Sneaking a quick post while the kid naps…
He’s conked out, but I don’t know for how much longer. We had a busy morning. A playdate with Jonah, then a long stroller walk to the Goodwill to buy some more books for Thumper, then a nice long walk back home. I was hoping he’d fall asleep on the way back and he did, just a few blocks from home.
Six new books for him at Goodwill, and a cool hot rod toy,and two coffee mugs for me, and a winter coat for him for now and another to grow into. All for $25. We love Goodwill. They’re big and clean and well-organized here. Nothing like the cramped little Salvation Army warrens back in NYC.
I have yet to cast on for David’s kilt hose, or for the Vintage socks, or for the new Trilce. Truth be told, I’m barely knitting at all. Just a few rounds here and there on that stockinette sock, but then only when I can’t be doing anything else–when we’re in the car or if Thumper is playing independently for a few minutes. The time that I find available to me when I do have the peace and quiet and lack of distraction to follow a chart (kilt hose), I find myself just wanting to read. And not read while knitting, but really read. To just sink into the couch and into the book. I used to devour a book a week at least. When I started knitting, that slipped to a book every few weeks, then a book a month… I seem to be moving away from that right now. I love to knit, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not seized by the desire to cram stitches into every free moment anymore. I missed reading and didn’t even know it. Now that I’m reaching for the books before the needles, I’m remembering how good it feels to read a book quickly. To give it hours each day, so you’re really living in it, right there with the characters. (Yes, fiction. That’s pretty much all I read.)
In the past few weeks I’ve been hanging out with Alice Munro, Mary Gaitskill, Don DeLillo, Denis Johnson. Right now I’ve moved on to Philip Roth and Sabbath’s Theater.
I’ve got a yarn stash that’s way too big and needs to be knitted down before I acquire more yarn, but I’ve got even more of a book stash, many books waiting years for their turn.
There may be a bit of a slowdown on the knitting around here. Fair warning.
And now to get a bit more reading in before the baby wakes.
PS: David, I’m starting the kilt hose really soon, I swear. Probably tonight.
Hurray for reading! And Philip Roth.
I can get so fantastically thirsty for fiction on occasion, it’s still one of my greatest pleasures. And what a wonderful thing that you have room in your life once more for hours of reading at a time. 🙂
Posted by: marrije
maybe you can start the hose on tuesday? 🙂 assuming we’re all meeting up.
Posted by: shannon in oregon
I’m with you. I have to read (at least a few mintues) every day or I’m grumpy. I periodically flirt with the library, sometimes due to the cost of books, particularly if I’ve just spent $25 on something I didn’t love, but find that I like to take my time, sometimes underline favorite passages – and the library frowns on that:) Remember balance – with life, and also with knitting and reading. I am not a writer, but I have never known a writer who didn’t read a lot.
Posted by: Jenny
It’s always interesting to find out what writers are reading-so I was excited to read this post. Sink into a book …(with maybe a cup of tea) sounds like the perfect way to spend an evening.
Posted by: brooke
Reading….I remember when I used to do that….
Sad.
Posted by: Norma
Hurray for reading! And Philip Roth.
I can get so fantastically thirsty for fiction on occasion, it’s still one of my greatest pleasures. And what a wonderful thing that you have room in your life once more for hours of reading at a time. 🙂
Posted by: marrije
maybe you can start the hose on tuesday? 🙂 assuming we’re all meeting up.
Posted by: shannon in oregon
I’m with you. I have to read (at least a few mintues) every day or I’m grumpy. I periodically flirt with the library, sometimes due to the cost of books, particularly if I’ve just spent $25 on something I didn’t love, but find that I like to take my time, sometimes underline favorite passages – and the library frowns on that:) Remember balance – with life, and also with knitting and reading. I am not a writer, but I have never known a writer who didn’t read a lot.
Posted by: Jenny
It’s always interesting to find out what writers are reading-so I was excited to read this post. Sink into a book …(with maybe a cup of tea) sounds like the perfect way to spend an evening.
Posted by: brooke
Reading….I remember when I used to do that….
Sad.
Posted by: Norma
Ooh hurrah for reading! I find I can’t get a page in edgewise in my house 🙁 I used to devour books like chocolate chip cookies. Though I just got the latest George RR Martin one, it’s been calling…..
Posted by: Michele
I know about the reading.
Read “Grub”. Fantastic, wonderful. Four days worth of baths, and I love it. Totally worth giving up knitting time for.
Better yet, send address. I will send book.
Posted by: Stephanie
The haircut is awesome. I feel your pain about looking around for a hairdresser in a new town. I had to do it last year, and it just sucks. SUCKS.
But, like you, I was able to find a great stylist, and it all worked out.
