CSmoZulrXn-0bRWzDMdTtR6rXwDlunU9lxp1s3Jw6s8Hpvo0tMwP5MZA6AqFl-tImsAhS7ODApbOOwcPOLIlzbSUHvE1ZBugprsYJ7Al8-5jAoa7rIE0b6nIYghsglvMq/s1600/2013+10+06+%252811%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We are taking the leisurely path, with two family
outings planned and not really much besides that. The boys need to relax, sleep
in, play their games – and so do I (my ‘games’, of course, are knitting and
reading and writing). Weather permitting, we may decide to go and admire a
stretch of forest: I am continually fascinated by the riotous colouring of
trees this time of year, and I want to just soak it up before the bareness of winter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week has been good for my knitting, and I’ve
managed to make quite an impact on the wips (though this form, <i>wips</i>, is apparently incorrect, according
to a post in a discussion thread on LI – but I’ll stick with it, claiming that
the acronym has become a new word in itself and thus can be pluralised).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, back to the knitting: I finished a pair of
socks that I have mentioned before, but can’t show you yet; I’m hoping to have
the pattern included in the next Defarge book. I won’t know until mid-November
if it will be, so we’ll just have to wait and see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I made a second cowl from my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/reveur-cowl" target="_blank">Rêveur Cowl</a> pattern, to
test it before release. It’s a deceptively simple pattern, once you get the
hang of the moebius cast-on; the pattern includes a link to Cat Bordhi’s YouTube
video of it. And I have had fun knitting on the same side and on both sides at
once, all at the same time – this is the magic of the moebius strip. Also, it’s
a quick knit using aran weight yarn on 5 mm needles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZ-7APku4mfuQ5g1dqMhwGXi_lbHmfMT3caEDnSBusPj_bulQfK0IQmZRRv00wAqTCqYeKzTYqTrp9uXPVUHQhGiyj4lL7xHiTj-lfdo_EiEETYukE_ihgcFRYGdOaJsuK5Rw3EUr9tID/s1600/R%25C3%25AAveur+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZ-7APku4mfuQ5g1dqMhwGXi_lbHmfMT3caEDnSBusPj_bulQfK0IQmZRRv00wAqTCqYeKzTYqTrp9uXPVUHQhGiyj4lL7xHiTj-lfdo_EiEETYukE_ihgcFRYGdOaJsuK5Rw3EUr9tID/s1600/R%25C3%25AAveur+%25281%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the first one was the bright red one that was
directly inspired by Erin Morgenstern’s book <i>The Night Circus</i> – highly recommended, by the way, if you like
magic dreaminess in a story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I made that one in Sandnes Kashmir Alpakka, lovely
soft and warm and fuzzy – and very red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQob21Lu2A1oA9YFs5V9dtko-csBw4iUAVgDNfWAPB8jDeUP-uslZS87dZBU6ZbfhosdPUYf8OS40m7xBdewjjIjj3nze-Pj1zLZ5_HZaljJXRW9VMsUOwhh4hRANHuF_0opgvkPPACCr/s1600/R%25C3%25AAveur+%252818%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQob21Lu2A1oA9YFs5V9dtko-csBw4iUAVgDNfWAPB8jDeUP-uslZS87dZBU6ZbfhosdPUYf8OS40m7xBdewjjIjj3nze-Pj1zLZ5_HZaljJXRW9VMsUOwhh4hRANHuF_0opgvkPPACCr/s1600/R%25C3%25AAveur+%252818%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As you may have surmised, though, red isn’t really my
colour; usually, I am attracted to purples and blues and greens; and I had
lying around two skeins of Filcolana Peruvian Highland Wool in a soft lavender.
Hence this second, purple version: slightly smaller than the cashmere alpaca
version; less fuzzy, of course, not as dreamily soft – and obviously completely
unsuited for proper rêveurs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But I like it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I finished my second sleeveless, top down <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/owls-2" target="_blank">O w l s</a>
jumper – the popular design by Kate Davies – this time also in Irish yarn. The
first one was made from Kerry Mills Aran, a 200-gram skein in a tweedy dark
green that my parents brought home from a trip to Ireland last autumn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This one, in purple (yes, I know), is made in Studio
Donegal Aran Tweed in a – well, a tweedy purple, with flecks of blue, lilac,
heather, light grey, and once in a while an olive green. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I bought this yarn in Dublin two summers ago and have
tried out several patterns for it; it didn’t want to be a skirt, though, or a
shawl – but the owls jumper seems to work out. A nice addition to my work
wardrobe. (No pics yet; it has been drizzling all day.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I worked it top down again to be able to measure the
body length along the way; and because it makes so much more sense to me to
work from the centre out, so to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhQtNWS-DXxF5OIHBT9tOX1k5Wo9ZuW71cQdUT4IZH9oXmodPjHo2ZecAV8Sa4Eiq-YSQhLTFNr0boWxsfr-mJtEt3swXGLOHuM5EdhJbThbZeQaenXZpAcDy0PFB6QxmFYZr7lUBmlzt/s1600/Greyfriar+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhQtNWS-DXxF5OIHBT9tOX1k5Wo9ZuW71cQdUT4IZH9oXmodPjHo2ZecAV8Sa4Eiq-YSQhLTFNr0boWxsfr-mJtEt3swXGLOHuM5EdhJbThbZeQaenXZpAcDy0PFB6QxmFYZr7lUBmlzt/s1600/Greyfriar+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On top of all this, the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/greyfriar" target="_blank">grey socks</a> for Victor are
coming along – the first one, anyway – and the heel is already done. From here,
it’s just plain stocking stitch in the round up the leg: perfect to bring along
for the guitar concert he and I are going to tomorrow evening (David Russell is
performing in Den Gamle By in Aarhus).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I suppose I should mention the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/leaf-cardigan" target="_blank">Leaf Cardigan</a>, which
has been sadly neglected all week. I started on one sleeve with a certain
interval between the decreases that would work out if I don’t want the lace
pattern on the sleeves. Then, it was put a bit to the side in favour of the O w
l s and the socks, both being more appropriate for the season than a cotton
cardigan. Meanwhile, I have been wavering as to the lace pattern: if I want it,
I need to decrease fast enough to have the right number of stitches when there
are still 40 rows to go. In that case, I have to frog the admittedly not very
long piece of sleeve that I have knitted, and redo it. Decisions, decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ll let you know what I end up doing (I think I do
want the lace).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I finished <i>The Blind
Assassin</i> by Margaret Atwood, a story of life, love, lies and secrets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The narrator, Iris, is in her eighties, telling the
story of her life and that of her sister, Laura, interspersed with comments on
her daily life, of being old, of watching the changes to her home town. Inside
Iris’ memoir is Laura’s novel, and inside that are several sci-fi stories told
to her by her lover, stories that themselves comment upon the events happening
in the world outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Another story featuring writers and their shaping of
events is <i>Gone Girl</i> by Gillian Flynn,
which I am listening to – this one also contains a mystery and various,
conflicting, views of what has happened and why.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Nick and Amy Dunne have moved back to his Missouri
hometown after both losing their New York jobs, to take care of his dying
mother and demented father. Nick borrows money from Amy to buy a bar together
with his twin sister. After two years in Missouri, on their fifth anniversary,
Amy disappears. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The big question is, of course, whether Nick killed
her. I am not going to spoil it for you; suffice it to say that both of them
kept secrets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The narrative is divided between Nick (who has the
bigger parts) and Amy, with two readers in the Audible version; this
back-and-forth works very well to keep the suspension tight and make the reader
(listener) want to know how it all plays out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I finally got round to finishing The Hound of the
Baskervilles, the well-known Sherlock Holmes story; my plan was to re-read them
all and come up with a brilliant design for the book Defarge Does Sherlock.
Well, the deadline is 31<sup>st</sup> October, and I’ve read maybe a sixth of
the stories so far. So, maybe not – unless I am struck by inspiration very
soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s all for this time – I will be back with more
knitting, more books, and an update of our autumn break activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Until then: have a great week – have a great break, if
you have one – and take care of yourself and your loved ones!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-54647361518388865602013-10-06T06:13:00.001-07:002013-10-06T06:15:28.119-07:00Too much going on?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We are having lovely October sunshine again after a
couple of rainy days – the forecast promises more rain soon, though, and cooler
temperatures, so this is only a short reprieve before the cold season settles
in to stay. I have been out picking more apples and taking pictures of the
glorious display of many-hued foliage that the trees are putting on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGY7YdS-d_kKk1YsYCEb9SiINfmgDrtQblV6UHUO4otVtW0p4LFwvCMe-6HkSHSHmuVgbAdzpl7s7qrjyD9auF1jAWAOp8HlfkmdSR6ORNdvK_xj-GwcCMSAQpSKJUVx5l068fAFqKWwmb/s1600/2013+10+06+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGY7YdS-d_kKk1YsYCEb9SiINfmgDrtQblV6UHUO4otVtW0p4LFwvCMe-6HkSHSHmuVgbAdzpl7s7qrjyD9auF1jAWAOp8HlfkmdSR6ORNdvK_xj-GwcCMSAQpSKJUVx5l068fAFqKWwmb/s1600/2013+10+06+%252812%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I am keeping it short and sweet; I have
been grading the first test done by my Latin students, there are a couple of
September short stories still waiting for my feedback, and I am working on two
knitting patterns, writing, editing, and translating them for publication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So right now, I am in that annoying state of feeling
that I am neglecting at least three things no matter which one I am currently
doing. You know what I mean, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Just before, I was trying to get back into writing
mode and instead went upstairs to find yarn for socks – after having done some
editing on the sock pattern while ignoring the untidy kitchen and forgetting my
coffee that was cooling as I photographed autumn trees outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Some days are just like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Leaf cardigan: I finished the garter edge and
moved on to the first sleeve. It was quite a thrill to see the body of the
cardigan gradually emerging from the scrunched-up state it had been in while bundled
onto the cable of the circ, and resuming its proper shape, now neatly outlined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am really beginning to look forward to wearing this
cardigan – though it may have to wait till spring. Depends on the weather, we’ll
see. And on how much I let myself be distracted by other knits instead of
plugging along on the sleeves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The stripy socks have been marching along, if you’ll
pardon the pun; I brought them for the day of the testing, when I spent one
lesson of each double watching the students while they were toiling (well, some
of them toiled, others did the thing and proceeded to be bored the rest of the
time).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwi2Xtl5v5ntVJk8t-lXila0RGNAMF53IFZpHyGjPOB3kUhiO0Y3_1ANr_2obbYUd4e3erSzZdsVcjqbGyyNMseYFRCnmBXeRQ5ePf9xYlBN3UnkV826jAqk9_3mTHrIQ_9t394QOCDsF/s1600/Stribede+sokker+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwi2Xtl5v5ntVJk8t-lXila0RGNAMF53IFZpHyGjPOB3kUhiO0Y3_1ANr_2obbYUd4e3erSzZdsVcjqbGyyNMseYFRCnmBXeRQ5ePf9xYlBN3UnkV826jAqk9_3mTHrIQ_9t394QOCDsF/s1600/Stribede+sokker+%252812%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">These are the ones I made in the inexpensive Bumbo
sock yarn, in some purple (left over from my Fosco socks) together with a
multi-coloured version, in greens, blues, and purples. The long colour changes
have made for interesting stripes that were deemed ‘hippie-like’ by one of my
students. Can’t blame him for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, now I have a pair that should fit me well and fit
into shoes; next, I will make a pair without stripes to a) keep my feet warm
and b) have a pair to show on the pattern page, when I get to that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And a pair in the XL size, for one of my boys (or
maybe more pairs, for more boys), to check the numbers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydFx8G_GmeOewUYxrnjGzdlIsoyjCTkqvQ21oC58lrPlqYn3H_j9TCgOOmkk3HGz3drd03fK0KSFUxAJ2SpovKfML6EVA3f8G4pKDSWLTM_a2OQgVvDWlX4lVZAN2jBphaOIULpBi1EvC/s1600/R%25C3%25AAveur+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydFx8G_GmeOewUYxrnjGzdlIsoyjCTkqvQ21oC58lrPlqYn3H_j9TCgOOmkk3HGz3drd03fK0KSFUxAJ2SpovKfML6EVA3f8G4pKDSWLTM_a2OQgVvDWlX4lVZAN2jBphaOIULpBi1EvC/s1600/R%25C3%25AAveur+%25283%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I finished also the Rêveur cowl, the one inspired by
Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus; it is lovely and soft and warm – and the
moebius cast-on (which really is a lot easier than it looks) makes for a fun
knit. The pattern will be coming out soon, in time for Christmas knitting :o)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, I announced last week my intention to knit
another sleeveless o w l s jumper, partly to push myself into getting it started
– or have to admit defeat. And that would have been embarrassing, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEW-gYr4vXyzs_9OG_J5o9KdT9qZtHjvAaRHve3GiPuQkOtlP46TKql3sr8NCvCR-0942fBrfN8cSIGkOIPmD73UVgsbikrFWkgHYSWr0QBV1F-LtvlpciPttlZtbbET_SIBdNLwhF7lY/s1600/O+W+L+S.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEW-gYr4vXyzs_9OG_J5o9KdT9qZtHjvAaRHve3GiPuQkOtlP46TKql3sr8NCvCR-0942fBrfN8cSIGkOIPmD73UVgsbikrFWkgHYSWr0QBV1F-LtvlpciPttlZtbbET_SIBdNLwhF7lY/s1600/O+W+L+S.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I cast on last night, in Studio Donegal Aran
Tweed, something I bought in Dublin two years ago. I am working it top down
like the first one, my Upside Down Owls. I’m at the bellies of the owls right
now; the aran weight yarn on 5 and 5.5 mm needles make for a quick knit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I haven’t done much reading this week; my current
paper book is <i>The Blind Assassin</i> by
Margaret Atwood, which I really enjoy. Mostly, though, I only get to read in
bed, and several evenings this week, I have been too tired to even reach out
and pick it up. But, as it is a library book and due back next Thursday, I
decided to make an effort – I may be able to extend the loan, but then again, it
may have been ordered by someone else – and so it became a companion to the o w
l s knitting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The narrative has multiple layers: the present and the
memoirs of the first-person narrator; clips from newspapers; a novel written by
the narrator’s sister – and in that novel, a story told by one character to
another, from which comes the title of the whole package. I love enveloped
tales, finding threads between layers and marvelling at the complexities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Listening is easier to get done, particularly of
course while driving. And so, I have finished <i>Silver</i>, written by Andrew Motion and read by David Tennant. This is
a sequel to <i>Treasure Island</i>,
featuring Jim Hawkins Jr. and Natalie Silver – called Nattie or Nat – undertaking
a voyage back to The Island (<i>Lost</i>,
anyone?) to appease the ghosts of their fathers’ shared past. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We get the traditional adventure elements, known from
the original story: the sea voyage, including storms, the island, the battle
against the pirates – the three men who were marooned when Jim Hawkins Sr. and
his fellows left the island 40 years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Added to these are more modern themes: the flora and
particularly fauna of the island turns out to be rather special; questions of
slavery and gender are dealt with, and not surprisingly, we have a budding
romance. The ending of the book allows for a sequel – I don’t know if Motion
plans to write one, or is content to leave the rest to the readers’
imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that’s all for now; as advertised, the offerings
are slim this week – thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will return next
time for more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Until then: have a lovely week, enjoy the season, and
take of yourself and your loved ones!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-57907075759649221462013-09-29T04:09:00.000-07:002013-09-29T04:13:09.024-07:00Internet Access<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, this <i>has</i>
been a busy week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Being the end of the month, the deadline for the FWG
short story contest came around (more on that); the monthly meeting in the
Viborg story tellers’ guild was on Monday (and this time, I actually told a
story to get feedback on it); I had to figure out how to get paid for my
teaching (I could choose to report the number of working hours each month or
have the complete number of hours for the semester divided equally between the
five months of it – I chose the latter to have a more regular income).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This afternoon, it’s time for the monthly local crafting
café – it’s actually been five months since I was there last, due to a spot of
ill health (May), summer holidays (June & July), and the baby blessing in
August. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Oh, and my parents are coming over for dinner tonight,
as I won’t be here for coffee. If you are not Danish, let me tell you that
afternoon coffee, including bread & cheese & jam and / or cake, is
quite an institution around these parts. The appropriate time is 3 p.m., and
any deviation from this needs to be spelled out, if you’re inviting. So, having
a crafting group meeting from 2 till 4 p.m. on a Sunday can be somewhat
disruptive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In between, I have been devising a little written test
for my students, to see how they are doing and to give them a chance of trying
out the format for the exam in December. I’ll spring it on them on Tuesday and
have them do it in one of the two lessons. (And I can knit while watching
them!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Dvb1DY-7CSbKqkYg9z5Eycbv_Bp8dug5WV7-hkIK7r7Cp1KESsOHw9ErZWA8TC3u3bS0_eL2QhOWRhTBLt6SmfjfN0_8IdaYHQX8_OM7rWg_HnCJ8LV421wa5ntaYcnEWim4gM87yCke/s1600/IMG_4355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Dvb1DY-7CSbKqkYg9z5Eycbv_Bp8dug5WV7-hkIK7r7Cp1KESsOHw9ErZWA8TC3u3bS0_eL2QhOWRhTBLt6SmfjfN0_8IdaYHQX8_OM7rWg_HnCJ8LV421wa5ntaYcnEWim4gM87yCke/s1600/IMG_4355.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The weather has really turned towards autumn – the lovely,
bright, crisp autumn weather, happily, not (yet) the grey and rainy kind.
Leaves are yellowing and beginning to fall, there is a threat of frost in the
nights; and I want to knit big, woolly jumpers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcvUOzLlu1SyIzFvEvb0tXNwLYXcVzwYmh-m7RyXYkEUZQ1E4rG0le0_dhcQaFeWXL85qJbPWgq0ykA-hNKglrrd9XQogjsq8RIkFT03Ep4BdnoCx2b_FSmGno0zlrl9nqbZusU6-jfDX/s1600/IMG_4354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcvUOzLlu1SyIzFvEvb0tXNwLYXcVzwYmh-m7RyXYkEUZQ1E4rG0le0_dhcQaFeWXL85qJbPWgq0ykA-hNKglrrd9XQogjsq8RIkFT03Ep4BdnoCx2b_FSmGno0zlrl9nqbZusU6-jfDX/s1600/IMG_4354.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As mentioned, the September stories for the FWG
contest are in; the deadline for the votes is tomorrow, so nobody knows
anything about the results yet – except that 32 writers have submitted stories,
which is lovely. And as ever, it is quite difficult to narrow the votes down to
three favourite stories ... I am going to have to work on that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, the theme this month has been SEPTEMBER
TRICKSTER, and the highlights: a <b>trickster</b>,
<b>devious</b> or dishonest behaviour, and
a <b>bag </b>containing something
fraudulent or stolen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I give you my story as the <b>Apple of the Week</b>; hope you like it:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Internet Access<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Driving
slowly down the street, they passed a young woman walking in the opposite
direction, giving him ample time to watch her. She was striding along on strong
legs in high-heeled boots, blonde ponytail swinging and a big, white, studded
leather bag over one shoulder. What caught his attention, though, was the
black, glass-like slab she was holding up in front of her face, thin white
cords leading from it to her ears. The woman was obviously upset, yelling
angrily at the slab, on the verge of tears. The wheeled glass cage he was
sitting in muffled all sounds coming from outside it, but he could still hear
her voice, if not the actual words.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
had seen several of these slabs before: everybody seemed to be carrying one,
talking to it, peering at it, stroking it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
wondered whether this was a new kind of magic or a new kind of pet.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> ‘As you know, I have been away for a long
time,’ he said to the bulky man beside him. ‘What are those glassy black things
that you all carry around and talk to?’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Smart
phones, sir,’ the man – Erik, he had to remember that – answered. ‘They allow
you to talk to people who are far away from you.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Interesting,’
Loke said politely. Magic, then.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘They
also have games,’ the man went on, ‘and Internet access.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
must have looked blank, for the man (Erik) got a pained expression, as if he
didn’t quite know where to begin. ‘Um,’ he hesitated, ‘you can find and read
information from all over the world, words and pictures, and sound.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now,
this was interesting. ‘And can you send information, too?’ he asked innocently.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Sure,
you can upload whatever you want – if your connection’s good enough.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Upload?’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Sorry,
sir. Send.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Send
to this net thing.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Internet,
yes, sir. It’s called the Web, as well.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Web?
