Knitting Perpetually In Progress & A Finished Read

It's true, I didn't get around to baking bread, fixing and backing out my shawl or cardigan this past weekend. In fact I "thought" I finished my first sock for Mr. Dress-Up, but alas, the foot was very .. very short. I was this close to frogging the whole thing to start again, when I realized as I pulled it out past the toe shaping, I could pick up the stitches, and add some length. I wouldn't have "exact" row counts for what I've done, but I'm already questioning my proportions as it is for all the bits of my sock, so what's one more bit? I am not frustrated enough with this pair of socks to give up. I think it's because I know my questions come more from my distracted knitting these days than the pattern. The pattern I get, in fact, I can figure out where I am in the diamond pattern without looking at the chart which is HUGE for me.

Well, as Andi and many of you out there would say, it's about the journey. I'm enjoying my slow sock knitting, and really that's what it's all about at the end of the day right?

What I did do this weekend is finish "A Death in the Small Hours". I had been pecking away a chapter with it here and there for the past week or so.

It's a Charles Lennox Mystery. It takes place in Victorian aristocratic England with lovely descriptions of tea, friends and neighbors. The setting gets pulled out of London at Charles' uncle's home in the country. It's a change from the author's usual pace and I think he's trying really hard not to have the same formula each time.  I felt the book had me until approximately 2/3rds through. I felt as we were resolving things, I still felt muddled. This might be what the author wanted, however this feeling didn't go away when I finished the book.

I've read all but one in this series and I have to say, I keep returning because it feels ... comforting. The main characters have been allowed to grow or at least have life circumstances change, which is something you don't see much in some of the classic mysteries such as Agatha Christie, where I swear, Poirot felt stuck in the same year of life as ever. I used to joke for the t.v. versions if Poirot was remotely polite or sweet on a woman, she was the KILLER!

I digress again. Anyhow, if you like a classic Victorian mystery give this series a go. I liked his previous book in the series better, "A Burial at Sea". But this book was still enjoyable. I was just not wowed per se. It doesn't take a lot to figure out these mysteries, but it's still really pleasant with a gray drizzly weekend cup of tea.