Congrats on finding a good one. 🙂
Glad to see you’re posting pics of your knitting again, too!
Sticking with ya,
Steph
Posted by: TheSteph
I’m that way about reading too. I don’t do as much of it as I would like, or used to, but when I do, I don’t want an audiobook so I can do something else at the same time. I want a couch and a blanket, or a nice hot bath, and to just read. To let My imagination decide what the characters look and sound like, not someone else’s. That’s why I never go to see the film versions of books I really love. The disappointment is almost always crushing. And I’ve found that people weary of being told over and over again how Soandso Fictional Character Just Wouldn’t have Done it That Way.
Posted by: Rachel H
Oh, I love Alice Munro. I’m sad that she’s retired, but on the other hand, I guess it’s good that she leaves behind an exemplary body of work, rather than possibly trailing off with lesser quality stories.
Posted by: Amy
The reading vs. knitting conflict is a tough one for me. The sad truth of it is that I rarely get time for either, which is why it takes me weeks — sometimes months — to finish a project. The subway used to provide me with a solid 20-minute block of reading time every day, but now the PATH train is so absurdly crowded all the time it just doesn’t seem worth the trouble.
Posted by: regina
Ooh hurrah for reading! I find I can’t get a page in edgewise in my house 🙁 I used to devour books like chocolate chip cookies. Though I just got the latest George RR Martin one, it’s been calling…..
Posted by: Michele
I know about the reading.
Read “Grub”. Fantastic, wonderful. Four days worth of baths, and I love it. Totally worth giving up knitting time for.
Better yet, send address. I will send book.
Posted by: Stephanie
The haircut is awesome. I feel your pain about looking around for a hairdresser in a new town. I had to do it last year, and it just sucks. SUCKS.
But, like you, I was able to find a great stylist, and it all worked out.
Congrats on finding a good one. 🙂
Glad to see you’re posting pics of your knitting again, too!
Sticking with ya,
Steph
Posted by: TheSteph
I’m that way about reading too. I don’t do as much of it as I would like, or used to, but when I do, I don’t want an audiobook so I can do something else at the same time. I want a couch and a blanket, or a nice hot bath, and to just read. To let My imagination decide what the characters look and sound like, not someone else’s. That’s why I never go to see the film versions of books I really love. The disappointment is almost always crushing. And I’ve found that people weary of being told over and over again how Soandso Fictional Character Just Wouldn’t have Done it That Way.
Posted by: Rachel H
Oh, I love Alice Munro. I’m sad that she’s retired, but on the other hand, I guess it’s good that she leaves behind an exemplary body of work, rather than possibly trailing off with lesser quality stories.
Posted by: Amy
The reading vs. knitting conflict is a tough one for me. The sad truth of it is that I rarely get time for either, which is why it takes me weeks — sometimes months — to finish a project. The subway used to provide me with a solid 20-minute block of reading time every day, but now the PATH train is so absurdly crowded all the time it just doesn’t seem worth the trouble.
Posted by: regina
At your stage of life (young child), I found it very hard to find time to read too. I didn’t even have knitting competing for my time back then! But now that my kids are older, they don’t need me so much and I have more time to read. What is really fun is when one is on the couch, one in a chair and we are all reading!! LOVE THAT!!
Posted by: KaKi
I go through those phases where either I knit a ton and neglect my books or read like a demon and knit not a thing! Right now, I’m sort of balancing the two. I read for about an hour in the morning and knit whenever I can throughout the day and evening. I didn’t do it on purpose but it really seems to be working out. Go, enjoy your books. The yarn isn’t going anywhere!
Posted by: Angela
When I started knitting, my reading came to an abrupt standstill. But I love to read, so I made it one of my 2008 goals to read more books. Now I try to read for at least half an hour before bed. Oh, and I take more baths now because I love baths, and I get more reading done in the tub. It is time to FINALLY finish Capote’s In Cold Blood.
Posted by: Knittripps
Hey, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with sinking into a few (dozen) good books. Enjoy!
Posted by: Amy
I have wanted to slow down on the knitting and sink my teeth into a few good books…but as soon as I try to sit down with one I start feeling this weird kind of guilt. Like I’m just lounging and not doing anything productive. It’s weird! I use to never have any problems getting sucked into a good read…but I have so many knitting projects that I want to do that I feel this overwhelming sense of cast-on-itis that sitting still for books seems like an unnecessary luxury. I know it’s totally silly…and I should sit down with a good book and dive in. Hmmm…I do have one a friend lent me and said I would love…..perhaps I should 🙂
Posted by: Stephanie
At your stage of life (young child), I found it very hard to find time to read too. I didn’t even have knitting competing for my time back then! But now that my kids are older, they don’t need me so much and I have more time to read. What is really fun is when one is on the couch, one in a chair and we are all reading!! LOVE THAT!!