Like a spider’s web?’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘That’s
right, sir.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘I
see. Can you get me one of these things?’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Of
course, sir. I expect there may be one waiting for you at the house, otherwise
we will get one for you straightaway.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Thank
you,’ Loke said gravely.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
leaned back in the leather seat, stroking his beard while musing quietly. Now
that he was back in the world, he would finally get his revenge for the
centuries he had spent trapped, chained and poisoned, punished by the Asar for
merely being himself. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
would become a spider in a web that encircled the world. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A
few days later, a new video appeared on YouTube. It showed a strangely
attractive, skinny man of indeterminate age, with shoulder-length black hair
and an immaculate goatee. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
man told a freaky story about being a god and about how the people he thought
were his friends, his family, had cheated him, blaming him for an entirely accidental
death. He couldn’t have known that that arrow would kill young Balder, could
he? After all, the guy was supposed to be immortal. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
told of how they had caught him, tied him to a rock and let a snake drip its
venom like acid on his face. He told of the physical pain and the emotional
pain, of his longing for revenge and his newfound freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
video went viral, getting hundreds of thousands of hits in a day and soon
millions. Korean rappers and Norwegian comedy duos were forgotten: now
everybody watched, liked and shared the Loke story.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Of
course, nobody took him seriously. Nobody, except maybe a few Hindus or modern
Pagans, believed in random gods appearing on YouTube. Some thought it was a
promotion for a new movie; most merely thought it was cool.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That
is, somebody did take him seriously. Loke immediately recognised the grumpy,
one-eyed man standing on his doorstep one evening.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Father
Odin,’ he greeted him politely.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Don’t
you father Odin me, you wretched half-breed,’ the ancient father of the gods
growled. ‘You have been using my invention to further your own twisted agenda,
spreading your incessant lies again. You really haven’t learned anything, have
you?’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘What
exactly was I supposed to learn from being chained to a rock and poisoned?’ <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Odin
glared at him. ‘Luckily, humans these days don’t give a fig – as long as they
are entertained, they don’t care by whom or what. So there’s really no harm
done. Nothing you can do.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It
never occurred to anyone to connect the popular YouTube video with the waves of
aberrant behaviour sweeping over various parts of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In
Germany, Japanese style cosplay gained a hitherto unseen popularity, with night
club-like cross-dressing spreading to daytime activities. Universities and
businesses saw otherwise serious professionals decked out in school girl
uniforms, wigs, and heavy makeup. Bank clerks wore clown masks and carried soft
guns to work. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Tokyo
night life already mastered the art of dressing up and instead developed a new
trend of deliberately and consistently lying to your lover, demonstrating
fidelity by flirting with others.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A
shoplifting spree originating in Paris spread like an epidemic across most of
Europe, causing near panic in shop owners, exhaustion in detectives and police,
and intense worry in parents of teenagers. As a kind of internal signal or
uniform, the shoplifters all carried white bags for their loot, from tiny
shoulder strap purses to baskets to rucksacks.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Applications
for sex change operations proliferated, along with a sudden market for not only
the usual gender-specific enhancements, but additions as well – hermaphroditism
became the new black.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In
England, an animal research facility was burned to the ground by the ALF after
it came out that an obscure line of research had reached new heights, so to
speak: the successful grafting of wings onto mammals.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Meanwhile,
in a large house somewhere in the Scandinavian countryside, Loke leaned back in
a comfortable leather armchair, stroking his beard and smiling contentedly to
himself.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">©
2013 Dorthe Møller Christensen</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievwApa85RvPFeNGSgk-Q2ZKrPYzsGJu5OLDsqUduehzDXZYSacJz6TKbCuEv1MAWpFLK6U04ABwPSrzC-ojlxs9rNIMc9w3LHl9NP3wngNMH7Yz_RnTaxOxCHLGlFs20fzlEyGwixO5Pp/s1600/IMG_4348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievwApa85RvPFeNGSgk-Q2ZKrPYzsGJu5OLDsqUduehzDXZYSacJz6TKbCuEv1MAWpFLK6U04ABwPSrzC-ojlxs9rNIMc9w3LHl9NP3wngNMH7Yz_RnTaxOxCHLGlFs20fzlEyGwixO5Pp/s1600/IMG_4348.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ve started taking my knitting to work with me; the
daily schedules have lessons starting at a quarter past the hour, so between
each lesson are 15 minutes (give or take). This is just enough time to go to
the bathroom or fetch a cup of coffee when needed, but often, I just stay in my
classroom. Sometimes, a good portion of the break is taken up by questions from
students, but if I am left to myself, what can I do? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I brought my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/striped-socks" target="_blank">stripy sock</a> along to knit a few rows;
this is good for my calm and centeredness. And the students like it, generally;
many of them have come straight from school and living at home to a new life in
a new city, and watching someone nearly old enough to be their mother knitting
is familiar to most, either from home or from school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A couple of the girls talk about knitting (and crochet)
– and the next day, one of them brought her knitting, as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the socks are moving along – the multi-coloured
yarn moved from a long stretch of green that made the beginning of the first
sock look like a Christmas elf sock, into blues and then purple (yay!), which
means that the toe of the second sock is three shades of purple.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/leaf-cardigan" target="_blank">Leaf cardigan</a> is at a tricky stage right now: I am
working the garter edge all the way around the body. The tricky part is having
600+ stitches on an 80 cm circular needle; as I am working on 2½ mm needles, I
am stuck with fixed circs instead of my favourite interchangeables that only
come in 3 mm and upwards. With the interchangeables, I could switch to a longer
wire; but I’ll manage. It’s only 7 rows, after all, and I’m on the 5<sup>th</sup>
now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And then come the sleeves on dpns, and I might finish
this cotton cardigan before winter. Brilliant timing, right? Something tells me
I miscalculated or forgot that my knitting rate would slow down when I started
work. Oh, well, it may be spring again sometime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cLrB2SqibsDpaYJcezMnwNRmWb_QQ5eWUZj6BKVTkKxno9fiSrXczvouQ3nKO-WzZccQO3rXOUlVaHQDx8eVwj0VKFmiPbsh5nOhedsq_TCagaawK0kdZ3npxu9S_DBEGmSuKfunShpA/s1600/IMG_4350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cLrB2SqibsDpaYJcezMnwNRmWb_QQ5eWUZj6BKVTkKxno9fiSrXczvouQ3nKO-WzZccQO3rXOUlVaHQDx8eVwj0VKFmiPbsh5nOhedsq_TCagaawK0kdZ3npxu9S_DBEGmSuKfunShpA/s1600/IMG_4350.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">With much better timing, I finally sank my teeth into
the red cowl I have been wanting to make, inspired by <i>The Night Circus</i> by Erin Morgenstern (which I reviewed here two or
three weeks ago – and on Goodreads). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The circus in the book is kept in black, white, grey,
and silver, and the group of followers of the circus also dress in those
colours to show that they adhere to it – but then add ‘a shock of red’ to show
that they are not part of the circus, merely spectators. The items most
mentioned in the book are scarves, but also hats, roses, ties, &c.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I decided to make a moebius cowl, to keep the magic
feel of the circus and the sense of not quite knowing which side is which.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am using the lusciously soft Sandnes Kashmir Alpakka
that I bought at the craft fair (Husflidsmessen) three weeks ago – when I for
once was drawn to the red yarn and not the purple. And when it is done, I will
post the pattern for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/reveur-cowl" target="_blank">Rêveur Cowl</a> on Ravelry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As ever, I have lots of plans for further knitting;
right now, I have a bunch of wool stacked up in front of me: some Donegal Aran
Tweed for another sleeveless o w l s, and two samples of Peruvian Highland wool
for – well, I think I will use the moss green for the cabled hoodie that is
nudging me, the adult version of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/samwise" target="_blank">Samwise</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I have patterns that need to be finished and handed
over to the Free Pattern Testers group for test knitting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All too soon, <i>A
Tale for the Time Being</i> by Ruth Ozeki ended – I have written about it here
several times and a short review on Goodreads, so I won’t go into it again,
only to remind you to look it up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In an afterword, Ozeki mentions that the printed
version of the book contains annotations, footnotes, and illustrations, so
ideally, one should probably have both the audio book and the printed book; the
audio has such immediacy and charm that I wouldn’t want to miss that, either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ve managed to finish several books this week,
actually: when <i>Trespass</i> by Rose
Tremain ran out, I continued with <i>At Home</i>
by Bill Bryson and finished that one, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Trespass</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> tells of siblings, of ageing, of handling your past
and attempting to secure your future; it is also a mystery with an interesting,
though not unforeseeable, twist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At
Home</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> walks you through
a house, the old rectory in England where the Bryson family lives, regarding
the provenance and fittings of the various rooms in a home; the walk turns into
a world-wide journey to find spices for the kitchen, wood for furniture, and not
least the challenges for the new inhabitants of North America to build and
acquire all the things they saw as essential for a comfortable life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I made it through <i>Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil</i> by John Berendt. I’m
probably being unfair to this book, expecting it to be a novel (as I did at
first) and then being disappointed when it didn’t meet my expectations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So: this is a portrait of Savannah, Georgia, in the
1980s, and the protracted murder case against Jim Williams, a Gatsbyesque
figure, for the shooting of his assistant and lover Danny Hansford. The book
resembles a series of feature articles in the <i>New Yorker</i> where, indeed, the author had his day job at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Recently, I listened to an interview with the Canadian
writer Margaret Atwood on the Guardian Books podcast (from 28<sup>th</sup>
August 2013), about her book <i>The Blind
Assassin</i> – so I went to look for it and found it in the local library (they
have shelves with literature in foreign languages, mostly English, but also German,
French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, &c).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I haven’t got all that far into it yet, but I’m liking
it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And do go find that interview: Ms Atwood is a charming
lady. One person in the audience remarked admiringly that she is very well
read, and she replied: ‘I’m old. It accumulates.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My current on-the-go audio book is <i>Silver</i> by Andrew Motion, a sequel to the
classic <i>Treasure Island</i> by R. L.
Stevenson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The sub-title of Motion’s book is <i>Return to Treasure Island</i>, so the silver in the title refers to
both Long John Silver, the nefarious ship’s cook, and to the silver left on the
island when Jim Hawkins was a boy. Now, his son, also named Jim, is approached
by the lovely daughter of John Silver to go back to the Island and claim the
remaining treasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Silver</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> is read by David Tennant whom we all know and love as
the Tenth Doctor. I have heard David Tennant read Doctor Who books before, very
appropriately, and he does this one very well, too, with the occasional
doctorial emphasis on a word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That is all for this time – I need to tidy up a bit
before I go knitting (parents coming over, remember?). I will be back next week
with more knitting, more books, more chatter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Until then: have a great week, take care of yourself
and your loved ones, and happy knitting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-50977800662939479342013-09-22T06:24:00.000-07:002013-09-22T06:26:09.668-07:00Autumn Pastimes<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is the day of the Autumn Equinox: the sun is
passing the Equator, and from now on, the nights will be longer than the days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have found my woollen gloves, for the mornings are
chilly, and scarves and shawls are coming out of their summer hiding places.
Socks are on the needles, as well. I am still working on a cotton cardigan, but
the next one planned will have to wait while I make a few woollen ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Discussion threads on Ravelry have begun to chat about
Christmas knitting – or Holiday knitting, if you want to be PC. I am not going
to knit for everybody this year, as I have already stated: it did turn into a
bit of frenzy during December, and anyway, my knitting time is severely
curtailed compared to last year, so that’s that. I will probably do a few
select pieces, but I am promising nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, this week is Viborg Festival Week (Festuge), and
lots of arrangements have been made, starting off with the Viborg City Marathon
last Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On Thursday, as I have mentioned previously, the Red
Cross knitting & crochet group held a café to which the story tellers’
guild were invited. The crafty ladies from the group were there, offering help
and guidance to any knitter or crocheter who wanted to come along and work on
something for charity or of their own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Three of us went along, two bringing our knitting as
well as stories to tell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I learned several things from the experience,
including the existence of a detergent for cotton that can make old knitwear
look new. I need to ask again about the name, and then I will let you know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, as we crafters know, it is perfectly possible
to listen attentively while staring at the work in your hands; anyone who
enjoys audio books while knitting can attest to this. The only problem arises
in a social context, particularly with non-crafters, who confuse a lack of eye
contact with a lack of attention. Hence the repeated discussions on Ravelry on
where and when it is appropriate – or not – to knit: work meetings, church,
with friends, &c.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I had occasion to recall this while telling my story (the
<i>Cautionary Tale</i> that I put up here a
while ago) to this group of crafters: I am used to students staring at me or
the board (black or white) behind me, when I speak. If they are looking down
and not ostensibly at their books, they may be daydreaming or texting or
checking the time to see when the lesson ends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So at first, it was a little unsettling to be ‘ignored’
by the ladies, who were mostly looking down and not at me – until I reminded
myself that, well, they were crafting and not at all ignoring me. Come to think
of it, telling a story without being stared at may actually be quite pleasant,
when you get used to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On a different note, <i>GTA V</i> has come out for Xbox, and as Victor bought it, our living
room is once again, for the time being, intermittently exposed to violence,
drug use, reckless driving, foul language and the like. This game is completely
weird and pointless, but seems to be enjoyed by the boys; they get into
discussions about the specifics of various cars and weapons used in the game. And
the satire: everybody and everything is this fictionalised Los Angeles, dubbed
Los Santos, is hyperbolised and ridiculed. It is quite funny, actually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And no, I am not worried that they will want to drive
like maniacs up and particularly down mountainous slopes, or steal any number
of vehicles including garbage trucks, while on drugs, or rob jewellery shops,
or argue with adulterous wives and their yoga teachers, or anything like that.
It’s a game; they know the difference, and anyway, characters on drugs behave
intensely irrationally, so it’s no advertisement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As for cars in real life, the TARDIS has been making
weird noises lately, when coming into a bend. I asked my dad about it; he
started out by guessing at a worn front-wheel casing and recounting how many
times he had had something like that fixed on various cars over the years. Yikes.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On further inspection, though, there was no creaking
around the wheel; so we went for a little drive – and the problem was
identified. The servo transmission turned out to be sorely lacking fluid; and
of course, it would be complaining in bends, not driving along in a more or
less straight line. It still works, so I hadn’t had any real problem with it,
only the noises. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, this is a very fixable problem, and at a much
lower cost than having a wheel casing replaced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ6im9RQGZURIiSsPC1b-CyoyqZnfJBjkuD4gd9or6bZ7gKZAYi4TiMUI76fFxBohjN20xY2R8SWjPKtmjsw7hwBjkNgvPngRe-VTTr8EF2NudmY9FBaNvaZpLYlgfZRT3eakWJITEprM/s1600/Leaf+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ6im9RQGZURIiSsPC1b-CyoyqZnfJBjkuD4gd9or6bZ7gKZAYi4TiMUI76fFxBohjN20xY2R8SWjPKtmjsw7hwBjkNgvPngRe-VTTr8EF2NudmY9FBaNvaZpLYlgfZRT3eakWJITEprM/s1600/Leaf+%252811%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I have pictures, as promised, of my
knitting progress. The <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/leaf-cardigan" target="_blank">Leaf cardigan</a> (I still have no fancy name for it) has
reached the lace border at the bottom and is moving along nicely, with only a
slight hitch when I was starting a RS row and realised that I had done the
previous RS wrong. <i>Sigh.</i> I had to
tink two rows of 225 stitches each and then re-knit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Not a huge task in itself, but it put me off it for a
day or two, during which I started a pair of striped socks in my quest to work
out the perfect sizing on the arched short-row heel socks that will fit into
shoes without any bulkiness or bunching.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dGFj6LN0hkoe9w7YO6CkrIdh8N6S88H1RwvxCOP6SnJzyGOU_u3z27d8qsS_vt_ZncWconRlalwXLPm6Z4ZB3vVeOMdpP9SnSLihET90lLdtjZL0y8xuquQ3EX5TyJuXeqW48yUs2DbK/s1600/Simple+Stripes+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dGFj6LN0hkoe9w7YO6CkrIdh8N6S88H1RwvxCOP6SnJzyGOU_u3z27d8qsS_vt_ZncWconRlalwXLPm6Z4ZB3vVeOMdpP9SnSLihET90lLdtjZL0y8xuquQ3EX5TyJuXeqW48yUs2DbK/s1600/Simple+Stripes+%25286%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/simple-stripes" target="_blank">These</a> were my first attempt, and they are nice and
pretty, but the heel behaved slightly differently than I had anticipated, so
the foot is too long to fit comfortably into shoes. So, I have shortened the
foot, moving the point at which one begins the heel, and I’m giving it another
go. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My sister is beta-knitting again – so we actually managed, during the
weekend, to sit side by side, knitting socks from the same pattern. Very cosy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWRvaHyHYH1EfELJCr3bzJXIWX5-5POIO4lWw4FY5Ze3e_e_6l8uyqRiMi2dX-l0DPb7s3N83gvhG1O-ImECLang6lfInGkPwP_4VkpnJN21ymF6SCoqlG1uKDW3ZRi5bA7XmEmSotFBW/s1600/Stribede+sokker+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWRvaHyHYH1EfELJCr3bzJXIWX5-5POIO4lWw4FY5Ze3e_e_6l8uyqRiMi2dX-l0DPb7s3N83gvhG1O-ImECLang6lfInGkPwP_4VkpnJN21ymF6SCoqlG1uKDW3ZRi5bA7XmEmSotFBW/s1600/Stribede+sokker+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The new sock fits perfectly – it is not the most beautiful
of socks, but it will do as a test sock, and anyway, I can stuff it into a
shoe, which was pretty much the whole point of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Also, I am fiddling with a cowl design, prompted by
the circus aficionados in <i>The Night
Circus</i> by Erin Morgenstern, the <i>rêveurs</i>
who follow the circus, dressed in black or white or grey, with a splash of red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">More on this in due course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ52AXWp4dfNFbqD0rq_j81rDfNQJqFsNTS6MV7rByO1M8dPLF5juiiWV3qieolQ5yukrS1rGbwdL4NqrvV9Fr8EP02NIgwc6NU37M6QZbErWQ1efusb1BY5ew8zoup5GtVrEf992639ou/s1600/Reveur.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ52AXWp4dfNFbqD0rq_j81rDfNQJqFsNTS6MV7rByO1M8dPLF5juiiWV3qieolQ5yukrS1rGbwdL4NqrvV9Fr8EP02NIgwc6NU37M6QZbErWQ1efusb1BY5ew8zoup5GtVrEf992639ou/s1600/Reveur.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In paper version, I am reading <i>Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil</i> by John Berendt. It took me
quite a while to get into this book; it didn’t feel like a continuous novel,
but more like a series of vignettes featuring various inhabitants of Savannah,
Georgia. I resolved to plough on, though, to see how it progressed and whether
it would turn into a proper story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Then, when I was about two-thirds through, my eye caught
the topmost line on the front cover: <i>The Bestselling
True Crime Classic</i>. A classic <i>doh!</i>
moment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The main story in the book is the trial of Jim
Williams for the 1981 shooting of his assistant Danny Hansford, who was also
his lover; I looked up James Arthur Williams, 1930-1990, on Wikipedia – without
reading the article, as I hadn’t finished the book yet and didn’t know the
outcome of the trial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, well, that explained the newspaper feature quality
of the writing. I am still not thrilled by the book, but I am going to finish
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the audio side of things, I have a lot going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On home alone-days (or rather, half days), I am still
listening to <i>A Tale for the Time Being</i>
by Ruth Ozeki, the virtues of which I have already extolled on a couple of
occasions. This is one of those books that you want to listen to for the
pleasure of it and the pain of finding out what happens next; and yet, you don’t
want it to finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At the library, I found a book on CD – I have
previously listened to a bunch of those in the car, but having been away from
work for three years and thus not driving much on a regular basis, I haven’t
had much use for them. Now, though, I have just over an hour six times a week,
so I will be visiting the library for audio books again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, the one I am listening to now is <i>Trespass</i> by Rose Tremain. I picked it
out without knowing what it’s about, merely on the strength of the author’s
name; I read <i>The Colour</i> some years
back and loved it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Trespass</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> tells of siblings beginning to grow old and trying to
deal with their past, of how and where to feel at home, of the ability to love
and be loved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anthony Verey is a London antiques dealer in his
mid-sixties having to face the decline of his business as well as of himself.
