trombonecat's blog

artistry

Hats.
I don’t love wearing hats. But it’s cold weather now where I live. Many knitting and crochet patterns help to promote an effort or cause. A current popular one is the Melt the ICE hat — patterns are available on Ravelry for knit and crochet versions. I need to buy some red yarn tomorrow and will start the crocheted version. Here’s a description of this historically inspired hat from the crochet pattern’s Ravelry page:
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design. As with our knitted version, all proceeds from the sale of this pattern will be given to immigrant aid organizations within the Twin Cities community.”

life

Fun time.
I’m not a party person. I did an unusual thing for me on Sunday. Went to a local restaurant which is actually a saloon. With a group of friends, watched the Seahawks play the Los Angeles Rams for a spot in the Super Bowl. A close game, the Seahawks were not favored to win, but did with a 31-27 score. It’s easy to stand up and do the happy dance when you’re with fun friends and in a crowd of people you’re never going to see again. The New England Patriots is the other team in the Super Bowl. Wonder if any of my New England friends want to make a playful bet about the game?

reading

Doors.
One of my book clubs is the Uppercase Book Club. We meet on the fourth Wednesday at the Cabbage Patch Restaurant in Snohomish, WA. Yep, it’s a quaint town, including a First Street filled with antique and other stores and a variety of restaurants mostly open for lunch. For January, we’re talking about The Book of Doors, a debut novel by Gareth Brown. Check out public libraries for audio copies.

I’m not a science fiction book lover, but this one did keep my attention. The main character is Cassie who works in a London book shop. After a customer who’s there almost every day dies, she gets a book of his in her hands. It’s not an ordinary book and this is where the time travel part of the plot kicks in. There are a few other special books too and Cassie and a few others travel back and forth in time, seeing the previous or future lives of both lucky and not lucky individuals who hold these books in their hands. Wonderful and dreadful things happen to people who take possession of one of these books. Lots of character development. The novel’s scenarios are described in such detail that I’m already walking through them again in my mind.

Thanks to those who support their local independent bookstores. And, kudos to Uppercase Bookshop for being part of the used book store community in Washington. Very much worth a visit, look for the log cabin on Second Street.

this week’s photo

Go Seahawks! Go 12’s!