Saturday, February 25, 2012

Weak excuses, but excuses all the same......

I haven't been around much this week visiting blogs and I have a number of reasons excuses why.

1. Been ill - good excuse I guess but it hasn't stopped me doing a post every day has it!!

2. Busy with that bloody beauty routine - update on that.  Hair is dyed and looks good.  Toenails cut, so less threat now of shredding the sheets when I get into bed or causing bodily harm if I kick dh in bed!  Oh and the dreaded legs.  Done one pass through and figure one more pass through should get rid of the majority of hair, and hopefully I'll lose 2lbs in weight when I do!!

3. I have been reading.  I got wound up in a trilogy of books and couldn't put the bloody things down until I had read them all.  I mean squat all has been done around here this week which is not good but I HAD to read one book after the other to see what happened next as they were that good.

I bought the first one from BookCloseOuts the other week and started reading it at the beginning of the week.  Luckily for me the library had the other two in the series otherwise I think I would have had a melt down.  The books are by the author Gil McNeil and the first book in the series is called "The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club," or it may be called "Diva's Don't Knit."  It's the same book just a different title.


Jo Mackenzie needs a new start. Newly widowed with two young sons and a perilous bank balance, she has to leave London to take over her grandmother's wool shop. They arrive in the pouring rain and Broadgate Bay is the kind of Kentish seaside town where the tide went out a long time ago and the dusty old shop is full of peach four-ply. Marmalade mohair, an A-list actress moving into the local mansion and a 'Stitch and Bitch' group will help, but it's not going to be easy. Very Large dogs, celebrity, small town intrigues, packed lunches and romance all loom large in Gil McNeil's funny and uplifting novel. "Divas Don't Knit" turns prejudices and assumptions upside down and tells it how it really is in the world of knit-one, purl-one. Knitting has never been so much fun.


The second book in the series is called " Needles and Pearls," and the third one is called "Knit One, Pearl One."

You really need to read these in order, as one book follows on from the other.  It does use the "F" word frequently, but it's nothing to worry about.  One of the things that is so funny, is what comes out of young children's mouths.  That alone will keep you laughing.  I had forgotten how kids find the strangest things funny, especially if its anything to do with bodily functions or swear words!!  The boys find their uncle's girlfriends name Lulu funny when they meet her, why, because it sounds like "Loo" a word we use in Britain for toilet!!!  Made me smile though.

The one thing though that is totally unbelievable at least in my opinion is that it says everyone can knit, even kids can knit.  I can't bloody knit and neither can my "Martha Stewart" wannabe daughter.  She seems to have inherited my "can't knit for toffee," gene!!!!  This book makes me want to knit though, I think I may trot over to the local Yarn store after my hand is better and inflict myself on them and see if they can teach me!!!

The way the third book ends, leaves room for a fourth book and I hope she does decide to carry on, as there is still a lot more to tell.  I know I for one will be buying the book when it does come out.

So there you go, those are my excuses, weak or not weak?  What do you think?

22 comments:

Boopnut said...

Those books sound wonderful even though this diva doesn't knit, I might just read those. Love trilogies.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the book reviews - my library has them, so I will definitely get them! My Nan taught me to knit when I was 8, but there were plenty of dropped stitches!

DeniseinVA said...

I love a good series of books, this one sounds very interesting. Thanks Gill.

p.s. I don't knit either. My mother and sister knitted beautifully but my humble efforts turned out looking very strange!

Anonymous said...

3 pretty good excuses if you ask me...the only reason I'm on here so much is I don't read like I used to! Keep on reading!

Kaisievic said...

Thanks for the book reviews, Gill, I am downloading them to my kindle as I write.

hugs, Kaye xoxox

Debby said...

Sounds like good excuses to me! I too would like to learn to knit but I have enough irons in the fire and no room to hoard more supplies for another craft!! Hope you feel better soon. Congrats on the pretty new you!!

Jane and Chris said...

I'll teach you to knit, you teach me to sew!
Jane x

Piece by Piece said...

Good excuses if you ask me.
Those books would be something I would like, will have to check my library.
I have knitted since I was about 10year old, remember making clothes for my dolls. Currently making some things for my yet to be born great grand daughter.
Hope you are feeling better.
Patricia

Rose said...

I will keep those books in mind....I am so behind...I don't know if I have time to catch up before I have to leave...but will eventually.

Anonymous said...

Gill I think you TOTALLY deserve a slack week!! I'd still be recovering from the splits lol. I love that feeling when you start a book and can't put them down. I hope your feeling better! Be sure to take pics at the wedding, you will look beautiful!! Happy Weekend :)

cathy@home said...

All good excuses, I hope you are feeling better.

Andi's English Attic said...

Ooooh that sounds good. Will check it out.

I can knit. I can make rugs. I can sew. But I can't, however many times I try, crochet. I guess somethings just elude us.

Meri said...

Can't wait to read these books.
Love reading the book revives.

Jane said...

I totally get the beauty routine reason...err...excuse! I cut my own hair so have to do that this weekend along with a little subtle waxing, and no I don't mean a brazilian har har!
The only way I'll ever knit is if they come up with a way I can read and knit at the same time!

Unknown said...

You don't need an excuse to enjoy yourself or to look after yourself. All of the above excuese sound good enough to me. Hope you're feeling on top of things again. Have a great weekend. Maa

Stella Jones said...

Those books sound very good to me. I like anything to do with knitting. Thank you for telling me about them. I thought you were going to say 'The Hunger Games' at first.

Cash Only Living said...

We must be on the same wavelength--I shaved my legs today too! And cut my toenails!
p.s. It's probably not a good thing when another blogger needs to remind me to do these things!

50 and counting said...

Good books are great companions when you are ill. It's nature's way of telling you to slow down.

Hope you are on the mend.

peppylady (Dora) said...

No not an excuses but the truth my computer been down.

~Carla~ said...

I don't think you need excuses or reasons.. ;) We all go in spurts! The books sounds pretty good! Thanks for the review!

megan blogs said...

Thanks for mentioning those books. I don't read much fiction and need to make an effort to do so more often.

Hope you're feeling better!

megan

Unknown said...

All I did yesterday was read, do I feel guilty....NO WAY!

Sft x

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