He goes to visit his older sister, Veronica, who lives in France with her lover,
Kitty, and decides to move to France and begin a new life there, in the sun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The other pair of brother and sister are Aramond and
Audran Lunel, also ageing inhabitants of their ancestral home; though the
brother has taken the big house for himself and pushed his sister to live in a
small bungalow on the edge of the land. Now, Aramond wants to sell and retire –
and you can see where this is going, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The points of view through the book are with a little
girl right at the beginning, then mainly Anthony and Kitty, Aramond and Audran –
and Veronica coming in too, later – giving varying and sometimes opposite
perspectives on relationships and the at times maddening insight into unspoken
feelings and regrets. It is very well done. And, of course, there are several
questions to be answered and a dramatic event that I am not going to spoil for
you, should you wish to read the book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I managed to catch up with podcasts at the beginning
of this week – not entirely, I still have several Shakespeare plays waiting on
ChopBard and the current Forgotten Classic, but that’s another matter – so I
dove into one of Bill Bryson’s Short Histories, this one called <i>At Home: A Short History of Private Life</i>,
read by the author himself. It runs to 16 hours of audio, and I got it on sale
at Audible, so that was nice. This book takes the old rectory that is the
current residence of the Brysons, as its starting point in the examination of
how homes have developed, chiefly in England in the past 400 years or so. The
quest moves from room to room, presenting architecture, furniture, lighting,
appliances, servants, food, and more. The chapter on salt and spices takes you
around the globe on daring sea voyages and explorations, the painfully slow
realisation of the importance of diet to maintain heath – scurvy plays a huge
part here – and the exchange of foodstuffs and diseases with newly discovered
lands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All in all, very interesting; the other day, I had
just been discussing slavery in ancient Rome with my students and later listened
to the chapter on servants, in which Bryson says that ‘they had servants as we
today have appliances’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The same can be said about slaves in Antiquity – or some
of them, anyway: they were there to do the heavy work, the washing and cleaning
and threshing and grinding, all of which is mechanised nowadays. And Cicero’s
secretary, Tiro, functioned as a dictaphone & typewriter in writing down
his speeches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Even in 1978, when my family moved to Malawi, we
acquired a house boy who among other duties did the washing. This was cheaper
and easier and more reliable than shipping in a washing machine, as some other
Danes did, because they were uncomfortable with the whole having-a-servant
situation. But a washing machine would stop working when the electricity failed
– which it probably would do more often, because the machine itself would put a
strain on the supply – whereas employing and paying a man (or a woman) put
money and thus food out there to people who really needed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that’s it for this time – I will be back next
week, and until then: have a great time, enjoy, take care of yourself and your
loved ones!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-4893419936893949652013-09-15T07:56:00.000-07:002013-09-15T07:58:35.479-07:00Basket of Apples<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Autumn has arrived, featuring wind-driven rains
interspersed with crisp sunlight, and a marked drop in temperature. It is time
for sitting indoors, reading and knitting – and for the occasional bracing walk
to feel the weather. It is time for scarves and woollen socks and gloves and
mitts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwSsHlxNmroevXdSmxDoh3GOfeeiGtJHpOEnIMyx1VQRQfcmqO9WmhWpGgDYD1BohiWhZFVreaWUk9j44QICexHC7a_R0m-BlQAEu3zpuTDZ-zsv8wwH1h3fRuhQ73oyAQ8zV8faxDVWM/s1600/2013+09+14+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwSsHlxNmroevXdSmxDoh3GOfeeiGtJHpOEnIMyx1VQRQfcmqO9WmhWpGgDYD1BohiWhZFVreaWUk9j44QICexHC7a_R0m-BlQAEu3zpuTDZ-zsv8wwH1h3fRuhQ73oyAQ8zV8faxDVWM/s1600/2013+09+14+%25283%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I went out picking apples yesterday (during a spot of
sunshine) for a new batch of mashed apples; during August, we got a whole bunch
of apples from my parents’ tree, and especially Victor became very fond of
apple mash. So, when the supplies ran low, something had to be done. Around
here are several apple trees that belong to no-one in particular, and I could
just go and gather a basket full of apples to cook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The process of preparing this treat is simple, if
somewhat time-consuming, and the finished product sits nicely in the freezer
until you want it, for a dessert, layer cake filling, or just with oatmeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Mashed
apples<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Step one: wash and peel apples.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Step two: slice apples and put them in a cooking pot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Step three: add water, appx 250 ml, with juice of 1
lemon. This can conveniently be done at once, to minimise oxidation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Step four: cook apples, with appx 80 grams of sugar (1
decilitre) per kilo of sliced apple. Stir and mash apples a bit, if they don’t
go mushy by themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Step five: cool and enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Easy, right? And you can stick a book in your ear – or
a podcast – while doing the peeling & slicing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I filled up my big pot with 2½ kilos of apples and
still had quite a few left over from the basketful; so there is more apple
mashing for me in the foreseeable future. Might as well stock up before winter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Apart from the fruity frolics, I have been teaching my
undergraduates; in one of my two classes are a couple of repeat offenders, who
enjoy telling me what they learned last year and how it was done. So they need
be shown – nicely, of course – that a different way of, say, explaining Latin grammar
is not necessarily wrong. The language was there first, and all the rules of
grammar are attempts to describe the language, not hard-and-fast rules like the
laws of nature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’m hoping that at some point they will mature into
appreciating that a different teacher, a different learner’s book, and a
different grammar are an advantage to them, because they get a whole new
experience and a chance to explore new facets of the models for language.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We’ll see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I haven’t got nearly enough interesting knitting to
report on this week; there has been a bit of sock knitting on a design that I
hope to get into <i>Defarge 3</i>, and that,
of course, is very interesting, but I can’t show you just yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And then some straight up – or rather, straight down –
work on my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/leaf-cardigan" target="_blank">Leaf</a> cardigan.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIipSJjRhd1WDLDO4jsmg4LrCPeYqhy3WLud6CNLpwT1Vb9GN07qPA2ch23A7TwY8ZVMN8hQk_kLuZWNgYk9i6Js_VMxR-xhUdEqwKO-Kj8RfVG4XjxAfivvuL2bYFozaA7tpuPS11YeM/s1600/Leaf+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIipSJjRhd1WDLDO4jsmg4LrCPeYqhy3WLud6CNLpwT1Vb9GN07qPA2ch23A7TwY8ZVMN8hQk_kLuZWNgYk9i6Js_VMxR-xhUdEqwKO-Kj8RfVG4XjxAfivvuL2bYFozaA7tpuPS11YeM/s1600/Leaf+%25286%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is the adult version of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/laura" target="_blank">Laura</a> cardigan, made
in black light fingering weight cotton on 2.5 mm needles, so it’s taking a
while. I am currently on the stretch down from below the body-sleeve-divide
towards the lace border, and it is merely back and forth in almost plain
stocking stitch. But I am getting close to the lacy part – so next week, I
should have a photo of something more exciting than this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It feels like it’s taking forever, even though I know
it isn’t; I’m feeling the reduction in knitting time due to work, and that,
combined with slightly boring knitting, is making me a bit impatient. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I did get a good chunk done yesterday, though, while
chatting; my friend Aviâja had the usual suspects over for her birthday
celebration, so the five of us got a chance to catch up, which was lovely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehvCeh2vhBziXuW7HtRYWetJmRDxp13cmMKKMpAOFZxF9PGA7IrXkjtuSQ96b-vQLxg2BmcImHJUsnT9uNexl08DgVDtuZVfWnCCcSdmWhIsX6-mkHJAoBEX1v9rEUzr6wNCmB5jFCt73/s1600/Sitara+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehvCeh2vhBziXuW7HtRYWetJmRDxp13cmMKKMpAOFZxF9PGA7IrXkjtuSQ96b-vQLxg2BmcImHJUsnT9uNexl08DgVDtuZVfWnCCcSdmWhIsX6-mkHJAoBEX1v9rEUzr6wNCmB5jFCt73/s1600/Sitara+006.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And now I can show you the last of my purchases from
the fair last weekend, as it was a birthday present: lusciously soft worsted
weight silk yarn from Karen Noe, named Sitara. It doesn’t appear in the Ravelry
database, so I may have to go over and add it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I even lured Aviâja over to the dark side and had her
make a Rav profile – mwahahahaha!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I have mentioned before, I am, intermittently,
listening to <i>A Tale for the Time Being</i>
by the Japanese-Canadian Ruth Ozeki, read by the author herself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The story takes off with the Japanese-Canadian
novelist Ruth finding on the beach near her home in British Columbia a
washed-up freezer bag than turns out to contain, among other things, a diary
written by a 16-year old Japanese girl, Naoko or Nao (no coincidence that it
sounds like ‘now’).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ruth is gripped by curiosity, starts reading the diary
and tries to investigate the persons and events described or referred to in it;
so the narrative is divided between Ruth (and her husband, Oliver) and Nao’s
reflections in the diary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Quite apart from the contents and language of the
novel, which are fascinating for so many reasons, the reading itself is
brilliant. The author of course knows her story, but not only that: she has
separate voices for Ruth and for Nao, and her command of accents is impressive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One example: Proust’s <i>A la recherche du temps perdu</i> plays a part in the tale; the
Japanese teenager Nao butchers the title, pronouncing <i>temps</i> as [tamps], while Ruth has a marked Canadian English accent,
but knows to not pronounce the ending of the word. At some point, Ruth enlists
the help of a French speaker – and the French part of his dialogue is spoken in
proper French, while his English is accented. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Similarly (okay, then, two examples), Nao’s
great-grandmother Jiko speaks English with a distinct Japanese accent, when she
doesn’t speak Japanese. And the Buddhist prayers are chanted, not just spoken. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, all in all, the audio version of this book is
highly recommendable – I believe that the reading aloud adds to the immediacy
and richness of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Speaking of reading aloud, the flock of sheep who make
up the main characters in <i>Three Bags Full</i>
by Leonie Swann, the September group read in the Ravelry group on Goodreads,
love being read to. Their murdered shepherd, George – the finding of his dead
body is what starts off the novel, so it is no spoiler – used to read to them,
and a significant part of their knowledge of the human world comes from these
books: the ‘Pamela’ novels (trashy romance), a detective story that was never
finished, and a book about the diseases of sheep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I greatly enjoyed this book – I always like seeing the
world from a different perspective, and the way the sheep make up their own,
internally coherent, explanations for everything they encounter, is brilliantly
done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A couple of intertextual references appear, nuggets for
CraftLit listeners – among these a hugely fat, clever, cynical, grey ram named
Fosco. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And once again: the reader of the Audible version,
Hugh Lee, does a magnificent job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Recently, I picked up on Amazon a QuickReads book, a
novella by Conn Iggulden titled <i>Quantum
of Tweed</i>. Iggulden is mainly known for historical novels, among these the <i>Emperor </i>series that is sitting neglected
on my bookshelf; this is a bite-sized story of a middle-aged temporary career
change from the sartorial to the mercenary. Fun and ironical, not too deep, but
good enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s all, folks – short & sweet this time, but I
will be back next week. Until then: have a great time, take care of yourselves
and each other, and happy knitting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-1363632120601505702013-09-08T04:37:00.002-07:002013-09-08T04:39:25.863-07:00A bit of this, a bit of that<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This has been a full week – I started teaching my two
classes at university, which meant getting up quite early on Tuesday and
Wednesday, driving an hour (or more, depending on traffic) each way, coming home late on Friday, and meeting
40 new people all at once. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Needless to say, when I got home on Tuesday afternoon,
I was knackered. There’s no other word for it. Happily, it is already getting
better: gradually coming to know these new students is less taxing than meeting
them for the first time, and I am easing back into teaching mode. Plus, the
subject matter is, if not limited, then at least cohesive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s all about Latin: grammar – very basic grammar, at
first, as some of the students have no clue – words, the structure of the language
and how it works to express all the variety of the natural, human, and divine
world. This awareness of language is new to some of them and needs to be deepened
for all of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I do enjoy expanding their horizons; someone once said
that when he was a student in the late 60s, a lot of young people took
mind-enhancing drugs – while he read Latin. Which can be somewhat safer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The bits of text are, for now, construed by Latin teachers;
later, we will read ‘real’ texts by actual Romans. So, there is content to deal
with, as well, and I get lots of chances to digress into the history, culture, and
mindset of the Romans; at least, I can introduce themes that they will be able
to explore further later on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">With the job being part-time, I do have a life outside
of it, including my writing. The FWG August Short Story votes were counted and
came back last Sunday – and this time, my story achieved seventh place. So, it
did get some critical acclaim :o) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And a reminder from the feedback group to use more
dialogue; I’ll have to not only be aware of that, but actually do something
about it in the September story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, here it is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Countryman<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
always knew that I should be king. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Even
when we were boys, it was obvious to me that my brother’s claim to the throne
was merely an accident of his being born first. He was meek, sweet, forever
seeking approval and friendship, love. Too weak to rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Not
even as king did he endeavour to impose fear and respect on others, mark his
territory, so to speak. He sought alliances, preferred diplomacy to battle.
Diplomacy can be useful, of course, honeyed words and gifts to lull the opponent;
but never should it be the end, only the means to the true end.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This
could not go on: our position was gradually weakened, others saw us as an easy
target, land to be conquered. My brother would not listen to me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So
I had to prove my point. I am stronger, more fit to rule. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
did not kill him or have him killed. That would have brought down the wrath of
the gods on my head; I merely placed him under house arrest end even let his
wife follow him. They told me his brat was killed in the melee, though I never
saw the corpse.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For
fifteen years now, I have had it all. The power, the title, the riches. My wife
and my daughters adorn their hair with ribbons of the finest Tyrian purple.
They wear gold bracelets and pearl earrings. And Akastos is growing up to be a
handsome heir. I did prove my point.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Lately,
though, strange things have begun to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thunderclouds
gathered out of nowhere. White-hot lightning flashed purple against the
greenish grey clouds and struck the old olive tree in the courtyard, my
favourite shady spot for resting in the hot afternoons. The dry wood caught
flame, and the whole tree burned down in an instant. Nothing else was struck,
and the clouds dissipated and blew away, leaving a clear blue sky. As if
nothing had happened. Only my olive tree was gone, reduced to ashes dancing on
the breeze.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It
must be an omen. Something bad is coming for me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
arranged sacrifices to all of the gods, though I have done nothing wrong. Even
Hera, the old hag, must have her due. It will not do to be at odds with the
immortals.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There
is an old prophecy about me: a man from the country, wearing only one sandal,
will bring me down. It was uttered long ago, before I had anything worth
bringing down, and for many years, I have paid it no heed. But suddenly, it
comes to my mind. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
have to watch those around me. But it is ridiculous: nobody walks around
wearing a single sandal – those who are too poor simply go barefoot.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Next,
a shepherd came back alone from the pasture, claiming that a lion had attacked
the flock. Highly unusual for this time of year. Several sheep were indeed
found dead or injured so badly that they had to be put down; and the shepherd’s
boy had been mauled and killed, too. The shepherd was of course interrogated,
but found to have done nothing wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And
he was wearing both his sandals.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
find myself waking in the nights, plagued by thoughts that have no meaning.
Strange ideas come to me. What if my brother’s son, Jason, was not killed all
those years ago? What if he was whisked away, like a boy in the stories, to
grow up anonymously and return to avenge his father’s ignominious fate? To
claim his inheritance and ruin all that I have worked for?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But
no, this is ridiculous.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
can tell no-one about these thoughts. They would think I was going mad, would
find me weak and vulnerable. Not even Akastos can be trusted with the secret:
he was too young when it all happened, and knows nothing of his cousin. His
dead cousin.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">...<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have
arranged a feast, a great sacrifice. A hundred heifers are to be slaughtered. This
will show my generosity to all, gods and men alike.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For
some reason, the great fire for the burn-offerings won’t catch. While the
attendants struggle with the kindling, a murmur ripples through the crowd, and it
parts. Everybody falls silent, as a young man approaches, dripping wet and
wearing only one sandal.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
sky blackens, and the ocean roars in my ears.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
young man walks calmly through the crowd, straight towards me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Greetings,
uncle,’ he says.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">...<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
next day, I summoned Jason. I knew how to get rid of him without seeming to: I
reminded him of the fleece of the golden ram, brought to faraway Aia by our
uncle Frixos. This fleece, and its power to bring prosperity to the land,
rightly belongs here, and the recent row of misfortunes plainly shows how we
need it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘I
am too old now for heroic journeys,’ I said. ‘Your country needs you.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘You
are young and as yet unknown to the people,’ I told him. ‘But if you bring back
the Fleece, you will have proved your worth, and they will welcome you as
king.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
acquiesced and immediately set about procuring a ship and gathering a crew.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This
morning, they went away. My relief flowed into hearty emulations of wishes for
their journey and safe return, as I watched them embark and set sail.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He
will never return: the journey to the ends of the world is perilous, and the
king of Aia has no love for strangers. If they make it there alive, he will see
to it that they never leave.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
am safe, my position is once more secure. I call for Akastos; he is old enough
now to be taken further into my confidence, to learn the intricacies of ruling.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But
there is no answer – where is he?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">©
2013 Dorthe Møller Christensen<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Knitting for babies is always a bit of a gamble,
size-wise: you want the garment to fit within the foreseeable future, but not be
outgrown too quickly, either. And, say, a lacy cotton cardigan should
preferably be useful while the weather is still warm enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the parents have been waiting for just the right
moment to put little Kajsa into the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elanor-2" target="_blank">Elanor</a> cardigan, and this is what happened:<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilliz2GREFQehxgCjStou408Y4UgyoXzjoDJQTPV01P04qzLwpUGYHgeZCOz-l_udrV7Qoqq9W3rRxG1DmHghTkFqALMI37hAIOyt-APfztma9FpYf0zWWr3R7MtGZOjiSm38zuHM51R_H/s1600/IMG_1694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilliz2GREFQehxgCjStou408Y4UgyoXzjoDJQTPV01P04qzLwpUGYHgeZCOz-l_udrV7Qoqq9W3rRxG1DmHghTkFqALMI37hAIOyt-APfztma9FpYf0zWWr3R7MtGZOjiSm38zuHM51R_H/s1600/IMG_1694.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable, isn't she?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This weekend, the big annual craft fair, Husflidsmessen,
takes place in Viborg. They don’t allow photography, so imagine two big sports or
concert arenas sitting across from one another, each filled to the brim with stands
from a range of shops and clubs showing and selling yarns for knitting and
crochet, buttons, tatting, weaving, felting, woodwork, amber, beads and
jewellery making, paper cutting, patchwork sewing and quilting, glass blowing,
Christmas decorations (including mead and mustard in stone jars), and more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The ‘streets’ between the stands are thronged with
people, the majority of whom are mature ladies – though the shoppers come in
all ages, sizes, and shapes. You don’t see many children, which is a blessing
for both the children and everybody else: the couple of kids I saw looked as if
they had been dragged there by their mother and grandmother and couldn’t wait
to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My sister and I left our children at home, to browse
in peace – or as much peace as you can get in the crowds. Each of us had plans,
something we wanted to look for; I had more luck with mine, but we both managed
to buy stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My sister got connectors for the KnitPro
interchangeable circular needle wires – those things make life so much easier
when you need to try something on: instead of having to transfer all the
stitches to a piece of yarn, try on your thing, and then put all the stitches
back before knitting on, you can screw on another length of wire, and Bob’s
your uncle. (I am feeling the lack of this option right now for the Leaf
cardigan that still hasn’t got a better name and is worked on 2.5 mm needles,
that don’t come as interchangeables.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We both got beads for stitch markers – the elephants didn’t
want to be stitch markers, though, so they became earrings instead.</span></div>
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</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8hEazflQN9GFfZ954n7opFZpEmXX2S5XjD0u14LAJyYL-wMzMr5ASJHbL7SD9pIztg7zSLFbKTXxAOk5SXhMm-b09OcJFtnw1JjX03_tRr20vtdV3qGB3kjongmbNeHEuwoONVWHwVm1/s1600/Maskemark%25C3%25B8rperler.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8hEazflQN9GFfZ954n7opFZpEmXX2S5XjD0u14LAJyYL-wMzMr5ASJHbL7SD9pIztg7zSLFbKTXxAOk5SXhMm-b09OcJFtnw1JjX03_tRr20vtdV3qGB3kjongmbNeHEuwoONVWHwVm1/s1600/Maskemark%25C3%25B8rperler.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And yarn, of course. I only bought yarn for planned
projects, no questionable spur-of-the-moment spree-shopping. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, variegated Kauni for a dress – and yes, they are
all the same colourway, the EZ:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9Mf2nnmtyUTnQjiioYRHTlVhZDHTnOmbuOdAnmx_jY2_h6fTCzwqAds4gIDyyT3sg8gaaYO3n9BgFcx0WR6LUNnIOcYweuLxCrdbo0GY92vRL-cCfrwOA4_Ad5s8ucumh9QKItad4vRP/s1600/Kauni+EZ+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9Mf2nnmtyUTnQjiioYRHTlVhZDHTnOmbuOdAnmx_jY2_h6fTCzwqAds4gIDyyT3sg8gaaYO3n9BgFcx0WR6LUNnIOcYweuLxCrdbo0GY92vRL-cCfrwOA4_Ad5s8ucumh9QKItad4vRP/s1600/Kauni+EZ+%25281%2529.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Gloriously soft cashmere alpaca from Sandnes for
little warm things:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVXgz4Kel5km1Lyoh24yq3q0zH6A03lJXZ90sxXllsVbgtiNIiZ9TXDtPkz1n0YCRVrKzNAXcw0XcrPPo_uoqsyqMMlJbppCM-Rf_MPdGNgz8chRtm1KcIVUJC8PFlt-a6ULJxJjT4Nu7/s1600/Sandnes+Kashmir+Alpakka+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVXgz4Kel5km1Lyoh24yq3q0zH6A03lJXZ90sxXllsVbgtiNIiZ9TXDtPkz1n0YCRVrKzNAXcw0XcrPPo_uoqsyqMMlJbppCM-Rf_MPdGNgz8chRtm1KcIVUJC8PFlt-a6ULJxJjT4Nu7/s1600/Sandnes+Kashmir+Alpakka+%25281%2529.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And something else that is a secret for now - I’ll show
you later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">(Sorry about the pics, I don't know why they have tilted.) </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So much for this year’s craft outings: we did Saltum
in May, and now this one in September. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As mentioned above, I am working diligently on my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/leaf-cardigan" target="_blank">Leaf</a>
cardigan – all this running about, though, and going off to Aarhus several
times a week, is cutting into my knitting time. Quite annoying. I’m still
figuring out a new equilibrium on that front, as well as trying to work out how
to fit in pattern writing at times when my brain isn’t threatening to go on
strike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, I am below the sleeve/body divide now and just
ploughing on down towards the lace border; so it is a bit boring at times. It
works for watching <i>Lost</i>, though, and
even reading (I suppose so, at least, haven’t had a chance to try it out).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have almost finished <i>The Night Circus</i> by Erin Morgenstern, the August group read in the
Ravelry group on Goodreads. This is one of those books where you want to read
on to see what happens – and at the same time, you don’t want to reach the end
of the book, because then, well, it ends. The beauty of consuming books,
though, is that they stay with you, once you’ve read them. So in that sense, a
book never really ends, but becomes part of your inner landscape – and this
particular feature of the landscape is one to be treasured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At some point in the book, a shawl shows up – well,
several shawls, actually, at several points, but there is one in particular
that caught my attention. It is described as ‘a length of ivory lace’ and
belongs to one of the protagonists, Miss Celia Bowen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">You have guessed it already, haven’t you: I am going
to have to make this shawl. I don’t know when it will be, but the thought is
simmering quietly in my mind ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And, if you know the book, you can also guess why I
was drawn to the red cashmere alpaca and not, say, purple, as I would usually
be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So watch this space :o)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All this driving gives me ample time to listen to
books, and I have been compiling audio books via the Audible app on my Android
smart phone. Too much detail? Well, I’ve been listening to <i>From Gutenberg to Zuckerberg: What You Really Need to Know about the
Internet </i>by John Naughton. The book pretty much does what it says on the
tin: it presents a history of the Internet, the Web (which are not the same),
and a bunch of technologies relating to the Internet, as well as comparing the
possible, as yet unknown, impact of all these new modes of communication with
the advent of the printing press in the 15<sup>th</sup> century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I had one quibble: when presenting one of the
consequences of printing, the personal authorship as opposed to the scribal
times’ copy-and-comment mode, Naughton gives the French essayist Montaigne the
credit for inventing the personal essay – thereby completely ignoring Seneca
and the whole antique epistula tradition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That may be a minor point, though, and on the whole, I
found the book both informative and useful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My next and current listening adventure is the
September group read in the Goodreads Ravelry group: <i>Three Bags Full</i> by Leonie Swann, read by Hugh Lee. (There is a
point to mentioning this, as one US listener was unhappy with a female reader,
and Audible.com offers both versions. I haven’t heard the other one, so I can’t
comment on it.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a classic whodunit in the style of Agatha
Christie – only with sheep as the main characters. The mystery opens with the
discovery of the murdered shepherd, and the sheep, prompted by the cleverest of
them, Miss Maple <i>(sic)</i>, attempt to
solve the murder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Several readers in the group are unimpressed by
talking sheep – but I love it: they are silly and yet wise, forming their own
views of the world, of humans, and the events that unfold around them, all from
a sheepy perspective. Is it morally defendable, for instance, for an Irish
shepherd to choose Norwegian wool for his sweaters?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And the reader makes voices for the sheep and a
convincing – to my ears, at least – Irish brogue for the humans. So, a
completely different book from the August offering, but fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that’s it for this week – thank you for stopping
by! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I will be back next week; until then: take care, have
a lovely week, and have fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-49293438149320132852013-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:002013-09-01T08:03:42.215-07:00Fathers and Daughters<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I will tell you of current goings-on,
upcoming events, and as always, knitting and books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, last Sunday was a full day. We left home at 6 am
and drove to Copenhagen to attend a Baptist service that included the reason
for it all: the blessing of Kajsa, the daughter of my cousin Lasse and his
wife, Anne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After that came a sumptuous brunch with the family at
Café Sult (= Café Hunger), and then we drove back home. A full day, and a
lovely day. And for some reason, we were exhausted by sitting in the car,
sitting in the church, sitting and eating, and sitting in the car again. Weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have been to several Baptist services, including a
baptism, and they are so much more enjoyable than the regular Lutheran state
church services. The physical proximity and modern casual garb of the minister,
the live music, the song and psalm texts projected from a MacBook to a screen
on the wall, the friendly familiarity and welcoming smiles of people who have
never seen you before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Even an old sceptic like me can feel and partake in the
palpable joy and sense of community in the room, particularly on this occasion
of welcoming a new child belonging to God, to the parents, to the family, and
to the community. I was reminded of the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a
child’, as everybody present was asked to support Lasse and Anne in raising their
daughter – and maybe this is what it’s all about. Whether there really is a
transcendent being holding everybody in his hands is less important than the
coming together of caring humans believing in the principles of love, mutual
support, and joy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the FWG group on LinkedIn, the August short stories
are all in, and the votes are cast. Right now, we are waiting for the count,
and then will come the feedback in small groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Victor joined the group and submitted a story: as soon
as I mentioned the August highlights, he had an idea and wrote a story, made a
profile and did his thing. I read his story – but I haven’t helped him
otherwise: he does it all on his own merits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We have some upcoming events around here: next
weekend, on the 6<sup>th</sup> – 8<sup>th</sup> September, the big annual craft
fair, <a href="http://midtjysk-viborg-husflid.dk/pres3.php?id=1" target="_blank">Husflidsmessen</a>, takes place in Viborg. I will be going on the Saturday to
check out the stalls, mostly for the yarns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And in a few weeks’ time, on 14<sup>th</sup> – 21<sup>st</sup>
September, is the <a href="http://www.viborgfestuge.dk/program/#!programmation=lineup$" target="_blank">Viborg Festival </a>(Festuge) with lots of things going on. On
the Thursday is a knit & crochet workshop that I am going to, primarily as a
story teller – but I will bring my knitting, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I realised that it’s been a while since I talked about
my running; this is not because I haven’t run at all, though it hasn’t been all
that much this week. I am up to 5-minute intervals now, with 1-minute breaks
and usually a 6-minute run at the end (and, of course, 3 or 4 minutes of
cool-down walk). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am hot when I run – as in ‘too warm’, mind you, not
in any sense even remotely approaching ‘sexy’! – so the ambient temperature has
a significant impact on my well-being and performance. The summer heat (and
yes, around here, 22 C <i>is</i> heat) in
July made running tough, and even the 17 C we had this Friday, with an
unfulfilled promise of rain in the humid air, was a bit much for me. Today, it
is 12 C, grey and wet – and much better. The longer uphill stretches aren’t
killing me, and I am even planning 6 or maybe 7 minute intervals for my next
run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We’ll see how that goes; I will be experimenting with
running in the afternoon, too, as my teaching on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is
from 8 to 12 am, and after driving to and from Aarhus around that, I need air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">With the long drives last Sunday, to Copenhagen and
back, and with my dad doing most of the driving, I got quite a bit of knitting
done; so I actually finished two things this week. On top of that, I frogged an
old hibernating project to re-purpose the yarn. And I didn’t cast on anything
new – so my wip count is going down. Yay!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">What did I finish, then? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQHXUFwyLrPixI7Cixcddz7hGkHvNz7gQfJkiXBqXwYc-GBSYXwt6smJ0ZRspjYJe7EcdkD9jnMwqGECDZncm9HmePCIydNB8TTCFPsT7ceb8CmViGTrpM5QH8cEIiE1ku8eLdFEh3AVJ/s1600/Charm+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQHXUFwyLrPixI7Cixcddz7hGkHvNz7gQfJkiXBqXwYc-GBSYXwt6smJ0ZRspjYJe7EcdkD9jnMwqGECDZncm9HmePCIydNB8TTCFPsT7ceb8CmViGTrpM5QH8cEIiE1ku8eLdFEh3AVJ/s1600/Charm+(7).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First, the </span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/rondeur" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;" target="_blank">Charm </a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">tee, for which, as it turned out, I
had lots of yarn; enough for long sleeves and even some leftover.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Because the hem is curved, I did a stretchy cast-off,
the k1, [k1, k2tog] that can be useful for a lace shawl. But that one was too
stretchy, making the hem flop outwards, so I undid it and replaced it with the ‘usual’
pulling a stitch over a stitch-method. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I can see, now that I’ve tried it on properly, that if
I use this pattern again, I’ll want to move the raglan increase rows a bit
towards the centre, leaving more stitches for sleeves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One more top for work done; with students, I need to
be aware of wearing different things, because <i>they notice</i>. I have five usable tops now, one on the way, and two or
three more planned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQhgOkT7zqHY5NpQcRWwgJSnn-Z0Z-E2OjPCBj0ojxhRyQw09A3vW-TKl4kG5HDQufVp-XuUciM8RXKBvNdyYLp3kZXu20wODETg4dy9yuTPTNGkDfQmUqNSUHBd7-o8jkudQ60KZ18fL/s1600/Simple+Stripes+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQhgOkT7zqHY5NpQcRWwgJSnn-Z0Z-E2OjPCBj0ojxhRyQw09A3vW-TKl4kG5HDQufVp-XuUciM8RXKBvNdyYLp3kZXu20wODETg4dy9yuTPTNGkDfQmUqNSUHBd7-o8jkudQ60KZ18fL/s1600/Simple+Stripes+%25288%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I finally finished the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/simple-stripes" target="_blank">striped socks</a> that do NOT
take four months to knit, regardless of what the Ravelry project page for them
might say – unless, of course, you have 15 other projects running at the same
time and only do a stripe or two once in a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">These toe-up socks have arch-shaping, which I love,
hugging the sole of your foot, and an unusual, fitted, short-row heel, as well
as (optional) decreases around the ankle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am going for a fitted sock that doesn’t bunch inside
shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The next phase will be wearing the socks to see how
the heel works out; if it is good enough, I will try out the Free Pattern
Testers group on Ravelry before releasing the pattern. More on this in due
course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEUvNbL9Mfd8N-SgR_O3f8CcWDcRf_1odZ4IXl1PmRjuII3MzR3XOnGnpaI8sJ4qwNq3n4RpS-Wkq9pDczhnHENgEkgmzIZ69uwOsvGqRZ6LTT4zQ94rHzJvzanDnfSRzG5uNwEcXo4gF/s1600/Leaf+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEUvNbL9Mfd8N-SgR_O3f8CcWDcRf_1odZ4IXl1PmRjuII3MzR3XOnGnpaI8sJ4qwNq3n4RpS-Wkq9pDczhnHENgEkgmzIZ69uwOsvGqRZ6LTT4zQ94rHzJvzanDnfSRzG5uNwEcXo4gF/s1600/Leaf+%25284%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My current main project is a fingering weight cotton
cardigan, an adult version of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/laura" target="_blank">Laura</a> cardigan. The working title is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/leaf-cardigan" target="_blank">Leaf cardigan</a> because of the leafy lace border at the bottom – I do intend to come
up with something more imaginative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, I am once again using the contiguous sleeve
method invented by SusieM, but with more shoulder stitches. On the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/driftwood-5" target="_blank">driftwood</a> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLBy1OKIZHv3QPAQyKmklM11IJgPYbFF04T54fSnX0jfAHKoZivTi6qnfFd3MPTXFBW-fJXyUbGhTA3AktH7OYcR1d1-BbJgjzBJNmeUmZk4_elhrLOWr0mLdlme6TLGz_o3D1oeQ2bkN/s1600/Juniper+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLBy1OKIZHv3QPAQyKmklM11IJgPYbFF04T54fSnX0jfAHKoZivTi6qnfFd3MPTXFBW-fJXyUbGhTA3AktH7OYcR1d1-BbJgjzBJNmeUmZk4_elhrLOWr0mLdlme6TLGz_o3D1oeQ2bkN/s1600/Juniper+(7).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
jumper where I first encountered this method, you have two stitches running
from the side of the neck to the shoulder, with increases on each side.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, that is all well and good – but it makes the back
of the neck rather high, and my jumpers have a tendency to creep backwards over
the shoulders. So, on the Laura, I made 7 shoulder stitches to give a bit more
room for the back of the neck, and on this adult version, I have 11, making the
shoulder somewhat resemble a saddle shoulder. The choice of uneven numbers is
dictated by the stitch pattern I use for these cardigans: the leaf stem ribs
are spaced by 11 knit stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am almost down to the divide for body and sleeves;
the pattern is simple enough to be worked on while reading, so it is coming
along nicely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As mentioned last week, I have been listening to
<a href="http://www.inyourearshakespeare.com/" target="_blank">ChopBard</a> on <i>The Tempest</i>, and of
course reading the text of the play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Apparently, this is a difficult play to pin down –
what is it all about? Magic and the use of it, power over yourself and others,
crime and retribution, redemption, revenge or forgiveness. As it is a comedy,
nobody dies – though several characters are thought to be dead and/or fear for
their lives – and a young couple are to be married. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There seems to be a line of critique that focuses on
colonialism and slavery, simply because some of the characters are white
Europeans (from Milan or Naples), landed on an island in the Mediterranean (not
Bermuda) that was formerly only inhabited by the son of a North African witch.