Posted by: KaKi
I go through those phases where either I knit a ton and neglect my books or read like a demon and knit not a thing! Right now, I’m sort of balancing the two. I read for about an hour in the morning and knit whenever I can throughout the day and evening. I didn’t do it on purpose but it really seems to be working out. Go, enjoy your books. The yarn isn’t going anywhere!
Posted by: Angela
When I started knitting, my reading came to an abrupt standstill. But I love to read, so I made it one of my 2008 goals to read more books. Now I try to read for at least half an hour before bed. Oh, and I take more baths now because I love baths, and I get more reading done in the tub. It is time to FINALLY finish Capote’s In Cold Blood.
Posted by: Knittripps
Hey, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with sinking into a few (dozen) good books. Enjoy!
Posted by: Amy
I have wanted to slow down on the knitting and sink my teeth into a few good books…but as soon as I try to sit down with one I start feeling this weird kind of guilt. Like I’m just lounging and not doing anything productive. It’s weird! I use to never have any problems getting sucked into a good read…but I have so many knitting projects that I want to do that I feel this overwhelming sense of cast-on-itis that sitting still for books seems like an unnecessary luxury. I know it’s totally silly…and I should sit down with a good book and dive in. Hmmm…I do have one a friend lent me and said I would love…..perhaps I should 🙂
Posted by: Stephanie
I do that to….referring to the knitting for awhile then reading for awhile. Sometimes I just sit in a hot bath tub too. sigh
Posted by: Ilona
I totally know what you mean about a book stash. Not that I’m complaining, but I got a *ton* of books for x-mas, on top of the rather daunting number of still unread friends already languishing on my shelves. Have you found a way to balance your time between your knitting and your reading (especially since the time for either is so limited)?
Posted by: Sneaksleep
Thanks, Cari! No rush at all. Thank you so much for even considering making the hose.
And yay Goodwill! The ones around here are a little scary sometimes but they do have great stuff.
Posted by: David
You named two of my favorites right off (Alice Munro and Mary Gaitskill). I have a letter I received from Alice Munro tucked inside Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. I keep buying these book holder things so I can read while I knit, but I don’t have a comfortable surface to set the book. Someday I’ll find an answer.
Posted by: Marlena
Yay for books! I also found myself slipping away from my voracious reading. Coupled with guilt at checking out way too many library books and not reading them, then getting fines for forgetting I had them and therefore not returning them, I got slowed down. I’ve been re-reading fiction lately which can be such a treat, though it does keep one away from all those piles of books yet-to-read. I love DeLillo, despite his sexist tendencies, and my current read (The Master and Margarita, by Bulgakov – but this is translated, thankyouverymuch) reminds me of him if he got smooshed together with Nabokov. Very fun.
P.S. I’m totally a lurker and am now catching up on your last week’s worth of posts or so. Jan. 22 was my b-day and I really loved getting a snippet of fiction on it! 🙂 (That day was also the Roe v Wade anniversary but I digress.)
Posted by: Laurakeet
I do that to….referring to the knitting for awhile then reading for awhile. Sometimes I just sit in a hot bath tub too. sigh
Posted by: Ilona
I totally know what you mean about a book stash. Not that I’m complaining, but I got a *ton* of books for x-mas, on top of the rather daunting number of still unread friends already languishing on my shelves. Have you found a way to balance your time between your knitting and your reading (especially since the time for either is so limited)?
Posted by: Sneaksleep
Thanks, Cari! No rush at all. Thank you so much for even considering making the hose.
And yay Goodwill! The ones around here are a little scary sometimes but they do have great stuff.
Posted by: David
You named two of my favorites right off (Alice Munro and Mary Gaitskill). I have a letter I received from Alice Munro tucked inside Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. I keep buying these book holder things so I can read while I knit, but I don’t have a comfortable surface to set the book. Someday I’ll find an answer.
Posted by: Marlena
Yay for books! I also found myself slipping away from my voracious reading. Coupled with guilt at checking out way too many library books and not reading them, then getting fines for forgetting I had them and therefore not returning them, I got slowed down. I’ve been re-reading fiction lately which can be such a treat, though it does keep one away from all those piles of books yet-to-read. I love DeLillo, despite his sexist tendencies, and my current read (The Master and Margarita, by Bulgakov – but this is translated, thankyouverymuch) reminds me of him if he got smooshed together with Nabokov. Very fun.
P.S. I’m totally a lurker and am now catching up on your last week’s worth of posts or so. Jan. 22 was my b-day and I really loved getting a snippet of fiction on it! 🙂 (That day was also the Roe v Wade anniversary but I digress.)
Posted by: Laurakeet