sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

January 14, 2015


2014 releases i never got to
posted by soe 1:26 am

Today’s Top Ten Tuesdays topic at The Broke and the Bookish is 2014 Releases I Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To:

  1. 2 a.m. at the Cat’s Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertine (currently reading)
  2. Endangered by Eliot Schrefer (started but didn’t finish)
  3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
  4. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
  5. The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde
  6. Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper
  7. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
  8. Five, Six, Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle
  9. Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography
  10. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

I’m looking to get to all these titles this year and am on the wait list at the library for five of the eight titles not currently in my possession.

How about you? Any regrets among new releases you missed last year?

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January 13, 2015


composting containers
posted by soe 1:40 am

I think I mentioned earlier this winter that our community garden has gained closed composting bins. I have not composted before, but it’s one of my goals for 2015.

I’d like some advice, though.

My major concern about composting is pest control. Not of the four-legged sort, but of the six-legged variety. I know us and the most frequently we’re going to get down to the garden is twice a week, and that’s probably more likely in the summer than the winter when there’s nothing to water or harvest. So something that seals well is imperative.

Second, I want something smallish. (Not small, mind you. Just not gigantic.) I’d rather not have an in-cabinet option, since once you’ve had pests living in a cabinet, even if they’re long gone, it’s not something you’d like them to make attractive in any way. However, we also have a galley-style kitchen, so space is at a premium.

Finally, weight: It’s roughly 2/3 of a mile to the garden, so something light, but still scent-impervious is preferable. Biobags are only allowed to be composted if we shred them, so I admit I’m not ecstatic about the idea, but am willing to consider it if folks say it’s my best bet.

Do you compost? Do you like the in-house container you use to do so? Suggestions and thoughts are appreciated.

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January 12, 2015


bout of books wrap-up
posted by soe 2:38 am
Bout of Books

My first Bout of Books has come and gone.

Here’s how I did on my goals:

I’m not sure I read every day, but I definitely read most days. (Things got a little weird in the middle of the week.) Better still, I started pulling out a book at the times when I’ve been more recently reading Twitter or playing games on my phone, like while waiting for the metro.

Page totals and quick thoughts on the books:

  • My True Love Gave to Me: 172 pages (This was the only book I finished this week, but I started it on Boxing Day. It really was a superb collection of YA Christmas-themed romance stories. I liked each one and loved quite a few.)
  • When I Was the Greatest: 66 (I hit the point where the book was getting stressful & it was overdue to the library, so I returned it a quarter of the way in. I may get it back out or I may not.)
  • Christmas at Thompson Hall & Other Christmas Stories: 9 (This was in my bag, so it didn’t get read except during commuting times, but I’m looking forward to reading a the rest of this this week.)
  • The Amazing Thing about the Way It Goes: 50 (Non-knitting essays from the Yarn Harlot. It’s okay. Some essays have been funnier than others so far.)
  • 2 a.m. at the Cat’s Pajamas: 24 (I feel like the author never met a sentence she didn’t feel couldn’t be improved by her thesaurus, but I’m enjoying it so far. Obviously I’m not far in yet, but I think it’ll be good and I plan to finish it this week.)
  • Texts from Jane Eyre and Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters: 84 (I should really only read this when alone, because I keep wanting to read bit aloud when there’s an audience.)

Without padding and to my great surprise, that means I did hit my page goal for Bout of Books, even if I didn’t read a single whole book during the week. Not bad!

I’m counting my blogging goals as accomplished, too, since technically my mid-week update and this post count.

So, overall, a success! And I took part in the final Twitter chat of the event as a bonus!

I’m looking forward to the next Bout of Books, which is in May. Maybe you’ll consider joining it, too?

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January 10, 2015


weekend to-do list
posted by soe 3:36 am

Some of the things I’m hoping to do this weekend:

  • Meet Sarah for lunch.
  • Visit the library.
  • Read.
  • Register for a class.
  • Do laundry.
  • Buy presents.
  • Start a new knitting project.
  • Go for a walk.
  • Make lasagna.
  • Take part in a Twitter chat.
  • Phone a friend.
  • Catch up the day of journaling work I’m behind on.

Actually, that sounds like a pretty good weekend, all things considered. Here’s hoping I get most of it done! What about you? What do you hope your weekend includes?

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January 9, 2015


that time of the year, first snow, and our share
posted by soe 2:16 am

Three beautiful things from the first week of 2015:

1. This time of the year, Girl Scouts abound, so when unpleasantness arises, it’s okay to break into the last unopened box of Samoas in the pantry.

2. It created havoc for a great number of people in the area, but I enjoyed the first snow accumulation of the year. Rudi has made a full recovery, so I didn’t have to get up early and shovel, and it blanketed everything prettily with four inches of white for a bit.

3. Because the Nationals imploded early on in the post-season, after we anted up for tickets that would’ve covered through the World Series, what we owe for our share of this year’s season tickets is comfortably minimal.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world this week?

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January 8, 2015


bout of books
posted by soe 2:17 am

A quick update about my Bout of Books progress:

Day 1: I got a little more than 50 pages of When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds, one of the Cybils YA finalists, read. It’s fine, but hasn’t grabbed me.

Day 2: Not much time for reading. I read Holly Black’s story in My True Love Gave To Me, which was less scary than I’d feared it’d be.

Day 3: I started the title story from Anthony Trollope’s Christmas at Thompson Hall & Other Christmas Stories, in addition to reading Gayle Forman’s story in My True Love Gave To Me, which was as cute as I’d expected it to be.

Overall, slower progress than might have been hoped for, but still perfectly acceptable.

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