And this son, Caliban, is put to hard labour by Prospero, the
duke-turned-magician. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I get the sense, once again, that particularly white
US citizens want to interpret anything and everything in the light of a
collective guilt over having used black Africans as slaves. Not that I would
ever condone slavery as such – but it has been widely practised, historically
and globally speaking, not only in North America, and not only by white people
using black people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Get over it. Shakespeare was not burdened by this
guilt when he wrote his play, for very good reasons, so insisting on this
interpretation is a huge anachronism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And anyway, Caliban is the son of a Tunisian witch,
not a Sub-Saharan black African, and he is a convict, not a slave. Prospero is
punishing him for the attempted rape of his daughter, Miranda, who at the time
of the play is 15 years old. Who can blame a father for that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I mentioned to my boys what goes on in <i>The Tempest</i>: a storm and a shipwreck,
people are thrown ashore on a magical island where strange things happen – and so,
we decided to watch <i>Lost</i> again. The
whole redemption or forgiveness theme in Shakespeare has resonances in <i>Lost</i>, as well: practically everybody, at
least the main characters, are given a second chance to straighten up their
lives and come to terms with themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And, by the laws of synchronicity, I finally got
started on the August group read in the Ravelry Book Club on Goodreads: <i>The Night Circus</i> by Erin Morgenstern.
So, more magic and poetry – this is a lovely book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The first named character to show up in the book is
Prospero the Enchanter – stage name – and next, we meet his daughter who is
very explicitly NOT named Miranda. Isn’t that great? See, if I had started this
book sooner, say, around the beginning of August, those names would not have
resounded the way they did for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sometimes, the universe just aligns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And on this happy note, I will leave you for now. Have
a wonderful week, and I will be back with more chat on knitting, and yarn, and
books, and students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Take care!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-30525977122836141782013-08-24T11:24:00.000-07:002013-08-24T11:27:40.795-07:00Blessed<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome once again to the Apple
Basket! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, we have knitting, books, and Roman history –
all very familiar to regular readers, no big surprises there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am posting on a Saturday, for once: tomorrow, I am
going to a baby blessing. My cousin’s daughter, Kajsa, was born in July, and as
they are Baptists, the baptism proper won’t happen until she is old enough to
choose it for herself. So for now, there will be a blessing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Which means that Victor and I, and my parents, are
leaving here at 6 a.m. to drive to Copenhagen, meeting my sister along the way
so that we can all share a car for the majority of the trip. It’s going to be a
long day – but lovely, I’m sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivssi19DIpSBofwAVDxL7FJ0-7COCrCqkCTVZvqB32enqTH-wKTrPxTR9kXkDb5mbgS6BfTklkOBGBH89HCePH0Zufy2PlY6C0TTEHnW5GQhyjIt82Lr5CMuONLhO6mx6cfm7dJPpqXdiB/s1600/Charm+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivssi19DIpSBofwAVDxL7FJ0-7COCrCqkCTVZvqB32enqTH-wKTrPxTR9kXkDb5mbgS6BfTklkOBGBH89HCePH0Zufy2PlY6C0TTEHnW5GQhyjIt82Lr5CMuONLhO6mx6cfm7dJPpqXdiB/s1600/Charm+%25284%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rondeur" target="_blank">Rondeur</a> tee, renamed <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/rondeur" target="_blank">Charm</a>, received a substantial
boost this week, after I finished all the girly pink things (not that I mind
pink once in a while).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have a bit of reading to do, preparing for term, and
so stocking stitch in the round is a suitable occupation for my hands while
wading through paragraphs of Latin morphology and syntax accompanying bites of
text in the beginners’ compendium.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, the body of the thing is done, and having yarn
left over, I decided to give it sleeves. While it is made in cotton and thus
probably not for deep winter, the neckline is fairly high, which means I won’t
be wearing it on the hottest days of summer, either. And so, sleeves will make
it more useful. I’ve divided the remaining yarn in two, and then we’ll see how
much sleeve I get out of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The <a href="http://www.surrey.ac.uk/chemistry/perovskite/about_the_project/index.htm" target="_blank">Chemistry Department</a> at the University of Surrey
in the UK is doing a knitted-and-crocheted Perovskite crystalline structure
project. I’ve mentioned it before, and now I’ve finally gotten around to making
one of these little things. I have chosen, unsurprisingly, to knit a blue
octahedron rather than crochet a yellow ball. The project is open for
contributions until the end of August, so there is still time, if you want to
play :o)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Patterns are downloadable, from the website and via
Ravelry, for both figures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Depending on your particular stitch and row gauge, you
may want to make the triangles for the octahedron in a slightly different way; <a href="http://ladynthread.blogspot.dk/2013/07/the-perovskite-project.html" target="_blank">ladynthread</a> has a method for bottom-up equilateral triangles.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YuXi3pvU1eo7NR-ZDW1W3IHqmx1vF5pNGvpLSMPgp9C23JcOvE1uRprKKcwaJcZaEsu7ulHW4fqGDTM9CgbI7LVwEdZqk0boM5YyIVT-VtQjKO3JTCTTKG6LqSqt8DhTIXYIs-YOOaMk/s1600/Octahedron+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YuXi3pvU1eo7NR-ZDW1W3IHqmx1vF5pNGvpLSMPgp9C23JcOvE1uRprKKcwaJcZaEsu7ulHW4fqGDTM9CgbI7LVwEdZqk0boM5YyIVT-VtQjKO3JTCTTKG6LqSqt8DhTIXYIs-YOOaMk/s1600/Octahedron+%252811%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I went all the way and made two open-bottomed pyramids
instead of eight triangles – this way, you only need to sew up the pyramid
bases and not all of the sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, here goes: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I used Kauni 8/2 solid, blue yarn left over from my
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/tardis-stuffed-plush" target="_blank">TARDIS</a>, and 4 mm needles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cast on 56 sts (or however many you need to make four
sides of 7-8 cm each).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Divide sts onto 4 dpns and join to work in the round.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Knit 2 rounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On every 3<sup>rd</sup> round, k3tog in the middle of
each dpn: these will be the corners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">NOTE:
k3tog: slip 2 sts knit-wise, k1, pass slipped sts over.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> This makes a nicely defined ridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When 2 sts remain on each dpn, ssk impr 4 times <i>(insert RH needle into first st knitwise,
into second st tbl, and knit both together as one)</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Break yarn, pull thread through remaining 4 sts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFReaYc3DKWxxhSlt-dcCwE6ljcbL6rnAg_cfIoFw4VHDAYhllnmsdubEx_oHrg8RHQo4OXhar8QBk4UmjKPM1P5Zfj3iV8LTa7NvY5rCJ_UMExvtGBmJUq4QQTkl9yhf6tpC8vEYIcBJ3/s1600/Octahedron+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFReaYc3DKWxxhSlt-dcCwE6ljcbL6rnAg_cfIoFw4VHDAYhllnmsdubEx_oHrg8RHQo4OXhar8QBk4UmjKPM1P5Zfj3iV8LTa7NvY5rCJ_UMExvtGBmJUq4QQTkl9yhf6tpC8vEYIcBJ3/s1600/Octahedron+%252810%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Make one more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cut and tack in card triangles (I used a Weetabix box).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjhYHDnEV4AZGZK4MNXOojRh8P-cRGFyd2zcDUUHkcwV6_yZeeLg3Da2Xoh3RE0A2HQ7ZTilizvW618STIeyzvMxBoVBFdxhvzT7jl7haBvsf1QBdxYpoJzJ-8a29LhoG5-z3k3OfroBA/s1600/Octahedron+%252813%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjhYHDnEV4AZGZK4MNXOojRh8P-cRGFyd2zcDUUHkcwV6_yZeeLg3Da2Xoh3RE0A2HQ7ZTilizvW618STIeyzvMxBoVBFdxhvzT7jl7haBvsf1QBdxYpoJzJ-8a29LhoG5-z3k3OfroBA/s1600/Octahedron+%252813%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sew base edges together to form octahedron.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Voila! A quick little project, just for fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvStKnRRA00u9d7_LwiCSH12lPNKqh9NIM7DSAOZwoZpnANkdHUUH3gWX6lFzXk_5-a0AbTrotDfCufAyO7u6nhd7E4XvfWrtl0y6hzZDfFYJo9QPzvP3TFuxCOdrFMTAIxEoIMjQfdpKB/s1600/Octahedron+%252816%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvStKnRRA00u9d7_LwiCSH12lPNKqh9NIM7DSAOZwoZpnANkdHUUH3gWX6lFzXk_5-a0AbTrotDfCufAyO7u6nhd7E4XvfWrtl0y6hzZDfFYJo9QPzvP3TFuxCOdrFMTAIxEoIMjQfdpKB/s1600/Octahedron+%252816%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I’ve mentioned before, I am going to need work
clothes, i.e. neat cardigans and jumpers – we all have our definitions, don’t
we? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I am setting out to make an adult version of the
Laura cardigan, in black cotton to begin with. There is nothing, really, to
show off just yet; I cast on for the neckline and realised it was going to be
too wide, and then I was distracted by the octahedron that needed some
reworking to become properly equilateral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Most of my reading this week is about Rome. I know,
didn’t see that one coming, did you? :o) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I read the rest of the Philippic Speeches of Cicero,
bringing events through the spring of 43 BCE to the point where words were not
enough anymore, and civil war was a reality. Again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Among the invectives against Marcus Antonius and his
brothers – Cicero calls Marcus ‘Spartacus’ (yes, the gladiator leader of the
slave rebellion in 73 – 71 BCE), refers to Lucius as a <i>myrmillon</i>, another type of gladiator, and repeatedly accuses Gaius
of extortion, greed and the like – is evidence that he well knew that his line
of politics could get him killed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Roman politics in general were violent: a basic
principle was presence and immediacy, and personal participation was crucial.
Proposals were made in speeches in front of the Senate, with the Curia doors
open to the outside so that people could hear what was going on. Sometimes one
speech was made to the Senate and then another one to the People. Voting was
done by physically moving to one side of the hall; the people lined up outside and
voted, often immediately, on pressing matters. At times, fights and mini-riots
broke out in the crowds; magistrates were shoved and beaten and pelted with
stones, physically prevented from protesting or from speaking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Going up against powerful and violent adversaries was,
of course, dangerous, and so, playing an active part in the upper echelons of
political society always held the risk of death or exile. Cicero knew this
well: he was exiled temporarily in 58, and this situation was even more
critical. Indeed, at this point in time, soon after the murder of Caesar,
everyone was freshly aware of how lethal politics could be. Some preferred to
seek neutral ground and stay out of the fray, but most of the patricians
adhered to their noble ancestry and the inherited sense of honour and courage
in the face of danger: they would rather face an honourable death than
ignominious compromise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Roman religion was, as Roman life in general, divided
into the private and the public spheres: every official act, be it a meeting of
the Senate, a People’s Assembly, an election, a declaration of war, a battle –
all were preceded by the taking of auspices. Signs and omens were observed or
actively sought and then interpreted; if Jupiter thundered in the skies, there
could not be an assembly, because that was regarded as a sign of divine displeasure.
Thus, auspices were an integral part of politics, and priests were elected from
the same body of men as magistrates and military leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Privately, a Roman would sacrifice to his – or her –
Lares, household gods, visit various temples or shrines to barter with
whichever divinity might give them what they wanted. This was a practical
affair, usually described by the phrase <i>do
ut des</i>: ‘I give so that you will give’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For more spiritual needs, one would turn to
philosophy, choosing one or a mix of the Greek schools. Stoicism, Cynicism,
Epicureanism – take your pick. The benefit of these (I know this is hugely
simplified and could easily fill a whole book – or several) was reconciliation
with the tumult of life and the prospect of death. Attempting to be less
dependent on worldly joys, wealth, comfort, and status, would have been helpful
in an uncertain milieu of political assassinations, external & civil wars
and proscription.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cicero was an elected augur, a taker of auspices, as
well as a philosophical writer, having – in the years when he was practically
excluded from political life – read and translated a number of philosophical texts.
To render abstract Greek terms into Latin, he invented a number of words that
we know and use today, such as <i>qualitas,
quantitas, essentia</i>: quality, quantity, and essence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Several times during the Philippic Speeches, Cicero
returns to the theme that his life may be – and it certainly was – in danger
because of his outspokenness against Marcus Antonius; he concludes that he has
lived long enough and accomplished enough to ensure his reputation, and thus,
he is ready to die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, it is one thing to say this and quite another to
live it, so to speak. One could be forgiven for not completely trusting Cicero’s
own words, edited by himself after speaking and before publishing, about his
courage. But the accounts of Cicero’s death show him accepting his fate with
equanimity, calmly stretching his head out of the wagon when Marcus Antonius’
henchmen caught up with him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cicero was killed in December 43, 63 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am still reading <i>The
First Man in Rome</i> by Colleen McCullough, the first book in the series <i>Masters of Rome</i>. The ‘First Man’ of the
title is Gaius Marius who rose from being an outsider to being virtually the
leader of Rome – though not quite, as the phrase implies, a <i>primus inter pares</i>: first among equals.
Marius was a <i>homo novus</i>, a new man
not belonging to any of the old patrician or plebeian families of the city
proper. So many members of the old families refused to recognise him as a
worthy participant in the political game; and yet, he managed to be elected
consul no less than seven times. Under normal rules, this would only be
possible if a man lived to be over 100 years old: the minimum age was 42, and
ten years had to pass between two terms as consul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But Marius was elected – <i>in absentia</i>, no less – in five consecutive years. The reason why he
was away from Rome, and why he was needed to stay in power, was the threat of a
huge Germanic invasion: about 800,000 people from three tribes had wandered
Europe for decades and wanted a nice, warm homeland instead of going back north
to where they came from. And Marius was the only military leader capable of organising
the repulsion and defeat of this river of bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s not at all because the book is boring that it’s
taking me so long – it is a long book, nearly 900 pages, and I can’t read for
four hours a day, no matter what Stephen King says (which is: read four hours a
day and write four hours a day), at least not in a single book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And besides, I need to re-read the beginners’ book I
am going to inflict on my students soon. This is a Danish set of two books, one
containing texts, glossary, and texts in Danish on the realia in the Latin
text; and a second book containing all of the grammar, morphology, syntax, and
exercises. It is called <i>Vita Romana</i>,
the Roman Life; and as it is out of print, we’ve had it scanned so that the
students can print it themselves. This, of course, leaves all of us with a
bunch of papers, but never mind. The students can write notes in the margins
without any worries, so that is all well and good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The progression in the texts is logical and well-founded;
of course they will have a steep learning curve, but that never killed anybody,
so I am not worried. Yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the listening front, I am continuing with two books
I have mentioned already: <i>Age of
Innocence</i> on <a href="http://crafting-a-life.com/craftlit/" target="_blank">CraftLit</a>, read in the mellow tones of Brenda Dayne (of Cast On
podcast fame), and commented on by the ever erudite Heather Ordover. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Once in a while, I get to listen to a section of <i>A Tale For the Time Being</i> by Ruth Ozeki,
the story of the writer Ruth who finds a parcel washed ashore near her home in
British Columbia, that turns out to contain the diary of a 16-year old Japanese
girl, Nao. The narrative follows Ruth, as she reads the diary, interspersed
with her investigations of the facts presented in it – if they are facts – and her
use of this investigation to procrastinate the writing of her own memoir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ruth’s husband, Oliver, and the cat, Pest or Pesto,
play their own parts in the unfolding of the mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The reason why I only intermittently listen to <i>A Tale For the Time Being</i> is that it is
one of the Audible swaps from my sister, and those I cannot move into my phone;
I have to listen from the laptop. So, I usually have several audio books running,
when I’m not catching up on podcasts: one on the laptop for sitting down and
knitting (or, when I’m home alone, I can listen via speakers), and one on the
phone for on-the-go listening. I have gathered a collection of them to listen
to, via the app, while driving to and from Aarhus, about an hour each way,
three times a week during the semester.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Right now, though, I am back with Shakespeare and the ChopBard
podcast, a bunch of episodes from 2010 dealing with <i>The Tempest</i>. And once again, I highly recommend this podcast to
anyone interested in Shakespeare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Tempest</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> is the play set on
the island with the magician and his daughter, the spirit servant and the
convict – and the shipwreck in the beginning, caused by, well, the tempest. I
have never read or seen this play before, so I have no idea how it unfolds, let
alone ends. The names Prospero, Miranda, Ariel and Caliban, though, have
filtered through into the pool of often heard but never properly known names of
Shakespeare characters, so it is good to finally get the back story to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that’s it for now – I will be back next week with
more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Until then: have a great week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-57191244206823952942013-08-18T11:58:00.000-07:002013-08-18T12:00:22.438-07:00Knits, knits, knits<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, we have a lot of knitting talk, and some book talk. I have been
writing my August microstory and done some pattern writing, as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, school has started – Monday morning saw all of the
naught-to-ninth graders back, including a very tired Victor who had to go more
or less straight from four intense days of music to the everyday humdrum of
school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thomas, being a third-year of the <i>gymnasium</i> now, had a few rituals to follow: it appears that they
have to party on the night before the first day of school, and that the first-years
need hazing – just a bit, and the school has forbidden the customary throwing of
water on the poor kids. Only glitter is allowed, which of course kept no-one
from carrying cans of spray-on hair dye as well. So, for a couple of days, the
streets of Viborg (and many other places, I’m sure) saw a lot of young people
sporting uncharacteristically multi-coloured hair. And glitter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, the knitting section includes advertising! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the interest of full disclosure: I heard about this
on <a href="http://crafting-a-life.com/craftlit/?page_id=6992" target="_blank">CraftLit</a> – so if you’re a listener, you know already – and this chat earns
me a spot in the giveaway. So, I have not seen this book in real life, but
obviously, I hope to get a copy. Anyway, here goes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The lovely Andi Smith, a.k.a. knitbrit on Ravelry, has
made a gorgeous sock book for everybody whose feet are not standard-sized.
Which means, well, everybody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The title of the book is <i><a href="https://www.cooperativepress.com/products-page/books/big-foot-knits-2/" target="_blank">Big Foot Knits</a></i>, but it is really for big feet, little feet, wide
feet, narrow feet, large ankles, long ankles, skinny legs, <s>fat</s> muscular
calves – like me! – and everything in between, in whatever combination of
features YOU have. So, if you knit socks, for yourself or others, this is a
book for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The book contains a method for measuring, calculating,
&c, to make the sock fit the foot exactly. You can rest assured, too, that
the explanations are straightforward and thorough: Andi has a child with autism
and thus a LOT of practice in breaking down complex explanations into
manageable bites (believe me, I know the drill ...).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And all of the 12 pretty sock patterns are named for
goddesses – how can you not love that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, let’s see if I get a copy – otherwise I’ll just
have to shell out. Because I want this book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Nice sockses, my precious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And while we’re at it (advertising, that is): I
finally published my lace shawl that I have been going on about for months,
while knitting, writing, editing, fixing errors found by my sister, and knitting
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I present to you the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bequin" target="_blank">Bequin</a> shawl:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NBMoCrV8yWZJHvM8zcTQcwvZJTyIlASqoqbH1KfIYTo2IrCLNlBMBrfmbB7__Mh_28lhgOIVWc1A82Ql3ks2QbTO2As0dCCxZzpPgQnEgy9tKeb4z4KxcxRklpfGrM24IMcdcjCEHCHa/s1600/Bequin+%252841%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NBMoCrV8yWZJHvM8zcTQcwvZJTyIlASqoqbH1KfIYTo2IrCLNlBMBrfmbB7__Mh_28lhgOIVWc1A82Ql3ks2QbTO2As0dCCxZzpPgQnEgy9tKeb4z4KxcxRklpfGrM24IMcdcjCEHCHa/s1600/Bequin+%252841%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbiUnKIdR89UEhveBPJD8_vt6sAe3Fj8TXpkmytrlllxOgB7KQcVHDNab0HNg4gbtWEFsCqjBUdi3wl0WekTmmKTK3XQP2bqDUjgwP5N6-ka9flh8f0vNyc_0IEpBX8rj9Iric8rSqlei/s1600/Bequin+%252834%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbiUnKIdR89UEhveBPJD8_vt6sAe3Fj8TXpkmytrlllxOgB7KQcVHDNab0HNg4gbtWEFsCqjBUdi3wl0WekTmmKTK3XQP2bqDUjgwP5N6-ka9flh8f0vNyc_0IEpBX8rj9Iric8rSqlei/s1600/Bequin+%252834%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The name hails from a book, the <i>Eisenhorn</i> trilogy – or to be precise, the first book in that
trilogy – by Dan Abnett. I have mentioned these books before: they belong in
the Warhammer 40,000 universe, where ‘there is only war’ against Chaos, fought
by the representatives of the God-Emperor of Terra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The story is that the Imperial Inquisitor Eisenhorn
picks up a pleasure girl – not for his pleasure, mind you, as part of a case –
and soon after that, she accompanies him on an undercover job, dressed in a
porcelain blue dress and a cream-lace shawl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Of course, my first thought was if this shawl was
knitted and how it may look. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It wasn’t chosen by the girl, Alizebeth Bequin, but
inherited from Eisenhorn’s partner Lores Vibben who is killed in the first
scene of the book. So, which kind of lace shawl would an Imperial Inquisitor
(or Inquisitrix) choose for herself? Nothing frilly or even remotely
doily-like; feminine but cool. Hence the regular stitch pattern, the parallel
lines of the faggoting, set into the geometric shapes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It may have a complicated look, but it is really quite
simple to knit, a succession of yarnovers paired with decreases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And it seems to be popular on Ravelry – relatively,
nowhere near Hitchhiker or Color Affection level, but still.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’m pleased, anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The birthday knit for Laura is done and delivered; it
is now Sunday evening, and I am posting pictures on Ravelry and here of the
<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/laura" target="_blank">Laura</a> cardigan:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCeofLm8Avm9EdJvacFcX3BAAZU2FNdhKZc2Muvc34rTXyKDUmPUKd-UWJyQoarcRLN8fR9nwMBnrHl5Ged8OWuHyZE3jUW1kjTRniacOcExoK9w9IPBsvNbm9fxsEYpKjX7yuQsyl-Y4/s1600/Laura+%252827%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCeofLm8Avm9EdJvacFcX3BAAZU2FNdhKZc2Muvc34rTXyKDUmPUKd-UWJyQoarcRLN8fR9nwMBnrHl5Ged8OWuHyZE3jUW1kjTRniacOcExoK9w9IPBsvNbm9fxsEYpKjX7yuQsyl-Y4/s1600/Laura+%252827%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgypztacaz9jHpy7DyPVH6OvDLCKaUQYVIsP9P36GcqWFbnA9Il5t60wmx69wYMBr70chZxDRQHQt_lp0ZVoP078Bh2PnVSn751mhcQUG470Cw5VD0pE0ckuPRzCdbo5k87poc-gdQQAI/s1600/Laura+%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgypztacaz9jHpy7DyPVH6OvDLCKaUQYVIsP9P36GcqWFbnA9Il5t60wmx69wYMBr70chZxDRQHQt_lp0ZVoP078Bh2PnVSn751mhcQUG470Cw5VD0pE0ckuPRzCdbo5k87poc-gdQQAI/s1600/Laura+%252825%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, before you shout at me for being lazy and not
coming up with a hobbit name, let me hasten to inform you that Laura is, in
fact, the name of Bilbo Baggins’ paternal grandmother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsBl_dIc_lCwF977pIOjFl4XvJMwmMfH23K-wo4n41VNchfzU2Elu9b7CT1IB8ObQx6ViV5luSF1kxheWa3lIopWcmLtQ5Kqa8tgEIbCm35euQnIzw1qC619vrKZBktOkjKuIOYc1Q2H4/s1600/Barbie+Laura+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsBl_dIc_lCwF977pIOjFl4XvJMwmMfH23K-wo4n41VNchfzU2Elu9b7CT1IB8ObQx6ViV5luSF1kxheWa3lIopWcmLtQ5Kqa8tgEIbCm35euQnIzw1qC619vrKZBktOkjKuIOYc1Q2H4/s1600/Barbie+Laura+%25289%2529.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Laura had wished for – among other things – 20 Barbie
dolls; I found her a beach girl and decided that she would need more clothes,
wearing only a bikini. The two other Barbies she got are accompanied by horses and dressed accordingly. The beach Barbie, though, has bigger a.k.a. more natural feet, which I am quite pleased with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ravelry has, not surprisingly, lots of doll clothes,
including links to a Swedish site, </span><a href="http://stickatillbarbie.se/" style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">stickatillbarbie.se</a><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, featuring more than
1,000 outfits, all for free. The patterns are generally available in Swedish,
English, Danish, German, French and some in even more languages.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I ended up devising <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/barbie-laura-dress" target="_blank">something</a> matching the cardigan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe Barbie will need something for everyday wear,
too – apart from ball gowns and riding clothes.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am still reading the Philippic speeches of Cicero along
with <i>The First Man in Rome</i> by Colleen
McCullough. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This last century of the Republic was bloody to an
extent that can be hard to fathom. Cicero mentions in one of his speeches from
43 BCE that he has lived through five civil wars: three in the 80’s, the one
between Caesar and Pompey in the early 40’s, and this one between Marcus Antonius
and the Senate. The clashes back in the 80’s between Sulla and Sulpicius, Cinna
and Octavius, Marius and Sulla, had their origin in part in the war of the
Italian Allies in the 90’s, and all entailed proscriptions of thousands of
Roman senators and knights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And some of the troubles with the Italian Allies
sprang from their dissatisfaction with the Roman habit of enlisting men for the
legions, more and more forcibly, to fight on various fronts: Africa, Spain, the
Germans who struck terror into the hearts of all Romans – and for good reason.
Before 100 BCE, Italia had almost run out of men; farms were left untended,
widows struggled to feed fatherless children, while whole legions were cut down
by barbaric hordes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, wars external and internal, the slave rebellion
led by Spartacus in 73-71, bitter in-fighting among the upper class to protect
their privileges against any <i>homo novus</i>,
new man, who might come and claim his share of the power and glory. As Gaius
Marius did, and later Cicero. And against any member of an old family who might
challenge the wealth and possessions of the rich by giving some to the poor. As
the brothers Gracchus did – they were both killed in action, so to speak,
murdered while performing their duties as representatives of the People.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This was not an easy time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Men bearing the same names crop up in both sets of
events, the 100’s and 44-43 BCE; the younger ones being the sons or grandsons or
nephews of the elder. The Roman habit of naming the eldest son after his father
does not help a lot to avoid confusion. This is, of course, a lesson in itself:
the same families were at the top of the political system for centuries on end,
so of course the same few <i>nomina gentis</i>
– family names – and <i>cognomina</i> –
surnames – will appear multiple times within the turbulences of a single
century. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Caecilius Metellus, Domitius Ahenobarbus, Julius
Caesar, Aurelius Cotta, Cornelius Scipio, Claudius Appius, Aemilius Scaurus
&c: all these names are found again and again, with only first names and
maybe extra surnames to distinguish one from the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A note on names: girls in Roman families were
designated as belonging to their family rather than having individual names.
Thus, the aunts, the sisters, and the daughter of Gaius Julius Caesar were all named
Julia; Caesar’s mother was an Aurelia, daughter of Lucius Aurelius Cotta, and
girls from the families mentioned above would be Caecilias and Cornelias and
Claudias. Of course, they had nicknames; Marcus Junius Brutus’ youngest sister
was known as Tertia, the third. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This apparent lack of individuality can seem shocking;
but, as I mentioned before, boys were named for their fathers, and thus a
family typically used two or maybe three names for their sons, generation after
generation. The Caesars were Gaius, Sextus, or Lucius; the Antonius family used
Marcus for centuries, until the actions of Marcus Antonius after the murder of
Caesar (I wrote about some of these last week) made them decide never to use
that first name again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Indeed, there were so few names for boys that abbreviations
were unambiguous: M. is always Marcus, C. is Gaius (because it was originally
the Etruscan Caius), L. is Lucius, &c. Easy peasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">While knitting lace this week, I listened to <i>Great Tales from English History vol. II</i>
by Robert Lacey (no pun intended) and read by the author. This is – well, it
pretty much does what it says on the tin: well-known, popular stories about
historical persons and events are explained inside their historical framework.
So, this is history made approachable by story-telling; the titles of chapters recall
mnemonic rhymes, children’s stories, &c.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thus ‘Divorced, Beheaded, Died’ and ‘Divorced,
Beheaded, Survived’ are about, of course, the wives of Henry VIII; ‘Five-Eleven’
regards the actions of Guy Fawkes and his group – and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Recently, I listened to an interview with the Japanese-Canadian
writer Ruth Ozeki on the Guardian Books Podcast, about her book <i>A Tale For the Time Being</i>. This was a
good way to have the book introduced, to get a feel for what it is before
reading or listening to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A Japanese girl, Nao, writes a diary inside a ‘hacked’
copy of Proust’s <i>A la Recherche du Temps
Perdu</i> – and the Japanese-Canadian writer Ruth finds the diary on the beach
by her home in British Columbia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The book is read by the author herself, which is often
brilliant – one detail that I love is that neither Ruth nor Nao speak perfect
French; but while Ruth merely pronounces the title of Proust’s book with an
American accent, Nao rather butchers it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’m only a couple of hours into the 14-hour book, so
there’s a lot I can’t discuss yet. But I like it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Time is a central theme; Nao writes in her diary
something like ‘I reach into the future to touch you [the reader], and you
reach into the past to touch me’. Also, I’m guessing, it is no coincidence that
the hacked book that is turned into a diary is about the search for lost time –
all of which leads me to wonder about Nao’s name that does sound very much like
‘now’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ll have to get back to you on that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, this is it for this week! I do hope you have a
great week; I will be back – on Saturday, next time, as the whole of my Sunday
is booked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Stay happy, stay healthy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-65916382633547687192013-08-11T11:26:00.001-07:002013-08-11T11:31:17.515-07:00Back To School<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I will run a quick update on our goings-on;
there is a little bit of knitting, but no pics just yet; and rather more about
the death throes of the Roman Republic in the 1<sup>st</sup> century BCE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For some, at least, this week has seen a return to the
everyday routine of getting up early and packing oneself off to work or school.
Mostly, the schools start next week – tomorrow, that is – and that is it for
the summer holidays. The weather is following suit, being cooler, windy, and
alternately rainy and sunny. Typical Danish summer weather, in other words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And so begins another academic year; and it is time
for an update. Some of you know me & my boys already, others do not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Andreas, my eldest, is 19 now and this week embarking
on his third and final year of AspIT, an IT education for young people with
Asperger’s. During this year, he will be doing quite a bit of work training to
help him decide which area he wants to work in – for him, it will be either
Visualisation: building websites, or Technical hardware something-or-other:
building and repairing computers and servers and whatnot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thomas is 17, going on 18 and thus starting lessons
for his driver’s licence. And, on the side, starting next week, his third and
final year of the <i>gymnasium</i> (upper
secondary / high school); he is taking the arts & language line, with
English and Spanish as his main languages, and German and Latin, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Victor just turned 15; he is, also next week, heading
into his final year of school, 9<sup>th</sup> grade, and along with that, the
Talent Programme for guitar. This week, actually, Thursday to Sunday, he has
done the summer course for youngsters at the Music Academy in Aarhus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And me? I’m preparing to go back to teaching, this
time at the University in Aarhus. Two classes in Latin for beginners ... that
should be interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Last time I taught Latin, it was to hordes of 16-year-olds
who mostly didn’t have a clue why they were there, except that their schedule
told them to go to that room at that time, or why they needed Latin, or why
indeed they should care about anything I said, when the grades they got for the
brief course did not count. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Not that I am bitter about the school reform or the
way it <s>murdered</s> treated Latin. Not a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, having students who are at least three years older
and presumably have some idea why they have chosen to study Latin at university
can only be an improvement. Oh, and two classes are fewer than eight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I still have a few weeks to go, as the semester doesn’t
start until September, but there is a bunch of practical stuff that needs
sorting out. I went in on Thursday after dropping Victor off at the Music Academy,
for a meeting with my friend George who was my classmate back in 1991, when we,
young and innocent, entered into the world of academia, and is now more or less
my supervisor. Not in the sense that he can tell me what to do, but in the
sense that I can ask him about stuff and he helps me out. For one thing, I will
have a part-time <s>slave</s> instructor, so I wanted to find out to what use such
a one can be put.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As you will have noticed, if you’ve been here before:
I have tidied the Basket a bit. I wanted a cleaner overall look, and on the
right you can now find links to the stories I put up now and again. It is still
under construction, and I want to make a page with links to patterns, and
probably sort the story page a bit more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have finished knitting the much-mentioned lace shawl:
now, it is soaking before being blocked, and then I will take pretty pictures,
go through the pattern one more time, and release the Kraken. Or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The birthday knit for Laura is coming along very
nicely. As yet, there is no reason to panic that it might not be finished in
time; the time being next Sunday, her birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">See, not a lot of knitting talk this time, even though
I have been knitting. I promise, next time there will be more. And pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, this week I finished two audio books: <i>Dickens – A Life</i> by Claire Tomalin, and <i>The Mouse in the Mountain</i> by Norbert
Davis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The latter can be found on the <a href="http://hcforgottenclassics.blogspot.dk/p/the-library-complete-episodes-listing.html" target="_blank">Forgotten Classics</a>
podcast, hosted by the mellow-voiced Julie who reads various books that are old
enough to be in the public domain, and not very well known (hence the title of
the show, I guess). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Interspersed between book episodes are shorter
episodes, Lagniappes (and I learned a new word: lagniappe comes via American
French from American Spanish <i>la ñapa</i> and
ultimately from Quechua <i>yapa</i> meaning
a something extra you get with a purchase – what they nowadays call a ‘free
gift’, but this word is so much better!) containing, say, a short story, or an
excerpt from something interesting. I have been catching up on Lagniappes,
listening to, among other things, two Jeeves & Wooster stories; which was
fun, as Victor has been watching the Fry & Laurie series recently (he got
them for his birthday), and the reader sometimes sounds almost like Hugh Laurie
when doing Wooster. I say almost, for he (the reader) is obviously American and
does not sound quite English, though he does a good job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Dickens biography I have gone over at length; I
won’t tire you with more of that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My next audio book is a Danish one: <i>Kvindernes Krig</i> /<i> The Women’s War</i>, written by a female language & communications
officer, Anne-Cathrine Riebnitzsky, about her work in the Helmand province in
Afghanistan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a true story about dust and soldiers and IEDs and
women struggling for their rights and their lives against the religiously
motivated oppression of the Taliban, as well as the everyday culturally based
oppression of poverty, domestic violence, illiteracy, and general ignorance
about themselves and the world. Don’t get me wrong, I am not implying that
Afghan women – or men – are stupid or backward, only that their country has
been wrecked by war for so long that skills and knowledge have been forgotten;
and the Taliban will do their damndest to keep it that way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The women whom ‘AC’ worked with in 2007-8 wanted
independence, to be able to earn their own money, to be pretty, to read, to
learn English. They wished for police and judges who were not corrupt; for
girls to not be married off at 12 or 10 or 8; for their children to go to
school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Such a report from a woman who has actually been
there, talked with the women, worked to help them with various projects, is
hugely interesting and useful, not least to us Danish civilians. The debate in
this country about our military presence in other places tends to focus on the
perceived unreasonableness of Danish soldiers being maimed and killed, and of
even having a military presence anywhere. A lot of people who should know
better need a reminder that there is actually very valuable work being done by
Danish military forces, in conjunction with not least the British, and that the
soldiers going out there know the score. They, and their families, deserve the
admiration and respect of the rest of us, no less than the admiration and respect
they are given by the people they work to help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My ongoing Latin reading project has me still reading
Colleen McCullough’s <i>Masters of Rome</i>
series, and still, even, the first book, <i>The
First Man in Rome</i>. This will last me a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After reading Caesar and the biography (mentioned last
week), I decided it would be fitting to read Cicero’s so-called Philippic
Speeches, held in the period between the murder of Caesar – that happened on the
Ides of March, 15<sup>th</sup> March 44 BCE – and the murder of Cicero himself
in December 43 BCE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Just a reminder: Marcus Tullius Cicero was born in 106
BCE in Arpinum outside of Rome and was, like Gaius Marius, a <i>homo novus</i>, one of the very few to come
from outside the old families and attain consular status. So, he was a
statesman, a politician; he was a brilliant speaker, which was part of the
reason for his success in politics, and led a number of people to request his
help in various court cases. Professional lawyers were not invented, so proceedings
before the magistrates or courts were regarded as services to friends, favours
that could later be called in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cicero was a philosopher, too, and performed a huge
task for the Latin language and Roman philosophy by translating the works of Greek
philosophers, thereby developing new words and turns of phrase and rendering
schools of thought accessible to a new group of people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">44 BCE – and several years to come – was a time of
chaos, when everybody was scrabbling to fill the void left by Caesar and
discovered that the Republic did not automatically restore itself once the
tyrant was gone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The ‘liberators’ had failed to make plans beyond the
stabbing itself, which left room for Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony) to reach in
and grab for the reins. He quickly secured Caesar’s papers (and his secretary) and
proceeded to have the Senate recognise not only Caesar’s proper <i>acta</i>, his laws & decisions, but also
half-thought-out notes and even Marcus Antonius’ own plans, claimed to be
Caesar’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This was done after the Senate had found itself
compromising over the legitimacy of the murder: if Caesar had been a tyrant,
then the slaying was just and legal and even necessary – but in that case, all
of his <i>acta</i> were to be deemed
illegitimate, and a lot of the senators held their positions and their restored
fortunes thanks to Caesar. So nobody really wanted that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the other hand, they did not want to condemn the 60
senators who had participated in the plot to kill Caesar, as that would mean
civil war, and they had just had one of those, between Caesar and Pompey / the Pompeians
in 49 – 46 BCE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, in the end, the ‘republicans’, the killers of
Caesar, received an amnesty, and the <i>acta</i>
of Caesar were allowed to stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cicero had tried for years to play the role of the
wise philosopher guiding the men in power, first attempting – without any
success – to reconcile Caesar and Pompey, who both wanted his advice and
support. Now, he at first rejoiced in the removal of the threat to his beloved
Republic, believing, it seems, that it would right itself. Nobody was,
apparently, able to comprehend that the Republic was already dead, and that
now, it was a matter of which one ruler Rome was to have. He eagerly advocated
that Marcus Antonius be removed, as well, recognising the threat that he, too,
posed to the resurrection of the proper order.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That did not happen, though, and Marcus Antonius
proceeded to embezzle the funds that Caesar had set aside for his planned
campaign against the Parthians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After leaving Rome in early April to travel to Greece,
Cicero returned when rumours reached him of Marcus Antonius being approachable,
and between September 44 and April 43 BCE, he worked against this would-be heir
to Caesar’s power in 14 speeches to the Senate and people of Rome. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In April 43 BCE, even Cicero had to realise that words
were not enough, that civil war was coming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The two designated consuls were both killed in battle against
Marcus Antonius during this month; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Octavian (the grand-nephew whom Caesar had adopted in
his will and made his heir) demanded to be elected consul in July, but only
succeeded in August, when he led his army towards Rome; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">the amnesty for the killers of Caesar was revoked; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">in November, a triumvirate was formed by Marcus
Antonius, Octavian and Lepidus (who was only there to make up the number), and
they immediately proceeded to proscriptions; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">in December, Cicero was killed while wavering over
whether to flee or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This was not the end of the troubles: the leaders of
the conspiracy to kill Caesar, Cassius and (Marcus) Brutus, were defeated in
October 42 BCE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Then, Marcus Antonius and Octavian went on to fight
each other, until Octavian won in 31 BCE, and Marcus Antonius committed suicide
together with Cleopatra of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, 13 years of war followed the murder of Caesar, and
in the end, Rome had the Emperor Augustus (Octavian’s new name). So much for
saving the Republic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And on this happy note, I will leave you for now. I
will be back next week, and until then: have a great week: keep happy, keep
healthy, keep crafting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-72144374761376983282013-08-04T10:18:00.000-07:002013-08-05T00:34:17.250-07:00Publish or perish<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I plan to be completely insufferable,
bragging about my accomplishments in various fields. So, consider yourself
warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Would you believe it, it is still summer here – though
what was threatening to become the driest July ever (or something) was
cancelled in the nick of time, on the 30<sup>th,</sup> with thunder, rain, hail
and sunshine all at once. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the popular saying about the weather on someone’s
birthday reflecting that person’s behaviour, good or bad, during the previous
year, came into effect, as Victor turned 15 that day. We agreed, though, that
the bad part of it was caused by the leader of the right-wing Danish People’s
Party ... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And it was still warm enough that we could sit
outdoors at the restaurant in the evening, with my parents, my sister &
brother-in-law, and the niblings running around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The next day offered more rain (let’s not blame J. K.
Rowling for that!) – and then Friday turned out to be the hottest day of the
summer, with temperatures over 30° C in several places, and followed by what is
termed a ‘tropical night’, during which the temperature does not drop below 20°.
And true enough, it was 21° at 7.30 Saturday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All in all, I have been practising my hot weather
running – in theory, I should probably get my, um, self out of bed much earlier
to run, but ... not really happening. So the Saturday morning run was tough: 22°,
luckily with a stiff breeze, but still, I went in search of the shade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am beginning to look forward to the crisp September
air – though when it comes, autumn and rain and darkness won’t be far off, so I’ll
probably be grumbling about that. So it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Last week, I told you about the July Short Story
contest in the Fiction Writers’ Guild on LinkedIn – well, the votes have been
counted, and my story came in 3<sup>rd</sup> out of the thirty stories! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That was surprising, and gratifying, and somewhat worrying;
I have to ignore all that when writing next month’s story and not expect
anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> Anyway, here it
is, so you can judge for yourself:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All
In A Day’s Work<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
wake up soaked in sweat. The light filtering in speaks of morning, though the
alarm clock by my bed insists that it is only 4:18. Nothing unusual in that:
this is summer, the white nights when the sun sets for only a few hours and it
never gets really dark. I struggle out of the damp, clinging sheet and push the
window further open, hoping for a cool dawn breeze. But no, the air is as still
and arid as it has been for several weeks now, and even the birds, normally so
annoyingly bright and cheerful at this hour, seem mugged.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
decide to get in my morning run before the temperature rises any higher, so I
get into the smallest possible running gear that is still decent, drink as much
water as I can stomach, and set out.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
run every day; in my line of work, running is not a fashionable leisure
activity, but a survival skill. I would rather not begin to count the number of
times I have been saved by my ability to run away from someone or something
nasty that wanted to do unspeakable things to me – and I am not being Victorian
here, I really do mean unspeakable.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Quite
a few other runners are out and about this early, working around the altered
weather conditions. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We
are all trying to adapt, Vikings getting used to a tropical life – well, not
tropical, exactly, the last few winters have been exceptionally cold, with
frost and masses of snow lasting well into April. Then a sudden, short spring
sets in, and summer right on its heels. The meteorologists have had to come up
with a new definition of ‘heat wave’; the old one consisting of three days in a
row over 28° C has become a joke, when we have temperatures well into the
thirties for weeks on end, months even. And droughts to rival the Australian
outback.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And
today is The Day, Friday the 13<sup>th</sup> of July, when everything has to be
resolved or the world go to hell in a handbasket. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It
is going to be a long day.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When
I return, a black cat is sitting on the garden fence glaring at me. ‘Hello,
Shadow,’ I say. No reply. He is understandably put out by my blatant
selfishness in not feeding him before going out. I point out that he wasn’t
around, but he refuses to speak to me until I have given him a whole tin of
tuna.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Yes,
I know, I’m a cliché: a witch with a talking black cat. So sue me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After
a cool shower and a big mug of coffee, I set about gathering the appropriate
spells and ingredients for today’s work. Shadow, with the sense of occasion so
peculiar to cats, paws at my knitting, but gives it up when I ignore him. I
cannot be bothered about losing a woollen sock right now. The circle at the
bottom of my garden needs to be fortified, so that’s where I’ll begin.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A
circle of smallish granite menhirs sits unobtrusively inside a copse of oak
trees, planted in concentric circles. Oaks are the strongest and most powerful
of trees, drawing ancient powers from the soil and storing them in their
massive boles. It is no coincidence that the Druids of Gaul and Britannia
revered the oak above all other trees.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And
I am going to need those powers to bind and hold the force that is causing this
havoc to our climate. For I know now what it is: a Khaos being, an incorporeal
will using its temporary liberty only to disrupt and destroy – not from any
active malevolence or ill will towards mankind, mind you, just for the kicks.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wearing
nothing but a loose-flowing silk robe – even that feels like a fur coat today –
I trace the inner circumference of the menhirs with salt, leaving a small
opening. Next, I trace the outer circumference in the same manner, weaving
binding spells into the lines. I place a silver bowl in the centre of the
multiple circles and with my silver athame cut open my left palm. I let my
blood drip into the bowl and then wrap a cloth around my hand: no drop must be
allowed to fall on the ground inside or outside of the circle. I step out
carefully, closing first the inner and then the outer salt circles with locking
spells. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Only
blood will summon the Khaos creature; salt and stone and oak will hold it. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
hope.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When
I begin the summoning chant, smoke rises from the bowl of blood; wispy at
first, but gradually, it grows into a thick, spiralling column, reeking darkly of
gore and rot. The Khaos being resists the summoning, fights against the
binding. My muscles ache, my joints feel like they are on fire. Still, I chant.
The spell must not be broken before the binding is complete.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After
what feels like days, the howling of the smoke subsides, and the column itself
dwindles down to a puddle inside the bowl. I feel the grip on me relax, and I
have to work not to sink into a puddle myself. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
tremble and then realise that it is the ground beneath me: the granite menhirs
are shaken, begin to sway and then topple inwards, crumbling. All around me,
the massive oaks are swaying and groaning. I manage to pick myself up and run,
away from the circle, before the innermost ring of oaks creaking and cracking
fall on top of the stone debris.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When
the rumbling stops, a dust cloud hovers over a jumbled pile of stone and wood,
slowly settling in the still, dry midday air.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Exhausted,
I have another cool shower and a nap. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I
wake up covered in goosebumps. A cool afternoon breeze carries the scent of
rain into my room.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">© 2013
Dorthe Møller Christensen<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">First, the patterns – I managed to finish <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/victor-5" target="_blank">Victor’s jumper </a>in time for his birthday, and even got the pattern up on Ravelry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYNLml4vOLzMJ8HAG9Q7TxaxCAB6my3d37SCN84A56vP85hj7u8fmNj2O9v4IAFQGoys7yDgaqBhcLBOpBIHLz6_Of4YAMjwUj1ZlxGZec_zhT7pbugxVGqEkhZwvypk1fo05lG4zBSEk/s1600/Victor+%252821%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYNLml4vOLzMJ8HAG9Q7TxaxCAB6my3d37SCN84A56vP85hj7u8fmNj2O9v4IAFQGoys7yDgaqBhcLBOpBIHLz6_Of4YAMjwUj1ZlxGZec_zhT7pbugxVGqEkhZwvypk1fo05lG4zBSEk/s1600/Victor+%252821%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too hot for wool, but he performed nicely :o)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And just to continue the self-promotion: the pattern
for the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elanor-2" target="_blank">Elanor</a> cardigan is finally done and published; I threw in the little <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elanor-hat" target="_blank">hat</a>
pattern for free. Not surprisingly, the free pattern had 64 downloads after
less than a day, while the paid-for cardigan had several ‘faves’ (little pink
hearts), but no sales as yet.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-HJRzpKehDRFiJNxTuD5Sr0D9DXb0knA-NdZS6yQI933hyphenhyphenUu8LUiy0jMopZSHRdQXVcSsiIsuIq0fQi0vuaEY3r1NHuj6gRE1vcOtjiYD-lEuNh8tXsOyfm4upW0JeErj_4jHasGNlpf/s1600/Elanor+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-HJRzpKehDRFiJNxTuD5Sr0D9DXb0knA-NdZS6yQI933hyphenhyphenUu8LUiy0jMopZSHRdQXVcSsiIsuIq0fQi0vuaEY3r1NHuj6gRE1vcOtjiYD-lEuNh8tXsOyfm4upW0JeErj_4jHasGNlpf/s1600/Elanor+%252811%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The obvious part here is, of course, that the free
stuff is downloaded more than the paid-for, not that I take the popularity of
my stuff for granted.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Oh, and I don't think I've mentioned the provenance of the name: Elanor the Fair is the first-born daughter of Master Samwise Gamgee.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwkWeAIT-6MEukzFT3dpXOQkpzneT8bTsFAmpSQGmELHz5OzQftyPqh-zWBRHwDQGJxXGL28kV-ryHtVlGeSKkgFNhXFr-_CzFybGr-i3Oyq6dHOK5YcMqSWio9e-mWb5Z1vz6sspl7V_/s1600/Elanor+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwkWeAIT-6MEukzFT3dpXOQkpzneT8bTsFAmpSQGmELHz5OzQftyPqh-zWBRHwDQGJxXGL28kV-ryHtVlGeSKkgFNhXFr-_CzFybGr-i3Oyq6dHOK5YcMqSWio9e-mWb5Z1vz6sspl7V_/s1600/Elanor+%25287%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As far as knitting goes, I am working happily on the lace
shawl I mentioned last week, while checking the written pattern and its
translation for typos and correcting errors found by my sister.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s odd, the difference between improvising something
and working from a pattern, even your own pattern: while I was making it up, it
flowed organically, and I had to remember writing notes once in a while before
I forgot what I had been doing. Now, I read a line in the pattern, follow that,
and have to think about what is going on. Weird. But it is a pleasant knit, if
I may say so myself, and soon done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My other project right now is <i>something</i> for Laura, who will be 4 years old in two weeks exactly. More
on this later, as always.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, I still have a wish to decrease my number of wips;
so far, I finished one thing and cast on another. And I will be casting on more
things in the foreseeable future, as I will need some new nice jumpers and/or
cardigans for work – that’s my excuse, anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the Forgotten Classics podcast, I am listening to <i>The Mouse in the Mountain</i> by Norbert
Davis; this is my first encounter with the crime-fighting duo Doan &
Carstairs – or whatever their agenda may actually be. The story takes place in
Mexico in the 1940’s, during a sight-seeing trip to a picturesque village in
the mountains; murders ensue, and it remains to be seen how the fat detective
and his huge Great Dane will come out of it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If you like Agatha Christie mysteries and dogs, this may
be something for you; Carstairs is no Scooby-Doo, though he does have a
distinct personality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Over on CraftLit, <i>Age
of Innocence</i> by Edith Wharton is running, and I managed to get the first
five episodes in at one go – I was catching up on podcasts generally after <i>Canterbury Tales</i> and <i>Bleak House</i>. The story is set in New
York in the 1870’s, dealing with the rigid social structure in the upper class
and the narrow circles consisting of the ‘right’ families, in which it is difficult
to manoeuvre and nearly impossible to be accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wharton of course satirises over the shallow, but
stern dictates of the fashion – much like Dickens does in <i>Bleak House</i> – and at the same time keeps a watchful and caring eye
on the victims of these constraints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">By the laws of synchronicity, I have been reading about
the upper spheres of another society where name, family, and fortune were
all-important: ancient Rome. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One of the arguably oldest families, the Iulii, traced
their ancestry back to Iulus, the son of Aeneas and Lavinia, Aeneas being
himself the son of the goddess Venus. Quite a pedigree. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And the most famous of all Iulii was, of course, Gaius
Iulius Caesar, who in 44 BCE was murdered for – maybe – wanting to be king. He
did draw a worrying large number of offices and thus a large amount of power
into his one person, political, administrative, military, and religious power;
the senate and the people bestowed honours on him that befitted a god, and even
though he – in a possibly staged display – refused the crown, he did wield all
of the might of a monarch. So they killed him, to save the <i>res publica</i>, and what they got was chaos, civil war, and an
emperor. So it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, I have been reading <i>Caesar </i>by Peter Ørsted. Caesar is, of course, always hugely
interesting, whether you like him or not; he must have been a fascinating
person, charming and scary at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But this book, not so much. No doubt a lot of research
has gone into it: we get the history, the wars and politics, the system, and
lots of quotes from ancient historians and philosophers, including Cicero and
Caesar himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I found the tone too familiar; biography writing is
always personal, of course, since the biographer needs must find the subject
interesting, whether in a positive or a negative way. In this case, though, the
writer is too present; mostly so in the prologue that takes place in a small
town in Spain to which the writer has travelled in Caesar’s footsteps.
Scattered throughout the narrative are a lot of personal reflections, too many <i>I think</i>s – if you want to do that much
conjecture, write a novel. Really. And it seems somehow at least one round of
editing was forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So: great man, not so great book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Nevertheless, I felt inspired to re-read Colleen
McCullough’s series <i>Masters of Rome</i>,
beginning with <i>The First Man in Rome</i> –
who is not Caesar, but his uncle Gaius Marius. (Note the absence of a third
name, a <i>cognomen</i>: Marius was a
nobody, a <i>homo novus</i>, and one of the
very, very few of the kind to achieve the highest post in the Roman magistracy
and become consul. So, not really a nobody, only in the sense of not belonging
to one of the ancient families.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have recommended this series before; here, we do
have the novel writer’s approach and freedom to imagine thoughts, feelings, and
motivations. I ought to mention that McCullough is pro-Caesar: the nasty
rumours about his sexual proclivities – which were probably true – and his
attitude to world domination are all explained in a positive light. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I finished also <i>The
Gallows Curse</i> by Karen Maitland; the narrator is a female mandrake, which
already gives you an inkling of what to expect. The story, set in mediaeval
England – Norwich in 1210 – is a whodunit, a spy thriller, and a love story,
with elements of the grotesque and the supernatural. Great fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Night Bookmobile</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> by Audrey
Niffenegger is a graphic novel, or rather novella, based on a short story about
a young woman who by chance encounters a bookmobile in the night streets of
Chicago. I gave it to my sister for her birthday, having found it on her amazon
wishlist and knowing how she loved <i>Her
Fearful Symmetry</i> and <i>The Time
Traveler’s Wife</i>; and she kindly let me read it, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The young woman in the story, Alexandra, finds that the
books in this particular bookmobile are all the books she has ever read,
including her own diary; and after being shooed out at dawn (it is a <i>night</i> bookmobile, after all), she
searches for the bookmobile again to return and preferably stay there, among
the shelves of books, the familiar smell of paper and dust – and a bit of wet
dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I won’t spoil the story by telling you anymore, but I
will recommend it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Embarking on this book, as with every other book, I
went to goodreads to place it on my virtual book shelf, among all the other
books that I have read; for that is the function of these virtual libraries, isn’t
it, to let us imagine walking between rows of shelves of books, smelling the
paper and the dust, and the whiff of wet dog. Now, all we need is a plug-in to
this particular corner of the Matrix, and all would be well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that’s it for this week – I do hope you are
enjoying your summer (or winter, if you are of the southerly persuasion). I
will be back next week, and until then: keep happy, keep healthy, keep
crafting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-55404751114340043232013-07-28T06:25:00.000-07:002013-07-28T06:27:52.263-07:00I'm back!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd-Oa4GiFzoyrAHfP7A_kI40TNU5yhb1gDJc66XnhGGB-39pAFwnjm_I9xYGykUvszfe5DRmD0gxRzhDWHZuevHQ3-aie2qe1NURb_tZMwXRP36D6z6hoFuQ5-9zXdGjJTsY4z-TYp6kF/s1600/2013+07+21+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxd-Oa4GiFzoyrAHfP7A_kI40TNU5yhb1gDJc66XnhGGB-39pAFwnjm_I9xYGykUvszfe5DRmD0gxRzhDWHZuevHQ3-aie2qe1NURb_tZMwXRP36D6z6hoFuQ5-9zXdGjJTsY4z-TYp6kF/s1600/2013+07+21+%25284%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Would you believe it, it is still hot here; this weekend
is less sweltering, as we have some rain, wind, and cloud cover – the runner’s
friend – but still, it is unmistakably high summer. The butterfly bush is blooming
and brimming with butterflies, bees buzz in the clover field that is supposed
to be a lawn (ahem), and the cat practises his Dali clock impression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Very appropriate, as noted last week, for writing Hot Day-stories:
the LinkedIn Fiction Writers’ Guild July Heat short story competition ended
this Thursday, and I managed to finish a story for it. I took my laptop outside
to enjoy the warm air and the shade under the lilac tree and got a story together,
coming in just under the word limit (980 words out of 500 to 1000); I could
expand, clarify, and continue. Funny how story elements crop up and have you
wondering where that came from or how this will impact the situation or ... Maybe
later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now is the week for choosing three of the about thirty
stories to vote for; several are very good, while others ... need a bit more
work. I got a few positive comments on my story – that do not necessarily
translate into votes, of course, and may only have been prompted by kindness
and my own ‘I am new to this’ presentation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I have mentioned before, summer is the time for me
to sort and tidy – and so, in the process of cancelling a couple of superfluous
subscriptions, I have come across different approaches to customer service. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I decided several months ago not to renew my Rowan
membership, since I have not knitted anything from the latest issues, and £32
seemed a bit steep for two pretty picture books and the annual ‘gift’ of yarn.
So when the first emailed prompts came, I ignored them, only noting that this
was a first: the previous years I have had to be aware of the dates myself. Oh,
well. More and more prompts showed up in my inbox, and even though I know it’s
a robot sending them, I was a bit annoyed at getting two in the same day. So, I
went to the Rowan site looking for the Unsubscribe button. No such thing. Even
logged in, under my account settings, there is no option to unsubscribe or
cancel. Lots of ‘let’s remind you of the benefits’ and ‘buy now’ and ‘this is
how easy it is to renew’ – but no easy way to <i>not</i> renew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I left the page and continued to ignore the prompts,
which stopped arriving on the date of my subscription ending. End of story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Or so I thought, because a couple of weeks later, I
had a postcard from Rowan, reminding me how easy it is to renew and get all the
benefits from a membership.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I also cancelled my Netflix, because I never get round
to watching anything, and it seemed silly to keep it running. So, I went to the
Netflix site looking for the Unsubscribe button. And clicked it. And got a ‘we’re
sorry to see you leave, please come back any time, and you’re welcome to watch
whatever you want until [date of subscription ending].’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Guess where I am mostly likely to return to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Yes, I am knitting! Not 10 hours a day – which I didn’t
before, either – but knitting. I feel whole again; hence the title of this week’s
post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Back in May, when I started the V neck jumper for
Victor, I promised to finish it before his birthday, which all of a sudden is
not some-time-several-months-away, but this coming Tuesday. Who would have
known? I managed to not panic, but did the whole <i>I have so-and-so many separate bits to do, rib, setup, decreases, rib
again, ends; and so-and-so many days to do them,</i> and then dividing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, concentrating on one project quickly makes a
difference, and being entertained by films in the evenings, I have finished the
first sleeve and worked the second. All I have left are the ends to weave in;
and not even as many of those as I could have, as I have joined skeins using Jane
Richmond’s double knot technique, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nq_7EXTWHE" target="_blank">found on YouTube</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So voila, one jumper done. I am all set to get as many
wips out of the way as I can before starting work in September, so there will
be no (more) frivolous casting on. Only the necessary: Laura’s fourth birthday
is coming up in August, and as my niblings are reared on designer handknits (heh),
she will of course be getting something. More on that later – after the
birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I am writing patterns, translating (from English
into Danish) and editing, several at once which is a bit of a mess and again
caused by my wanting to make all the things, preferably at the same time. But I
am getting through them, bit by bit. The interesting thing is, even though you
cannot proofread your own text properly, because the brain interprets what it
knows should be there instead of what the eyes see – when you translate your
own text, you do find the errors and inconsistencies. So there is actually a
way to tech edit your own stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Of course, another pair of eyes is invaluable: I am
working on a lace shawl, for which I made the prototype for my mum’s birthday
in June; my sister wanted one, too, so I got her to test knit (clever, eh?) and
thus find not only typos, but also explanations that made perfect sense to me,
but no-one else – and now I am translating the pattern <i>and</i> knitting from it. When this is all done, it will be a
thoroughly worked-through pattern. So watch this space!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am moving through the Dickens biography by
Claire Tomalin; now I’m even past the time when he wrote <i>Bleak House</i>. The name for Esther, the main first-person narrator,
Dickens got from the eldest sister in a batch of orphans whom he helped and
corresponded with for years: a sweet and caring girl, apparently much like the
Esther in the book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The picture that emerges from the biography is not
altogether appealing; Dickens was brilliant, of course, and prolific and caring
and doing a lot of good – but also selfish and uncaring. I really do not envy
his wife, Catherine, always pregnant – they had 10 children – and having to put
up with his travelling and moving house and working and corresponding
intimately with various men and young women, including the love of his youth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Oh, and the woman who ran the Dickens household, as
much as anyone could run anything with Dickens around, was not Catherine, but
her younger sister, employed as a governess and almost a second wife. It is
said that Dickens admired the setup of his friend, Wilkie Collins, who lived
with two women for most of his life; maybe he tried to emulate this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Staying with the audio books: DR, Danmarks Radio, gave
out a handful of free audio books at the beginning of the summer, one of which
is <i>Den Store Omstilling / The Big
Transition</i> by Jørgen Steen Nielsen. Quite an interesting book on the need
for a global transition away from the hunt for economic growth, consumerism,
&c, and the detrimental effects they have on the environment, on the
planet. Instead, we need to focus on ‘ecological economy’, to realise that continued
growth inside a closed system is not possible. We must find out how to live
without spending more, without consuming and destroying the basis for our own
existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Several theories and experiments on this are
presented, among them a plan for a 21-hour work week, instead of the 37.4 that
is the Danish norm now, or the 40+ hours in many other countries. The idea is
that this would make room for more people in the workplaces and at the same time
give everybody more space in their lives, to bicycle to work, to grow
vegetables, to take care of children and relatives, in short, to live more
organically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For just over 3 weeks, I have every day been reading a
chunk of Caesar from a collection for schools, just to get myself back in the
habit. This way, I got through (some of) the Gallic Wars, (some of) the Civil
War, a handful of letters, saved in Cicero’s collection, and a bite of
Suetonius’ Caesar biography; and both my Latin reading and my historical
knowledge are refreshed. Oh, and I found out how it can be that a single
Gaulish Village was <i>not</i> conquered by
the Romans: the village of Asterix and his comrades lies in the land of the
Venelli, a tribe that was conquered not by Caesar himself, but by his legate
Sabinus. So, if you want something done properly, you have to do it yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">(You don’t know Asterix? Go find out, they’re fun!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">While I’m at it, I am now reading <i>Caesar </i>by Peter Ørsted, an account of Roman morals and politics in
the shape of a biography of the most famous of Roman leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">By the by, if you want to know something of Roman
history in an easily accessible way, go to Colleen McCullough’s series <i>Masters of Rome</i>. In six fat books, she
gives us, in great detail, the history of the Italian Wars, Caesar’s life, the
final century of the Republic, including the Spartacus rebellion – and a
seventh book tells of Antony and Cleopatra.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And more historical fiction: <i>The Gallows Curse</i> by Karen Maitland is yet another of her Mediaeval
English supernatural thrillers, rich and gory and suspenseful. I have
previously read <i>Company of Liars </i>and <i>The Owl Killers</i>, and I can recommend all
three of them – though not to the squeamish. They tend to be quite explicit in
dealing with sickness, maiming and death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But if you don’t mind all that – on the page, that is –
and have a few nights’ sleep to spare, this is a great book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One of the very first books Victor got for his Kindle
was Stephen King’s <i>UR</i>, in which a
college English teacher acquires a Kindle, and strange things start to happen.
It is a small book, a 61-page novella, featuring King’s well-known blend of the
quotidian and the fantastic, and keeping you reading until the last word. And
it won’t even cost you any sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s all, folks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I hope you have a great week – I am off to weave in
ends, but I will be back next week with pictures and more. Keep happy, keep
healthy, keep crafting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-64098687153097329122013-07-21T07:19:00.000-07:002013-07-21T07:21:21.588-07:00Hot Days<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! We
are sweltering hot here, at least by Danish standards; summer has really come
at last with daily temperatures above 25° C and unremitting sunshine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So it’s time for sunbathing – and seeking out the
shade, as I am doing right now – for the short, strappy dresses that spend most
of their lives packed away, and for getting out of bed early enough to run
before it is too hot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I love it, more so because I know it won’t last. Very
soon, the temperatures will drop, the sky will be overcast, and we can once
again complain about the wind and rain. So the present languor brought on by unwonted
heat causes only a temporary disruption of life and work ethics, and soon there
will be no excuse for laziness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Not that I am completely idle, and some of my
perceived idleness is enforced: I am having a hard time watching films – only in
the evenings, mind you – without knitting. I feel lazy sitting there with empty
hands, and now that my arm is so much better, it is even harder. But I don’t
want to jeopardise my recovery, so I am toughing it out for a few more days,
and then I will pick up my needles and see how it goes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This weather makes the perfect backdrop for writing a
summer short story; the Fiction Writers’ Guild on LinkedIn, of which I am a
newbie member, has, as it turns out, a monthly short story competition, with a
few set parameters and of course a limited word count. The July story has to be
set on a very hot day, include a superstition and the word ‘liberty’. Well, it
is American, after all. So, I have been doodling a bit and may come up with a
submittable story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, there has of course been no knitting at all this
week; I had the second and hopefully last round of acupuncture on Wednesday,
and things are really looking up. I am even able to contemplate the possibility
that I might actually be able to knit again, that this part of my life is not
necessarily over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My ever helpful mum let me know that it is Perfectly Possible
to live without knitting. I did restrain
myself from any comments of the ‘easy for you to say’ kind. She does knit,
though – at least, she made a doll’s dress for Laura last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Earlier this week, I had a newsletter from Garn
Garagen (the Yarn Garage) informing me that the Samarkand yarn – light
fingering / laceweight lambswool & silk – is going to be DISCONTINUED and
therefore, it was (is?) on SALE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As you know, those are two dangerous words, and when
they are in conjunction, as in this case, the danger is not merely added, it is
multiplied and squared. Any yarn addict will understand that now is the time
to quote Oscar Wilde:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘I can resist anything but temptation.’</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Let me hasten to say, before you become too nervous,
that I did not sell any of my children or even endanger the food budget for the
remainder of this month. I did buy some yarn, and almost all of it has planned /
intended projects attached to it. This is what I got:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A cone of colour 57, Azure, 962 grams including the
cardboard thing in the middle. With this I can make the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/queen-street-cardigan" target="_blank">Queen Street Cardigan</a>
by Andi Smith, for my Lady Violet look, <b>and</b>
the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/laminaria" target="_blank">Laminaria</a> shawl by Elizabeth Freeman. Have I mentioned that I love lace knitting?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHQ2fOTzvXuIUSf_MiNpA5FjO7p8JvkTIOd_6exEkKlBHhbThuCfsXSONU4ANHr8LOil8QiAHuZI8kFPo-OV_MI6ZNyKBrOe5vsMyI9VfFlk6IIIhcYoUW5rdbX2IoRerEhWZhei5r-6C/s1600/Samarkand+57+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHQ2fOTzvXuIUSf_MiNpA5FjO7p8JvkTIOd_6exEkKlBHhbThuCfsXSONU4ANHr8LOil8QiAHuZI8kFPo-OV_MI6ZNyKBrOe5vsMyI9VfFlk6IIIhcYoUW5rdbX2IoRerEhWZhei5r-6C/s1600/Samarkand+57+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">4 50-gram skeins of colour 16, Ecru. This is for one
or maybe two lace shawls that I want to design.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUmBwLsFIg4WvaucNs9jNhqw0KPyUwcUmwOxwjawc61eoMr5Pcsw3R92alYVKejYyUMpxWy_-Wp7qHe8eKw0VsQ5gtcYtQNH0MxA74DX6EWSUIwhAlZpM_xJZ_8FCZrzvTL9kbVE2WIQB/s1600/Samarkand+16+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUmBwLsFIg4WvaucNs9jNhqw0KPyUwcUmwOxwjawc61eoMr5Pcsw3R92alYVKejYyUMpxWy_-Wp7qHe8eKw0VsQ5gtcYtQNH0MxA74DX6EWSUIwhAlZpM_xJZ_8FCZrzvTL9kbVE2WIQB/s1600/Samarkand+16+%25284%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">1 50-gram skein of colour 40, Gentian Violet. Ok, this
one was just for fun and because it was the last one in that colour. But hey,
it was DKK 16.20, so the damage done is limited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Because you are clever and quick, you will have
spotted the inconsistency in the above: first, I whine about not being able to
knit and falling into the pit of despair, or at least teetering on the edge of
it – and then, I go and buy yarn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">What can I say? Except to put the mood swings down to
withdrawal symptoms: when you are prevented from doing something you love and
are used to doing, it is all too easy to feel deprived and estranged, to see
that world gliding away from you and leaving you stranded on a desert island.
It is the same feeling I get when I am (have been!) unable to run because of
injuries, and I cannot bear to even look at my running shoes or books, and the
list of unheard episodes of Marathon Training Academy just grows and grows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But once in a while, a ray of hope bursts through the
cloud cover, and I am convinced that all will be well soon enough, that the
future me is running and knitting to her heart’s delight – while of course
being rich and beautiful and happy and successful and all that. And in the
spirit of those moments, I can buy yarn and plan more projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At the University of Surrey in the UK, Dr. Julia
Percival of the Chemistry Department is right now running a <a href="http://www.surrey.ac.uk/chemistry/perovskite/about_the_project/index.htm" target="_blank">project</a> to create a
huge, knitted and crocheted model of the molecular structure of a group of
mineral called Perovskite; these ubiquitous minerals have great properties such
as superconductivity, magnetoresistance, and ionic conductivity, making them
hugely important in microelectronics and telecommunication (according to
Wikipedia).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The project invites knitters and crocheters from
around the world to either knit a blue octahedron or crochet a yellow ball,
which will then be all assembled into the crystalline structure. Submissions
will be welcomed until the end of August 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am thinking of knitting an octahedron; I have some
more of the blue Kauni wool that I used for the TARDIS last summer during the
Ravellenics, and I think the colour falls into the given spectrum. Just for
fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">While not knitting, I can at least read; so this week,
I have finished <i>The Sign of the Four </i>by
sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the second of the Sherlock Holmes stories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Also, I have read about writing: my lovely cousin
Lasse gave me <i>Bird by Bird</i> by Anne
Lamott, an American bestselling writer (whom I must confess I had not heard of
before), in which she with great warmth and humour recounts tales of her life
and writing, and gives tips & tricks as to how to tackle both. Your own
life, of course, not hers, and your own writing, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When you have read a handful of books on writing, and
of course the ’10 tips’ lists found here & there on the Internet, you begin
to notice how several pieces of advice recur, often in slightly different
wordings, but essentially the same. This is somehow comforting: it seems there
is a plan, be it divine or not, writers do have certain traits in common, and some
of the method is communicable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And of course, listening is always an option: I
finished <i>Bleak House</i> by Charles
Dickens this week, with some relief over certain developments in the narrative –
I can’t say which without spoiling hugely, so I will be silent on those points.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Bleak
House</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> is not bleak,
though populated with persons in troubled circumstances; Dickens’ well-known
social indignation shines through, but so does his knack for satirical and
funny descriptions of characters large and small.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Dickens biography by Claire Tomalin that I am also
listening to is proving to be rather long-lasting; of course, with everybody
home I have less listening time than when they are not – but the book does seem
to want to include every detail of Dickens’ life and be rather verbose about
them, too. I am sticking with it, though; at the point I am at (1842, I think),
Dickens is being criticised for not being able to write female characters, so I
have to consider what I think of the women in Bleak House. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Certainly Esther, the first person narrator – there are
two voices in the book, Esther and an impersonal, omniscient third person
narrator – is an example of the ever good, ever patient and humble and
self-deprecating and generous and [fill
in the blank] little woman, to the point of being nauseating or at least
annoyingly naïve. Still, I was relieved when her future was settled, so she
must have evoked some sympathy in me, if not any desire to emulate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Each morning, I read a chunk of Caesar; by now, I know
the words and phrases for sending ambassadors, receiving hostages, engaging in
combat, burning farms and villages, and other cheery pastimes, by heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In Book 6, he breaks off the narrative to play
ethnographer, recounting the habits and institutions of the Gauls and the
Germans; including the no doubt intended-to-be-chilling description of the huge
tracts of forest covering most of Germania. In these forests live reindeer,
elks, and aurochs, three otherwise unknown species. The description of elk
hunting had me laughing out loud, much to the surprise of my surroundings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">You see, according to Caesar, elks resemble goats, but
are larger, and have no joints in their legs, so they are unable to lie down,
and if they fall over, they cannot get up again. Thus, they sleep standing up,
leaning against certain trees; and when the hunters find those trees, they
undermine or cut them so that they stay standing, but break and topple when
next the elks lean on them, and the elks topple over as well and can be killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Bet you didn’t know that! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Of course, Caesar makes quite a point of the vastness
and wildness of the woods, the ferocity of the aurochs, and thus of the people,
repeating how they are big and strong and live on and for hunting and warfare –
all in order to explain why Rome is <i>not</i>
colonising the far side of the Rhine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, this is it for this week – I have been typing
two-handed this time, and now it is time to not overdo things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I hope you have a lovely week; keep happy, keep
healthy, keep crafting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-91394023680247985742013-07-14T05:46:00.000-07:002013-07-14T05:47:49.822-07:00Giving My Right Arm<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Candara; mso-fareast-font-family: Candara;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> . . . </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">a
rest, that is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Keeping it brief this week; had acupuncture on tennis
elbow, so no knitting since Wednesday. Left-handed typing is a bit of a bother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thomas & Victor returned from Bavaria Thursday
evening, so everything back to normal – holiday normal, at least. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Victor and I are watching <i>Downton Abbey</i> in the evenings, currently season 3. Comments later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Did get some knitting done before being reminded to
leave it be for a while (and being sore after having 4 needles stuck in my arm ...):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One (nearly) whole sleeve on the V for Victor jumper;</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5krxDDQcLBTdy_mpDv_rJKNcOhQvdbeFm1EAE1daYK8-zwQc3U8xWNutmp3iR56zRiTjpB3nNS02U64DS1bbb-N8SHhhrJP70shW5WmX28JVfuri4sYBiHYF5lO3dJ9lgrHrescv-ixaB/s1600/Victor+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5krxDDQcLBTdy_mpDv_rJKNcOhQvdbeFm1EAE1daYK8-zwQc3U8xWNutmp3iR56zRiTjpB3nNS02U64DS1bbb-N8SHhhrJP70shW5WmX28JVfuri4sYBiHYF5lO3dJ9lgrHrescv-ixaB/s1600/Victor+%25285%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">the yoke on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rondeur" target="_blank">Rondeur</a> tee nicknamed Charm;</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEDsNRPbJBly4ssWnj6SURsRT9k_wvEWqWhTQjArJcDpXtRa4r1XefyXFD2H-s-SpdRkxs55vHauQ8N9_lTbU79YbYjKT2KP4YzaDj2Pez0hQ15Hx7H1_WUF-te6TxVisfYs97hytU74V/s1600/Charm+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEDsNRPbJBly4ssWnj6SURsRT9k_wvEWqWhTQjArJcDpXtRa4r1XefyXFD2H-s-SpdRkxs55vHauQ8N9_lTbU79YbYjKT2KP4YzaDj2Pez0hQ15Hx7H1_WUF-te6TxVisfYs97hytU74V/s1600/Charm+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">baby cardigan & hat, called Elanor after the
eldest daughter of Master Samwise Gamgee, for my cousin’s little girl who was
born on Thursday (pattern on the way);</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvhspf6JX1x2DlUE7HrFRE0XcLDa_FgEb233ZYp5W0wlDGnaeCxDxFqveBKvhgpwXO_naD9AsupgNFX_yHzgRSGdgHiIEXC5bIYjDEfOlmCk2ljM0VxkeW4horYZtvs24TRgcHey_21En/s1600/Elanor+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvhspf6JX1x2DlUE7HrFRE0XcLDa_FgEb233ZYp5W0wlDGnaeCxDxFqveBKvhgpwXO_naD9AsupgNFX_yHzgRSGdgHiIEXC5bIYjDEfOlmCk2ljM0VxkeW4horYZtvs24TRgcHey_21En/s1600/Elanor+%25287%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeMnW-DHydPWXPT1qGQwN34kp7FqDzGVIgHtYpSrn_mA-gzbeCaXZefQpDRi2pBD4UML4l9rhegzyJP7qOyq4Ap4H2b62U4lcya8NRshsw8A67mStgPI2Scb0ajeRdMxwY0_LFsgZ77fV/s1600/Elanor+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHeMnW-DHydPWXPT1qGQwN34kp7FqDzGVIgHtYpSrn_mA-gzbeCaXZefQpDRi2pBD4UML4l9rhegzyJP7qOyq4Ap4H2b62U4lcya8NRshsw8A67mStgPI2Scb0ajeRdMxwY0_LFsgZ77fV/s1600/Elanor+%252810%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">and a bit more of the ‘denim’ Atalante skirt.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Caesar: marching through various regions of Gaul,
fighting & ‘pacifying’ & demanding hostages from innumerable tribes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B004EWX25U&qid=1373805879&sr=1-1" target="_blank">DarkMatter</a></span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> by Michelle Paver:
ghost story, spooky, highly recommended.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Elizabeth Zimmerman’s <i>Knitter’s Almanac</i>: nice, chatty, hugely practical, want to try out
all of the recipes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Still listening to <i>Bleak
House</i> & the Dickens biography.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Finally got started on <i>The Sign of the Four</i>, the second Sherlock Holmes story; in which we
meet Miss Mary Morstan whom Watson finds very attractive and charming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And for fun: ‘philogagging’ – philosophical jokes or
humorous explanations of philosophy. <i>Plato
and a Platypus Walk into a Bar ...</i> by Thomas Cathcart & Daniel Klein;
the jokes are (mostly) funny, the explanations not terribly satisfying. But
what can you expect in 200 pages?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, no more text for now – I will be back, maybe not
much text next week either, but we’ll see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Have a great week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-44907423062219624452013-07-07T10:48:00.000-07:002013-07-07T10:51:03.063-07:00Sunshiny Summer Sunday<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! I
am sitting outside, on the terrace, in the lovely dappled shade cast by a lilac
tree – the blooms are long gone, sadly, but there is still merit to the tree
itself. The weather has finally decided to be summer, now that the schools have
been out for a week, and I am making the most of it, getting the washing done
and dried outside, and getting myself out, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This morning, I managed to get a run in before it got too
hot – it was about 16 degrees, so nothing near Badwater temperatures, of
course, but for these latitudes, the 22 degrees right now is just fine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">July seems to be my time for tidying the house; this
is, of course, the month that is entirely school-free, and as I have spent most
of my life inside the school system at varying levels, this habit is old and
well-established. So, it is a time for contemplation and renewal, for travelling
and relaxing and finding new inspiration for the coming year of work &
study. The weather is accommodating – not trying to kill you like in the wintertime
– you can leave doors and windows open while bustling around with stuff that
has accumulated since last year’s purge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And this summer, in particular, having teaching to
look forward to in September, I find that I want to, not exactly get my affairs
in order, but gain the upper hand over the house and any unfinished business,
including, of course, my wips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Apple of the Week<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Remember the story from last week? The one about the
original, spherical humans who were cut up to become two-legged beings in
search of true love? Well, if you didn’t read it, you can still go back and do
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The other day, our local museum held a beer tasting
with story telling, a sort of not-quite-pub evening. About 40 guests attended,
as it turned out, and there were four of us from the story tellers’ club. I
told this story, beginning the evening’s proceedings, and it did get some
laughs even though the beer tasting had only just begun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Anyway, I shared the story with a friend of mine who
then came back and asked about the third gender, the mixed one – are the
persons descended from this mix supposed to be transsexual, or what? So, I
decided I had better clarify the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The point that Aristophanes makes – or rather, the point
that Plato uses Aristophanes to express – rests on the common view of the time,
namely A: the masculine is better than the feminine (I know, they were deluded,
but there it is) and B: the pure is better than the mixed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the spheres who were single-gendered were better
than the mash-up, and between those two, the masculine ones were better than
the feminine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">From these suppositions follows the ranking of each
individual’s search for love: the highest form of love is the one between two
men – or rather, the love of a man for a boy – next, we have the ‘girlfriend’
type of women. And lowest in this highly speculative pecking order are all
those who run around chasing someone of the opposite sex, the ‘adulterers,
seducers and harlots’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is not to say that the men who had such a
homoerotic educational relationship with a teenage boy did not have wives, or
that they didn’t fall in love with women – maybe even their wife, if you can
believe that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In ancient times, as in the democratic Athens of the 5<sup>th</sup>
century BCE, sexuality was not categorised by choice of object, like it is now,
but by the role one played in a relationship. A grown, free man, a citizen,
would have an active, dominant role, be it in relation to his wife, a slave of
his household (of either gender), a prostitute (again, of either gender), or
his young friend. The young friend, importantly, would stop playing the
submissive role, when he grew up, served in the army, and acquired his rights
as a citizen: to speak in the assemblies, to vote and be elected into office,
to fight for his <i>polis</i> in times of
war.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A grown citizen who was found to have submitted
himself to another man (for love or money), lost his rights: such a person was
not to be trusted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The central observation in all this is not about love,
or sex, but about power and the individual’s claim to his own body (and here,
the gender-specific pronoun is not accidental).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, there you have it: different times and different
societies have varying views on sexuality and on what is and isn’t appropriate
behaviour; the only constant is that there are rules, official and moral. One
huge difference between the system of ancient Greece and modern Europe (and its
sphere of cultural influence) is, of course, the influx of Judaeo-Christian
morality and its taboos against homosexuality, nudity, &c; we now have 2000
years of conditioning to that way of seeing things, so the pagan views seem
quite foreign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that isn’t really the only constant – all of the
above pertains to the sexual behaviour of men. For women, the constant has
nearly always and nearly everywhere been that men strove to control and curtail
their sexuality, to be certain of who the father of a child was, in order to
maintain the patriarchal rights and privileges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I have mainly been plodding along on a
handful of wips, endeavouring to finish something in the near foreseeable
future, and so, there is not much exciting news in it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But, all of the secret stuff is finished now – the knitting,
anyway, I am still writing patterns; on Tuesday, when Thomas and Victor had
gone off camping with my parents, I put on an audio book and spent half the day
knitting. Bliss. Everything is now washed, photographed and waiting for the
recipients.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My striped socks have been sitting around feeling
neglected for weeks and finally got some love: I brought them to the museum and
sat knitting while listening to stories. The first sock is done, and the second
started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As for the V for Victor jumper – well, I am working on
a sleeve. That’s it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Much the same can be said about the denim-ish skirt –
not the sleeve part, of course, but the steadily-moving-along part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Gosh, this is boring. Sorry about that, I must really
do something interesting about some of it before next time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Not even the Rondeur tee has much to say for itself
yet; I am using the numbers for the L size to get an S, as my yarn and needles
are thinner than the called-for. I’ve done the ribbing at the neck and three
rounds of the yoke. Yes, three. Pathetic, isn’t it? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It has raglan sleeves, with an eyelet-and-cable pattern
running down between the front & back and the sleeves and eyelet increases
along the sides of the cable. I’m looking forward to wearing it, and the summer
won’t last forever, so actually, I’d better get a move on with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">With two boys away and just me, Andreas and the cat
around, the house is unusually quiet. Which suits me just fine: I can listen to
audio books on the speakers while knitting, without annoying anyone and without
too many interruptions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I started out, when the boys were packed off, with <i>The Testament of Jessie Lamb</i> by Jane
Rogers, one of an audible book swap with my sister. I had no idea what it was all
about, but it turned out to be quite interesting; a present-day sci-fi story in
which a virus, <i>maybe</i> engineered by
terrorists, causes pregnant women to develop rapidly working spongiform encephalitis
and die. End of the human race? Or can teenage girls be used as test subjects,
carrying babies while in a drug-induced coma? Maybe sheep can be genetically
engineered to carry human embryos – if the Animal Liberation Front doesn’t
firebomb the laboratories. Scores of motherless children fight for their
rights, for overall emancipation from adults. And 16-year old Jessie has to
find her place in all this, while her childless aunt pines for a baby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The human condition is also the main theme of Chaucer’s
<i>Canterbury Tales</i> which I mentioned
last week; the first stories are all about love and sex, jealousy, adultery,
requited and unrequited emotion. Gradually, though, the focus shifts to tales
of virtuous men and women, and the final tale of the extant collection is the
Parson’s Tale, nearly an hour long in the audio, cataloguing various forms of
sin and penitence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One may wonder how this series of tales had
progressed, had Chaucer been able to continue writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am currently listening to <i>Bleak House</i> by Charles Dickens; a huge book (nearly 40 hours of
audio; to compare, a regular, modern novel is usually about 10 hours long, <i>Ulysses</i> is 29 hours, and the longest
book I ever listened to is <i>The Vampire
Archives</i>, a 60-hour collection of stories) containing a vast array of major
and minor characters, all brought to life in the well-known deadpan Dickensian
style. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The arch villain of the book is not a person, but an
institution: the Chancery Court, also bitterly mocked by Jonathan Swift more
than a hundred years earlier, in which suits could drag on for decades, ruining
the lives and devouring the fortunes of all involved – except for the lawyers
and court scribes, who were the only ones to gain anything from them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I haven’t got that far into the bulk of the book, so I
won’t try to explain the plot; watch out for the Wikipedia entry, though, as it
lays out the facts that presumably are to be discovered gradually through the
story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As the CraftLit app and my phone still aren’t on
speaking terms and I thus am missing out on Heather’s comments, I am relying on
other sources for information. Luckily, the latest audible swap with my sister
provided me with <i>Dickens – A Life</i>, a
biography by Claire Tomalin. So, I listen in parallel, having the novel on my
phone and the biography on the laptop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am reading on paper, as well – right now it’s Caesar,
the Gallic Wars, to get myself re-familiarised with reading Latin. I haven’t
really done that for quite a while, not having taught Latin for several years,
and I am finding it surprisingly easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Amazing how much knowledge can be stored in your
brain, just waiting to be used. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On that happy note, I will leave you for this week, to
knit, read, and tidy my house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Have a great week, keep happy, keep healthy, keep
crafting! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-8794730797890023792013-06-30T07:32:00.002-07:002013-06-30T07:35:59.976-07:00Summer Holidays<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! The
summer holidays are here, the fresh-baked students are out in force in their
white caps, and once in a while, even the weather remembers to be summery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, the big news of the week is that I have gotten myself
an honest-to-goodness, proper job. Starting in September, I will be teaching
Latin propaedeutics (a fancy word for language for beginners) at Aarhus
University. This is, of course, very exciting; I have taught Latin in the <i>gymnasium</i>, but now I will have more
mature students, who are actually taking the course of their own free will and
thus presumably are prepared to work for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It has been a while since last I taught, so I will be
using the next couple of months to get my brain into gear; funnily enough, even
before I knew about this vacancy, I was turned onto Pliny, Catullus, and
Seneca, for various reasons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">More on that, no doubt.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Apple of the Week<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, I have a story for you about the nature of
humans – it is from Plato, appears in the philosophical dialogue <i>Symposion</i>, and it is a fictional myth
told by the writer of comedy, Aristophanes. A symposion was, in the Athens of
the 5<sup>th</sup> century BCE, a drinking party for men; at this particular (fictional)
event, however, the participants agree to give talks instead of drinking, talks
on the subject of Eros. This is the fourth speech in the sequence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">By ‘fictional myth’ I mean a story in the form of a
myth, but not a part of ancient Greek mythology: this story was invented by
Plato and put into the mouth of Aristophanes. The supernatural elements of myth
occur, such as gods and other strange beings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Consider, if you will, the fairy tales of Hans
Christian Andersen as opposed to the fairy tales collected and recorded by the
brothers Grimm: the latter are a part of European folklore from ancient times,
presenting old and deep conflicts, warnings, and hopes, and passed down in the
oral tradition from generation to generation; while the former were consciously
composed and written in the style of fairy tales, by a single author with
something specific on his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This fictional myth, then, as allegedly told by
Aristophanes, plays its very own part in the grander scheme – Plato’s scheme –
of the <i>Symposion</i> and the truths that
he wants to impart through that whole text. But that is another story for
another day; let’s see what the comedian has to say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On Human Nature<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In
the beginning, humans were not as we know us now: they were round, like spheres,
with four legs and four arms and two faces on the head, so that they were able
to look in all directions at once. They were strong, these spherical humans,
and happy: they rolled about on their many limbs, doing whatever they pleased
and taking no heed of the gods. In fact, they even tried once to oust the king
of the gods, Zeus himself, from his throne, because they didn’t want to pay
obeisance to him or bring offerings to the gods.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This
would not do – after all, what are humans good for if they don’t bring
offerings? And daring to threaten Zeus himself! The gods struck back: Zeus teamed
up with Apollo, the god of surgery, and cut the spherical humans in half. Just
like that. Apollo drew the edges of the skin together over the cut and sewed
them up right at the middle (that’s where the navel comes from), and he turned
their faces around so that the halved humans now had a front and a backside.
There they stood, cut in half and trying to find their balance on only two
legs.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And
Zeus uttered a warning to them: if they did not learn to behave after this, to
show the gods the respect they deserved, they would be cut in half once more.
Then they would be quite flat, hopping around on one leg.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Zeus
was happy with his plan: now the humans would be properly weakened and
chastised, and they would bring offerings to the gods as they ought to.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now,
Zeus soon realised that the offerings weren’t really happening as they should;
so he went to find out what had gone wrong. He discovered that the halved
humans were unhappy: they wanted to be whole again, so they spent all their
time wobbling about on their two legs, desperately searching for their other
half – not necessarily their better half, but the other one, the one that had
been cut away. And when they happened to find this other half, they clung to
each other with all of their four arms and wouldn’t let go; they forgot to not
only go to the temples to bring offerings, which was bad enough, but to work
and to eat, and in the end they lay down to die, still clinging to their other
half.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That,
of course, would not do. Zeus put Apollo to work again; this time, the divine
surgeon moved the sexual organs of the halved humans round onto their new front
(before, they had been on the side, the front not having been there at all).
And so, the halved humans were able to come together with their other halves
and become one flesh for a little while – and afterwards in good cheer go back
to their work, not forgetting to eat and, most important of all, go to the
temples to bring offerings to the gods.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So,
this is how humans became humans in search of love. And this is also why some
seek a man and some seek a woman: the spherical humans had three genders, male,
female, and mixed; when they were divided, the male spheres became two men, the
female spheres became two women, and the mixed gender spheres became a man and
a woman – all searching for the one person who can make them whole again.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have started a new project. Again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hi, my name is Dorthe, and I am a compulsive
on-caster. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This time, though, it is actually an old project,
pulled out of hibernation and re-invented. At some point last year, I made a
cable-and-lace edging for a top, intending to pick up stitches and work up from
there; but I never really got round to it. So now, I am re-using the name and
the project page – and even the yarn from another project: my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flirt-4" target="_blank">Flirt tee</a>, a
Rowan pattern and for once made in the called-for yarn – which is almost
unheard of for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I bought the yarn for it, Rowan 4-ply cotton, in
Edinburgh, which means it must have been in 2006, on sale because the colour
was discontinued, and made the top. Very cute, I liked it and wore it quite a
bit; and then I shed a lot of weight, and the top was too big. It has been
sitting around for quite a while without any purpose – and now it is frogged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And the yarn is going into another tee, the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rondeur" target="_blank">Rondeur</a> by
Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark, from Knitty. There is not much to photograph yet, so
the pics will have to wait till next week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the other hand, I have finished something, as well:
some of the secret stuff that I can’t tell you about yet. Sorry about that; you
will just have to wait until the gifts are given, and then all will be
revealed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJzoWr7KAL0Ju_2rMSV0gDWFyp4v3BYF2vVYe3Z3NGFN_AA0L8L6rpATMGMMY9uzhqrAo8xjxKu1FaFPlGLx5OTuP2ZK_KMzZrkwoGvnTX6SFyvaAxdy3k_2MXVrw3X0pFCS0_1cVCzr2/s1600/Victor+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJzoWr7KAL0Ju_2rMSV0gDWFyp4v3BYF2vVYe3Z3NGFN_AA0L8L6rpATMGMMY9uzhqrAo8xjxKu1FaFPlGLx5OTuP2ZK_KMzZrkwoGvnTX6SFyvaAxdy3k_2MXVrw3X0pFCS0_1cVCzr2/s1600/Victor+%25281%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Finally, there are visible developments on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/v-for-victor" target="_blank">V neckjumper for Victor</a>: the body is done, and with it the black stripes in the rib.
Similar stripes are underway on the neck edging; and soon, I can start the sleeves.
I will only be able to finish them, though, in about two weeks’ time, as Victor
and Thomas are going camping with my parents in a couple of days and will be
gone for ten days – and I want to try the jumper on the boy before doing the
cuffs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ydun/denim-skirt-2" target="_blank"> ‘denim’ skirt</a> is just creeping along, becoming
slowly longer. It still hasn’t reached even mini skirt length, so there is a
ways to go yet. I’m not sure whether I’m bored with it, or it’s merely that it has
been pushed aside for other things and thus seems to be going nowhere. I will
have to give it some attention and see how it goes.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6At19Tmz4v_JththtngGBLh1jBs2j8RiAbo2BpO_IMaHYFA8U6fLkznaFeoSOF2YExTIkNBG8OXhzZSfO1fi-3SBEnY0nbYARYQgY3UKQQ-dzDJ1prRVxLAAMuGJU76mTEa08v32oApMk/s1600/Atalante+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6At19Tmz4v_JththtngGBLh1jBs2j8RiAbo2BpO_IMaHYFA8U6fLkznaFeoSOF2YExTIkNBG8OXhzZSfO1fi-3SBEnY0nbYARYQgY3UKQQ-dzDJ1prRVxLAAMuGJU76mTEa08v32oApMk/s1600/Atalante+%25283%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After having struggled with the CraftLit app to listen
to the ongoing subscriber audio for <i>The
Great Gatsby</i> (Just The Benefits), <i>The
Canterbury Tales</i>, and <i>Bleak House</i>,
I finally became so frustrated with it that I went to find the two older texts
on Librivox. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am not sure whether it is the app or my unstable wifi
that is the trouble; all I know is that I get to listen to a minute or two once
in a while, and then the thing shuts down on me. </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Grrr.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For <i>Bleak House</i>,
I found the version that Heather is using, read by <a href="http://librivox.org/bleak-house-by-charles-dickens-2/" target="_blank">Mil Nicholson</a>; that one I’m
saving for later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The complete version of <i>The Canterbury Tales</i>, the </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://librivox.org/the-canterbury-tales-by-geoffrey-chaucer/" target="_blank">D. Laing
Purves (1838-1873)</a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://librivox.org/the-canterbury-tales-by-geoffrey-chaucer/" target="_blank">edition</a> with preface, biography and notes, is performed by several readers of
varying skill. Such is the world of Librivox.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One of the readers is ‘our’ very own Chip, well known
to listeners of CraftLit & Just The Books. I have to say, though, much as I
enjoy Chip’s voice and diction, that he absolutely murders the Latin
quotations. </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Shudder.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> But he is much better than, say, the girl (I use this term consciously)
who reads the Wife of Bath, hesitating at words and not having edited out
throat-clearings and tappings of the microphone. And the woman reading the
Merchant’s Tale ... well, you get what you pay for. It just reminds you how
much editing must go into professional recordings – and how much volunteer work
goes into the good Librivox recordings, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The life of Geoffrey Chaucer himself is interesting:
his primary occupation for quite a few years was as a customs officer, though he
managed to travel extensively in the European mainland and possibly met Dante
and Petrarca. Eventually, he was paid for his writing, as well, though he was never
free of the need to earn a living by working; his wife, Philippa, was a
lady-in-waiting to the queen of the same name. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Chaucer began the <i>Canterbury
Tales</i> when about forty years of age, planning a huge work: 32 pilgrims meet
up on their way to Canterbury to pay homage to St. Thomas, the murdered
archbishop, and it is decided that they each tell two stories on their way to
Canterbury and two stories on the way home. That is 128 stories, plus the setup
and presentation of them all, the events at Canterbury, and the home-coming
including the dinner awarded the best story teller. As it turned out, Chaucer
left behind an unfinished work when he died of unknown causes at fifty-seven;
only 23 of the pilgrims get to even tell their first story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The English language owes a huge debt to Chaucer: a
lot of words are first attested in his work, as he wrote in Medieval English as
opposed to Latin or French. To a modern reader, the text may look odd, with
strange spellings and unusual words; it becomes a lot easier if you read it out
loud in an everyday diction – and, additionally, knowing Danish and/or German
helps a lot with the old Saxon words that have gone out of use in English since
Chaucer’s day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A few examples: hent = fetch, brenn = burn, barm =
bosom; there are many more, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The stories themselves deal with the eternal themes:
sex and/or love, relationships, jealousy, adultery, &c. Some are in high
style, dramatic and with a pious morale, others are fun and ribald.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For a little light reading, Hermione Granger-style, I
have picked up <i>The Latin Language</i> by
L. R. Palmer; a thorough walk-through of the history and peculiarities of Latin
– in preparation, of course, for teaching. Not that first-year students will be
much concerned with either the influence of Oscan or the subtleties in Caesar’s
choice of vocabulary; but it is nice to get my brain into that train of thought
again. And it is quite interesting to discover how much more I get out of the
book now than I did when I actually took the course twenty years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On a lighter note, I have gobbled up <i>Politi</i> by Jo Nesbø, the tenth instalment
in the Harry Hole-series; this will be coming out as <i>Police</i> in September, I think. It came out in Danish simultaneously
with the Norwegian release. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, everybody – or nearly everybody – thought that
book 9 was the final in the series; but it turns out there is another one.
Which is rumoured to be the final one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I’ll try to comment without giving any spoilers: a
murderer is at large in Oslo, and the team of familiar police officers try to
catch him. There are numerous suspects, and several members of the team at some
point find themselves alone with someone who may be a psychopathic serial
killer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hmm, that went well, don’t you think?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Nesbø seems to have a fondness for psychological and
psychiatric peculiarities, not to say disorders, in his characters; I am all
for that, but he is a bit heavy-handed with it, in my opinion, having
characters quote doctors and evaluations instead of just <i>showing </i>us their behaviour and reactions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One example – no spoiler, if you have read any of the
books you know this already – is Beate Lønn, the female police officer who
recognises every face she has ever seen: Nesbø apparently wants her to have
Asperger’s and doesn’t content himself with letting others refer to her as ‘Rain
Man’ or as ‘coming from Mars’; he has her running, slipping on wet grass, and <i>reflecting</i> that one symptom of Asperger’s
is clumsiness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, yes, it often is – but not every Aspie is
clumsy, and not every Aspie has spectacularly extraordinary powers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And who thinks like a list of symptoms? Oh alright,
come to think of it, someone on the autism spectrum might actually do that; so,
ok, I’ll let him get away with that one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the other hand, slipping when running on wet grass
is not unusually clumsy, is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The story itself is a fast-paced, page-turning
thriller, no problem there – only that my hours of sleep were somewhat
curtailed for a few nights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, that is it for this week. Thank you for stopping
by; I hope you have a wonderful week, be it working or holidaying – and I will
be back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8367806317679927629.post-72737158299847272612013-06-23T04:53:00.000-07:002013-06-23T04:55:14.863-07:00Midsummer<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Apple Basket! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, we of the northerly persuasion are celebrating
Midsummer, and I will relate various traditions from this very local part of
the world, Viborg – I apologise beforehand to anybody living in the Southern
Hemisphere for leaving you out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have some musings on running in summer weather, rain
and shine; there is summer knitting going on; and my book of the week also has
a summery theme – it is <i>The Great Gatsby</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, let’s dive in!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Apple of the Week<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is Midsummer! Summer Solstice, the longest day and
the shortest night of the year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Did you, like Daisy Buchanan, watch for the longest
day of the year and then forget? Probably not: you have more sense and presence
than that, don’t you? (And I have a sneaking suspicion that her distractedness
is an affectation, anyway.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The shortest night is, like the other astronomical
high points of the year, imbued with magic and special powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is the time when the Sun turns around and we are
once again headed for winter and darkness. Of course, it is not the Sun who
turns around and moves away from us, merely the effect of Earth tilting on its
axis so that the sunlight in winter reaches us at a shallower angle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But to ancient peoples knowing nothing of orbital
astronomy, the effect is the main thing: right now, on Friday 21<sup>st</sup>
June, is the longest day of the year, and that has to be special.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All around the world, the solstices and equinoxes have
special significances and rites or traditions connected to them. Maybe not
surprisingly, Midsummer festivals are most widespread in the northernmost parts
of the hemisphere, where the days are really long and even unbroken, with the
midnight sun reigning to the far north; even here, it doesn’t get quite dark at
night, though the sun does go down for a few hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Midsummer bonfires celebrating the Sun and the
light are well known and attested – and around these parts, often a wet and
windy affair. There is a running joke that the weather is the same on Christmas
Eve and on St. Hans (St. John’s) Eve: 12 degrees and raining. And though we
have had a couple of white Christmases lately, it is not far off; today, it’s
15-16 degrees, grey and wet and windy. So, all the mayors around the country
preparing their bonfire speeches for tonight may have smaller audiences than
they would like. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Here in Viborg, the ‘official’ bonfire is lit on a
raft out on the lake, with the speeches and songs taking place at Borgvold, a
park and restaurant area right on the water’s edge. We haven’t usually gone, as
it is rather late for smaller children, particularly on a school night; and
now, my boys aren’t really all that interested. They would rather have a small
bonfire in the garden, if the weather behaves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The official celebrations this year are connected to
the festivities surrounding the Hærvejsmarch which takes place during the last
weekend of June, but have already begun this weekend. Hærvejen (Army Road), <i>Ochsenweg</i> (Cattle Road) in German, is
the ancient cattle and military road starting in Viborg and leading southwards
to Germany – and ultimately, for wandering pilgrims, to Santiago de Compostela in
Spain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Viborg is an ancient holy site: the <i>vi-</i> part means holy or sacred and is
derived from an Indo-European root <i>*weik-</i>
meaning ‘choose, separate, set apart’. We find words from that root in various modern
languages: English <i>victim</i> from Latin <i>victima</i> originally denotes a sacrificial
animal, chosen to be a gift for the god(s). The same root also appears in <i>wicca</i> meaning ‘sorcerer’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And <i>borg</i> or <i>bjerg</i> corresponds to <i>burg</i> and means hill or hill-fort. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, Viborg is ‘the sacred place on the hill’, has been
since the 9<sup>th</sup> century CE, and thus has been long established as the
appropriate place to set out from for a pilgrim’s walk to the other end of
Europe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The more modest, though taxing enough, way to do it is
to walk 45 kilometres each day on Saturday and Sunday; women can choose the 40
k route, and there are shorter walks for less able persons and families with
small children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For the more adventurous, there is a seven-day pilgrim
walk to sites around Viborg during next week, or the Hærvej relay run starting
in Flensburg, about 200 kilometres south of here and ending today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There will be festivities all week; on Thursday, I
will be telling a little story at Café Fredina along with a couple of others
from the story tellers’ club (Viborg Fortællekreds). Rather exciting: I am not at
all used to performing in public.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have been out running my little bits during the
week, in varying weather; we have rather humid conditions for the time being,
with warm temperatures at first and now cooler. On Wednesday, it was grey and
rainy, so I thought it would be rather cool and put on my long-sleeved skiing
undershirt – which quickly turned out to be a huge mistake: the sun came out
when I did, and it was warm (18 degrees) and muggy. Then on Saturday, it was 15
degrees and grey, and I put on a short-sleeved tee; much better, though my
hands were cold all through the run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I keep saying ‘run’ – actually, I’m alternating
running and walking, now 3 minutes of each for 30 minutes in all. I have some residual
soreness in my right ankle now; I do hope it’s not the peroneal tendonitis
coming back. That, I can really do without.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXetudWTZEdkOJ7uuuARBPHAXUg-6ENrmIFvJTS8oNAso-n6qDHbKf5GjKGAOBkcqtQCIZM6L70vv_pO61XcCmJzVahziRYsin8BfgpVhZYBSq6WUWoIxjAUvn0t2xlo5RWeV6_yZv1MD/s1600/SeeYa+13+06+23+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXetudWTZEdkOJ7uuuARBPHAXUg-6ENrmIFvJTS8oNAso-n6qDHbKf5GjKGAOBkcqtQCIZM6L70vv_pO61XcCmJzVahziRYsin8BfgpVhZYBSq6WUWoIxjAUvn0t2xlo5RWeV6_yZv1MD/s1600/SeeYa+13+06+23+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They were clean once, I promise!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I so enjoy getting out there, feeling the air and
watching the lush, green foliage come out and change colour, the trees
blossoming, running barefoot in wet grass – this week, I have run the last of
the 3-minute intervals without shoes. To begin with, I run in Vibram
FiveFingers SeeYa, the most light-weight of them all, so taking them off is
really mostly a matter of conditioning the soles of my feet; there is no
difference in support or cushioning or angling. But it’s fun to be completely
barefoot for a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Knitting<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Ninja cowl is snoozing for now, while I work on
more summery projects; like the secret stuff, still, that is coming along very
nicely. I expect to finish it up during next week, and then there will be a
pattern coming out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegMuIxG4sGQZ_SwSVUv9WV6kYnP29hDfqwMEWwZ6Xtb8iGl9wimMLM6JXv2AoYHNUxIreHjw64x43BYX9rhZ-kqleSI9PrxtH2EKKrlTdwhZxmCnNKcjHGApJj50qzKIjxdBIR6UrEQ5Y/s1600/Chevron+skirt+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegMuIxG4sGQZ_SwSVUv9WV6kYnP29hDfqwMEWwZ6Xtb8iGl9wimMLM6JXv2AoYHNUxIreHjw64x43BYX9rhZ-kqleSI9PrxtH2EKKrlTdwhZxmCnNKcjHGApJj50qzKIjxdBIR6UrEQ5Y/s1600/Chevron+skirt+%25282%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I started swatching for, and working on, a summer skirt,
in Allino from BC Garn. This is a sport weight cotton-linen blend; the two
fibres give the yarn a slightly variegated look, and I chose a dark, denim-ish
blue to make the skirt as versatile as a pair of jeans. So far, that plan seems
to be working: whenever the skirt project happens to bundle up to something
else, the yarns look good together. The skirt itself is worked top down in a
chevron pattern, with the chevrons growing gradually wider downwards. Very
simple, very easy. Again, there will be a pattern coming out soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Less summery, but also moving along, is the V neck
jumper for Victor; I have almost finished the body now and have to start
thinking about the rib at the bottom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As so often, when a big film comes out, I go to my <i>Read The Book</i> default setting. In many
cases, this is the thing to do, and the film can take care of itself; sometimes,
I do both. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the case of the Shakespeare plays for which I catch
the commentary on Chop Bard, I listen, read, and watch the films – for Hamlet,
I watched two, both the David Tennant version and the Kenneth Branagh one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And I am really looking forward to Joss Whedon’s <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i>, by the way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, we have <i>The
Great Gatsby</i> by F. Scott Fitzgerald, filmed by Baz Luhrman and with
Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby himself; I may watch this at some point, but I feel
no particular rush to do so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ages ago, I read the book; this was one of the dozens
of books, literary classics and otherwise, that I read in Danish simply because
they were sitting on the book shelves in the living room at home. So I may have
been 11 when I read this one first time around, and I wasn’t terribly
impressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now, I have the Audible version read by Jake
Gyllenhaal (and generously shared by my sister; we do regular audio book
swaps), I have Heather’s <i>Just The
Benefits</i> commentary – at least, when the app and the wifi decide to play
nice once in a while – and I started off by listening to the BBC World Book
Club (free podcast) episode about the book. And, of course, I have years of
living and reading experience in which to anchor this story, so this time, I am
terribly impressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The language is richly poetic, mellifluous and
poignant, like honey with flakes of chilli in it; Fitzgerald describes people,
emotions, actions and reactions with surprising and evocative turns of phrase.
The central plot is a love story, but of course there is more, not least
pointed commentary on class and social censure: the value ascribed to persons
of different social and economic standing – and personality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In case anyone doesn’t know already, the story takes
place in the summer of 1922 in Long Island and New York; the narrator, Nick
Carraway, rents a house by the shore while working in the city and finds
himself a neighbour to Gatsby, of whom he hears numerous more or less
outrageous rumours before meeting the man himself at one of his many
extravagant house parties. Gatsby is in love with Nick’s cousin, Daisy, who is
married to the very unpleasant Tom Buchanan; he has worked his way from nothing
to nouveau riche – and so still nothing in the eyes of the ones coming from old
money – in order to be worthy of Daisy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have a feeling that the end is going to be
heart-breaking ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have found another literary podcast – or rather, I
have finally gotten round to taking a proper look (or listen) at a podcast
mentioned by Heather on CraftLit some time ago, I’m not sure when: in my time,
it was sometime last winter, maybe, in real CraftLit time, it was probably
years ago. Anyway, this is <i>Forgotten
Classics</i> with Julie D.; and it does just what it says on the tin. Julie
takes classic books that are forgotten and unread by most, and reads them out
loud in her mellow voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I subscribed on iTunes a while back, and it offers me
episode 198 as the first. I could go back to the beginning via the archive on the
Forgotten Classics website, of course, and I may do that some day. For now, I
have begun listening to the book that begins in episode 200: <i>The Unforeseen</i> by Dorothy Macardle. This
is an Irish story, set in the 1930’s, about 40-something Virgilia, her daughter
Nan, and Virgilia’s new ability to apparently see into the future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I find myself relating to the mothering theme: the intermingled
difficulty and pride in allowing your fledglings to fly off and make their own
mistakes; Nan has gone off to London to become an artist, and Virgilia would
prefer her to come home, but knows that the young woman needs to live her own
life, at her own risk. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My boys are still at home, all of them – but in only a
year’s time, two of them may be ready to move on: Andreas will finish his IT
education and go off to work, and Thomas will finish school and may want to
travel and/or work before starting whatever higher education he chooses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Virgilia has a lovely cottage in Ireland, south of
Dublin, that Nan comes back to for the summer – for this is another summer
book, beginning in early June. Whenever they need to go shopping, they bicycle into
Dublin; having been there a couple of years ago, I enjoy the mention of specific
street names and places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, this is it for this week – I am going to go and
enjoy the summer before it starts raining again :o) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I hope you have a great week; I will be back next week
with more summer shenanigans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dorthehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12277570026159285808noreply@blogger.com0